Nancy C.

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I realize that I haven't posted since right before my surgery.  This has been an amazing road to travel.  At this point, approximately 4 1/2 months post-op, I have lost 65 pounds. I am apprciative for every single pound.  The one down side at this point, I'm stuck and can't seem to lose any more weight.  I have been stuck at this weight for about 4 weeks.  I know everyone says to just give it time and I will start losing again but it's difficult.  I've been dropping weight every single day for 4 1/2 months and now suddenly I'm not losing.  But I am positive that this will pass so I'm keeping my hopes up.

I am completely happy with my progress.  I enjoy myself more now, I'm not so self-conscious, I am actually happy to go out in public, and I feel so much better from a health standpoint.

Literally, these last two weeks have been the longest weeks in my life.  The days dragged by and the hours seemed terminal.  Once I completed all the pre-op testing, the only thing left to do was wait.  So here I am, 48 hours away from my scheduled time for admittance in the hospital.  Wow, what a long road to get here but I am so happy that I am finally here.  This is something that I should have done in 2006 instead of the lap band (I had my doubts even then) so I have been waiting for this days for many years.  And now, it is almost here.  I look at this as an opportunity to change some of my life habits for the better; everything from my eating habits to exercise and everything in between.  I will gladly embrace my new tool and allow it to help me be a stronger and more honest person with myself.

Wow, I can not believe how fast this is happening.  After waiting for over 13 months, suddenly I am in a whirlwind of pre-op testing and looking at a surgery date that is about 2 weeks out.  It is amazing to me how quickly things changed once I received the insurance approval.  I am excited and a bit scared at the same time.  But more than anything, excited and looking forward to a new outlook on life.

On July 2, 2009, I received information from my attorney informing me that BCBS of IL has approved my request for revision surgery, laproscopic RNY.

I have been in shock since I received my phone call at 12:50 pm.  It will be a moment forever ingrained in my memory.  I wasn't sure if I should jump for joy or cry.  I think I did a little bit of both in the end.  I immediately call my doctor's office and started scheduling appointments to meet the pre-surgery requirements.  I could actually be in surgery by August 1st or someone really close to that date.  I will receive my actual surgery date on July 14th.

Okay, so I've never done this blog thing before but I thought it might be good for my mental health.

I'm tired of waiting...  It has been almost a year now (May 29, 2008) that I had to have emergency surgery to have my lap band removed (postier slip).  At the time, my surgeon assured me that I would be back in surgery in just a few weeks to either receive a replacement or a revision, which ever I decided.  WRONG!!!

Immediately following the day I returned home and was well enough to sit at my computer I started with my insurance company (BCBS of IL - they suck!).  I went through all the processes that they asked for, they asked for things that I had previously provided, every time I turned around they said they didn't have something when I knew that I had already provided it.  I started up the chain of command within my company - nothing.  Finally, I received an official denial.  I personally appealed the denial countering everything that they had pointed out.  They told me that I had only one chance for an appeal.  My appeal was denied (for completely stupid reasons).  So, I hired an attorney in early November, 2008.

Meanwhile, my surgeon moved across the state (too far for me to drive) and I had to find another surgeon that would consider a revision for me.  I had to wait until January to get in to see him.  Once I finally got in to see him, we started the battle of gathering all of my information from all the different doctors that I had seen over the years.  Finally, my attorney submitted my first appeal in February, 2009.  Guess what?  I was denied - for the weakest reason ever!  They stated in their review that in my last visit to my doctor I admitted that I was eating too much.  What the hell?  If you knew anything about the lap band at all (anything at all) you would know that is a sign that you need to see the doctor, something isn't right with the lap band, and you probably need a fill!  Stupid!

So here we are, April 12, 2009, my attorney is collecting the physician's review from BCBS of IL and then we file another appeal.  And then we wait...  again.

I'm sick of waiting.  I'm sick of the insurance company's being able to say what is in the best interest of my health.  When did the insurance company's get to take over and over rule the decisions of the doctors?  Don't we pay good money for an educated physician that is able to determine the best approach for my personal health?  No one at the insurance company ever called me and asked me how I feel today.  BCBS doesn't call me and ask me how my back feels or how much longer I think my knees will hold up!  I hate insurance companies.  Somewhere in this whole societial approach to "checks and balances" (if that's what you want to call it) we lost sight of who should really be in charge of our health.

I don't know how much longer I can take this.  I have gained back all the weight that I managed to lose with the lap band plus extra (you know how that goes - you always get extra whether you want it or not).  I'm severly depressed most all the time.  I don't want to do anything that is even remotely social (which is not typical for me), I want to keep myself locked up in the house all the time, I have to force myself to go to work and when I'm there, all I want to do is stay in my office, which is not good for my career at all.  I cry most all the time - I basically hate myself.

All I want is for the insurance company to honestly review my records and seriously look at they story they tell.  Stop thinking about the money because I'm sure I've covered the cost over the years of my weekly contribution.  I just don't know how much more of this I can take.