Approved??!

I cannot believe this...I am approved for surgery. I went through the whole process--the past 6-7 months--believing that I would not be approved, but trying anyway. My BMI is 36.7, and I didn't have the "required" comorbidities...Or so I was told. But they submitted the info to my insurance company, and lo and behold, I am good to go...Now what?? LOL...I had essentially allowed myself to forget the entire 7 months...Now I need to remember, and fast! I am thinking I will ask to meet with the dietitian again to brush up on things...

My husband, kids, and the rest of my family are not very happy with me right now. The husband thinks I'll leave him when I get "skinny," my kids think I'm going to die, my family thinks the whole idea is extreme...But I want to do it. I am so ready to do something about my weight--ready for this surgery... I live in central WI, and would love to chat with others who will be having surgery soon, or anyone who is interested...

Congrats on your approval!!  Did they give you a date? 

I just got a date this afternoon! January 28th it is!!! Yay!

I just had my surgery this past August.  I, this Saturday, will be 4 months out.  As of this morning I have lost a total of 60 pounds.  It is sometimes so difficult for me to even fathem the thought of losing SIXTY pounds, let alone losing it in a meer 4 months.   I can remember quiet well going to all my dietician appointments thinking to myself that I was going to be going through this for NOTHING.  Thinking I was just going through the motions only to get turned down.  Low and behold, I was approved just 3 days after sending in to my insurance company.  I couldn't believe it.  I about fainted. My friends, family, husband and children have all been very much behind me with my decision.  My husband I lay awake at nite and talk about where I was 4 months ago to where I am today.  I tell ya, I couldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for him.  He has been my rock!!  I have cried to him with my hard days and have laughed with him with my good days.  He has been there and that is truly what I needed.  My children watch out for me constantly.  They are always looking at labels now telling me what I can and can't eat. Label reading has never been such a huge thing in our house before.  It is actually sorta commical if you just stand back and watch my kids, they actually arue about "grams of sugar".  To Funny!!!   My highest weight, I started at 237.  I am now down to 177.  I have not been at this weight since probably when I was back in high school.  It is still very difficult for me to stand on the scale EVERY morning (yes I know that is a bad habit) and see I am in the 170's.  It is just so hard for me to believe.  I don't think I ever have seen the 170's due to I don't think I stepped on the scale when I weighed that back in high school because I was probably in denial and didn't want to see that I was gaining weight. Alls I have to say to you is this journey you are about to go into......LIVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT!!  It is an absolutely amazing feeling.  Everything from the amazement of what you use to be able to sit down and eat to what you are physically able to sit down and eat after surgery.  ITS AMAZING!!   Take care and if you ever have any questions....feel free to contact me.  [email protected] Heather

Thank you for your awesome post...It is so good to hear from someone who is now on the other side...My highest weight has been about 235, so we are certainly close in that aspect... How many grams of sugars do you eat per meal/per day? Thanks!

I do not eat anything at any of my meals in a day that has over 5grams of sugar in it.  If i consume over 25grams of sugar in a day, I would be suprised.  I just really watch my sugars.  A very wise person told me some time ago that if you read the back of a label (don't forget about the fine print also) and there is any ingredients in that food that ryhmes with the word "GROSS"....don't eat it!!!  ie...fructose, surcrose....any of those.  My husband, my 9 year old daughter, my son who is 14 and I were at the grocery store a few weeks ago.  We were standing in the soup isle all of us reading labels.  I  had a little elderly lady approach me and ask me how I got my family to read labels like they were.  As I stood back and watched my family, I just had to giggle to myself.  Here were my kids telling me "Mom, this only has 4 grams of sugar," or "Mom, this one has 8 grams but do you think that will be okay?".  It just sort of made me step back and realize how drastically things changed over the course of 4 months.  We use to be the family that walked into walmart and just started throwing "the good stuff" in the cart and never given a damn about sugars.  Now, its really a different way of living.   My daughter walked up to me the other day to give me a hug (only because she isn't a teenager yet and she still likes me:)LOL) and she tells me...."Mom, look at this, I can hug you and touch my hands together around your back and still have room to hug".  That really was one of the nicest things I have heard since I started this journey.  It is really the little things that really put things into perspective for me. When I started looking into having this surgery, I never once thought of the little things that would make such a difference in my life.  Things like being able to bend over and tie my shoes without turning 25 different shades of red (and yes, there really are that many different shades:)LOL) and without having to come up for air inbetween just to catch my breath.  Being able to shave my legs and breath all the way through it.  I see parts of my anatomy now that I haven't seen in years.  I can shave my fern gulleys now and see what I am doing:)LOL  I can cut my own toenails (I know that is discusting, but true) because I can reach em now.  And I can't remember the last time I had to take a nap.  I use to have to take a nap everyday after work, now I have more energy and feel more alive than I have since probably high shcool 20 years ago. The main thing is that I just really watch what it is I put in my mouth.  I still have dumping's.  Being that I am 4 months out, I am trying new things.  Some work, and some don't.  Its really just a trial and error period right not.  The only thing that I am sure about is that nothing goes in my mouth unless I know how it is prepared or I know what is in it. Good luck to  you again Christine.  Email me anytime.  I am located in southwestern wisconsin. [email protected] Heather

Fern gulleys!  I LOVE it!!! I was in the shower just yesterday and noticed I could do the same thing. Ahh...the little things in life, hey? 

That's great!!  I am still waiting for my approval to go through.  What Insurance Company do you have?  I will also be having Dr. Wengert perform my sugery once I am approved.

Hello! I see you are from Stratford...I live in Marshfield. January 28th is my big day...I have Security Health Plan for insurance--and it was no problem whatsoever with an approval. Let me know if you'd like to chat! Christine

I just called SHP and found out I've been approved.  I just need to get the date scheduled.  Now i'm freaking out a little bit.