(long)Monday is surgery and here's the scoop...

Hi my FL sweetys! Sallykate here. I just thought I would post an update that I added to my profile earlier today. It is a summary of where I am at in the process and what has been going on. I hope you all are well! Hugs My surgery is just 3 sleeps and a wake up away. However it has not come without a roller coaster ride... Shirley called me after my approval to let me know that I had to pay them $970.00 What??!! My heart dropped into the bottom of my stomach. But I had not come this far to have it snatched away from me due to money. I got on the phone with Aetna and was told that my surgeon had been misinformed. When it was all said and done I owed $540.00 I negotiated with the office manager and got that sum shaved down to $400.00. Well thank the Lord for my candle fundraiser account that I had just gotten because it paid for my surgery! I went for all my pre-op testing on Monday the 17th. I had to be pre-admitted first... and another roller coaster ride ensued at the admitting desk! I was told that I was supposed to pay the money that I paid to the surgeon to the hospital. ugh! Then on top of that, they said that I would need to pay $1866.00 for my surgery! I told them noooo way. My insurance told me that I would only be paying $100.00 max. My friend and angel WildCat Lady (Kim) was there with me and started praying! I was sweating big time. By the time it was all over (after about an hour) I wound up paying nothing! Thank-you God! So off I went for my testing. I had a ton of blood drawn, a respiratory test and blood gas drawn, an EKG and barium test and lastly a consult with a pre-op nurse. All went well but it took all day. We left my house at 6 am and returned home at 6pm. At this point I am feeling relieved that it is all over and my surgery is a definite go until the next morning... I wake up to a phone call from the surgeon' office telling me that I my EKG came back abnormal and that I must get a cardiac clearance the next morning or my surgery will be cancelled. What next??!! Oh the emotions. I like how hubby analagyzed it...It's like thinking your going to disney world. You plan and plan and dream and then you get there and find it burned down the night before! ugh! However, I must say that I was not all "scared". I did not feel like there was anything wrong with my heart and was just positive that there wasn't... I had a peace about that. I was more anxious that they would want to do tests and that it would delay my surgery date. THAT bothered me! I called the cardiologist because I was told that I would be expected to pay in full for the visit because this particular cardiologist was out of network for me. They told me $350.00 or more. Yikes! My friends prayed and my mom prayed and I prayed...again, I wound up not paying even a dime. THANK-YOU GOD again! I rally liked the cardiologist. His name is Dr. Green. He said that whoever read my EKG from the dy before was nuts...it was perfect. He did another there in his office and it was perfect. He then went ahead and had me get an echocardiogram (heart ultra sound) and it too was perfect. He said that I was a perfect candidate for this surgery because my heart was so strong and my arterys etc. were clean and clear. Whew! Big sigh. So I went to see Dr. Brient for my last pre-op consult on Thurs. )ct 20th. All went well and he we are a go for surgery on Monday. HOWEVER, I have caught a cold and have had a sore throat and runny nose. I am getting a bit of a cough as well. SO, what am I gonna do? You guessed it, PRAY! I'll post again when I am on the other side. I can't wait. Hugs and blessings, Sallykate

SallyKate, All the battles are so worth the reward. This is the most interesting ride I've ever been on, so buckle your seatbelt and hang on tight...don't forget to stop and enjoy the ride along the way! Good luck! PC

Wow! PC I just looked at your before and afters and you look great! You are doing fantastic. Only 3 months out? Sallykate

Lots of prayers going up for you! He brought you to it, He'll bring you through it! Erika L

Thank-you Erika! .... I covet them.

Just think, you are on the home stretch. You will do well. Just sit back, relax, enjoy the ride and do not sweat about the small stuff and things you cannot control. There is someone one much stronger and mightier in control. Allowe have to do is ask.

Hey there Martha, Sittin back and sippin hot green tea over here. Just hopin this cold is kicked before Monday am. Your right, He is in control... whew. Sallykate

Good luck Sallykate! I will be praying for you! I think all the battles and ups and downs we all go through are actually the psych eval in disguise! LOL! Hang in there and remember there are a lot of great folks out here praying for you! Kat

"I think all the battles and ups and downs we all go through are actually the psych eval in disguise!" I LOVE IT!! too cute. Sallykate

Just the ups and downs you had in the last couple of days is enough to give someone cardiac problems! Jeesh! I pray your cold symptoms will disappear and that it will be smooth sailing from here on out. I gotcha on my calendar for Monday too...just so I won't forget to send up an extra special prayer that morning. Happy days! Betti