Lori S.

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I haven't blogged in a while. After one night in the chatroom, on here, I was frustrated by someone. They tried to make me feel bad for having some veggie pizza. I was told that I couldn't have that stuff anymore. You know, there are a lot of things that you can't really have after bypass surgery. It made me not sure if I really wanted this. I need to lose weight though, even before I could have the surgery I have to lose 100 pounds anyway. So I have been watching my calories and fat. Although, I did cheat two days in a row. The food that I cheated on didn't taste as good as I remember. So that's a good thing.

I've also been studying to get my GED. Something that I let my depression and disgust with myself ruin my opportunity in high school. It's given me something to focus my energy on...instead of eating. I actually knew a lot more than I thought. Although, I have LOTS to learn still. Like MATH! YUCK! I want to get better at it. I really do, even my therapist told me she got her GED and worked and went to school. Taking 2 classes at a time until she got her Masters. Amazing! She has four kids too and raised them alone.

I really want to thank everyone that has been so supportive of me. I need all the help I can get.

Love,
Lori

Yesterday, I confronted my nemesis...PIZZA! I ordered a pizza, but instead of ordering my usual meal, consisting of a large bacon-cheeseburger pan pizza, BBQ wings, cheesey bread, and a 2-liter of Coke (around 4000 calories and 300 grams of fat), and eating the whole thing myself. I got a medium thin crust, veggie pizza, with no olives, and light cheese. I used the Domino's Nutritional Calculator on their website to figure out how much of it I could eat. I ate 3 slices equaling 400 calories and around 15 grams of fat and I shared the pizza with my family.  I think I did pretty dang good. Was it moderation or a mistake? Only the scales will decide that, when I weigh next Wednesday.

Well, I'm on my diet now, but I still have this food in my house. I can't afford to waste it. So I have been changing up normal food a little bit to make it healthier.

For example:

Cheesy Tuna Helper

Normally you use tuna in oil, 2% milk, and 4 tablespoons of butter..

Now I use tuna in water, fat free powdered milk, and 1 1/2 tablepoons light butter.

I can barely taste a difference.  My Mom suggested that I boil my hamburger to get rid of fat with the Hamburger Helper since I still have like 15 pounds of 85% ground beef in the freezer.

After I get through with these groceries in the house then I am going to buy healthier to start with.

Now if only I had a healthy pizza recipe. lol

Well I weighed myself today. I have lost 27 pounds so far, it helped being sick for a week. lol

Well I sent an email to the Midwest Bariatric Center of Columbia, MO. I thought I might go there because they have a really good surgeon in their program. BUT they have a even smaller weight limit than New Start. They want my MBI to be 60. Or about 420 pounds.  I already knew I would have to lose weight. But I was thinking it would be 30 or 40 not over 100~!  I am starting my new diet (yuck) on Saturday. The supplies (protein shakes) I ordered should be here by then. I am going to start at about 1800 calories and 30 grams of fat for the first few weeks. The dropping my calories each month till I get to about 1200 calories. I should lose at a good rate, If I don't I will make adjustments. I can't really exercise, because of pain. Although I do have a Richard Simmons Sit Tight video, which is basically exercising while sitting down. My doctor recommends at least 20 mins of aerobic exercise everyday. I see my PCP on Friday. I will discuss the surgery with her.

I sent an email to New Start (bariatric surgeon program)... this is what I said below.


Hello. My name is Lori S***. I live in Quincy, IL. I am 5'10" and I weigh around 520 pounds. I am on disability and medicare. Could I be in your program? Or am I too big and you don't take medicare? If I am, can you recommend a surgeon for me or what would I need to weigh a certain weight to be considered?

Thank you for your time!

Lori

This is how they responded....

Good Morning Lori!

Thank you for your interest in our program.  We are a Center of Excellence, and as such we do accept Medicare as a primary insurance and Medicaid as a secondary.  In so far as our weight limit, ours is 450lbs.  The reason is that our CAT scan table only holds up to that weight.  I realize that you may not need the CAT scan table during surgery, BUT if you did, that would be an issue.   If you could loose 70lbs, to get to or below 450lbs, than you could work with our program.  I realize that is a tall order, (I used to weigh 435lbs myself) I KNOW that it is somewhat easier, to take it off than to keep it off.  I also know that I could loose rapidly and gain rapidly.  I say all this to say, if perhaps your Primary Care Physician can put you on a regimen to get down to that point we can than take you on as a client.  Since it takes 2-3 months to go thru our program, you can be working on the weight loss and requirements concurrently.

We have quite a few people who have been in your situation that we have been able to assist.  I hope that this is all clear.  Do feel free to contact us at 800-245-1431.

Take care!

Coralie/New Start


So it appears that I have my work cut out for me. I also need to quit smoking. I have been working towards that goal already. I was smoking 1 1/2 packs a day and I am down to 1/2 a pack. I bought patches and gum to help when I get down to 5 cigarettes a day. I think I will be there in a week or two. I'm also slowly cutting out diet soda and switching to iced tea and Crystal Light, plus more water. In a week or so I will start my new diet. I will be starting with the first few weeks at 1800 calories, 3 to 4 weeks after that,  I will go down a 100 calories and so forth untill I get to about 1250 calories and or I have lost the 70 pounds required. I really need support right now. Nobody but me, thinks I can do it. My Mom is the only one I have told about wanting to have surgery, she is worried that I won't be able to handle it. With God's help I know I can. Pray for me please!

Lori

Well it's a new year. I have a new parrot and a new hope to get weight loss surgery. I tried last year to lose weight on my own. I even met Richard Simmons as well as talked a couple times on his radio show. I lost 40 pounds and gained back that plus another 20! It's harder for me to breathe and just walking outside and back into the house I have to rest. My heart pounds when I walk from my bedroom to the bathroom, just a room away. My right leg swells up to double the size of the left leg. It's like dragging around a frozen turkey on my foot.
 

I'm on disability and medicare now and I live with my Mother because I ca not afford to live on my own. I rarely leave the house and order my groceries to be delivered because I can't walk through the store anymore. I am trying to quit smoking too (can't afford it anyway). I can't drive a car anymore. My Mom has to drive me to the doctor. So I'm trying to find a surgeon that is not too far away, because my Mother is 65 and driving long distances is hard for her. I don't know what medicare will cover and what bariatric surgery I can have. I feel really alone in life right now. My mom is afraid for my life, but worries that I wouldn't be happy with the food restriction of a surgery. I also am afraid of being thin. I have had this big girl identity for so long, it almost comforts me. I see a psychiatrist and a therapist now on the regular basis. I take meds for that and it's helped with some of my depression symptoms. I just feel stuck.

 
.Sept 2, 2003
I called my insurance provider, United Healthcare Select EPO and I was told they will not cover Weight Loss Surgery. No matter what I told them. He was firm on the phone. Now what?
*****

Sept 3, 2003
I'll tell ya what!! I checked out my UHC insurance book and ummm guess what it says??!!

A service/supply will be considered both "needed and appropriately provided" if the claims administrator finds that that it meets ALL of the following criteria:
#1 it is ordered by a doctor for the diagnosis/treatment of a sickness/injury, or, in the case or preventative services specifically listed as covered, for the maintenance of good health;
#2 the prevailing opinion of the U.S. medical profession (appropriate specialty) is that it is safe and effective for its intended use, and its omission would adversely affect the patient's medical condition; and
#3 the provider furnishing it has the appropriate staff, facilities, training, and the experience to furnish it.

My doctor is the first person who asked me about it!
It is safe..hello Al Roker!
LMAO..I'm not even going to say anything about the third..lol I don't think I would choose a doctor that operates out of the back of a station wagon lol

******

June 13, 2004

I'm no longer working. I don'tknow how much I weigh anymore. I'm sure It's more than 486. It hurts for me to do just about everything now. I feel my body slowing down. Since I'm not working anymore I'm on UNUM Insurance(Still UHC sorta). They are even harder to mess with. All I want is to get rid of this weight and get me back. I miss the people I worked with...I've been feeling so ashamed that I avoid everyone. I can't really fit behind the steering wheel now. This is not me....hopefully that is true and this will just be some story I tell to my kids someday.

It helps to read the other stories on here. People who suffered so much and in the end became a healthy happy person that leads a fruitful life.

*****


June 23, 2004
Angela Walker from New Start emailed me today since she couldn't get through on the phone. I called her back and she told me that someone is going to call me within two weeks to let me know about my insurance and the next weight loss seminar. I think that I will also be getting a packet in the mail from them. She also told me that there may be a weight limit. I heard from other Obesityhelp.com members that Dr. Roger A. de la Torre is the bomb! Just my luck that he has a weight limit of 350. Dr. Daniel Fabito has a weight limit of 425. But, Dr. Van Wagner has said that he does NOT have a limit at all. Good good good! It will be interesting to see what UHC has to say to New Start about surgery!

******



June 24, 2004

I've been making myself crazy lately. Looking at the memorial page and looking at different Doctors or WLS Centers. I know I have a couple of weeks of waiting before I know whats up...buuuuutttt I guess now I know how serious I really am about this.I'm wondering if I should go to my PCP soon and go ahead and get on a supervised diet just in case they need that. I have lost a hundred pounds before on the Deal-A-Meal plan in about 9 months. Only to gain back 186 in a few years. I read that most people lose a part of their total weight. I'm guessing that I would be around 250 or so. That would be awesome to me! I think my BMI would be like 37 or something like that. Still kinda high...although I would feel so much better than I do now.

*********


June 28, 2004

I got my packet from NewStart today! I opened that big white envelope and went to town filling it out! Now it's ready to be mailed back. I am so excited! I hope this works out for me. Heck, I hope it works out for anyone that needs a drastic change in their health and well being.

                                        ******

June 29, 2004

I have been talking to my boyfriend about moving to Ohio (Where he's from). He can get his job back and we can start a new life. I'm not sure what to do. But the first thing I did check out was where are the Weight Loss Surgery Centers! Barix Centers (Bariatric Treatment Center) is really really awesome! I would feel more comfortable having the surgery somewhere that does thousands of them a year. Life has a way of working things out..in the end. Everything happens for a reason.

******


July 1, 2004

My friend James took us out to eat at Ryan's tonight. All three of us are very large people (I'm the biggest). I noticed that the waiter brought us each two glasses of soda to drink. I thought this was ok until I looked to my right and noticed a large couple sit down. Within a few minutes they also had two glasses each. I then looked around the room and saw that everyone of "Normal" weight had one, while anyone that was in the obese category had two. I spent a few minutes on the way home to decide if it was Ryan's policy to serve extra portions automatically to the larger people. Because everyone knows "We" always stuff ourselves

******


July 5, 2004
Well, we have decided to move to Cincinnati, Ohio. We are going to be there September 1. I am really going to miss my friends and my Doctor(PCP). I will have to start the WLS process over again in Ohio. I am leaning toward Barix Clinics of OH in Grove Port. Although I'm also going to check out Deaconess Surgical Weight Loss Center which is closer to where we will be. I have so much on my mind right now. I hope things will be better in Ohio.

******


July 7, 2004
Today I posted asking about Laparoscopic RNY. One of the OH Members replied and said that most of the time it depends on if you are pear or apple shaped and if the lap equipment will be long enough for your middle area. I then turned around from he computer and asked my also large boyfriend. "Sweety do you think I'm apple or pear shaped?" He then quickly replied "Pumpkin."

*****


December 2, 2004
Well, we moved to Ohio the beginning of September. It took a while for me to get adjusted. I like it a lot better here. I lost my insurance as of October 30. Tony will be able to get me on his insurance in Jan. So I have a bit of a wait. I'm off all my medication right now because I can't afford them. Shoot! One of them alone is over $300 for a 30 day supply! At least Tony and both our familes are supportive of the surgery. I really needed that.

******


January 2006
Well, a LOT has happened since the last time I posted! I have lost a LOT of things, but no weight, since I still have not had the surgery. I lost my house, my belonging, decent clothing, my beloved parrot Clover, and now I can add my boyfriend of 3 years! Lol But I have gained a since of self worth and realized the value of friends and family. For that I am truly thankful!

Now that I am back to my hometown of Quincy, Illinois, in the exact same place that I was 10 years ago; I feel like I have a real chance to make a fresh start in my life! Including: counseling, school, and most of all…weight loss. I have signed up for a medical card. Hopefully I will be approved for surgery and can start living my life the way God intended.