If you have been reading my story though my blogs you know I have only been on my journey a short amount of time. Well, to be honest I have lived the heavy part for many years now. But the road to healthy weight has only been traveled in earnest since June. That was when I set my mind on changing my life and my body. I started making calls and doing research, the first call was to see if my insurance even covered the surgery. Once I started I have gone full steam ahead. I talked with my PCP and got a referral. I went to a seminar, scheduled a consult. I got clearance from my vascular doctor and hematologist even before meeting the surgeon the first time. I scheduled my psych evaluation and my nutritional counseling the same week, Heck, I even had my pap test done for good measure. All hurdles have been cleared. I have checked things off the list one by one. There is just one more thing I must do before the paperwork is submitted to my insurance. My surgeon wants me to have a pulmonary evaluation because I have had two separate events of pulmonary embolism, the last being this past May. I am not concerned there is any problem with my lungs, it is just a precaution. They referred me to a pulmonologist and I called to schedule an appointment, and that is when the brakes were slammed on for me. I cannot get in for even the initial consultation until Sept.9th. Any tests they want will be scheduled after that. Four weeks. Four weeks of nothing. With everything else going so quickly and easily this was certainly an abrupt slow down. I have been really hoping to have the surgery in October. With work and the holidays etc. that would be the best time for me. It was looking pretty good for me to achieve that before this. Given it is my last hurdle to clear before the paperwork is submitted to my insurance, it is possible I may still make my October wish date. It will all depend on 1)how quickly I can get the pulmonary clearance 2) how quickly insurance responds - and if favorably and 3) my surgeons schedule. I am motivated by so many factors to get the surgery soon. Of course there is the number one factor, my health. The sooner I have surgery the sooner I will get to the healthy weight I have been dreaming of. (and the sooner my body can get relief from all the weight related issues I have) Second is financial. Since I had the issue with the blood clot (DVT) and the embolism earlier this year, I have met my financial insurance obligations for 2013. If I can get the surgery this year it will be at little to no cost for me, which is a huge plus. And of course timing...The holidays are right around the corner. My birthday is Oct.17. Then there is Halloween, followed a few days later by my daughter's birthday. Three weeks later is Thanksgiving and then Christmas. I want to be physically healed before everything starts kicking into gear. And my work is supposed to have a new computer system go live on 12/1. My boss wants me at work during the process. So I cannot be off for surgery and recovery in December. Needless to say I felt a bit of stress over the situation. I was a bit down and depressed when I realized how close things are being cut. I admit I went off the rails a little. I have been getting used to a diet high in protein and low in fats/calories/carbs since the beginning of August. In 19 days I have lost 13lbs. Friday I took my daughter out and I ordered food I should not have. All that did was make me more depressed Saturday. So I got myself back together and got back on track. It didn't really make a dent on the scale, but it did effect me emotionally. So I am hitting the reset button. I am going to start back to the Y this week to get in pool time. I also want to start walking more. And my hand weights I ordered should be delivered soon. All these things were stressed by the sports physiologist and I plan to make good. So I am getting back on track. I will use this extra time I have to get myself in the best possible pre op shape I can be. That way, hopefully I will have a smooth surgery and recovery when I do get there...