I've Got a Surgery Date!! Yippee!! Oh my!!

I'm penciled in for 3/8 with Dr. F. I have this odd desire to bring a bottle of wine into the operating room and make it a party. It's so bizarre - just a few weeks away if all goes right. It was a much more comfortable concept before an actual date was stuck on it. I'm excited...and scared. I start serious tests tomorrow (gallbladder scan, pulmonary function, and arterial blood gas). Next week, I get the tummy scope. I'm trying to get a letter of clearance from the cardiologist without having to go for a stress test - I had one last year and it showed a heart blockage. As a result, I had an angiogram and once they got in and ran the dye they found I had a totally normal heart - just one more false positive in my life. I figure I'm owed a break on that one. I have Fed Employee BCBS which only requires a BMI of 40 or higher (no diet history/no psychologist report) but, and this is a big but, Illinois BCBS will administer my claim and will probably deny it if it doesn't meet their criteria. Ultimately, it will be allowed by the Feds on appeal. The woman from Fed BCBS said if she were me, she'd go for the psychologist report just to save time. I already have medical evidence from my PCP of a one year diet (whether it's good enough - time will tell). In any case, I expect to be covered - it's just how much foreplay the insurance company will demand before they come through. The hardest thing I'll have to deal with is being alone the weekend before surgery. My wife will be at a conference out west and my son will be on a field trip to Washington DC. That means a weekend of solitary paranoia prior to the big event. They come back in time to take me to the hospital - but, the last days before surgery will be like a bad acid trip - with demons crawling out of my head. Expect mildly amusing posts about last wishes. For those who generally lurk (like me) and who are considering surgery - this is really a grand adventure and, at least in my case, a risk worth taking. As I go deeper down the rabbit hole and things get stranger and stranger - I'll be sure to post. Cheers! Harbor

harbor!!! YEAH!!! how exciting make sure you keep us up to date on what is going on and I will keep you in my thoughts... Debby

Thanks Deb - It's been grea****ching how smooth its been for you and Brooke and Giovanna to slide into loser land. It helps lower the blood pressure and reduce the panic sweats. Of course, once ya'll get really sleek and tre chic that the blood pressure will start to rise again -- but that's a different problem. Harbor

Yes but your married so dont be teasin us single girls !!!! Debby

Woooooooo hoooooooo Harbor! Congratulations to you!! I wish you all the best for a timely insurance approval. Remember that we're here to listen to rants and ventings and anything else you'd need or be willing to share. Best wishes, Cathy

Congradulations Harbor!!! I'm sure all the insurance stuff will go well. Just hang in there. Whatever you need to rant and rave about we're here! Giovanna

Finally and congratulations! We'll all be rooting for you! Terry

Congratulations Harbor!!! Things will become easier and less intense as you get closer. I promise. The hard part of this is the wait.

Congrats!!! I am very happy for you. February will be over before you even know it!! Good luck with the final paperwork, dealing with that will make the time go even faster for you. Lots of congrats and well wishes!! Nancy

I'm sure you will do great. Don't spend too much time on those pre-op jitters. They don't help you in the long run and you will wonder why you ever wasted a minute worrying. It's amazing that you can get your guts completely rearranged and in a short while it's as if nothing has changed (you just eat smaller portions and consume more protein). Good luck!