So The Journey Begins

Mar 25, 2010

Hello my name is Janis and I am 40 and live in Missouri. I have a wonderful husband and three children. My home also doubles as a halfway house for random relatives (I always have strays staying with me). I have read most of the blogs and they all start out the same. I have had a weight issue all of my life…  

My issues started later in life. I did not gain weight until my mid 20s when I on went on medication. I gained 80 pounds in the course of 6 months.  We played with the medication until I stopped gaining weight but I could not seem to shed those extra pounds. At 29 I had my first daughter and gained a whopping 80 pounds. I lost only 40 of those pounds and than got pregnant with my second daughter within a year. At that point I gave up and my weight ballooned. I have been on Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and LA Weight Loss as well as joined numerous gyms.  I had success with LA Weight loss and shed 80 pounds. I left when I got pregnant with my third child in 2008 and when I returned they had gone out of business and took all of my money with them. 

I have had mixed reviews from people regarding the surgery. Some people will tell me just stop eating like you do others tell me that if I would only do this that might help. My replay is simple this is my decision and I do not expect you to agree but I do expect your support. I know the consequence and the ramifications. I do not want you to feel sorry for me when I am sick, dumping or my hair falls out. I want you to say “you knew this might happen what you need to do to stop it”  

So my dear friend Lisa had this surgery 4 years ago and she has been a God send for me. She has answered every question and has been here every step of the way. When I first started my journey I know that Lap Band was going to be my choice so I trekked to the meeting pulling Lisa with and did not want to hear anything else except about the lap band. Half way through the meeting I turn to her and say bypass that is what I need. She just laughed and said she knew. 

When I made that decision I called the insurance company to verify if they covered the surgery and my doctor. Their reply was yes on both counts. WOOO WHOOO here we go. I made my appointment with the doctor and paid the $250 consult fee which does not go to my co pay but that is ok. Appointments I had included a sleep study, physiological eval and a visit to the heart doctor. I submitted all of the paperwork from those visit and 10 years worth of medical records and they said it would take 30 days to hear back from the insurance company but I was looking at surgery in December of 09.   On December 29^th I got a call that said I was denied for the surgery. I could not understand why BMI 41.5 check, 2 co morbities, check. I proceeded to call the insurances company where they had said my doctor was covered but the hospital he practiced at was not (That is the most stupidest thing I had ever heard). 

Surgery part 2…They gave me the names of 2 doctors that I could go to in the area. Research to begin now. I called my current doctors office and told them what had happened. He told me of the two who he sends his patients to when he can not do the surgery for them. I called that doctor to make an appointment but they would not call me back. After 16 days of calling once a day they finally called me back and set up and appointment. When I went to Tulsa for that appointment Lisa was with me as she has been on all of my appointments and we met with the doctor. He spent 10 minutes with me asked me if I had any questions and sent me for blood work. (I was ok with that, since I have been through all of my questions with the previous doctor). No we are looking at an end of February surgery date.   When I checked out of his office his staff asked me if I knew about the $350 consult fee. I nearly swallowed my gum. I said no it was not a consult I was transferring from another doctor. She said that did not matter that all bypass patients pay that. At that point I was wondering if the gods were telling me to turn and run. At that point the nurse comes running down the hall and tells the staff member no consult fee just co pay. (My heart rate went back to normal at that point)  

Now remember I have been to all of the doctors and support group meetings but now that I was at this doctor I have to go to all of the doctors again. New pulmonologist and cardiologist and 2 support group meetings as well as the nutritionist. I schedule all off these appointments for a Thursday and Friday and trekked to Tulsa again with Lisa in tow.    

1^st Appointment Nutritionist goes off without a hitch. Get my diet and Bypass bible and am on my way. Pulmonologist appointment included x-rays and breathing into a machine. He also gives me the clearance. EEG and Ultrasound of heart piece of cake. Cardiologist not so good, since my date is not set at this point he wants blood work and 3 week log of blood pressure and a calcium scan on my heart that is not covered by insurance and cost $250.00. His reasoning is he wants to detect early heart disease and this should let me know where I will be 10 years from now. Forgive but if I have the bypass this test will do no good because I will not be in the same place 10 years from now as if I do not have the bypass.   Heart scan was the bummer of it all. There is no place to take it locally and if I go to Tulsa I will have to take more time off which I do not have anymore of. Find a place 3 hours from my home that does the test and they do it on Saturdays. I schlep my husband and son with me this time. Three hours each way in a car in the snow with a 17 month old and my husband for a 10 minute test, that was fun (NOT). Thank goodness for Lisa she kept my girls for the day. 

On Monday I received a call that the insurance had approved and all my doctors cleared me and they were ready to set my surgery date.   This process started March of 09 and here I am March 25, 2010 and now my current weight is 307 and I have my surgery date for May 20^th and am so excited. It took me 12 months to get that date with all of the issues I have had with the insurance and doctors but I got my final clearance so now excitement has turned to nervousness. Now all of the “what ifs” come into play, But I have decided that I want to be here to know my grandkids and grow old with my husband. I want to travel, see new things and meet new people so I need to take responsibility and own it.  

“The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours - it is an amazing journey - and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins.” (Bob Moawad)

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