I Have My Surgery Date!!

This is a photo of me (duh!) on the left, and my friend Kelly on the right in Salem.

Hey Ya'll,

Well I am so excited about getting my Surgery date!  It is set for Tuesday December 18th.  And I am to check into the Hospital at 6 am with a Surgery time of 7:30....but then we all know how that can go!!  So 7:30....11:30, who knows!!  LOL

And I do have to endure the 4 week Pre Op Diet like I had to endure for my Lap Band Surgery like I expected.  Oh goody!!  But since I do intend to have Thanksgiving with my family this year, for reasons that I will list later, I will actually only be on the Diet for about 3 and a half weeks.  But I was supposed to be on it for 4 weeks that last time for my Lap Band Surgery, and I was only on it for 2 and a half weeks.  I was supposed to lose 11 lbs, and I lost 17 lbs.  So I feel I should be able to lose the 10 lbs they want me to lose this time! 

Now for the serious stuff....my Parents.  As I have talked about in past posts, they are both in seriously bad health.   My Mom has been in serious pain for many years, and has so many Medical problems, including COPD, Liver, Stomach, Kidney, Heart, etc problems that I don't know how she is still living!!

And my Dad was diagnosed with Lung Cancer earlier this year, and has been undergoing both Radiation and Chemo Treatments for months.  He is not doing well, and we are afraid that he may not make it through the Holidays.  So Walt and I drove down to Sacramento to visit with them this past weekend.  We were glad that we did as neither one looks well. 

So because they are both in such bad health, we have decided to spend Thanksgiving with them this year instead of Christmas (we usually spend one Holiday with my family, and the opposite with Walt's Mom here in Nevada).  So I plan on eating a normal meal with them and enjoy the time we are with them.  Then when we return home, I will begin my "4 week Diet". 

So if ya'll could send good thoughts their way, my family will much appreciate it.

Also what worries us, is that they have been raising my Sister's Grandson (their Great Grandson from birth).  He is now 10 years old, and is in a very bad stage.  He has been playing with fire and whatever he can get his hands on!!  In fact, we found out that in September, he almost burned down their home!!  They live in a Mobile Home, and were in bed taking a nap.  Luckily my Dad woke up and smelt smoke, so my Mom went to check on it and found the whole house was engulfed in smoke! 

She found Charlie in the Living Room, running back and forth between the kitchen and living room with a glass of water, trying to put out the fire that he had set in a large plastic tub!!  My Mom managed to pull it out of the house, and turned the hose on it putting out the fire!!  Everyone talked to him, and tried to explain to him how dangerous this was, and that Mobile Homes especially would burn to the ground extremely fast.  If my Dad hadn't woke up, they would have been trapped in the back bedroom without a way of escape and died!!  And as usual, Charlie acted as if it were nothing! 

While we were there this weekend, he came into the living room where we all were, and he literally reeked of Chlorine!!  We tried to tell him how dangerous messing with Chlorine is, and it just went in one ear and out the other....I don't know which will kill them first, their illnesses or HIM!!  And my Sister tries to get my Dad to let her take him to stay with her, but he refuses.  And he is so adamant about this "child" staying with them, that we feel if we force the issue, and take him out of their home, it will kill my Dad. 

We are just hopeful that once my Dad goes, that my Mom will listen to reason and let my Sister take her Grandson to live with her.  This "child" is on Medications for ADHD, etc, and my Mom can barely stand up, so there is no way that she will be able to control him alone.  My Dad does it with his voice, and the fact that Charlie adores my Dad.  He just does whatever he can to get attention.

So on top of worrying about them and their health problems, now we have to seriously worry about Charlie killing them before their time!!  Please pray for them, and send good thoughts their way!!

Well, I better go for now, I have promised Walt to go to bed early tonight, so I will be in bed no later than 1am!!  But I have so much to do.  Till next time....

Aloha My Friends :) 

I've Been Approved!!!

This is Mason, my hero!!  He took the initiative to get my Surgery approval started early!!

Hey Ya'll,

I am so excited!!  I just got off the phone with Mason, my Patient Advocate at the Surgeon's office.  He wanted to call and surprise me with great news.  Since I am a past patient, and I have already jumped through all but one hoop (which I will be attending the Back to Basics Class tomorrow), he went ahead and sent off for Surgery approval from my Insurance Company....and they have already approved it!!

Mason knew that I wanted the Surgery before the end of the year, so he took the initiative, and sent off for Pre Approval before I finished my last Class!  So now I will just be sitting on pins and needles waiting for the Surgery Scheduler to call me to set the Surgery date!!  How excited am I?  So excited that I am afraid to use the phone until she calls me!! LOL

But I am APPROVED!!  So now I have to attend the Back To Basics Class tomorrow.  This class is for post Surgery patients that may be having problems adjusting to the new eating lifestyle, and for Revision patients, so they can get a better understanding of what will be expected of them.  The standard class they give to 1st time patients prior to Surgery (Steps 2 Success), isn't as extensive.  This class is supposed to be much more detailed.  It is a longer class (1:30), but believe it or not, it is a less expensive class ($25 vs $60 for the Steps 2 Success)!!

So I go to class tomorrow, wait to hear from the Surgery Scheduler, then when she calls, I will be setting the final appointments up for Surgery.  I know that I have to attend at least one more class, which is a Pre Surgery class giving all the information on what to expect during and after Surgery, etc.  They will also be going over what to eat, and what kind of Vitamins to be taking, etc.  I don't remember if I find out at the class tomorrow, or the Pre-Op class before Surgery how much weight the Doctor expects me to lose prior to Surgery.

I do remember getting this information (I believe it will be at tomorrows class) at one of the classes.  The last time, I was expected to lose 11 lbs (I lost 17 lbs because I didn't actually start the Diet until I returned from Vacation.  So I only did the Diet for 2 1/2 weeks).  At this time, they also give you the Pre-Op Diet.  If I recall, the Pre-Op Diet is a 4 week Diet!!  But it isn't as bad as it sounds.  I researched back to my last Surgery Pre-Op Diet and if it hasn't changed, this is what I will have to do....

Week 1:
Breakfast: Protein Shake
Snack: Fruit, etc.
Lunch: 300 cal or less meal replacement w 1-2 cups veggies
Snack: same as above
Dinner: same as lunch
Snack: Protein Shake

Week 2:
Breakfast: Protein Shake
Snack: same as above
Lunch: Protein Shake and 1-2 cups veggies
Snack: same as above
Dinner: 300 cal/less meal replacement w 1-2 cups veggies
Snack: Protein Shake

Weeks 3-4:
Breakfast: Protein Shake
Snack: 1/2 Protein Shake
Lunch: Protein Shake and 1-2 cups veggies
Snack: same as above
Dinner: same as Lunch
Snack: same as above

I think I will be HATING Protein Shakes by the end of this!!! LOL

Well, it could be worse....some have to do just Protein Shakes the whole time!  At least this way you are gently taken down to almost pure liquid!!  But honestly, the last time, I wasn't hungry at all.  However, this time, I will probably be wanting to eat the furniture!! LOL

Well, I will go for now.  Just wanted to spread some happiness!!  My smile is so big right now, I am afraid that I will break through the ole RV walls!!  LOL  So....till next time....

Aloha My Friends!  :)

A Warm WelcomeTo Erica G !!

Hey Ya'll,

Well, I just noticed that I have a new Follower!  Her name is Erica G.....and that is all I know!!  So Erica G, if you would leave me a comment, I could follow it back to your Blog and Follow you too!!  But until then, I want to thank you for Following me, and I appreciate any and all comments I receive!  So....till next time, "Welcome to my Nightmare", Erica G!!

Aloha My New Friend :)

UPDATE.....

Hey Ya'll,

I just got a comment by Erica!!  And Erica just found out her Surgery date for the Lap Band.  Erica's Surgery date is October 31st!  Yes you read that right....Halloween!!  At least it is a date she won't forget!!  LOL  Erica told me that she has a Blog, but has yet to post on it, but she will begin making posts now that she has her Surgery date!!  Oh, and before I forget, Erica's Blog is called: Life in the Saddle of a Lap-Banded Cowgirl.  So please jump on over to her blog, and give her a warm welcome and all the support we can give her!! 

And Erica, if you read this, please make at least one post so that we can make comments to you, to let you know that we are here for you!  Also if you can add the Followers link on your blog, we can begin to start to Follow you officially!!  If you have any questions, please post them, and we will be happy to help you!!  Congrats on getting your Surgery date!!  I know how excited you must be.  I remember how excited I was the first time, and I am still excited this time around waiting for my new Surgery date!! :)

Debi

I'm Back!! LOL

Hey Ya'll,

First off, I want to apologize for not having many photos in my posts lately.  I am not sure what is wrong, but I am having troubles with my iPhoto.  I haven't even been able to upload the photos from my vacation yet....Hopefully this will be fixed soon....I hate to be without photos.  I feel that they brighten the blog up.

Well, I am back home from my vacation to New Hampshire, Salem and Boston.  But so much has been happening!!  Too much to go into tonight, but I do want to say that I had a great time visiting my friend Kelly!  And we got to spend the last 2 nights together in Salem without her family, so we got to really chat it up!!  And no....we didn't run out of things to say!!  LOL

I returned on Saturday the 29th of September (very late), and I started running towards my goal of getting my Gastric Bypass approved on Monday, October 1st.  I had to attend a Group Support Meeting as one of my Surgeon's requirements for Surgery.  I didn't learn anything I didn't already know, especially since I had already attended this meeting back in 2009!  In fact, I probably knew more than most there, other than the Nutritionist, the moderator, and a couple of post Surgery patients that were there in support of their friends getting ready for Surgery!!  Oh well, it is a hoop that was required, and I did it!!

I have also attended my appointment with the Nutritionist, did my Psych Evaluation, and did my pre Surgery request testing of the RMR Study, and H Pylori test.  The H Pylori test came back negative, which is a good thing.  But my RMR Study came back showing me in the ultra high range....there was something wrong with this picture!!  LOL (if I were really burning calories at that rate (essentially sitting still doing absolutely nothing), then I would be a toothpick, not a lump of....!!)).  It should have shown me to be in the low range!!  And the Nutritionist agreed. 

She looked up my results from the 2009 Study, and I was almost the same exact weight, and it proved that I was 8 percent below normal.  So luckily, since I am just about the same weight wise, etc, she is going to assume I am the same, and not make me redo the test!!  Especially since, I had had 2 Spinal Epidural Injections the day before, and I hadn't slept the whole night due to pain in the Legs, and a bad Headache.  So she is assuming that that could have effected my test results as well!

And after asking my PCP Doctor to send over her Letter Of Support to my Surgeon twice...I asked my Patient Advocate to request the Letter as well.  He is aware that I only have one more step to complete, then they can send off for Surgery approval.  But if her Letter wasn't received, it would of course hold this process up.  So he called their office and requested the Letter of Support, telling her that this is all we need to request Surgery approval, so she was holding us up!!

So yesterday, I got a call letting me know that they had faxed the Letter over....thank GOD!!  So my last step is to attend a Back To Basics Class on Wednesday next week.  Then I am going to push them to send off for the Surgery approval the NEXT DAY!!  LOL.  I need this to happen asap, as I want the Surgery to be done before the end of the year.  So we need the approval asap so we can set the Surgery date!  My Surgeon will be gone at least part of November on Vacation.  So I need to make sure I can get my date, as he always has newbies wanting Surgery too!!  LOL  So if we can get this approved my the first week in November, I should be able to get my Surgery date in December....So please cross your Fingers and Toes that this all comes to pass!!  LOL 

And of course, once I get the approval and the date set, then I have more tests to do just prior to Surgery, as well as a couple more classes, which will be more extensive in how to eat after Surgery, etc. 

Well, I better go for now, I have so much left to do!  Till next time....

Aloha My Friends :)