lisam259_in_nc

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     It is Friday!!  Three more days!!!  I received a call today from First Health concerning my surgery pre-pay.  My estimated cost for the hospital part of the surgery is $100.  I was blown away!  I cannot believe how good my insurance is.  The portion that I had to pay the surgeon was $400.  I didn't think that was too bad either.  For anyone with BCBS Federal, you shouldn't have any problems with the approval process either.  The bariatric coordinator had told me when I started the testing and "hoop jumping" 9 months ago that Federal was an easy approval.  
     Well, guess I'll go put on some cool clothes.  We have some more work to do on the final touches on our new home in order to pass final inspection on Monday.  My husband is scheduled for the closing on Monday afternoon.  He is stressing out.  I have to be at the hospital Mon. morning at 6:45 to check in.  I'll be glad when all of the moving and unpacking is over with. 

Hold on to your horses.........here goes...
I'll start small and work my way up.
ring:  10
wrist: 6''
forearm: 10.5''
bicep:  14.5''
neck:  15''
ankle:  9.5''
calf:  16''
thigh:  29''
hips:  53''
waist:  50''
chest:  50''
I hope that's all I need.  If I think of something else, I'll add it.

     Seven more days to go!!!!  I'm doing ok on my pre-op diet.  I'm eating protein and low carbs.  I've cut out sugar and caffeine.  I think the Pepsis are what I'll miss most.  I have a picture of myself at 2 years old holding a big ole bottle of Pepsi.  Yup, let's blame it all on my parents.  LOL  Nah, can't do that.....they aren't here to defend themselves.
     It looks like we will be moving into our new home next week while I am at the hospital.  My hubby is flippin' out.  He said he and the boys can handle it.  I know he can, but I hate not to be there too.  I guess I'll come home next Wednesday to a new home.  The problem will be trying not to do any unpacking.  That's why the hubby took 2 weeks off to be with me and be my personal slave.  
     I still haven't told the outlaws about my surgery.  My husband just told them that I am having surgery to remedy my GERD.  I just don't want to have the food police watching me at every family gathering or holiday.  "Do you think you should be eating that?"
     Well, I'm gonna go see if I can get some measurements for the profile.  More later.

     The official EGD results from the other Friday were normal!  I went to another 3 hour education session on the 5th as a refresher.  Brett said that I needed to go to another one since the first one I attended was in February.  I saw someone there that I had worked with about 7 years ago.  It was really nice to see her again.  I met some other people that were from the same town as I.  Hopefully, we'll all meet up again at the support group.  I wanted to stay and attend the support group that evening, but time was of the essence and I had a hungry family to get home to.  LOL  
     The countdown is on now.  Just 16 more days to go!!
     Wish I knew exactly when we were closing on our house.  The company that is supposed to finish laying the brick hasn't called to let us know anything.  We went to the site yesterday and still no brick.  My hubby called to see what was going on and the guy in charge was already gone for the weekend.  That really ticked me off!!   We were suppose to have moved in by June 30th.  What can you do??
     Gotta go now.  The kids let me sleep all day today.  I woke up at 1:30pm.  Darla, my lovable mutt, woke me up.  She was biting at the air coming from the CPAP.  LOL  It drives her crazy.  I hate sleeping so late....most of my day is gone and I had a million and one things to do. 

     I had typed up a post on the 27th but due to a thunderstorm that knocked out our power, it did not get saved obviously.  Anyway, on the 27th, I went to my surgery consult with Dr. M.  He's a wonderful person!!  I did all of my processing for pre-admission and got the EGD date for yesterday.  
     The EGD was nothing!  I was given some good drugs through my IV and was out for the whole procedure.  The worst part of the whole experience was when the nurse was looking for a good vein in my arm.  That really hurt and left a nasty bruise bigger than a silver dollar!  But that's all over.......I call on 07/02/07 to get the results of the EGD path report.  Dr. M said everything looked good to him.  My surgery date is scheduled for 07/23 but he said he could move it up if I wanted.  That all depends on our moving schedule though.  
     We didn't get to close on the house because the brickers ran out of brick!!!  Someone gave the wrong measurements to the person who ordered the brick.  Oh well, you know something would have to happen.  That's life.  More later as it happens.....

      It has really been quite a while since I last posted.  I've been really busy getting everything organized for our move.  In case I haven't mentioned, we bought a little over 9 acres of land and put a modular home out there.  Right now we are in the process of getting the well dug, the power lines run to the property and all of the important stuff.
     Anyhow......Tina from Dr. Mitchell's office called today to schedule me for surgery.  I will meet with Dr. Mitchell on June 27th to get everything set up.  BCBS sent an approval letter to me about a week ago and the tentative surgery date is scheduled for July 2nd.  It really looks like the light is finally at the end of the tunnel!  I have really worked hard for this and am still just as excited about it as I was in the beginning.  
     I guess I'll go for now.  I have packing to do......UGH!! 

     It's been a month since I posted.  I've been pretty busy and just haven't taken the time to keep things updated.  Well, I did part 2 of the sleep study.  The technician was WEIRD!!  I didn't get much sleep but I survived it anyway.  A week after my study, I was fitted for the CPAP.  I've been on the CPAP for a week and doing well.  I sleep pretty well, and I'm starting to feel more rested in the mornings.  My husband was getting a cold draft from my mask, so I put a pillow kinda up in front of my face to block it.  He says I sleep soundly with no snoring.  The first night I wore it, he woke me up because I was snoring with the mask on.  LOL  Then he woke me up again because I was snoring but this time the mask was on my forehead!!!  Oh well, I've come a long way since then.  :-)  I'm waiting on Dr. M's office to call and schedule the consult with him.  I'm beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel now.  I know that it's all gonna be worth.  To anyone out there who's just getting started......hang in there and don't give up!!
     I'll try to be more timely in the postings. 

     I did the challenge test in pulmonology and passed with flying colors.  According to the doc, I do not have asthma.  GOOD NEWS!!  I followed up with Dr. S today to go over all the tests that he ordered for me.  He said everything looks good, but I need to come back once more after I have the 2nd part of my sleep study(CPAP).
     DH and I decided it was time to get some land and settle in somewhere we could call ours.  He's out traversing the land now.  I found 9 acres pretty cheap so we're in the process of putting a manufactured home out there.  Eventually he wants to build a barn so I can have horses.  Woohoo.... and maybe a pond.  He is really looking forward to hunting season.  
     Well, I guess that's the update for now.  I'm still jumping thru' the hoops waiting for the time for the surgery consult with Dr. M. 

     Well, it's been a while since I've been here.  I've been a little busy with extra curricular activities.  Let's see........oh yeah......let's go back to Feb. 8th.  I had a pulmonology appt. at Pinehurst Medical Center.  I took a breathing test and met briefly with Dr. Southwell.  He said he doesn't think that I have asthma.  Hmmmmm.......Now that's good news.  I really haven't had any symptoms in a year......symptoms that I had to use my Albuterol inhaler for.  He's gonna get me scheduled for a Methacholine challenge on the 20th.
     Today I had the ABG's and the exercise desaturation done.  Everything went well with that.....it was not as bad as everyone says it is.  
     I also had to meet with the doctor that read my sleep study.   I've got to be fitted for a CPAP machine.  Oh well.....hopefully after the weight starts coming off I can get retested and discontinue it.  My husband said that I'll look like a little piggy with the mask on.  He didn't mean it in a bad way.....LOL.  
     Last night I attended the 3 hour education session with the PA, physical therapist, and dietician.  There was so much information presented to us.  I definitely am ready to do this.  Two ladies left at the first break we had after the PA talked with us about the risks involved and the pros/cons of each procedure.  He had GB 9 months ago so he can talk from both perspectives of medical and patient.  Everything was laid out on the table and nothing was sugar-coated.  
     I think that about covers it all for now.  I am going to try to start an exercise regimen today.  Little by little I can build my endurance up.  Take it day by day and stay positive. 

     Well, tomorrow is my appointment with the pulmonology clinic.  Each day brings me another step closer to surgery.  
     My hubby's CT and ultrasound showed that he has a polyp on his gallbladder.  His PCP also said that he has fluid accumulating in his abdomen around his liver.  Back in October, he had blood collecting around his right lung and had to have a thoracentesis and then a lung biopsy.  There was no cancer or signs of where the blood was coming from.  The surgeons drained about 2 liters of blood from his chest during surgery.  He had chest tubes in for several days after surgery and drained about 2 liters more.  The surgeons and pulmonolgists and his PCP are leaning toward his exposure in the Gulf during Desert Storm as being the culprit.  I just want my DH to be fixed and pain free for once.  
     I saw the psychologist for part 2 of the psych evaluation.  She said that as far as she is concerned I am "normal".  Obviously, if anyone knows me at all, they know that I am far from normal.  LOL  I told her before I left that my husband would be glad that I wasn't involuntarily committed.  She said that she had already met her quota for the day.  She was great.
     As you can see, I've got a lot going on.  My Faith keeps me going.  Faith is what has kept me together during all the times of turbulance in my past.  Keep us in your prayers.