Mama said there'd be days like this

May 09, 2009

Can I just say that this pre-op diet sux? : )   My dr's diet calls for protein shake for b'fast, shake for lunch plus one piece of fruit, a snack of either ff yogurt, lf string cheese, or lf cottage cheese, and lean dinner of 4 oz protein + 1 c veggies or a sandwich made with double fiber bread.  Also  raw veggies through the day.  So... I ate all that... now, why am I starving?  I drank way more than 64 ozs so I'm not dehydrated or anything.  Just hungry. 

Guess you gotta pay your dues beforehand.  I'm not really complaining, just terribly hungry. 

Maybe I'll just go to bed.
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I have a date!

May 08, 2009

I can't believe it finally happened - I got my surgery date scheduled!  Just two weeks from today!

Tomorrow starts my 2-week preop diet.  I've never been so excited to go on such a restrictive diet, but for one it's only for 2 weeks, and I think I could do anything for just two weeks and secondly, it's the beginning of something truly wonderful.  I feel so lucky to be where I am, especially after reading the problems that I have read so many people having of just getting approved.  I have faith that God will help everyone desperate for the help of this surgery find a way to make it happen.

So tonight, a good friend took my husband and me out to dinner to "celebrate" my good news, and my last day of captivity in this body.  We went to Outback, and baby I had it all!  Bread with butter, blooming onion, baby back ribs, and even carrot cake!  Mind you that even not being banded there's no way I could eat all of that, so my teenage son will be digging into some leftovers here pretty soon.  But I completely indulged in anything and everything I wanted, and made the statement to my husband and our friend "This is the last time I will ever be able to pig out like this.  Ever."  And our friend told me "Yeah, but there will be a time again when you'll be able to eat whatever kind of food you want, just not as much".  And I know, for the most part, that he's right.

Enough reflection.... gotta go stick my "Slim Fast High Protein" shakes in the fridge and get ready for tomorrow's new diet - AND enter my "surgery date" on my profile!!!
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Approved!

May 05, 2009

I was thrilled this morning to get the call from my doctor's office that my insurance approval came in!  Yeaaa... now it really does seem real!  I'm waiting for the call from the surgery scheduler, but I was told that I should have no problem getting a date within the coming 3 weeks.  Hope to hear from her tomorrow!

I'm so excited... and so ready!
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Anticipation....

Apr 29, 2009

...it's keeping me waiting.  For sure.

So obviously last week was NOT "my week" after all.  Not by a long shot.  I called the dr. office on Thursday and spoke to "the insurance lady", Joyce.  She said to me, "I have good news... I have your file, and hopefully I can get your claim submitted tomorrow".  I thought, ok... so it's just now being submitted, but what can I do.  At least we're making progress.  I was happy all weekend thinking that maybe by Tues or Weds I'd have my approval back and I could finally get on the surgeon's schedule.  So yesterday I thought I'd give my insurance company a call and see how things were rolling.  And wouldn't you know, they had NOT even received my pre-authorization request!  So I called Joyce back and said told her they didn't have it, and asked had it been submitted on Friday.  She sounded a little agitated at me (if she only knew how much I didn't care about that, she should know by now how agitated I am at THEM...lol) and said "Lisa, as I explained to you last week, I don't have your information back from dictation yet, so I am still unable to send it in to the insurance company".  WHAT?!?  That was totally contradictory to what she said to me last week!  She said I must have misunderstood what she said (how do you misunderstand  "I HAVE GOOD NEWS FOR  YOU"??).  So for the umpteenth time, she said "hopefully I'll get it in today and will be able to get it submitted tomorrow".  Yeah, like I haven't heard THAT before.  All I know is that they have had everything... and I do mean EVERYTHING... they need to send my pre-authorization in for OVER THREE WEEKS.  The hold up is in their office, apparently in "dictation".  I met with the dr. on March 16th.  Does anyone really think it's normal that it has been held up that long??  And my insurance company, whom I LOVE by the way, said they would send the authorization back to the dr. within 72 hours of receiving it.  So it's like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but the damned train just stopped moving!

** BIG SIGH **

Ok, I'm glad I got all that out.  I'm going to recite the Serenity Prayer now, and hope that God's not trying to send me some kind of sign that maybe I shouldn't be doing this after all.

Maybe I'll have an answer NEXT week.
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It's gonna be my week... I can just feel it...

Apr 20, 2009

I just know that I'm gonna get the call this week that my claim has been approved... I have a real good feeling about it!  I'm praying for it daily... I am so ready!!
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Tick-tock... tick-tock...

Apr 15, 2009

I was so discouraged earlier this week to find out that my claim hasn't even been submitted for approval yet, even though they have everything they need to send it out.  Seems the insurance dept. hasn't gotten my patient file back from dictation, or more likely, it's sitting on the dr.'s desk for review before he sends it to claims.  And of course, he was on vacation last week!  So while I was thinking it had been submitted week before last, it's still at the dr. office.  So frustrating!  I know I can be a bit of a control freak, but dang.  I did everything I was supposed to do as quickly as I could do it, and now I have no control over them getting the claim submitted. 

And to top it off, I found out during my 4-hour pre-op behavioral/nutrition class Monday night that they are currently scheduling surgeries about SIX WEEKS OUT.  I'm going to be in a position soon of having to either cancel my vacation or postpone my surgery date until August.  I hate this so much!

Ok, I'm done whining.  It's just so frustrating to be so ready and having to sit back and wait. 

On a more positive note, there was a real-life "after" at my class Monday night.  She accompanied her sister, who is about to get LapBand surgery in 2 weeks.  She was very generous with answering the class' many questions, and I have to say she looked incredible after having lost 130 lbs.   Loved the motivation - I'm going to start attending support group meetings as soon as the next one comes up.  
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Patience is a Virtue...

Apr 04, 2009

...I keep reminding myself.

I completed the pschological exam and nutritional evaluation, and according to the "insurance lady" at the dr. office, as soon as she gets the report from the NUT she'll have everything she needs to submit to the insurance company.   She thought she would have everything by Friday (two days ago) and she'd call me when she got it sent off.  I didn't hear from her, so I'm hoping on the side of she just didn't get around to calling me yet rather than she hasn't sent it off yet  : )  She also thinks we should have an answer back in about a week after she sends it off, so that's pretty awesome.  Next step is a 4-hour pre-op/nutrition class on 4/13.  Maybe by then we will have an answer back from the insurance company and I can get scheduled!!  I am praying so hard for the first week of May, or even second week, so I can still get it done before vacation (6/18-7/4) and have time to heal and adjust.

I've made a couple changes while I'm waiting.  First, I stopped drinking coffee.  I've never been a big coffee drinker, but did find that I came to like that little boost in the a.m. and again in the afternoon.  I didn't suffer greatly from caffeine withdrawals, but did have a bit of a headache for a few days.  I'm still drinking regular tea, and will cut that out as soon as I pick up some decaf at the store.  (Forgot it when I went shopping yesterday!)  My second change was cutting out sugar and white flour.  WOW, that was harder than caffeine withdrawal.  But I'm sitting here drinking a bottle of water this morning and not feeling too bad about it.  : )

I find that every time now I'm eating, I sort of push aside the amount of food I think is a half cup to visualize what my new portion will be.  All I can say is, thank goodness I'll have a band to help me be able to eat that little!   I think it's going to be hard to get used to not  drinking during meals.  But like everyone else, I'm sure I'll manage.

I'm off now to enjoy a warm, sunny Sunday... and to practice patience. 
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The Wheels Have Been Set In Motion....

Mar 14, 2009

I did it!  I made the decision and I'm actually on the path to LapBand surgery!  I attended the educational seminar on 3/10 at St. Mary's and have my first appointment with Dr. Brengman on 3/16.  Can't wait to find out everything I have to acquire to submit with my insurance approval request so I can start collecting.  My psychological profile appointment is on 3/20.  (Hope I'm found mentally stable enough to have this surgery...lol)  I know its a BIG longshot, the nurse at check-in Monday night even said so, but I am praying that I can get through the insurance approval quickly and have surgery scheduled by the end of April.  Otherwise, due to vacation schedules with myself and at work, I may have to wait til August.   Plus, I'm attending my niece's wedding out of state the end of June, and would love to be a few pounds lighter by then!  : ) 

I am so excited to reacquaint myself with that thinner, happier version of me.  I can't wait! 

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About Me
Mechanicsville, VA
Location
39.9
BMI
Surgery
05/21/2009
Surgery Date
Mar 04, 2009
Member Since

Friends 28

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