Rebeca S.
Looking to have Lap Band Surgery
Ok How do u start. I am 37 years old soon to be 38 on June 18 and I am married for about 3 years now and have an 11 year old daughter. My whol life i struggled with my weight. I was a chunky kid, chubby teenager Thick young adult. I was wearing about a 15/16 at 18 years old. I stayed around that weight and size until my early 20's. With the going out to the bars and dance club scene with my girlfriends I started to crep up on the scale but nothing to drastict until I got pregnant with my daughter. I was in a miserable realtionship didn't want to be in the situation i was in of having a baby. Our of misery I did nothing but eat eat and eat. I gained over 90 lbs carry my daughter and had a high risk pregancy and then after delivery had major exploratory surgery for my gallbadder and was in the hospital for a couple of weeks with a newborn home. I ended getting out of my relationship and was faced with raising my daughter as a single parent with no child support. I did a great job. Worked alot of hrs and had grandma help care for my daughter and the weight just stuck and stayed on and crept higher. It was all the fast food and eating out I did. Never had time to cook healthy. I know that was no excuse but what happened. In 2001 after being settled in life. Bought my own home and raised my daughter our of todlers years met a great guy online at Love @ AOL got married in 2003 ( the wedding of my dreams). I have always struggled with weight down 20 up 25 lbs. Always wanted to do this surgery but always came up with an excuse. I wasn't ready. Now I am.
April 2006:
Ok here it goes, My girlfriend called me up and invited me to go to an informational meeting about the RNY and LapBand surgery at the local hospital. She is in the works of having the RNY done. I have always done the research on it and always wanted to take the next step but I guess i was afraid. I have been overweight my whole life but been morbidly obese since 1994. I went to the meeting and meeting peoble there that had the surgery and wanted the surgery made me feel at ease and answered all my questions. My major questions was I had had adominal surgery in my past and was concern that it could not be done Laproscopy. I left that evening excited with my folder of information and had an Surgeon appt for evaluation set up the following week. On April 27th I received a call from the surgeons office stating that My insurance carrier Empire Blue Cross Direct HMo won't cover him. He is not in network. They advised me to call the insurance company and try and get out of network benefits and good luck.
I was totally bummed but I wasn't going to let them get me down. I immediately called member services and ask for an In 4 Out in the plan for Dr. Amad. 2 days later I received a call from the insurance company case management dept telling me they denied my claim for an In 4 Out. They found me a surgeon with in a 20 mile radius of my home that performs the proceedure. I quickly called that surgeon in Smithtown NY. Braitwaite Associates and said to the apt girl That I am a woman on a mission I want to get in as soon as possible and start the ball rolling. She kinda laugh and gave me an apt for May 3 2006 That was only 5 days away. Alrighty I was starting my begining.
May 3, 2006
I took the afternoon off from work and drove to smithtown to the surgeons office. I was a little nervous to start off. I was stared to get on the scale and I was a little nervous of the journey I was about to begin. All I can say is that Dr. Brackman was an absolutely wonderful man who gave u the time to explain everything to me and discuss my options. I left that office with a folder of papers and scripts and test and referrals that I have to get done. Its a little overwhelming. I had a long drive home in rush hour to do some thinking. I made my decision driving home that I was going to do this. I have spent the last 12 years raising my daughter as a single parent and always putting my self last. That I owed this to my self to be happy and healthy and to live a long life to see my daughter grow up and have children of her own. I went home that night and Spoke with my husband and daughter of my decision. My daughter is all happy for me. I told her watch out hunny I may just be borrowing your clothes soon. My husband is wonderful. We have been married for almost 3 years now and He said to me he will love me any way I am. He met me heavy and loves me he will love me skinny too. He will support my decision 100% and will be right by myside to help me during my road to my goal.
May 5th, 2006
I was out of the house by 6am and to the lab to start my bloodwork test. My daughter needed blood drawn too for school sports physical. She was so funny. She was like Mom I will be with you anytime u need me to hold your hand. She is the best. She is not fat or overweight but could get that way. She knows that we are changing our lifestyle of food and she is supportive that she wants to change too. No Soda or junk. Ok Step 1 complete One down many more to go.
May 12, 2006
I went to have my metabolism test down. What a weird test. They hook u up to a breathing machine. It look like my daughter Nebulizer for her Asmtha. They give u this big blue clip to clip your nostrils shut and have u breathe thru this hose to test how your metabolism works.
I could help but laught because how the heck does that do that.
Anyway test results show I have a high Metobelism. ( How can that be.) I should be a tooth pick then.
May 17th, 2006
Off to my Primary PCP. Dr Burmeister is very supportive of my decision to go LapBand and have the surgery. Many of her patients have used my surgeon and has had great results. Had my EKG done that same night. Everything looks good with my ticker. I do take High Blood pressure medicine and she said she can see me get off them within 6 months or so after surgery. ( Thank god). My blood work came back. Everything looks good. Cholestral is good Trigercerides are a little high. and my heart ratio is a little low.
Go figure a healthy fat person.
May 19th, 2006
I had my visit with the Gastro Dr. Everything went well. They want me to have a Endscopy done. Scheudle for the 24th. Ok this woman on a mission almost has it all done by the end the month.
and of course more blood. Want to make sure I'm not pregnant. ( it is just procedure before the Endo.)
May 24,2006
Ok I'm nervous this morning. I have to be at the hospital at 8:30. Gave a kiss to my daughter before heading off to the bus and waited for my mom to pick me up and take me. My husband couldn't do it. Manitory training at work. I was ok. I rather have my mom. Its funny but I never realized how much a person wants to have their mom around when ur nervous of having tests done. Not to sure if I am the only one that feels that way. Mom has always been there for me. 12 years ago when I almost died from my liver shutting down she was by my side the wholetime. When I gave birth to my daughter she was my labor coach. She means the world to me and I am glad she is still around to be there for us. She will turn 75 this year. I hope she lives to 90. Ok we got to the hospital no waiting time right in to prep. Took a whole lot of history and of course they scare u. The anastegiologst came in and was like people that are obese can have complications to anstegia and stop breathing and crap. I was like Ok. If I wasn't nervous already but you just made it worse. No I dont have sleep anea. I don't snore. I have no real medical issues other then fat and blood pressure which is very controlled. Enough of that. Was wheeled in and I took a nice nap. Woke up and it was all over. Didnt feel or hear a thing. Just felt like I had a few to drink to much and was woozy. After about 25 min in recovery they let me head home. Quess what? Never had a sympton but. They found a hilatel hernia, gastrisis and took a biopsy of a bump in my small intestine. the Dr. said nothing to worry about. Come back in 2 weeks for a follow up. Went home and sleep the afternoon away.
May 25, 2006
Had my Pscy eval done today. It was pretty funny. He went thru all the questions and i answered them honestly. He look at me and said what brings u here? I then told him WLS he was like Ohhh I was wondering. You are not in need of any of my services. I laughed . He would forward the report to the surgeon and wished me the best of luck.
May 27, 2006
Happy Memorial Day Weekend. Sitting here today think about what i have gotten done this month. Wow. I have been running all month. Between working my fulltime job as a manager and my daughters hetic schedule . I actually accomplished alot. I am excited about what my future holds for me.
Tuesday May 30, 2006 I went to the surgeon office to meet with the nurse and have my support and progress visit. Eveything went well all I have left is the nutritionship on the 6th and Everything will be submited to insurance company. They are still booking June Surgeries. I actually a little excited but also don't want to count on anything until I have that approval in hand.
June 6, 2005
Went to the Nutrituinist. Was a very informative meeting nothing that I haven't already known. But worth hearing it again. Just thought that the $ 150 out of pocket expense was steep but did what I had to do.
Ok all done waiting for insurance company approval and surgery date Ya hoooo.
June 13, 2006
Ok today is a day from hell. I think a black cloud is following me. Ok Dr. Office called the surgeon is no longer with their firm. and Dr. Braitwaite won't be able to do my surgery for lapband until after August when he takes a class on lap bands. Ok I not going to wait and be his first patient.
So I spent the day on the phone with Empire Blue cross asking for a out of network coverage like I did in the begining and was denied because of them finding Dr Brackman in the plan who has within 20 miles of my home. I can't explain how I felt today. I felt like someone punch me in the stomach. I not going to let this get me down. I am going to fight fight fight until I can get this surgery covered under my plan.
September 22, 2006
Oh my god i can't believe its been so long since i updated. I am 5 days post op and i am very happy with everything. doing well and learning the adjustment of the new me.
Lets say my summer month has been very interesting and emotional. I have gone thru 2 surgeons and denials and denial and i was able to get approval for the lap band with my oringinal surgeon just at a different hospital. I never gave up fighting. the key is to fight fight and fight and don't give up. dr. brackman was wonderful and had great bedside manners. the worse part of the whole procedures was the fact that i got so sick from the anesethia. and it took longer then anticipated due to previous surgery i had with scar tissue present.
i have my post op check up on tuesday i will update then.
May 10, 2007
I can't beleive I haven't been on this thing in such a long time with any update. Ok lets see. I have been doing great with my new best friend my Band. I love her. She is sometime really picky and bitchy but love her everyday.
I had a long winter Thank you that tax season is over. Yipee for another few months and it will start all over again.
Ok update. I had to have surgery in february 2007 and have my port relocated. My port had slipped and needed to be moved. It was a quick and easy proceedure and done awake and outpatient in and out in a few hours. Had my fill done that same day and started my road to an agressive weight loss program. I am down officicial in total 61 lbs. 51 since the band. and thats with a 2 month stand still awaiting approval to have the port moved. so Not too bad I am happy with my loss. I just can't beleive since the port was moved and I had a good fill how the weight is just falling off.
Will update again sometime in the month. Good luck to all.
Surgeon Info:
Surgeon: Matthew Brackman M.D.
Insurer Info:
Empire Blue Cross Direct HMO, Direct HMO
