dolfinluvr77
The Journey Begins...
Feb 05, 2008
8/8/07: I began meeting with a Dietician as the beginning of my GB journey requirements. I have to meet with her every month for the next 6-months.
1/19/08: Yeah! I finished my Dietician appts. today! I seriously can not believe how fast 6-months flew by. Now I have to wait for an appt. to meet with my surgeon to discuss surgery options, whether I am a good candidate and send off for insurance approval.
2/5/08: I met with Dr. Timothy Monson today...he was very nice, easy to talk to and answered a lot of my questions before I had a chance to ask them. He said "I want you to walk away fully informed". And I did. We went over my medical history, weight related health issues, and the different surgical options, risks, and benefits. Now his office just sends stuff to my insurance company, which I guess with BC/BS of IL might take a while. Great. I'm so ready to have this done.
3/11/08: Haven't been here in a while...having MAJOR issues with insurance company (BCBS of ILL/PPO). So far they are denying me. I'm very frustrated as they "forgot" to tell me many things back last August when I started this process that could've saved me months of work. Not only did they not tell me how to access their website where I could find the whole policy but the gal on the phone forgot to mention the "5-year history of morbid obesity" criteria...HELLO?!?!?! So as of right now that may be the one thing that snags me up not getting surgery this year... I haven't been fat long enough. Please! I'm still working on it but it's taking forever and not looking good for me. :( Anyone else have my insurance? words of advice?
3/18/08: I'M APPROVED!!!!! Holy crap!!! My surgeon's office FAX'd over additional information on 3/5/08, I called insurance company on 3/11/08 to confirm they received it and today I got my approval letter! I had to read it 5x before I absorbed that it actually said approval! I truly can't believe it. I was beginning to lose hope and thought that 5-yr. requirement was really going to prevent this from happening. THANK YOU, JESUS!!! It's an Easter miracle! LOL.
Course now I have to wait til at least May 2nd. :S But WHATEVER!!! Woooohoooooo!
3/19/08: Ok, so my bubble was burst a little bit when my surgeon's office told me that the wording of the letter was "not good enough" Argh!! It said the right procedure code but worded it lap band procedure to "abbreviate" as the Insurance Company said. Of course, Lap Band is not what I am in the process of getting so I see where the catch could come up later on but, MAN was I frustrated when I heard I'd have to wait yet another week!
3/22/08: Got the "newly worded" version of the approval letter in today's mail so hoping to get a date any day now...
3/24/08: WOOOO HOOOOOO!!!! I got the call....date set for MAY 6th, 2008!!!! That's 2-days before my 9th wedding anniversary and that's ok...husband might think otherwise, but this will be my gift to him. ;) Now if I didn't have to worry and/or deal with this Pilanidal cyst that I have and might have to have surgery for beforehand...
My only concern about the WLS afterwards is that I plan a trip with my entire family to California and I want to be comfortable and have f-u-n. Just worried I won't be up for that kinda trip, but it is a few weeks after so I'm hoping I'll be good to go.
4/8/08: I do my Pre-Op doc appt. in 2 weeks! I'm sorta beginning the whole mind freak about the whole process. Mostly about how life changing this will be - all for the better of course but still life CHANGING!! I have no regrets at this point but I am scared and nervous about post-op. Not to mention I already have a vacation planned for 24 days post-op which is adding to my stress but I can't and won't change any dates (surgery or trip) so I'm dealing with it. My mind can't escape the thoughts of "great! now I won't be able to enjoy food while on vacation!" Ugh!! Like that's totally the kind of thinking that got me here!:( I still keep telling myself its time to start exercising a bit now!! But I just can't muster up the energy or find the time (nay, make the time). *sigh* I am however, finding comfort in people from the May 2007 board and listening to what they advice and suggest being 1-yr. post op. I figure that's still "fresh" enough in their minds to help me.
1/19/08: Yeah! I finished my Dietician appts. today! I seriously can not believe how fast 6-months flew by. Now I have to wait for an appt. to meet with my surgeon to discuss surgery options, whether I am a good candidate and send off for insurance approval.
2/5/08: I met with Dr. Timothy Monson today...he was very nice, easy to talk to and answered a lot of my questions before I had a chance to ask them. He said "I want you to walk away fully informed". And I did. We went over my medical history, weight related health issues, and the different surgical options, risks, and benefits. Now his office just sends stuff to my insurance company, which I guess with BC/BS of IL might take a while. Great. I'm so ready to have this done.
3/11/08: Haven't been here in a while...having MAJOR issues with insurance company (BCBS of ILL/PPO). So far they are denying me. I'm very frustrated as they "forgot" to tell me many things back last August when I started this process that could've saved me months of work. Not only did they not tell me how to access their website where I could find the whole policy but the gal on the phone forgot to mention the "5-year history of morbid obesity" criteria...HELLO?!?!?! So as of right now that may be the one thing that snags me up not getting surgery this year... I haven't been fat long enough. Please! I'm still working on it but it's taking forever and not looking good for me. :( Anyone else have my insurance? words of advice?
3/18/08: I'M APPROVED!!!!! Holy crap!!! My surgeon's office FAX'd over additional information on 3/5/08, I called insurance company on 3/11/08 to confirm they received it and today I got my approval letter! I had to read it 5x before I absorbed that it actually said approval! I truly can't believe it. I was beginning to lose hope and thought that 5-yr. requirement was really going to prevent this from happening. THANK YOU, JESUS!!! It's an Easter miracle! LOL.
Course now I have to wait til at least May 2nd. :S But WHATEVER!!! Woooohoooooo!
3/19/08: Ok, so my bubble was burst a little bit when my surgeon's office told me that the wording of the letter was "not good enough" Argh!! It said the right procedure code but worded it lap band procedure to "abbreviate" as the Insurance Company said. Of course, Lap Band is not what I am in the process of getting so I see where the catch could come up later on but, MAN was I frustrated when I heard I'd have to wait yet another week!
3/22/08: Got the "newly worded" version of the approval letter in today's mail so hoping to get a date any day now...
3/24/08: WOOOO HOOOOOO!!!! I got the call....date set for MAY 6th, 2008!!!! That's 2-days before my 9th wedding anniversary and that's ok...husband might think otherwise, but this will be my gift to him. ;) Now if I didn't have to worry and/or deal with this Pilanidal cyst that I have and might have to have surgery for beforehand...
My only concern about the WLS afterwards is that I plan a trip with my entire family to California and I want to be comfortable and have f-u-n. Just worried I won't be up for that kinda trip, but it is a few weeks after so I'm hoping I'll be good to go.
4/8/08: I do my Pre-Op doc appt. in 2 weeks! I'm sorta beginning the whole mind freak about the whole process. Mostly about how life changing this will be - all for the better of course but still life CHANGING!! I have no regrets at this point but I am scared and nervous about post-op. Not to mention I already have a vacation planned for 24 days post-op which is adding to my stress but I can't and won't change any dates (surgery or trip) so I'm dealing with it. My mind can't escape the thoughts of "great! now I won't be able to enjoy food while on vacation!" Ugh!! Like that's totally the kind of thinking that got me here!:( I still keep telling myself its time to start exercising a bit now!! But I just can't muster up the energy or find the time (nay, make the time). *sigh* I am however, finding comfort in people from the May 2007 board and listening to what they advice and suggest being 1-yr. post op. I figure that's still "fresh" enough in their minds to help me.
