ak_lisa

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1:45am can't sleep.. 9/23/08 Tuesday am

Can't sleep!
Sunday I added deli meat to my diet and threw it all up and now I'm kinda scared to eat stuff. I ate some cottage cheese tonight with a little crackers and that seems to be settling well. I just want to eat normal stuff. When is that going to happen! I tend to get stuck in ruts! I'm eating like I'm still on liquids basically. I also wish I could just guzzle a tall glass of cold cold water!

 September 10th, Wednesday

Today was my last visit with Dr. Ellner. She had to take out that last tube.. and OMG! it hurt so much, I'm still feeling the pain even though I've had the pain meds, Yikes! 

 I don't really remember much from the actual surgery day. I guess that is normal. The surgery was on Wednesday, Sept 3rd at 7:15am. I was told that I had a horrible time accepting the pain meds so they had to keep me in recovery longer. I don't remember going to my room, the nurse, my husband being there... none of it. But, I do remember early in the morning the next day the nurse woke me up and we started walking. Every since then, I would go walking as much as I could. And after they did the Upper GI test and it came back good, they took out the catherter and every time I got up to go pee, I took that opportunity to walk. I was told the more you walk the faster you heal. I was released mid-day Friday and felt really good! We left the hospital and drove to the beach. However, the sun was so hot I could feel the heat on my scars and I didn't like that feeling so we decided to go to the Mall to walk around. I got through Bloomingdales and that was about all I could do. We had to go home so I could get some rest.... More later :)

GOT SURGERY DATE!!!! SEPTEMBER 3RD!

Last night booked flight tickets... now gotta get hotel accomodations.
San Diego here I come :)

I am a bit worried, anxious and excited about the surgery. I'm worried about all the scheduling, co-ordinating things, like hotel, flights, rental car.. things like that working out...
I'm anxious about the surgery... although I know this is going to be good for me.. I don't like the idea of being cut on and my stomach being detached. I am confident that I will survive and that I will follow clear and consice instruction.
I'm excited because to me this is one step closer to meeting my ultimate goal!

I'm so excited!!!! I've been APPROVED!!!! and from the sounds of it, I could be having surgery as soon as next week!

I received the denial letter from Premera BCBS and called Alvarado to see if Lisa got it. She said she did and also said that she would fax it over to Aetna (yesterday). I called Aetna to see if they had received it yesterday and they didn't show it. They said give it a couple of days, but I'm thinking about calling right now. I'm pretty anxious about it all and the waiting is driving me crazy. I've worked in insurance claims before and I know things can be done a whole lot quicker than what is going on right now. I'm usually a patient gal... but right now I'm obsessing over this ... but no one is going to do it for me. Gotta take care of myself!

Thursday July 31, 2008

I'm being treated for H.pylori and I started taking the meds on Tuesday of this week:

Prevacid 30mg - twice daily
Biaxin 500mg - twice daily
Amoxicillin 500mg x2 - twice daily

This concoction has given me the icky shits.. so that passing gas is no longer that.  Last night was misery! I hope my stomach accepts this medicine cocktail soon!

Wednesday 7/30/08

The insurance analyst assured me that she sent off the paperwork to BCBS first for denial, b'c my plan doesn't cover the surgery... and then on to Aetna, thankfully they do cover it. Now it is just the waiting and anticipation. I hope we hear something soon!

4.25pm.. well, I called BCBS to see if they received the fax from today and the rep on the line was so helpful, she said it would take 3-7 days to get me a denial letter... they are expediting my request! Something good Thank God!

7/25/08 - Friday

I had my physical exam. I'm at 302 per their scale, which is fabulous! My scale at home usually reads lower than theirs. I've lost a total of 13lbs since I started the Liver Shrinking Diet. Everything else is fine. My labs came back, my glucose levels are fine, no diabetes. My thyroid is fine. I have a little bacteria (pylori). I'm checking to see if that needs to be treated before I have the surgery. Hopefully the notes from the physical will be written up and we can send the packet off to the insurance co by Wednesday. I want this to be over with!

7/23/08 - Wednesday

So I called Aetna today to get a status on the pre-certification of the upcoming surgery and Aetna informed me that they didn't even have paperwork for a surgery yet. Well that left me a little confused as I last heard from Alvarado that they had sent the paperwork to Aetna and we were waiting for approval. So, I called and the insurance anaylst said that she tried to contact me that I needed to have a complete physical and I needed to send those notes in and then it would all be ready. Well honestly, I didn't get an email or a phone call and had I known I would have been through with that physical by now. Just another stall! I'm glad she didn't send the paperwork, because it would have been denied with no physical.. but oh I wish I would have known sooner. I could have done that at my last appointment with my PCP. I was a little disappointed this morning. So I have the physical scheduled for Friday. Hopefully, we can get those notes out ASAP! I really would love to have the surgery over with before my birthday.