Anna G.

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I'm recovering nicely! I had surgery in Atlanta, about 51/2 hours from home so I'm staying with a very generous cousin while I recuperate here in Atlanta. Dr.Smith called my surgery "boring"; it was so perfect. I didnt lose much weight pre-op and I was concerned that my liver would be huge, but I had been eating healthier for several months and the doc said my liver had almost shrunk too much!

I've been plagued with lots of gas pressure left over from lap surgery but haven't had much pain at all from the surgery, just one spot in my lower back that hurts every time I move or cough but I suspect that may be from a bad mattress post-op and not the surgery

I also now have a small dragon that lives in my new tummy. I take a sip, or a bite, and she growls. I wait until she growls again and I know I have permission to take another sip. There's no way I could eat in public right now, that's for sure, It's a full time job, getting in all the fluids and protein that I need. I sip, sip, sip, walk, nibble, walk, sip, sip, sip, walk, etc., all day long. I can't imagine going back to work any time soon because there just would not be any time for working.  Every day though, it gets better.

I'm so grateful to my employer, New York Times for approving my surgery. It's a chance at a brand new life.

The NADS (North Alabama Duodenal Switchers) met today in Florence to celebrate mine and Laura's approvals for DS. A splendid time was had by all, as evidenced here:

That's Ronnie (looking fabulous after her DS in July), me, LeaAnn, Laura, Preuit and Ruth.

 

There is also some excellent documentation of the vastness of my pre-op ass in this shot:

BIG THANKS to LeaAnn and family for coming from H-ville to ease us into this process! And to Preuit for the presents!

I'm coming up on my two week freak but I think I may have done most of my freaking during this past week. I'm focusing on all things positive right now, not watching the news or even listening to NPR like I usually do. Just visualizing perfect health, a perfect surgery, a smooth and peaceful recovery.

Thanks to an exception granted by my employer, and to the efforts of my amazing, talented fearless and fearsome insurance specialist Karlene Dittrich, I am finally approved for my DS surgery! I honestly never thought it would happen. I expected to have to go into debt to my eyeballs and self-pay. My insurance policy pays for RNY and lap-band, but I would have self-paid in order to get the best. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the Duodenal Switch!!

Surgery is scheduled for Sept 17, and I have to be in Marietta on Sept. 11 for my pre-op class. My cousin Ann has graciously offered to let us stay with her while I recuperate. Marietta is about 5 hours away.

I'm still in disbelief. Just now, I had taken some things to the basement, as I was at the foot of the steps, looking up at that mountain that I knew would cause intense pain at every step as I ascended it dawned on me that before long I just might be able to take those stairs like a normal person! I've been imprisoned in this humongous fat suit for so long that it's hard to believe I might be set free.

I'm still working toward the Duodenal Switch surgery. I'm in the 5th month of the 6-month diet/exercise program my insurance company requires. I've seen my surgeon and completed the following clearances: Pulmonary, Cardiologist, Psychological, Nutritional, Gastro, Cancer (I had a mild case of breast cancer a few years ago), and PCP. The only thing left is to finish this 6-month program. I'm getting restless. I want my DS today.

I'm still hoping for insurance coverage to have this surgery in the States, laproscopically with Dr. Dennis Smith. My sister has offered to come and stay to take care of me after I get home, and I have a fabulous cousin in the Atlanta area who has just offered to have me stay in her beautiful home while I recuperate!

Insurance is still calling the DS "investigational", a position they cannot defend. So I do plan to appeal. 

So I'm working on losing some weight. I would love to have lost 50 pounds before surgery, but I'll be very happy with 30, which would be 10% of my body weight. I've lost 24 so far.

Pre-ops, please feel free to message me if you have any questions about the DS! Or go to http://www.duodenalswitch.com to learn more and find a list of qualified DS surgeons.

If you want to stalk/get to know me, I'm on MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/annaweb and my original music is at http://www.myspace.com/themagdalen and http://www.myspace.com/kulmandu. 

Yesterday morning, I had my EGD. I've had colonoscopies before, and I expected pretty much the same type of experience, where you don't remember what went on during the procedure. I'm relatively sure that's what's supposed to happen with the EGD. I'm almost certain that you're not supposed to be fully conscious when they shove a tube with a camera on it down your throat. Yeah, as far as I know, you're not supposed to be completely aware during that experience with the tube moving down your throat as you violently gag for what seems like half an hour while you replay in your mind that scene from the film your DH was watching the day before, where the Bad Guys have some dude tied up, and his mouth clamped wide open while they introduce a poisonous snake into it, which then slithers all the way inside him as he chokes to death in abject terror. Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's not how an EGD is supposed to go...

But hey! That's one more hurdle jumped and one step closer to a DS!

I had my blood work done on Monday, and have made appointments with my cardiologist and a psychologist. I have an appt coming up anyway with my pulmonologist. My first appointment with Dr. Smith is Nov. 30.

I can't help getting the feeling that I'm wasting my time ~ BC BS of AL has a pretty bad track record when it comes to DS approvals, but at least they've said it isn't out of the question.

I'm not even 100% sure anymore that I want the DS. The VSG keeps popping into my mind. A surgery with no particular side effects, that is getting results similar to RNY? I have to step back and think about this. I doubt that insurance will approve that any sooner than it will the DS though, so I'm still a long way from surgery of any kind.

Oh what am I thinking. The whole reason I wanted the DS was to avoid regain. What I really want right now is a time machine so I can see what the long-term results of the VSG will be.

I got a letter this week telling me that Dr. Smith has accepted me to his bariatric program. If insurance approves, I'll have surgery with him in Marietta GA. That's several hours away, but closer than Mexico. ;) And I couldn't ask for a better surgeon. I love that he is such a stickler for long term aftercare.

So now I start jumping all the hoops. First, lab work, then all those physicians' evaluations. I'm still in the first month of my six-month supervised diet with my PCP. That's not going as well as I had hoped, but I still have plenty of time to lose the 50 pounds I want to lose before surgery.

Well, I thought I was seeing Dr. Facundus today. All I got to do was answer a gazillion questions, take a breathing test and give them $150. Feh. I'll go back in a few weeks to meet the doc and get the insurance ball rolling.

On the bright side, I got to spend some quality time with LeaAnn. She actually drove me to the doc herself, which is a good thing because I doubt my navigation would have ever got me there.

Then she kept on driving (she's an excellent driver...don't listen to anything anybody says about that) and she drove us right to one of the coolest little restaurants in these parts, called Wild Flour, where we feasted on Salmon with Dill Sauce on Wild Rice with veggies and fried sweet potatoes.

Then there was ~~~~Chocolate Torte~~~~

There is nothing better than Chocolate Torte. Anywhere. Nothing.

So, a good day. I'm one small step closer to a DS.

I had lunch with an amazing group of ladies today; the North Alabama Duodenal Switch group. Beth, fresh from plastic surgery, opened her home to us and LeaAnn, also relatively fresh from ps, fed us fried chicken. MsBatt made a to-die-for lemon icebox pie, which I almost splattered all over my car when I almost missed the turn-off to Beth's house, but luckily it landed on its feet.

I also got to meet Suzie, Trudy, and LeaAnn's mom (never caught her name). My heart goes out to Trudy, suffering from a failed RNY and desperately in need of a DS revision. She looked just miserable from the constant dumping. She said she couldn't eat anything but broth without suffering. I really hope the doc can schedule that revision soon.

I also met Beth's adorable dog and a couple of gorgeous kitties. I

In other news, I've finally finished gathering the information for Dr. Smith's questionnaire, just in time to decide that I probably want to wait for Dr. Husted to settle in Tennessee. It's much, much closer.

I have so many hoops to jump through that surgery almost seems like the impossible dream to me right now. But I know that it's time for me to get serious about working out, and losing some weight.  I guess I'm just procrastinating until after I consult with a surgeon and have my insurance tell me that I have to start a supervised diet. Which makes no sense. There's no reason why I can't start now. I guess I just want my starting weight to be officially documented.

I want to be switched now!!!!!

Slowly, but surely I advance toward surgery. I finally got the questionnaire and DVD from Dr. Smith's office. The DVD was pretty badly done, and didn't really tell me anything I didn't know, but it was cool to see the doc in action.

I had intended to fill out the questionnaire on Sunday afternoon when a friend dropped by unannounced. Nice to see him, but frustrating. So Monday (Labor Day) was spent filling it out. Good lord, what a lot of questions. Some of them I won't answer until I talk to my doc. In fact, I'm going to get a copy of my medical records. I filled out paperwork at my ob/gyn today to get records from there too. I figure I can reconstruct my history of weight loss attempts by looking at my medical records. I can't remember, for instance, when it was that I took Phen-fen. Man, that stuff really worked. Too bad it's evil.

I am literally dragging myself around, with great effort. I am so tired of being imprisoned in this great carcass of fat. I'm thinking, maybe it's time to get started on that doctor-supervised diet. I know my surgery will go smoother if I have lost some weight. I can lose quite a bit and still have a BMI great enough to warrant surgery. I just don't want to do the required 6 months of supervised diet, too early to qualify me for insurance approval. I mean, I haven't even talked to a surgeon yet.  But I really feel a little desperate to get some weight off.