SharoninPtbo

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Hi there ... well, here i am.  one day away.  i'm all settled into the hotel.  what a nice room too.  as i've told many, it's definitely not the ritz hotel, but it is absolutely perfect for my needs.  it's a studio apartment.  given i'll be here for an extended period of time it will work out perfectly.  it's got a fully equipped kitchen with things like a fridge with freezer, stove with oven, microwave and get this ... even has a dishwasher.  it has a separate kitchen with neat stools and sidebar.  just what i'd like at home.  it also has a separate bedroom and living room and a very large washroom.  and also the best ever, the windows open!  ha, ha, ha!

anyway, yes, i'm just trying to pass the time.  well, this morning i woke up at 6:30 a.m.  i did sleep pretty well, considering.  i did wake up every hour from about 2 a.m. to about 4 a.m.  oh well eh? 

the wild part is MissMel and her hubby are in the area for her 2 week appointment!  so we met up last night and went to Steak n Shake.  i had the frisco sandwich with fries, with cheese.  yes, went all out.  i don't even eat like that normally.  ha, ha, ha.  but it was good.

today is my all liquid pre surgery diet.  not too bad.  got a good variety of broth soups and also a good variety of juices and jellos.  so i'm not too worried. 

anyway, going to do my measurements and just relax today.  relax.  wow, what is that.  i have been soooo stressed out lately trying to make sure i'd taken care of everything.  you see, it's not just me ... i also have my 80 year old father living with me.  so i had to be sure he was going to be taken care of in my absence.  but i think i've done everything i could. 

anyway, if anyone is reading this ... and they think their waiting time is going by fast, wait until you get to this point!  it starts going even faster!  yikes.

i still can't believe that tomorrow will be the start of my new life!  seriously!  i am saying that next year this time i will be so much healthier and i will have so much more energy and have so much more confidence.  i won't want to hide in the corner any more!|

anyway, going to make my morning decaf!! 

take care everyone ... next post will probably be 'from the other side'!  ha, ha, ha!!

cheerio!

Sharon

wow, what a trip!  it was great.  i left sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. and my first and only stop was in Sarnia and i was able to meet up with MissMel!!  what a super lady!  we hit it off immediately!!  she is such a sweetie!  after our short visit it was off to Ann Arbor. 

unfortunately as i got closer to Ann Arbor the weather got worse and worse.  i was thankful when i saw my exit as the driving was very scary.

the only cruising i did was to Meijers.  what a store.  24 hours too!!  i got a ton of stuff.  real cheap liquid adult tylenol.  also great prices on protein powders and bullets.  plus i got real cheap soups and broths.  

guess there was too much on my mind so i didn't sleep very well ... and by the time 6 a.m. came around it was up, get showered and off to Ypsilanti. 

i have to say my PATS went off without a hitch.  they weren't even concerned with the cold i developed.  phew!  they did say that if it lingers, to be sure and get some antibiotics. 

all i will say is i'm glad to be home ... and the next trip i make will be for my surgery!!  yeehaw!!

take care ...

Sharon

so ... it's Friday evening and i've been home sick today.   yeah, good timing eh?  on wednesday i ended up getting a severe sore throat, then it developed into a sore throat and sneezing, then sore throat, sneezing and sniffles!  a full blown cold!  and it's only a matter of days before i go for my PATS!! 

i called the Barix and asked them if they thought my surgery could be cancelled due to a cold and she said yes, if there is the slightest infection or fever, yes, they will cancel and reschedule.  BUT if at my PATS they feel that an antibiotic would clear whatever i have, they will definitely prescribe it.  yeehaw!  cause i went to the emergency on cal doctor here in town last night and he didn't give me squat!  nice guy eh? 

the plan is to leave Sunday morning and drive to Ann Arbor, Michigan and check into the hotel then go and do some grocery shopping in and around town.  then get up bright and early on Monday morning and go for my PATS which are scheduled for 8:30 a.m.!!  then drive home.  yup, about a 6 to 7 hour drive.  well worth the drive too!

anyway, i just figured i should update this ... not sure if anyone ever reads these, but i find it quite interesting being able to document what i'm going through.

so the next time i check in here i'll have done my PATS and be waiting for my surgery.  yes, in a matter of DAYS!!!

yeehaw!!

cheerio!!

Sharon

hey there ... again, i'm still not sure if anyone ever reads what i'm typing, but i do go back and read.  to me it's my way of documenting my journey ... for ME!

anyway, have to tell you ... today i tried another protein shake.  i have the Whey Gourmet Vanilla and Whey Gourmet Creamy Chocolate something ... anyway, the chocolate is great.  yum yum.  if i blend for a longer period of time it's thicker.  as for the vanilla ugh!  it was horrible.  BUT the reason i got vanilla, even though i hate vanilla, was so that it could be a base and add different flavours.  or so i was told.  anyway, today i added a tablespoon of creamy peanut butter ... and YUM YUM.  tasted like a reeses pieces!!  wow, real nice!  and that again was just with water!  wow!!  i'm going to like these protein shakes!!  as long as my tastes don't change after surgery.  i know, they will.

oh well ... that's about it for now ... been reading the books i've bought ... also subscribed to a magazine.  WLS something or other.  yup, can't get enough into my head!

so ... it's almost too sunny to see the laptop screen out here on my deck... so going to send this off ... 

oh, just so you know, i very rarely proof read my stuff.  hey, i'm not at work ... at work i do, but not for play!  sorry!  so i hope you can figure out what i'm trying to say/spell!

cheerio!

Sharon

well ... now that everything is out of my hands all i can do is wait ... NOT!  now i'm doing more reading than i've ever done before!  i'm also doing REAL scouting of products, vitamins, etc.! 

as suggested by my OH family i've now got 2 WLS books.  i got the WLS for Dummies and Before and After WLS.  both great books.  i like having the reference material to look at.  even though the forums are a great place for info, the only problem is i haven't figured out how to search for specific topics!  i have saved a few pages here and there, but once i conquer that feat i will be thrilled.  if anyone knows how to search please let me know!

i've also picked up a couple protein powders.  yes, i know, my tastes will change, but still i had to try some.  being i'm doing this on my own i want to be as prepared as i can possibly be.  so after search numerous places, such as Zellers, Walmart and those kinds of places i ended up picking up 2 protein powders at GNC.  yes, i figured if i want a good selection that would continuously be there then i should go to somewhere that specializes in it, right?  Walmart said they sometimes have certain ones, and sometimes not.  they didn't know.  anyway, i got Whey Gourmet.  one is chocolate and the other is vanilla.  i've tried the chocolate and it's great!  haven't tried the vanilla yet.  they came highly recommended from a very good friend who is on the same journey. 

i've also done some research both online and again in local stores about vitamins.  i havne't bought any vitamins yet cause i don't know what my surgeon/nutritionist will want me to take.  that i will have to wait until i get their advice, but i do know where i'll be getting them.  again, i've looked in all the stores and have gone right back to a Vitamin store.  yup.  they had the best selection and the best people who KNOW their stuff!  that's also important to me.  do they know their products?  i've also found i can get a lot of them in liquid form too.  for adults too!  i'm kind of concerned about taking kids vitamins when i'm far from an adult. 

i'm also reading and reading on the OH forums.  yup, i check out the lightweight forum, the main forum but most times i'm on the ontario forum.  i have learned so much.  i know what you're saying ... i don't post much ... well, it's cause if i don't think i have something to share or add i don't.  but when i do, i post.  ha, ha, ha!  as you've seen.

oh, another thing i've done is purchased out of country insurance coverage.  oh ... and i omitted to tell them i was going to the states for WLS surgery.  i hope i haven't breached my contract.   anyway, little did i know ... working for the provincial government that I WASN'T COVERED!!  yikes.  all those times i've gone shopping across the border and also the trip i made for my consult!  yeowzi!  so now i've purchased an unlimited coverage for one year.  the only stipulation is i can't be out for more than a certain amount of days.   don't remember the number, 15 or something.  don't quote me.  so i had to top up my coverage for when i'm down for my surgery cause i'll be down there longer.  but it is only $2.22 a day!  so that's nothing!  WAY worth it! you know, one of those preventative things!  ha, ha, ha! 

i've also arranged for someone to come and cut the grass while i'm away for surgery and when i'm back.  i've also arranged for Meals on Wheels for my father!!  yes, for the last 7 or so years i have had my father living with me.  yes it's been trying, but it's okay.  it is company for me too!  so it's nice to know that he will be taken care of meal wise!!  and he says he'll be fine on his own while i'm away.  he said he'll take care of all the animals.  1 siberian husky and 2 cats.  yeah, a housefull eh? 

so ... as you can see above, i'm not really wasting this time while i wait for my surgery.  i'm putting it to good use ... and when i stop and think how much closer it is i almost faint!  yikes, it's not that far off now!  holy toodles!  time is going way too fast!

oh well ... going to sign off ... go back to the OH site and read some more!

take care and catch you soon!!

Sharon

okay ... now this is really starting to go REAL fast.  today i was booked in for my pre-op test on September 15th and surgery on September 30th!!

yeehaw ... i can't believe it!

yeowzi!!

... stay tuned ...

Well, today i received a call from the Barix in Michigan telling me that they'd received a fax stating i was approved by OHIP for out of country laproscopic gastric bypass surgery!  yeehaw!  i still don't believe it.  i think i'm in shock.

anyway, they will be in touch with me next week when Schram is back from vacation to set up a surgery date!!  they said they're now booking in September, which works great for me!

still so unbelieveable .... guess my resubmission worked!!  so ... if anyone ever does read this, please don't take a denial easy ... resubmit and ask for them to reassess!! if i can do it, so can anyone else!  

so now i will actually be taking the journey of my lifetime!

can't wait!

Sharon

okay, so i finally got my letter from OHIP (on Friday the 13th of all days) ... not what i wanted to read.  i believe i was denied due to lack of information submitted.  nothing against my doctor, he checked off everything he should, tissue damage, etc., however, there wasn't a space on the form for him to elaborate on all the co-morbidities, etc., that he knows i have. 

so ... i met with my doc and got a copy of everything he submitted, along with a copy of the letter from the wls surgeon, Dr. Schram, which by the way wasn't submitted to OHIP.  evidently it wasn't received in time.  i also drafted up a letter and had a pile of attachments ... i.e., a list of co-morbidities that i am presently experiencing, a complete weight history including weights and what diets i tried and how successful/unsuccessful they were ... heck i even attached the recent article from Globe and Mail saying how good weight loss surgery is.  (that was my doctor's idea.)  i'm hoping they can see how much effort i put into the package together for them ... meaning that i really, really want this surgery.  i need this surgery.  if i want to live again. 

anyway ... i mailed it off (yes, just ordinary mail, darn) last friday (June 20th) ... and now i'm back to the waiting game.  i didn't submit it as an appeal, i submitted it asking for, as what they called it, a reassessment with additional information.  

so ... here's hoping ... meantime though i am reading about all kinds of approvals left, right and centre!!  way to go everyone!  i am so happy for you!  hopefully one of these days i will be in your same shoes!!

take care and i'll try and keep this updated ... if anyone reads it i don't know, but it's a good record for me.

Sharon

back again ... well, doctor has OHIP form for completion and faxing and i left Friday morning at 5:30 a.m. for my 2 p.m. first consult appointment with Dr. Schram.  what a drive!  way worth it though.  what an amazing person he is, along with all the staff there.  they really help make you feel at ease.  of course i was nervous.

well, i've now been approved by the surgeon.  yup he's agreed to do the gastric bypass surgery.  first hurdle done.  now i wait for OHIP to approve the surgery.  then once that is done ... wait for a surgery date.  out of my hands now.  

i'll keep you posted!

Sharon

hi there! well here i am. about to make an appointment with my family doc, for the second time. the first time was about 2 years ago. could be longer actually. that was when i was thinking about weight loss surgery ... and now i am ready for weight loss surgery. i know there is a waiting list no matter which type of surgery i have, but i think i will leave the decision up to my doc. i trust him faithfully and he knows me well. he last suggest gastric bypass, when i was first thinking about surgery, but at that time i was thinking more along the lines of lap banding. now i am thinking more about gastric bypass. why? because i know this is a permanent life long change i have to make. i also don't want to have to worry about fills, i.e., too much or too little of a fill. and if they can even find the port. so i am moving towards the gastric bypass surgery. even since i first looked into it, there hae been improvements. such as it can now be done by laproscopic, rather than huge incision. way easier recovery. anyway i wll keep my blog updated as things progress. wish me luck with my doc! SharoninPtbo