APRIL 25, 2010
Last night, I sat in a 3 1/2 hour educational seminar about the next 2 weeks (my pre-op time) and my first year post-op. Let me tell you the list of things I'm NOT allowed to eat effective now: Carbs-including bread, pasta, cereal or grain. Fruit of any kind (too much sugar). Starchy vegetables (potatoes, corn, peas). Dairy (except some cheeses). Fats and surgars of any kind.
So what does that leave me to eat? Well, I'm officially on a 550 calorie/day diet that consists of 2-8oz protein shakes (that taste mostly like sour milk or rotten eggs I can't decide), 4 oz of lean protien, 1/2 cup vegetables, and up to 1 cup/day of sugar free jello or vegetable/chicken broth. Thats it. I'm only about an hour into this because I was fasting this morning for my bloodwork, but let me just say, SERIOUSLY? And I had virtually no warning, so I guess if you ask me what my death row meal would be, I'd be forced to answer a crispy chicken sandwich from McDonalds and some Cookie Dough ice cream, though technically I picked all of the cookie dough out of it and didn't eat any ice cream. And because I haven't had fast food in over a year, I paid for that last meal with a severely upset stomach all night.
I'm whining a bit, I know, but it wasn't all bad news last night. We talked about post-op expectations and vitamins. The best part of the night though was the other people in the class. As we were waiting for class to begin, we were talking and found out that we all are having surgery on either Monday 5/10 or Tuesday 5/11. We all will be on the same floor of the hospital (in private rooms though, which will be nice). At the end of class we exchanged emails and already several emails have been sent. I will admit, the support system from other bariatric patients seemed to be lacking for me, so I'm really excited to get to know these 6 women and be able to share these experiences with them.
As the surgery gets closer and closer, I'm getting more and more excited, mixed with a little nervousness, but mostly excited!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
An unexpected call
I just received an unexpected call from Cherish, the Bariatric Coordinator at my surgeons office. She was calling to SCHEDULE MY SURGERY!!! I'm overwhelmingly excited! I have scheduled my procedure for May 11th.
There is, of course, more work to be done before I can actually have surgery. First, I have to attend a mandatory educational class next Monday. I'm not exactly sure what that's about, but I will definitely be there and ready to learn more about the process. Secondly, I have to have some blood work done by the hospital. I'm told they will call me next week to schedule that, so I really don't have anything to do for that right now. Finally, I have my last presurgical consult with my surgeon on 4/30 to sign the consent form and my final physical exam (which if its anything like the last one involved him listen to my heart and looking in my throat- that's it!)
So that's it! Surgery is finally scheduled!
There is, of course, more work to be done before I can actually have surgery. First, I have to attend a mandatory educational class next Monday. I'm not exactly sure what that's about, but I will definitely be there and ready to learn more about the process. Secondly, I have to have some blood work done by the hospital. I'm told they will call me next week to schedule that, so I really don't have anything to do for that right now. Finally, I have my last presurgical consult with my surgeon on 4/30 to sign the consent form and my final physical exam (which if its anything like the last one involved him listen to my heart and looking in my throat- that's it!)
So that's it! Surgery is finally scheduled!
More waiting. . .
APRIL 19, 2010
So I faxed in my letter from the insurance company to the surgeons office, specifically the insurance specialist. I then called her to talk about it and I was informed that I she doesn't work Mondays anymore. Must be nice. . . Anyway I'm told she'll call me later this week to review my letter and my file and schedule surgery. Have I ever mentioned how IMPATIENT I am???
So I faxed in my letter from the insurance company to the surgeons office, specifically the insurance specialist. I then called her to talk about it and I was informed that I she doesn't work Mondays anymore. Must be nice. . . Anyway I'm told she'll call me later this week to review my letter and my file and schedule surgery. Have I ever mentioned how IMPATIENT I am???
Saturday, April 17, 2010
And the verdict is. . .
APRIL 8, 2010
Since my last post, life has been very busy. 2 of my parents turned 60 (I have 4 in case you didn't know), my sister had a birthday, and I got a new nephew via stork. My nephew was born on the day of my last weigh in. I had officially lost 9 1/2 lbs. Sometimes I forget that when I weigh myself at home, I'm just in a bath towel. Clothes have weight to them! But that 9 1/2 lbs is enough to apply for my surgery with my insurance company. So I spoke with the insurance specialist again and she promised she would send out my packet the next day at the latest! She told me it would take 2-3 to process and get a response.
APRIL 17, 2010
I was sorting through the mail today and happened across a letter from my insurance company. Could this be? Do I have a response already?!? I ripped into it and read the very short letter. Now, I don't speak legalese and so I need to have it officially translated for me, but I think what it says is I'M COVERED FOR SURGERY! I will admit this letter is slightly bittersweet. I am covered for a gastric banding procedure, which is good. But its not the surgery I was hoping to have (which was a sleeve gastrectomy procedure). I will get over my initial disappointment because I'm so ready to have this done! I will call the surgeons office on Monday and get this thing scheduled ASAP. Last I heard, surgeries were being scheduled about 3 weeks out, so there is a very distinct possibility that I could have this surgery during the first week of May! (That statement is SO exciting to me!)
Since my last post, life has been very busy. 2 of my parents turned 60 (I have 4 in case you didn't know), my sister had a birthday, and I got a new nephew via stork. My nephew was born on the day of my last weigh in. I had officially lost 9 1/2 lbs. Sometimes I forget that when I weigh myself at home, I'm just in a bath towel. Clothes have weight to them! But that 9 1/2 lbs is enough to apply for my surgery with my insurance company. So I spoke with the insurance specialist again and she promised she would send out my packet the next day at the latest! She told me it would take 2-3 to process and get a response.
APRIL 17, 2010
I was sorting through the mail today and happened across a letter from my insurance company. Could this be? Do I have a response already?!? I ripped into it and read the very short letter. Now, I don't speak legalese and so I need to have it officially translated for me, but I think what it says is I'M COVERED FOR SURGERY! I will admit this letter is slightly bittersweet. I am covered for a gastric banding procedure, which is good. But its not the surgery I was hoping to have (which was a sleeve gastrectomy procedure). I will get over my initial disappointment because I'm so ready to have this done! I will call the surgeons office on Monday and get this thing scheduled ASAP. Last I heard, surgeries were being scheduled about 3 weeks out, so there is a very distinct possibility that I could have this surgery during the first week of May! (That statement is SO exciting to me!)
Monday, April 5, 2010
March rolls on by. . .
March has come and gone. Nothing major has changed with this surgical process, just a bunch of WAITING that is driving me CRAZY!! (good thing I've already had my psych consult huh?) Only a few minor details are still left to iron out.
I got all of the bills from my consults. The ensuing arguments about insurance co-pays and what is covered and what goes towards my deductible has been exhausting. And the fact that I changed insurance carriers halfway through this process didn't make things any easier for me either. But, all's well that ends well right? As of March 25, I was completely settled with my consults and the surgeons office for my first visits. It doesn't sound like much, but I'm really glad that its all over with.
I've been continuing to work out at the gym on a fairly regular basis. I try for every other day, taking Fridays and Saturdays off. That's 3 days a week, concentrating on at least 25 minutes of cardio with my heart rate over 165 bpm (yes I know its crazy, but its just how it is for now) and another 25 minutes or so on the weight machines. The weather has also gotten nice, so I've also been trying to walk on my off days at the park or forest preserve that are near my house.
I've also began eliminating things from my diet and habits that I can't have around the time of or after surgery. I started by giving up caffeine, which I can't have for a few weeks before surgery and several months after. I will admit it was difficult, especially the first week. I was seriously wishing there was a group meeting that I could attend called Starbucks Anonymous. But I have done really really well with the no caffeine rule, I've cheated only twice in the last 8 weeks (which anyone who has ever dieted before knows is pretty decent. And I still claim having to be at church before 7am on a Sunday morning deserves a little jolt first). Included in that no caf thing is chocolate. I understand there is minimal caffeine in chocolate, but I'm doing my best to stay away from it, too. The next thing I gave up was alcohol. I have problems talking about giving up the booze, because it makes me sound like an alcoholic, which I am NOT. But I LIKE martinis and wine, and every now and then a cold Blue Moon. But I did give it all up about 3 weeks ago and its been going fine. Its just hard to watch the other people around you enjoying things you KNOW taste good. (But I get the feeling that might be a recurring theme in my future, so I guess it good to practice now)
I will admit the hardest part of this whole process has been telling people. I don't think the fear that I have of telling people goes any farther than openly admitting to having a problem that I can't handle on my own. But the fear is still there and the last 6 weeks or so, I've started to tell some people and each time I tell someone it seems to get easier and easier. I feel pretty good that basically all of my family and all of my friends know. (And it makes life smoother when people aren't thinking I'm pregnant when I pass on the cocktails-which someone did ask me). The strange part of telling people are the few random people that tell me "I know someone that had that done and it didn't go well for them." I would like to ask these people (but didn't because I'm apparently too polite) what the hell they're thinking? If someone says to you, "Hey I bought new car,' you don't say, 'I know someone who almost died in car accident a few years ago.'
Anyway, (I'm gonna move on from that because I could really call some people out on that one. Like my boss) this week on Thursday I have my April weigh in. As you probably remember, I have to lose 6 pounds over a 3 month period. When I weighed in at the beginning of March, I was down about 6 pounds, so all I had to do was maintain it for another month, as of this morning, I'm unofficially down 12.5 lbs, so as long as I can stay where I'm at, I will be a happy camper :)
If all goes according to plan, my full insurance application will be sent out at the end of the week. I'm told it usually takes the insurance company about 3 weeks to respond (but lets be more realistic and say a month?). After the insurance approval goes through, the surgeons office is scheduling surgeries about 3 weeks out. So I'm still shooting for mid-May for surgery, but only time will tell (but seriously, I think all this waiting is going to KILL me soon!).
I got all of the bills from my consults. The ensuing arguments about insurance co-pays and what is covered and what goes towards my deductible has been exhausting. And the fact that I changed insurance carriers halfway through this process didn't make things any easier for me either. But, all's well that ends well right? As of March 25, I was completely settled with my consults and the surgeons office for my first visits. It doesn't sound like much, but I'm really glad that its all over with.
I've been continuing to work out at the gym on a fairly regular basis. I try for every other day, taking Fridays and Saturdays off. That's 3 days a week, concentrating on at least 25 minutes of cardio with my heart rate over 165 bpm (yes I know its crazy, but its just how it is for now) and another 25 minutes or so on the weight machines. The weather has also gotten nice, so I've also been trying to walk on my off days at the park or forest preserve that are near my house.
I've also began eliminating things from my diet and habits that I can't have around the time of or after surgery. I started by giving up caffeine, which I can't have for a few weeks before surgery and several months after. I will admit it was difficult, especially the first week. I was seriously wishing there was a group meeting that I could attend called Starbucks Anonymous. But I have done really really well with the no caffeine rule, I've cheated only twice in the last 8 weeks (which anyone who has ever dieted before knows is pretty decent. And I still claim having to be at church before 7am on a Sunday morning deserves a little jolt first). Included in that no caf thing is chocolate. I understand there is minimal caffeine in chocolate, but I'm doing my best to stay away from it, too. The next thing I gave up was alcohol. I have problems talking about giving up the booze, because it makes me sound like an alcoholic, which I am NOT. But I LIKE martinis and wine, and every now and then a cold Blue Moon. But I did give it all up about 3 weeks ago and its been going fine. Its just hard to watch the other people around you enjoying things you KNOW taste good. (But I get the feeling that might be a recurring theme in my future, so I guess it good to practice now)
I will admit the hardest part of this whole process has been telling people. I don't think the fear that I have of telling people goes any farther than openly admitting to having a problem that I can't handle on my own. But the fear is still there and the last 6 weeks or so, I've started to tell some people and each time I tell someone it seems to get easier and easier. I feel pretty good that basically all of my family and all of my friends know. (And it makes life smoother when people aren't thinking I'm pregnant when I pass on the cocktails-which someone did ask me). The strange part of telling people are the few random people that tell me "I know someone that had that done and it didn't go well for them." I would like to ask these people (but didn't because I'm apparently too polite) what the hell they're thinking? If someone says to you, "Hey I bought new car,' you don't say, 'I know someone who almost died in car accident a few years ago.'
Anyway, (I'm gonna move on from that because I could really call some people out on that one. Like my boss) this week on Thursday I have my April weigh in. As you probably remember, I have to lose 6 pounds over a 3 month period. When I weighed in at the beginning of March, I was down about 6 pounds, so all I had to do was maintain it for another month, as of this morning, I'm unofficially down 12.5 lbs, so as long as I can stay where I'm at, I will be a happy camper :)
If all goes according to plan, my full insurance application will be sent out at the end of the week. I'm told it usually takes the insurance company about 3 weeks to respond (but lets be more realistic and say a month?). After the insurance approval goes through, the surgeons office is scheduling surgeries about 3 weeks out. So I'm still shooting for mid-May for surgery, but only time will tell (but seriously, I think all this waiting is going to KILL me soon!).
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