smiller8
8/11/2006
Aug 11, 2006
Oh Yeah! Oh Yeah! I got a date! Can you believe it!! September 13th is my day! I am soooo excited
!! I went to Dr. O's office today to see if they had everything that they needed from me;mind you I had copies of all the test reports, just in case they were missing something.The office manager told me to wait a minute and when she came back she asked me to come on back to her office so that we could set up preadmissions testing and a surgery date. Oh, I did mention that the date is September 13th! I made a lot of phone calls today letting family and friends know that I finally have a date. Thanks to all those who have been so supportive thus far
So now pray with me that the insurance company approves without a problem.
I am a bundle of emotions today! Happy, Apprehensive, Relflective, Hopeful and more. I glad that this first part of the journey is over. Now on to the next.
Another of my friends had surgery this past Tuesday. Patti I am so glad for you! Very glad to hear that you are home and doing well. Take care, we'll talk.
Well that's all for now I will update soon.
8/10/2006
Aug 10, 2006
My pulmonologist finally got the results from my second sleep study today
. So I have finally completed all of the pre-ops that my surgeon requires. I called the surgeon's office to be sure that they had received the sleep study report. They did not have it so I faxed it to them myself (thankfully, I had asked to have a copy faxed to me as well); then called again to confirm. So, now they have it and the nurse will review my file and get back to me so that I can finally get my date. I can't wait 
!! 7/31/2006
Jul 31, 2006
Yeah me!! I actually went curves today for a workout 
. I have gained about 8lbs since I had my initial consultation and I have got to get them off before I go back to see Dr. O. So, now I have to really concentrate my efforts on eating right and exercising consistently. I know that this will help me to lose weight and be in better shape for surgery. I am so proud of myself. I have been promising myself all summer that I was going to get back into my workout routine and I finally made the first step today. A couple of years ago when I was on the LA Weight Loss Program I used to workout religiously almost to the point of obsession. But I just lost it! I got harder and harder for me to go as the pounds came back. Oh well, that is in the past. Pray for me!! I need prayer.
. I have gained about 8lbs since I had my initial consultation and I have got to get them off before I go back to see Dr. O. So, now I have to really concentrate my efforts on eating right and exercising consistently. I know that this will help me to lose weight and be in better shape for surgery. I am so proud of myself. I have been promising myself all summer that I was going to get back into my workout routine and I finally made the first step today. A couple of years ago when I was on the LA Weight Loss Program I used to workout religiously almost to the point of obsession. But I just lost it! I got harder and harder for me to go as the pounds came back. Oh well, that is in the past. Pray for me!! I need prayer. 7/30/2006
Jul 31, 2006
Hi, me again! Had my second sleep study last night, the one where I had to use the cpap machine. Well it went okay, I got there at about 9:00pm and they had me all hooked up at about 10:30pm. I was fitted with the small mask that just covers you nose. I was worried that I would end up trying to breath through my mouth because that's usually how I breath, the technician said that if I had a problem with that then he would try to use the chin strap on me. Thankfully, I did not have to try the chin strap. It is actually pretty difficult to breath through your mouth with the cpap machine because the air blowing into your nose seems to choke you when you do. It is also difficult to talk. Anyway, I made it through the night wearing the mask. I did have to ask for help once during the night when the mask got loose on my face. The tech came in to tighten the mask and while I was up I had to go to the bathroom. That was at about 3:00am. Next thing that I knew the tech was calling my name to wake me up at 6:00am. I was tired after I got up this morning, more so than I usually am, don't know what that was all about. I had to go back to sleep after I got home, showered and washed my hair to get all the paste off of me
. The mask did make my upper lip a little sore during the night since it had to be so tight on my face. The tech told me that there are other types of masks that I can try when I get my machine. Well I am not happy about having to use a cpap machine but ya gotta do what ya gotta do right? So now I wait for my doctor to get the resutls of this sleep study so that he can write me a script for an appropriate machine and then he will give me clearance for surgery, then I can get my date. I am so looking forward to that. Just knowing when the surgery will take place will be such a relief so that I can plan my time off from work and make sure that everything goes smoothly on that front. Well I will sign off now because it is late and I have to go to work tomorrow. I will post again soon.
7/26/2006
Jul 26, 2006
Well, I have an appt date for the second sleep study(polysonogram with titration). I will have it done on Saturday, July 29. Have to be there at 9:15pm. So this should be the last pre-op test. I will have to wait for the results of the study so that my pulmonologist can give me a RX for a cpap machine. Hopefully, at that point he can give me clearance and I will be able to get a date and submit paperwork for insurance approval.
My friend Lala had her surgery yesterday !! I hear that she is doing well and I am so happy for her. She has had a long journey. Hope to talk to her soon and get the scoop.
I read a really good book that some of you might enjoy " The Real Skinny on Weight Loss Surgery an Indispensable Guide to What You Can Really Expect" written by Julie Janeway, Karen M. Sparks and Randal S. Baker, M.D. This book was very informative and gave me insight to weightloss surgery from the perspective of someone who has been thru the surgery and is living with their new stomach everyday. It is a light-hearted yet factual account of what comes with WLS. Check it out I think that you'll enjoy it. That's all for now I will post again after the sleep study.
7/18/2006
Jul 18, 2006
Well, I finally got the results from my sleep study. According to the report I do have sleep apnea, so I now have to go back to the sleep lab for another study using either a cpap or a bipap machine to determine which will work best for me. I am somewhat disappointed because this does now delay my getting a surgery date. But, I am glad that this problem has been detected so that I can deal with it. It took 3 weeks to get the results from the first sleep study I don't know how long this will take. I hope that the delay will not put my surgery date off until October. I really need to have this surgery in late August to early September because that is the best time for me to be out of work. It gets hectic at work during the last quarter of the year. Well, it is not up to me, I know that in God's time I will have my surgery and be on the losing side. Take care all.
7/11/2006
Jul 11, 2006
Well still no results yet. Today I called the doctor's office and was told that they still do not have the results of the sleep study. The lady that I spoke with suggested that I call SleepCare to check with them as to how long it actually takes. So, I called and was told that the report was just sent to the second doctor on the 7th so it should be done by next week. I didn't think that it would take this long. Oh well!! It will be done when it is done.
I went to my support group meeting last night. I am always so impressed with the people that I meet there. There was a very good turn out and my surgeon, Dr. Onopchenko, was the guest speaker this month. He gave us an update on some things that he heard at conference last week. He also was very patient and answered a lot of questions for those who had them. I really like this guy. Just the fact that he came out tonight and spent an hour and a half with us after working all day says a lot about his loyalty to his patients. I think that I have chosen wisely, I think that God led me to him. I feel comfortable being under his care. Well until next time.7/7/2006
Jul 07, 2006
Hello to all who may be reading this. Well I am just waiting for my pulmonologist to receive the results from my sleep study. I called his office on Wed(7/5) and today, but unfortunately they have not received the results yet. It will be two weeks exactly on Monday, so I will call again then, although they assured me that when they get the results they will call me.
Meanwhile, I have developed a summer cold and am not feeling too good today. Summer colds are the worst.
I am supposed to take my nephew to Sesame Place tomorrow.
I hope that I am feeling better by then because he has been looking forward to this and he is so excited about going. Until next time I pray that your journey is pleasant.
6/27/2006
Jun 27, 2006
Well, I had my sleep study done last night. It went okay, but it was very annoying trying to sleep with all of those wires attached me.
I was told to be there at 9:15pm, so I got there about 9:00pm just to be on the safe side. I technician showed me to my suite. She asked for my paperwork, which I had completed in advance and she asked a few questions. She told me that she would be back in about 45 minutes as she had to go and hook up the guy in the next room. I was left to get dressed in my night clothes and figure out how to work the TV. I brought a book to read("Reach for the Stars..." by Sharon Neva---Thanks Nicky the book is proving to be helpful). I also had Sudoku puzzles which I enjoy working. I tried to read but couldn't and didn't even take the puzzle book out. I just watched TV until the technician came back to get me at about 9:50. She took me into another room and she and another technician began the process of hooking up all the electrodes. They first scrubbed the areas where the electrodes would be placed with some substance that did not smell to good. And by the way, when I say scrubbed, I mean scrubbed. Electrodes were placed on my legs(4-2 each leg), on my shoulders(2), on my chin(3), behind my ears(2) and on my scalp(6). Next she place a oxygen tube in my nose, I guess that this was to monitor my breathing. When they were all done it seemed that I had wires everywhere and I am thinking to myself how am ever going to go to sleep with all of this attached to me. I went back to my room and got into bed at about 10:35. The technician said that throughout the night if I displayed to symptoms of sleep apnea she would come back at about 2:00 am and hook me up to a bipap machine to see how effective that would be. She clipped an oxygen monitor on my finger for me to wear throughout the night. Then she turned the lights out and said to listen for voice over the speaker as she would ask me to do a few tests to make sure that she was getting a proper reading from the electrodes. She asked me to do several exercises then came back into the room and said that they were getting high electrical readings from my eyes so she had to detach the electrodes behind each ear, scrub some more and re-attach each. Then everything was okay and she told me to try and get some rest. I watched TV for about 20 mins, "Good Times" was on TV Land. I turned off the TV and tried to sleep.
This was the most fitful night of sleep that I have ever had. Nothing hurt, I was just so so uncomfortable. I could not find a comfortable position to sleep in. Normally when I go to sleep I wake up in the same spot that I started in. But last night I tossed and turned all night. Twice, the technician had to come in and fix the nasal tube because I had somehow made it fall out in my sleep. Once someone went into bathroom, which was right outside my door and that woke me up. But, finally it was 6:00am and the technician woke me up. She came and helped out of bed with all those wires and I went into the other room and she took off all the electrodes. She asked me a few questions and said that was it, I could go.
I remembered that she had not come in and asked me to wear a bipap machine so I asked if that meant that I didn't have sleep apnea and she said that she is not allowed to tell me one way or the other. I choose to take this a good sign that I do not have sleep apnea -- that is what I am praying for.
So thank God I have hopefully finished my last pre-op test. The technician said that they normally say that it takes 14 days for the results to reach your doctor, but that it doesn't always take that long. I am going to wait until next Friday before I call the doctor's office to see if they have the results and we will go from there. I am breathing a big sigh of relief that this phase of the process is almost over
! Now I am just playing the waiting game. Please continue to keep me in your prayers. I will update later. By the way, Lala, congrats on getting your surgery date. I am so excited for you.
6/26/2006
Jun 26, 2006
Hello all! I have my sleep study tonight at 9:15 pm. The SleepCare center is about 45 minutes from my house. So I came straight home from work took a shower and washed my hair. The instructions were not put on any lotions or creams and not to put anything in your hair. I wish that you all could see my hair, then again I DO NOT. As we all know black people's hair needs it's products. My hair looks horrible and riduculous, but I can deal with it for tonight. I so happy to be getting this done. I will update on my experience tomorrow.
