Luxsit
I'm 47 years old. Been overweight my whole life. Remember back when I was six or seven with the older neighborhood kids calling me rolly-polly. Thinnest I have ever been was College when I reached about 235 lbs. Since then, it's been up and down, mostly up. Over past three years I been between 380 and 485 lbs. which is my adult max.
Diets - tried them all from Jenny Craig to Atkins.
Exercise - I could teach Weight Training. My favorite is the Pecor Eliptical Trainer - gone a million miles on it. Done swiming - that's my latest routine.
Food - lots of bad habits - only eat one meal a day sometimes. What I do eat, well any excess goes strait to fat storage. Yep, this is bad, will have to change this if I am going to survive and be a "good outcome" after surgery.
I guess I'm tired of the ups and downs. My issue is fueling. I need to fuel smaller and more often - like a bird - as they say.
Bariatric Surgery - "The Journey"
Many people call this a journey and it has been exactly that for me. I started to think about the Surgical option back in 2002-2003. If I had been less fearful, more impulsive, I'd probably been well on my way by now. But I hestiated, gave myself the well "Let's try to do it "Naturally" one more time. Back then, I had better insurance, would have been approved, and it would be done by now.
Neverless - hind sight is always 20-20... I was laid-off, in 2003, which afforded me an opportunity to re-evaluate a lot of things. I think that in August 2003, I had got to my highest plateau weight of 285 lbs. I got a contact Job in Texas in 2004. Family stayed in Colorado waiting to see if job would become full time. Other than sleep apnea, I'd have very good health up until 2004. I was lucky... In 2004, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure - result of stress, long hours, and bad eating habits. I did learn one thing during this time - how to do an extended fast. I've done a couple 40 day fasts since then. I'm not saying this is right for everyone, it's just right for me. I got a full time job and returned to Colorado early in 2005. I returned to Colorado a much slimmer 390 lbs, but began creaping back upward... In August 2005, I made the decision to meet with a Bariatric Surgeon outside of Denver. I weight in right around 465 lbs.
This is the point when I really began to learn about the Insurance process. My over-eager Bariatric Surgeon's office went and applied without all the documentation and prerequisits, and was denied. I learned that I needed better documentation and a six month managed weight loss program. So, after been a little pissed at my Surgeons staff, I started seeing my own Doctor for monthly weigh-ins. In Novemeber, I found out my insurance was changing. Nice, here we go again. Feburary 2006, I was in a car accident - no fault of my own, but this derailed my efforts for another 6 months while I healed from three broken ribs. Finally, June 2006, I double check my new insurance - good thing - new insurance had only a six month managed weight loss requirement. -Bad news - I need to start over again. Also learned my next big lesson, managed weight loss does not mean your own Doctor - it usually means a Doctor Specializing in weight loss. Well, I found one of these, and began a Managed weight loss process in August 2006. November 2006 - Company informs me that insurance is changing again. Sometimes you wonder if something is comspiring against you. As I looked into the change, I found out the new insurance had an exclusion for Bariatric Surgery - I guess this saves the Company I'm working for $$. Nice huh?
Ok, well, after feeling like giving up, I got lucky, well some call it luck, I don't. I call it Supernatural intervention - oh, I forgot to mention. I'm one of those fanatical, radically saved, rolling on the floor, tongue talking, born again Christians. Well, I don't roll on the floor much, I don't act like a lot of stupid Christians you see on TV. Some of them are real embarassments, but hey, I was not my choice. Bottom line, if you want to spend Eternity with your Creator, then you better except what his son Jesus Christ did for you 2000 years ago. If you disagree with me, that's ok, it's not my job to convince you. I did not make the rules, so take up your issues and agruements with the guy upstairs. He's always there to provide answers if you really are interested in the truth.
Ok, enough of the heavy spirtual stuff. As I was saying, through divine intervention, my manager, who knew that I was trying to get the Surgery, talked to the VP of HR, and I got a one year Tranistion of Care Exemption. Yep, I have until December 31, 2007 at midnight to get this surgery done.
Since January 2007, I been doing and completing the six month managed weight loss process. In February after the six months was up I went and met with the Surgeon I had seen in August 2005.
Prior to getting to my Physician appointment, I had discussed Lap Band with my wife. I really felt like it's a safer option that could use to reach my goals. I met with the Physician, and his staff and updated my information. When the Doctor can in to talk to me, he basically told me that Gastric was the only procedure he would do on someone my size. He also wanted me to complete the Pysch Eval I had start over a year ago, and have my wife attend a support group meeting with me. We did these things, and I still felt like Gastric was not the right way for me.
While attending the Support Group I learned that most of this group were patients of Dr. Synder.
To be continued...
