FaithCCall
FAITH’S JOURNEY
* 14 February 2006 *
I am 41 years old and have struggled for most of my life. My weight problem started to become more noticeable after I started High School. I started gaining more weight while in High School do to medical problems and having to be on medications for it. After I graduated from High School I thought that my problems would get better but they did not they only got worse. I had been told that after I have children that my medical problem would get better but that was not the case with me it just got worse and the weight got worse also. This was just the beginning, after I had my second child things just got worse for me with my medical problems and weight gain.
After my second child was born my medical problems seemed to have gotten worse when all I was told from when I was in High School after I had children they would get better. My body did not work like things should have. By the time my son was about two years old I had to have a complete hysterectomy. I could not loose weight no matter what I did after I had my hysterectomy. However there were times that I would loose weight but then it would come back on just as fast if not faster then when I was loosing and I would put on even more then I had lost. No matter how much I would try I just could not keep the weight off I was on a rollercoaster ride with the weight.
I had a slip and fall December 2003 and since then my situation has really gotten bad. Since the fall I am not only suffering with my weight problem but now I also suffer in pain with herniated disks, and pinched nerve in my neck from the fall. The pain gets so bad at times that I am in bed for days. Nevertheless, since the fall I have not been able to exercise or anything at all because of the pain. This was just another turmoil in my life that stopped me from being able to loose the weight and be healthy. Since the fall I have put on I would say at least another 25 pounds which I know is not helping me at all as the weight is putting more stress on my neck and the rest of my body.
For a few years I had been thinking and reading on the internet a lot about Gastric Bypass surgery. I have spoken to my PCP and he has agreed that this would be a very good idea for me to do. He had no problem talking to me about it and he was even very happy that I went to him with this idea. He gave me a script to be able to go to a surgeon to find out all the info I need for me to go through with the surgery. It was after I spoke to my PCP that I had finally spoke to my husband and let him know how I feel about myself and what I want to do for myself at this point.
Since I spoke to my PCP about this and also talked to the insurance company and found out what they require I have done I will be going to see my PCP every month for a check up and weigh in just incase the insurance company tells me later that I need to have documentation with a doctor for weight control and weigh ins for 6 month. My PCP also thought that this would be a very good idea at this point so that there would be no hold ups at all for me to have the surgery.
I am married for the 2nd time to a wonderful man (Murray). Murray is not only my husband but my best friend. My husband is standing by me though in full support of my decision. He said that if this is what I want he would be there for me, as he knows this is what is best for me at this point. It will not only help me with the weight but also with all my other medical problems. I have two wonderful children, Laura 14, and Joseph 11; I also have two wonderful stepchildren, Erin 21 and Stephen 17. I also have wonderful in-laws that are being very supportive in my decision and respects that this is what I want to do to help myself completely.
Stephen moved in with Murray and me 8 November 2005, I love him being here the only thing is it put more on me to do and this does affect me in what I am able to do at times. I love the fact that Stephen and I get along very well, that I am able to talk to him about what I have decided to do. I have told Stephen since day one what I have decided to do and he is supporting me completely and is looking forward to being able to working out with me when I get to that stage. He might be my step child but I do consider him to be my own child.
I have a consultation set up for March 28th and am looking very forward to going and talking to the surgeon. I have already spoken to my insurance company and found out what they require that I have done first. I spoke to the insurance company again to find out if there is anything stating that there is any exclusion for morbid obesity and there is not. Therefore, I was very happy about that. The only thing the insurance company said is that the doctor’s office has to get a pre authorization.
* 21 February 2006 *
I am going for my sleep study tonight, this is because I had needed to have one even before I had checked into Gastric Bypass. My PCP had stated back in October 2005 that I needed to have one because I was in the hospital for problems with my breathing. My oxygen levels had dropped down so much that I was in the emergency room and I was admitted into the hospital and was there for about 4 days. When I got the prescription about a week ago from my PCP and spoke to him about going for Gastric Bypass and he agreed that it was a good idea then I called up my insurance company and found out that I would need a sleep study to see if I had sleep apnea. So in a way it was good that I was already going for my sleep study.
* 28 February 2006 *
I went for my sleep study on 21 February 2006. It was a little crazy. All the lines and stuff hooked up to you and they expect you to sleep. Plus with being in a different bed then your own. I cannot sleep well in my own bed nevertheless in a different bed. Nevertheless, it had to be done, glad it is over with now.
I went for my phyc. evaluation today and that went well. The doctor is going to send a letter of recommendation to my surgeon. So now, all I have to do is wait until I go for my consultation on 28 March 2006. I am looking very forward to going and talking to the doctor. I wish it were yesterday which I know you all know what I mean, but I know that it will be here before I even realize it.
In a way, it is good that it is a few weeks away as we decided to move into a 3-bedroom townhouse in the complex that we live in already. We are going from a one bedroom to a 3 bedroom townhouse, can not wait for that. We have been hoping to do this and the time has come. We will start to move on 15 March 2006. Thank goodness, we do not have that much to pack up. I cannot do much anyway with my disability anyway, thank goodness that my stepson is living with us and is really helping with the packing when he gets home from school. We also have good friends of ours that her son and his friend are going to come here, help on that Friday, and stay so that they can all get up early on Saturday and finish up.
* 28 March 2006 *
Well today was the day for my consultation with the surgeon. It went so good I am really happy that he is the one that I decided to go to. Everyone in the office was very nice and helpful. Any questions that I had were answered with no problems at all and if the staff was not sure then I asked the doctor and he had no problem at all answering my question. Then entire office is very laid back which I think is good because then you do not have to worry about how you talk to them at all. It was however a little crazy as they are moving their office in a couple of days. But I am really happy about that because they will only be about 5 minutes or so from where I live.
The doctor gave me a list of doctors and test and what not that I have to do or have done before I can even think of coming back for my next appointment. I feel that is really good though because he is checking everything and wants the ok from all of the different doctors before he will even let you have the surgery. So I will be busy the next few days and weeks making my appointments and going to see all the different doctors and having all the tests done that need to be done. However, that is ok because it will all be worth it in the end. My husband is also very happy that the surgeon is making me go to all the different doctors before he will do the surgery. Even though my husband has not met the surgeon yet he does seem to be pleased with him for making me go through all the different tests and stuff before hand.
* 30 March 2006 *
Well I started to make all my calls today to make my appointments with the doctors that I have to go see. I have also made the appointments for the different tests that I have to have for Dr. Slotman. I am shocked that I have all my appointments with all the doctors and I will be done with all of them by the end of April. It really shocked me that I was able to make all of them that fast since I have never been to them before and being a new patient you have to wait forever to get an appointment, but believe me I am very happy that I am not going to have to wait that long.
* 5 April 2006 *
Well today I had my first appointment with Kelly my nutritionist. Kelly was wonderful to go and see. She gave a lot of information and went over a lot of stuff that I had to know for my after care and the rest of my life. Any questions that I had for Kelly she was able to answer them with full knowledge and told me that at any time if I had any other questions that I could call her and she would talk to me about it. I did not know that at the end of meeting with Kelly before I could leave I had to take a short test. The test was about things we spoke about and what and how I will be able to do things after my surgery. Well I shocked myself but it had to be done I past the test with a 100%. But in all reality you have to pass the test because the results go to Dr. Slotman after so that he knows that I am aware of what I have to do for myself after surgery. I will be following up with Kelly about 5 weeks after my surgery and then one or two more times within a year.
Well I will keep you all up to date on what is going on and how things are going for me.