It's been awhile since I have posted, and I apologize as life has been busy. To update since my last post, we did have an animal control company (ASAP Critter People) come out and look at the damage caused and found that we were dealing with raccoons instead of squirrels! Within a 10 day period the Critter people trapped a mother and four babies. The tech also suggested we contact our homeowner's insurance company, as raccoons can carry disease that could cause us to become ill. Our insurance did cover it, and we were able to get our gable vent fixed as well as the insulation in our attic removed and replaced. In using multiple contractors, we saved enough of the money sent to even install a new back door that had been rotting away.
In August I finished my last monthly visit for my 6 month diet plan. I made the goal set by Dr. Pitt, which was 500 lbs. I actually weighed 495. (I was told I would still need to lose 20 lbs more by my surgery date). I was so excited and asked when I would be having my surgery. The nutritionist took the wind right out of my sails when she stated that they would still have to submit the information to the insurance company and wait on their approval before a date could be set. The nutritionist could really tell I was disappointed and said she would check with the scheduler to see how early I could have it scheduled. When she came back she said worst case scenario would be the end of October. I looked at her and I said, "With my luck, you might as well just say it will be October 31."
In early September I received a letter from my health insurance saying I had indeed been approved for surgery. I was ecstatic. Within a few days I received a call from Dr. Pitt's scheduler saying they finally had a date set for me. It was...October 31! When she first told me, I started laughing, and said, "Very funny...you must have talked with the nutritionist." She assured me she was not joking and that she didn't understand my response. Once I explained our conversation in August, she apologized but said that was the first open date that worked with Dr. Pitt's schedule and The Jewish Hospital Surgical Unit's schedule.
On October 4, I started my pre-op diet, and for the next 4 weeks I was allowed to have 5 packets of high protein, low carb food products called Fast Track and one protein bar a day. I was hooked on some of their packets. My favorites were chocolate chip pancakes, southwest egg omelet, chicken broth with pasta, and their chocolate shakes that could also be made into a pudding with a little less water. I believe my calorie count a day was between 700 to 900 calories. Each week, I had to go in to be weighed to make sure that I would get down to the 475 lbs.
On October 31 I had to be at the hospital by 5:30 am, as my surgery was set for 7:30 am. Once I made it to the pre-surgical room to be prepped, I was told that Dr. Pitt was running late, and that surgery would take place closer to 8:00 am. Kimberly was at my side and we were blessed to also have Lisa, a friend of ours come from Columbus to stay with Kim while I was in surgery, along with our pastor, David Hennig, who prayed with me prior to surgery. Having Kim and the extra friends there made me much calmer as I was a little nervous about the procedure with not knowing what could possibly happen. My weight prior to surgery was 451 lbs. From the start of this journey to surgery day I lost 134 Lbs!!!
I was taken to the surgery room, given a shot of some happy juice, and the next thing I remember is waking up to people shouting at me to wake up, asking if I could move different parts of my body. I was told that Kimberly and Lisa came in to see me but that I kept drifting in and out. I was eventually taken to a room on the fifth floor and snoozed off and on between visits from the nurse, Mary, to check my vitals and make sure I was comfortable. Kim showed up and said that she had gone home to let our "kiddos" out and to feed them and let them know that Daddy was OK! Dr. Pitt also came in and said that he was very pleased with the surgery and that my liver had shrunk enough on the pre-op diet that it wasn't in the way of the stomach at all. He admitted that he was concerned that because of my size that I was going to have issues with scar tissue from a previous gall bladder surgery, and that he might have to repair a hiatal hernia. Neither issue was present, making it an easy surgery for him.
Today is November 6, 2016. I came home on Tuesday, November 1st and have been on a clear liquid diet. I have experienced soreness from the surgery, but with the help of Vicodin it is well managed. I have only had to take 2 anti-nausea pills since surgery, and Dr. Pitt also has me on a prescription of Prilosec to keep acid at a minimum. There are a lot of sleeved patients that have severe heartburn issues develop, so the doctor now prescribes the acid reducer to take care of the problem. I also have to give myself a shot in my belly twice a day to thin my blood.
I actually felt so good this morning I went to our church's early service. Near the end though, I could feel my energy levels dropping, and I had a real struggle to get back to the car. It was a good reminder that I'm still healing, and that it isn't an instant process. I'm also thankful that I will be able to work from home for the next month, so I can continue to heal and also build up my stamina levels.
Tomorrow, Kimberly will be taking me to see Dr. Pitt for my one week post op visit to check on my 5 small incision areas to see if they are healing. I will also be starting my three weeks on pureed foods, and will be getting recommendations from the nutritionist on what would be best for me to eat as I continue to heal. Oh...I also weighed myself this morning (sans clothes) and I'm at 447 lbs. It's hard to believe that I've lost 138 lbs so far, and that I'm just now using the tool of the gastric sleeve to bring off the rest. I wouldn't be able to do any of this without the help from friends, family and most of all, God. Thank you for all your encouraging emails, posts on Facebook, phone calls, and cards. It's your thoughts and prayers that have kept me going!
Sunday, November 6, 2016
Thursday, June 9, 2016
Bad Week/Good Week
This has been an interesting week. And it's only Wednesday as I write this. On Monday, as I was heading to work, I was pulled over by a Warren County Deputy. He asked me if I knew why I had been stopped, and honestly, I had no idea. He stated that I had crossed over the center line of one of the roads I had been on, prior to getting on the interstate to get to work. He actually wanted to make sure I hadn't been drinking alcohol! He doesn't know it, but I was pretty upset with his accusation. Yes, I did cross the line, due to construction, and wanting to avoid hitting an orange barrel. Instead, I showed him my license, and did let him know that the only thing I had to drink was a large travel mug of coffee. Thankfully, I didn't get a ticket or warning, although he told me to be more careful in the future. The more I think about it, the more I realize he was probably a rookie, and was trying to get experience. He did have an older partner with him on the stop.
On Tuesday, my oldest sister called, and told me that she was having medical issues. She, another sister and my mom had planned a road trip. My oldest sister was going to fly to LaCrosse, rent a car, and then drive my mom and middle sister to her house in Maine, via Ohio, so that I would be able to see them. Unfortunately due to this medical issue, she wouldn't be able to drive that long a distance, so instead, she purchased plane tickets for them to fly directly to Maine. I understood the reasoning; however, I was disappointed because it meant it would be a while longer before I would be able to see my mom and sisters.
Later Tuesday night, we had a couple of squirrels that decided they wanted to expand their residence, and while I was watching some television, I heard a squirrel up in the attic, and a minute or two later, a paw broke through the ceiling in our living room. We knew we had to replace a gable vent that had been compromised, but we were hoping the critters would be gone on the day it was to be replaced. Instead, we now had to contact a pest control expert to get them out as soon as possible. It will also involve more cost than what we planned to spend initially. I called different experts, and heard the same from each of them. This is the busiest time of the year for squirrel invasions, and they were all swamped. One told us they couldn't take new customers, as they couldn't keep up with what they had. The other two we contacted said they would come out, but one said it would be two to three weeks, while the other said, next Wednesday. I signed up with the latter, with the promise that if one of their appointments was canceled before next Wednesday, I would be the first to receive a call to take that appointment.
And then we come to Wednesday...
Due to a scheduling error, I wasn't able to go to the weight loss clinic last week to be weighed. It was re-scheduled for today. I was able to get an early appointment, (8:30 AM), so I knew I wouldn't have a long wait in the waiting room. Once I was ready to leave the house today, I thought I would make a stop at our bathroom and check my weight by my scale. According to that scale, I weighed 511 lbs. I had lost weight, so I was pleased. When I went to the office, I did get right in, and the first order of business was the weigh in. The official scale showed my weight was in fact 507 lbs! From the last visit to this one, it meant I had lost 16 lbs. The total weight loss is now 78 lbs. Then, when I was talking to the nutritionist, she stated that my BMI, (body mass index), was now low enough for the surgery to be scheduled, even though I wasn't down to the 500 mark. Due to insurance requirements unfortunately, I still have two more visits on the controlled diet, before they will authorize the surgery. I also have to be down to 475 lbs on the day of the surgery. Both the nutritionist and the surgeon said the same thing: Whatever you are doing, keep it up, as it seems to be working! I told them that I had too many people that would be disappointed if I gained some weight, but that I would really be disappointed in myself if I gained.
I can't thank each of you enough for those who have been sending me notes of encouragement, either by mail, email, or social media to keep going. Yes, I do have some days that are hard to stay on the straight and narrow, but when those times hit, I usually get a note encouraging me and letting me know that I'm being thought of or prayed for. Then I can overcome that temptation that was going to cause me to fall.
Monday and Tuesday were bad, but Wednesday made it all better! Hopefully the rest of the week will stay on the good side!
On Tuesday, my oldest sister called, and told me that she was having medical issues. She, another sister and my mom had planned a road trip. My oldest sister was going to fly to LaCrosse, rent a car, and then drive my mom and middle sister to her house in Maine, via Ohio, so that I would be able to see them. Unfortunately due to this medical issue, she wouldn't be able to drive that long a distance, so instead, she purchased plane tickets for them to fly directly to Maine. I understood the reasoning; however, I was disappointed because it meant it would be a while longer before I would be able to see my mom and sisters.
Later Tuesday night, we had a couple of squirrels that decided they wanted to expand their residence, and while I was watching some television, I heard a squirrel up in the attic, and a minute or two later, a paw broke through the ceiling in our living room. We knew we had to replace a gable vent that had been compromised, but we were hoping the critters would be gone on the day it was to be replaced. Instead, we now had to contact a pest control expert to get them out as soon as possible. It will also involve more cost than what we planned to spend initially. I called different experts, and heard the same from each of them. This is the busiest time of the year for squirrel invasions, and they were all swamped. One told us they couldn't take new customers, as they couldn't keep up with what they had. The other two we contacted said they would come out, but one said it would be two to three weeks, while the other said, next Wednesday. I signed up with the latter, with the promise that if one of their appointments was canceled before next Wednesday, I would be the first to receive a call to take that appointment.
And then we come to Wednesday...
Due to a scheduling error, I wasn't able to go to the weight loss clinic last week to be weighed. It was re-scheduled for today. I was able to get an early appointment, (8:30 AM), so I knew I wouldn't have a long wait in the waiting room. Once I was ready to leave the house today, I thought I would make a stop at our bathroom and check my weight by my scale. According to that scale, I weighed 511 lbs. I had lost weight, so I was pleased. When I went to the office, I did get right in, and the first order of business was the weigh in. The official scale showed my weight was in fact 507 lbs! From the last visit to this one, it meant I had lost 16 lbs. The total weight loss is now 78 lbs. Then, when I was talking to the nutritionist, she stated that my BMI, (body mass index), was now low enough for the surgery to be scheduled, even though I wasn't down to the 500 mark. Due to insurance requirements unfortunately, I still have two more visits on the controlled diet, before they will authorize the surgery. I also have to be down to 475 lbs on the day of the surgery. Both the nutritionist and the surgeon said the same thing: Whatever you are doing, keep it up, as it seems to be working! I told them that I had too many people that would be disappointed if I gained some weight, but that I would really be disappointed in myself if I gained.
I can't thank each of you enough for those who have been sending me notes of encouragement, either by mail, email, or social media to keep going. Yes, I do have some days that are hard to stay on the straight and narrow, but when those times hit, I usually get a note encouraging me and letting me know that I'm being thought of or prayed for. Then I can overcome that temptation that was going to cause me to fall.
Monday and Tuesday were bad, but Wednesday made it all better! Hopefully the rest of the week will stay on the good side!
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Head Hunger is a Terrible Thing!
Head Hunger is a Terrible Thing!
On May 4th I went to my appointment and I had lost 15 lbs., making my official total weight loss 62 lbs. The doctor was pleased with my progress, and said I should keep doing whatever I'm doing. I also had my blood pressure checked, and both numbers had gone down to the point where I need to make an appointment to see my cardiologist to see about cutting down or stop taking my blood pressure medication altogether. It is also important for me to see the cardiologist anyway, to make sure that I'll be ready for surgery.
I had talked with a family member who had encouraged me to watch a program called “My 600 lb. Life.” It is a weekly documentary on TLC, which I don't have access to, so I ended up purchasing the first complete season on Amazon Prime. It has been quite an eye opener for me to see how individuals have handled getting Gastric Bypass Surgery, and the struggles of losing the weight. I can thankfully say that I don't have a lot of the issues that some of these folks have had before their surgeries. I'm thankful that I can still get around (even with my bad knees)! I'm also thankful that I'm not bedridden, and that I do not have to depend on someone to go to the extremes that some have had to go through.
The show has helped me to realize that the surgery isn't the complete cure, but just another tool in the toolbox of weight loss management. One of the women that had the surgery stated that even though the doctor fixed the stomach, it didn't fix her head when it came to managing her food intake. She wished that the doctor could also do surgery on her brain to stop cravings.
Another source of information that I have utilized is watching YouTube videos dealing with Gastric Sleeve patients, and the pros and cons that the individuals have had in their surgeries. One man in particular also mentioned having issues with Head Hunger. This past month has been a harder month for me to stay on track, as I too suffer from head hunger. I've told a few already that it's hard for me to walk through our break room at work during the lunch hour. I can head to someone's office, and smell pizza, fried chicken, hot dogs, etc. I find myself thinking about how great that food smells, and I start dwelling on when was the last time I had that item.
I have come to the conclusion that I need to work on focusing my thoughts elsewhere when I'm tempted. One way I have focused my thoughts is to concentrate on the blessings that God has given me, especially the friends and family that are supporting me with encouragement. I also have started working on a bucket list of things I would like to do as the weight comes off. It's a long hard process for me to want to keep losing the weight, but I realize if I want to live a longer life, without pain, I will need to keep battling my brain!
There have been a few times this month where I did cheat on my diet, and as a result I've paid the price with stomachaches, gastric issues, and I'm sure even some weight gain for a day or two. (I don't want to get to a point of weighing myself daily, as it could become depressing, so I wait for my doctor appointments to tell me how I'm doing). I can say though, that on those days that I cheated, I tried to make up for it by becoming more active physically.
There is a saying that a friend, Lisa, shared with me, that I'm going to post at work and on my refrigerator. It is: "Nothing Tastes as Good as Healthy Feels"
The last thing I want to discuss before I end is the fact that I have decided not to take the Belviq prescription. I read an article from Consumer Reports about the drug, and it was very critical of the success of keeping the weight off. It also has quite a few side effects that can create more problems down the road. It isn't approved in Europe as a result of the problems it caused. I also wasn't completely convinced that it was helping me as I still thought about food, and I couldn't justify the cost, as it isn't covered by our insurance.
On June 1st, I will be headed to my next appointment. I will try to let you know the results within a week of my visit. In the meantime, please keep me in your thoughts and prayers that I might stay focused on anything but food!!!
On May 4th I went to my appointment and I had lost 15 lbs., making my official total weight loss 62 lbs. The doctor was pleased with my progress, and said I should keep doing whatever I'm doing. I also had my blood pressure checked, and both numbers had gone down to the point where I need to make an appointment to see my cardiologist to see about cutting down or stop taking my blood pressure medication altogether. It is also important for me to see the cardiologist anyway, to make sure that I'll be ready for surgery.
I had talked with a family member who had encouraged me to watch a program called “My 600 lb. Life.” It is a weekly documentary on TLC, which I don't have access to, so I ended up purchasing the first complete season on Amazon Prime. It has been quite an eye opener for me to see how individuals have handled getting Gastric Bypass Surgery, and the struggles of losing the weight. I can thankfully say that I don't have a lot of the issues that some of these folks have had before their surgeries. I'm thankful that I can still get around (even with my bad knees)! I'm also thankful that I'm not bedridden, and that I do not have to depend on someone to go to the extremes that some have had to go through.
The show has helped me to realize that the surgery isn't the complete cure, but just another tool in the toolbox of weight loss management. One of the women that had the surgery stated that even though the doctor fixed the stomach, it didn't fix her head when it came to managing her food intake. She wished that the doctor could also do surgery on her brain to stop cravings.
Another source of information that I have utilized is watching YouTube videos dealing with Gastric Sleeve patients, and the pros and cons that the individuals have had in their surgeries. One man in particular also mentioned having issues with Head Hunger. This past month has been a harder month for me to stay on track, as I too suffer from head hunger. I've told a few already that it's hard for me to walk through our break room at work during the lunch hour. I can head to someone's office, and smell pizza, fried chicken, hot dogs, etc. I find myself thinking about how great that food smells, and I start dwelling on when was the last time I had that item.
I have come to the conclusion that I need to work on focusing my thoughts elsewhere when I'm tempted. One way I have focused my thoughts is to concentrate on the blessings that God has given me, especially the friends and family that are supporting me with encouragement. I also have started working on a bucket list of things I would like to do as the weight comes off. It's a long hard process for me to want to keep losing the weight, but I realize if I want to live a longer life, without pain, I will need to keep battling my brain!
There have been a few times this month where I did cheat on my diet, and as a result I've paid the price with stomachaches, gastric issues, and I'm sure even some weight gain for a day or two. (I don't want to get to a point of weighing myself daily, as it could become depressing, so I wait for my doctor appointments to tell me how I'm doing). I can say though, that on those days that I cheated, I tried to make up for it by becoming more active physically.
There is a saying that a friend, Lisa, shared with me, that I'm going to post at work and on my refrigerator. It is: "Nothing Tastes as Good as Healthy Feels"
The last thing I want to discuss before I end is the fact that I have decided not to take the Belviq prescription. I read an article from Consumer Reports about the drug, and it was very critical of the success of keeping the weight off. It also has quite a few side effects that can create more problems down the road. It isn't approved in Europe as a result of the problems it caused. I also wasn't completely convinced that it was helping me as I still thought about food, and I couldn't justify the cost, as it isn't covered by our insurance.
On June 1st, I will be headed to my next appointment. I will try to let you know the results within a week of my visit. In the meantime, please keep me in your thoughts and prayers that I might stay focused on anything but food!!!
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
The Steps to Surgery Checklist
The following checklist was emailed directly from the Center for Weight loss and Bariatric Surgery: It lists all the requirements that have to be done before I can have the surgery. I was also given a sheet that discusses payments that I will have to make prior to surgery. I may need to have a rummage sale before the surgery in order to meet all the financial aspects of the surgery! I will share that sheet later, but I'm asking that you will pray that God will provide when the time is necessary.
04-06-16
Thank you for trusting us with your surgical weight loss needs! Below are the steps that our team has defined as being necessary to complete prior to your surgery!
STEPS TO SURGERY CHECKLIST
- Psychiatric evaluation by licensed psychiatrist or psychologist.
(Note: If you had your eval done with Dr. Buhrman, it typically takes about 2 weeks for our office to receive the finalized report!)
- Medical clearance by your primary care physician (which includes a history and physical). NOTE: This needs to be done no earlier than 30 days prior to your surgery!!
- Written clearance from your cardiologist.
- Upper endoscopy (this is done by Dr. Curry or Dr. Pitt as a part of your pre-op workup).
- Preadmission testing (EKG, blood-work, etc) within 4 weeks of surgery
started with us, see ya next month :)
- Physician supervised diet program (MONTHLY) for 6 months. started with us, see ya next month :)
- Preop Nutrition Class. This is typically done about 4 weeks prior to surgery. You have the option of doing this online, or live in the Cincinnati office.
PRE-OP DIET/WEIGHT LOSS REQUIREMENTS:
Your pre-op diet will be 4 weeks in duration. The cost will be $376. This must be paid on or before your nutrition class, which will be 4-6 weeks before your surgery! Note that these are products that you will eat in place of regular food. According to a recent Gallup poll, the average American spends $151/week on food, so the preop diet will actually be a cost saving for most patients!
Pre-surgery target weight: 475 lbs
Pre-scheduling target weight: 500 lbs. This means that we cannot give you a surgery date until you reach this weight!
04-06-16
Thank you for trusting us with your surgical weight loss needs! Below are the steps that our team has defined as being necessary to complete prior to your surgery!
STEPS TO SURGERY CHECKLIST
- Psychiatric evaluation by licensed psychiatrist or psychologist.
(Note: If you had your eval done with Dr. Buhrman, it typically takes about 2 weeks for our office to receive the finalized report!)
- Medical clearance by your primary care physician (which includes a history and physical). NOTE: This needs to be done no earlier than 30 days prior to your surgery!!
- Written clearance from your cardiologist.
- Upper endoscopy (this is done by Dr. Curry or Dr. Pitt as a part of your pre-op workup).
- Preadmission testing (EKG, blood-work, etc) within 4 weeks of surgery
started with us, see ya next month :)
- Physician supervised diet program (MONTHLY) for 6 months. started with us, see ya next month :)
- Preop Nutrition Class. This is typically done about 4 weeks prior to surgery. You have the option of doing this online, or live in the Cincinnati office.
PRE-OP DIET/WEIGHT LOSS REQUIREMENTS:
Your pre-op diet will be 4 weeks in duration. The cost will be $376. This must be paid on or before your nutrition class, which will be 4-6 weeks before your surgery! Note that these are products that you will eat in place of regular food. According to a recent Gallup poll, the average American spends $151/week on food, so the preop diet will actually be a cost saving for most patients!
Pre-surgery target weight: 475 lbs
Pre-scheduling target weight: 500 lbs. This means that we cannot give you a surgery date until you reach this weight!
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Let's Start This Over Again...
I tried Blogging once before when I was trying to lose weight. If you saw my history, you know I have been battling weight all my life. The one thing I have discovered about myself is that I can succeed at losing weight, but at the same time, I can't keep the weight off.
For quite awhile now, I've been having issues with my knees giving me lots of pain, and I've gone to different specialists to see what could be done to alleviate the pain.
There was one question that came up in all the appointments I made with these specialists. "Have you ever considered weight loss surgery? My Response was always the same..."Yes, unfortunately my health insurance won't cover it."
Each made it a point to say they would go out of their way to write letters if it would help, but again, the insurance company made it clear in the policy: We will not cover weight loss surgery, or weight loss management under any circumstances.
I could never understand why they wouldn't allow it, when it meant better health after the surgery was performed.
It was my primary care doctor that pointed out, the insurance companies know eventually I will have a major health issue, but they are betting I will be with a different company, by the time it happens.
So...having pointed out why I couldn't get the surgery in the past, I'm happy to say, that Kimberly's health insurance WOULD cover it! We made the decision to change our health insurance with her company, the YMCA, from the health insurance I had with my company, National Express. It wasn't just the surgery option, but they also had better deductibles and co-pays.
At this point, I want to give you an example of how large I had become.
This picture was taken in January, 2016. In about 7 months, I had gained back almost all the weight I had lost in a year's time. As some of you know, I hate having my picture taken, and it was really hard to post this. But I want you to see what I'm up against, and to remind me, that I never want to be this large again!
Well, I made my first appointment to see a bariatric surgeon, on March 9. I chose to go with two of the doctors that have a practice in Cincinnati, only 4 miles from where I work. They have multiple names for the facility, www.CurryWeightloss.com, www.journeylite.com, and also the Center for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. The two doctors are Dr. Trace Curry and Dr. Tracy Pitt.
When I made my appointment, I was told to be ready to spend at least a couple of hours at their facility. I was there for 3 1/2 hours!
The first item of business was to be weighed. The starting weight for this journey was 585 lbs. When I stepped on the scale, I kept thinking, well, at least I didn't gain back all my weight! I also knew though, that I was going to have to listen to their recommendations and FOLLOW them!
After taking my vitals, I was put in a room to see a dietitian first, and she made recommendations of what type of diet I could go on to help me get weight off before the surgery. I was told to try the Fast Track 3/2 plan. The premise is to have 3 dietary supplements high in protein, and low in carbs, such as a slim fast drink, or an Atkins bar, and then 2 lean and green meals. The lean and green meals refer to 6 ounces of a very lean meat, and vegetables low in starch, such as lettuce.
She told me that she wanted to see if I could lose at least 20 lbs the first month on this plan, which is also about 1200 calories a day. She also said it would help if I could find an exercise to help burn calories.
I then talked with the Insurance specialist that they employ, who told me that my insurance company required that I be on a controlled diet for a 6 month period before having the surgery. That meant the earliest I would be able to get the surgery would be September.
I met next with Dr. Pitt, who will be doing the surgery, when I have met all the requirements. He has done thousands of surgeries, and we agreed that in my case it would be best for me to go with the Gastric Sleeve method of surgery. It removes a large portion of the stomach without re-routing the intestines, making it less invasive than the Gastric By-pass.
He and I hit it off immediately, and I feel real comfortable with him being my surgeon. He also prescribed a tool for me to use in my weight loss tool box. Belviq works on the brain to keep you from thinking about food. It's not covered by insurance, but thankfully the drug's website has coupons that bring the price down to $75.00 a month, which is about a $100.00 discount per month!
My final visit of the day, was to see a psychologist, to see if I had the right frame of mind for this surgery. He feels confident that I will succeed once and for all on losing the weight, and getting down to a healthy weight.
I should mention that as I waited for each of my visits, I was given paperwork to fill out, as well as a 375 true/false questionnaire dealing with physical and psychological statements. By the time I left I was worn out.
The first appointment was March 9, and today, it's April 6, a month later, and time for my next visit with the dietitian and to get my weigh in to see how I did. I'm happy to say, my weight today, is 538 lbs. A loss of 47 lbs! Thank you Lord!
Rebecca, the dietitian, was shocked at how much I lost, and was afraid I was starving myself. I made it clear that wasn't the case, but that I was doing my best to follow the plan completely.
Dr. Pitt came in, and said he was happy with my loss, and gave me a goal of 30 lbs for this month to lose. By the time my 6 month controlled diet is done, I have to be down to 475 lbs, before I can have the surgery. I hope I can be down more than that before I go in.
So...I know this has been long, and I apologize for it, but I wanted you to see the complete picture. I want to thank all the folks that have reached out to me through email and Facebook messages that they would be praying for me and supporting me in this endeavor. This is one life change I want to make, and NEED to make! I realize I can't do this on my own, and I'm asking you to pray that God will give me the ability to meet my goals coming up to the surgery.
(I want to thank my good friend, Lisa S. for helping me fine tune this blog. She has given me great advice in helping me to organize the content, as well as my thoughts!)
For quite awhile now, I've been having issues with my knees giving me lots of pain, and I've gone to different specialists to see what could be done to alleviate the pain.
There was one question that came up in all the appointments I made with these specialists. "Have you ever considered weight loss surgery? My Response was always the same..."Yes, unfortunately my health insurance won't cover it."
Each made it a point to say they would go out of their way to write letters if it would help, but again, the insurance company made it clear in the policy: We will not cover weight loss surgery, or weight loss management under any circumstances.
I could never understand why they wouldn't allow it, when it meant better health after the surgery was performed.
It was my primary care doctor that pointed out, the insurance companies know eventually I will have a major health issue, but they are betting I will be with a different company, by the time it happens.
So...having pointed out why I couldn't get the surgery in the past, I'm happy to say, that Kimberly's health insurance WOULD cover it! We made the decision to change our health insurance with her company, the YMCA, from the health insurance I had with my company, National Express. It wasn't just the surgery option, but they also had better deductibles and co-pays.
At this point, I want to give you an example of how large I had become.
This picture was taken in January, 2016. In about 7 months, I had gained back almost all the weight I had lost in a year's time. As some of you know, I hate having my picture taken, and it was really hard to post this. But I want you to see what I'm up against, and to remind me, that I never want to be this large again!
Well, I made my first appointment to see a bariatric surgeon, on March 9. I chose to go with two of the doctors that have a practice in Cincinnati, only 4 miles from where I work. They have multiple names for the facility, www.CurryWeightloss.com, www.journeylite.com, and also the Center for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. The two doctors are Dr. Trace Curry and Dr. Tracy Pitt.
When I made my appointment, I was told to be ready to spend at least a couple of hours at their facility. I was there for 3 1/2 hours!
The first item of business was to be weighed. The starting weight for this journey was 585 lbs. When I stepped on the scale, I kept thinking, well, at least I didn't gain back all my weight! I also knew though, that I was going to have to listen to their recommendations and FOLLOW them!
After taking my vitals, I was put in a room to see a dietitian first, and she made recommendations of what type of diet I could go on to help me get weight off before the surgery. I was told to try the Fast Track 3/2 plan. The premise is to have 3 dietary supplements high in protein, and low in carbs, such as a slim fast drink, or an Atkins bar, and then 2 lean and green meals. The lean and green meals refer to 6 ounces of a very lean meat, and vegetables low in starch, such as lettuce.
She told me that she wanted to see if I could lose at least 20 lbs the first month on this plan, which is also about 1200 calories a day. She also said it would help if I could find an exercise to help burn calories.
I then talked with the Insurance specialist that they employ, who told me that my insurance company required that I be on a controlled diet for a 6 month period before having the surgery. That meant the earliest I would be able to get the surgery would be September.
I met next with Dr. Pitt, who will be doing the surgery, when I have met all the requirements. He has done thousands of surgeries, and we agreed that in my case it would be best for me to go with the Gastric Sleeve method of surgery. It removes a large portion of the stomach without re-routing the intestines, making it less invasive than the Gastric By-pass.
He and I hit it off immediately, and I feel real comfortable with him being my surgeon. He also prescribed a tool for me to use in my weight loss tool box. Belviq works on the brain to keep you from thinking about food. It's not covered by insurance, but thankfully the drug's website has coupons that bring the price down to $75.00 a month, which is about a $100.00 discount per month!
My final visit of the day, was to see a psychologist, to see if I had the right frame of mind for this surgery. He feels confident that I will succeed once and for all on losing the weight, and getting down to a healthy weight.
I should mention that as I waited for each of my visits, I was given paperwork to fill out, as well as a 375 true/false questionnaire dealing with physical and psychological statements. By the time I left I was worn out.
The first appointment was March 9, and today, it's April 6, a month later, and time for my next visit with the dietitian and to get my weigh in to see how I did. I'm happy to say, my weight today, is 538 lbs. A loss of 47 lbs! Thank you Lord!
Rebecca, the dietitian, was shocked at how much I lost, and was afraid I was starving myself. I made it clear that wasn't the case, but that I was doing my best to follow the plan completely.
Dr. Pitt came in, and said he was happy with my loss, and gave me a goal of 30 lbs for this month to lose. By the time my 6 month controlled diet is done, I have to be down to 475 lbs, before I can have the surgery. I hope I can be down more than that before I go in.
So...I know this has been long, and I apologize for it, but I wanted you to see the complete picture. I want to thank all the folks that have reached out to me through email and Facebook messages that they would be praying for me and supporting me in this endeavor. This is one life change I want to make, and NEED to make! I realize I can't do this on my own, and I'm asking you to pray that God will give me the ability to meet my goals coming up to the surgery.
(I want to thank my good friend, Lisa S. for helping me fine tune this blog. She has given me great advice in helping me to organize the content, as well as my thoughts!)
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