JenY718
7-26-05 - I am very excited. I have lost 11 pounds since I first saw the surgeon 5 weeks ago. I went to a Support Group meeting tonight. It was awesome. I am hoping to be banded before the next one (last Tuesday of the month).
7-29-05 - I have completed all pre-op testing except for my endoscopy which is 8-3-05. I see the Surgeon on 8-16-05 and should be starting my pre-op diet. Hopefully my surgery will be 2 weeks after that date!
8-5-05 - Had the endoscopy on Wednesday - YUCK! I did find out I have reflux and have to take Nexium for the next couple months. Down 13 pounds since 1st consult and officially finshed all required tests (except of course pre-op hosital stuff!) I have had 10 doctor's appointments since June! Thank goodness I only have a $5.00 co-pay!
8-8-05 - One more week until I see the surgeon and get my date! I cannot wait!!
8-12-05 - Going to a 40th birthday party for a friend tomorrow. I will have to work out extra hard because they are having a margarita machine there! I figure I better get that last one in!
8-16-05 - Got a date!! September 15, 2005 will officially be my re-birth day!!
8-18-05 - I am now down 20 pounds since my first consult 8 weeks ago. It is getting harder and harder to be good but I figure if I get used to it now it will be that much easier with the band in the beginning when I have no restriction.
8-23-05 - One more week before the pre-op diet begins. I am stocking up on sugar free popsicles, crystal light, soup, and frozen bananas for my protein shakes (thanks Kiera for that tip!). I am now down 21 pounds. My mini goal will be to be 220 by surgery day.
8-25-05 - 21 more days! I don't think it can come fast enough. I am still waiting for insurance approval. I have really good insurance and I know they have covered it for many people but I just want that piece of paper in my hands!! I am hoping the insurance girl actually sent it in. Oh well I will just haver to call her again and bug her!!
8-29-05 - 17 days and counting. I go next Wednesday, September 7th for Pre Admission Testing. I told my mom and she was really supportive - even looking into it for my father! Now everyone in my family knows the deal.
8-31-05 - OK today I am to start my 2 week pre-op diet. I wasn't going to start until tomorrow but Doc said today. I guess one extra day won't kill me! My doctor's office has a new website. So I clicked on the Photo Gallery and there was my "Before" picture. Boy was I shocked! Go to the websight and then click on the Photo Gallery. I am the 3rd one in the top row(in blue). Hope to never have a picture like this one again!
9-2-05 - T - 13 days until I am officially a "LOSER!" Day 3 of pre-op diet. I am starving to death (not literally of course - would take a long time for that one!). Talked to the insurance girl and my insurance company wants a letter from my PCP stating I have been overweight for at least 5 years then they will approve surgery. Not a problem - I have been considered overweight since I was 7 years old. I called the PCP and she said she was faxing everything over to surgeon's office. Hopefully by Tuesday I will have the authorization number and I can sleep better. I just don't think I could do this pre-op diet any longer than I already am. Willpower!!
9-5-05 - I can't believe only 10 more days!! I have been doing better with the pre-op diet. I have 2 protein shakes (one for breakfast and one for dinner) and a salad for lunch. Tomorrow I will weigh in for the week and see how I have done. I don't even own a scale so I have to wait until I get to work and use theirs.
9-7-05 After the insurance told me I was approved, I apparantly was not. My doctor's office called today to tell me this. I called every day to find out when we would get the authorization number and was told not to worry about it. Well apparantly my insurance company says I was not overweight enough for the past 5 years. I am 5 foot 5 inches and was 254 pounds at my highest. Now I am 231 which is still considered obese. I just can't believe it. I had my time off work, my husband had his time off work, I have been on a liquid diet for 8 days now for what? And I only lost a pound doing it!
I am so p*ssed off right now I could scream. So the appeal process begins. My doctor is faxing me over a letter tomorrow to write up to the insurance and I have asked my gyno to send my weight history because they make me get weighed every year whereas I can weasel my way out of it at the pcp.
What do they want me to do? Get up to 300 pounds then they will cover me?? It just doesn't make sense to me.
I finally thought I was going to beat this obesity thing and finally be the skinny one in the family. I don't think I can do it without the band. I know I can with it.
I cannot afford to self pay and should not have to. NJPLUS is my insurance and I know that 9 out of 10 had no problem with them covering it. I was borderline diabetic. I guess maybe if I become diabetic they may actually change their mind once they see all the tests and medication I may need.
9-13-05 - Well I should have been preparing for surgery in 2 days. The doctor's office faxed an appeal letter yesterday morning and then I faxed one shortly after. We are hoping this will do the trick and I can still have surgery on 9-29-05. We shall see.
9-14-05 - Well my DH called the Appeals at the insurance company to see what was going on and they said I should have and answer by tomorrow. I am not sure if that is good or bad.
9-15-05 - Now today the insurance company says they will decide by tomorrow. I still don't know if that is good or bad. I guess if they were going to deny the appeal they would have done it already. At least it seems they are actually reading the letter my doctor and I sent and considering what we wrote. I want to than Laryssa for the sample letter she gave me.
9-16-05 - Denial is upheld. I do not meet the "medical requirements" as stated in my policy. I can have a second appeal but at this point why bother? I am pretty much given up. I told the stupid company that starting today I will just keep eating myself into oblivion and in 5 years they can pay for it and then I hung up on her. How can someone on the other end of a phone line get to decide my future?? It just isn't fair!!!
10-25-05 - Well I received a phone call from my surgeon's office telling me they did not forget about me. The doctor is meeting in person with my insurance company tomorrow for a second level appeal. I thought they had given up as I already had. I think this is the last appeal we have left. We will see. I think I will be a nervous wreck every time the phone rings tomorrow. On a side note I finally lost another pound! I was on a little plateau for a few weeks.
10-26-05 - OMG!!! The doctor's office just called to tell me I am approved!!! I will be having surgery next Wednesday or Thursday. I am in total shock!!!! I am glad I have been staying on my diet the whole time so the 30 pounds I lost already are a bonus.
10-30-05 - I still cannot believe I am having surgery in 4 days!! Doctor's office called Thursday to tell me my surgery is officially scheduled for 11-3-05. I stepped on the scale this morning and it said 221.8 I can't remember the last time I was that weight. At least I got out of the 2 week pre-op diet thing! One good thing about finding out 7 days before surgery. Don't have to have pre-op testing at the hospital again - thank goodness but have to see the Dr. tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. for his pre-op appointment even though I did this back in August. Tomorrow is Halloween. I am taking the boys trick-or-treating in my sister's neighborhood. Hopefully it will burn off some calories since I won't have time for the gym.
11-1-05 Today is my mother in law's birthday and my dog's 8th birthday! Saw the Dr. for my pre-op visit yesterday. Lost another 13 pounds from the last time I was there - 32 pounds to date. I can't believe in 48 hours I will FINALLY be banded. I have soo much work to do at work that the time has been flying by.
11-4-05 Well yesterday was my surgery. Everything went smoothly. I was wheeled into surgery at 8:15 am. Next thing I knew I was in recovery around 9:30 am. Didn't get a room until 1:30 pm though. As soon as I got in my room I asked to be unhooked from the IV so I could walk around. I think it really helped. I did have some pain during the night but I got the nurse to give me pain medicine. I cam home around 11:00 am this morning. The staff was wonderful. The doctors were wonderful. John the nutritionalist was wonderful. I can't thank them enough for fighting my insurance so I could get this surgery. Now I am not going to let them down.
11-6-05 Feeling pretty good. I take 2 walks a day since it has been nice out. Finally lost the 9 pounds I gained from the surgery and one more from pre-surgery weight. Of course I guess I should since all I am eating is jello, sf popsicles, chicken broth and water! Tomorrow I can start full liquids - thank goodness. I am really starting to get hungry. This band sure takes a lot of willpower. Whoever said WLS is an easy way out certainly never went through it!!
11-13-05 I really can't wait to go back to work tomorrow! My family is driving me nuts! Doing pretty good with my eating. Hopefully I will get to be on mushies soon! I have been losing a pound every day! If I wasn't starving I wouldn't mind doing the full liquids for another couple weeks! Just kidding.
11-16-05 Went to my post op appointment yesterday. Lost 10 pounds from the pre op visit. Not bad! They gave me a 1 cc fill then realized I already had 1 cc from surgery. So now I have 2 cc in a 4 cc band. Well I am getting people telling me they shouldn't have given me a fill, it's too early, they shouldn't put anything in during surgery, etc. But I know in the INAMED packet it said some surgeons do put a slight fill in during surgery and that it was ok to do that. I can't understand what would be wrong with that. I trust them that they are doing what they feel is right. Oh well! Apparantly the hospital billed my insurance already - $38,500!! Yikes! Of course they will probably only get paid a fraction of that but if I was self pay I would have to pay the entire amount. And that is only the hospital - not the surgeon's bill!
11-21-05 I had my first "real" meal yesterday at my mother-in-law's yesterday. I had a tiny bit of chicken, 2 spoonfuls of mashed potatoes, 2 spoonfuls of stuffing and a couple greenbeans. I was pleasantly full. I chewed everything well and did not drink with my dinner. I am having some leftovers for lunch today after I hit the gym! I will do my 3.6 mph for 40 minutes like I did last Thursday. Go back to the doctor in 3 weeks.
11-30-05 - Well Thanksgiving came and went. I had about 2 tablespoons of potatoes, stuffing, and butternut squash and that was it! I was soo full. It was great! I have been to the gym once a week and walking at least 2 or 3 days a week. For some reason I have gained a pound which I can't understand. I think I was not getting enough water over Thanksgiving. It is much easier at work where we have a water cooler. Last night was the Biggest Loser finale. It was awesome to see every single person on the show had continued to lose weight. That was probably what inspired me last season to finally do something about my weight. I have lost weight before but eventually gained it all back which I said I would never do (famous last words!). So I knew I could do it, I just needed a little help. Now that I have it I know I can do it. I go back to the doctor on Dec 13th for a fill if needed.
12-13-05 So I went for my 6 week check-up and according to their scale I gained a pound!? How? I hardly eat anything, much less than before surgery and I was losing weight then. I started back at the gym 2 or 3 days a week. I can't understand it. My scale said 213 this morning. Theirs said 216 at lunchtime. I am keeping my scale's weight as the official weight since it is first thing in the morning, after going to the bathroom with nothing on! My scale said 211 on Sunday. I just don't understand it. I did get another fill. Now I have 3 cc's. Maybe that will help?! But it is not like I have been pigging out. Even my mother commented how at a party I didn't touch anything - chips, pretzels, cheesecake. I was soo good. Have to go back in 4 weeks. Hopefully things will change by then!
12-15-05 Went to New York City yesterday with husband & boys & my mom. We had front row tickets to the Radio City Christmas Show. It was a great day except for being freezing cold! Here is a picture with Santa at Macy's.
12-19-05 Well I spent 9 hours making cookies on Saturday and I am happy to say I didn't eat any of them. I make up bags for each person in my department (about 35 people) as well as a tin for each of my bosses and a few for friends. I do enjoy baking but being on my feet for 9 hours killed my back! I am happy to report my scale showed a 1 pound loss this week. Going to the gym at lunch today.
12-28-05 Got my new Ipod for Christmas thank to DH! Been walking at home with it. Today it gets tested at the gym. Friday is my baby's 8th birthday and tomorrow we are having a party at my mother-in-laws where she makes way too much food (good food too!) 2-7-06 One more week until I go back to the doctor. This morning my scale said 210.6 which is great because it has been stuck around 212 forever now. We'll see what their scale says next week. I was 214 on their scale 3 weeks ago.
2-14-06 - Happy Valentine's Day! I am officially 208.4 according to doctor's scale. Thank goodness! I was really starting to go crazy. I have been running 3 days a week and it is finally paying off. Got 0.3 cc fill. I am now up to 3.5 cc's in my 4 cc band. We'll see how it goes! 3-15-06 - It's been a month and I am still at the same weight. Actually the doctor's scale said 209 but mine said 208 so I am sticking with that. I am still working out 3 days a week and eating good small portions. I don't know what my problem is but I would love to be under 200 by my anniversary on June 2nd. That is 11 weeks away. Shouldn't be hard right? Not with my body. If my stomach would shrink I could fit into a size 14 again but I am able to get into the 14W's. Hopefully all my summer clothes from 4 years ago will now fit again. Yesterday I wore a shirt that was soo big it almost looked like a maternity top. That goes into the never to be worn again pile!
3-30-06 - Tomorrow is DH's birthday. Not sure what we are doing yet. No babysitter so nothing too fun! Last Thursday it was 5 months since I was banded. Hard to believe! I really hope to be under 200 by my anniversary. I actually have arm muscles now!! I have been going to the gym faithfully 3 days a week and I just bought the Biggest Loser workout DVD to do one day a week. I think I will try it tonight! 4-3-06 - WOW! I weighed in this morning at 204.8! Yesterday I was 205 and thought surely today I would be up but nope! Maybe this thing is really starting to work for me. I have been getting sick due to most likely my sinuses but I have been taking Allegra D for almost a week now. I go back to the surgeon next Tuesday. We'll see what his scale says.
4-11-05 - The surgeon's scale is evil!! It said 207. Mine said 206 this morning. I am sticking with 205 from last week. Got a slight unfill. Hopefully I will stop getting sick after a few bites now. It was great to finally meet Gerry in the waiting room (even though we work in buildings right next to each other!) We will definitely have to have lunch when she is eating solids.
5/9/06 - Went for monthly check up. Got 0.5 cc removed. After 2 or 3 bites of eggs on Sunday I threw up for like 2 hours. Hopefully I will start losing again. I was at 205 now scale has said 207 for about 3 weeks now. I can't understand it! I barely eat anything. I am starting a food journal and will see Dr. in 6 weeks.
06-06-06 - Went on vacation last week and had my 10 year anniversary!! I pretty much ate what I wanted, walked a lot, went to the gym, drank a lot and came home 2 pounds heavier than when I left. Today I was already down 1 of those pounds. I know my feet and ankles swelled in the heat down there. I have some awesome photos - some I took, some the professional took. Now I am back on track!
9-23-06 - Been a while since I updated. Found out I had a leaky port and just had it replaced on 9-21-06. Man this surgery seemed worse than the original one. My incision hurts whenever I try to stand up. It hurts to wear a bra and it hurts when I don't and my boob touches it (I know - TMI!) Hopefully I can start losing again. I was actually the same weight as the day of my original surgery! I had a lot of stomach problems and I stopped going to the gym and now I am paying for it. I am ready to start over. I have been walking 1 1/2 miles a day at least 4 days a week. Once I am healed I will go back to the gym! As Francis always says - Onward!!
