one week to gastric sleeve surgery ... part 2

by this time it was may... i made the appointment and so i met with my surgeon ... i really liked him, felt comfortable and confident with him and enjoyed our conversation ... which surprisingly turned to art and bravery ...so, i'm in

then i met with my insurance liaison ... she had all the hoops listed out on paper that i would be required to complete in order to submit my request to insurance to see if they would cover me

1. watch an informational video about my procedure via the internet ... that was not hard
2. spend 90 days with a nutritionist or weight doctor of some sort ... well, i had been going to a medical weight loss center for a year 18 months ago .... so, i had them fax in all the paperwork and everything we did for that year
3. take a psychological exam and talk to a psychiatrist ... great, i am not one of those people who enjoy talking to a complete stranger about what's going on in my head ... if i really wanted someone to know what is going on in my head i would tell them and they would surely be one of my close friends ... plus after answering all the questions on the exam i was not looking forward to talking to this guy ... i took the exam and scheduled the appointment with the psychiatrist 
4. go to a bariatric surgery weight loss support group ...  the last support group i went to was a NA support group for my friend struggling with prescription pill addiction ... i like support groups about as much as i like the psychiatrist ... but, i went and didn't have to talk so, it was tolerable
5. meet with the nutritionist ... i thought that would be okay but, it was actually a bit painful .... she was way way too perky and kept talking about my "new baby pouch" of a stomach ... omg, i just wanted out of there ... so, checked that one off the list
6. go to the hospital to do a barium swallow ... gross ... did that ...  and that's all i am going to say about that
7. met with the psychiatrist ... his findings were right on the money about my personality ... i am a really good listener and he did 75% of the talking ... he even commented that he was having a hard time shutting up and that i should be talking but i was so easy to talk to ... guess i could be a shrink ...i will have to admit that listening to him talk about my future struggles and different things i should consider, think about and keep in mind was invaluable and i am glad i had the experience
8. i needed a letter of recommendation from one of my doctors ... i choose my endocrinologist, since he is that one that set me on this path except i am worried that he won't write it ... we have had lengthy, heated discussions about bypass vs sleeve surgery and we are both in different camps on whats best for me and why ... i always find it interesting how people can have such strong opinions about what is best for you to do with yourself, your body or your life ... they don't have to live with the repercussions or consequences when everything is said and done ... you do and ultimately i am the only one that can make this decision for me

so, now it's the end of august ... everything is done, or so i think and everything gets submitted to insurance.

by this time, i have argued with my parents about my decision (again my decision, not there's), told my siblings and a handful of my close friends ... now is the waiting game ... but there is a snag ... the insurance company needs the 90 days re-done because if i had seen the weight loss doctor within the last 12 months ... not 18 it would have been approved ... so now to go back and do 90 days more

so from september - december i see my doctor once a month ... december 13 we resubmit paperwork to the insurance company and the surgery is approved and set for december 31 ... so as i look back on the beginning of this lifelong journey i am drinking a not so delicious protein shake as i am on a liquid diet until i go under the knife