It hs been a while...

So I has been a while. Hope things are good for you out there in blogger world. Let me catch you up on what's been going on with me. I am doing the Aetna 3 months plan so that is three nutritionist appointments, three exercise appointments and a phych eval. I also got a body scan, full blood work-up, a barium swallow and chest x-ray. Also let's not forget that all important two year weight history.
About the barium swallow, it was like drinking a penny milkshake and be shoved in a copier. You stand in between a vertical table and the x-ray machine. Then it's super model time. They want a thousand different angles all while you are sucking down that thick white metal drink. Then they tell you that the wall behind you is going to start moving and that you will end up flat on your back. What they don't tell you is that the human response to this process is to try and get off that crazy thing. So once horizontal there is another series of posses including the strange request to "act like you are taking a poo" Not long after the table flips back up and you are once again on your feet. As for the chest X-ray it was breath in...breath out...turn and DONE!
I wish I could say that everything went smoothly but that is just not how my life works. I had issues with the staff and lost paperwork. I won't bore you with the details but I will give you this advice.

1. Make copies of everything
2. Hold the staff accountable by getting name
3. Check, Check and Re-check their work

So all of that was done by 3/29/2010 and I thought, great just one more step to go. All I needed was the letter of medical necessity from the doctor then it is off to insurance. The problem is that has been three weeks and still no letter. Is it me or is that is totally RIDICULOUS?!?!? I wish I could say that this is not getting me down but it totally broke my momentum. It is nothing worse than email the staff on Monday and being told "No letter yet. Check back next Monday". Grrrr...it makes me so mad!

I'll update you when I goes to insurance hopefully soon...but who knows :-(

So I had my first meeting with the nutritionist and exercise specialist. This is the first of three. I have Aetna insurance and have to do an intensive 3 month doctor supervised program before I am eligible for the surgery. I am excited that the office has been able to schedule me so quickly. I mean if things go exceedingly well I could be having my surgery as early as April.
Anywho...The first meeting was to discuss general nutrition and exercise basics. The nutritionist talked about the 30 rule. 30 chews per bite, 30 minutes to consume the food and no drinking 30 minutes before and after. Now that sounds easy enough except I am having serious issues slowing down. I feel like I am on some race to eat as much as possible as quickly as possible.
I have been trying to make sure that I am as healthy as possible before the surgery so I have been cutting my calories and making healthy choices (most of the time). As a result I've lost 2 lbs and I feel pretty good. The problem with the calorie restriction is that when I do eat it is like "FEED ME!" I manage to scarf everything down without thinking. I'm lucky I haven't choked from not chewing. Jeez...I guess this is why we have the nutritionist to help with issues.
As for the exercise part they recommend strength training and cardio. I am hoping that I can really kick it into gear on the exercise. I have started doing some weight lifting. From what I've heard it can really help with the excess skin. Also making sure your problem areas have a healthy sweat during your cardio workout can help the skin "shrink" in those areas.
Well wish me luck!

WEIRD ALERT: I have read some stuff that says wrapping your problem areas in cling wrap before working out helps increase the blood flow and decrease the fat in those areas. I'm gonna try it and let you all know how it goes. I'll start with my arms and do a little experiment.

To Tell or Not To Tell there is no question

Well I made it back from Vegas! I thought I was prepared but nothing can prepare you for the craziness that is SIN CITY. I wish I could say that I stayed on a healthy diet but unfortunately hot dogs and pizza crept in on vacation. Not to mention chinese food, somethings just shouldn't be available 24 hours a day. So anywho before I jetted off to Vegas I told my BF about the surgery.
I live with my BF so he probably would have noticed a trip to the hospital and 5 holes in my stomach. I was really nervous about telling him because he is super healthy and fit. Whenever he sets his mind to diet and exercise he is like super successful. So I decided to tell him over dinner, irony not lost on me.
I asked him to hear me out then let me know what he thought. I told him how I decided to do the lap band surgery and that I had been approved by Dr. V to start the 3 month program. His response was pretty standard asking about trying diet and exercise first. I'm sure if you've told anyone they probably asked the same question. I wish it was that easy for me but it's not. And I think he can see that (my waist doesn't leave much room for doubt.)
In fact he was incredibly supportive and was a little disappointed that he didn't go to the consultation with me (especially since I fainted). He wanted to know about the doctor, the risks and the long term affects (other than weight loss). I mean he was so sweet holding my hand and letting me know that he would be there. He also insisted that we do everything by the book. So no cutting corners like I usually do, I really hope I can stick to that.
Well I am exhausted. Vegas wore me out. Tomorrow I pay my first 450 bucks and start my crazy appointment schedule. I'll let you know how it goes.

January starts me 3 months

Lots on news. I went to my consultation and everything checked out fine. It's going to cost me 1300 dollars up front but I think that most of that will be reimbursed by insurance. they went ahead and scheduled me for like 10 appointments over the next 3 months which means I will probably be getting my surgery in April.
Despite all this awesome news I did have one issue. While I was there, they went ahead and took my blood (like 10 viles) so that they can run some test.I hadn't expected that and had been on a diet all day. During the process I got a little light headed and FAINTED. Yes that's right I passed out in the hall! It was like in the movies where everything is blurry and then people's faces come into focus. There were like five nurses buzzing all around me, giving me water and G2 lite. NOTE: The G2 lite was pretty good, I'll have to remember that for the liquid diet. Anyway, I was totally embarrassed because they wouldn't let me walk, for the obvious response and I had to be wheeled around in a wheelchair. Jeez. One of the women was like, "oh are you on a liquid diet"...another nurse was like "She's just here for her consultation"...I was mortified. But at least they will recognize me when I come next time...
Gotta go I'm flying to Las Vegas in few.

Anyone else had issues with fainting?

Consultation Date Moved Up

So when I went to my orientation appointment in December they gave me a consultation appointment of Jan 29th. I was totally bummed because I want to get everything started like yesterday. Well I email the people at Dr. V's office and let them know that I was flexible and could come any time. GOOD NEWS. They have an opening on December 7 at 3:45. That is super perfect because I leave for Las Vegas on the 8. This means I could really have something to celebrate in Vegas.
Now I am not really sure how everything works but I am hoping that my consultation appointment marks the start of the 3 month waiting period that Aetna has. Man, I am sooooo excited and I am so ready. I just wish I had done this years ago.
I have been waiting to tell people about my decision until I have some sort of timeline and plan. I want to tell my super great BF but I am hoping to have some facts before I break the news. I feel like a new lease on life is just around the corner. I feel like a kid waiting for Xmas...I haven't been this excited in a long while!

So yesterday I submitted my paperwork to SouthEnd Bariatric. That's right I have started on the road to weight loss surgery. I am really not sure why I didn't just do this earlier. I kept telling myself that I could do it alone. Well I have lost and gained the same 20 lbs over and over and then gained another 5 this year. Now I fluctuate between 270 and 265. I kept telling myself that I would lose it in the future and I totally regret not doing something sooner. I've finally reached that place in my life where I always wanted to be. I'm in a great relationship, I have a job that doesn't totally suck and I have an amazingly great social life. I thought now at 28 I would be healthy and happy. My life would be like some music video and I would able to fully enjoy it. But things don't always turn out like you plan I am totally unhealthy and I can't even enjoy my so called fabulous life. So I am finally doing something about it. I can't say that this is the first step but I can say it's the right one. So, wish me luck...here I go!