Month: February 2013

I’m Gonna Cut Ya!

9 Comments

Silly title, yes.. I’m goofy when I’m excited. Why am I excited you ask?

Well I’ve had a tentative surgery date since my last doctors appointment but since I hadn’t been submitted for insurance approval, I didn’t want to count my chickens before they hatched.

So I’m excited to say that as of today, I am approved and scheduled for surgery on Wednesday, March 20th, 2013!

My insurance is bcbs-il ppo. The process was pretty seamless, which I’m going to account to my wonderful doctors office. From date of submission I was approved in 5 days.

Shake it, shake it, shake-shake-shake it! 🙂

I’m excited and nervous and excited !

Now there’s work to be done, getting in any last shopping and preparing for the pre-op diet, after all this is only 21 days from now. 3 Weeks! I also received a call from my nutritionist saying that I only have to do the pre-op full liquid diet for only 7 days, so that’s a little better on my head than 14-days. In case you’re wondering she said the length of time has been shortened because my BMI is under 50.

So that’s my news and I’m so grateful to share it with all of you!

Take Care!

-J.

Patience My Dear Child

14 Comments

I thought I was having my final nutritional visit, but I was in and out of the office in 30 minutes. It was sort of disappointing but the nutritionist wasn’t happy that I had stopped exercising and I gained 3 pounds. She was also a little concerned that I hadn’t completely decided on if I want sleeve gastrectomy or roux-en y (gastric bypass) so she scheduled me for what she directly told me was my final review on Monday, February 18th. At this appointment she would like me to have decided the surgery that I would like and we will review the patient handbook that outlines my  pre-op diet and then we will also go through the other post-op phases. After that my understanding is that I’ll have my papers submitted to the insurance for approval.

I also had confirmed a few months ago that I have what is known as a chiari malformation type I , this is a birth defect where my brain in low in my skull and it crowds my spinal cord and blocks spinal cord fluid. This was discovered because I was having horrible headaches and then I started having tingling in my arms and fingers , also dropping things. The headaches were horrible and I always thought they were migraines or high blood pressure which is scary because I have a huge family history of strokes. Turns out I was wrong…so the plot thickens. 🙂

So on Thursday I say a neurosurgeon that my neurologist referred and he recommended that I have surgery over the summer to make room for the fluid and for everything to fit because as I age my symptoms will progress.(guys this is the cliff notes version)

I feel that currently because I’m so far in this process I’m going to continue with my weightloss surgery and also seek a second opinion regarding my Chiari, because thought my symptoms may worsen, they may not, and I’m not crazy about the idea of having brain surgery.  So who knows…… Uh, I’m frustrated and overwhelmed by all of this. So that’s that AND please let me know where you are in your process, I’d love to hear about it! 

One Love!

-J.