One month later and down 24lbs

Judy One Month Later
(332 to 308)

Went for another appointment with my surgeon today. I went down in my weight 24lbs since my last visit!

Today's appointment was a group session with four others. Went over how we need to eat with the band, why the low carbs, why we need to loose some weight prior to surgery. Let me go over each one.

Why the Low Carbs. As long as we follow what the Dr. has said to do regarding carbs, we will loose some weight. Carbs will make the liver very large and it needs to shrink prior to surgery. Do this now will only be good for you come surgery day. And to get the weight off. After doing this for a month, it has only been better for me.

How to eat with the band. Small bites, small fork, small plate. Wont be able to eat a lot once I have the band to reach sanity. And with all of this, chew, chew, chew. Also, don't drink before a meal, about 10 mins or so. Also don't drink after a meal until 30 mins later. Don't want your food to come back up!

Now the reason for loosing some weight prior to surgery. The liver sits on top of the where the band will be going. The liver needs to be small and not in large to make sure when it is move it is not hurt or anything. That alone is a good enough reason for me not to eat what I should not eat! Even one BAD meal can in large the liver to the point that the Dr. can't do the surgery.

So my packet was sent off today to tricare. It should not take to long the lady at the office said to get approval. I asked about when did she think I could look at having the surgery. She said probably in November. So by the end of the year, I will be working on my new life! ( But I am already, I just get one more tool to help me! )

Right now, I am not sure when my next appointment is. I will get a call from the office once I am approved and then set that appointment and my surgery date. My Doctor does surgery on Mondays and Thursday. I think Thursday will be best. Phil will only have to take one to two days off. I figure if he can't take Friday off for some reason, I feel I can find someone to come spend the day with me....I hope. :)

It is going to be a great way to end a interesting year!

Excited! New Gym and Carrie Underwood tonight!

I am so loving today! I have started at the Lifestyle Family Fitness right up the road from me. I worked out last night with the Jax Weight Loss Center and I am feeling great! Tomorrow I get to update my weight loss ticker. I can't wait because I know I have lost a bit more. I hope to know more tomorrow after I see my Dr. as to a date for the surgery. Yes, I am nervous but I know I am going to be better for it!

Tonight is the Carrie Underwood concert and so I didn't work out as long as I really wanted to because I need to take care of a few things before tonight. I am excited for my date tonight with my hubby and then again on Friday when we go down to the Orlando Temple. What a wonderful week!

So stay tune I will be updating after my doctors appointment tomorrow with weight and a updated picture.

Labs, X-ray, EKG Oh MY!

Yesterday I went and have my predetermination for surgery done. This was Labs, Chest x-ray and a EKG. The check in at Memorial Hospital took longer the the tests! For my labs this go around they took ten tubes of blood! This is what you might call a FULL WORK UP! I don't think in all my life I have ever had ten tubes of blood taken at one sitting! The gentleman that took my blood is also thinking of having the Lap-Band done. The EKG was very fast. It took him longer to set up the stuff on me then to run the test. Then on to x-ray and they took two x-rays one facing forward and one from the side. Hehe I got to hold my hands up like an Egyptian for a the side x-ray. But the total time was maybe an hour and half from check in to walking out the door. So not to bad. I had my book with me.

The book I am reading right now is Bandwagon by Jean McMillan. Very good book! She has the knowledge and experiences as a successful Adjustible Gastric Band patient. I know I will be opening this book up again after I am done and after I have my surgery. If you are thinking of having an Adjustable Gastric Band surgery I recommend reading this book.

My walking is a lot more fun now that I have my new IPOD Nano. It is so sweet! It even has a pedometer on it. That is the fun part for me. When you sync your Nano it will upload your information that is on your pedometer to Nike.com FUN! Right now I (via the computer) is walking across New York on Nike.com

I am still at battle with my PCM to send my medical records over to Dr. Cywes office. I called yesterday morning. I got a call from Dr. Cywes office saying they still don't have it and so I called again today. This seems to be hardest part about getting everything ready for my 2nd appointment next week. Please pray that I keep my wits about this! Grrr.

Tomorrow I am going to my first support group meeting. This is held over at my Dr. office. It should be interesting as they are also going to be doing Line Dancing? Anything to keep you moving!

So with that, I am off to walk the Dogs before lunch. Just gotta keep on Moving!

Grrr why does my PCM office take so long?

Ok, Sorry all but I must vent here for a sec. I promise to do another post on some positive stuff later tonight or this weekend!

I am a week and a half out from my 2nd appointment and I had to call this week to get my letter of Medical Necessity from my Dr. that I requested two weeks ago! Not only that, my surgeons office sent a fax to request my Medical Records on the 23rd of Sept. and I just found out today they have yet to send them! So the surgeons office sent the fax again this afternoon and I followed up with a phone call and left a message for my PCM.

These two items are some of the things I need to get done before my 2nd appointment on the 27th of Oct. I am going in next week to the Hospital to have my Labs, EKG, Chest X-ray which also have to be done prior to the 27th. All these items have to be in my packet to send off to the insurance company.

I did pick up my letter of Medical Necessity today and made a copy of it. I found it interesting that I had co-mobilities that I didn't even know I had?!?! Like Hyperlipidemia ( high blood cholesterol and triglycerides) and reflux disease!?!?!?! I have labs done every year never was told of the cholesterol and the reflux disease. Hmm.

Oh well, I got the letter, and I hope to have my PCM office send the medical records soon so by the 27th I will be all set for my 2nd appointment. I would love to have this done by the end of the year so I will be all set by Camp time in July!

Today I Will......

~be kind, loving, and healthy to myself
~love my body and mind and know that I AM who I want to be
~speak kindly, lovingly, and softly to my kids and family
~take time for myself
~eat only healthy meat & veggies
~have a completely Low Carb Day
~leave desserts out of my eating from this day forward
~exercise my dog for an hour daily
~review this affirmation as often as needed

Been busy visting other sites this week

I have been busy visiting this week some other sites about weight loss surgery. Some have forums that has people helping people. One thing for sure, there is someone out there that has faced what you are facing, feeling or the questions that you may have you might be able to find an answer to.

These are the ones I like so far.

Bariatric TV: This is a place for Surgically Altered FREAKS
I love this place! They explain the term FREAKS in one of their first episode. They do a new video segment each week and has a bunch of just good information.

Weight Loss Surgery of America: The WLSFA is the Only Nonprofit Organization granting weight loss surgery and re constructive plastic surgery to people who can not obtain it on their own. I am blessed with insurance that will cover my weight loss surgery, but there are many that don't have insurance or for what ever reason, their insurance has denied their claim.


ObesityHelp.com: A place where you make the journey together. Here you find all the surgery's, groups, a place that can help keep you on track. If you want to blog there is a place on there that you can do that as well. I myself have not posted much over there, but I do enjoy reading what others have said and I was surprised, there are many who are feeling the same thing as I am!


RunKeeper.com: I found this place and it helps you keep track of the exercise that you do. You can track your walking or running routes as well as other types work outs. I love going for my walks and then come home hit this site and map it out. Great resource if you trying to map a route as well.


Well that is it for now. I will be happy to post some more site later when I come across them. As for me, not much happen this week other just plugging along on this trail!