KLR814
Rewind......LONG one
Jun 28, 2007
It wasn't until about May that I heard of this web site. By that time I had already gone through the process of all the tests and getting approved. Since I wasn't here to blog about it while it was actually happening, I thought I'd share now....
As you've may or may not have read in "My Story", my mom and I began the process in July 2006. Two friends of mine had already had surgery by Dr. Bonanni so I knew he would be the one I'd go to.
I made an appointment with Paula, the RN, at Abington Memorial Hospital Surgical Weight Loss Center. She then sent me a HUGE packet in the mail that I had to fill out before my appointment. I filled it out and arrived to see Paula. She told me I definitely qualified for surgery. To qualify you have to be 100 lbs or more overweight and have a BMI over 40. Check! (The requirements may be different at other centers, I am not sure.) She gave me a 3-ring binder with info such as sample diets for after surgery, a check list of items to buy before surgery, a check list of tests and consults that I would have get done, etc. Paula gave me scripts for blood work that had to be done. Here they are: CBC, Chem 7, Liver Profile, Amylase, Lipase, T3, T4, TSH, Calcium, Albumin, Lipid profile, PT, Thiamine level, Vit D, PTH Intact, Iron, Folate and Vit B 12.
Here is a list of everything else that needed to be done:
-Chest x-ray
-Ultrasound of Abdomen
-EKG
-ABG
-EGD (do after appointment with Dr.B)
-Stool H. Pylori
-6 months supervised diet
-Letter of recommendation from PCP
-Nutrition Consult
-Exercise Consult
-Psyche Consult
Everything had to be done BEFORE I seen Dr. B.
I had my work cut out for me!!!!
However, at that time I had just started a new job and did not have insurance yet. It was July and my insurance did not start until November. So I decided to get the things done that I would have to pay out of pocket for anyway. In August I started my 6 months of a supervised diet ($45 first appointment, $15 for each monthly appointment). I was able to have my nutrition consult ($125) and my psyche consult ($250). I had my nutrition consult Sep 6th 2006 and my psyche consult on Oct 9th 2006. After they were out of the way I started making appointments for the other things, that would be covered under insurance, for November. I had my appointment for an EKG November 2nd 2006. I was not wasting any time!!
I had my appointment with Dr. B December 7, 2006.
I had everything done for my appointment, except for my 6 month diet (which would end in January 2007) and my EGD.
My mom had her surgery January 10, 2007. (She did great!) I had my EGD January 11, 2007. My EGD went well although I was REALLY nervous. I had never had any kind of anesthesia and my mom couldn't be there with me since she had her surgery the day before! It went great! Everyone at Abington is AMAZING! I have not met one person in the entire hospital who wasn't very helpful and friendly. Even the maintenance crew, janitorial workers, kitchen staff, are all friendly and stop and say hello. Honest! I know I am getting off topic but...hehe I have to add this. When I was at the hospital for one of my many appointments, I got lost. I must have been looking confused because a doctor came up to me and asked me if he could help me. He walked me right to the door of my appointment!!!! SO nice.
Back on track...so the EGD went well. Dr. B said I had a mild case of GERD I believe. He said there was no reason for concern because nearly all overweight people have at least a mild case of it. My report from the 6 month diet was also sent in at this time.
I was finally done with EVERYTHING!!!! I just needed approval. We put everything in to insurance at the end of January 2007. And I waited and waited and waited. I called the surgical center a million times and there was no word. Finally! I came home from work one day and my mom told me I was denied! :(
I was devastated to say the least. All that work just to get denied. So I got the denial letter from insurance mid-March 2007. I was told by my mom (who talked to Jamie from the surgical center) that all 6 people who tried to get approved from Aetna, at the same time as me, got denied as well. Apparently, Aetna started a requirement that the patient be overweight for 5 years or more. They needed proof of it. EASY! I've been overweight forever so that was no problem.
We sent in the appeal with proof I was overweight for 5+ years at the end of March 2007.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! One night after work I came home to find an envelope from Aetna stating the decision was over turned and I was APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I got my approval on May 10th 2007. On the 14th I called for a date. I was told my surgery would be July 24th, 2007!!!!!!! Yayyy! It took forever!!!!
I am not required to lose any weight prior to surgery. I am pretty happy about that. I wasn't told I couldn't gain weight either. I have to be on a liquid diet for 5 days prior to surgery. I am required to be out of work for at least 4 weeks. I am scheduled for a pre-op education class and meeting with Dr. B's assistant on July 12th ( I think.) We will be taking a test and discussing the different diets for after surgery one last time. The day of surgery I have to be there by 6 am and my surgery is supposed to begin at 8 am. Since I live about an hour away from the hospital I will be getting up at about 4 am so we can leave at 5 am. Yuck! I like to sleep hehe
Although, I don't know how good I will be sleeping anyway.
Your still reading this?? lol hehe Sorry it was so long.
Thanks!
Have a great day!
As you've may or may not have read in "My Story", my mom and I began the process in July 2006. Two friends of mine had already had surgery by Dr. Bonanni so I knew he would be the one I'd go to.
I made an appointment with Paula, the RN, at Abington Memorial Hospital Surgical Weight Loss Center. She then sent me a HUGE packet in the mail that I had to fill out before my appointment. I filled it out and arrived to see Paula. She told me I definitely qualified for surgery. To qualify you have to be 100 lbs or more overweight and have a BMI over 40. Check! (The requirements may be different at other centers, I am not sure.) She gave me a 3-ring binder with info such as sample diets for after surgery, a check list of items to buy before surgery, a check list of tests and consults that I would have get done, etc. Paula gave me scripts for blood work that had to be done. Here they are: CBC, Chem 7, Liver Profile, Amylase, Lipase, T3, T4, TSH, Calcium, Albumin, Lipid profile, PT, Thiamine level, Vit D, PTH Intact, Iron, Folate and Vit B 12.
Here is a list of everything else that needed to be done:
-Chest x-ray
-Ultrasound of Abdomen
-EKG
-ABG
-EGD (do after appointment with Dr.B)
-Stool H. Pylori
-6 months supervised diet
-Letter of recommendation from PCP
-Nutrition Consult
-Exercise Consult
-Psyche Consult
Everything had to be done BEFORE I seen Dr. B.
I had my work cut out for me!!!!
However, at that time I had just started a new job and did not have insurance yet. It was July and my insurance did not start until November. So I decided to get the things done that I would have to pay out of pocket for anyway. In August I started my 6 months of a supervised diet ($45 first appointment, $15 for each monthly appointment). I was able to have my nutrition consult ($125) and my psyche consult ($250). I had my nutrition consult Sep 6th 2006 and my psyche consult on Oct 9th 2006. After they were out of the way I started making appointments for the other things, that would be covered under insurance, for November. I had my appointment for an EKG November 2nd 2006. I was not wasting any time!! I had my appointment with Dr. B December 7, 2006.
I had everything done for my appointment, except for my 6 month diet (which would end in January 2007) and my EGD.
My mom had her surgery January 10, 2007. (She did great!) I had my EGD January 11, 2007. My EGD went well although I was REALLY nervous. I had never had any kind of anesthesia and my mom couldn't be there with me since she had her surgery the day before! It went great! Everyone at Abington is AMAZING! I have not met one person in the entire hospital who wasn't very helpful and friendly. Even the maintenance crew, janitorial workers, kitchen staff, are all friendly and stop and say hello. Honest! I know I am getting off topic but...hehe I have to add this. When I was at the hospital for one of my many appointments, I got lost. I must have been looking confused because a doctor came up to me and asked me if he could help me. He walked me right to the door of my appointment!!!! SO nice.
Back on track...so the EGD went well. Dr. B said I had a mild case of GERD I believe. He said there was no reason for concern because nearly all overweight people have at least a mild case of it. My report from the 6 month diet was also sent in at this time.
I was finally done with EVERYTHING!!!! I just needed approval. We put everything in to insurance at the end of January 2007. And I waited and waited and waited. I called the surgical center a million times and there was no word. Finally! I came home from work one day and my mom told me I was denied! :(
I was devastated to say the least. All that work just to get denied. So I got the denial letter from insurance mid-March 2007. I was told by my mom (who talked to Jamie from the surgical center) that all 6 people who tried to get approved from Aetna, at the same time as me, got denied as well. Apparently, Aetna started a requirement that the patient be overweight for 5 years or more. They needed proof of it. EASY! I've been overweight forever so that was no problem. We sent in the appeal with proof I was overweight for 5+ years at the end of March 2007.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! One night after work I came home to find an envelope from Aetna stating the decision was over turned and I was APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I got my approval on May 10th 2007. On the 14th I called for a date. I was told my surgery would be July 24th, 2007!!!!!!! Yayyy! It took forever!!!! I am not required to lose any weight prior to surgery. I am pretty happy about that. I wasn't told I couldn't gain weight either. I have to be on a liquid diet for 5 days prior to surgery. I am required to be out of work for at least 4 weeks. I am scheduled for a pre-op education class and meeting with Dr. B's assistant on July 12th ( I think.) We will be taking a test and discussing the different diets for after surgery one last time. The day of surgery I have to be there by 6 am and my surgery is supposed to begin at 8 am. Since I live about an hour away from the hospital I will be getting up at about 4 am so we can leave at 5 am. Yuck! I like to sleep hehe
Although, I don't know how good I will be sleeping anyway. Your still reading this?? lol hehe Sorry it was so long.
Thanks!
Have a great day!
Negativity
Jun 25, 2007
I am now 28 days from my surgery 
Yay! I am starting to tell more people at work about it. I know word WILL get around and anyone who works in nursing knows what I mean! hehe (So much gossip)
I am amazed that all but one person who I've told, has tried talking me out of it!!!! I told my supervisor tonight and she got mad that I was doing it and would not talk to me for the rest of the evening!!! Everyone keeps saying "you are so young and pretty, why would you do that?" COME ON PEOPLE!
I will be 24 in August and I weigh nearly 300lbs. I am not healthy and not happy. People also ask me "have you really thought about it?" Are you kidding me??? I didn't wake up one day and decide to have surgery. I was going back and forth about it for 2 years or so. And I have been actively researching it for 3 years. So I'd say yes, I have thought about it!
Several of the women at work are saying how many people they have seen who have had severe complications (due to surgery). However, while they are telling me these horror stories, they fail to mention how many pre existing conditions they had and how compliant they are with the post surgery diet. The one person (who had trouble) still drinks 4 cokes a day!
I know problems can occur but I am more than willing to take the chance.
I am getting tired of trying to defend my choice to have it and I'm done with it. I will let them say what they have to say but nothing they tell me will talk me out of it. I appreciate genuine concern but I am 100% sure this is the right thing for me to do.
Thank you for reading and I hope my first blog wasn't too boring hehe
Night!
Yay! I am starting to tell more people at work about it. I know word WILL get around and anyone who works in nursing knows what I mean! hehe (So much gossip) I am amazed that all but one person who I've told, has tried talking me out of it!!!! I told my supervisor tonight and she got mad that I was doing it and would not talk to me for the rest of the evening!!! Everyone keeps saying "you are so young and pretty, why would you do that?" COME ON PEOPLE!
I will be 24 in August and I weigh nearly 300lbs. I am not healthy and not happy. People also ask me "have you really thought about it?" Are you kidding me??? I didn't wake up one day and decide to have surgery. I was going back and forth about it for 2 years or so. And I have been actively researching it for 3 years. So I'd say yes, I have thought about it!Several of the women at work are saying how many people they have seen who have had severe complications (due to surgery). However, while they are telling me these horror stories, they fail to mention how many pre existing conditions they had and how compliant they are with the post surgery diet. The one person (who had trouble) still drinks 4 cokes a day!
I know problems can occur but I am more than willing to take the chance. I am getting tired of trying to defend my choice to have it and I'm done with it. I will let them say what they have to say but nothing they tell me will talk me out of it. I appreciate genuine concern but I am 100% sure this is the right thing for me to do.
Thank you for reading and I hope my first blog wasn't too boring hehe
Night!
