Journey Restarted: Part Six

We have to back track just slightly. Let’s go back to June – where my insurance denied me the first time.

September – I’m becoming impaitent so I call the doctors office. At this point, I have done everything that the doctor has asked of me && what the insurance company has asked of me. So, my question was, why am I still not having this surgery? The only thing the office tells me is that I have been denied. Okay, but why?

I call the insurance company myself. I wanted to know if there was anything I could do to assist in the decision-making process. They told me the doctor’s office needs to do a peer-to-peer review – which she does send in.

Fast forward to last Tuesday, November 4th – I’m at work && the doctor’s office calls me to tell me that the insurance has denied me once again. She tells me that sometimes if the insured person calls the insurance that sometimes help. I talk to the people around me at work and they pump me up – I end up calling the insurance that day. With one question, “why do I keep getting denied?”

The insurance lady ends up calling the doctor’s office on three-way, so we are all talking together. They “duke” it out. We all hang up. Said they’d let us know something by the end of the week && if they don’t, for one of us to call them back.

Wednesday the doctor’s office calls me. I’m prepared to be told no, again. But this time – it’s actually good news. She tells me that the insurance has approved the surgery && they aren’t really sure why they denied it because the 20-page peer-to-peer that the office wrote should have been enough.

I wanted to have the surgery before the end of the year was up because I’m out of pocket on my insurance. Which means everything has been going very quickly. Friday, I went for pre-op conversation at the doctor’s office. Monday, the 11th, I went for pre-op testing in Frisco. The 12th was my 37th birthday. Today, the 13th of November, is my surgery day.

Yup! You read that right! Today is the day. I’m nervous && hungry. I’m not sure why. People three times my size has had weight loss surgery before && they were fine. It’s not like I haven’t been put under before – even after the heart issues – I came out just fine. (I did warn them, again, that I sometimes wake up a little violent from anesthesia. I always think back to being 19 when I had my gallbladder removed && woke up && almost hit a nurse. I didn’t. She was fine. But I always want to tell them, just in case. When I had the stomach scope, I woke up fine. But sometimes I wonder if it was because I woke up alone when I was 19, when I had the scope, Boyfriend was sitting beside me. So, when I opened my eyes, he was the first thing I saw. When I was 19, my dad && brother were there, just in another room.)

Now, let’s discuss the downsides to having surgery in November. Today is approximately two weeks before Thanksgiving. (&& I’m not just going with the fat part of my brain, I kind of am). I had plans – I was going to make a prime rib! I can’t make prime rib now. Well, I could – but I’m not. I refuse to pay for a prime rib (i was going to buy two, one to roast && one to smoke) && not be able to eat it myself. No siree. I will eventually purchase the prime rib && make it. But I won’t be on solid food before Thanksgiving.

Christmas is next month! That’s my holiday. My favorite holiday. Boyfriend && I always go to a Chinese restaurant and get about 100$ worth of foods, share, while watching Christmas movies before we open gifts. That’s what we have done for years. This year we won’t be able to do that. I will be on solid food by then, technically, but a lot of what I normally order I won’t be able to. I guess I could always just get egg drop soup!

But I will say this much. Boyfriend has been willing to go all out for Christmas decorations this year. Surprisingly, for the last two or so years, I haven’t put up a Christmas tree or any lights outside. I just haven’t felt like it. This year I bought a few new outside decorations and I plan to put my tree up. Probably after we get home from the hospital. Boyfriend is worried about me being sad afterwards. I’m going to be very restricted foodwise for a while && he’s worried that I’m going to be unhappy. Which I honestly might be, but I won’t know until I get to that point. He has been willing to decorate anything I want.

First, though, we have to clean the living room – rearrange – find a spot for my tree. Like I said, I haven’t put one up in years – so the cats took over my living room. But that’s okay, we’ll figure it out. Plus, Boyfriend’s daughter is staying with us so her son will be around && I cannotn fathom the idea of a grandson not seeing a Christmas tree. Maybe that’ll be my motivation from now on?

It’s a little before 8 AM in Southern Oklahoma right now. My surgery is at 2 PM today – I have to be in Frisco by 12 PM. It’s approximately 2-hour drive to Frisco so we have to leave by 10. Before I go, I have to finish packing my overnight bag (it’s mostly just books so I can read) && shower with a special soap. But for now, I’m going to lay in bed && cuddle with my cats, Lucci && Gidget.

I am taking a notebook with me to the hospital, not my laptop, but I will write while there && upload it when I get home. I should be home Friday as long as nothing goes wrong. I will keep y’all up to date.

Journey Restarted: Part 2

What is the biggest challenge you will face in the next six months?

I don’t want to look at it like a challenge. But at the same time, I know there will be challenges included into it. My biggest challenge in the next six months will be the weight loss surgery. I know I will be great && do just fine, but there will be challenges.

Right now, I am just zooming through the objectives I have to accomplish before I can even have surgery. I went to the first of three dietician appointments this month. She basically said the same thing the last one did – although, I was a little surprised to see that it wasn’t the same dietician as it was last year. && good news! She didn’t yell at me. She wants me to walk daily, for thirty minutes, to get in the habit because I’ll need to do so after surgery. One of the first things that you lose is muscle mass, so I have to be on top of that. What else did we talk about?

Last week I had the appointment with the, pardon me for what I call it, crazy doctor. This was the same one I spoke to in 2022 when I started the first journey. She asked the same questions and was excited about the same things when I talked about them. Mostly, the fact that I love to cook – she said that is one step in the right direction. She does have a lot of faith in me though. She said she can see me doing really well at this journey && has no worries about approving me to do it.

Next month will be my second of third dietician visits, && then I have a few more things I have to do. But I’m just cruising right along so far.

Journey Restarted.

Today was my second-first consultation with the weight loss surgeon. I didn’t think he would remember me, but when he walked in he smiled && said “welcome back”. Then of course asked “so, what happened?” I told him the truth – money issues.

It was the same as the first time we spoke last year. I’m going to get the duodenal switch. Basically they will take half of my stomach out && hook my intestines up a little different. (If I can get my computer to load it, I’ll put a picture in that shows it).

I’m excited && petrified at the same time. It’s a weird feeling. (I hope the picture is clear for y’all, it’s a little blurry on my screen).

I have already set up all three of my dietician appointments (have to have three, once a month) for the insurance && doctors approval. The only thing different on the page of “what I must accomplish before surgery” was that he wants a list of diets && exercises I have done in the past. I figured I have a week to get that done – my first dietician appointment is next Tuesday (February 13th).

I’m excited because I may actually fix a couple of my health issues. I won’t say it all because I don’t know that it will. Everyone I talk to that has had the surgery is no longer diabetic && doesn’t have high blood pressure anymore. That’s two issues. The kidney issues will be helped by not having those anymore – but where my kidney’s stand right now is where they’ll be until they just get worse. The heart issues SHOULD – && I say should – get a little better. But I don’t know if I’ll be off my medication for that – or the kidneys.

I’m petrified of being put under. I am scared every time I’ve ever been put under. I was put under when they took out my gallbladder && I was put under for a colonoscopy. The colonoscopy – other than kind of waking up in the middle of the procedure – it was fine. When I had my gallbladder taken out && they woke me up, I nearly punched a nurse. I remember four nurses holding me down. I’m scared that I won’t wake up from it. I know it’s rare for that to happen, but the bigger you are, the more chance of it you have. Especially when you have issues sleeping, high blood pressure, etc.

Then of course, I think I’ve mentioned that I have unrealistic worries.
I worry that I will have a big head.
I worry that it won’t fix my health issues.
I worry that the surgery won’t work.
I worry that I will lose too much weight.
I worry Boyfriend is going to leave. Which, by the way, I didn’t have this worry until a guy I used to work with told me “you know Barb, he started dating you overweight, what’s going to happen if you lose the weight? He may leave.” Ugh! Stupid Mario!
I worry my personality will change.
I worry I will no longer be funny.
See? Dumb worries.

But! I’m excited at the idea that I can buy clothes in stores.
Have a lap my cats can sit in.
Maybe run a marathon?
Have a jawline for the first time in my life.

Remind me to write a blog telling you guys about how long I have been overweight && the fact that I have never been thin. Because that’s going to be a shock!

OH! I also worry that I am going to be uglier than I am now. Most people that have had the surgery – they are breathtaking. Then there is like a 23% of people that… I look at the before picture, when they are overweight, and then look at the skinny version of them && I think hmm… you were better looking fat. I don’t want that. I mean it’s fine if I am not drop dead gorgeous, I don’t know if I’d know what to do. But I don’t want to be uglier than I am right now. You know?