Category: Blog

I had to move up my PreSurgery appointment — it’s now tomorrow at the same time — why they couldn’t schedule it Saturday morning that way, I don’t know.

I am scheduled to see the surgeon on Wednesday at 3:15 so one of my good teacher friends is going to cover my 6th period class.

I am TRYING to go to completely liquid diet but I’m still needing to chew.  I am eating only once a day now.

Making progress!

I’m working on several different new computer projects hoping to keep my mind off of food — isn’t working.

I am eating the same way I did that helped me lose 7 pounds in 4 weeks, plus I did work out with the personal trainer, though I seem to be taking today off.  Didn’t mean to.

I’m also doing a lot of stress stuff — mostly losing things, like leaving my wallet at Krogers — and man, they were nice, all the money and everything was still in it, misplacing meter etc.  That means I’m not paying attention to what I am doing.

I need to start packing for school tomorrow, though food is done.

I have an appointment with my primary care physician for pre-Opt testing on May 19th, two days before surgery which worries me, but I have a question out to my case manager already so I’ll let her decide if I should reschedule.

I’ve been on a liquid diet since yesterday and that’s going okay.

Personal trainer came out for a second visit today and that went well too.

I think I’ll spend some time learning Flash and play with my Chumby’s while I’m waiting.

Also need to finish up 8th grade curriculum.

One of the things I've been wanting for a while is an in home personal trainer.  I like doing weight but I am not really confident with them and I really like using a personal trainer when I do.

I asked the lapband group for recommendations and I found a really nice gal who lives a few blocks away and she came over for the first time tonight.  I like her and I liked the workout and I'll see her again tomorrow.

Price is reasonable so it looks like I am getting there.

Surgery date is May 21st!  That's going to make one person mad but he can get over it.  That also gives me Memorial day for recovery.

I have to meet with the surgeon and I have to get labs done with my primary care physician's office all of which I need to get scheduled on Monday. 

I'm on liquid diet now….

Just went into the BCBS of Texas Live Chat and got told that my surgery had been approved. Am in the process of finding the people I need to get it scheduled.

I have phone calls and emails out.  Will update when I know more.

And something I need to solve….

So after I went to the nutritionist and lost 7 pounds I have been telling myself — oh, you can eat that, you deserve a break.  A week later and I am still not back to losing weight.  I’m also doing a lot of–I need to say goodbye since I won’t have that food again.

Also other things are getting in the way — for example, right now, all the cold air in our building is in my room.   Seriously, I’m freezing but if I walk down the hall a few steps it is HOT!  Apparently there is a damper stuck and someone needs to come and fix it.

My solution to being too cold on Wednesday, and I was seriously shivering, was to go find something warm to eat.  Actually just driving over to the nearest fast food and back was probably enough to get warm, but yes, I ate some McDonald’s food.

Yesterday was better, I went downstairs and had a piece of chicken from the cafeteria.

Today’s been better yet, I walk down the hall where it is warm when I get to cold and then come back.

But yes, I’ve got to solve this and get back on track.

Checked with BCBS this morning, no approval — trying now, but probably better later in the day and our internet isn’t working well right now.

Just went to the BCBS site to check and they do have my paperwork.  They say I should get a response back in less than two weeks.

I love their online chat service.  Much more convenient than the telephone. 

Getting closer.

I love what the case manager said:

I am updating you and letting you know I am submitting all your medical records and paperwork to your insurance today. I have snail mailed all your info to BCBS-TX. Their fax is down today. I will try again tomorrow but just in case I am mailing your info. Please call your ins. in 1 week to check status of your case.

We should hear something in about 3-4 weeks. It is always possible that your insurance company will request additional information that will delay the approval.  If you happen to hear anything let me know. If you get a letter in the mail, please make sure you send me a copy for your chart. There are times we are not notified and letters are sent to the patient only. Many patients think we will contact them assuming we received a copy also, when in fact we have no idea of your approval or denial.

 If you want to make sure you are on top of your case, you can call 1 week from now and check the status of your Lapband pre-determination. You can tell the insurance this is for lap-band CPT code 43770 for morbid obesity diagnosis code 278.01. Your insurance should be able to keep you posted. We all know how insurance companies can be. They will either lose your paperwork, or else it sits on someone’s desk for weeks. If you are in contact w/ the insurance you should be well informed of all steps involved.

I wish you the best and hope to hear good news soon!!

Current Status:  Waiting on case manager to submit paperwork to insurance company.

I am still working on losing weight, though the storms that have gone thorugh is making that idfifcult.  Knees ache the most but all joints are aching.  Only got 17 minutes in on the treadmill yesterday, we’ll see how the rest goes.

I posted a request for personal trainer referrals and got several, so I am going to look into that.

I’ve got a Magic Bullet blender so getting through the 4 weeks of post op diet is going to be good. 

I’m also trying to do liquid diet as much as possible between now and then, and keeping it as low carb as possible.  I really feel the difference after having lost over 7 pounds in the last month so that helps. Not sure what the surgeon will say but in my presurgery meeting with the TLC Edge Consultant, she said to try to lose as much as possible before the surgery and that the postop is cruicial in preventing slipping.  She also said that dropping the Diet Coke was cruicial too.

Expectations:  The dietician I am seeing drives me a bit nuts.  She was going on about how next year this time I should weight 170 pounds.  I don’t think so, that means a weight loss of around 140 pounds and I really don’t think that is a good idea.

I’d be happy with 250 pounds in one year from now. 

I also don’t want to hear things like off medications, off CPAP, etc.  Though I would LOVE a reduction in gastric reflux, I doubt that will happen for a long time, because I still has reflux with liquid diet only.  I think most of the reflux is the weight I am carrying.