Johanna !

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I finished 4 tests!  I had the HIDA scan yesterday and Upper GI, Chest X-Ray, and EKG today. 

The HIDA scan was OK - you get an IV put in and they inject a radio active liquid into you then you lie on a bed that seriously, is 2 ft wide. Then you lie there and try not to move as you are sandwhiched between a giant camera device that takes picture of you.  I fell asleep. Then they put something in the IV that makes your gall bladder active and they take more pictures for another half hour.  No pain or anything.

The upper GI was painless and interesting - I thought it was pretty cool to see my stomach working. 

These tests are all cake, so no worried for anyone needing them.

OK so on 1/8 I recieved my list of tests I need to have done - there are a ton!!

1/19 - CCK HIDA SCAN
1/20 - UPPER GI
1/22 - CARDIOLYTE STRESS TEST -2DAY TEST
1/27 - GALL BLADDER ULTRASOUND
2/11 - PULMONARY FUNCTION AND ABG

I also need to have
EKG- will attempt to have done 1/27
CHEST X-RAY- will attempt to have done 1/27
GASTRIC BY-PASS BLOODWORK (very last test) -will attempt to have done 2/11

After the final bloodwork I will have to call the office and make an appointment with the surgeon - hopefully I will get it SOON after!!! Then I get my date and such from there... I am less than thrilled my final appointment is in February though - I wanted my surgery in the middle/beginning of Feb.  Looks more like March now. :(

Woo woo!!  I got my approval now I wait on a date!

I am guessing the surgeons office sent the info in on monday because they recieved it from me on Friday afternoon - so I was approved in less than 3 days!! 

OK so I had my final diet visit.  I lost 3 lbs or so - I am down from 232.5 to 220.5.  So 12 lbs total in 6 months - I am sure I could gain that back in a week!!!

At least I weigh less than when I started!!

I faxed my diet paperwork over to my doctor's office today.  That completes everything I needed to submit for insurnace approval.  Now I wait and cross my fingers hoping I get approved. 

I want to send out a sincere "Thanks" to everyone who has wished me well this far on my journey!!

I don't want to get too excited because I feel like the let down will be huge if I do not get approved.  I will just keep my fingers crossed while I wait - and enjoy my holidays with the family!

I some how managed to lose 2 lbs!! Woo hoo - I am at 224 right now - who knows whatthat will go to next time I am in... next appointment is on Dec 11 (after thanksgiving)

That will be my final appointment!! I am so excited to have this diet over with and be able to submit to insurance foir approval.

I cannot wait for the next steps - I am hoping for a early January surgery - keeping my fingers crossed!

I was sick all last week so I have not been around.  I pulled a muscle in my neck and basically could not move!  I am still sore but have good drugs!!

I have my second to last diet appointment this week :( not good - I know I did not lose anything - I ate a lot of comfort foods while I was home - I am on 800 mg Ibuprofren and need to eat when I take it... too many carbs!!!

I am so scared I hope I am apporved for surgery!!

Ughh.  I have 1.5 months to go on this supervised diet. At first I was all excited and not worried at all labout approval.

My insurance excludes weight loss surgery with the exception of surgery for Morbid Obesity when approved by SHPS.  SHPS is a third party approver.  So if they approve me the insurance will cover it.  I am starting to worry now - I mean I will complete all of the requirements but I have not really been losing weight  - I gain I lose  - it is a vicious cycle.  (I actually just stopped doing the restricted calories and am doing low carb - I cheated too often on the restricted calories. I am hoping low carb will help) 

I have lost 5 lbs that I have kept off but keep gaining and losing the next 2-3 lbs. That really sucks for 4 months of dieting!!  What iif I am supposed to lose a percentage?? I don't know what to do!

And what if the guy just doesn't feel like covering it?  I am guessing my surgey - if approved - will be in January or Feb because my 6 month diet ends on Dec 13.  We have an HSA account - I was going to put $1500 in it (my max out of pocket - to pay for the surgery) But if it does not get approved I am going to have all that cash tied up in there for nothing!  It is a use it or lose it account.  So what do I do? Take the chance (mind you that is $1500 pre tax money so it will save us money in the end)

Aggh!! I am so nervous - that is a lot of money to have tied up!!!

Saw my PCP today - when he asked what surgery I was having that I needed this letter, I told him Gastric Bypass - his immediate response was "That will be great for you"

What!! I was like are you serious?? I thought you would be mad - last time I mentioned it to you you were all "Blah" about it.  He just laughed at me!!!

He said that my prediabetes scares him and that after this surgery I will not have to worry about getting diabetes and that without it I WILL develop type 2 diabetes.

All that worrying about upsetting my PCP for nothing!

He did ask me if I was planning on getting the band or the "real" by-pass - I told him RNY.  He was glad because he felt that the band would not help with diabetes as much as RNY.

Ok so I had the nut eval last week and it was great - very informative and factual... I had the psych eval monday and it was very LONG!!! Very intense with all kinds of questions but since, thankfully, I have no weird issues it was fine!  I passed that test!

I got a call yesterday from my doctors secretary and she said I needed a statement of my weight loss goals written by me for 3rd party approval, I also need a letter of medical clearance from my PCP.  That is what I was dreading because I didn't even tell him that I wanted to pursue this because I think he will be all negative about it.  Oh well. I made that appointment for September 23.  Since I am pretty healthy I don't think there should be an issue.

She also believes that they will not accept my 6 month diet from LA weight loss... so that means by mid december I will be done with my new diet.... I am going to ask her to submit it with the LA diet anyways...

Ok so I have a 3rd party approver - didn't realize this.  I need a 6 month diet in the past 2 yrs - I have one from LA weight loss but I am not sure if it will count since all I have are my diet books and weight in them I wrote... I started another diet and already have almost 3 months in so even if I must wait it is OK... 3 more months is not going to make or break me.  At first I was thinking about it and was all depressed and then I decided not to sweat it!!! I am just going to go through the motions and see what comes of it.

I have my nut. eval next week and my psych eval the week after that - then I will se what else the ins. needs...