janethinds62
My story begins by me telling that I have always been overweight even as a child. After I had my two children it seemed as though my weight got out of control. Over the years I dieted and exercised but nothing seemed to help. I felt as if I would be "fat" the rest of my life. I had knew people that had Gastric By Pass and I was interested in it but I put in the back of my mind. I went for my annual check-up with my Primary Care Physician on 09/18/08 and I had gained more weight and my cholesterol was 204 and my LDL (bad cholesterol) was 123. The doctor suggested a change in my diet and told me with my family history of heart disease and stroke that I was at a greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke within the next 2 years if I did not get my weight and cholesterol under control. I did the dieting and had to return back to the doctor on 01/19/09 to have the cholesterol checked again, my total cholesterol was down to 188 but the LDL was 121 which was still abnormal and I had not lost any weight. Well I found out that my health insurance company (Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC) covered weight loss surgery. This is where "My Journey" began, a lady that is employed where I work had Lap Band in November 2008 and was doing real well so I asked her where she had it done and she told me that Dr. C. Kenneth Mitchell in Pinehurst, NC did her Lap Band and she told me how great he was. Then a friend of mine had Gastric By Pass on 12/15/08 but used a different doctor and hospital. After I seen her results I began doing research on Gastric By Pass Surgery. On 01/28/09 I sent an e-mail to Dr. Mitchell's office requesting the Process for Pursuing Weight Loss Surgery. On the same day I received the information from the Bariatric Coordinator with the steps I needed to follow. The first thing I had to do was attend a Bariatric Patient Information Session Seminar. I attended the very next seminar that was scheduled which was on 02/05/09. I listened to Dr. Mitchell explain the different surgeries, the risk and the life style change. At the seminar I was weighed and told my current BMI, I weighed 213 lbs and my BMI was 37.7, I am only 5'3. That night changed my life forever. I received my packet of instructions which required a letter of medical necessity from my PCP. I immediately started filling out my paper work and make an appointment with my PCP to talk to him about what I wanted to do. Finally on 03/11/09, I got my letter of medical necessity and faxed all my paper work in. Now I had to wait. At last, I am contacted by the doctor's office they had reviewed my paperwork and I was a candidate for Weight Loss Surgery but before I could schedule my consultation appointment I had to undergo a Psychological Evaluation, Sleep Study and take a MMPI Test. Finally, the doctor gets all the results, I passed the Psychological Evaluation and MMPI Test. My Sleep Study showed no sleep apnea and FINALLY I was given an appointment for my consultation on 04/29/09 with Dr. Mitchell. I will never forget that day. He came in and talked to me and my daughter and we discussed my options and I chose RNY Gastric By Pass. The next step was for the doctor's office to petition the insurance company which was done on 05/07/09 within an hour of submitting the petition I was APPROVED!! I was at work and received an e-mail telling me that it was time to celebrate that I had been approved. I still had one other test to undergo and EGD to check for H-Pylori and for Dr. Mitchell to look around in my stomach and see what he would be dealing with. I got good news no H-Pylori and I got my surgery date 05/21/09. Two days before my surgery I had to attend a Patient Education Class. Then finally on Thursday, 05/21/09, I did something that has changed my life forever, I underwent RNY-Gastric By Pass laproscopically.
