Bearcat
7/7/06 I discussed my plans with my PCP. I am sooooo blessed as she is really the best. She got me an appointment with Dr. Cussatti the same afternoon. He seems very knowledgeable and proficient in his practice of bariatric surgery. I am double-blessed. My pre op testing journey has begun.
7/11/06 I have most of my appointments scheduled. It's a real juggling act with work!!! If all goes well, I can have the testing completed by September. Then......we submit approval to my insurance carrier.......
8/5/06 Well, I'm progressing on my preop journey.I met with the nutritionist and will be meeting with her every 2 weeks until surgery. I have started my preop diet by eliminating sugar, fried foods, caffiene and carbonated beverages from my diet. In addition to which I am eating primarily chicken and fish with vegetables and fresh fruit. I had my cardiac eval. All is well except I have to wear a Holter Monitor for 24 hours because my heart rate was a little fast. The cardiologist said I may have to go on a beta blocker temporarily before surgery to slow my heart down.
I had my GI eval and again all is well. I have to undergo an endoscopy next week to be sure I have no H.pylori hanging out in my stomach. I have my pulmonary on Monday, then they'll schedule a sleep study.....What a journey!
8/7/06 Well the Pulmonary eval is done and I DON'T need a Sleep Study!!!! All praise to God!!!Next week is the Endoscopy and the Holter. I'm getting there. It has been one month today that I began this adventure.
8/18/06 What a week! I had the endoscopy on Tuesday. It went well. Aside from being a little sleepy for the rest of the day, I am none the worse for the wear.It showed very early Esophogeal Erosion, most likely from GERD. So the doctor started me on Zegid. At least this won't interfere with my surgery.
I had the Holter Monitor put on also on Tuesday (may as well make full use of a day off!!!)So I go for my final cardiac clearance on 9/5.
Today I met with the Bariatric Specialist at Good Samaritan where I am having the surgery. All things are a go from his perspective.
I aso saw the Nutritionist today. I lost 18 pounds over the past 3 weeks. Thank You, Lord!!!!!
The psychologist gave me his clearance today as well. He told me I was "well grounded" Hmmmmmmmm
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9/6/06 I was cleared by the cardiologist (finally) yesterday when the results of my Holter study showed everything was normal. Turns out I don't need to start on beta blockers after all. The cardiologist said my heart rate was probably elevated due to nerves.
I met with the surgeon,Dr. Cussatti, today. He will be submitting the documentation to my insurance for approval. In the meantime, I have to have an abdominal sonogram done to see if I have any gall stones. If I do, Dr. Cussatti will remove my gall bladder during surgery. Then if all goes well and I get the approval right away, I will be scheduled for the surgery by sometime in October. OK Lord, You brought me this far.....Could You finish the task....please???????
It will be 2 months tomorrow since I started this incredible journey. I am blessed for the support I have received in this endeavor.
9/19/06 The news is not to good today. I had the abdominal sonogram done last week. I went back to Dr. Cussatti today expecting to finish up my pre op experience. Instead, Dr. Cussatti informed me that he had good news and some not so good news. There was no evidence of Gall Stones (good...) but the sonogram did show an abdominal mass by my belly button. As a result, I have to have a CAT Scan of the Abdomen and Pelvis done with contrast. He gave me the presciption and I left his office in a state of shock. I used my cell phone while sitting in my car in the parking lot to try and schedule the CAT Scan. To make a long string of phone calls more condensed, I have to call Good Samaritan back tomorow morning to schedule the Scan because their computers were down. I was informed that I would have to wait at least 48 hours for the appointment. In the meantime, I have to get bloodwork (BUN and Creatinine) done.
10/7/06 well, these past weeks have been tough. I had the CAT Scan done with contrast at Good Samaritan; and they recommended an MRI of the pelvis. I had the MRI done at BAB Radiology. Dr. Cussatti wanted me to get GYN clearance for the surgery. So, once again I spoke with my PCP, and was very blessed to be referred to an excellent GYN, Dr.Leo, who is also afilliated with Good Samaritan. I saw Dr. Salvatore Leo on Monday; he is the kindest, clinically astute person. I truly am blessed. Thank you Lord for staying closeby during this journey.Dr. Leo feels the mass is an ovarian cyst;but he referred me to Dr. Benjamin Schwartz, a GYN Oncology Surgeon.The term Oncology Surgeon was a little scary....but I am confident in who holds the future. I saw Dr. Schwartz yesterday. He is also top notch. He laid out the plan to me....He believes the cyst is benign but there is always that small possibility it is not. He will have to remove the ovary because he does not want the cyst to "spill".It will be sent down immediately to pathology for analysis. If it is benign, Dr. Cussatti will go on to do the bypass. If it is malignant, I will have to have a Total Abdominal Hysterectomy. I put it in God's Hands. Please Lord, let this cyst be benign and allow me to undergo the bypass uneventfully. Dre. Schwartz told me I do not have to return to him. He "will see me on the table" What a thought.....
10/12/06 There are no words to describe what I am feeling. I was officially denied today. I called my insurance carrier early this morning to see if a determination had been made. I was told they received the packet on Monday; and they are reviewing it. I should have an answer from the surgeon's office by Friday. Well, when I got home tonight, the answer was right there on my machine. Although I have tried every diet known to man since I was 13, I was denied because I did not have a recent 6 month physician supervised diet on file. There goes all my aspirations to be healthy and weigh less. If I start the supervised diet now; all my testing will be obsolete by the time it is completed. I do not have the time or the money to go through those tests again. So, my dream is over. Eventually I'll go to have the ovarian cyst removed; but there's no rush now.
10/13/06 My PCP is trying to contact the Medical Director at my insurance to attempt to have the decision overturned. He was not available today; so he is supposed to speak with her on Monday. Please say a prayer for me this weekend.
10/20/06 I got some phenominal news today!! While I am still waiting to see if the denial will be overturned; I learned that my company is switching insurance carriers to Blue Cross Blue Shield as of 1/1 !!!! So the worst possible scenario is that I will have to postpone my surgery for a little over 2 months. God is Good!!!!!!
11/15/05 I spoke with my PCP today. She worked with my insurance company and the outcome is ---a weigh in this week and a weigh in on 12/1. Then the Medical Director will APPROVE the surgery!!!! 2 1/2 more weeks!!!! Then I'll be on my way to being a loser.....
12/1/06 Well, I went to my PCP today for what I thought was my LAST weigh in before seeking approval; but when she investigated, we found out I have to wait one more month because the insurance company "does not count" the first month. We mutually agreed that I should stay with Cigna instead of moving over to Blue Cross because it doesn't make sense to start over at this point with another insurance company. Okay, what's one more month? I have the rest of my life to be skinny.......
2/12/07 I AM APPROVED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Surgery is scheduled for 3/12/07.
