BIZZYBIZZYBEE

I have been waiting for this surgery now and it is finally (fingers crossed) going to happen this time. I tried this 10 years ago, when I was 23, but was completely NOT NOT NOT emotionally ready psychologically to handle Bariatric Surgery. A little under two years ago I had a great friend have the sleeve performed, and watched her through her success and decided to try again. Since October I have be EXTREMELY Hypervigilant and OCD about doing it and doing it RIGHT. Everything was great, all my tests and exams, evaluations, lab after lab, etc had come back and I was in the.schedule (after harassing the patient advocate/ billing specialist). I literally know that I could have done her job better than her under anesthesia and blindfolded! She was thee biggest idiot I have ever met, and I did most if the leg work myself. I am on disability, and one of the reasons is extreme anxiety/ ADHD/ OCD, so I know a thing or two about double checking, asking questions, keeping track of all paperwork, so on and so fourth ( in my working days I had a high stress job, so it was all too familiar depending on only yourself to get things done). I had all my pre op and post op food, done my final pre op appt with the nurse, surgeon, and dietician (whom asked me to personally come back and help newbies in support because I knew it like the back of my hand..it made me blush) meds, exercise plans, gone to all support groups, talked with friends who had this done, down to the outfit and hospital bag. Fasted for two weeks, lost 28 lbs, and was geeked. Less than 24 hours until I was to check in for surgery, the PA, called and said there was an insurance issue, and if I could not resolve it, my surgery would go on but I would have to sigh a finance waiver, stating that if the insurance company did not pick up the tab, that I would be responsible for the WHOLE $45k BEFORE I left the hospital?! I seriously asked her if she was kidding, and in her smug and condensing tone said nope. This call was placed to me at 2:45 pm, and the insurance carrier was on the east coast! I called they were closed and reopened at 5am AZ time. I made 17 phone calls all the way up until 15 minutes before I absolutely had to leave for check in at the hospital. I was livid. I come to find out two HUGE errors on my surgeons office's part. Doctor was great, nurse was great, dietician was great, PA/ billing was a moron. #1. No one informed me, and I asked COUNTLESS times that even though.I had Medicare,because my husband works and we have commerical insurance that HIS ,not mine, becomes Primary! #2 They were no longer a center of excellence as of 2013 (lost it end of 2012) ,and had they kicked their asses into gear I would have been grandfathered in, but sadly no, and I was turned down again! I cried for about and hour after I threw my binders (yes mulitple) across the room, picked myself up and got down to business again finding a new surgeon. I have two local friends who had Bariatric Roux-en-Y, performed, by a great Dr, Dr. Hilario Juarez of St. Luke's Phoenix, and told me to start there. Their staff Aisha Jones, Mary Banks, Ashley, the Doc, everyone has been Awesome and although they had few more requirements, have made this as flawless as possible, and Surgery is scheduled June 3rd, with last pre op check and testing this Thursday. The only I am not looking forward to is the ABG test (I keep asking why as it has not been ordered by my Pulmonolgist), but if this is the last hurdle so be it! I CANNOT wait! Fast is going great, just ready to be done, back home and ready to start this next chapter of healthy living!

Yes, thank God it is almost here! I joked with my new Doc that even as they gas me, I will be like, " Is this covered," or "Is this really happening,". They laugh! Sleeve buddies! Cannot wait to show progress! I have only told a select few, and most are not my family. I need no more stress right now. I have been heavy my whole life, so this is about to be a total trip! So geeked yet cautious!

I was set for surgery literally down to my bags packed, groceries stock post op, lists made, bills paid, and several contacts in case of emergency besides my husband and over 2 weeks of fasting. I was ready. Less than 24 hours before check in, my PCC calls and tells me my secondary Insurance should have been my primary, because I have My Medicare, and my husband carries me on his plan as well, and because he works they have to bill his first and mine second. Keep in mind my surgeon's office called me less than a month ago, five months into this process, and said they were using my Medicare as the primary, but changed their story less than a day to go. For the next 23 hours I could not sleep, focus or do anything, but try to get this approved, all work mine you done on my end, and my PCC just getting smug and condescending. Needless to say my surgery was canceled until I get my approval, ory option was to check in, sign.a waiver and be liable for ALL the charges. Hell no! Come to find out less than an hour after my surgery was canceled I got a phone call from an RN from my Husbands insurance stating that the office I was going through lost their Center of Excellence Status with his company, and regardless of the outcome, I was going to be stuck with all of it anyway. I will NEVER step foot in their again, so much so that 3 weeks again I contacted another center, and they did more for me in an afternoon than my previous office did combined! Lesson learned, and what a close call. Got to look for that silver lining somewhere.

At first I was so flipping mad, and crying due to frustration. I mean fasting alone and the anticipation of surgery are enough to stress anyone out, let alone this nightmare on top of it. I am EXTREMELY thankful it happened now, as I do believe in "warning signs," and that was clearly one. Everything for a reason right? Right!