11 Days to Surgery

I'm excited...and a little nervous about the procedure, after all, there's always a risk during surgery for the worst to happen. Even knowing everything that I do now about life after Gastric Bypass my resolve hasn't wavered through the whole long long process. I am almost 200 hundred pounds overweight and I know that I won't live a long and productive life unless I do this. Not to be morbid...but it is called Morbid Obesity for a reason! =P

Anyways, a lot of people have asked me about the process with my insurance to lead up to this point and so I thought that I would briefly go over the past 6 months here:

First, I called to check coverage with my insurance and was assigned a Bariatric Nurse to lead me through the process. She explained the different procedures that were covered and gave me the names of local Bariatric Centers and general information about the whole process and e-mailed the paperwork that would have to be completed for the procedure to be approved.

Then I talked to my Primary Doctor as he would be the one that I checked in with every month for 6 months to prove that I had been following a diet program. My Doctor preferred Weight Watchers so I had to go to a Weight Watchers meeting once a week (this could be tricky at times since I work different shifts alot at work) and get the little stamp saying I had been there. NO, he would not approve anything if I just followed the online program! LOL, nothing worth having is ever easy, huh?

I also had to attend a Weight Loss Surgery Seminar at the Hospital, where Dr. Williams from New Life Bariatric Center explained the different procedures before I could make an appointment for a consultation with the Surgeon. Luckily, everyone else that I needed to see, with the exception of my primary physician, was located at New Life's Bariatric Center at Parkwest. This included the Nutritionist and Psychologist, both of whom you have to see once during the process. Seeing the Nutritionist was relatively painless as she just briefly went over what I would be able to eat after the surgery. The Psychologist visit was a little more painful though because I had to spend 2 hours filling out a personality questionnaire to make sure I was mentally ready for the major life change I was about to make. =( ...I clearly am =P

Then I didn't see anyone from the Bariatric Center again until after I FINALLY walked into my Primary Physicians office with my 6th stamp! And he was so nice that day that he didn't even take anymore blood!!!

Oh yes, you better be prepared for blood tests during this whole process! One day, after spending hours running from my Doctor to see the Surgeon for a consult I went home tired and bruised on BOTH arms from blood testing.

After, the 6th visit I called the Bariatric Center and faxed over the papers that my Doctor filled out, which included a signature for each month I proved I was trying to lose weight and he also had to send a letter saying that he thought I was a good candidate for the surgery and the past few years of my weight history while seeing him.

The insurance lady at the Bariatric Center sent the paperwork to my insurance and within 48 hours I received the call from the Bariatric Nurse assigned to me in the beginning that I had been approved!!!

So here we are on the last leg of the process, this week I sat through the required 4 1/2 hour "Diet Class" at New Life where they assigned my Pre-Op Diet and went over every phase and person that I would undergo and see for the first year after the Surgery. Oh boy, there was even a test at the end to make sure I understood everything! LOL, plus a DVD to take home, read and print forms off of...my "homework"

Now, I'm down to the Pre-Op appointment with the Hospital on Monday which is supposed to take a couple of hours before my Surgery next Wednesday!

Like I said in the beginning- I'm mostly excited and just a little nervous so wish me luck! =D