Dawn0825

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I have been food journaling nearly every day.  I'm trying to identify how certain foods make me feel and what feelings/situations make me more likely to overeat.  It has also really helped remind me to take all my meds and drink enough water.  I have found some serious issues with my eating on the nights I work.  Yesterday for instance I did not eat even one serving or friuits nor veggies.  Over all this has been very eye-opening for me.  I feel like I'm learning something about myself everyday.  

As far as everything else...nothing much is happening right now.  I'm at a standstill as far as my surgery.  My Psych's office will not release my psych eval until they get paid by Anthem and my surgeon's office can't submit me for insurance approval until they get the results of the psych eval.  I got an EOB from Anthem yesterday saying that they processed the claim 6/16/08.  Hopefully it won't be too much longer until they get the report to my surgeon.

I'm really nervous about the insurance approval process.  Until I'm approved I don't want to allow myself to get too excited.  I think that once I clear that hurdle this all will start to seem more real.

My TENTATIVE date is Wednesday, September 3, 2008...Oddly enough I did not pick the first available date.

I spoke to the administrative assistant today on my way to work.  She apologzed for not getting back to me sooner and said she had been in and out of the office.  Something occured to me while we were speaking.  She deals exclusively with weight loss surgery patients.  All of the patients are just as excited and eager as me.  It is amazing that we don't drive the poor administrative assistant crazy with all our neediness!

Anyway, I am excited!  I'm hoping Anthem isn't too hard on me during the insurance approval process.  That will start as soon as my psych eval report gets sent to the surgeons office which should happen in the next two weeks.  I'm a little scared about the insurance process.  From the stories I've read here it seems like it is either easy with no problems or a tangled mess of an ordeal that drags on forever.  With all the bad luck I've been having lately, hopefully I'm due for a bit of a blessing soon :)

Well, I'm off to obsessively plan!!!

I'm starting to get a bit concerned.  I called and left a message with the administrative assistant on Thursday afternoon.  I hadn't heard anything by this afternoon (Monday) so I called and left another message.  I still haven't heard anything.  I'm getting antsy.  I really want to pick my surgery date!  They were going to let me pick it at my initial consultation and I asked if I could call later and choose one since I didn't have my calender with me at the time.  I'm starting to seriously regret that decision.  In the past she has always called me back right away.  She may be out of town or something, but typically people change their voicemail message to indicate that.  I think I'll try their general number in the morning and see what's going on.

I also have my initial appointment tomorrow for my sleep study.  My appointment is four hours after the end of my 12 hour shift.  Ironically enough that will leave me with very little sleep before I have to start another 12 hour shift :) .

In general life is suddenly very stressful.  I've been trying to break old habits slowly before surgery but I'm definately being tested right now.   I'm trying my best to steadily lose weight before surgery and not gain anything no matter what.

Today should be the day when the administative assistant calls me and lets pe pick a tentative surgery date.  I'm going to be walking around all day clutching my master calender in one hand and my cell in the other!

My to do list looks like this:

Complete Sleep Study (1st appt 6/17)

Diet Class 

Second Meeting with Surgeon

Fitness Eval

Consultation with Anesthesiologist /Pre Op Testing

Surgery

So Far I've completed:

My packet/Medical Records gathering

Consultation w/Surgeon

Psych Eval

Support Group Meeting

I had my psych eval today.  The whole process was easier than I thought it would be.  Our conversation focused on eating /excercise habits and my support system.  I was obviously nervous for no reason.  It only lasted forty-five minutes.  At the end the doctor told me that I seemed very well versed in WLS and that I seemed much more prepared than most of the WLS patients he sees.  That made me feel very good. 

I got my blood tests done today.  It took the phlebotomist 3 sticks to get my vein.  I had to have four tubes drawn.   I don't actually mind getting blood taken as long as I don't look.  It wasn't too bad.  Another step closer to getting banded!  My psych eval is  in a few days.  I'm a little nervous.  The lasy one I had was a pre-employment evaluation.  It lasted for hours.  I had to take a multiple choice test asking me all kinds of crazy questions.  Then I got grilled about my dysfunctional family and for the grand finale I had to look at ink blots and make up a story about a picture that wasn't really there.  Not an easy thing for someone with no imagination!  I hope this psych eval isn't like that one.  I passed it but it was tedious to say the least.  Oh well I'm going to try to forget about it and enjoy being out of town this weekend.  My hubby and I are going to Norwalk for a drag race and to some of the Ohio Bike Week Festivites in Sandusky.  Hopefully outdoor activites in the sweltering heat will be a little easier when I am minus 100lbs.   

I had my consultation with my surgeon today.  I had the stomach flu over the weekend and still wasn't feeling well but after six weeks of waiting there was no way I was going to reschedule.  I was thrilled with my whole experience.  Everyone I encountered from the time I walked in the door until I left was fantastic.  I was very happy with my surgeon.   I met with him for about 20 minutes.  He answered the few questions I had and went over my medical history with me.  I then met with the program's administrative assistant.  She gave me my program materials and let me know what I needed to do next.  I need to make appointments to get a psych eval and a sleep study.  She gave me orders for some blood tests I needed to get done and then sent me down to the dietician's office.  The dietician was really helpful and pointed out some challenges I'm going to have with my schedule and meal planning.  We also talked about some things I can start now to make the trasition easier. I also got my official starting weight today- 251 lbs.   I can honestly say that I know I made the right choice.  It is a long drive, but so worth it.  I can't wait to get this all started.

My bff became a bandster today.  Her surgery started late but she must be doing well.  She is already MySpacing 7 hours later :)  I'm going to drive down to see her tomorrow.  I can't wait to hear all about how it went.

The first few warm days of spring felt so good.   I had so much energy and I was getting so much done.  However, for an unknown reason I keep dragging my feet about getting my packet for UC done.  I need to stop by my doctor's office today to put in the request for my medical records and ask for a referral letter from my doctor.  I think subconsciously I'm afraid she is going to say, "ABSOLUTELY NOT" and someone will throw my paperwork back at me.  lol

On a lighter note my bff is getting banded in just a few days on 5/6.  I am taking her to a spa the day before and we are both getting pedis.  I thought that would be a fun treat.  I am so happy for her!  Hopefully in the next few months I'll be following in her loser footsteps :)

I scheduled a consultation with Dr. Fischer from UC Surgeons.  The soonest I could get an appointment was 6/2.  I am counting the days and cannot wait!  I think I made a good choice.  So far everyone I've encountered has been awesome.  A person from their office called my insurer to verify that I had coverage and let me know that my surgery would be 100% covered.   I have to get some copies of medical records and then mail my packet into the office.  I hope that this process goes smoothly and maybe even swiftly :)  I feel like I'm taking that last big breath before jumping into a cold pool.