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Okay so now that all the initial excitement has settled down from getting a surgery date, now all the nervous/anxiety/scared/holycrapitsonly34daysaway has set in lol.. sooo I'm dealing with my biggest fear of dying on the table. I trust my surgeon 110% It's just my underlying anxiety order giving me crap! Any tips for me to ease this or get over this fear? I know statistics-wise I should do just fine, my hypochondria and anxiety however say "you're gonna be the one unlucky out of the 1000 that ends up a baaaad statistic." Grrrr stupid anxiety!

 My surgery has been approved! I am scheduled for November 7, 2011. HOLY CRAP! I'm so excited but so nervous! Clear that spot off on the loser's bench for me! :)

Well I just got good news! Guess my Cardiac Evaluation checked out alright. I attended my Nutritionist meeting today.  Tomorrow I get the results from my Gallbladder ultrasound and Upper Endoscopy. I just have to attend my Psychological Evaluation on the 27th and they are ready to schedule my surgery date!!! Can't believe all the pre-op testing went so quickly!!

Well, I went for my Cardiac Evaluation today in hopes of getting clearance for my surgery.  The Cardiologist said I have Sinus Tachycardia & Atrial Fibrillation, both are Cardiac Arrythmias.  Apparently AFib (as they call it) is the most common arrythmia.  I was prescribed yet another medication to bring my heart rate down some because at resting it was 110 bpm!  I have to go Wednesday for an Echocardiogram and my Cardiologist said as long as there is nothing abnormal on that he will give me clearance for surgery.  He told me other than taking the medication for my newly found health issues, the best thing I could do is have the surgery and he documented that for my surgeon. Though I'm not thrilled about another medication, I am glad to have this problem taken care of and on my way to a healthier me! :)

Well, today I had my gallbladder ultrasound, that went well. I also had my upper endoscopy, which didn't go as well as I could've hoped. My discharge instructions said I needed to have a cardiac evaluation before any surgery so when I got home I called my surgeon's office and asked what that was all about and the receptionist took my info, said she'd have the nurse call me back blah blah. Well the nurse calls me back and says Kara, what did you do!? I heard you caused quite the excitement in the Endoscopy Suite. I was like I have no idea?? She said, oh no one told you? So you don't know anything? I was like... no. She says oh well during your scope you had an abnormal cardiac rhythm and scared the crap out of the staff, so now we need you to have a full cardiac evaluation and you need cleared by a Cardiologist before you can have surgery. Now I'm freaking out and worrying about my heart. Great.

Just wanted to update everyone.. I went to my surgery consult today and the ball is definitely rolling and FAST! I got scheduled for all my pre-op testing already and the surgeon was as awesome as I knew he'd be! He answered all of my questions and was very thorough about everything. I have 100% trust and confidence in my surgeon and he definitely eased alot of my fears since this is my first surgery.  I go for my gallbladder ultrasound and endoscopy August 31, and my pscyh evaluation is next week! Basically I'll have all of my pre-op stuff done within the next few weeks and we'll just be waiting to hear from my insurance! :)

Originally I had my mind completely set on having RNY as my choice of WLS.  The more I have read on these boards and researched I am now really wanting to have VSG.  I hope my insurance will cover it as I have both Medicare & Medicaid.  VSG just seems like a better choice for me especially since I already have some vitamin deficiencies that I am taking supplements for, the RNY would surely make that worse.  From what I have read there are less risks & complications with the VSG as well.  I know all surgeries have their risks, but being as young as I am I need to choose something that I can live with for the next 60 - 70 years.  VSG I will still have my "normal" stomach just less of it. 

9 more days till I meet with my surgeon! *

So I recently started having surgery-related dreams even though I am pre-op.  Last night's dream consisted of me walking barefoot from my hospital room to the OR (which I would never walk barefoot in a hospital) and then when I got to the operating room I kept telling my surgeon that I needed something to wash my feet with so I didn't get staph infection.  Then I got put under, and when I woke up I kept asking everyone if I was really alive.  Crazy dreams lol.

I called and scheduled my consultation with the Bariatric Team a few days ago and today I received my medical history papers to fill out.  They also sent me a DVD to watch.  Between the DVD and all the "googling" I've been doing I have to say I am really nervous about this whole journey.  I have tried everything else though and nothing works.  I've already gone through the whole process with my dad and he has done great!  I suppose my Anxiety Disorder is causing me extra grief and making me over think all of the "what ifs."  One of the main things I am scared about is anesthesia because I've never gone under.  I should probably ban myself from google and medical shows until this is all done with!  They say the complications and mortality rate is pretty rare but I naturally think the worst and think I will be one of the few unlucky ones.  I have a great support system and everyone keeps trying to reassure me.  I have a month before I meet with the surgeon and the rest of the Bariatric Team.  I plan on going in with a list of questions!