Shelleymb

I started this journey in June of 2012.... And today I recieved the news that I am approved for surgery! I will be banded on March 15th. Tomorrow I am starting my liquid pre-op diet. I can't believe it's happening!! This weekend I have so much planned! Cleaning and arts and craft, and finally starting my Vlog! I will keep you posted! Thanks for reading and helping me along the way everyone!

Awesome job!!

They said that they should *hopefully* know if I'm approved by tomorrow, but they want me to go through the motions as if I am already approved... So that means I start my liquid pre-op diet on Friday. I know I'm going to get through this pre-op diet with no problem....while I'm at work. It's the weekend that is going to kill me. But luckily I get to knock it out early on in the week. My mom told me that I need to "see" it, when I told her that I was unsure of my approval. Not see my approval, see myself already banded and healthy. So I had a 20 minute pep talk in my car on my way to my best friends house. So here is what I know, what's see. 1. I will be banded in 9 days. 2. I'm going to be able to run a 5k without feeling like I'm dying in August. 3. I will be 100+ lighter on my wedding day. 4. I'm going to be a healthy wife. I. Going to be a healthy mom. 5. I'm going to ride a roller coaster without the fear of not fitting. 6. I'm going skydiving. 7. I'm going to love myself wholeheartedly. 8. My band date is March 15, 2013 Lets hope this works!

So, on Tuesday, the insurance coordinator at the surgery center that I'm working with, called me and of course I managed to miss the call. When I saw the missed call and the voicemail on my phone I almost pooped my pants. I figured I would only hear from her when she found out if I was approved or denied. The message just said, "call me as soon as possible." That doesn't help me much. So I call as fast as I could. She could obviously tell what I thought the call was about, so she started off by telling me that my information and documentation had been sent in and she was waiting to hear (boo). But the reason for her call was to tell me that they would be doing surgeries on Friday, March 15th (which is odd, because they only do fills for half a day on Fridays) but she said they would be at another reputable hospital and it would still be their staff and surgeons, she was telling me this because she asked if I would like to have surgery on that date, and I said yes of course! She said that she was going to call my insurance company and try to get a quick approval and tell them that I had a date. So I hope to hear from her tomorrow or Thursday. She says she sees no reason I should be denied, so my hopes are a little up from where I thought. If I am approved, then I would start my pre-op diet on Friday. AND I AM READY!!! LoL, I'm up this early because I was in a bike accident at the end of work yesterday (Tuesday) ANSI really jacked up my arm falling. My arm is throbbing and it was keeping me up, so I left the bedroom to not wake Ty, and I'm watching late night tv and blogging! Happy losing everyone! I hope the next time I post it's to say I'm approved! Shelley

Tonight is the first time in my entire life that I have cancelled plans to go out because I didn't feel comfortable in my clothes or own skin. My friends that I cancelled on (who weigh 125lbs soaking wet) are pretty upset, but I just told them I wasn't feeling good. I have been feeling pretty terrible about myself lately, and that just makes me think negatively about my approval for the band, my sex drive is at an all time low for the first time that I can remember, and now this, crying on the way to Seattle for a concert and having to turn around and go home. I feel blessed that I am able to talk openly with Ty and my best friend April, as she knows how I feel right now because she is 9 months pregnant. It's different, but the same. My approval/denial news can't come soon enough. It's to the point where the weekend is becoming a burden because I know it's not a business day. Happy losing everyone.

That I may actually be able to get banded. But that's what I get for working for the government, to afraid to think something good might happen cause it hardly ever does. My paperwork was submitted yesterday and the general consensus of everyone from this site and from others is that they were approved in 7 days or less, I still have a feeling I will be denied. The government has ruined me.... I just need the next week to fly so I can start my new life!

I just finished my psyc eval and my last nutrition appointment, but I'm finally finished. And in classic Group Health fashion, my 2 years of health records still have not made it to the clinic, I hope that they make it there soon so that the insurance coordinator at the clinic can send in all my paperwork to my insurance company. She told me that I should expect an answer in about 2 weeks. Then I will be able to set a date for surgery, and I only have to do 7 days of pre op diet, so I'm hoping I can get the surgery on the 21 of March. The clinic that I am going to doesnt do surgeries on Fridays, so I hope I can get banded on Thursday, so I only have to take 2 days off from work. Pray for my approval please. Happy losing!

Tomorrow is the day of my last two appointments. And for the last month I have wanted time to speed up so much so that this day would come, but in the last couple if days I realized that today isn't really the day that I'm looking forward to, I'm looking forward to the day that I find out I'm approved, to the day that I start my 10 day pre-op diet, to the day that I get banded and start my new life. Tomorrow is just another stepping stone to all of those days. This month has gone by pretty fast though, I have distracted myself with planning my wedding. This evening Ty and I go interview a photographer team. Then tomorrow I have an early dentist appointment, then off to the clinic for my physc Eval and my last nutrition appointment. Then I pray. I have done so much research on my insurance and if people have had any problems being approved and it seems like no one has had any major issues as long as they follow all the rules. And I have, but I just can't shake this feeling of feeling like I am unprepared for a final exam. Did everyone else feel this way too towards the end? I just feel like I have so much riding on one day. Wish me luck, I'll write tomorrow to let you know how it went.

I just have to first start by letting you know that I am commiting my guilty pleasure... Listening to a song on repeat.... I am a huge music fanatic. I don't like a particular genre, I like what I like. Sometimes, it's the beat or the hook that makes me fall in love with a song, or even a voice. Or a duo.... I'm IN LOVE with the soundtrack from Pitch Perfect (if you haven't seen this movie, stop what you are doing right now and go get it, if you don't fall in love, or at least like it, I will personally buy your copy from you) Everytime Ty and I watch it (which is at least once a week... I know, I'm a geek) Ty has to remind me that the character "Fat Amy" was supposed to be my star role. The song that that I'm jamming to is Since U Been Gone, sung by Ester Dean and Skylar Astin. ***side note.... If you want a good booty shakin song to; workout to, dance/party to, get yourself happy to, make yourself feel incredible and sexy to, download Drop It Low by Ester Dean ft. Chris Brown*** *warning, there are swear words... So cop the edit version cause even for you ladies and gents that keep it clean you'll still want to shake it to this song (and I commend you on keepin it clean, but you can argue dancing! ~unless you're from Bomont ~ ) But this duo from Pitch Perfect is soooo good. (lol I switched to Drop It Low for a sec cause it got me wantin to hear it) As you can see I am most certainly distracted from waiting for my final appointments. The time is passing by nicely. There were a few days that I became a little obsessed with researching people being approved on my same insurance and I have yet to find anyone anywhere who was denied, but I still have it in my head that I'm going to have to fight the first decision. This is what I get for working for the government for the last 7 years, I have doubt in everything now. 12 days until my last appointments, ad luckily I have been keeping myself occupied pretty well.... MUSIC! And riding my bike. I'm such a nerd.... Oh well!! Sorry I was so random on this blog... I'm just HAPPY! So! A three day weekend is coming up for most of us, I hope no one has to work, cause that will give you time to: -go rent or buy (you'll wish you bought it of you rent) Pitch Perfect and if you have already seen it.... Watch it again! -hit up iTunes and download songs from the soundtrack, they'll make you happy. - then either download or look up on YouTube Drop It Low and shake that booty! You know you wanna! Happy losing to everyone!!

When I'm smaller. Instead of worrying about laying in an uncomfortable position to make sure my rolls, chins, big boobs, and other things don't create unwanted tan lines. I can't wait until I am able to just lay down and not worry about it. This is just one of my many non scale victories. Tomorrow I am going to start swimming laps, and walking or biking to work. And Ty is going to start walking home from work to get in his 30+ minutes of exercise for the day. I just need it to be the end of the month. Happy losing everyone! Have a great week! Shelley

heelers/australian cattle mix. I think I will be able to visit them.

That will happen affect being banded; - no more waking up in the middle of the night feeling sick to my stomach or having "a heavy tummy" because I made the wrong choices st dinner - no laying awake after going pee in the middle of the night, an able to fall back asleep because of Ty's sleep apnea and snoring That's about it for now... Lol, it's 1am and Ty won't stop snoring.

24 more days! Now I have a good ole fashion Christmas countdown until my last two appointments. And I finally found a distraction, planning my wedding. And now sadly, my next week will be filled with doggy time. I have to get rid of my two dogs due to work and other reasons. Next saturday (the 9th) is the drop off date. BOO so I am going to cuddle as much as I can.

You can also look into your local area if they have a Buy Sell Trade on facebook. I find it quicker and easier than ebay and craigslist, because everyone is local, you just create a photo album, post your items and prices and then people see it and say if they want to buy. Then you meet up and trade/sell. Thats how I sell my things.

Even though I completed on of the steps that I needed to before my next appointment (requesting 2 years worth of medical records) it feels like this is going to be the longest month of my three month supervised diet. I just want it to be February 26th, but I know for sure that when that day finally rolls around, I'm going to be waiting for the next day. So much waiting to be healthy!!

me too!!! I have one month left of supervised diet and then how ever long it takes to get approved.

I am not yet banded, but I am slowly starting to practice different skills that will help me succeed after being banded. When I eat out now I ask for a box/container when my food is delivered and then separate my food and move the box away from myself. Even if I know that I'm not going to eat the left overs, having it removed from my plate helps to not over eat. Good luck! I hope I am soon banded like you! Keep up the good work!

Sometimes its a good distraction too. Lol this morning I made a chocolate chip pancake.... And the whole time I kept hearing in my head, you could be doing so much better than this. And I just told myself that I'm not going to buy anymore pancake mix, and I won't be eating any while being banded.

To thinking about lap band. I wish I could occupy my mind with something else, but for the most part I'm hooked. When working, whn Ivey out of breath, I just think about being banded. Everything banded.... All the time. I need a distraction.

is fast approaching. Today I had an appointment with my nutritionist as part of my supervised diet. It went pretty smoothly. We mostly talked about how I would need to take supplements to insure that I am getting all my vitamins and nutrients after surgery. And the rest of my appointment was spent talking about my wedding and my nutritionist wedding. I like her very much. I wish it was awkward to try to contact her to be a friend. We have so much in common. I also talked to the insurance coordinator about everything that I needed to do in the final month of my supervised diet so that I could be completely finished at my next appointment and ready to turn in my case to the insurance company as soon as possible. I need to get the last 2 years of my medical records faxed to the insurance coordinator. I should have done this last month because I switched insurances and now it might be difficult to get them from Group Health, because Group Health is terrible. Complete a Pysch, questionnaire. Have a Physch. evaluation done on the same day as my last appointment. (I'm slightly confused on this one... are they going to deny me if I'm to depressed or not depressed enough?) One last nutrition appointment, on February 26. (I feel like making a count down, out of like construction paper. With the loops that make a chain. I'm just so excited to start my new life) Tyler had his first appointment today. I'm excited that he has started. I just have this looming fear that I won't be approved and he will be. Waahh!! That would be terrible! Anywho, I'm off to bed, I'm so tired today. Happy losing everyone! Shelley

on my couch with teeth whiten trays in and smelling the sweet smell of my tanning lotion left on my skin while typing with my new pretty clean manicure, I realize I spend a lot of time and money on trying to look good....to compensate for the fact that I am not skinny. On Tuesday I'm going to be calling my Weight loss facility and then my insurance company to make sure of the next few things that need to get done before my last nutrition appointment which is on the 25th of Feb, so I hope to be able to be approved and banded in early March. It seems so far away. So the reason why I am really writing this blog today.... something that I plan on starting to do again and from here on in. When I was in high school I used to eat in front of a full length mirror that was in the dining room. As I was able to see what i was putting into my mouth and how much of it was entering my body. I used to stop eating long before my plate was empty! and I'm going to start again. Let me know what you think.

Of the week, and month, and the next two months to be over so that I can move on with the next part of my life. The last few days have felt to long. Starting my Zumba regimen today, excited about that. Not much after that.

That its possible to live without food running your life. I am in a very veryy small town visiting family in Pennsyvania.....Bobtown, PA. Ya, go ahead and look that up on a map. Anyway, it's been a running joke in my family that if you need to loses weight, take a trip back home to Bobtown. Growing up and even in my younger adult years I never fully understood why this worked. See, the family that lives here, my aunt and uncle and my pap pap and a few other random older relatives, and all my cousins, they are all skinny, and fit, and beautiful. They have always been like this. They are very active and play sports through college and maintain a good workout schedule. THEY RARELY EAT! This is no exaggeration.... I have been here for over 48 hours, during the parts of the days where if I was at home I would have eaten probably 11ish times (breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, dessert) and since being here, I have eaten 4 times. FOUR. When I was younger, I used to think that it was because they couldn't afford food like my parents. (This is a very poor old mining town, just like the little towns that surround it) and that made sense to me.... But now, as I visit them during the begining of my lap band journey, after learning the things that I have learned and after seeing my nutritionist amd practicing the skills I'll need after surgery, I realize that my family here in Bobtown have had it right the whole time. It wasnt necessarily because the didn't have the financial means to eat like I always have while growing up and now (to much and terrible food)... It's because they EAT TO SURVIVE not survive to eat. Food isn't a priority, it isn't an emotnal blanket, it isn't a pass time here. They don't keep massive amounts of food in the house because its unneeded. And that is the way that I need to start living.

Back to work...boo Still dealing with the switching of our insurances (Did you know they charge to print out your OWN medical record??) My grandpa that lives across the country is dying...triple boo Dealing with trying to figure out when to fly to PA to deal with that, but last night I remembered that Tyler and I have an emergency savings account that we have a little money from every paycheck go to and that was a huge relief! Finding out I won't have to worry about how to pay for my ticket and ect. Everyone needs a secret savings account that you put in just a little bit, it adds up and you forget about it and then Bam! You have money. My next appointment is at the end of the month. I need to work harder on meeting my goals. I have been eating on a smaller plate, which is still weird, such a mind game. Good luck everyone and have a great weekend!

I'm lying in bed with 31 minutes left of the first of the new year. I'm sad because I am going back to work tomorrow and that's no fun for anyone. So for my new year's resolutions... They may not seem big to most, but they are mine and difficult for me to hold; 1) to stop biting my finger nails and fingers... I want to be a lady with nails that can be painted. 2) to do the 5 dollar bill saving challenge. Whenever I get a 5 dollar bill for change I plan on putting it in my piggie bank instead of spending it. Just 5 dollar bills. 3) to be banded and starting my journey in March. I have already had 2 of my 4 nutritionist appointments. My last appointment is on Feb. 26 and hopefully everything will be in line for me to get approved and banded shortly after that. Ty says he will be starting his supervised diet soon, he just wanted to give me a bit of a jump start. Well I'm off to bed. Good night and good luck everyone!