LouZenIt
2 days to go................
Dec 21, 2008
I have stocked up on some Post op items - Isopure, Gatorade, need to get Jello - maybe should get some Popsicles for my son -I'll never like Popsicles. Got broth in the freezer and "good" holiday foods for the other 2 boys and my husband. Got my heating pad and comfy jammies awaiting my return. Had Netflix send some good films - just hope we don't have trouble getting POST op Rx's filled on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day...........I WILL want my pain med's!...what am I forgetting????
I have been so lucky to this point - everything has fallen into place with very few small bumps along the way. I almost worry that my luck could run out...........................nope - don't go there. Shake that off! Again, I wish I could just wake up in 7 days and this all be over.......................... more tomorrow.
This Killin' time is Killin' Me
Dec 14, 2008
I'm doing good - I must admit that I'm doing mostly shakes and then some protein / no carb foods. Cheese, Meat, Cottage Cheese, had salad on Friday.......but I'm working it. The problem is the anxiousness. I am not sleeping very well- going to be late/ getting up early, which trust me, is not my usual style. I just feel like I have a LOT to do before surgery - House, work, Christmas. Of course I'm not getting a lot done, mostly treading water. That- and it seems like it's taking for EVER for my surgery to get here. I just want to be on the other side of surgery.
Again though, the protein shakes are ok (?) and I have a lot more energy than I thought I would. I'm not getting hungry really it's more a nausea feeling which can make the shakes a little challenging.
Saw the Surgeon for the PreOp appointment last Thursday - no biggie- also no real info. I have to go to see the Cardio doc on Friday- my son does too? I guess it can't hurt to be cleared but it seems to be just another obstacle to surgery day. Need to call the hospital tomorrow to set up the Preop stuff...............so things are going but not fast enough for me. Surgery day is still 9 days away.
I have had a couple of moments the last week and 1/2 in regards to realizing that I will no longer be able eat the way I have for 48 years - not like I'm thinking of backing out -NO WAY! - but just seeing certain foods at the store or in TV commercials and thinking $#@*!, I'm not going to be eating that again. At least not in the manner that I have eaten it in the past - Can you say PIG OUT!!!!
On a positive note - I weighed myself yesterday and have lost 5 lbs since starting the yummy, yummy protein. I'm not as concerned about my weight as I am worrying about my Liver size...Hope it's getting tiny! HA!
Today is the First Day or the rest of my life
Dec 08, 2008
OK! Just popped the top on the first Strawberry - first sip - Huh, not great but doable. I just wonder how my son will do with theses..............?????
I'm APPROVED........or so they say????
Dec 03, 2008
I completed my last weigh in appointment November 7Th - My PCP didn't get the info to the surgeon until Nov 17Th, YES I was freaking out!!!! I really need to have my surgery by the end of the year because we met the sizable family deductible and out of pocket amounts for the year and I REALLY cannot afford to start that over again,,,,,,,anyway back to the story. My surgeons office sent the packet to the insurance company for approval via fax Nov 18Th. I called the insurance company the next day to confirm that they had received my information. They had and when asked they said it could take up to 10 business days to approve. I tried to stay calm and did not call them back until MONDAY Nov 25Th - after getting passed to several customer service workers I was told that I was approved Nov 20Th. GREAT!!!!! WHO HOO!!! I asked it they could fax me a copy of the approval letter so that I could take it to my doctor's office ASAP to get on the surgery schedule.............Here's where it starts to get goofy..........The agent said that the approval letters were sent to me and my surgeon on the 20th and that we should receive them soon.....???? BUT I WANT you to FAX me a copy ....... I was put on hold and finally a lady came back- asked for my fax number and told me that it should be faxed within 48 hours. WHAT?!?!?! How long does it take to print a copy and fax it. But what could I do...........you guessed it - the fax never came nor the letters. That was the week of Thanksgiving so I waited until Monday Dec 1 and called my doctors office - they had been kind enough to go ahead and place me on the surgical schedule on DEC 23 (same day as my son) - THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY APPROVAL YET from my insurance company.
OK- now my son is having the same type of WLS as I am, using the same surgeon I am and we have the same insurance (He's still in college so he's still covered under my husbands insurance - THANK GOD.) His insurance approval packet was sent in NOVEMBER 3 via fax at @4:30pm and my surgeons office was notified - by phone or fax (?)that he was approved THE NEXT MORNING by 10:00am.........whats the deal with mine????
Back to Dec 1st. After getting off the phone with the Surgeons office - the poor staff, I'm sure I'm driving them crazy between questions about me and questions for my son - I immediately call the insurance company.
Again with the passing me around to different customer agents.........gggrrr. Finally I get a rather snippy lady who does confirm that I am approved, she gives me my case number which indicates that I am approved. I tell her that I still have not received my letter NOR HAS THE SURGEONS office - and I NEVER got the fax. All she says is "I can ASSURE you that the letters were mailed!" I ask if she (or someone) could call my surgeons office to tell them that I am approved so that they will NOT REMOVE me from the surgery schedule. "No ma'am, I cannot do that, but if they'd like to call and confirm THEY can."
GGRR - now I want to hurt the snippy lady on the phone. I try to keep calm and ask what info the surgeons office will need to have and what number they will need to call. I also ask if they could PLEASE fax me a copy. She snippily takes my fax number AGAIN. I ask when I should expect the fax and she say"Well I don't think it will be in the next 2 seconds but it will be sometime today......" then she gives me the "is there anything ELSE we can do for you today?" line. Guess who didn't get the fax DAY 2?
SO TODAY - DEC 3 - I call the insurance company back- I was all ready to be mean and ask to speak with a supervisor but the young man that answers seemed so kind and eager to help. I told him my plight and explained that I had not yet received my fax(es) or letter and that I was beginning to PANIC! He gently laughed and told me that he would walk my request straight to the supervisors office and that I should receive my fax soon..............Well I guess soon must be on the 12th of NEVER because I didn't get it today either. Nor the letter.
I will not feel certain that I'm approved until I have it in writ ting in my chubby little hands...........I'm trying to stay calm and positive but............
TOMORROW I WILL SPEAK WITH A SUPERVISOR and I PROBABLY WILL NOT BE TOO NICE.
