Waiting for a Date...

Nov 11, 2006

I had all the appointments keeping me occupied, but now I know I'm in the "submitting info to insurance" phase, and its driving me crazy. I have waited so long for this damn surgery and I'm so nervous. What if I get denied again.. What if the surgeon backs out... What if what if what IF!! grrr...

I've been browsing through the "people" section and I actually found a woman who went to INNOVA! I read her blogs and it really only took about 3 months, including some retesting...  Soooo... I'm barely at 1 month, but I've completed everything... But there's really no honest way of determining.... I just keep looking at the Before and After photos and they are so inspirational ... I want to have mine up there one day!

I think I'm going to head over to the Message Board and post a couple questions I have... like what is body dysmorphia?? lol... 


Psych Completed

Nov 08, 2006

Okayyy.. so I had my Psych evaluation on Tuesday. WHAT a hectic day for me. First, I got called into work at 8 am..but my boss told me I could leave for my appointment, any help was appreciated. So I walk out to my car, and I HAVE A FLAT TIRE. AGGGG!! 

I limp over to the gas station and put some air in it really quick.. then haul ass to work. I have to get one of the maintenance guys to help me change it so I can get to my doctor appointment. 

So I'm rolling around on the donut as of yet.. But back to the psych evaluation. I got there on time (surprisingly!) and they got me started on the MMPI (not sure if thats what its called exactly...) and before I could finish, I was called back to the doctor. 

She was super friendly, just like the rest of Dr.Cavazos' staff. It was actually a LOT more indepth than I had expected. From some reports, their evaluation consists of being asked simple questions like: Have you done your own research on the surgery? What do you anticipate being your hardest obstacle post-op? Etc.. etc..

All I could do was just be honest. I told her about having my own period of extreme depression, how I WAS medicated for it, and even went inpatient. But also had to clarify that I have made enormous strides in my mental well being. I'm not on any medication (for the last 8-10 months) and haven't looked back. 

I think my attitude alone probably convinced her of that. I was emotional somewhat when asked about why I wanted the surgery. Having to list all the different reasons.. starting from childhood, junior high, then highschool, then college, then how I've missed out on job opportunities since Uniform sizes didn't go up that high..... that whole part sucked.

In other news... I've put myself out there on the message boards, and have been getting wonderful positive responses from awesome people! I'm still a bit shy, but I know I'll come around. :)


Biding my time..

Nov 05, 2006

ello ello! I've been spending the last couple of days borwsing around this site and doing the patient surveys, etc. I am trying SOOO hard not to lose my cool. I have the psych appointment on Tuesday and thats IT.. the doctor has not mentioned anything else, but I will willingly do anything else he asks me to, considering the speed at which he works.

I'd like to point out that he does NOT rush through anything. It is just the amazing fact that he doesn't have a waiting list. I guess instead of junking up the process, he likes to take everyone as they come, allowing them to control the speed of the process to a degree. Like my situation for example... I didn't have to go THE NEXT DAY to get my insurance paperwork figured out. No one has the same work schedule, and that is what has been allowing me to get everything done so quickly. As long as I am up early enough, I don't go into work until 2:30, so thats over half the day (and the MAJORITY of true  business hours) to get things accomplished. 

Now.... I HAVE been feeling so exhausted this last week. I know it's because I've been running myself ragged here, there, and everywhere. But that is how bad I want this. 

Please, please, please, please, please, give me a tentative date when I go on Tuesday!!

Getting Restless..

Nov 03, 2006

I looked up a countdown ticker. Mostly because I'm bored and can't seem to get the surgery off my mind. After I complete the Psych Evaluation, I have no idea what else I need - aside from getting the actual DATE. I think its that single thought thats driving me stir crazy.  



So here I am.. trying to bide my time until Tuesday, which is sooo close. I went to the movies last night with my best friend (we saw Marie Antoinette, I thought it was good. :) afterwards, we stopped by Jims and had the sampler basket. I totally talked her ears off. We see each other at school (college) during the week, and haven't really been hanging out too much because we've been so busy lately. She played the good friend and let me purge all the thoughts I've been having lately. It REALLY helped. We laughed about my need for  "Me Time." (which flutcuates between the two of us.. so no I'm not demanding!) 

We're each others psychiatrist lol... We'll spew out the latest thing we're going through and get honest feedback if we're crazy or not. We've come to rely on the honest insight of one another. We're so much alike, its relieving to have an unbiased set of ears (just in case we're not seeing something obvious). Yak yak yak yak... til 2:30 in the morning. We're so funny... I love it.

I went over all my nervousness with her... told her about my secret "outfits" I shopped around for. And I told her I'd be completely happy in a size 10. I've never been a size ten... except to pass it up during a growth spurt.. So no... I've never been in a 10.. or even technically a 12.. again.. passed it by. I always leveled out at a size 14... but a 14 when you're 12 years old sucks!! 

**now I switch to my pessimistic thoughts** I'm trying really hard to keep myself balanced here.. The rejection of failing at something like this is soooo hardcore. I can already tell my guard is coming down and that in itself makes me nervous... I hate being excited about the surgery already. I wish I could turn it off, but I can't. I just really hope it happens this time. I've been going nuts tackling every obstacle... and I hope it pays off...



Busy Busy Busy...

Nov 03, 2006

A LOT has changed since the last time I posted. I've been running around all crazy getting things done. 

Initially, I had an appointment on Mon, Oct 23rd with Dr. Patel's office. The next day they called me to say I'd have to reschedule till the following Monday (the 30th). I'll admit I was being cynical when I thought  "Yeah... ahuh.. I already see how this is gonna go." I really didn't have any faith. But I decided to go anyway. 

MONDAY, OCT.  30th --
I was incredibly surprised at how NICE the Innova hospital. From the outside it looks just like a normal hospital... its just  a fraction of the size. Dr. Patel and Dr. Cavazos have the whole right wing of this hospital, so when you walk into the lobby, there are no stick people giving you weird looks. Everything has been planned out  (like wide door frames, big & squishy furniture that is PERFECT for larger people. And there are no tiny aisles to scoot down when they call your name.  It was VERY patient friendly, considering we are all super sized. 

When I got there, I signed in and took a seat. There was only about 7 other people there total, so when Dr.Cavazos came out and started his seminar, we were all able to ask questions as it went along. (which was nice considering most of the time there are 60-70 crammed in some kind of conference room) I've been to countless seminars trying to get this surgery.. and his was probably the most realistic. He honestly weighed out the options, and explained why they prefer the surgical methods they do. He spoke to us as peers, not in some surgical terminology above our heads. 

After the seminar was over, they took us back to exam rooms so we could meet with the doctor one-on-one. (this never happened before either.) He went over any personal questions we may have had and zeroed in on our specific case, telling us where we stood and what we needed to do next. 

In my case, it was my insurace (DAMN insurance companies) I was with Tricare Prime and they had an exclusion to Bariatric surgery (lots of red tape) and that that was the only foreseeable barrier. He answered all my questions and I was very very impressed with how professional he was, yet laid back. He just seemed very real. Lastly, he ordered my lab work and told me I could go anywhere I wanted to get them done. I left his office with some kind of renewed hope that I might actually get the surgery. I was excited.

TUESDAY, OCT.  31st --
My husband coincidentally had a doctor appointment on base, so I met up with him at the Tricare office after his appoinment. We signed in and requested to go over the policies with an in-office agent. I made sure to ask specific questions, and she showed me the comparisons. I took the comparison charts with me for my own records. Since I was switching to Tricare Standard, it wasn't considered an upgrade, so there was no waiting for an 'enrollment period.' It would be in effect as soon as I signed, and processed within the next 24 or 48 hours.

Thats awesome considering I had an appointment with the nutritionist on Thursday! After we finished up at the Tricare office, my husband had to return to work. I had my HUGE surgery binder/folder with me (so I keep all the paperwork organized.) So I decided to stop by the lab and inquire about my labs. I asked if they could do labs that were ordered by a civilian doctor - they could, as long as I had the request form. SWEET. They ran everything they could that didn't require fasting (I had eaten an english muffin for breakfast damn it.) and I even got my xrays done.

After labs and about to get x-rayed! 
Excitement!!

THURSDAY, NOV.  2nd --
I woke up and went to my appointment. I met with the nutritionist, who ACTUALLY went over things with me, not just hand me a print-out of the food pyramid (do i really look stupid??) She was super nice just like the rest of the staff. She answered my questions and just reaffirmed my new-found hope. She scheduled my appointment with the Psychologist for Tuesday, Nov. 7th. Wow... so fast!

After I left the nutritionist, I drove back over to the base, so I could finish up my labs (since I was fasting). So now... I've completed my lab work, updated my insurance info, met with the nutritionist, and had my appointment scheduled with the psychologist! They are going to request the results from my previous Sleep Tests instead of making me do yet another one. 

Everything is going so smoothly and QUICKLY. Everyone is so friendly. And for the first time ever, I find myself actually getting nervous about the surgery. It is definately with in the next month or month and a half. I've been fighting this battle for years and to have made such enormous steps forward so quickly, is awesome...

I even went shopping online for a reasonable size 9/10 from my favorite stores..(like dELia*s)... here's some of my "outfits" I just won't be as naturally skinny as the models , of course...


Haste!

Oct 17, 2006

Well I was sitting here at work answering the phones and then all of a sudden a Doctor calls me. He had tried the home phone and Cody gave him my work number, a little odd, but definately a good surprise.

His name is Dr. Patel and he is located here in San Antonio, and already scheduled and appointment with me on Monday. He seemed to be a very nice man. I told him what the deal was with my insurance... how I have Tricare Prime (through the husband) and how I have Humana PPO (through my job) and  I had already told my husband to drop me from Tricare Prime down to Standard. I KNOW there will be a co-pay, but at this point... like I said.. I was willing to self pay for the entire process, so a co-pay is nothing. 

He said that if I did everything he asked of me, that he could have a surgery date by the end of November. Now thats impressive.... but I'm not sure if I completely took the bait or not. I have hit SOOoooo many road blocks before, but I will put my faith in his hands. I will do EVERYTHING he tells me to do... and by god I will get a better result.

BODY TALK:  I was reading the fine print on what the 'reality' is on how much you will lose after surgery... yadda.. anyway. I looked up the "Ideal Body Weight" for a 24 year old female with a medium build, and I'm suppsed to weigh around 125 - 140.  Now, I'm supposed to subtract that from my current weight and that is how much I am "supposed" to lose. (of course thats being very generous) I'm expecting to lose anywhere between 100 - 120lbs. which would put me at 140 - 160lbs.


(like so..)


wowsa. Not bad. I've never been that weight, except for passing it by during early adolescents. Even when I lost a lot of weight before, I only got down to 180. I still had some curves, but I wouldn't have called myself FAT. It was cute chubbness at the time. I should get a picture of me at my lowest weight on here.


New Beginnings

Oct 17, 2006

OCTOBER 17th, 2006 

I'm starting my last effort for surgery today. I'm researching the local doctors and hospitals that take my new insurance. I've been seeing a lot of search results with this insurance vs my last one. so here's crossing my fingers. 

I've been so depressed lately. I've been working a lot, school is crazy and I keep seeing commercials for gastric bypass surgery on the tv.. Billboards all around town. Its very disheartening. 

Hopefully it will finally happen for me. I will be able to afford the co-pays... I can pick my doctor.... it depresses me just thinking of all the stupid excuses I should hear this time around - even when everything SHOULD go so smoothly.

[edit] I forgot to mention that I am going with the WISH CENTER located in San Antonio, Tx and hoping to have Dr. Raja. I took the online seminar today, and also submitted a request for an appointment. All the reviews I've been reading on them seem very very positive and it's given me some encouragement. [/edit]


About Me
San Antonio, TX
Location
22.0
BMI
RNY
Surgery
01/30/2007
Surgery Date
Oct 17, 2006
Member Since

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