spiritruth

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I am only 3 days out now and it does seem to be getting easier -- a little easier -- each day.   One thing I remembered from the hospital was the nurse saying to me -- when I came in for the surgery -- "Dr. Jossart wants his patients to walk into the operating room and get onto the table themselves"  And I remember that I did that.  In retrospect, it seems like an amazing psychological thing.  By walking in and placing myself on the table, I was making the commitment myself to do all the work it takes to get to my goal.  I liked that.

I had some friends over today and I asked my sort-of-ex-husband (long story) who is taking care of me, to bring some food for me to serve them.  It is probably the first experience I have ever had being around food and not eating it and having no desire to eat it.

It is a whole new world here on the other side.

Hugs,
Ruth

 I am home from the hospital sleeved and switched!  My doctor told me that my diabetes is gone!  But I won't really believe it until my hemoglobin A1C comes back normal after 3 months.

I am really happy about what I did.

My digestive system is not a happy camper right now, but I am sure it will settle down.  My sort-of-ex-husband has been wonderful helping me out.

Ruth

Hooray!!

I finished all the pre-tests that I needed to do for Dr. Jossart's office to submit the request for the approval to my insurance company (which is an HMO).  They submitted it last Thursday and I called today and spoke to Patty (who is his "patient service representative" -- I have been calling her his "office manager") and she logged in and said that I HAVE BEEN APPROVED FOR DR. JOSSART TO DO THE DUODENAL SWITCH ON ME!!!

I said to her, "Quick - print it out before they delete it!!!"

I will have to wait until Friday to talk to Julie (the physician's assistant) who does the scheduling, but I hope to be having the surgery within weeks.

HOORAY!!!

Ruth

 I am very pessimistic about the possibility of insurance covering my ds.  I have an HMO and they have to approve everything up front.  Dr. Jossart is in the Brown and Toland medical group, but that says nothing about Healthnet covering him.  I have done almost all the "pre-tests" -- I need to do the chest x-ray, but that should be easy.  I saw the nutritionist and the therapist, both on Thursday  (both required) and Dr. Jossart will apply to the insurance company for approval for my surgery after he gets the report from the nutritionist and the therapist.  I have written a "story" called "The story of my weight gain through diets" about my weight through the years (all my life, since I was at least 5).  I have diabetes and the DS cures almost 100% of diabetes, so logically, they SHOULD cover it, but ...   insurance companies are not in business for your health, they are in business to make money by not covering things.

It is a waiting game (or a "weighting" game -- sorry couldn't resist).

On the upside, I found a woman who had a DS recently and who is close to my age and who lives near me and who is a member of the SAME GYM that I go to!!!  And we have similar sense of humor.  We already have gone to the gym once together.  I hope there will be more and that we will keep each other "honest".  I can't wait (or weight -- ha, ha) to be on "the other side" of the surgery.

Ruth

I have had a gym membership for many years (since my daughter was 7 and she is 25 now) and at various times I have gone regularly and taken aerobic classes and worked out on the weight machines, but lately it has been a struggle for me to get there.  So, since Dr. Jossart told me that he wanted me to exercise and lose some weight before the surgery, I went to the gym today.  Usually, the problem seems to be that I am either too tired, or too busy.  I am a night person and I have to get up early for work, so I am many times underslept.  But today is Saturday and I slept as long as it felt good to sleep and I was able to go to the gym.  I did 20 minutes on the treadmill while watching the coverage of that awful shooting in Tucson.  Then I did bench press and some work with the weight machines (inner and outer thighs, leg press, pull down thing for shoulders and back, etc.).  Then I went to Costco and walked around and tried to find the protein drink that someone was telling me about (although Dr. Jossart said that it probably had too many carbs for me -- I think he meant during the weight loss phase). 

I talked to my sort-of-ex-husband (we are still legally married, but live separately and are both dating) and asked him if he would be able to help me after the surgery.  Also, asked him if he would come over before the surgery and go through some of my food and take some of the stuff that I wouldn't be eating for quite a while.  (I had a laprascopic gallbladder surgery about 8 years ago, and I expect that I won't have much more pain than I had then and I had a pretty quick recovery -- of course, I am 8 years older now, so...).

Just my thoughts.

Ruth

January 5, 2011:
Well, I guess WLS is my New Years resolution.  I had been to a few different doctors' monthly meetings (it is an advantage being in the San Francisco Bay area.  There are so many good doctors here.)  I have met Rabkin, and Cirangle and Stanley Rogers.  But I thought that Dr. Jossart was not practicing anymore (that was the impression I got from Dr. Cirangle).  Anyway, not only is Dr. Jossart practicing, but he appears to be on my insurance!  Hurrah!  None of the others were on my insurance.  I met with Dr. Jossart after going to his monthly meeting, and we are getting the ball rolling.  I want to have surgery as soon as possible, since I will be 65 in April and I understand that Medicare gives you hassles, even if they are your secondary insurance. 

When I met with Dr. Jossart, I told him that I wanted a VSG and he said that he thought that would be good, but he told me to think about the possibility of getting a DS.  I have a lot of co-morbidities and it would be very nice to be almost certain of getting rid of my diabetes and my high triglicerides.  So, I am thinking about it.  Meanwhile we are going forward with finding out if my insurance will approve the VSG for me.  He said that if the insurance company will approve the VSG, they will approve the DS.  I have my appointments with the dietician and the psychologist both next week.  Those are what I need to make the request to the insurance company for the approval.

I want to get it done before I lose my nerve.  I am anxious to "be on the other side".

Ruth