Tammy310

At my last visit with the surgeon he told me "well, no more appointments; finish up with the psych eval and then we'll submit to the insurance and get you a date." So, I went to the psych (as previously posted). I hand delivered my psych eval to the office and the scheduler told me, "we'll submit everything and call you when the insurance gets back to us." I called the insurance co at the end of that week and they had already approved me!! (doc didn't tell me...I had to tell them). So, lo and behold, they gave me an appointment!!!! What? well, I had to go in to talk to the scheduler and get my date. Another $30. My upper endoscopy will be 10/18, pre admission testing 10/19, meet with the surgeon to go over all of the testing 10/25 (another $30 what happened to no more visits?) and surgery 10/29!!! yay!
 
In that time I also have to see my PCP ($20) and pulmonologist ($30) for clearance. Then my 2 week liquid diet. It seems like there's so much more to do. oh AND there's a pre-op surgery class that meets at 1:30pm on a Thursday, lasts for hours and requires you to read an 80 page notebook so that you can take a test! (Another day off work just to be tortured).
 
With all these appointments and time off work, I'm gonna end up in the poor house. So much for new skinny clothes. I won't be able to afford them. LOL

Hello, my name is Linsey and I have been overweight since I could form a memory. I am now 33 and fortunate to have the opportunity to have the vertical sleeve covered through insurance. I have tried and failed many diets and my last attempt at a 12 step program was helpful but not as much as I needed. I am really looking forward to the little rewards that are going to come, like having a lap for my nieces and nephews to sit upon, walking a mile and not needing an ambulance afterwards or halfway through, riding a bike, roller skating, shopping in a regular clothing store which would be a first, riding a roller coaster, dating, and my gut not rubbing against my steering wheel as I drive. I just want to fully enjoy my life and not the food, I have enjoyed enough food now and am ready for this tool to give me the help I need. I love reading all the blogs, it is amazing to know I am not alone in this journey. I'll write more later.

Drum roll please.... I'm 6 days post op, weighed in for surgery on Friday at 216 lbs, and according to my brand new scale I purchased yesterday, I am 206 lbs! That's -10 lbs in 6 days. Holy smokes. Today is also my first day back at work and I'm feeling pretty good, I have a desk job which helps a lot, and I'm really trying to remind myself to sip every 2 or 3 minutes. I already made the mistake of trying to multitask and walk and drink at the same time in the hallways and I doubled over with chest pain because I took a huge gulp- I don't want to scare my coworkers thinking I'm having a heart attack. Lol. I'm definitly going to go home at lunch and lay down for an hour and just do nothing so that I pace myself and give my tummy some down time as well. Last night I helped coach a little for my club sport, then afterwards we all went to grab a bite to eat, I sat there with my Powerade as they all ate huge amounts of food, and I was almost perplexed- I had NO hunger what so over. It all smelled good, but I had ZERO temptation or desire to eat anything. They all kept saying they felt bad I wasn't eating, and I just chuckled and said don't worry about it because I DON'T WANT ANY! It was so AWESOME!
 
So over all I'm doing great. Incesions are bit sore, but compared to a week ago I feel like a rockstar. Dr. Alvarez cleared me to swim 15 days post op and the count down is on! Once I get to full liquids on Monday and get protein shakes in my diet I know I'm going to be ready to start working out (in moderation). No regrets. At all. While I know this will be a long journey, I feel like I'm finally taking steps forward NOT backwards. I look forward to weighing myself rather than dreading it! Yay!
 
I was sleeved Friday, August 17th, 2012 and I plan to do my weekly/monthly blog updates on Fridays to keep track a little bit more accurately. But 6 days post op this is what I got:
 
Stats:
 
Height: 5'9
HW: 216
CW: 206
1st GW: 169
2nd GW: 145
3rd GW: 135

my surgery is three days away! i am extremely nervous and cautiously excited.
 
house is organized and spotless. yard has never looked so manicured. i feel like i am preparing my home for a new baby. i will be bringing home a new member to my family after the surgery-ME.

Dear food,
 
You have been a source of refuge and comfort for a long time, something to warm me on cold winter nights and to celebrate life's milestones. But sadly, our relationship is no longer working for me.
 
You've become an obsession, an unhealthy and unproductive millstone. So I've decided that it's time to say goodbye. There are some special mentions I'd like to make...good bye massive bowls of spaghetti, blocks of chocolate, cheesy pizza and my old friend, coke. Though over the coming days our parting will be difficult, and I will no doubt long for the days when I would indulge in you with impunity, I am excited to let you go.
 
I will get an opportunity to explore life beyond this obsession. So with sadness but absolute determination, fare thee well, old friends.
 
With no regrets, Lila
 
(I start my pre-op diet in the morning And I am actually feeling excited about it! Wish me luck!!)

Savannah, GA is in its infamous Restaurant Week. It is a way to get people (locals) to come out and try different restaurants during the hot summer when tourism typically goes down. The premise is that there is a $30 set menu with various chef featured items.
 
My sister-in-law (SIL) invited me to go and I thought why not? I was hoping for smaller portions and spaced out dining which would accomodate my sleeve.
 
I got to the restaurant first and ordered a class of wine ($7). I was sipping on it slowly and managed to only finish half the glass the entire evening! For the appetizer course I had chicken and waffle sliders and split half with my SIL, who shared her fried green tomato appetizer with me. I was getting concerned because I was FULL (couldn't eat another bite full) and the wine had started to heat me up (and it was already a hot and sticky which is typically weather this time of year). I was seriously getting uncomfortable and then they bring out our dinner part of the meal (we weren't even done our apps yet!). I ordered shrimp and grits and my SIL had a mahgarita pizza (which was flipping HUGE). I had a small piece of her pizza and could barely finish it and I didn't lay a finger on my shrimp and grits (and we still had dessert to go).
 
We brought our desert to their roof top bar (which allowed for some movement and resettling in my stomach). I gave my SIL half of my dessert and I took a small spoonful of her cheesecake. I managed to eat the cheesecake and a quarter of my small chocolate lava cake before I had to call it quits.
 
I enjoyed sitting and chatting with my SIL for several hours (during which my other half of the glass of wine was left without touching it) and I sipped on water the rest of the evening.
 
Altogether my meal, tip, and parking cost $57 for essential a half a glass of wine and an appetizer. Lesson learned! I would have been better off just ordering an app and glass of wine ala cart and not touching the Restaurant Week menu at all.