Deciding to Speak Openly
By Karon
· 766 views
Hello Everyone:
My name is Kay and I'm getting banded in June. I joined this site yesterday and read all day. I began this process in 2004 when I was all scheduled to have a RNY Gastric Bypass and upon having the ultrasound, they found a mass near the area that the intestines would have to be rerouted. It turned out that instead of having my gastric bypass, I had a biopsy instead. I was so devastated. After that, there was not an option for me as the lap band was not covered by my insurance at that time.
In the interim, I put on more weight and finally relocated to North Carolina in the fall of 2007. In, 2008 I found that there was a young doctor in my town of Winston Salem, named Dr. "Fuzz" Fernandez, who had a very good reputation and success rate. I sent for the materials and was a little put off because he required a psychological evaluation that would cost almost $700 and that had to be paid out of pocket and not through insurance. As I had just spent so much money moving to this area, I was again was disappointed as I didn't have this money to spare at the time. So I put the materials away and said I would get to it later.
Later turned to almost 2 more years. In 2010, I had myself together again, was working and decided to go to the seminar which was required of everyone. I also found out that my insurance would now cover the lap band and I was excited, to say the least. It was similar to what I had learned in 2004 but there had been a lot of new developments with the lap band that I didn't know of at that time. They were getting good results with the band now. People were losing almost as much weight as with the gastric bypass.
I went along very fast getting my blood work done, the psychological exam, meeting with the nutritionist and dietitian. Completed everything that was required of me and thought I was ready. This was about March of 2010. Then I was told that my insurance, United Health Care, required a 6 months doctor supervised diet. Another blow I thought. Oh well, I had to do it. Now my doctor told me that I didn't really have to lose weight but just participate. So that is what I did. I didn't lose any weight!!!! When the nutritionist got my doctor's 6 months notes, they didn't look good. It looked like I wasn't even trying to be in compliance. She told me that my insurance would never approve me. I was so down I don't know what I was going to do. Six months wasted!
So, I went back to my doctor and said "hey look we have to do this again because I'm going to have this surgery." And we began again. So this time, I joined the YMCA and I purchased all low calorie foods for my dinners. I would eat cereal everyday for breakfast, have a piece of string cheese for a protein snack and the rest of my food was made up of fruits and vegetables. Surprisingly to me, I began losing weight. By the time the six months were up, I had lost 30 pounds. Everyone was happy, and you know I was smiling from ear-to-ear. So I called for an appointment with my surgeon.
When I met with him on May 19, 2011, he said "you've done everything, you're all set for a date. We just have to call the insurance company to get the approval and you will have your surgery in June if you want." I was like that's fine with me. So June it is. I hope to hear from his Coordinator this week with the exact date. Oh and I had lost another 11 pounds since March. Down 41 pounds now. Yea!!!!!
I can't believe that it is finally happening for me. I have had some support but people always say "oh you can do it yourself and I know someone who did this or that or the other."...and that can be discouraging at times to hear. Even yesterday someone tried to tell me about a Dr. Simeons diet using some type of drops... I wasn't trying to hear that.
I have wanted this surgery for 7 years now and I'm going to have it! I believe that obesity is a disease and that one way to treat this disease is with this surgery. So that is my choice. I have tried all the other diets as I'm sure anyone reading this has. We know about the merrygoround rides up and down with the weight. One false hope after another. I believe I can do this. It is a life changing event, it will be different, it won't be easy, but I can do it--I know I can and especially with God's help.
Anyway as for some beginning info, I currently weight 303 pounds and my goal is to weigh 180 as I am 5'6 inches tall and that weight looks very good on me. However, if I continue to lose that would be fine but I wouldn't want to be smaller than 150 pounds as I was skinny at that point in my life. I can't even imagine that. I currently wear a size 22 dress and between a 2X and 3X in tops and bottoms. My bottom is where I carry most of my weight so in dresses and skirts I can hide it fairly well, thus people saying I don't need this drastic a surgery. But the numbers are what is important not how i look in my clothes.
And beyond that as for health issues I have diabetes since last year and have had high blood pressure for years. I'm told that by losing weight I will be able to possibly come off the diabetes meds and that my pressure should not require 3 different pills, if any, to control. So getting my health back is a priority for me at this time too. And finally, I never wanted to die a fat person and be seen in a coffin as "fat". That may seem like an odd thing to say, but that is how I have felt getting older. And by the way, I'm 53 years young 
So this is the beginning of my new life. Blogging is different for me and I will upload some photos as time goes by and keep you updated as to my process and progress. Thanks for reading.
Kay
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