Mona

:faint: Today is 3-3-06, Friday morning--real early(1:35am). I found out through the Gastric Band Institute that I had to schedule and appointment for a psych evaluation as well as attend a pre-op nutrition and information class. So, March 14th I go for my class in Chattanooga at 2:00p and then March 15th (Wed.) I go for my psych evaluation--also in Chatt town.:nervous I am trusting that God will continue to open doors for me. I realize the potential for this to be a life changing experience and I also realize that God has great things in store for me and my husband. I know that I was not called to be THIS overweight:paranoid . I just think of all the things I could do for the Lord beyond what I am right now. I want to realize my full potential as a christian. I am very serious about this transformation in my life---like a butterfly---a metamorphosis. He is the potter and I am the clay...make me, mold me, bend me, break me...just use me Lord for your purposes. Thank you God for lifting me up!:clap2:

:clap2: Today is 2-24-6 on a Friday. I received a call from my surgeon's nurse today about the next I'll be taking. She reviewed my old psych evaluation from a couple of years ago and said that the psych doctor had not cleared me for surgery. I remember how devastated I was at the time.:think However, looking back...it was probably for the best because I was in the middle of a divorce and was separated from my husband at the time. But now God has brought me through yet another huge obstacle in my life(that I probably help create) and has blessed me with a husband who is understanding and supportive of my efforts to lose weight and have the lap band surgery.:mad: :clap2: Now that I have insurance again, I am trying this again. I have my walking/running shoes on this time and I'm feeling very encouraged. Anyway, the nurse Melissa, said she would get me in to see one of their psych doctors who is very good and very supportive of this lap band idea for his obese patients and she told me they would do whatever it takes to get this approved with my insurance company. I thank God for the people at the Gastric Band Institute in Chattanooga--they are God-sents. I told Melissa that I would call back at the end of next week just to check on the progress of my approval.

:tired God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change;

Courage to change the things I can;

And the wisdome to know the difference;

Just for today.

Amen.

Today is 2-23-6 on a Thursday. I faxed a five page letter to my surgeon's office today. The nurse, Melissa, will be sending it along with some other information to BCBS of TN. The nurse, Robin, from BCBS who reviewed my information so far says they need documentation of a psych evaluation within the past two years as well as documentation that I have been on a structured weight loss plan within the past two years at some point. Melissa from Dr. Paynter's office said she was going to try and pull some strings and see if she can't get her hands on my psych evaluation from two years ago about this time when I first pursued this procedure. :nervous I have prayed about this several times and I believe that God will make a way. I prayed that if it is His will then He will open up the doors of opportunity for me to do this and if it is not His will then he will close the doors. However, I realize that doesn't mean I just give up. I will continue to be persistent in this endeavor because otherwise all my efforts have been in vane. I did ask God that if it was at all possible that He would make a way and open up doors for me to do this and that He would lead me down this road. I realize it took awhile for me to put all this weight on and it will take awhile for me to take it off(and keep it off).:mad:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change,

Courage to change the things I can,

And the wisdom to know the difference,

Just for today.

Amen