I am starting this journal as a log of what has and what is happening to me on what I am convienced will be my journey to change my life. I know it is not going to be easy. Having lap-band surgery is just a crutch to help me when my I let my will power and self control get the better of my common sense. So here goes, Patti's Big Adventure!
I had thought of weight loss surgery for several years, but my primary care physican had told me that I could not phyically handle gastric bypass surgery. That was the only form of bariactric surgery that my insurance would pay for and I could not afford to pay for the surgery by myself. In December 2006 I got the new book telling about my insurance plan for 2007. I was just leafing through it to see what changes I would need to know about and low and behold there was one major change. As of January 1, 2007, they would pay for Lap-Band surgery! If approved and I qualified. I called them up and asked if that was really true. They told me yes if I could qualify. Well I know what I look like and I know how my weight was effecting my health in so many ways, so I starting researching lap-band on the internet. I found several places in Kansas City that did the surgery. I found a Dr Malley who was on Blue Cross/Blue Shield preferred doctor list. Good start. I called his office and they said that they had a seminar on a Saturday in January. I signed up and went to just listen and gather information. In the mean time, I talked to my primary care doctor and he told me he would do anything he could do to help me get qualitied to insurance standards and I just kept checking it out on the internet. Reading everything I could about the prochedure. I went to the seminar, and I knew when I left there that I had to meet with Dr. Malley and see my options. I made an appointment, that day, for the middle of February to see him. I had my appointment and not only did Dr Malley say that I was a very good candidate for the surgery, but the people in the lobby were inspirations. Some had already had the surgery and others were there like me trying to see if we were eligible. I gathered the info that the Doctors office needed to send into the insurance company to get approval. A week later I had that info to them and exactly 10 days later, I got a letter in the mail from the insurance co. saying I was APPROVED! Wow, maybe it was going to happen. I called the doctors office the next day, and we started trying to schedule a date when Dr Malley could do the surgery and I could be off work for at least two weeks. We finally came up with July 12. I had to wait 5 months. Boy was that a long time. But it all worked out. My patience held out and the end of June, I went to Menorah Hospital to have my pre-op testing. Regular blood work, EKG, chest xray. Just normal stuff. I did meet with an antithegiologist (bad spelling, sorry). I had to do a 4 week pre-op low fat, low sugar liquid diet. Now that was a challenge, but I knew I would be on the same thing for 2 or 3 weeks after surgery. So I figured I might as well get used to it. I had to turn in Family Medical Leave Act paperwork to my boss. It said I would be off at least 2 weeks, and my boss told me that he thought I should be back in 1 week. I don't know where he got his medical degree, but Dr Malley said NO. I would be off at least 2 weeks. I had told him what I do for a living and about my daily duties at the Post Office and he said that I could not go back too early and mess up all of his good work! Anyway the day finally came. The day I had waited on for 5 months. Maybe the day I had waited on for a lifetime. But it was finally here and I was so excited and soooooo scared. What was I doing? I had not been in a hospital for 32 years when I had my gall bladder out. But I also knew this was my life. On to the next step!
