Patti B.
*April 30th 2006.
I've been married for 23 years, have 2 kids 21 and 17. I own stored called TwinkleToes. I am tired of being overweight.
I am tired of losing the weight only to gain it back at the drop of a hat. The yo-yo dieting is so discouraging. I am tired of failing. I am tired of feeling toxic all the time. I am tired of planning to do things "when I lose weight" only to fail and never to achieve them. I want to "begin" my life again.
In the last attempt I had lost over 70lbs. only to gain it all back and then some. Now, I am bigger than I have ever been. This time I promised myself I would try to lose weight one last time the old fashioned way, by dieting. And if I failed I would opt for WLS. This time I lost hardly anything. My modivation is gone. I have so much too lose and it seems too daunting of a task to take on. If I were 20 years younger, I would just keep trying to lose weight by dieting. But now that I am 45 almost 46, I am afraid if I don’t do this now, I may never lose weight and I will die young from some complication of being morbidly obese, something I could have PREVENTED.
So now is my journey into WLS and a new, comfortable in my own skin, me!! Today is the first day of the beginning of my new life!!!
*May 16, 2006
Well, I have spent hours and hours on OH reading everyone’s profiles and checking into the doctor’s in my area through OH. This is a great website!! Everyone’s experiences have helped me greatly. It gives me an insight on what to expect and yet to expect the unexpected. Everyone’s experiences are different, but I have learned from everyone!! Thanks everybody!! I had no idea that so many people are having WLS. I thought it was rare. Only people like Al Roker were having the surgery...I guess not!!
But to get to the nitty gritty, I am overwhelmed with the task of picking a surgeon. It is such a serious surgery, I really don’t know where to begin. I decided to contact OH tomorrow for help in finding a surgeon. Let you know how it all goes…see ya soon Patti
*June 13th, 2006
I finally contacted OH with help finding a surgeon. Amy called me back promptly the next day. I wasn’t there, but I called back and spoke to a very nice gentleman named Jeff. He was very helpful. He listened very carefully to what I was saying and then gave me exactly what I was looking for!! OH is GREAT!! It really helped me with my confusion picking a doctor. Anyways, he emailed me 3 places that were closest to me that were a "center of excellence" for WLS. I chose the closest center to me (approx 85 miles) and I attended their next informational meeting. The meeting was on the 6/8 and in RI. After attending his meeting I was very satisfied with the Doctor. He was very frank and up front, yet had a sense of humor. He didn’t sugar coat anything and must have said 20 times that WLS is not an easy way out. That you must change how you live, eat and exercise along with the surgery. He also talked extensively about how the complications are serious and life threatening, but the alternative can also be life threatening. I was pleased to say the least. His pre-op is extensive and strict and his aftercare is also extensive. I am looking forward to starting the process! I spent some time after the meeting talking with the nurse and she is trying to set up my pre-ops all on the same day so I don’t have to travel from NH to RI too many times. So far I am very pleased with them!! Till the next post……Patti = )
*June 19, 2006
Well I finally got a hold of Elaine again. She told me Dr. Pohl said I could have most of my appointments up here in NH if that's what I wanted except for the cardiologist. In his info seminar, Pohl said he preferred his patents to see his chosen pre-op people. I want to do what he thinks is best, not what’s easiest!! So I decided it best to have most if not all of the pre-op appointments with his preferred people just to keep the paperwork from getting held up by distance. I already have that issue with my daughter’s neurologist!! It’s really a pain in the neck! Then I can take my time finding nutritionists, psych etc up here to do all of the long term follow-ups! Anyways……I have my first appointment with Dr. Pohl on July 13th!!!! I hope I can get all the pre-op appointments required before this meeting done!! Till the next post……Patti = )
*Feb 5, 2007
Well funny how time has a way of passing and you don’t even realize it. Anyways things here have been on a roller coaster ride since the 13th of July. I went to several appointments on July 13. I was totally naive to think that I could get them all done in one day. LOL. I did see Dr. Pohl for the first time and attended a second WLS seminar. I also saw the nutritionist and the psych Dr. I was there all day long. The psych appointment alone was at least 5 hours long. WOW On 7/26 I saw Dr. Lanna for cardio and we decided to have testing done just to be on the safe side. So on 8/7 I had a stress test done. On 8/22 and 8/29 I had the sleep apnea overnights done. On 9/1 I saw my regular PCP to get the letter I needed from her. I also saw another nutritionist up here as a follow up and for the 10lbs we have to lose before surgery. After all these tests, I called and made my second appointment with Dr. Pohl. His appointment was on 9/25. I was soooo excited!! I couldn’t wait. I didn’t even mind the 21/2 hour drive that day!! When I sat down with Dr. Pohl, he had a look and I knew immediately that there was a problem. He informed me that my insurance was the insurance that required the most....ONE FULL YEAR of a physician’s supervised diet including extremes like medications and proof of exercise before they would even think of paying for the surgery. I sat there stunned. We chatted for a bit and he remarked at how well I was taking this. I was in shock I think. I drove home without even thinking about anything....just driving. I was so disappointed. All I could think about is I have to have this surgery done. I am afraid to wait a year. I don’t want to have a heart attack, anxiety, depression, stroke or diabetes. I don’t want to get even fatter either. In my head I can just see the look on my husband’s face when I tell him I need even MORE money to spend on trying to lose weight. I was so afraid to discuss this with him. I know he has been as disappointed as I have been. I have spent so much money over these last 26 years trying to lose weight and now I need how much??? Well, I went home and told my husband the bad news, but I didn’t talk about paying for it ourselves. I was really depressed for about 2 weeks. And so much for those lost 10lbs before surgery. It took less then a week to gain it back. I finally called my insurance company I gave the person who answered my call a real hard time about them not informing me of this ‘waiting a year’ thing when I called TWICE about having WLS surgery done back in April of 2006. I could have well been on my way to fulfilling my requirements!! We spoke for 2 hours, and she apologized many many times, but it didn’t help how I felt nor did it help me get the surgery paid for by insurance!!
Finally I got the courage to call Dr. Pohl’s office to find out the cost of the surgery if paying myself. Elaine wasn’t there and I had to wait a week, because she was on vacation. Okay now that I was feeling better and was ready to tackle this head on again, I didn’t want to wait a week. Anyways, when I called back she gave me the total. $13,000. I was shocked. I thought it was going to cost at least $30,000 or more. I was very pleased, but still hesitant to speak to my husband about this. I thought hard about how to go about talking with him and then I did. He told me to just do it. Okay all the hurdles are cleared and now to call to make appointment with Dr. Pohl for a surgery date. I called and Elaine told me I had one more test to do. OMG another TEST An Upper Endoscopy. I wrongly thought that was left until just before surgery. Well, now it’s in the middle of October and it’s nearing end of back to school time for me and since I have to still have the EGD done and then schedule the WLS, my plans for having surgery in November are out. November into December are a slow time for me, it would have been a good time. Because I co-own a retail store, I have to wait for another slow time before I can have the WLS. They scheduled the EGD for January 19th. A month can really seem like an eternity!! Anyways, on the 19th when I got home from the procedure, still groggy, I called Elaine for an appointment with Dr. Pohl. My appointment is on February 12th!! I am hoping I can plan the WLS for April. I will let you know!! Till then....peace!! Patti = )
