Brad J.
November 30th, 2006
Why does a person always feel like they need to jumpstart their health-kick around the holidays????
I was always on the heavy side, but I thought I had it licked when I was at University. Of course I was literally running around constantly and food had taken a back seat at that time. I can hardly believe I actually maintained ~165lbs for a year or two back then. After college, I got a job that required long hours in a chair in front of a monitor. I didn't have to run around all day anymore and when I got home, I would just veg-out on the sofa, ect. Well, it took about 5 years to get heavier that I have ever been - 265lbs.
As all of us here can attest, during this time I tried just about every diet, plan, excercise program, ect. The simple fact is that I cannot seem to keep my pie hole shut, I take in WAY more calories than I put out, and I am slowly killing myself.
So, I have a surgeon and I have an appointment to get all of my "stuff" together for a approval for an RNY procedure. I have Blue Cross and pretty much see here from the experience of others that they are not TOO bad on approvals....I am hoping for a surgery date around February 1st. I'm working(of course I'm always working) on a project that should wrap-up around that time and.... I AM READY TO CHANGE MY LIFE!
December 5th 2006
So, I have my first appointment with the surgeon next Saturday the 16th of December. I called the office and got "Aunt Michelle"(my name for her) to send me a pre-op check-off list with contacts for the psych, x-ray, ect. I'll try to get this stuff done/scheduled ASAP so that I can get a surgery date. I told Aunt Michelle that I'm shooting for late Jan/early Feb and she said "very do-able"... yes! My new favorite Aunty... hehheheheh
December 10th 2006
My Dr's office had a cancellation and they called and asked if I could come in tomorrow! WoW... I'm really moving forward with this... It has also been kinda freakin' me out that things will be WAY different in my life. Here are some things I would like to be able to do:
1) Snowboarding - I really miss snowboarding at the level I should be at. I was SO good before I blew up to my current weight.
2) Running - I used to get SO pumped up from jogging. It was like a drug or something. I'd like to feel good doing this again - not like I want to pass-out.
3) Have Increased Energy - In general, I've been such a S-L-U-G... Especially for the last year. No energy to do much of anything....
4) Enjoy myself at a "normal" size - Buy clothes I want to wear, not have to worry about ackward situations in public(fitting into booths at cafe's, amusement park rides, ect), have a better image of my physical self
5) The Simple Stuff - Climb stairs w/o huffin' & puffin', tie my shoes or p/u something from the floor w/o gruntin'... hahahaha
Well, I'll see what happens with the surgeon, psych, x-ray, blood, EKG, ect appts tommorrow!
December 13th, 2006
Well, I've been so busy that I haven't had a chance to relay my story about the consult and other appts. Met with surgeon.....check, met with nutritionist.....check, met with psychologist....check, got blood, x-ray and EKG tests......check - WOW! What a day! I'll be honest and say that this was all accomplished by a gargantuan doseage of caffine @ 5:30am which fueled me up until 4pm. I have to say that the "one stop shop" approach of doing everything at the hospital on the same day was great. My Dr's office has everything they need now to get the approval from my ins. co. They expect positve word before the end of the month. Looks like I am on-tracvk to get a surgery date for February! Hooooo Yahhhhhhh!
December 22nd, 2006
Just a quick update: My Dr's office sent all the stuff to Blue Cross on the 19th, so I should know something right after New Years. I'm not too worried about it though... I meet all the criteria and the Office is way used to pushing this stuff through.... I have been sick as a dog the last couple of days with a nasty cold/fever type thingy which is a real bummer 'cause I rarely get sick.... I'll try and be good about piggin' out over the holidays... I would like to go into the surgery down 10-20lbs.... Happy Holidays to everyone! Brad
December 28th, 2006
I got my surgery approved by Blue Cross today! uh huh uh huh uh huh.... That's what I'm talkin' 'bout..... hooo yahhhhhh!
January 3rd, 2007
Got my surgery date for February 6th! Whew, I'm a bit nervous. Gotta ALOT of stuff to take care of before then. I am also determined to go into the procedure 10-15lbs lighter. Dr says that this bit of weight reduction will assist him with the procedure. So, I walked 2 miles this morning with the iPod Nano with the Nike+ shoes to start tracking my progress and I burned 204 calories... Oooompa Looompa! Happy New Year to all.....
January 13th, 2007
I finished my last two pre-op items: MD history/approval -and- upper GI XRay. Drinking all that barium and movin all around for the pix was not the most fun way to spend the morning... but, whatchagonadoo?? Since I have PPO insurance, and I don't really have a PCP, I asked my surgeon to refer me to a MD that he knew of. This was a no-brainer and it was cool it was in the same facility as my GI procedure. I got done early and I went for a 4mile walk in San Francisco around Lake Merced and the campus of my alma mater; SFSU... go gators! So, I'm all set for my surgery... nothing left to do but lose 5-10 lbs in the next 3 weeks..... Feelin' pretty sassy right 'bout now...... awwwww yeahhhhhh!!
January 24th, 2007
Not too much to report... Working my tail off trying to get everything taken care of before my leave. I planning on taking two full weeks off. Geeeezzz... that sounds like heaven! I got all my post-op vitamins, some protein supplements and all that jazz. I'll try taking some various pre-op pix... not sure if I'll post those however..... Two week countdown!!
January 31st, 2007
One week until surgery. I got all my pre-op stuff done, just need to register with the hospital and see what the copay will be. I've got some $$ saved to get me through the procedure and afterwards. I hope I'll be spending less $$ on food. Ohhhhh... yeah... food... My eating is freaking me out... I've been working out of town and was trying to do a liquid protein diet(my idea, not my Dr's). This means that I've been going to restraunts rather than drink the protein drinks I so carefully procured.... oh well, post-RNY I certainly won't be able to chow down at Outback Steakhouse like I did tonight... heheheheheh
