12/4/00 - Finally I'm back on track...It's only the 4th day of the month and I'm ready to update you on my progress.
I've finally received approval from all insurance companies concerned and I have received a date for surgery. I was totally surprised that it was so easy...this cartoon about sums it all up.
The Abdominoplasty and breast reduction with ptosis correction will be performed on January 9 2001. Here is the letter. I had wished it wouldn't stretch into next year, but the approval process didn't flow as smoothly as I had hoped. But I will not complain. I will just feel fortunate that the approval came at all. I am going to provide links here for some literature regarding the surgeries that I will be undergoing. They are simply the handouts that the plastic surgeon gave me after our initial consult in September.
I am ready for the holidays. I have decorated the house and dreamed of making wonderful scrumptious meals and baked goods, but those days have passed. It seems holidays may not have all the same "feelings" associated with them as before surgery. I'm sure you know what I mean. The wonderful baked goods and the good time had by all as the family gathers for the holiday meal. That over-stuffed feeling after you tasted some of everything on the table. Even the gaiety of attendance at holiday parties. I am not typically a drinker, but I would say that the one time a year where I may have had a drink would be around holiday parties. So I am finding that I will be replacing some of these old memories with new as I find new ways to enjoy my thinner self during the holidays. Ways that do not include food and alcohol. Please don't get me wrong...I'm in no way complaining....I'm just sharing with you some of the "feelings" I have while approaching a holiday with some of the new limitations that a small pouch requires.
Some answers to questions a few of you have posted:
- Are you still continuing to lose so much hair? The hair loss has slowed considerably, but it has not stopped by any means. I notice daily as I shampoo my hair that there are long strands of hair on my hands as I run them through my hair. It is not worrying me quite as much because so many people that I have spoken with assure me that it will finally stop. And they don't mean when I am finally bald.
- Why did BC/BS approve your surgery and not mine? I am from Central PA and have the same insurance as you and I was denied. I am no insurance expert. I did however make sure to cover all bases when discussing with the nutritionist and the surgeon prior to seeking approval for the gastric bypass. By that I mean, I had research the surgery and found the co-morbidities that plague morbidly obese individuals and I made sure to be able to provide documentation to my nutritionist and my surgeon on my experience with those co-morbidities. It seems from the research that I did prior to surgery that you must have at least 3 health related issues stemming from your obesity that are correctable by massive weight loss. If so, and your insurance contact allows, you will most likely be approved.
- How is your ulcer? Are you still having problems? Should I be worried I will develop an ulcer after surgery? My ulcer is still a problem for me. But mostly because I am not the most diligent person at taking medicine. I would probably be fine if I stayed away from the things that I know upset my ulcer (carbonated soda and tomato products) and took my medicine faithfully. And as far as worrying about getting any ulcer after surgery. Ulcers are one thing that I never remember reading about in all the research I did prior to surgery. And believe me....even if I had known I was destined to have an ulcer I would still have the surgery...ABSOLUTELY. I can live with an ulcer...I don't believe I could have lived remaining at 307lbs or more.
