netty
Feb. 16/05
Went to see my GP who will be sending my OHIP application out within the next week or two.
Mar. 1/05
I'm getting a little ansie. Most of the information I have read says I should expect an answer in 6 to 8 weeks; but I have heard some people get an answer back within a 1 week. I was really hoping to be one of those people. Maybe I will put a call into my GP to see if she has heard anything.
Mar. 9/05
I called my GP's office today to see when the OHIP application was actually sent out. February 24 was the actually date; so as of today its not been 2 weeks.
March 11/05
OH MY GOD... today a purolator guy came to my door with my approval letter... the letter says I'm approved for a pre assessment appointment with the surgeon for the RNY... OH my god I still can't believe it... I'm so shocked... the really strange thing is that the letter was dated on my birthday... so maybe this person just thought they would give me a really great birthday gift... wow... so I called surgeon's office and got an appointment for March 24th... I can't believe this is all happening so fast...
March 13/05
So I guess I should get more in depth about what exactly my life is like....First I'm 37yrs old.. I'm the mother of 5 s ranging from 17yrs to 2yrs... I've been married to a wonderful man for 5yrs...we met on line...I've been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (relapsing/remitting) for over 15yrs now... I've not had any major physical problems yet.... I'm mostly affected cognitively... I've had the numbness and the tingling... the loss of vision (ON)... but I've always been fortunate enough to regain my ability.... my biggest problem has always been my weight... I've always been overweight...and over the years it just got worse... it wasn't until recently that I started to wonder if my weight or my MS was causing some of my problems... I often have pain in my feet and hips... especially after walking a long distance... I also tend to have pain while I'm sleeping... I am often very fatigued... I have had reflux for years... and I have several different types of incontiency problems... all of this I blamed on MS... from the neurological damage that was happening ... but after reading alot of medical information... I decided that maybe my stress incontiences was not MS but more to do with being so heavy... that maybe my feet and hip pain was not do to MS but do to being too heavy... maybe my fatigue was being exacerbated by both being overweight and having sleep apnea and have MS... and maybe my reflux was not due to the neurological damage that was being done... but was due to obesity...
So I started my journey... reading alot of information and educating myself on what this would all mean... to my life to my marriage to my children to my own psychie... how my body would change from a fat body to a body of loose skin... I really needed to face all of it to really know that this was what I wanted to do... and with alot of fear I decided with my husband to approach our family doctor... and see if she would be willing to refer us to a weightloss specialist in the city... she did that... and it happened so much more quickly than anyone expected... we seen her and she made the referral and the weightloss doctor called us by the next week to make an appointment with us ... they had several cancelations and could see us that week... from there the WL doctor felt I was a good candidate... and he wrote me a supportive letter to help my GP in applying to OHIP for this out of country request... I also called my neuro who wrote a supportive letter on how it would be benefitial for me to loose the weight... and I wrote a short note on how my weight has affected my life as well as some of my medical problems that might be associated with my weight and some of my family history... the GP sent the application off to OHIP on February 24... and the letter of acceptance was written March 7... which just happened to be my birthday... I received the letter by purolator on March 11... I called the bariatric surgeon to look at making an appointment and his office told me that they had not yet received my OHIP approval...but I could fax it to them... and they would get me into an appointment on March 24... so I immediately went out and faxed the letter from OHIP to them... ran back home and phoned them... and got the appointment... I attend a seminar in the morning and meet the doctor in the afternoon...
Now my trouble is I have to travel alone... my husband will have to stay home with the children... and I will have to travel by Greyhound... a 14hr bus trip to Rochester and a 12 hr trip back... it will be a long trip... and I'm worried about how tired I will be and if I will fall asleep and miss connecting buses... but I also am excited that this is happening so quickly... at the same time... I'm worried about turning my back on the fat I am... does that sound strange or what?... she is who I am... and I'm really worried about how that will affect me... in my whole life... not just being thinnner for health... but for my whole being...
Its an emotional roller coaster ... and I am having periods where I'm calm... and other periods where I feel like I could scream... cry and puke all at the same time... its the strangest emotions...
March 16/05
I'm still on an emotional roller coaster ride... but its getting better... right now my biggest fear is traveling by greyhound alone... I keep thinking I'm going to fall asleep somewhere... and miss a bus... either missing my appointment or missing my daughter's birthday... I should have an ulcer by the time I see this doctor... not grey hair... just did a dye job and covered it all up...LOL
I'm a little nervous about what exactly is going on with OHIP...will or can they still refuse the surgery even after seeing the surgeon... is this a new practice for them to try and weed out people... I'm confused why mine has happened differently than others I've talk to on the net...
Again my DH & I are planning on going to our local support group for OSSG in April...by then I will have seen the surgeon and have more questions for people... I'm looking forward to it because I am starting to talk to people more on line who are in the group...
March 25/05
Returned from Rochester, New York... oh the busride there was hell... 13.5hrs on the bus... I washed my hair with my travel coffee mug in the sink at the bus terminal at Rochester... LOL... also changed and washed up there... oh it was an adventure...
The appointments went well... the seminar ran alittle late...but Diane the "coordinator" ... I assume that is her title... she was very informed and she kept us all busy with questions and answers and information... she was very helpful and very friendly...
My appointment with the surgeon went well... he felt I was a suitable candidate... so now they will send another letter to OHIP... and wait for an answer... but in the meantime Diane feels I should get my name on the list for the dietian and the psych assessment... just because the lists are long... and we should hear back from OHIP before the appointments come up...
Our Canadian group consisted of 10 people... everyone was very friendly ... and we had alot of great laughs... I didn't get everyones emails or phone numbers... so I really hope I hear back from people who got mine...
Someone in the group ended up offering to take me back to Ottawa... she was from the Ottawa area and just dropped me off on her way home... it was so nice of her... it only took 4 hrs by car and an hour at the customs... so it was better than the 13hrs by bus...
March 29/05
Well I got a nutri appointment today... for June 10 ... I can't seem to get through to the psych people... but I'll keep trying... I'm not so concerned about that one as I am the nutri appointments... everyone seems to say those are more than one... so I can alway fill in the psych with one of those other nutri appointments...
I'm still alittle excited... but getting more down to earth about it... I'm still hoping it will happen sometime late September early October... I'm thinking that is more realistic... I wouldn't even fathom the idea of summer... that just seems to quick...
March 30/05
Well I called today and got a psych assessment for July25... so I called back the nutri people and got my nutri appointment changed to the 25 of July... so I called my sister hoping she can come with me... maybe she could use her credit card to rent a car so that I won't have to do the bus thing again... but that doesn't look good... she isn't one to help out when someone asks... so I have no idea what I will do... the bus thing is going to kill me... but I might have no choice... I even called Uhaul thinking maybe I could rent a van from them without a credit card... but no go... just a cubed truck... LOL.. now that would look a little suspicious... crossing the border with a cubed truck to go to a doctors appointment... I might get detained for ism... LOL... man this having no credit card is a real *itch...
April 10/05
Okay... so its been offically 2 weeks and 4 days since I seen the surgeon... I'm sure OHIP was closed for Easter Holidays on top of the surgeon's office was probably not able to process all the peoples applications that needed to be processed and get them out by the following Tuesday... so in my own mind I'm trying to give the surgeon's office until last week... April 7 say.. that they were able to put together my information and send it out to OHIP for their follow up from the consult... so I'm trying not to get to nervous about not hearing from OHIP yet... I'm hoping maybe by the end of April or middle of May I should have heard something.. .if I haven't then maybe I will start to get a bit nervous... oh its so hard being patient when you don't know what you are to expect... seems the group that went the week I went had 5 of us who were "ground breakers" in the area of how OHIP has changed how they will authorize this whole process...
Now onto the rest of my life... can we all say it together... STRESS!... my daughter is scheduled for her gallbladder to be removed on May 2... she is 15yrs old and has a disability... so that is stress within itself... but my husband has surgery on May 6th for a debulking procedure on his multi nodular goiter... okay this I'm a little more stressed out over... this could go horribly wrong... gallbladders are removed and a pretty common problem for most people... but a thyroidectomy (I assume that is what its called) is not such a common thing... then we are possibly moving this summer... I'm sure my husband will have some weight lifting restrictions put on him... so I will probably have to do most of this move myself... argh!
I'm trying to keep everything cool.. thinking this will all work out if I just space things right and keep my head about me... keep it organized... keep everyone calm... while I start my drinking and smoking habits to keep me calm... LOL... as I won't be able to use my eating habits to help me with this... can't gain any weight... I'll get kicked off the surgery list... LOL
April 13/05
Okay I'm a little ... okay alot ... seems a new rule popped up and I'm stuck in the middle of a ing match between the surgeon's office and OHIP... OHIP won't pay for nut and psych to be done in US being you can get it here... the surgeon's office won't go for here its his people or you don't get surgery... so either I pay for the nut and psych there or I have to reapply for OHIP to see another surgeon... OHIP said they may not pay again because they are not in the business of people "shopping for surgeons"... I didn't know the rules changed in the middle of the game... this is just so maddening... what the hell do I do now... and how do I find another surgeon and will OHIP pay for the next appointment... geez louise...
April 14/05
Well my dh thinks we should just suck up the cost... he feels I'm to close to it all away over a $300 cost to us... so now I'm calling all these appointments I've made with psych and nut to see if I can get into see a social worker instead and what the cost is... and to rearrange the nut and social worker to be on the same day... and what the total cost will be to me... and get this out of the way for OHIP to finally approve this all... now if I don't get approved after paying for this stuff myself I will totally go down to OHIP and go postal on these people... this is just such a stupid ing match to get into... I can't believe we would not have been told this was going to happen before we went to see the doctor... everyone I had heard of getting this done was being covered for everything...
Anyway... wish me luck... I'm on the phone today and tomorrow I'm sure... trying to clear this mess up...
May 12/05
Sorry its been a while... life goes on... my appointments are still as they were... I've not gotten any calls for cancelations ... so I wait until July...
My daughter had surgery last Monday the 2 of May... had her gall bladder removed ... everything went well... then my husband had his goiter removal surgery on Friday the 6 of May... that didn't go so well.. it was larger than they (surgeons) had thought .. they ended up removing more than 95% of his thyroid... sooooo he is now going to have to take calcium and synthyroid the rest of his life... I don't know what this will mean for him in terms of the RNY.. I hope it doesn't mean he can't do it now... but at least the goiter is gone...
Not much else to report... I'm keeping a journal on what I'm eating but I haven't been eating well... I've been stressed... don't know why... hahahahaha!... spending most of my days at the hospital for the last 2 weeks... so my eating is a little off... this week I will put the pedal to the metal and get my butt in gear... I hope the nut can appreciate the stress and upheaval that I had and not use this first weeks recording against me...
May 19/05
Well I got moved up... my Nut evaluation is now June 6 at 8am and my Psych evaluation is now June 6 at 5pm... oh gosh I'm a bag of nerves... after all the surgery in the last 2 weeks... I have to get these people ready to be by themselves... I'm not sure how I'm going to pull this off... I'm really hoping that our Respite home will look at taking my daughter for those days... as my dh isn't able to pick her up at all.... plus he has all those little monsters to contend with... I'm not sure how I'm going to do this... I will have to have respite workers and babysitters lined in a row...
May 22/05
I'm in the midst of trying to get everything up and ready... I got my daughter into the respite home from the 5th to the 8th of June... so that is done... and I've also called school to make the arrangements to have the schoolbus to change her transportation to there... As for how I get to Rochester...well I am planning to take the bus Sunday night at 10pm which will go through Syracuse and onto Rochester... gets me there in half the time... at 5am... problem is this run only runs 3 times a week... now because my last appointment is 5pm... I don't know how long it is... I'm assuming 1 hr... and I'm assuming that I can get a taxi to get me to the airport quickly...I have a flight already booked to leave at 7:15pm... I had to book a flight because the last bus leaving Rochester is at 4:45 and I'd have to spend the night and leave the next afternoon... not getting me home until Wednesday afternoon... if you can believe that... so I can't leave my hubby at home with the kids by himself...being its been so soon after surgery.... so I'm hoping I can pull this off... the airline sales person said I have to be at the airport 2hrs before my flight... I obviously can't do that... cause my appointment is at 5pm... so I'm hoping the hour before will be fine...or maybe if I hang out at the psych office and make them aware of my problem that maybe they can see me sooner... or squeeze me between or someone there might be willing to change with me... I can always dream...
Someone here in Ottawa said that I might be able to tag along for the ride... she also has an appointment in Rochester at 8:30 on June 6th... so I'm hoping she will be able to stay until after 5pm when my psych appointment will be done and give me a ride home...this way I will get a refund of my money for the flight and pay her it... I can only hope...
May 30/05
Well its one week until my visit with the nut and psych... I'm not so nervous about the psych... I have issues and I know I have issues...hehehehe!... but the nut... man she scares me... if I ain't the bestest in the world she will so fail my butt...and I'll have to do this again in a month... which won't make me happy... so one of the ladies in the Toronto yahoo support group has taken me under her wing and has given me some information to use to help me along... she sent me a eating/diet diary to use... as a guideline...so I've put myself on a diet... so to speak... I've cut out all junkfood which is a killer for me... no chocolate...no sweets of any kind... I've cut my potions down... I now measure everything... 250mls of everything... cereal in the morning... milk to drink... brown rice at supper time... and I've cut myself down to 4 - 250mls of milk a day... the rest is water... and I stopped snacking at night... and I think I am actually loosing weight already... I'm sure I gained weight when Kai and Bill had their surgery... I was soooo stressed out I ate myself into oblivion... but I have gotten back into the jeans that I wore when I went to the surgeon back on again... and they feel alittle more loose... not great loose... but loosened up enough that I can sit more comfortably...
I would like to have lost 5lbs before going to see her... to show that I'm trying to get things right before I have this surgery... making changes to my eating habits as well as the way I'm eating... I'm chewing food to ... 30 chews per teaspoon... sometimes it feels like too much chewing... dry and yucky... and I eat out of the kids dishes... a saucer or the kids bowls and I eat with a teaspoon... so that slows the eating down too...
Hoping all this helps for me to pass the first time ... and not be a NUT failure... LOL
June 2/05
Okay so tomorrow I'm off to Staples to get my diet/food diary printed out... for the NUT appointment on Monday... I'm trying to get everything done and bitting off more than I can chew... hehehehe!.. and I ain't even eaten yet... I have to go to Staples tomorrow and get my butt down to the local wheelchair vendors to look at a commode chair for my daughter and call back the OT to tell her if this is the commode chair I want for my daughter... than I have to get back home and set up for a yard sale on Saturday that I just found out today that is happening in our neighbourhood... I figure I have to take advantage of making me some money... specially since I went and cleaned out the basement and gave half our crap away already... so Saturday will be a day of running up and down the stairs with junk to sell and hopefully I'll make about a hundred bucks... I have a few beds and a dresser to sell on top of a bike and some other junk... then I have to go to Costco with my daughter on Sunday for a "milk run" and then I have to get her off to her respite home and then I'm off to the bus to get to Rochester... yesh!... I'm tired just talking about it...
Oh... and I've lost weight... I weighed myself at the GP's this week and the scale showed 268... so I'm hoping its the same as the surgeon's office... gosh I hope I've lost that in the 2 weeks... and besides... I got into a size 22 pair of capri's I had bought last year by mistake.. they were on sale at Walmart for $5... I thought they were a 24... got them home and couldn't get them over my hinnie... LOL.... now they fit... a little tight... but they fit... I'm planning on wearing them to Rochester... and bring a skirt to change into when I go to my appointments... especially since I will have to wash up again in the bus bathroom... ya... nothing like bus bathroom hygiene... LOL.. wish me luck... I'll be back with all the gorry details...
June 6/05
I'm actually still at the airport in Toronto...waiting for my flight home...had to up date this ...I passed both psych and nut evaluations ....yayayayayaya!...the nut was very impressed by my food jounal...but that I also had lost almost 20lbs since my last weigh in from my initial appointment with the surgeon...I almost crapped myself I knew I had lost weight but I did not think it was that much...anyhoo...now its just the surgeon getting the reports from both of them..and reapplying back to OHIP...getting reapproved...and a surgery date....woohoo...I'm now closer than I ever thought I was going to come to this...
My official weight now is 257lbs...yeepie!
June 12/05
Okay... its only been a week since I've been home but I'm already getting ansie... if this can't be pulled off in July... I'm going to have to put it off until late September early October... argh!... so when do I start freaking out?... hmmmm... well I've thought about putting a call into the psych's office next Friday and just happen to ask when did they think I would get the report to the surgeon...being the nut is in the same hospital... I think that is more likely to get to him first... but I've heard there has been problems with the psych... holding onto the report for a few weeks... so this will not making me happy... we still have to reapply to OHIP for the approval of the surgery... and from what people have said OHIP is getting back to the surgeon's office within 3 to 4 days... so seriously they should be able to get me in by mid July... and that would work out so great for everyone involved in our household... our respite home can take our daughter who is disabled... and my sister can come with me to Rochester... and our babysitter can come and stay with my hubby to watch the little ones... it will be tight on money... but we could pull it off... but August... is a no go with anyone... not the respite home... not with my sister and our babysitter... so it would all have to be put off... which will kind of be disappointing... so ... I will call the psych's office on Friday and just kind of put a bug in their ear...
Oh BTW... we still haven't heard from OHIP about my hubby's application... maybe I'll call OHIP this week too...
June 17/05
So I called the psych people this week... and well they are a bit behind... I guess the psych I seen... had a major computer meltdown in May and is still trying to catch up with her paperwork by hand... sooo they said to call them back by Wednesday and they should have an answer for me...
My dh called OHIP and seems that they haven't got his application on file... okay let me clarify... he called the number that I had to call when I got my letter... so it didn't show up with them... they said it might still be at the district office... sooo... we still sit and wait... man I will so be upset if he gets rejected... he has way more co morbidities than I do from being fat... the GP wants to start him on cholesterol meds and on diabetic meds... and she has even toyed with the idea of pressure meds... so if he gets rejected I will be sooo pee'd off to say the least...
June 21/05
'k I called the psych office again.. and still no movement with my letter... so I asked them if there was a way they could move mine along... because of my problems with any other month other than July or October... she said she would email the doctor and see what she could do... so that is a start... but man I'm getting ansie now... patients... not something I am...
June 28/05
I called Rochester again today... seems they have all my information now... except my uppper GI scope from my family doctor.... my family doctor never ordered it for me... all she did was a barium swollow... so I haven't got an upper GI scope done... and the surgeon won't disect my stomach until he is sure I don't have a bleeding ulcer... so I've made an appointment to see my weight management specialist to see if I can get to a gastro that way... and jump over my GP's head.. she is such an ass... the only thing standing between me and the RNY is an upper GI scope... the weight management specialist holds in high regard so I hope this gets things done faster and not hold up the surgery any longer than it has to be held up...
BTW... my hubby got his pre approval of an assessment with the surgeon today... OHIP finally approved him.. so he has an appointment to see the surgeon in Aug.. and his nut and psych's are in December... hopefully my surgery will have been done by then...
July 05/05
Well I went to see my weight management specialist...he is going to try to get me into a gastro fast... but that could take up to 4 months... argh!... so he said go ahead with the barium and maybe the surgeon will take it instead of the GI scope if the barium is clear... we can only hope... if not... I'm not getting surgery this year... I'm so ticked...
Upside... when weighed at the WMS office my weight is 252lbs... so I'm still loosing... I went shopping today and got myself some new jean shorts... cause my others that were a 24 were falling off me... so off to Cotton Ginny I went... and I actually got my butt into a size 18... can you y believe that... my gosh I almost dropped ... I thought okay... lets try on a 22... and they are still baggy... so maybe a 20... but they didn't have a size 20...so I thought... well lets see if the 18 will fit.. hahahaha!... and the suckers went on... so I am doing the happy dance again...
August 8/05
Well here I sit still waiting... I have a GI scope to be done only upper on September 20... and I've had the barium done... I haven't gotten any results yet from the barium... but my GP will fax them to the surgeon's once she finally does.... so I have to sit here patiently waiting...
I've gained some weight back... my weight fluctuates between 255 and 250... so I have to now be careful that I don't gain too much weight back... I hear its something that will get me back into the nutritionalist and off the surgery list...
August 22/05
So the summer is almost over and almost everyone I was at the seminar with has had their surgery... here I sit with nothing... I had the barium swollow and that was clear so my GP faxed it over to the surgeon in hopes he would accept that... but I've heard nothing yet.... not expecting too either.... I still have the Upper GI scope scheduled on September 20th... so I suspect that I will have surgery scheduled for like late October... my hubby has his appointment... seminar in November and his nut and psych in December... and we hope with some luck that his surgery can happen in like February... so I'll only be like a few months ahead of him... instead of the almost year I should have been... what a crap shot this has all been...
I'll be sure to keep you all up to date on what is going on... my weight is still fluxing... and I've got to get my butt into gear... I'm not sure if they still want to SEE weight LOSS or if they just don't want to see weight GAIN... argh!... I wish I knew what was going to happen... this is so madding...
September 13/05
I have the upper GI for next Tuesday. I'm trying to figure out how I will have some idea of when surgery can happen from there... so that I can get respite for my daughter who is disabled... and its near impossible... from what I understand from everyone I spoke to... it would appear that I could have a call from Rochester as soon as October 3.... and surgery by the 10th... at the earliest... its so frustrating to sit and not know when this is going to happen already...
September 21/05
Well I finally got my upper GI scope yesterday... it wasn't really that bad... they sprayed a little numbing meds in the back of my throat and the test was done in 5 minutes.... the gastro spoke to me right away about my results.... I have severe damage from years of esphogical reflux... I don't have an ulcer... yaaaaaa!... but she did find that I have a hiatus hernia.... argh!... she said she was going to send the report to him immediately... I'm not sure if that means yesterday or by the end of the week?... but she said she would also recommend to the surgeon that might want to fix the hernia while he is already in there for the RNY.... so that is where it stands now... so now I just sit here and wait... and hope the heck it happens quickly... I'm hoping that I will get a call by the first week of October for a surgery date.... I'll up date as soon as I finally hear...
Sept. 23/05
Thank god... I called my Gastro's office today... my report had NOT been faxed yet... seems there was some unclear information... the secretary thought we were waiting for the biocep... which the gastro told me we did not have to wait as she felt if I had the h-pylori that we could treat it before the surgery was done anyway.... soooo the secretary said she was terrible sorry and that she would send it out right now.... sooo... with any luck the surgeon will see it Monday or Tuesday and they will send it out to OHIP by next week... and I am hoping the week of October 3 that I will finally have an answer.... oh gosh... I really hope things start to come together....
I finally got some things set up for my daughter... she is booked for October 14 until the 30 with the respite home... so hopefully even if I leave earlier or later... we should be covered... now I have to call the school this week and rearrange transportation to happen from school to the respite home....
I'm getting soooo nervous and its so hard to plan everything when you have no idea what time line you are really working in.... well hopefully soon I will have my answer... now just to keep the weight down... I really feel like I'm just on the border of gaining a few pounds back.... argh!...
Sept. 29/05
I've had an emotional week and I think finally things are starting to move along. The office did get the results of my scope but they still had NOT received a report from the psych... so I was on the phone all day trying to get things straighten out... they finally called and said they were finally typing out my report and were faxing it to the surgeon ASAP... but when I called the office today... they are closed until Monday so hopeful they will be finally open and have sent my application to OHIP... and hopefully they will give me a tentative surgery date because I already have my daughter who is disabled booked into respite and I have to now change transportation with school... and if things are changed they can't be changed back for another 2 weeks... so that will really muck me over... so wish me luck and hopefully I can get this all cleared away...
BTW... my weight is now 243lbs... woohoo
Oct. 2/05
Well things are kind of falling behind... the surgeon's office was moving Thursday and Friday... so the psych's office was not able to fax the report to him... they said they would fax it on Monday morning as his office is suppose to be up and running again.... so I'm hoping by October 14th they will still get an answer from OHIP on payment and I can get surgery booked before the end of the month.... I can only wish and hope at this stage of the game... I'm still going to put a call in Monday to make sure I'm not missing anything in my paperwork that might hold me up more... god this gets so complicated.... and overwhelming at times...
Oct. 5/05
The surgeon's office called on Monday to say that they had received the fax from the psych's office... and they were pretty sure that was it for what they needed from me... the surgeon would read the report and an application would be made to OHIP... so now I just sit and wait... I'm not sure how patient I'm suppose to be with this... but I'm a bag of nerves... I just can't wait to finally have all this behind me....
Oct. 7/05
Well the battle is on again... ... I gained back another 5 lbs... I was down to 243 and now I'm back up to 249... and I can't get the damn scale to move... what to do.... I bought some weights at Walmart and I think I'm going to attach them to my damn ankles... so I am having to work harder just walking around all day... ... I can't believe this is happening... just when I think I'm on my way down... the fat comes back to literally bite me on the ass....
I'm going to put a call into the surgeon's office on Wednesday and see if they can give me a tentative date.... my daughter is booked into the respite home and I have to change transportation with the schoolboard... and once those things are done... it takes 10 days to reverse them back... so I need a date like yesterday... I'm hoping I won't be too pushy or too much of a pain in the butt.... argh!.... I just can't stand this waiting when so much has to be planned for me to actually be able to leave...
Oct. 10/05
Well today is turkey day... and son of a gun... I've gained more weight... I'm back up to 253lbs.... argh!... I could cry... well tomorrow I have to get my butt in gear... turkey day is done and kick me one right in the butt.... I've bought some weights and I'm going to velcro them to my ankles to give me some pull so that I can maybe burn more calories when walking... and I think this week I have to put in some extra time running up and down the basement stairs... maybe after kids are in bed... I've got to get my butt in gear... after all this time waiting for this stuff to fall into place... and the damn weight is going to start creaping back... argh!... now is not the time... with possible surgery date so damn close... I'm so frustrated...
Oct. 12/05
I did some calling yesterday.... I called the surgeon's office... and they were not able to give me a tentative date.... they are going to submit my OHIP application today.... so that is good news... I'm hoping that this means by next Monday or following Monday the 24th... that I will have a surgery date... that would put me around 3rd of November... so I've had to put some quick calls into the respite home and the school... I'm going to have to try some fast track stuff... to get my daughter into the respite home for the 4th of November until the 21 of November or there abouts....
Also when talking to the surgeon's people yesterday they asked for my pathology results from my GI... so I called my gastro... and guess what?... I have that stupid H-pylori bacteria... argh!.... so now I'm on anti biotics for 7 days... argh!... hopefully this doesn't make the surgeon want another GI scope.... oh can anymore road blocks be put in my way....
Oct. 14/05
I'm on the prescription for the h-pylori bacteria... oh god its painful.... seriously it feels as if someone kicked me in the chest.... and e diahrea... my god... its horrible.... I called the pharmacist about it and he said that this is all normal... my god... I can't believe this medication can be called "good" ... blah!... its horrible... I was never in pain before... but this is horribly uncomfortable... so I'm only 2 days into it... and can't imagine how I will feel in like 7days... geez....
I'm also hoping with a horseshoe up my butt that maybe I can get a call from the surgeon's people on Monday the 17th... oh a can only wish!...
Oct. 19/05
Well I didn't get a call Monday... argh!...so do I wait and see about next Monday... or do I try to schedule pre op testing because I can get a ride with someone on Monday.... argh!... what to do... I'm so confused and I've been such a pest.... do I dare call again....
Oct. 20/05
Oh God... can you tell I'm starting to freak out here... man I can't wait to get the call and I feel like I'm sitting on pins and needles here.... I can only say this is like waiting to give birth... and that damn baby is overdue... man this waiting is me... I just want a surgery date... and I want this damn surgery done already... I feel like my whole life is revolving around when I finally get a date.... I've been able to get my daughter's respite home to back her up to the 7th of November... but I will feel like a total for asking again... I am really starting to feel like the boy who cried wolf... I mean how many times can I ask them to push her back and trade with another parent before they say on you and aren't so accomodating....
Its going to be a long weekend... and Monday is going to be a nerve wracking day....
Oct. 20/05
The surgeon's assistance... Diane called me at dinner time today... she said they just sent out my OHIP application today.... argh!... they had told me last Wednesday... but she said she just sent it out today.... anyhoo... she also said that she needed my GP to send her a summary of my medical history... argh!... I had specifically asked them when I called about my psych stuff if they needed anything else... and they said NO.... so now I'm having to push my GP for this summary... Diane said that they can NOT book surgery until they have this summary from my GP... and lets face it... my GP can't just scribble one up in 2 seconds here... I'm expecting at the fastest she can have it to them in like a week.... Diane did say they normally hear back from OHIP in 7 days... but I didn't ask her if that is 7 working days or 7 calendar days.... oh well... I see my GP on Monday and I will apologies for all this... and hopefully get some idea from her when she can have this faxed to the surgeon's people.... I feel terrible... this office seems so disorganized...
Oct. 25/05
I went to see my GP yesterday... she copied out her latest reports from both my neuro and from the sleep study doctor plus she will write out a letter clearing me for surgery. She said she will try to have it off to the surgeon's within 48hrs.... so... I'm giving her until Friday... by then the surgeon's office should have heard from OHIP by then... and maybe cross your fingers... I should hear from them by the 31st... god I keep putting this hearing from them date off... but man... at this rate... it will be Christmas before I get a blooming date...
Oh well what can you do... nothing but sit here and and moan.... that's about all....
Oct. 31/05
Happy Halloween.... well its like 10am and I've still got no phone call... just going to sit at home all day hoping to heck they finally give me a freakin call with my freakin surgery date.... oh... what is a to do.... my hubby feels that maybe I should call later on this afternoon and see if they have all the paperwork one more time... and hopefully get an answer from someone to make sure that they haven't fumbled the information again... geez... I know these people are busy but lets keep our stuff organized and easy at hand... I'm like 7 months into this and still no surgery date... this just seems ridiculous when I passed all my nut and psych assessments back in June and first shot...
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So its early afternoon and I decided to call the surgeon's office to see if they got the fax from my GP... they said they will return my call later with the answers... oh god... I swear I'm getting an ulcer from all this... my nerves are just raw today... thank god the kids have been so good ... and they aren't all crazy about Halloween...
Nov. 1/05
I got a returned phone call from the surgeon's office today and well they told me that they will be sending my information to OHIP soon.... argh!... can you freakin believe this... this is the third time they have told me that they were getting the information out to OHIP.... I'm making a list... and the moment the surgeon pulls the last stitch/staple out... he is getting the list of "how to improve your office staff and routines" from me....
Nov. 4/05
Well I got approval from OHIP today.... got it purolator delivery... so I called the surgeon's office and they have also received the fax... now I just have to wait for the person who schedules the surgery to call me.... also OHIP is no longer paying for some of the pretesting... EKG and chest X-ray... argh!... so there is another $300 american that I will have to pay.... man they just keep throwing road blocks at me.... I think they are taking great pleasure in seeing me sqwirm...
Nov. 7/05
Its after 11am and I still haven't got a call... I really think that at about 2pm...I'm going to call them and see why I haven't gotten a call yet.... geez... how patient can I be... or how patient do they expect me to be... if anything these people should know is.... you don't mess with a fat chick... not unless you want a beating.... LOL
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I have a surgery date... November 21... can you freakin believe it... oh finally it looks like things are going my way... and it just happens to be exactly when my daughter is booked into the respite home.... so my sister will fly in on the Friday and we will leave on the Sunday... and my surgery will be on the Monday... oh my freaking god... I just can't believe it.... its actually going to happen...
The surgeon's office was also nice enough to have me try to arrange all my pre op testing with my GP so that I won't have to pay for the pre op testing and travel there... isn't that great.... oh I just hope things finally start to fall into play... thank freaking god...
Nov. 8/05
I'm really freaking out here... I have to put a call into my GP again today... yesterday they still had not got any information from the pre op people in Rochester... so I can't get any testing done yet.... and I have no idea how long it will take to get results from all these tests and faxed back out to Rochester... so I'm a little freaked out... I also need to know what the last possibly moment is that Rochester will accept test results before having to cancel my surgery.... the problem would be that I'd already have my sister down here from Edmonton by then and have my daughter in respite... I tell you I'm a little bit of a worry wart... and everything freaks me out when I don't feel I have any control over things.... so I'm freaking out big time.... can you tell...
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I got more stuff done today... I still have NOT got my pre op testing.... but I did call the local hospital and found out that the results can be faxed same day I get the tests done directly to the hospital in the states... so that is one headache lifted... results are immediate.... and my sister is trying to get set up with flying out here... and we have a reservation number for the hotel.... so now I still kind of have things going... but a little more relaxed that things are falling into place.... still doesn't mean I'm not a basketcase... I keep thinking something is going to screw up and I'm not going to get this surgery....
Nov. 9/05
I was off today again... I went to the GP's and picked up my req for the pre op testing... I was off to the hospital for my EKG and my chest xray... the EKG people were soooo nice.... they actually sent my results as I was standing there... it was great... the xray people said it takes 10days for a report... but the GP can get a quick one tomorrow if she requests it...
I will go for the work tomorrow... I have to fast for that... 12 hrs... man they want me to starve or what?.... then I have to call Rochester back on Monday or Tuesday and see if they got all the results they needed.... oh I'm surprised with the kind of day I had that I didn't fail the EKG... LOL
Nov. 11/05
Just a quick update.. I had my physical with my GP yesterday... she had already received my xray and my ECG... she was just waiting for my work and then will fax out all my information.... I've just found two more Canadians who will be having their surgery on the 22nd... so I won't be alone... which is nice... people to walk the halls with...
So things look like they are on their way.... thank god... I will soon be on the other side...
This next week will be pretty crazy and busy as my hubby has his consult with the surgeon on the 17th and then my sister flies in from Alberta on the 19th so we can leave on the 20th for my surgery on the 21.... oh its going to be a little crazy...
Nov. 12/05
I put a call into Rochester yesterday and just informed them that all the pre testing had been done and my GP would be faxing them the information by Tuesday or Wednesday.... so hopefully this means everything is still a go... I will call Monday just to see how things are going with pre op testing people....
I'm starting to get cold feet... not afraid of the surgery... but more afraid that I won't be able to eat after... ironic eh? ... I know when the whole point of this surgery is so that I don't eat the same way anymore...
Nov. 15/05
Today I'm spending the day home cleaning the house... and trying to get things ready for my hubby to be home with the kids by himself for at least a week.... I've also called the surgeon's pre op people to make sure they have everything... I'm just waiting for them to call me back.... I've managed to so far wash my livingroom floor and dust all my furniture... wash my poor dirty dog... and cleaning the dinningroom... now its the kitchen... bedrooms and bathroom.... blah!... I still have to fed the kids and do the bedding... blah!...
My sister has arranged everything at her end... she booked her flight and got a rental car reserved for us.... she will arrive on Saturday and we leave on Sunday...
Thursday my hubby is leaving for his consult with the surgeon and then Friday he has his barium swollow to do... so he is going to be pretty fried by Saturday... I'm hoping I can give him Friday and Saturday to have some extra sleep...
Well got to get back to my slaving job.... teehee!
Nov. 17/05
My hubby left this morning at 4:30am... to catch his flight for his consult with the surgeon.... I am hoping things go better for my hubby than they did for me ... and if he is really lucky maybe he will actually have surgery by the end of January.... oh we can only hope....
I'm going to put another call into the surgeon's pre op people today.... they never have called me back... I called my GP yesterday and her office said they faxed the information off yesterday... so I'm hoping that means that the pre op people finally have all that they need...
Wish me luck... I'm hoping things are finally falling into place...
Nov. 18/05
I called the surgeon's pre op people again today... they have received all my information and told me that I needed to call back between 2 and 4 pm.... for my surgery time.... so I called back at that time.... I got a time of be at the hospital for 1:30 but surgery would be at 3:15... at around 4pm I got a call from the hospital saying that there had been a change in OR time and that my surgery had been moved up from 3:15 to noon... so now I have to be at the hospital at 10:30 and I will have surgery at around noon....
I also have to just have liquids until midnight before surgery... the lady on the phone said if you can't see through it you can't eat it... so I said I can see through a donut does that mean I can have it.... of course she laughed and said that was the silliest thing she had heard.... I think she was nicely telling me I'm an idiot... or Homer Simpson's cousin... LOL....
I'm all packed and I will go get my sister at the airport tomorrow.... I have a little house work to do tomorrow... maybe pass the mop again and get a few more loads of laundry done....
I'm hoping my sister and I can be out of here by 8am on Sunday...
Well I should go... if I don't get a chance to get back before I leave... wish me luck!...
See you all on the otherside....
Nov. 21/05
I'm in Rochester... we got here yesterday around 2pm.... we did some shopping and had a great time... my sister and I.... the hotel is nice.... free internet access... and exercise room... and pool... plus we got a wheelchair accessible room... bonus.... we did some shopping last night and got back around 7pm to the hotel...
I was up at 3:30 am this morning... I could not sleep last night... and my stomach is me... I'm freakin starving to here... and man I would love a coffee... I think as soon as I get that IV hooked in I'm going to ask if they can get me some Starbucks carmel machiata with extra shots... and put it right in that IV... oooooo... that shoulds sooo good.... I feel like Homer Simpson.... LOL....
Well wish me luck... I won't be back here to I finally get my butt out of the hospital... if all things go well I would think that would be Wednesday....
Nov. 28/05
Well obviously I got out of the hospital.... found myself with tons to do so I did it and didn't come here....
First... the surgery went NOT so great.... okay... surgery was fine... it was the pain after... and the morphin... not nice.... the gas pain was horrible... it felt like someone sitting on my chest... and the morphin made me so stoned that I only gained some "wakeful" periods ... when I was woken for fits of nausea and dry heaves... it was horrible... I slept for a full day and a half... and didn't really do anything till my 2 day after surgery... when I finally got to have a shower and brush my teeth... finally waked a bit... the first day after surgery... I could hardly stay awake enough to walk once around the nurses station... and the pain was overwhelming...
So now I'm like 7 days out of surgery... I still crave food... not hungry crave... I want the taste... I want to lick everything... LOL.... but I don't... foods going down well... but water is a bit more tricky... I sip... but the sips just make a heavy ball in the pit of my stomach... it's horrible....
Tomorrow I have the staples removed and then its back home....
Dec. 1/05
I've been home for a day now... the kids are back into their old "groove"... we had a house to see today... it wasn't something we will be moving to... the eating is going well... I'm having a hardtime with water intake though... I can't believe how much your life would have to revolve around trying to get a freakin drink in you... LOL...
I've still got to call my GP and get in for some blood work and then I have to get back to the surgeon on December 27 for a follow up....
Dec. 6/05
Well things are starting to come together.... I've got an appointment to see the GP tomorrow... I think either my blood pressure is in the toilet or I'm dehydrated or I'm missing something from my diet... I feel drained and almost light headed.... its the strangest feeling.... hopefully I get some answers tomorrow...
my weight seems stable... around 220lbs... I've not dropped anymore... but again I'm assuming this will happen.... kind of drop off at random....
Dec. 9/05
I had my appointment with my GP.... well it seems as if my blood pressure is somewhat normal.... normally my blood pressure is 90 over 50.... on the low side eh?.... but when I went the other day it was 104 over 52.... so still nothing to worry about.... I had some blood work done... and I just guess I have to wait...
My hubby left today for his psych and nut appointments... I hope the heck he passes the first time.... it would be soooo much easier if he did... otherwise we are going to start getting tangled up in appointments at this rate....
I seem to have hit a plato or something... I know you aren't suppose to be weighing yourself.... but man I haven't seen the scale move in days....
Food is hard getting in... I'm so sick and tired of puree... I just want to puke.... I've been getting water in... and I found a "protein juice" called Isopure... and that is at least getting me some protein... I also got some advice from a friend to increase my B12 so I'm going to do that too.... I'm really finding the fatigue is killing me... and at this rate I'm starting to wonder if its not my MS kicking up.... guess I will just have to wait and see what happens....
Dec. 10/05
Yesterday all hell broke loose... my hubby was suppose to go to Rochester for his psych and nut evaluations and when leaving here the plane had mechanical problems so they were late getting to Toronto.... and by the time they did get to Toronto he missed his connecting flight to Rochester.... soooooooo ... they reimbursed him his money and gave him a first class flight back home.... I called and rescheduled his appointments.... they are now for the 13 of January... so hopefully this time it will work better...
Now I went shopping yesterday with the little ones.... and I went to Additional Elle and I got myself a new winter coat.... I actually got into a size 1x.... and I got it for $53... so I was very pleased about that... I'm also in a size 20 jeans loose... woohoo.... I can't see the scale moving but something is happening....
Dec. 17/05
Not much has changed... I'm still plugging along.... I eat almost nothing.... and its not so much that my new tummy can't handle it... but my taste buds are pureed to death.... it all tastes like crap to me now... I've got no desire to eat... other than the things I remember use to taste good.... commercials on TV are the worse.... cheeseburgers are still one that make me want to run out and buy one... and lately all those "turtle" commericals .... dripping caramel and pecans.... the chocolate is pretty much a gone thing... I don't crave it anymore... don't much care too... but sweet is still there... at least in the form of caramel... and salty and fatty... in a good old cheeseburger....
I see O'Malley's people again in about 10 days... so I'll see how much things have changed... my scale I can't trust... it doesn't move whether I have clothes on or not.... and I've tried other scales which tell me that I'm alot fatter... so I guess that is why they tell you to stay off the scales....
December 22/05
I leave on Monday for my 4 week follow up with O'Malley's people.... so I will be able to give an official weight loss amount after I see them... I'm hoping my scale at home is not far off of what I actually weigh....
I've been trying to keep myself busy with Christmas stuff.... getting ready before the kids are out of school for 2 weeks... but boy its hard... I don't know what we will do for that 2 weeks...
I've spoke to the local YMCA and I think in January I will go fill out the paperwork that I need to and try and get a subsidy for our family.... I think by then I will have to start really working my butt off... and my neighbour has also joined recently... so maybe we can buddy up together....
December 24/05
My hubby and I went out last night to finish up some last shopping and prepare for 2 weeks with the kids at home.... and I stopped by my local favorite fat chick's store... Cotton Ginny.... I actually got my butt into a size 16 pants... I can hardly believe it... its shrinking... I can't tell by the scale.. remember its not telling me anything consistancely... so I am not listening to it... just to the size of pants I can wear....
I will get officially weighed on Tuesday on my 4 week follow up with O'Malley's people....
Just think.... next time I buy pants... I might actually be able to buy them in a skinny girls store.... woohoo!
Merry Christmas and Happy Hannuka to everyone....
Dec. 28/05
I returned last night from my 4 week post op appointment and I'm a little depressed.... I've actually only lost 14 lbs in 4 weeks... so I'm now weighing 222lbs.... not as good as I hoped.. oh well.... at least my pant sizes are changing.... I know talking to the nurse that I seen... she said they are not expecting me to drop tons of weight because I'm "smaller" than more people having this surgery.... so she was very pleased with my weight loss to date.... she also said my tummy is very saggy... and that I will want to look into getting a panni or some plastic surgery... so I guess I should make an appointment with my GP and start talking to her about it... I know it would not be done until I've got to goal weight.... but at least I can start the ball rolling...
Jan. 02/06
So this is the first year I can actually keep that new years resolution that I will loose weight... LOL.... my goal... is to be at least 199lbs by my next visit to Rochester.... its only 22lbs more... and hopefully I won't disappoint myself.... I am hoping by July I can be "my" goal weight of 150lbs.... but I guess we will have to see... I'm planning on going to the YMCA with a friend of mine... she is bring me on Friday and I'm hoping to finally get a date to put in an application for a subsidy.... so I guess my real new years resolution is to get my butt into gear and start exercising the "conventional" way... maybe tread mill.... I'm not sure I'm ready for aerobics or another that cardio yet... but maybe by the end of the year....
I actually went out and bought myself a pair of Eddie Bauer jeans... got my butt into an 18... so that would be nice to get them fitting comfortably by February... wear them to Rochester... but I have a feeling if things go the way they have been going... I will be lucky to get to the middle of the month without them falling off... LOL....
Jan. 8/06
Finally got out yesterday... the kids have been sick all Christmas break... so we finally got out together.... I went to a GNC and weighed myself.... on one of their scales.... well it said I weighed 219.... so would have only lost about 3 lbs since seeing O'Malley's people 2 weeks ago.... I'm trying to get more water in... and I'm trying to get more "protein suppliments" in... but its just not working... I'm just finding I'm cramping all up....
I also managed to go to the Y with my friend... I have an appointment for an interview for a subsidy for our family this month... so we will see what happens... I managed to do a few things with my friend while we were there.... we were there for about 3 hrs.... I did a "step class" with her... almost killed myself... my god I did about 30 minutes and that was it... I thought I was going to have a heart attack.... I then did some time on the treadmill... about 15 minutes waiting for my friend to finish in the step class... then we did some weights together...it wasn't too bad... I'm hoping if this membership actually happens maybe I can make it there 3 times a week or more... it would be I think what I need to get the weight off faster... I'm obviously not doing enough for my body to loose weight...
Jan. 13/06
My hubby had his nut and psych assessments today... and he failed his nut... he has to return in February to try and pass it again... its very frustrating as he said he lost 25lbs since being weighed there last...
As for me...well I seem to be in a plato already... my weight seems to have got stuck at 219lbs at one of the local GNC scales... argh!... I guess I just have to ride it out... hopefully I can drop a crap load of weight off before heading back to Rochester... I can only hope at this stage of the game...
Jan. 23/06
I called O'Malley's office last week hoping to sync up my appointment with my hubby's... trying to kill two birds with one stone.... well I found out that my appointment for the 30 of January was no longer even an appointment it had been cancelled as the nurse practioner had taken the day off.... I was to say the least very pissed off... and I told them I would have been even more ticked if I had already purchased an airplane ticket.... they ended up not being able to sync my appointment with my hubbys... so I will have to go on Feb. 1 and my hubby on the 13... argh!...
The other news... well as of this week from the GNC scale again... I now weigh 215... I'm loosing about 2 lbs a week... not loosing large amounts anymore... but at least I'm still loosing... I will compair that to my weigh in at O'Malley's and compair how off the scale at GNC is....
Other than that... not much is different... I still have my troubles with taking in enough water and getting in enough protein... but I'm keeping up on my vitamins and hope to have my blood work done again once I seen O'Malley's people again... so we will see from there...
Jan. 27/06
I'm still loosing weight.. ya!... but the worst part of this whole wls thing has been that with my personal weight loss I've had my menstral cycle almost non stop... yesterday I started my 6th cycle since my surgery date.... Nov. 21/05.... argh!... my GP feels its probably because estrogen is stored in fat ... so as I loose the fat estrogen is released causing a rise in my estrogen levels hence causing me to have my period all the freakin time.... argh!.... its not heavy its just seems to be always happening... I'm going to talk to the nurse practioner too when I see her next Wednesday for my 3rd visit... just to let her know its going on....
I did go and weigh myself again on the 25th at GNC again and this time it said I weighed 213lbs 2oz.... so still about 2lbs 4oz a week...still not bad....
Feb. 2/06
Yesterday I had my 10 week post op visit.... I'm down to 206.7 lbs... I've lost a total of 48% of my excess body weight.... so I'm well on my way to skinny town... I can't believe I'm so close to that "onederland"... it almost seems amazing.... I might actually be 165lbs by the summer... I'm really impressed...
I also managed to get into a size 16 from Eddie Bauer.... I can't believe this... it just seems so fast that I've gotten back to a normal size....
Feb. 20/06
My hubby passed his nut last Monday so now we are just waiting for a surgery date.... as for me... well it would appear that I've hit a big plateau... I've not moved.... well I did... when I went with my hubby to see the nut I asked to weigh myself... and I was 205 lbs 2 oz.... so my weight has slowed down completely... I think what I need to do is get my butt moving more... but with this horrible weather and family crap... I've just not been able to find a day to go and do some exercising or walking... its been crazy...
I'm promising myself that next week I'm going to get out at least 2 days for the gym...
Mar. 12/06
Well we are still waiting for a call from the surgeon's office... if we do not hear anything by the 20th of March I will have to call the respite home to push back my daughter's st
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