Finally Hit That Brick Wall!!

I know I haven't posted in a long time... but when you're dealing with insurance companies, all you can really do is wait... wait... and wait some more. I just knew that all of this was going too smoothly, and how naive I was to believe that this whole ordeal would be easy sailing. So, here it goes...

I've completed the program. I've done everything I was supposed to do. I was proactive. Everything was going my way (just the way I like it)... until yesterday when we hit that bump in the road! My Anthem insurance called me yesterday to tell me that Martha Jefferson was not considered a "Blue Distinction" facility, and therefore would not be covering my surgery. (I take that back... they WOULD cover it, but I would have had to pay 50% out of pocket AND they were going to process Dr. Trahan as out of network).

So, obviously that was not going to be an option for me. I mean, seriously, we're talking about a 20-some thousand dollar surgery. So my mind started freaking out: Had all of my hard work the past few months and all the money I've sunk into this just gone to pure crap?

Here's what made me mad: Lillian (Dr. Trahan's nurse) had spoken with Anthem not once, not twice, but three times... and not once was she told that Martha Jefferson didn't fit their protocol. So today I received the call from Martha Jefferson. Bottom line: financially it would be stupid for me to even pursue having the surgery at Martha Jefferson at this point.

So now that I've gotten you all worked up... here's the good news: University of Virginia IS a blue distinction facility, and thankfully, they were willing to accept all of my records. The only thing I have to do over is attend their seminar December 13th, meet with their surgeon (surgeon now will be Dr. Hallowell) and their dietitian... then we'll set a date. We had planned on December 27th at Martha Jefferson, and now it looks like I'm only going to be set back by maybe a week or two.

I'm sure UVA will do a fine job, it's just aggravating that I pay so much for my health insurance and cannot decide which surgeon I would like to perform a major operation. I've never had a major health issue/surgery so my experience with hospitals isn't broad... but what I can say is that Martha Jefferson is by far the most patient-oriented facility I've ever dealt with. Lillian was most helpful... and what impressed me even more, is that she was freaking out right along with me.

My hopes are high and have been restored. Anthem will now be satisfied and Cigna has been backing me up all the way.

I can't wait to be rid of this diabetes (ugh to side effects of medications) and to get my life under control.

Praise be to God for holding my hand on this journey...

Will update again soon.

DIETITIAN SESSION #1

My appointment with the dietitian went really well today. She went over all of the things that I will and won't be able to eat. She said the first 2 weeks will consist of all liquids (sugar free popcicles, sugar free jello, broth, water, crystal light). The next 2 weeks I can move up to eggs (any way I like), baby food, 1% or fat free milk, cottage cheese, regular cheese, yogurt with no chunks, protein shakes (have to have two of these a day, everyday!), multivitamin, and calcium supplement. After that I can move onto fish, chicken, lean beef (all finely ground or fish that is flakey), cooked veggies and cooked fruits, continuing with the protein shakes and vitamins. Things I CANNOT have: ANY soda (the carbonation will cause bubbles and make me immediately vomit), no drinking with a straw (air again can cause me to vomit), no gulping - sipping only (to prevent air bubbles again). No breads, pastas, rice, sweets, etc. She said that a good idea would be to like make spaghetti, but use spaghetti squash as noodles. And like with lasagna, instead of noodles slice up eggplant to use. She gave me a lot of great ideas on how to substitute. It's a very small window of what I'll be able to eat, but at least I like the things that I can have!  The motivation for us to have a family and for me to be healthy are all worth the sacrifice. Once I learn how to eat, things will just come naturally. Another cool thing that she pointed out was that once we do have a child, I'll be able to make healthy eating choices for them, which will in turn teach them how to make good choices and how to grow up healthy. I'll have to eat/drink pretty much all day. She said I won't have any appetite so my stomach will no longer tell me when to eat, but I'll eat by what the clock says.  But anyway, that's about everything from today! A lot of information, but great stuff to know. She also said that a lot of people have the mindset to eat however much I can of whatever I want up until the surgery, but she said to avoid this at all possible. She said that this causes the liver to be fatty and since the liver is right beside the stomach, we need to shrink it as much as possible before the surgery. She said to go ahead and still have the things I want, just to make sure that I watch all my portions and eat in moderation. Good advice, and that comment actually pinpointed to me.

So there we have it... visit 1 of 2... just another step closer to my dream!

CONSULTATION DAY!!!

October 20th --Today was the day that I've been waiting for a little over a month (which seemed like forever before it got here). I was so anxious last night I couldn't even sleep. This morning I had all kinds of butterflies in my stomach and needless-to-say, I was doggone nervous!

Vince and I went over to MJ this afternoon and got to have a lengthy, informative, and exciting chat with Dr. Mike Trahan-- and what a nice guy he is! He was able to go into more detail about the possible complications, nutritional issues, as well as the perks that I will receive from the surgery. One of the best things that he said was that I definitely had my age going for me, which should greatly reduce the likelihood of me having some of the complications that others have had.

So here is the REALLY exciting part -- His goal weight for me is 160 lbs!!! Wow!!! That's literally almost half the person that I am now! How life changing that would be!?

And even more exciting? (Is there anything more exciting?) -- My primary insurance does NOT require any waiting period and since Cigna is secondary, they have decided to waive their waiting period. So what does this mean you ask? I will be having the surgery come this January!! Happy NEW YEAR!!!!!!!

Holy crap, I just can't believe that the light at the end of this tunnel is so close to my reach. There were a couple people today that didn't have much interest or enthusiasm about my news, but I'm reaching a point in my life now where I really don't care. This is to improve MY life and MY health.

I had a break down earlier today with many, many, MANY tears... I just can't believe how much God is blessing me, even though I have failed him so much (especially more recently). Maybe this isn't only going to strengthen my overall health, but my spiritual health as well. God is good all the time... and all the time, God is good!!!!

Good News and Consultation Set

So, I mailed off all of my paperwork to Martha Jefferson and got a call back last week. Turns out that Anthem (my primary insurance) doesn't require a 6 month supervised diet and since Cigna is secondary (which normally does require the 6 month waiting period) it makes that waiting period void... so I won't have to wait near as long as I thought to have this done!!!

I have my consultation with Dr. Trahan set up for the 20th of this month. I am so excited I can hardly stand it! I can't believe that this is becoming a reality for me. After a few sessions with a therapist (which is required by both insurances), I've come to the conclusion that this surgery is the light at the end of the tunnel for me.

I'm so happy that I've formulated a good support system. Just keep praying for me!

Feels Good To Have It Out In The Open

Hello family, friends, and fellow bloggers,

For those of you who may be viewing this page and know nothing about me, here's the brief version: My name is Ashley and I am 25 years old. I live in Virginia with my husband Vince and two dogs, Emma and Simon. I am a pharmacy technician and my husband works as a level 4 operator at a medical product manufacturing company.

I have been overweight pretty much all of my life. I know, I know, a lot of people say that if you're so unhappy being overweight, then why don't you just lose it? Not as easy as it sounds, but I wouldn't expect someone without a weight problem to even begin to understand how diffcult it is. But let me lay this analogy on you: An alcoholic knows what it's like to have a drinking addiction. The smoker knows what it's like to have a nicotine addiction. The heroin user knows what it's like to have drug addiction. You know where I'm going with this, don't you? Of course you do... a lot of overweight people have a food addiction. A mental and emotional dependence on food. Comfort food they call it, right? They couldn't have chosen a better term!

My weight didn't really start to affect me that much until high school. Let me just state the obvious: Kids are cruel. If you can think of a fat insult, I'm sure I've heard it before. I'll just be blunt: I HATED high school. I hated it so much that my Junior year I missed 35 days of school and my Senior year I missed 42 days. Sure, the assistant principal called me into the office to see why I wasn't coming to school: and I told her flat out what my problem was. Her reaction? "Your grades are still good so just come as much as you can." Really? No assistance to help with the bullying? No guidance to help with the emotional struggles I was developing? Thanks a lot lady, you really took the "pal" out of principal.

Graduation from high school I thought was the best day of my life. If it had been up to me, I wouldn't have even went to graduation. (Just mail me that diploma please!) I thought that it was finally over... the taunts, the people, the self-consciousness. But then I got into the real world. For any other kids out there thinking that it ends : it doesn't. Turns out that ignorant people are all the place... and are just as rude, mean, and nasty as kids.

So within the last few years I've tried dieting... many, many, many times. I've learned recently that 95% of people that try to lose weight, even if they succeed, end up gaining it all back plus some. So, I started looking into my options, and this is what I have decided:

So here it goes: I'm going public with my decision to have gastric bypass surgery! Wow! I never really thought that this option would ever come into my reach, but it looks like I was wrong. I've been thinking about it for quite awhile now, and my doctor has encouraged me to look further into it. My husband and I attended a seminar on Friday to get more information and to set up a consultation with the surgeon.

I am starting to develope a good support team (which I've been told is crucial), including my husband, parents, sister, and co-workers. I told my parents about it yesterday and I was able to come clean with some other health problems that have been haunting me here lately. It feels good to finally have these things out in the open.

I think this is good enough for my first post. I still have a long way to go, including insurance approval from anthem and cigna. I will keep everyone updated. Please keep me in your prayers!!!