Slight setback but closer to surgery every day!
Denise M.
on 1/14/09 5:11 am
on 1/14/09 5:11 am
I had my appointment with Jennifer N. yesterday and it went really well! I have only 3.5 more pounds to lose to be able to submit to BC/BS insurance, YIPPEEE! All those IDGOMB days have paid off, even if my feet are killing me from the effort.
One of the coolest things was that big Tanita scale at the clinic and it's math on body composition. Jen said that of the weight I have lost, virtually all of it was fat and that I have GAINED 1.5 pounds of muscle! Whaaaa? Really?!? How cool is THAT?!?
I was so excited by that, that I wasn't even upset at the fact that I had my psych evaluation done by the wrong person. Turns out the woman I went to does not have the right qualifications in BCBS's eyes. So I have to go to a PhD or MD. Oh well, in your research, always pay attention to the small print! As Scott said, research, research, research!
Fortunately I was able to schedule an appointment for next Tuesday morning at 9 am and this one should work. It'll probably take me that long to shake off those last pounds anyway, so no big loss.
3.5 pounds, 2 hours at the shrink's office and 1 letter from my PCP away from Insurance Submission Day! Yaaaaaay!
One of the coolest things was that big Tanita scale at the clinic and it's math on body composition. Jen said that of the weight I have lost, virtually all of it was fat and that I have GAINED 1.5 pounds of muscle! Whaaaa? Really?!? How cool is THAT?!?
I was so excited by that, that I wasn't even upset at the fact that I had my psych evaluation done by the wrong person. Turns out the woman I went to does not have the right qualifications in BCBS's eyes. So I have to go to a PhD or MD. Oh well, in your research, always pay attention to the small print! As Scott said, research, research, research!
Fortunately I was able to schedule an appointment for next Tuesday morning at 9 am and this one should work. It'll probably take me that long to shake off those last pounds anyway, so no big loss.
3.5 pounds, 2 hours at the shrink's office and 1 letter from my PCP away from Insurance Submission Day! Yaaaaaay!
Denise M.
on 1/14/09 5:51 am
on 1/14/09 5:51 am
I'm doing what I can! I'm a huge cognitive therapy person--the only thing you can control is how you react to things. Change the way you think and you can change your life.
Jennifer was really surprised at a few things. I think she was expecting a huge screaming mee-mee fit or something.
First I wasn't upset about the whole psych issue. What good would that do? Mistakes happen and I'm just grateful we caught it BEFORE submitting, as I hear the appeal process is much more painful than just plain submitting stuff. I was able to get a second appointment pretty quickly, so no big whoop.
Second, she was surprised I wasn't upset that I wasn't mad that I didn't make the 247 weight. She said a lot of people get frustrated when they get this close. I was just happy that I lost weight! And somehow since my visit to the endocrinologist on Dec 15, I ended up down a total of 8 pounds! HUH??? I'll take an 8 pound loss in a month (Christmas eating month, especially!) any day! And now 3.5 pounds sounds totally do-able.
Besides, the GAINING muscle thing totally made my January. Some like to whine, "oh you probably just gained muscle," when we stall. I prefer water weight gain blame myself. ; ) I thought it was really hard to gain muscle mass. But I guess upping the protein and exercising really does it. Wow. I mean, it IS hard, but it apparently can be done.
Like you always say, Scott, BREATHE! There's no point in getting furious at things we can't control. It just makes you miserable and doesn't accomplish anything. I've been through enough things in this life to know that there is ALWAYS a silver lining, no matter how gray the cloud. ALWAYS. You just have to make the decision to dig for it.
Thanks for your support--I love reading the posts from you and the TN gang that provide insight and inspiration. I hope to be as supportive to the new kids as y'all are to us!
Thanks!!!
Denise
Jennifer was really surprised at a few things. I think she was expecting a huge screaming mee-mee fit or something.
First I wasn't upset about the whole psych issue. What good would that do? Mistakes happen and I'm just grateful we caught it BEFORE submitting, as I hear the appeal process is much more painful than just plain submitting stuff. I was able to get a second appointment pretty quickly, so no big whoop.
Second, she was surprised I wasn't upset that I wasn't mad that I didn't make the 247 weight. She said a lot of people get frustrated when they get this close. I was just happy that I lost weight! And somehow since my visit to the endocrinologist on Dec 15, I ended up down a total of 8 pounds! HUH??? I'll take an 8 pound loss in a month (Christmas eating month, especially!) any day! And now 3.5 pounds sounds totally do-able.
Besides, the GAINING muscle thing totally made my January. Some like to whine, "oh you probably just gained muscle," when we stall. I prefer water weight gain blame myself. ; ) I thought it was really hard to gain muscle mass. But I guess upping the protein and exercising really does it. Wow. I mean, it IS hard, but it apparently can be done.
Like you always say, Scott, BREATHE! There's no point in getting furious at things we can't control. It just makes you miserable and doesn't accomplish anything. I've been through enough things in this life to know that there is ALWAYS a silver lining, no matter how gray the cloud. ALWAYS. You just have to make the decision to dig for it.
Thanks for your support--I love reading the posts from you and the TN gang that provide insight and inspiration. I hope to be as supportive to the new kids as y'all are to us!
Thanks!!!
Denise
Denise M.
on 1/14/09 10:31 am
on 1/14/09 10:31 am
Thanks, Cheryl! I'm actually really starting to get excited now as things are really making progress. And I love the staff at the clinic. My dietician came running out to see me when she heard me in the hall (like I've met her twice and she remembers my voice? Huh?). She had a printed copy of my anal retentive OCD food diary and was really excited about it!
Both she and the nurse, Jennifer, were so supportive that it makes me even more excited.
Odds are high the top of my head blows off with enthusiasm before I even get scheduled!
Thanks for your support!
Denise
Both she and the nurse, Jennifer, were so supportive that it makes me even more excited.
Odds are high the top of my head blows off with enthusiasm before I even get scheduled!
Thanks for your support!
Denise
It does sound like the setback is indeed a small one. And you've got a GREAT Wow going there.
BTW, what exactly doest IDGOMB mean, "I did get off my bumm?"
Also - I love your avatar. So Cute. It looks like your avatar could be my avatar's kid!
Dennie
BTW, what exactly doest IDGOMB mean, "I did get off my bumm?"
Also - I love your avatar. So Cute. It looks like your avatar could be my avatar's kid!
Dennie
"It's so beautifully arranged on the plate - you know someone's fingers have been all over it. ~Julia Child"
Denise M.
on 1/14/09 10:22 am
on 1/14/09 10:22 am
Looks like your avatar could be my avatar's kid--BAAHAHAHAHAA!!! 
That's my South Park me. There's a website where you can make your own South Park character. I draw the people there and paste them into PowerPoint where I draw backgrounds. There's an example on my profile of me and my friend Katy at Chili's. It does not take much for me to entertain myself, obviously.
Anyway, with respect to setbacks, life is what you make of it. I've found it much easier to learn to take things in stride. So much less stressful!
My point of view is this slight delay gives my primary care another week or so (as I hammer at those 3.5 pounds and wait for my psych appointment) to get off his duff and write my letter of medical necessity before I show up on his doorstep with torches and pitchforks! Mwaahaa!
You pretty much guessed it. I say butt instead of bum but same difference. Or maybe IDGOTJIMT (did get off the junk in my trunk). From the people that I've seen be very successful, exercise is essential. I don't hate it, though walking kills my joints. So I'm trying to get in the habit now, to help me get off to a good start post operatively.
I really hope people aren't kidding about having joint pain go away! I'm reaaaaaaally counting on that!
Okay, now it's time to go get on my bum on the couch with the dogs!
Thanks!!!
Denise
That's my South Park me. There's a website where you can make your own South Park character. I draw the people there and paste them into PowerPoint where I draw backgrounds. There's an example on my profile of me and my friend Katy at Chili's. It does not take much for me to entertain myself, obviously.
Anyway, with respect to setbacks, life is what you make of it. I've found it much easier to learn to take things in stride. So much less stressful!
My point of view is this slight delay gives my primary care another week or so (as I hammer at those 3.5 pounds and wait for my psych appointment) to get off his duff and write my letter of medical necessity before I show up on his doorstep with torches and pitchforks! Mwaahaa!
You pretty much guessed it. I say butt instead of bum but same difference. Or maybe IDGOTJIMT (did get off the junk in my trunk). From the people that I've seen be very successful, exercise is essential. I don't hate it, though walking kills my joints. So I'm trying to get in the habit now, to help me get off to a good start post operatively.
I really hope people aren't kidding about having joint pain go away! I'm reaaaaaaally counting on that!
Okay, now it's time to go get on my bum on the couch with the dogs!
Thanks!!!
Denise
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