Hello all!

Hello....?

Oh, ok, I'm alone. That's ok too.

I had my first appointment with a bariatric surgeon on the 6th of Jan, 2011. I was so excited and nervous. Part of me still wishes I was just laughed at, told that I was not fat enough for surgery, but alas, that is not in reality the case. So, the appointment went well, Dr. Patrick Chiasson from Tucson, AZ's Arizona Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery, felt I am a good candidate. My BMI is 42 so that certainly qualifies me. I spoke with Tracy, who is going to be, or is, my patient coordinator, and she and I are starting the process for insurance to pay for the surgery. She felt my date of mid-March was a feasible goal for surgery, which is perfect because I will need that Spring Break for surgery and a little recuperating. The only issues I can foresee at this point for insurance purposes is - 1) I have not had a BMI of 40 or higher for at least five years. I have struggled with one of 35 to 38ish, but late 2010 has been the first time I have even been this weight. And - 2) I have little proof of even the 35 to 38ish BMI weights or proof. I rarely went to the doctor, and when I did it was usually for pregnancies which I am told are not accepted by the insurance company. Nonetheless, my mother is refinancing her house to get her ex-husband off the mortgage sometime next month and has told me she will pay for the surgery if my insurance does not. I would REALLY, prefer her not have to wrap an extra 18 grand into her new mortgage, if at all possible, but I need this surgery like...yesterday, so if nothing else it should still happen in March one way or another.

I am very tired of this struggle. Just like everyone else here on this site, or off it. I take depression and anxiety medication, and that is just not personality. This fat is making me someone that I was never meant to be. Not much longer, I keep telling myself. I will get this surgery, it will jump start my motivation and eating right and be an excellent tool in living healthy. It is just infuriating to have to prove to someone that I am unhealthy to get help to pay for it, or be told I am not unhealthy enough (or for long enough) to qualify. I haven't been denied, but I am just very nervous it's going to happen. Oh well, all I can do is try. I will contact my PCP tomorrow and start the rounding up process of my various medical records, do the other pre-surgery tests and see what happens!

I will post on here as much as I can to keep track of what's going on. Thanks for reading, feel free to leave a comment or send a friend request!