My paperwork was submitted on December 5th. It took over a month for them to say, "We need more information." To be specific, they want cardiac and pulmonary clearance. I almost immediately :biggrin: set up an appointment with a cardiologist. I'm glad I went to see him. It was very kind, yet straightforward. Apparently my fist sized heart has been working over time pumping blood through my Mac truck sized body. My left ventricle is slightly enlarged. No need for panic or alarm - just the realization that I do in fact HAVE to lose weight. I mean my knee, hip, and back pain are tiresome and can bring my spirits way down when its bad (and it can get really bad) but the thought of me having heart problems on any level is frightening. I have a five year child. Heart disease runs in my family. I have to do better. I have to start making better food choices right now. Its not fair for me to risk not being here because I like food. I like food, I really do, but I love my child.

So I am going to start a food journal. Not here - I'm not on here enough for that to be effective. I would like to start tomorrow, but I think I should start today. If I ate an extra thick peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast - which I did - I ought to own up to it and write it down. So yea, i will start today.

Now to get my pulmonolgist clearance. I can't seen to get an appointment before Feb. 22nd. That's not good because I want to have surgery on March 21st which is Good Friday and the first day of Spring Break. So I have taken to phone stalking the pulmonologist's office. I have called three days in a row. Once to make the appointment. Yesterday to get an earlier date (no luck), and today to try to get an earlier date (got the answering service instead). So of course I will be calling back again today - before 12 noon because then they will close for one hour for lunch. Hey they've got to eat too. I hope they don't get disgusted with me. It seems that I have such a long wait because this doctor works with lung cancer patients and for some reason this region gets more than its share of lung cancer patients. SO when I think about it - my case really isn't all that important - somebody else is a battle for their life. I am too, but it just doesn't feel like my case is as urgent. Let's pray that I don't have a heart attack. I'm serious.

Well, I guess I need to try to get some work done. I also need to be dialing that pulmonogist's office again. Later.