phfauche
Drum Roll Please!
Apr 23, 2008
Well, it's finally happened. April 15, 2008. Dr. Curry did lap band surgery on me. It's almost hard to believe. I've waited so long for this. The operation went very smooth, hardly any pain at all. I believe I asked for medication only once. The gas bothered me more than my incisions. To be continued.....
April 8, 2008
Apr 08, 2008
Gosh, where do I start? I started my liquid pre-op diet April 2nd. It's Medi-fast and it is just horrible. I am surviving on chocolate shakes, protein bars and chicken and rice soup. The eggs weren't too bad untl I overcooked them and ate rubbery eggs. Now I'm kind of turned off on them. They say you get used to it after the 3rd day. Well I'm still not used to it. Don't know if I ever will be. I've even questioned myself wondering if I'm doing the right thing having this surgery.
The good thing about the diet is that I lost 8 lbs so far. I'm trying to stay focused but it's hard because I have to cook dinner for others in the house, so I do that and leave the kitchen. I can't stand to be around the others when they eat. Jokingly I told them the only way they could eat is if it didn't smell.
Like I said, I've got to stay focused. Next week at this time I will be in a hotel down in Cincinnati. I've got to be at Jewish Hospital at 5:30 next Tuesday morning, my surgery is scheduled for 7:30. No, I take that back. Today is Tuesday (I was thinking it was Monday), next week at this time it will all be over and I will be spending 1 night at the hospital. Wow!!
I'm saying my prayers that all of this goes as planned. I'm putting it all in the hands of the Lord. He will take care of me.
The good thing about the diet is that I lost 8 lbs so far. I'm trying to stay focused but it's hard because I have to cook dinner for others in the house, so I do that and leave the kitchen. I can't stand to be around the others when they eat. Jokingly I told them the only way they could eat is if it didn't smell.
Like I said, I've got to stay focused. Next week at this time I will be in a hotel down in Cincinnati. I've got to be at Jewish Hospital at 5:30 next Tuesday morning, my surgery is scheduled for 7:30. No, I take that back. Today is Tuesday (I was thinking it was Monday), next week at this time it will all be over and I will be spending 1 night at the hospital. Wow!!
I'm saying my prayers that all of this goes as planned. I'm putting it all in the hands of the Lord. He will take care of me.
March 7, 2008
Mar 07, 2008
A lot has happened since July, 2007. I did meet with Dr. Curry and found out that the VSG is not covered by insurance yet. So I decided to go with the LapBand. Dr. Curry's office submitted all of my paper work for me and I was denied sometimes in December. The insurance said there wasn't enough info supporting my weight loss program. So I sent them all of my food journals from my LEARN program and resent my PCP's office notes and weight watchers info. (I attended 3 months of Weight Watchers under the supervision of my PCP)
One month later, Feb. 2nd to be exact, I received a letter from Horizon stating that they decided to "approve the services that were initially denied". So, the surgery is a go. I decided to schedule it for April 15, 2008. We are going to visit family down in South Louisiana the week after Easter and I want to have one last hurah. Actually if I had had the surgery before the trip I would still be on a liquid diet so I decided to wait.
I go for my nutritional counseling April 1st and start my 2 weeks of all liquid diet (Medifast) April 2nd. Then on to surgery April 15th. I can't wait, it has sure been a long ordeal from start to finish.
I have good news too, I won't be going through this alone. My middle daughter has also decided to have LapBand surgery. She is going through Mr. Carmel and Dr. Choban here in Columbus. She hasn't gotten a date yet.
Maybe there is a light at the end of the tunnel afterall.
One month later, Feb. 2nd to be exact, I received a letter from Horizon stating that they decided to "approve the services that were initially denied". So, the surgery is a go. I decided to schedule it for April 15, 2008. We are going to visit family down in South Louisiana the week after Easter and I want to have one last hurah. Actually if I had had the surgery before the trip I would still be on a liquid diet so I decided to wait.
I go for my nutritional counseling April 1st and start my 2 weeks of all liquid diet (Medifast) April 2nd. Then on to surgery April 15th. I can't wait, it has sure been a long ordeal from start to finish.
I have good news too, I won't be going through this alone. My middle daughter has also decided to have LapBand surgery. She is going through Mr. Carmel and Dr. Choban here in Columbus. She hasn't gotten a date yet.
Maybe there is a light at the end of the tunnel afterall.
July 30, 2007
Jul 30, 2007
Things have been really quiet on the WLS front for me. I'm getting ready to start my last month of my supervised WLP. Will I be glad that's over.
I've been having a lot of second thoughts about this surgery. A while back someone brought up a good question, "Who will take care of me when I'm by myself, like in a nursing home? Who will be there to make sure I will get the correct diet and vitamins and such? That's why I've been searching for other alternatives. I've looked into the VSG. With this you don't have to worry about malabsorbtion (spelling?) of vitamins and minerals. And, there is no re-routing of the plumbing.
I've got an appointment to meet with Dr. Trace Curry down in Cincinnati on August 8th to discuss the VSG with him. I still don't know whether or not my insurance will cover this type of surgery, it's fairly new. I want his insurance person to find out for me before I start transferring all of my files. We'll see what this holds for me.
I've been having a lot of second thoughts about this surgery. A while back someone brought up a good question, "Who will take care of me when I'm by myself, like in a nursing home? Who will be there to make sure I will get the correct diet and vitamins and such? That's why I've been searching for other alternatives. I've looked into the VSG. With this you don't have to worry about malabsorbtion (spelling?) of vitamins and minerals. And, there is no re-routing of the plumbing.
I've got an appointment to meet with Dr. Trace Curry down in Cincinnati on August 8th to discuss the VSG with him. I still don't know whether or not my insurance will cover this type of surgery, it's fairly new. I want his insurance person to find out for me before I start transferring all of my files. We'll see what this holds for me.
June 25, 2007
Jun 25, 2007
I just spent almost an entire week on the bariatrics floor of OSU. It was pretty quiet though, all of the bariatric surgeons were at a conference in San Diego, CA. Last Wednesday my daughter, Katy (who had her RNY in 2002 in another state) had a lot of stomach pain and problems (the pain and problems had actually been getting progressively worse over the last two weeks) and decided to go to the emergency room. Having visited OSU's emergency room prior to this visit we opted for Riverside. Ran the usual blood work and did a CT scan of her stomach. They said it looked to be an intersusseption (that is when the bowl telescopes into itself). They tried to call Dr. Meyer in San Diego, no luck. After keeping her for almost 12 hrs. they decided to send Katy to OSU. They transferred her at 11:30 that night. After running another set of blood work and a CT scan the radiologist at OSU said intersusseption (I hope I'm spelling this right). Katy's doctor is Dr. Muscarella from OSU. He finally decided Friday afternoon to do exploratory surgery to check the intestins out. They cut her open and found nothing. When her dr. met with us after the surgery he told me they would do a scope Monday, maybe she had an ulcer. Her doctor left for vacation Saturday. They ended up not doing a scope, they decided she didn't have an ulcer.
Katy ended up staying in the hospital until Wednesday and still doesn't know anything more. They set up an appointment with Dr. Needleman sometimes in July.
The whole time in the back of my mind I'm thinking do I want this for me? Yes? or No? ...and I wonder, do I really want to have this done? I am a firm believer of "everything happens for a reason" and there are all these things happening that keep pushing this dream back further and further. I'm getting cold feet. Should I have it done?
I'm going through OSU and have been at this since July of 2006. I've been jumping through all of their hoops and attended their 12 week Weight Loss Program. Well after getting all of the required info sent to them, they came back and told me that my insurance company has changed its required supervised WLP to 6 months instead of 3. So, I'm atttending Weight Watchers under the supervision of my PCP. I just have to report to the doctor once a month. OSU then called to tell me that because I've taken so long getting the information to them that my insurance company was closing my case. Well, you can only do so much, I faxed all of my previous doctors, told them what I needed and had everything sent to my PCP. They lost some of the info. OSU has quit calling me too.
In the mean time I've been going back and forth to retina specialists with my husband, have (myself) had a lung biopsy and wash and have had my daughter in the hospital plus watching her children while she works and (goes to school now).
What to do??
Katy ended up staying in the hospital until Wednesday and still doesn't know anything more. They set up an appointment with Dr. Needleman sometimes in July.
The whole time in the back of my mind I'm thinking do I want this for me? Yes? or No? ...and I wonder, do I really want to have this done? I am a firm believer of "everything happens for a reason" and there are all these things happening that keep pushing this dream back further and further. I'm getting cold feet. Should I have it done?
I'm going through OSU and have been at this since July of 2006. I've been jumping through all of their hoops and attended their 12 week Weight Loss Program. Well after getting all of the required info sent to them, they came back and told me that my insurance company has changed its required supervised WLP to 6 months instead of 3. So, I'm atttending Weight Watchers under the supervision of my PCP. I just have to report to the doctor once a month. OSU then called to tell me that because I've taken so long getting the information to them that my insurance company was closing my case. Well, you can only do so much, I faxed all of my previous doctors, told them what I needed and had everything sent to my PCP. They lost some of the info. OSU has quit calling me too.
In the mean time I've been going back and forth to retina specialists with my husband, have (myself) had a lung biopsy and wash and have had my daughter in the hospital plus watching her children while she works and (goes to school now).
What to do??
April 17, 2007
Apr 20, 2007
Yesterday I went in for my consultation with Dr. Mikami. My daughter, Katy, came with me. Dr. Mikami proceeded to explain the difference between the 2 procedures, LapBand and RNY. He said they will do LapBand if the patient requests it but does not like to do it. He said you don't know what will happen 1o years down the road. I told him that was my concern also. I have been researching and trying to find info of patients past 5 years.
I also told Dr. Mikami that something happened this past weekend that pretty much made me decide on the RNY. My husband is having to take a medical retirement and go on disability in a couple of months. That means we will only have our insurance for 6-7 months longer. I don't know how medicare will be with LapBand. I've heard so many people say they won't cover it. So I guess I'm having the RNY.
I also told Dr. Mikami that something happened this past weekend that pretty much made me decide on the RNY. My husband is having to take a medical retirement and go on disability in a couple of months. That means we will only have our insurance for 6-7 months longer. I don't know how medicare will be with LapBand. I've heard so many people say they won't cover it. So I guess I'm having the RNY.
April 12, 2007
Apr 20, 2007
What A surprise!! I just got a call from Dr. Mikami's office. I go in April 16th for my appointment. I am still having trouble deciding between LapBand and RNY, will be discussing that with him then.
WOW! It's starting to get real. I'm starting to get nervous.
WOW! It's starting to get real. I'm starting to get nervous.
4/11/2007
Apr 20, 2007
Well today is my wedding anniversary, my husband and I have been married 37 years. Received a call from Mindy Slenn, Program Director for OSUB. It's time to start my nutrition classes. I was given the option of either attending here in Bucyrus or going over there to OSU. Decided to go to OSU because they have more experience with the after surgery nutrition.
I also spoke with OSU's insurance person, Kathy. She was telling me that our insurance company changed their guide lines sometimes at the end of 2006. I was supposed to take a 12 week supervised WLP which I did, it ran from October - December. Now they are telling me I was supposed to have a 6 month program. Why didn't they tell me that sooner? I could have done something about the extra 3 months.
Spoke to Mindy again about this and she said they haven't received a denial letter yet. That's a good sign. So I'm getting my PCP to fax over their office notes with my weights on them.
Hopefully the insurance company will accept this. Even though I was seeing my PCP for other problems I made sure they weighed me every time I was in there.
I also spoke with OSU's insurance person, Kathy. She was telling me that our insurance company changed their guide lines sometimes at the end of 2006. I was supposed to take a 12 week supervised WLP which I did, it ran from October - December. Now they are telling me I was supposed to have a 6 month program. Why didn't they tell me that sooner? I could have done something about the extra 3 months.
Spoke to Mindy again about this and she said they haven't received a denial letter yet. That's a good sign. So I'm getting my PCP to fax over their office notes with my weights on them.
Hopefully the insurance company will accept this. Even though I was seeing my PCP for other problems I made sure they weighed me every time I was in there.
March, 2007
Feb 28, 2007
3/18/07
Got a call from OSU Bariatrics Friday, 3/16/07. I've been approved for the surgery and I am to begin my 4 weeks of nutrition classes. They are also forwarding my file over to my surgeon, Dr. Mikami so I can meet with him and discuss the type procedure they are going to do on me. I'm leaning towards LapBand. I'm scared to lose too much weight. I asked them if it would be possible to submit both procedures, the RNY and LapBand, but they told me they were going to submit for RNY and if I decided differently after I speak with the surgeon then they will resubmit. So everything is a go.
I thought I would be more excited than I am. I think because I've waiting so long that now that it is happening I'm scared. I won't chicken out though. I'll update as soon as I get more information.
3/07/07
Haven't been on here in a while. Have been in a big slump. I'm tired of waiting for the waiting to be over. I surprised myself, I've kept my weight off. I went back to drinking my cokes but I know I can stop them when I need to. Got a letter from OSU stating that they are waiting for an evaluation from my therapist. So I called they and spoke to the program director and she told me that was all I needed for my case's final review.
November, 2006
Nov 29, 2006
11/9/06
This class was very interesting. I got on the scale and it showed 218.0. Goody, lost a pound. Then one of the people in the class said he got on the scale 4 times and never got the same reading. So I proceeded to do the same thing. 4 times 4 different readings, 218.0, 214.4, 217.4, 216.6. Turned in all 4 and wrote a note that I will choose the weight I go by next week. If I chose the lowest number then I might gain next week. If I chose the highest I only lost 1 lb. I really did try this past week. I'm not getting enough vegetables and fruits.
11/2/06
Another week of class gone by. Stayed the same (219.0). These classes are so boring. At least I have a book to read, but the teachers (both young enough to be my daughters) are just showing us a slide presentation and talking a little. Mostly reading off the slides. But I have to do this.
About Me
Columbus, OH
Location
43.5
BMI
Surgery
04/15/2008
Surgery Date
Mar 06, 2006
Member Since
