In the beginning...

Let me start off by saying, I do not plan on posting too often - but I did want to post again right away to explain the process so far.  This stuff may be boring for most, but for anyone that may be interested in possibly taking on this same procedure, I wanted to share the steps I have taken and what has been required of me.  So this post will be mostly factual.


For years, my insurance (Aetna) covered weight loss surgery but the company I worked for did not.  I honestly didn't know this was possible but apparently it is.  However, last summer things with my company changed and this coverage rule changed as well.  So in October 2017, I contacted Journeylite to see what this was all about.  I learned that my BMI was high enough to be approved by Journeylite for surgery.  They recommend certain surgeries depending on your BMI.  The gastric sleeve surgery is the least invasive option and is recommended for those with BMI's on the lower end of high (so I am a skinny fatty!).  They scheduled me an appointment to get the ball rolling.


The first appointment seemed never-ending.  I think it ended up being 3 hours.  I had to meet with a psychiatrist and complete a 400+ fill in the circle psych test that asked the weirdest questions (ex: do you enjoy reading magazines about motorcyles?).  I was weighed in and measured.  I met with the Surgeon, his Physician's Assistant, a Dietitian and an Insurance Representative.  I was informed that the next step would be a 90 Day Supervised Diet (required by Aetna).


The 90 Day Supervised Diet wasn't what I expected.  Aetna sends a doctor to your house for 90 days that watches every food choice you make and glares at you disapprovingly if you make a bad choice.  However, the doctor assigned to me resembled Josh Duhamel, so I didn't really complain too much.  Wait...no, all of that was a lie.  No one was sent to my house.  I was on my own.  Aetna requires that on Day 90, you weigh less than you did on Day 1.  The Dietitian from Journeylite gave me a recommended carb/calorie daily intake, some snack ideas and told me I should exercise 2.5 hours per week minimum.  Every 30 days I would have to come back to the office and get weighed in - but the middle weigh-ins didn't really matter as long as I was down at the end.  (This is what MY insurance required - I know others who have had to lose 30-45 lbs before insurance approves).  Thank God for this too, because my 90 days included Halloween, a trip home to Massachusetts for my son's 10th birthday, Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday), my surprise 40th birthday party, Christmas and New Years Eve.  And I come from a family where food is what makes a holiday.  So it was a tough 90 days.


When I returned after 30 days for a weigh-in, I was down around 6lbs.  I, of course, thought that was horrible.  6lbs in a month is not so great when normally you can lose pretty quickly at the very beginning of a diet.  The truth is, I did great for about a week - then had to celebrate something, got off track and then said: "F it, I will just wait until a few days before the weigh-in and be super strict."  Apparently, it worked - but you can obviously see how messed up my brain is when it comes to food.  The nurse who weighed me in thought 6lbs was great.  And actually, as I think about it - so did everyone at the office that I came in contact with that day.  So I ended up leaving with a kick in my step. 


On my 60 day weigh-in, I remember my weight was up.  I don't remember the exact amount but it wasn't too much.  I didn't weigh more than my first weigh in, but I had put back some of the 6 I had lost the previous month.  I wasn't too disappointed because I had expected it and just promised myself I would get back on track for the last month.


The last weigh in was just in March.  To be truthful, it was supposed to be at the end of February but I was wary of whether I was down or not, so I pushed the appointment off a week.  And thank God I did because when I went in for my final weigh-in, I was down but only by 2lbs.  So I did it, but barely.  So though I wasn't too pleased with myself, they were and they sent me on my merry way.  The next step, they told me, was to wait for the insurance approval.  It would take 2-4 weeks.  The dietitian told me that I did not have to lose any more weight from here on out but I should NOT gain any.  This is because you must go on a pre-surgery diet which included "food" they provide (shakes, bars, soups...).  The higher your BMI, the more weeks you must eat these products and they are pricey (not covered by insurance).  Apparently, I am right on the edge of adding another week which I really do not want to do.


Two weeks ago, I received insurance approval.  I honestly couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the letter.  I figured that after I had put everything in motion and got myself a little excited, they would say "ummmmm - no."  But no...I was in!


Journeylite called me last week to start scheduling everything.  First it would be an endoscopy.  I should probably know why this is required but I don't.  That is scheduled for Monday (4/9).  $300.  Following that I will have my "consent appointment."  We scheduled that for this Thursday (4/12).  There I will ask all of my questions, receive my instructions, give them a few autographs and purchase the food (food is $300).  And my surgery date is...(drum roll, please)...May 3.  MAY 3!  That is less than a month away!!


So, I know all of this was super boring.  I promise future posts will include bloody, gory details or pictures of pants that I no longer fit in.  Just needed to get this stuff out of the way. 


Thanks for listening!