fawnlori

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As long as my insurance company approves my request, I am having surgery on JULY 28!!!!  OMG am I happy about this!  I'm so ready to start the pre-op diet and to have that last appointment with the surgeon. 

 OK, I waited until after my nutritionist visit to post. I met with Lise today.  First of all, for someone who has had gastric bypass my labs were very good. My only deficiency is with Vitamin D and I am currently taking 50,000 units for that for 8 weeks. My iron, B-12 and protein levels were on the low side of normal but they were in the normal range. I remembered the diet completely and the only thing that is different with this surgeon from the surgeon 5 years ago is that I can eat certain vegetables. I was thrilled to get protein samples and vitamins. She gave me enough B-12 and iron for 2 months!

The next bit of good news is that I called my insurance company to see if my surgery was approved and it has not been yet. I asked if they could expedite the process at all and they said my doctor has to do that. I called my surgeon's office and they are sending the request for it to be expedited TODAY! I will have an answer in 3-5 business days!!!!

This waiting game sucks.  My request went to my insurance company on the 13th and now I am just waiting for approval.  The nutritionist had a cancellation so I got an appointment for Monday :)  I'm almost there.  Liquid diet and filter left to go before surgery and I should have a date next week or the week after for certain.  I'm so ready for this!  This is my time and I know I can do this.  I plan to follow the doctor's directions verbatim.  Oh!  I also got a ride to the support group meeting Tuesday!

OK, so yesterday I finally had the follow up with my pulmonologist.  As opposed to the last time I saw him on an outpatient basis which happens to be the last time I went for surgery approval, I now have mild asthma and mild COPD.  Because of the asthma, though, the COPD and the sleep apnea, he is labeling me a moderate risk for surgery.  He faxed his report today and tomorrow my surgeon will be putting in for insurance approval.  The office called me to ask where I was at with the pre-op procedures as I was leaving the pulmonologist and they told me it takes 7-10 days typically to get insurance approval so all remains status quo for two weeks.  I am getting tired of waiting for surgery that he said in April that I would have in a month and hope this last leg goes quickly! 

Yesterday I was finally contacted by my surgeon but to my dismay, it wasn't because of a date.   The cardiologist cleared me but recommended that I get pulmonary clearance. I called my pulmonologist and I see him Jun 10. I'm feeling like I'm never going to have surgery. 

Good news!  I may not need a sleep study after all.  Apparently the insurance only covers it every five years so they are going to request my records from New Britain General!!!  Keep your fingers crossed.  If that's the case, then I could have a surgery date as early as next week :) 

I just called them and they got my sleep study results in.  All my preop stuff is DONE!  I will hear back from them SOON with a date!!!!  OMG, CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING!

I  had the echocardiogram today. My follow up appointment is May 21st.  I don't really care that it's12 days away be cause I still don't have an appointment with the sleep center. No call from them either today. Feeling frustrated but all I  can  do  is wait. I started the day off getting sick. I tried solid food again and I just can't do it. 

They are trying to set up my sleep study and my insurance denied it... they did set it as a priority so I could get in SOON but now they have to figure out how to get my insurance to approve the study.  It doesn't help that I can't remember when I last had a sleep study and I've been non-compliant for the past six months because the cats chewed up my mask and the company I got it from no longer takes my insurance and I don't know which one to use or how to get a script for one now.  I gather they are going to straighten all that out now.  This is the last thing I need to get a surgery date so I am getting very anxious about the sleep study!

The fistula is large according to my surgeon. He said it needs to be fixed so as soon as I get a sleep study, I'll be ready to go. I asked him if the opening was small and he said it wasn't. I was confused, then, as to why I am having so much trouble tolerating food and he said it was because of the way the stomach was working at this point and it's not in my head. As I was waiting for the med cab, Carmen said my name and a hospital worker comes up to me. Turns out she's the woman that I have been talking to at the sleep center and she reassured me that she will fit me in ASAP. We waited 2 hours for the med cab! I was so glad to finally get home! My throat is mildly sore and the anesthesia made me feel weird but I'm Ok and going for my ekg tomorrow.

I got an appointment with the cardiologist for Friday.  They are going to do the EKG then and make a follow up appointment.  They are going to try to get me in as soon as possible.  I didn't wait for them to call me, I called them which is good because they claim they never got the referral.  I'm not playing around here, I am staying right on target.  I also just had my very last cigarette.  I can do this, I can do this....  LOL!  Still waiting on the sleep study.  I hope they do their reports quickly.  I'm all geared up for surgery being in the beginning of June by my calculations.  I'll feel better about everything once I start the liquid diet.