Shawna

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Today is my one year anniversary of my revision. I am down 104 pounds and at my smallest adult weight EVER! I feel great! I still have a ways to go until I hit my ultimate goal but I am on my way. I am so glad that I decided to do this. I really want this and I think that this time around I am more prepared and determined. Thank you Dr. alexander and Staff for all that you have done to help me. I will be skinny yet :)

Today is my one year anniversary of my revision. I am down 104 pounds and at my smallest adult weight EVER! I feel great! I still have a ways to go until I hit my ultimate goal but I am on my way. I am so glad that I decided to do this. I really want this and I think that this time around I am more prepared and determined. Thank you Dr. alexander and Staff for all that you have done to help me. I will be skinny yet :)

It has been four motnhs since I have my surgery. Things have changed for the good. I have started going to Zumba classes whenever I can. I am contemplating Curves as well. I want to get this weight off this time. My hubby has been so supportive. I don't know what I would do without his help. I will admit, I haven't been completely good like I should be but I have recognized my error. I have started anew with this second chance and have made some changes to make me succeed.

I AM GOING TO SUCCEED THIS TIME.

I have to.

OK, I am 5 days post op. Still hurts to sit at the computer for long periods of time but I wanted to post about my surgery.

Surgery was scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 16th. I had to be at the hospital by 10 a.m. for pre-op. So, I get to the hospital at 10 a.m. and head back to the ER (where they prep you for surgery on Satuday's) and turn my paperwork in. While sitting there, the ER nurse looks at me and informs me that the Doctor hasn't even arrived at the hospital yet. He had a 10 am surgery scheduled. He wouldn't even be at the hospital until 12 or 1. Hmm, ok. Interesting. So, she said that I had two options. I could sit and wait until my surgery time, which now would most likely be 4 or 5 o'clock, or I  could leave her my number and she would call me about 30 - 45 minutes before I needed to be at the hospital. I chose the second option. Hubby and I left and went to his grandmother's birthday party for a few hours and then around 1:45 I got the call to be back at the hospital by 3 o'clock at the latest.

So at 2:30 we headed back to the hospital so that they could get an IV in me and get me ready for surgery. They wheeled me back at 4 o'clock on the dot and the next thing I remeber, it's 9:30 and I am in my room. They said that I was in surgery for about 3 1/2 hours, and then recovery for about an hour. I was in the hospital until Monday afternoon, and then was released to come home. I feel ok. I am hurting, which is  a given. I go back in to see Dr. A on Tuesday, July 26th at 4 for my week checkup. Hopefully he will take the staples out then.

So in preperation for my upcoming surgery, I decided to try things a little different then when I had my initial surgery. Back in 2004 I didn't do any kind of pre-op diet. It's not because I didn't do what the doctor told me, I was never given one. She told me that she wanted me to eat normal until the day before and then do soft foods till midnight. I also continued to drink carbonated drinks up until the dat before surgery. This time around, I have already cut out the carbonated drinks. I started last Wednesday, June 29th. It has been 6 days and I have lost 4 pounds so far. Not a lot, but a start. Now, I am still drinking sweet tea but I am slowly starting to stop drinking that as well. My hubby and I have been experimenting with other sweeteners (like Sweet and Low and Splenda). We hope to find something that we will both like. Also instead of waiting until a few days before to start my liquid diet, I am going to do a full week. This is not something that the doctor has prescribed but I want to do everything I can to help this go smoothly. Also, I feel that if I can make it a week prior to surgery on liquids then I should be able to make it another week after surgery.

11 days to go and then hopefully I can make it work this time.

So many mixed emotions and the funny thing is, they are not really about surgery. I have ALOT going on in my life right now. And trying to deal with that has caused a lot of headache and misery that I really don't need right now. My husband keeps telling me to not worry about it, and that it will all work itself out in time. I know this is true but I can't help but think about it. When someone who you have trusted and thought that they were a friend, turns on you in a heart beat, it's a little disturbnig. Now, this person wasn't a best friend or anything but it still is a blow to what you believe. I know, I need to move on. It's hard though, because all I want to do is find this person and give them a piece of my mind.

So much for getting the stress out of my life before surgery. 

So today I am in one of those moods. I thought that I would call and see what phase my revision approval process was in. I called and talked to Ann at Dr. A's and she said that she would check and call me back. Well, just got back from lunch and she called. I HAVE BEEN APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!! MY surgery is set for Saturday, July 16th in the afternoon. I thought that it was weird to have surgery on a Saturday but I will take what I can get. The count down begins. 23 Days to go! A lot to do in 23 days to get ready.

Lately I have found myself not wanting to do anything. I am tired all of the time and my husband says that I have not been my usual, cheerful self.  Could something be wrong with me? Or am I just REALLY tired and need a long vacation? I don't know. He keeps asking me what is wrong but I don't have an answer for him. If I knew, I wouldn't be acting this way (at least I don't think that I would). I love my life and I love my family. I just have landed in this funk. Hubby asked me if I was nervous about the possibility of surgery. Ummm, yes. I wouldn't be normal if I weren't. I guess that I am also a little bit more worried because I have already tried this once, and have FAILED misserable. But, I am going to try again and MAKE IT WORK this time. I also want to tell him not everyone can stay happy-go-lucky all the time. Sometimes you have to retreat into that black hole and take some time away from being everyone's cheerful friend. Just MHO.

So the doctor's office was suppose to submit my letter requesting a revision last Wednesday (June 15th, 2011). OK, so I called the insurance company on Friday (June 17th) to see if they had received the letter from my doctor asking for the approval for my revision. They could not find where they had received it but they said that it could take a few days before it would hit the system. OK, I can live with that. So I patiently waited the weekend and called again on Tuesday to see if they could see it yet. They had! They have opened a case up and they are reviewing it. Hopefully I will know soon if I am going to get approved or not. Fingers still crossed.

Just got off the phone with the Dr.'s office. They are submitting my paperwork for a revision today to the insurance. They said that it normally takes two days so I should hopefully know something by Monday. Keeping my fingers crossed.