Darlene E.

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I just got the call. I have my surgery Monday, November 10 and go for pre-op Oct 27 at 8:15am.
Oh tell me I'm not excited!!!!

I just had the Puralator guy come to the door. Ohip has approved me for surgery. I'm so excited!
I just called the Barix clinic in MI and they confirmed they have a copy of the same approval. They are pulling my file so Dr. Shram can sign the forms. I should be hearing something from the admitting department in a few days.
I'M GOING TO HAVE THE SURGERY!!!!
I need to do so many things now. Tomorrow I'm quitting smoking. I didn't quite do it last time. I will start Atkins once again so I can lose some weight before surgery.   I need to find out when the kids will be having hockey and tournaments so I can plan the surgery around them as much as possible or make arrangements to get them to and from games.
I will need to ask my mom to come stay for a few days while I'm away and for once I get home, and I need to start making a list of questions I'll want answered for when I go to pre-op.
Ok, I'm really pumped. Can't wait to hear back from them with a date.

It's been over a month since I've been able to post.  Since then, I've seen the doctor and he wanted me to go through a batterie of test, including, blood, urine collection, an echo gram, an ekg, and a sleep study.
I had the sleep study done almost 2 weeks ago. Not fun.
The next day I saw my doctor again, and since he had the results of all my other tests, he told me he was signing the OHIP papers. I'm now just waiting for apporval.

Today I had my appointment with the doctor here. He says I'm a good candidate but wants to run tests first to ensure I get OHIP approval.
So, tomorrow morning I go for an EEG, an EKG, and blood tests.
Soon I'll get an appointment for a psych evaluation and I have to go to a sleep clinic to be tested for sleep apnea.
I go back to visit him in one month. I'm hoping all my tests will be done by then and he'll sign the papers.

I went in there today fully prepared. I had my papers from the clinic and the OHIP forms all filled out. no messing around there.
He seems to think I'll be passed no problem and these tests are just formality.

As to not smoking, well, I lasted 3 days. Since then, I've cut back... way back.
I'm hoping to quit on my birthday (Aug 17)

Tomorrow I'm going to call the clinic and let them know how my doctor visit went. I'll let them know about these tests so they know I'm still interested.

So that's all for now.

Yesterday I quit smoking.  I know I have  to quit at least 6 weeks before surgery so I decided to do it now.  I see the Dr in 8 days and I think telling him I quit already will show how serious I am.

Not much going on as far as the WLS front goes.
It's just another normal everyday kind of day.

Yesterday I updated my goals so I thought I'd write a post about them.

First of all, I want to be healthy. I want to live into my old age. There are not fat old people cause there all dead.
I want my knees and my back to feel better. I don't want high blood pressure or to become diabetic.
I want to be able to move around and not always be out of breath. I want to be able to lie flat on my back and not be choked by fat at my throat.
I want to ride a roller coaster. Last time I went on a ride they had to stuff me in and I'm afraid if I tried now, they'd have to tell me I'm too big.
I want to be able to buy nice clothes and not feel like a hippo.
I want to blend into a crowd and stand out only for my personality and not my body size. I want to feel as if I blend in. Maybe I do now, but I feel as though I'm the topic of every conversation. My imagination? probably, but I don't want that feeling anymore.
I want to go scuba diving. This are has lots of ship wreck tours and I want to wear a wet suit and dive and see them.
I want to roller blade. Now, the upper part of the skates are to tight on my calves.
I want to wear a bathing suit and not feel like I'm shamoo in lycra.
I want to feel pretty and confident. I want my self esteem back.
I want to lose weight so I can finally cut my hair. Dan won't let me till I lose weight. I've tried for years to get this hair cut and I will do it!
I want someone else to hold the camera for a change. I wouldn't mind getting my picture taken if I didn't take up the whole frame.
I want to sit on my new zero gravity chair I bought. I've wanted one for 3 years or so and now that I have it, I can't sit in it.  I want to know I can sit in any chair and not get stuck or have the sides jab into my thighs or have fat leaking out the edges. Oh and lets not forget, I don't want to live in fear of breaking those chairs.
And lastly, I want my kids to be proud of me. I want to be a good example for them. I don't want them to have to get into fights defending me because some mean kid said something about me being fat. 
I hope to achieve all these things and I'm confident that one day I will.
That day just can't come soon enought.

Last night I went to my first support group meeting. I learned alot about what to do, what not to do, what to expect, (like drains, and waking up for breathing tests) and I learned that it's the best decision they ever made.

I hear alot of people say it's the best thing they've ever done and they wish they'd have done it sooner.

What I liked about the group is they are all from the same clinic I'm going to. Some have had my surgeon, others will soon.

They also helped me get a better understanding of the OHIP process.

I plan to keep attending these meetings. I've heard those who attend 2 years out have a better chance of successfully keeping the weight off.
I plan to do everything in my power to make sure that happens.

I don't know if I mentioned that I'm a smoker. I was told I have to quit 6 weeks before surgery or it would be canceled.  I've decided to quit July 1 2008, before I see the doctor. I want him to know how serious I am about having this surgery.

Last night was the first chance I got to talk to Dan about my consult. He listened briefly then told me rather then have the surgery, I was going to go on a weight loss plan with him.
Seems he met the top nutritionist in Canada (or so the guy says) and he's going to make a 30 day meal plan for him and I'm to follow it too but I eat only 60% of what he eats.
Sounds great, sounds wonderful, but I know myself to well. I'll be all for it, I'll do well for a while, I'll lose some weight, then I'll fall off and regain it. 
Until I made the decision to have the surgery, every diet I had tried was going to be my last. I gave each and everyone of them my all. I really believed "this would be it".
I just don't have it in me anymore.
I told him I'd be glad to give it a try. Any weight loss is good weight loss. I'll follow the plan, I'll lose what I can, but I'm going to continue going through the process to get my surgery. I KNOW this is the only thing that will help me long term. I know myself too well.
Although he wants me to lose weight and he had said he was all for the surgery, I know he's embarrassed. He won't admit to anyone I'm getting the surgery. I think it's a sign of weakness in his eyes. I do believe that's why he's come up with the diet together thing.
I can't see me having my surgery much before the new year, so going a weight loss plan now is fine with me.
Believe it or not, I don't want to lose to much weight because I still want to qualify for the surgery LOL. Sad isn't it?
I have much to lose so I'm sure losing a few pounds is just fine.

Two days ago I heard my son was in a fight at school. I wasn't able to ask him about it until today. He told me a kid was making fun of me and saying mean things so he bopped in one.
He was sent to the office and had to speak to the head teacher about what had happened. He didn't get in trouble and the teacher understood. He actually said the kid had it coming.
It just saddens me that he had to defend me like that. What a terrible spot for him to be in.

About a month ago I made a new friend. She told me of this clinic in the US that preforms WLS and they've had great results. She is in the process of getting approval herself.
I had always thought about having the surgery, but the death rate, the distance and the hoops you have to go through to get approved were to much for me to accept.
When she gave me all the facts, I knew I finally found a way to make it work.
So, that's how I decided to finally have the surgery.

I went to my doctor and started the ball rolling.

Yesterday I went to the States to the clinic for a consult. It is exactly what I thought it would be.  I had done lots of research before hand and I've been reading about other peoples' experiences so I could make this a very informed decision.
The doctor thinks he can help me. I am so pleased.
Now the leg work begins. I have to get OHIP to approve me.
I'll be going back to the doctor to have tests and forms filled.
That's pretty much where I'm at now.