Terri D.

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2/28/08 
Got my call yesterday! Having my surgery on Tuesday, March 4th at 9:30 am at Inland Valley Medical Center. Oh boy!!!!! My friend, Tiffany had hers yesterday and is doing great. Wish me luck everybody!

I'll be off work for 2 weeks so I won't be able to blog till I get back to work.

2/26/08
Checked with Utilization at my med center. They received the approval request on 2/21 and is still in review. Said they have to answer within 5 days. Probably mean 5 business days. Was told I could call tomorrow (Wed) to follow up. Getting anxious.

My good friend, Tiffany is having her surgery TOMMOROW!!!!!!! She's so excited, anxious, nervous and everything else. We got together Saturday with our other 2 friends from our gastric classes and went to the Olive Garden. Had a great time. Will post pics as soon as I can figure out why I can't get them onto my computer.

2/21/08
All test are done, Dr. Suh's office has given the ok and  sent over the approval request to my primary dr. to be sent to the utilization office. Was told by the surgery center it may take about 8 days to get everything finalized.
Hopefully I will be having my surgery date by the first week of March. My friend Tiffany is also waiting for her insurance to finalize everything. We might even have ours done around the same time....awesome!

Feb 7-8 Got my lab tests done. Now sit and wait....hopefully not for long. (This smiley thing I picked is bugging me!!!! )

Anyway, my insurance doesn't accept Prilosec so I will have to search and find the cheapest OTC. My friend Tiffany saw Dr. Suh yesterday and since she already has had her tests done he said her surgery may be in about 3 weeks!!!! I'm so excited for her.

Forgot to mention......Had a reminder call at home from my medical center (Beaver Medical) reminding me that I had an appt with Dr. Hepenstahl at 1:00. I didn't even know who this dr was and never made an appt with him. So of course I had to call and find out who this dr is. Turns out he is an orthopedic dr. Great, just who I need so to see, to bad no one told me about the appt. Naturally I had to reschedule, the nurse at his office was a BIG SNOT!!! But aleast I am finally going to see someone else about my knee problem. I know it's not just cuz of my fat that it hurts.

Feb 5th had my 1st consult with Dr. Suh. Had to fill out more paperwork at the office and watch a video. Dr. came in and discussed....well now I'm trying to remember what he said cuz everything lasted about 10 minutes max and that was it! I know he covered somethings I already have learned over and over. He did say the hospital stay was about 2 days, can go back to work after 2 weeks if I don't have a strenuous job, which I don't. I'm not to eat any starchy foods as of now, no pasta, bead, potatoes cus they can enlarge the liver and he has to lift the liver up to get to the stomach. So the smaller the better. Gave me prescription for Prilosec to start taking now. Didn't understand that so I called back today to ask. Nita the nurse said all patients begin taking this before surgery to help along with gas, acid reflux and hair loss. Ok, whatever. Said I could take the OTC kind but to make sure is matches what the prescription says. I think it will be cheaper if I get it from the pharmacy. 

Already contacted my med dr to get the lab request and that's ready for me to pick up. So once I get my labs done, results sent to my med dr. then sent to Dr. Suh and he doesn't request anything else.....I should be getting my surgery mid-March or end of March. Yay!!!!!!!

1/25/2008
Finally my medical dept sent over  my request for a consult with Dr. Suh at Crown Surgery Center in Corona. My appointment is for Tuesday, February 5th at 3:00pm. I'm getting excited and apprehensive and nervous....guess that is expected. I look forward to meeting the doctor and finding out how soon the surgery date may be.

This is why people hate dealing with doctors and nurses...........

Jan 7th, had a knee problem, went to ER, doctor said possible torn ligament (miniscus or something like that) ER doesn't have a MRI need to call my doctor and request one. Ok, so did that on Jan 7th. My dr was out sick so he'll get it the next day. Called my dr's nurse next day, Jan 8th to comfirm dr. got the message, yes he did so they say. Got a call the next day, Jan 9th from nurse to confirm that it was an MRI that I wanted...fuck...yes!

Jan 14th, got signed off from dietician dr. and patient education lady that I have successfully finished the bariatric program. Now they will send my paperwork to my med dr. and he is to request a consult referral to my soon-to-be bariatric dr. Suh at Crown Surgery Medical Group in Corona.

So thinking I will help speed things along.........
Jan 14th I called my med dr.s nurse to tell her they will be sending the paper work today or tomorrow.
Jan 15th, called the nurse to f/u on MRI request and consult request. Said they are waiting for the paperwork from ER and yes, the paperwork on my Bariatric program in on the dr.s desk. ok, I'm happy so far.

Jan 18th, called, again, spoke to same nurse and was told they are STILL WAITING for paper work from ER and faxed request again today. 
Then...she says, we have the paperwork that you complete the bariatric program and that you need a consultation from the surgeon BUT we don't know who to send it to!!! What the fuck! they couldn't have called me this whole past week and asked or for that matter...called the patient education class and asked???????? Needless to say I gave her all the information necessary to get the ball rolling. Thank goodness I called today or nothing would have been happening.

I pray that this is not the beginning of problems to come.

AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!

Finally finished my 26 week course with Beaver Medical that is required before I can have my surgery. Started in July 2007 ended January 2008. Now I'm just waiting for my med dr. to request a consult with Dr. Suh and Crown Surgery Center. When I get a consult appt with Dr. Suh, he will order lab tests then I have to wait for the results and get the ok to have the surgery. So it looks like about mid Feb or March to get the surgery. Have met some great new friends through my classes I've been taking. And my one special friend, Tiffany, has been going through this with me. Sure has made it alot of fun. Plus we've been carpooling with 2 other ladies. We all plan on getting together the first Friday of every month for support, laughs, friendship and whatever.  Anyone interested in joining us feel free to contact me. The more the merrier.

Not to worried or scared right now, probably will be when I get my actual date.....until then........

 11/6/07
The Journey begins with Beaver Medical Health Education. That's the medical facility in our area. Went to orientation July 11, 2007 for the bariatric surgery program. I am in group #49. We also have to attend Lite Weighs program and participate in 26 weeks of classes. Each class is 8 weeks long which means we only have to go to 3 classes. Fortunately this is all covered by my insurance. Thank goodness cuz these classes cost $120.00! We are starting on our last class this Wednesday, November17, 2007.

We have to see the diet doctor 4 times during these sessions, I'm on my 3rd on November 7, 2007. Also have to see a psychologist (coming up), attend a support group(done) and attend a seminar(next monday).

My surgery will be done by the Crown Bariatric Surgical Group in Corona. The surgery is done at Indland Valley Medical Center.Dr. Suh is the doctor and I've heard many great things about this doctor. So I feel comfortable knowing this.