The Approval
Mar 21, 2009
When I first met with my surgeon, I was told that my insurance had a three month fast track. The nurse explained that I would need to see my primary care physician AND a licensed nutritionist for three consecutive months. Sounds easy enough. I completed these requirements in addition to the psychological evaluation by December 2008. The psychologist forwarded my information to the surgeon without even being requested to do so. The nutritionist forwarded my records after two requests. My primary care physician, was my biggest challenge. The first time I requested that my records be forwarded to my physician, nothing happened. Then some records were forwarded, but not the note for the October visit and the December visit. I submitted another request, nothing. After another request the October visit note is forwarded. By the end of February I basically told the nurse "Look, the doctor is the one who recommended this surgery. I have completed all of the requirements for my insurance and my psychological evaluation will expire if we don't get on this." On March 2nd I received a call from the bariatric coordinator at my surgeon's office. She advised that she had received all the necessary documentation and would be submitting it to my insurance company. She explained to me that it would take 2 to 6 weeks for the approval or denial and she would call me when she had more information. On the afternoon of March 12th, she called me back and informed me that she had received the approval from my insurance company and she wanted to schedule my surgery for March 31st. Who knew that it would be my own doctor who would be the biggest roadblock and the insurance company would cause no problems? I have even received a call lately from a nurse employed by my insurance to answer any questions I have regarding my surgery. She provided me with her number and told me that I could call her anytime. Yeah Aetna!
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Fat Kid
Mar 18, 2009
I was not a big baby, in fact I was only five pounds when I was born. I was a normal sized child as well, I have seen pictures and was quite cute in all of my bathing suit photos. I think I was in middle school when I realized I was heavier than my friends. Not drastically, but enough so that I was clearly the chubby friend. I remeber that my seventh grade social studies teacher used to joke about me and the chubby boy being a couple. The boys name was Barry and he would call us Ba and Ka. I hated that. I also remember that a really cute boy named Nat Everts asked me out. That same day I walked into math class and his best friend Jay started barking. I convinced myslef that the only reason Nat could have asked me out was for a joke, because I was too fat and ugly for Nat to want to go out with me. I told Nat know in order to save face. I later learned that he really did want to go out with me. This was just the beginning. Being overweight has influenced every part of who I am...I have found it nearly impossible to define myself without starting with the fact that I am overweight.
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Surgery Date
Mar 15, 2009
It seemed like I was on a neverending treadmill. Everytime I thought I had attended all the necessary appointments and requested that all the necessary paperwork be forwarded to my surgeon, one piece of paperwork would be missing or just one more appointment would be needed so that it could be documented a better way. On Tuesday March 2, 2009 I received a telephone call from my surgeon's office stating that the bariatric coordinator had submitted all of the paperwork to my insurance and I could expect a response from them in two to six weeks. So I marked on my calendar to check with the office again on the 16th of March and every week following for the next month. I really half expected that I would have to wait the full six weeks to be denied on the first try. I was completely thrown off guard when the office called me on the 12th and told me that my insurance had approved me. The bariatric coordinator informed me that they wanted to schedule my surgery and the next available date was Mqrch 31st. RRRRR.... time to hop off that treadmill and sprint toward the finish line! Of course I took that date, but I have to admit, crazy person that I am, my first reaction was "I don't know if I am ready". I hate change and usually to make changes sucessfully I usually have to prepare myself extensively for them. I still plan to prepare for this surgery and lifestyle change however, I am not taking my time about doing it. I WILL BE READY TO START THE OPTIFAST ON TUESDAY!!!
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