jasong

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I haven't posted in some time but figured I'd update this as I'm inspired to.  

Having the DS has completely saved my life and is without a doubt one of the best decisions I've ever made...period!

I now currently weigh 203 pounds and am right where I want to be.  I'm eating whatever I want, whenever I want (which sometimes isn't quiet as fun as it sounds :D ).  I have near limitless amounts of energy and can do the things that seemed impossible only 8 months ago.

I have found a new self confidence that I've never had before at any time in my life.  I hardly recognize the person that I was 9 months ago (and I don't mean just physically).

Last December for the first time in over a decade I started looking around the job market and ended up getting an offer that was matched by my current employer who didn't want to see me go.  A nice big raise and very rewarding to have my value to my current employer validated.  It's something I would have NEVER considered doing when I was almost 400 pounds.  The thought of going through an interview process was horrifying at best.

I am sooooo very thankful for the DS and what it has done for me, my family and my future. 

Just arrived this evening in SF and checked myself into my temporary home for the next two weeks.

Saying goodbye to my wife and two daughters was far more difficult that I thought it would.  Seeing my wife totally lose it made it much more difficult for me as well.  As I was waiting to board the plane I thought to myself-- "what in the world am I doing??!!"  

I was tempted to not board and catch a cab home but reality hit me like a ton of bricks a few minutes later when the seatbelt in my first class seat would not fit all the way around my waist.  How freaking embarrasing.  So rather than draw attention to myself and ask for an extension I just tucked the belt under my gut and "pretended" like it was fastened. 

This is exactly why I'm going through with this surgery. 

The past few days have been loaded with lots of conversations between my parents and wife trying to figure out the details on where to stay and what flights to take etc.  Thankfully my mother is an expert traveller and has been able to find some incredible deals that will save us some substantial money.

9 days and counting!

I can't believe it but I have a surgery date!  I'll be going in for surgery on May 9th (my brother's birthday!) in San Francisco with PacLap (Pacific Laparoscopy--Dr. John Rabkin).

It's been an absolute miracle and blessing how things have fallen into place so this surgery could happen.  Obstacles that I thought would be difficult to impossible to overcome have become resolved instantly and here I am less than 2 weeks away from surgery!

I have everything completed for the surgery except the psychological evaluation which will be done this Friday and an echocardiogram (for precaution---my PCP feels it's completely unnecessary but PacLap wants one done so I'm doing it).  The echo is scheduled for this afternoon at 1pm.  

It's been an incredibly busy last few days getting all the arrangements made (huge thanks to my mother and wife for playing the role of travel agents!) and having the battery of tests done to make sure everything is OK for surgery. 

Let the countdown begin!

I'm just getting back from the Oregon coast after an incredible weeklong vacation with my wife, two daughters and my parents.  We had perfect weather considering it was the Oregon coast (total crapshoot on what kind of weather you get---we went in the middle of August several years ago and it was 50 degrees and rainy the entire week!)

I received an email on my Blackberry on Tuesday April 17th from PacLap stating that all my documentation and information had been submitted to my insurance company for approval and we just had to wait now with a cautionary note that sometimes it can take 30 days for insurance companies to give an answer.

Well on Wednesday morning at 10:15am or so I received a voicemail to call PacLap to call to speak with the insurance coordinator and she had some "good news" to share with me.

Instantly my heart starting beating a little faster as I called the insurance coordinator and my wife and parents listened intently (we were out at lunch sitting in the restaurant).  I got ahold of Tatianne and she said "I've got some great news--your insurance company approved the procedure!"  I wanted to stand up right then and there on the restaurant table and do a happy dance!!

What great news and it must be meant to happen as it's coming together so quickly and the pieces are falling into place even with my tight timeline and my paid work sabattical.  ONE DAY FOR APPROVAL!!!  I was totally expecting to have to contact my insurance company daily and "bug" them for status updates and maybe if I was lucky I'd hear back in 15 days or so.  But ONE DAY???!!!!??   :-D

I now have a consult scheduled for this coming Tuesday with the PA's and should get a surgery date at that time.  YAAAAHOOOOOO!!!

Finally had my EKG this morning, got the outstanding super-supportive letter from my PCP and sent everything off to PacLap for submitting to my insurance company.

Let the wait begin....

OK so I posted my story under my blog section.  Such a newb!!  :-D

To summarize where I am at this point in the process:

I've contacted my insurance company (Excellus BCBS) and they do cover the DS!  There are a few minimal requirements (minimal compared to other's horror stories):

1) BMI over 40 or 35 with co-morbidities.
2) PCP letter of support and documentation of at least one 6 month weight loss effort.

Not too bad!  I'm 98% convinced that the DS is the right choice for me.  I don't want to regain my weight and the only thing that scares me is the potential for gas/bowel problems.  If I was certain that I'd be as successful on the VG I'd just have that but I have a strong feeling that with time I'd learn to out eat my tiny stomach.

I am also 95% sure that I'll be having my surgery in San Francisco with the Rabkins.  They have come highly recommended to me by numerous sources.  Even the Dr that I would have had surgery with if I was self paying highly recommended them.  Being on the west coast it'll be a short plane trip to SF.

I'm looking for recommendations on a great, very comfortable, nicer hotel to stay in.  Last thing I want is to be stuck in a lousy bed in a seedy neighborhood trying to recover.  Recommendations are gladly accepted and appreciated!!

I've had an appointment/check-up with my PCP and he's completely on board with my decision to have WLS.  I have an EKG scheduled for this week so once I have that done and get my PCP's letter I'll be submitting everything to PacLap for approval. 

I'm hoping for a surgery date in early May.  I'll be using a 4 week paid sabattical from my employer to have the surgery and recover and it'd work best with my work schedule (projects etc) to have it in May.

We'll see!!