loozin_lily
1/29/07 - DECIDED ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! WENT TO MY PCP AND TOLD HER I WANTED TO HAVE WLS. SHE LOOKED SURPRISED, BUT THAT DIDN'T DISCOURAGE ME. SHE GAVE ME DR. NAZIRI'S NAME. HE'S WITH SOUTHERN SURGICAL GROUP. I WENT BACK TO WORK AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT. CONTACTED MY HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN REP AND SHE TOLD ME WHERE TO GO ON MY INSURANCE MANAGER WEBSITE TO GET A COPY OF MY COMPANY'S HEALTHCARE SUMMARY PLAN. WLS IS AN EXCLUSION UNLESS YOU ARE MORBIDLY OBESE. THE SUMMARY PLAN CONSIDERS MORBID OBESITY 40+ BMI OR 35+ BMI WITH CO-MORBIDITIES. I FELL INTO THE LATER CATEGORY (209 LBS, 38 BMI, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, INSOMNIA, JOINT PAIN). DR. NAZIRI'S OFFICE REP TOLD ME TO BRING ALL MEDS I WAS TAKING AND DOCUMENTATION THAT SHOWS 5 YEARS OF RECORDED WEIGHT. CALLED MY PCP AND GOT THAT INFO ASAP!
3/15/07 - WENT TO SOUTHERN SURGICAL FOR THE WLS EDUCATION CLASS. IT COST ME $200.00. I WAS THE SMALLEST ONE IN THE ROOM. I DIDN'T CARE. WEIGHED IN AT 209, 5'2" TALL AND 38 BMI. THE CLASS WAS VERY INFORMATIVE. THEY LOOKED AT MY TUMMY, I PAID $200.00 AND WAS ON MY WAY.
3/22/07 - RECEIVED DOCUMENTS FROM SOUTHERN SURGICAL SHOWING ALL THE EVALUATIONS AND INFORMATION I NEEDED. 1)CARDIAC EVAL, 2) ABDOMINAL ULTRASOUND. 3) PULMONARY EVAL, 4) PSYCH EVAL, 5) NUTRITION CONSULT, 6) ENDOSCOPY, AND 5 YEAR RECORDED WEIGHT THAT IS SIGNED BY MY PCP.
3/29/07 - HAD AN ENDOSCOPY. DIDN'T FEEL A THING. SLEPT LIKE A BABY WHEN I GOT HOME.
4/2 - 4/4/07 - TRAVELED ON COMPANY BUSINESS
4/4/07 - RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE OFFICE THAT DID THE ENDOSCOPY. THEY DISCOVERED I HAVE A HIATAL HERNIA AND A BACTERIUM CALLED H-PYLORI. WAS PRESCRIBED 3 MEDICATIONS FOR THE PYLORI AND HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN REGARDING THE HERNIA.
4/5/07 - GOT THE MEDICATIONS. WILL BEGIN TAKING TOMORROW.
4/9/07 - THE MEDS LEFT A HORRIBLE TASTE IN MY MOUTH. ALSO, HAVE HORRIFIC VAGINAL ITCHING. WAS SUPPOSE TO HAVE MY CARDIAC EVAL TODAY. GOT TO THE DR'S OFFICE AND THEY FORGOT TO CALL AND CANCEL MY APPT. BECAUSE THE DR HAD AN EMERGENCY. RESCHEDULED FOR 4/15/07.
4/15/07 - WENT BACK TO THE DR FOR MY CARDIAC EVAL. GUESS WHAT? I SAT THERE FOR 35 MINUTES AND THEY FORGOT ABOUT ME. WHEN I WENT TO THE RECEPTIONIST'S DESK, SHE FORGOT THAT I WAS THERE. THE DR LEFT TO PERFORM A PROCEDURE AT THE HOSPITAL. I WAS PISSED OFF. SHE RESCHEDULED ME AND I LEFT. WHEN I GOT BACK TO WORK I CALLED SOUTHERN SURGICAL AND TOLD THE NURSE THAT I REFUSED TO GO BACK THERE. THEY WERE INCOMPETENT BOOBS. SHE SAID SHE'D GET ME SCHEDULED SOMEWHERE ELSE.
GOT A CARDIAC EVAL APPTS FOR MAY 17, 22, 29 AND 31. 1) MAY 17 - EVALUATION AND ECHO, 2) FIRST PART OF STESS TEST, 3) SECOND PART OF STRESS TEST AND 4) OBTAIN RESULTS.
HAD MY ABDOMINAL ULTRASOUND AND WAS TOLD I HAD GALLSTONES. I GUESS MY WLS SURGEON WILL LET ME KNOW HOW THAT WILL AFFECT MY SURGERY.
4/25/07 - HAD PSYCH EVAL. FILLED OUT A 3 PAGE QUESTIONNAIRE. SIMPLE QUESTIONS ASSESSING MY FEELING ABOUT FOOD AND EATING HABITS. TALKING WITH THE DR WENT OKAY AS FAR AS I COULD TELL. SHE DID A LOT OF THE TALKING.
5/11/07 - GOT MY PULMONARY EVAL APPT SCHEDULED FOR MAY 25. THIS IS THE LAST APPT I HAD TO MAKE. WILL CONTACT SOUTHERN SURGICAL ON JUNE 4 TO LET THEM KNOW I FINISHED ALL MY EVALS. I THINK THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS EITHER MEET WITH DR. NAZIRI, THE SURGEON FOR MY CONSULTATION. I COULD BE MISTAKEN. IT COULD BE THAT ALL THE PAPERWORK WILL THEN BE SENT TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY FOR APPROVAL FIRST BEFORE MEETING WITH THE SURGEON. I WILL ASK ON JUNE 4.
FOR THE RECORD, I AM SOOOO READY TO HAVE THIS SURGERY. I JUST GOT MY STATIONARY BIKE BACK FROM MY FRIEND AND HAVE BEGAN RIDING IT THIS WEEK. MY PLANS ARE TO TAKE BABY STEPS AND BEGIN THE PRE AND POST SURGERY REQUIREMENTS. THIS WEEK, BEGIN EXERCISING REGULARLY. NEXT WEEK, PRACTICE SIPPING LIQUIDS INSTEAD OF GULPING. BY THE WAY, NO MORE SODAS. THE WEEK AFTER NEXT, SMALLER PORTIONS, CHEWING FOODS THOROUGHLY AND MAKE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO TAKE MY TIME WHEN I EAT.
5/31/07 - THE CARDIO EVALS ARE COMPLETED. THE DR TRIED TO GET OVER ON ME. THEY WANTED ME TO PAY ANOTHER $40.00 CO-PAY JUST TO GET MY RESULTS. I ALREADY PAID THEY 3 $40 CO-PAYS FOR THE PREVIOUS 3 VISITS. TOLD THE RECEPTIONIST THAT HE WAS GOING TO SEND THE RESULTS TO MY WLS SURGEON AND PCP SO WHY DO I NEED TO PAY TO GET RESULTS FROM HIM??? RIGHT??? I LEFT.
6/14/07 - HAVEN'T UPDATED HERE IN A WHILE. ALL MY PRE-OP EVALS ARE DONE. HAVE AN APPT. WITH MY SURGEON ON 6/20/07. THAT DAY WILL BE THE FIRST TIME MEETING HIM. I'M NERVOUS ABOUT IT. GAINED 5 LBS SINCE MY VISIT TO THE SURGEON'S OFFICE IN MARCH. TRYING TO LOSE THEM NOW BEFORE THE 20TH.
I'M ON THE FENCE WHETHER I WANT TO BE BANDED OR THE RNY. EVERYTHING POINTS TO ME KNOW WANTING THE LAPBAND. IT APPEARS TO BE THE BETTER OPTION FOR ME. I WILL MAKE UP MY MINE ONCE I MEET WITH MY SURGEON.
FOR SOME REASON I'M FEELING APPREHENSIVE ABOUT THIS WHOLE THING BECAUSE MY BMI IS BELOW 40. MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAS A WLS EXCLUSION PLUS IT HAS TO BE MEDICALLY NECESSARY. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT'S SO BOGUS. THEY WILL PAY FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT WITH NO QUESTIONS ASKED BUT NOT WLS. YOU HAVE TO GO THRU SO MANY HOOPS. I WAS AND AM PREPARED TO SELF PAY. THE DRAWBACK TO THAT IS JUST IN CASE SOMETHING GOES WRONG, THE INSURANCE COMPANY WON'T PAY. DARN IF YOU DO, DARN IF YOU DON'T.
THIS IS IN GOD'S HAND. IF IT'S MEANT TO BE IT WILL HAPPEN. I WON'T ROLL OVER AND GIVE UP IF DENIED THE FIRST TIME. I WILL EXHAUST ALL APPEALS SO THEY BETTER BE PREPARED.
6/19/07 - RESCHEDULED MY SURGEON CONSULT. DECIDED TO BRING MY SON INSTEAD OF MY BEST FRIEND. SHE SKINNY AND DOESN'T BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE THE SURGERY. IF THE DOCTOR ASKS HER ABOUT HER SUPPORT, SHE WON'T LIE AND SAY SHE AGREES WITH ME. I DON'T HER TO AGREE AND ABSOLUTELY DO NOT WANT TO PUT HER IN A POSITION TO LIE. SHE WILL SUPPORT MY DECISION BUT IN ACTUALITY, SHE WILL NOT BE MY CAREGIVER, MY SON WILL BE. SO, MY APPT IS RESCHEDULED FOR 6/27/07. I'M SO READY. 7/3/07 ONCE THEY REVIEW THE RECORDS AND IF THEY OVERTURN THE SPECIAL CLAUSE, THE INSURANCE COMPANY NORMALLY WILL APPROVE THE SURGERY. CAN'T WAIT FOR FINAL APPROVAL. SURGERY IS SCHEDULED FOR JULY 30TH. 7/10/07
BY THE WAY, I'M LEANING MORE TOWARDS THE LAPBAND. WE'LL SEE.
I RECEIVED A CALL FROM MY SURGEON'S OFFICE TODAY INFORMING ME THAT MY COMPANY HAS A SPECIAL CLAUSE TO OUR MEDICAL INSURANCE POLICY THAT STATES THEY WON'T EVEN CONSIDER ANYONE FOR WLS WITH A BMI LESS THAN 40. MINE IS 39.3 SO CLOSE BUT SO FAR.
I WAS DEVASTED BUT KEPT MY COOL. SHE TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD CALL MY BENEFITS DEPT., TELL THEM MY STORY, GET A NAME AND FAX # SO SHE CAN SEND THEM MY RECORDS TO REVIEW.
WELL... SINCE I'M THE H.R. MANAGER, I CALLED THE HEAD OF OUR BENEFITS DEPT. HE WAS OUT OF THE OFFICE ON VACATION UNTIL JULY 9TH. I WAS NOT GOING TO WAIT UNTIL THEN SO I CALL ANOTHER PERSON ON HIS STAFF WHOM I'VE KNOW FOR OVER 10 YEARS AND TOLD HER MY DILEMMA.
GUESS WHAT? SHE TOLD ME I WAS IN LUCK BECAUSE LAST WEEK MY COMPANY DECIDED TO MIRROR BCBS'S MEDICAL POLICY AND THREW OUT THE SPECIAL CLAUSE. I ALMOST LOST IT ON THE PHONE I WAS SO ELATED. 
WE TALKED A LITTLE MORE AND FILL OUT THE NECESSARY DOCUMENT THE INSURANCE COMPANY WILL NEED AND FAXED IT TO THEM TODAY. YEAHHHH 
I CALLED MY SURGEON'S OFFICE AND TOLD HER THE GOOD NEWS. SHE WAS HAPPY TOO BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO GET MY RECORDS PREPARED. SHE TOLD ME THAT THE BMI WAS THE ONLY THING HOLDING BACK MY APPROVAL AND NOW THAT THE SPECIAL CLAUSE WAS REMOVED FROM OUR INSURANCE POLICY I SHOULD HAVE MY APPROVAL ON JULY 5TH OR 6TH. I'M SO EXCITED.
I'M SHARING ALL OF THIS BECAUSE IF THAT SPECIAL CLAUSE WAS APPLICABLE I WAS GOING TO APPEAL AND AGGRAVATE EVERY AND ANYONE I COULD TO THE DEATH. 
I RECEIVED FINAL APPROVAL TODAY. YEAHHHHHHH!!!
NOW LET THE GAMES BEGIN.
ON 7/18/07 I HAVE TO GO TO THE SURGEON'S OFFICE AND SIGN A TON OF CONSENT FORMS AND PICK UP MY SURGICAL PACKET. THEN I HAVE TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL TO DO ALL THE PRE-OP WORK.
I HAVE TO PREPARE A COMPLETE TO DO LIST PRE AND POST OP. I PLAN ON BEING OUT OF WORK FOR AT LEAST 4 WEEKS SO THAT MEANS I HAVE TO PREPARE MY STAFF TO DO WITHOUT ME. THEY ARE FABULOUS LADIES (EXCEPT FOR ONE) AND I KNOW EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE ON THAT FRONT. I WILL NOT TELL THEM I'M HAVING WLS UNTIL AFTER I RETURN TO WORK. I'M PLAN ON TELLING THEM I GOING OT HAVE GALL BLADDER SURGERY AND HIATAL HERNIA REPAIR. RIGHT NOW, THIS SURGERY IS PRIVATE UNTIL IT'S DONE. ONLY MY INTIMATE IMMEDIATE CIRCLE WILL KNOW. I HAVE A UNCLE WHO HAD WLS AND HE HAS GIVEN ME A WEALTH OF INFO AND I KNOW I CAN COUNT ON HIM TO GO THROUGH THIS WITH ME ON THE REAL TIP. NO FAKING OR PRETENDING. JUST RAW THOUGHTS, EMOTIONS, FEELINGS AND WHATEVER. I WILL TELL HIM AFTER I GET HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL.
I FEEL SO THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL TO GOD FOR ALLOWING ME TO EXPERIENCE BEING A SMALLER PERSON. IN MY MINE, I ALWAYS FELT I WAS SMALL. BUT I WAS DELUSIONAL. WELL, NOT REALLY. NOW I FEEL THAT MY PHYSICAL BODY WILL MATCH MY MINE. IT'S GOING TO BE AWESOME.
I'M PRAYING TO GOD TO KEEP ME SAFE, PAINFREE (HA HA HA), HUMBLE AND MOST OF ALL GLORIFY HIM AS I LOSE THIS WEIGHT.
7/29/07
TOMORROW IS MY BIG "S" DAY. I'M SO EXCITED!!!! EVERYTHING IS ON TARGET AND I'M READY TO GO. GOD GETS ALL THE GLORY AND PRAISE FOR THIS ONE. CAN'T WAIT TO BE ON THE LOSERS BENCH.
