celestialdreams06
20-November-2006
Nov 19, 2006
It's been quite some time since I've updated. I went to the consult with Dr. Curry. All went well. Surgery is scheduled for 27-November. Still trying to absorb that it's all happening so quickly. I am just so anxious!!
Last Thursday, my hubby, and my parents went back down to Cinci with me for my pre-op testing and nutrition class. I think it helped put my parents at ease a little more. If anything I think they realise this is not the easy way out and it simply is not over after surgery. It is a life long process.
I started my pre-op diet 3 days ago. OYYY, is it hard. I'm hoping it's going to get a bit easier. I will stick to it though. It's a small price to pay.
Well, I will try to be more dilegent with updating my page. Ta-Ta for now.
Last Thursday, my hubby, and my parents went back down to Cinci with me for my pre-op testing and nutrition class. I think it helped put my parents at ease a little more. If anything I think they realise this is not the easy way out and it simply is not over after surgery. It is a life long process.
I started my pre-op diet 3 days ago. OYYY, is it hard. I'm hoping it's going to get a bit easier. I will stick to it though. It's a small price to pay.
Well, I will try to be more dilegent with updating my page. Ta-Ta for now.
08-November-6
Nov 09, 2006
Okay, new day, new info. After getting some more info today (will share later....in a hurry). I go to see Dr.Curry tomorrow in Cincinatti. It is possible for me to have the surgery by the end of the month. I will update on Saturday.
07-November-06
Nov 07, 2006
Okay, was flying high all weekend, b/c I got my approval from Ohio Medicaid. Couldn't wait till Monday to call the surgeons office. I get on the phone yesterday and call......only to be told that my approval is about as useless as the piece of paper that it is written on. Ohio is going to managed care for coverage (some areas already are). For those of us already on, we had until October 30th to pick a managed care plan. I chose mine and it picks up on Dec. 1. Well, because my managed care picks up on December 1, I quote, unquote, have a new insurance........not Medicaid. In order for my approval to be good, I need to have the surgery before November 30th. We all know THAT'S not going to happen. I would need to start from scratch and get my new insurance approval. Just so happens that this insurance needs 6 months of recent doctor supervised diet. Well, I don't have that. Although my doctor knew I was dieting it was never "prescribed" by her, nor did I do monthly weigh in's with her. It would be essentially worthless to get the new insurance to try to approve, because we only have coverage through May. Imagine my horror as I am told that I'm no further than I was 6 months ago. I was so ticked. I felt I was only granted approval, because they knew they weren't ever going to have to pay. Ironicly, I had to chose my HMO by October 30th, and that is the date my approval letter is dated for. Go figure. What to do now? Well, all is not lost and it turns out may have been for the better. See, hubby and I are on transitional medicaid. We are both working. I have been asked if I am willing to be available full time hours at work, but have been hesitant to utilize them every week, b/c I wanted this surgery so bad and more money would have put us over income. Just so happens that this week and next is open enrollment for my hubby's insurance at work. He's been working there since June, but open enrollment only happens once a year in November. We both talked, and he enrolled us yesterday with BC/BS. It picks up January 1st. We called them last night and they said all we need to do is get a certificate of insurability from Medicaid stating our family has had coverage through them for the past 18 months and my obesity will not be considered "pre-existing". They said that I can ask for approval for surgery as long as I follow their guidelines. The main one is 6 months of recent doctor supervised eating plan. I meet with my PCP on Friday to start that. I called the surgeon's office back today and have my consult on January 12 (with Dr. Lane at Wood County Center for Weight Loss). By then I will be 2 months in to my eating plan. The surgeons office also told me that if I go Medicaid to approve it, there should be no problem with BC/BS. Another plus is that THEY help try to get approval, and oh, how that makes me feel better. They know what they are doing, so I know all necessary steps will be taken. I'm going to go ahead and accept the hours at work, so even though we are paying for insurance, the income is still more. It all worked out and it's still a long way to go, because I still have to get approval again, but I have faith. Sorry to be long winded, but I wanted to share. So, back to square one, but taking big steps to get to the finish line.
04-November-2006
Nov 04, 2006
Well, it's been a pretty uneventful day as Saturdays are concerned. I have been on the computer most of it. Researching several things. One of which is a support group. There just don't seem to be any publicly listed ones that i can get info on.
The more and more I research, I really like what I have read about the doctor in BG. I got online last night onto the website for the managed care plan that I picked and he is listed as a provider, but "not on form". I'm not sure what that means. Outside of what I have read on here and on the website for the clinic, I have a friend at work who has had a few family members go to that clinic. One had the surgery performed by this doctor. Everyone else in her family had it done by one that has since retired, but they really sound like a competent and knowledgable team. That "TEAM" part is what is most comforting to me. They have a whole staff. You are not going to this person for this thing and that person for that. We will see what happens Monday when I call them.
I was up really late last night. Couldn't get the old brain to quiet down. Expectations kept reeling in my head. My biggest expectation is this....****MOBILITY**** I want to get up in the morning without cringing, because my feet and knees are so sore and stiff. I want to be able to go places with my kids and not have to sit on a bench somewhere, because I can't go any farther. It's never typically because I am winded (then again, we don't climb hills much), it's because I am too sore. We recently went to Myrtle Beach with family for vacation. Do you know how many times I walked the beach? Once, and it wasn't that far. I physically could not handle the sand. It torqued my knees horribly. That whole week, i sat on my rear most of the time. My feet swelled horrible. I had the real pleasant experience of getting smacked by a wave that threw me down and then flopped like a beached whale in the water, because I couldn't get up. My husband, bless his soul would try to pick me up, but couldn't. I finally relaxed enough to allow the next wave to come along and help "push" me up. I was mortified. First thing I did was look around to see who was watching. It was one of those situations where people are looking and you start laughing....."Ha, Ha!! That was so fun cause I meant to do it." Knowing full well that people were really thinking "Look at her, she can't get her fat butt up". My poor Mom jumped up and came to the shore line to see if I was okay. We also went and played putt- putt. First time ever. It was God aweful hot. I could only play the first round and then had to sit and wait for everyone else to get done. I was spent. Being obese you miss out on so much, and your family misses out. One gets tired of being ask "Are you okay??" and I'm sure family gets tired of asking. Sometimes I wonder how much they wish they'd just have left me at home. I feel like some days my complaining is endless, and I feel like my kids and family have to take up the slack for things that I cannot do....that is a whole other story. Plainly, I want to do things with my kids and if sitting is something I do, I want to do it because I WANT to sit back and watch them enjoy themselves, not because I CAN'T participate. That is my big hope of this. I know that when it comes to my knees the damage is done. However, I can delay the inevitable of replacement. I forget how many pounds of pressure you take off of them for each pound you lose (will have to ask my doc again), but the number he gave me was something like 8 lbs. Can you imagine dropping 100 lbs? That's 800 lbs off your knees. I want to ride a bike, walk, swim, do water aerobics again. I want to ride a roller coaster too ;). Any how, I don't believe I have any unrealistic expectations. I don't think being healthy is unrealistic.I don't expect to be skinny or even what society sees as "thin". I'm not going to say being smaller won't be a huge thing. It will be. I want to be smaller, but I know I will never be thin. If I had never become obese, I don't think I'd be thin. It's just not in the genes. Then again, my brother looks like the odd one out compared to my sister and I. However, I definately was dealt the obese card out of us three. I look forward to smaller days.......It will be wonderful to where regular jeans, and hopefully shop in regular stores. Not that Lane Bryant isn't nice and all. We all deserve the variety. Tis the spice of life, right??
Well, it appears that I have rambled a bit. Just so much to think about and absorb. I'm excited!!!!!!!
The more and more I research, I really like what I have read about the doctor in BG. I got online last night onto the website for the managed care plan that I picked and he is listed as a provider, but "not on form". I'm not sure what that means. Outside of what I have read on here and on the website for the clinic, I have a friend at work who has had a few family members go to that clinic. One had the surgery performed by this doctor. Everyone else in her family had it done by one that has since retired, but they really sound like a competent and knowledgable team. That "TEAM" part is what is most comforting to me. They have a whole staff. You are not going to this person for this thing and that person for that. We will see what happens Monday when I call them.
I was up really late last night. Couldn't get the old brain to quiet down. Expectations kept reeling in my head. My biggest expectation is this....****MOBILITY**** I want to get up in the morning without cringing, because my feet and knees are so sore and stiff. I want to be able to go places with my kids and not have to sit on a bench somewhere, because I can't go any farther. It's never typically because I am winded (then again, we don't climb hills much), it's because I am too sore. We recently went to Myrtle Beach with family for vacation. Do you know how many times I walked the beach? Once, and it wasn't that far. I physically could not handle the sand. It torqued my knees horribly. That whole week, i sat on my rear most of the time. My feet swelled horrible. I had the real pleasant experience of getting smacked by a wave that threw me down and then flopped like a beached whale in the water, because I couldn't get up. My husband, bless his soul would try to pick me up, but couldn't. I finally relaxed enough to allow the next wave to come along and help "push" me up. I was mortified. First thing I did was look around to see who was watching. It was one of those situations where people are looking and you start laughing....."Ha, Ha!! That was so fun cause I meant to do it." Knowing full well that people were really thinking "Look at her, she can't get her fat butt up". My poor Mom jumped up and came to the shore line to see if I was okay. We also went and played putt- putt. First time ever. It was God aweful hot. I could only play the first round and then had to sit and wait for everyone else to get done. I was spent. Being obese you miss out on so much, and your family misses out. One gets tired of being ask "Are you okay??" and I'm sure family gets tired of asking. Sometimes I wonder how much they wish they'd just have left me at home. I feel like some days my complaining is endless, and I feel like my kids and family have to take up the slack for things that I cannot do....that is a whole other story. Plainly, I want to do things with my kids and if sitting is something I do, I want to do it because I WANT to sit back and watch them enjoy themselves, not because I CAN'T participate. That is my big hope of this. I know that when it comes to my knees the damage is done. However, I can delay the inevitable of replacement. I forget how many pounds of pressure you take off of them for each pound you lose (will have to ask my doc again), but the number he gave me was something like 8 lbs. Can you imagine dropping 100 lbs? That's 800 lbs off your knees. I want to ride a bike, walk, swim, do water aerobics again. I want to ride a roller coaster too ;). Any how, I don't believe I have any unrealistic expectations. I don't think being healthy is unrealistic.I don't expect to be skinny or even what society sees as "thin". I'm not going to say being smaller won't be a huge thing. It will be. I want to be smaller, but I know I will never be thin. If I had never become obese, I don't think I'd be thin. It's just not in the genes. Then again, my brother looks like the odd one out compared to my sister and I. However, I definately was dealt the obese card out of us three. I look forward to smaller days.......It will be wonderful to where regular jeans, and hopefully shop in regular stores. Not that Lane Bryant isn't nice and all. We all deserve the variety. Tis the spice of life, right??
Well, it appears that I have rambled a bit. Just so much to think about and absorb. I'm excited!!!!!!!
03-NOVEMBER-06
Nov 03, 2006
The day has finally arrived. I got my approval today. Looking back on it, it wasn't that long, but boy felt like a long time. My head is still spinning about it all, but I am planning on starting phone calls first thing Monday morning. I'm so excited, but really nervous too. I'm sure it's all natural. So the important part of the journey begins...........
01-November-2006
Nov 02, 2006
Well, been spending some time surfing around the site. Haven't posted on any forums yet. I have looked at alot of the the before & after pics. They are so amazing. I want that for myself so badly. Weird thing happened yesterday. Ohio is switching their Medicaid to managed care. It is time for me to chose a provider. I called the state hotline to see which provider my family doctor was on. I don't want them to chose for me, and I'm not willing to go to another family doctor given all my ailments. Anyhow, I called the hotline and I was explaining to her that I am waiting to hear for approval for surgery and she said told me to hold on she needed to check something. Then she said "Okay, when is your surgery scheduled?" Again I told her that i was waiting for approval and she kept saying she wished she knew when my surgery was so. She kept talking like I was approved. I don't know if she would have any idea or not, but it just got me thinking. Maybe I am doing the wishful thinking bit too much and reading into something that was not there. If anything she wasn't listening to me.
The waiting game is so stressful. Again, if you are reading and feel inclined, please say a prayer for me.
