Anxious - need some LW love!

 hi everyone! sorry....i disappeared there for a bit. i've been looking in and reading posts but i know i haven't written since my first post. mostly that's because (as some of you know) i'm at the very beginning of my journey. sadly it coincides with my husband being on a 7 month deployment. so in the last few weeks i've gotten sucked into a crazy daily routine of mommy, chef, taxi driver, worker bee, maid, landscaper, personal shopper, nurse (because of course my 22 month old has to cut two molars at the same time!).......well you get the idea....
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so i've been going along and now here i am - tomorrow is my first appointment! and now i know why i couldn't sleep last night and don't seem to be anywhere near tired tonight. yep, i'm nervous as heck! first of all - i HATE the scale and measuring my body. i know i have to weigh - not sure about measurements but just thinking it might happen makes my stomach turn. and now i have all these thoughts - will I be overweight enough? what about that i don't have any serous health conditions yet? will i have someone to help me if this process moves quicker than i expected? i hate medical tests....seriously. once i do this, how will i feel about telling more people in my life?? - 

i've spent so much time waiting and convincing myself to do this - what happens if they turn me down. i haven't been able to accomplish this otherwise. how will i feel if i'm told i will have to do it on my own. and of course i'm scared by the process. as a navy wife and using tricare - i've heard the process can move quite fast. so i'm anxious about what happens after this 4 hour class/appt (i'm still unclear what actually happens during this 4 hours!!). with my husband gone the rest of the year and no family close by how will i handle that. i don't want to put off surgery should they be abel to do it before the end of the year. 

i am very lucky - one of my closest friends is going with me. i know when i see her in the morning i will feel a little bit better. she puts me at ease and makes me laugh.

but at this moment - i have butterflies in my stomach. and i just needed to get all of that out. and i knew you guys would let me do that. hope everyone is doing well!

Wow! That is alot going on my dear! You are sooo brave to take on this challenge while taking care of the kids and hubby off to serve his country. I wish I could be there to help you! But since I cannot physical be there please know that I am sending hugs, and best wishes that you will be approved. I go for my consult meeting with the doctor next Tuesday and I too am nervous that I will be turned down. But I am trying to stay postive and just wait and see as patiently as I can.
Good luck and keep us posted.

 Thank you so much for giving your husband for our country!!

I don't know how different your surgeon and insurance are, but my first appointment was basically meeting with everyone involved and finding out what would be required. What tests, what insurance requirements, etc. They also told me what kind of diet I would need to do pre-op. 

Most surgeons should help you "accentuate" any problems you do have to make you qualify for surgery. Remember, if they get you approved, that means they get paid. So it's a benefit for them to get you approved and moving forward in the process.

It sounds like you have a wonderful friend. If this moves forward, keep her in the know. Maybe she can help you through the toughest first week or two after surgery.

Good luck!! And remember, we are all here for you!

We have several military folks who can give you more info about tricare.  And I'm sure you will know more after the appointment and that should at least allow you to start planning. 

The thoughts you have, we have all had to one extreme or another.  It is a big step and in taking the first, we are making a big committment.  Then they could turn us down, we could fail, etc, etc. 

All in all, we are here with you, even if it is a psyber connection.  We can't get the kids to daycare but we can support you during the journey.  Good luck with your appointment today. 

Well considering we figured I am about a mile away from you, I will be here for you ANYTIME! I can add your kids to the mix of kids that traipse through here on a daily basis, You are not alone. Also you will find out if you are big enough but they do NOT measure you, that is up to you. Tricare does move fairly fast but you do not have to worry, I know for a fact that they will not have ANY bariatric surgeries during the summer months, it starts back in August, they try to schedule all the non elective surgeries during the summer. In our dept I know Dr Barker is also deployed, I personally have to be followed by one of the other Bariatric Drs when I go in for my 1 yr check up. I also know they wont do the surgery unless they know you have help, hubby deployed sometimes will cancel the surgery, but you are not alone. I am not far, (if you would like to meet not pushing) and there are many others here for support. Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

I have Tricare and went through all the emotional turmoil hoping to get approved as well. I was at 245 5'7" with the comobority of PCOS and Tricare approved it right away. Now with your husband deployed you might not be able to have surgery. At the MTF I'm going to if you have a deployed spouse they will make you wait till they are home. That's why I had to wait till July instead of June because my hubby is training for a month in California and he has to be here.

I understand just the everyday tasks when they are gone, I had my daughter last deployment on my own. Now coming up is another one in a couple of months, I thinknit is worse than a single parent because you also have to deal with the stressors of our children who do have 2 loving parents around.

Good luck going to your appointment.

hey girl...i totally understand!! my hubby is leaving for a 15 month deployment in a couple of weeks and i have a 6 year old and an 8 month old...i have finished up with everything..just waiting on approval..i was hoping for a date before he left so i cud have his help and support but that may not happen:( anyways u will breeze right through all ur appointments..the only one i had probs with was my psych eval cuz it was like 4 hours long and just so emotionally exhausting!! but anyways i wish u the best of luck and plzzz keep us all updated!!!

Tell your friend to listen for you and take notes, too! That way you have all the info you need when you get home and say to yourself "WHAT did they say"?????

Good luck tomorrow!

Meg

 thank you all so much for the words of encouragement and support!! it really does feel good to hear those things.

and Stacey you are right! we live so close to each other, we really should me. sorry again for disappearing! it is really amazing to hear someone to offer help and i haven't officially met them yet! clearly this is a great group of people here in LWs!

so, appointment went well. except that i felt like i was back in high school and the exam would be at the end of class! but i must say i like tricare's way of doing things. i like that i'm getting all the info up front and know exactly what will happen so i can decide if it is for me. and after today i know it is. getting approved to have surgery is no issue, my BMI makes me a candidate even without and any co-morbidities.

stacey is right on the money! our hospital will not start surgeries again until August and two doctors will be deployed. and yes, my husband being deployed could cause further delay although if i have another support system in place i may be ok. after speaking with my mom and mother-in-law today and letting them know that i really want to do this, both have said they would be more than happy to come stay with me for the surgery and however long i need. (i'm very lucky to have TWO great Moms!). so i'll just have to see how all that goes during my first visit.

so for now, i'll start getting some labs/testing done and await the call for my 1st visit with a the doc and so on. luckily i'm flexible with my time - most people in there were annoyed because they needed to get back to work and they felt 4 hours was too long. i'm lucky to create my own work schedule so maybe that will work in my favor! i want to succeed and i've got some changes to make which i am starting today! i am perfectionist, so i'm all about training to be a perfect patient. plus even though i look like a rule breaker i actual do really well with rules and expectations. this clinic is strict and we must follow the guidelines or be dropped and have to start all over. my guess is they are hard on people to ensure a commitment and not waste doctors/staff time and even delay those who are in it 100%. so while others in the room looked like they were seriously unsure or annoyed by all the rules and schedules, i was listening at full attention. my friend is awesome - she is in health care so she will be extremely helpful. i was so nervous for nothing. today was the best 4 hours i've had in awhile! 

now if my husband will just call! he's going to be so excited. they are not in port so i'll have to wait a few days to hear from him. 

thanks again for the love! the nurse kept talking about how important a support group in and i was smiling  - because i already found mine!