Anemic

This is what I look like as of yesterday March 12, 2008. I'm blond again. Cute, huh?


Went to the doctor last week for my 15 month check up. I am down 88 pounds! Very pleased with my progress. The not so good news is that I am incredibly deficient in iron. He said I am one point away from being anemic. The doctor advised me to take an iron pill three times a day! Yikes!!! If you know anything about iron supplements you know that they can constipate you. He advised three times a day so that my body can catch up and so I bought iron pills at GNC that claim to be non-constipating...we'll see about that. I will also step up my fiber intake as I think I am going to need it.

I know part of the problem is that I do NOT take my vitamins every day. I know it is silly, but on some level I resent having to take these pills. I mean, I'm not 70 years old and yet I have this ridiculous pill box laid out with all my vitamins in it. How can I forget when the pill box is right there on the table, right? So I think there is some deep-rooted psychological reason for my "forgetting" to take my meds every day. I'm hoping that the doctor visit will be the wake up call that I need.

Oh, and of course he told me to exercise more because, as he put it, "you can still lose more weight." Ouch! Yeah, I know! I want to lose 30 more pounds and it has been hard the last 10 pounds or so. Hubby and I joined a gym together and I think we went about 10 times at 5 am together. After that we split up and go on our own time. Still, I haven't been going often enough and I need to. Yeah, there were some good excuses I've had recently for not going, but even if it is just for a practical reason. I'm paying for this so I better get my fat ass over there! hee hee.

Happy Anniversary

My labs last doctor visit indicated that I have a vitamin d deficiency. I didn't tell the doctor, but I haven't been taking my vitamins regularly. I know I have to, but I hate taking these horsepills! I get on a roll taking them religiously and then I just forget one day and that sets the slide into motion where I go a whole week without taking a vitamin. Not good, so NO lectures please. I need to find a solution to this madness.

This doctor visit in November marked my one year anniversary. I lost 80 pounds in the year and that is great for me. The doctor thinks that I need to exercise more now because this is the critical juncture for me. He loses (no pun intended) many patients at this point because they know by now what they can and cannot "get away" with eating. Those who continue seeing him have a better weight loss than those who stop. I need to boost the exercise to keep the weight loss going, so that means hitting the gym more than twice a week. Ugh! I can do it and I will.

I will see him later this month for my 13 month post-op check-up and will let you know how it went at that time.

Food Diary September 18, 2007

Breakfast:
2 servings Del Monte canned tomatoes with jalapenos - 60 calories
2 slices cheese - 100 calories
1 slice diet bread - 40 calories

1/2 cup skim milk - 40 calories

Breakfast 240 calories

Lunch:
Broccoli & cheese - 225 calories
lite peaches - 25 calories

Lunch: 250 calories


Snacks:
Mint 3 musketeers bar - 150 calories
grapes: 60 calories

Total calories so far today: 700

Dinner:


Planned evening snack: yogurt: 110 calories

Vacation

I went away and ate out breakfast, lunch and dinner for 9 days. I never thought I would say this, but I was so bored with food! I was happy to finally cook at home.

I didn't gain any weight on this vacation, which is also a first. However, I am pretty sure I did not lose any weight from my last doctor's visit. I will know for sure on Friday because that is my next office visit. A part of me would like to cancel that visit because I don't know why my weight is staying the same, but I know I need to go. It is a slippery slope and this is the critical point. If I stop going, I will just gain weight and I refuse to let that happen. I need to get my head back into this game. I am not at a weight that I am happy with yet.

8 Month Post-Op Update

I saw Dr. Bypass this morning. I am down 75 pounds, which is great. Only 5 pounds lost in the past two months though. The doctor said that this is what I can now expect as far as weight loss goes now because it is slowing down. I need to really make sure that I am eating the right portions and I am increasing my exercise. It is now going to be more work for me.

This is the point that they start to lose their patients. The doctor said that people start getting too comfortable with their eating and have figured out what they can get away with at this point. I do not want to be one of those who wind up packing the pound back on, so I am going to start writing all of my food consumption into a journal.

I always hated keeping a food diary, but I am committed to doing this. Perhaps I can see patterns on paper that I don't notice in real life. I know Weight Watchers and Nutrisystem wanted you to track yuor food intake and I never was able to do it consistently. Okay, I could do it, but I suppose I chose not to do it consistently.

My hair is not falling out as badly as it was two months ago. I guess that is because the weight loss has slowed down too.

I haven't thrown up lately, which is another good thing, so I guess I am doing something right. I did get a little sick last night because I ate some rice. I really wanted the rice and it just seemed to sit in my chest. I stretched out on the bed for a while and it made me feel better.

I am Fat

My BMI is down to 35. This still puts me in the obese catageory. I need to drop 5 more points and then I will only fall into the overweight category. Somehow that just doesn't seem fair. I mean, I lost 70 pounds and I am still obese? Yeah, okay, so when I started this journey I must have been super obese, if that is a category, but you know what I am saying.

I am going to buy new pants this weekend. The old ones are really just too big. It was so windy yesterday and my pant legs were flapping like flags in the wind. Everyone has been telling me how great I look and all. I know I am losing weight, but when I look in the mirror, I still see a fat person. And according to my BMI, I am still fat, but I wonder when I will stop feeling like a fat person. When does that happen? Does it ever happen? Will I always think of myself as fat?

6 Month Post-Op Follow-up

Went to see Dr. Bypass this morning. I wasn't feeling all that optimistic. since my doctor appointments are stretched out to every two months now, it is harder and harder to keep off the scale until the next appointment. As a result, I have started weighing myself once a week. As I have been hopping on the scale for the past three weeks I have become concerned that the scale doesn't seem to be moving, which has unfortunately led to my jumping on the scale every single day. It has become my mania.

In addition, when I replenished my vitamin stock two weeks ago, I could not find the iron pills that I had been taking, so I purchased another brand. The new brand has constipated me to the point of extreme discomfort. I resorted to taking 6 Fibercon pills and two ex-lax pills with minimal results. I have now thrown out these new iron pills and will be on the hunt for the Slo Fe brand.

Dumping Syndrome

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dumping-syndrome/DS00715/

Dumping syndrome A condition that occurs when food moves too fast from the stomach into the small intestine. Symptoms are nausea, pain, weakness, and sweating. This syndrome most often affects people who have had stomach operations.

Yeah, I read a lot about it prior to my surgery. I waited and waited, but it didn't happen and so I forgot most of what I had read about it. Then it happened to me and I thought I was going to DIE.

Once it happens you will never forget the sensation. I was at work when it occurred. Every morning I make myself a cup of tea when I get to the office. This one particular morning I saw a box of Swiss Miss hot chocolate. I decided that hot chocolate might be nice for a change of pace. Because I only buy diet drinks at home, it never occured to me to check to see if the hot cocoa was diet or not. I boiled the water and took a sip. Then I took another sip. Then I thought I was going to DIE.

Seriously. I didn't know what was happening. I ran to the bathroom and promptly threw up. Not a pretty chocolaty sight. Normally, when I have puked when not feeling well I immediately felt better. Not this time. I was nauseous. I was sweating. My stomach was in turmoil. I looked at the packet of hot cocoa. It was not diet. Too much sugar all at once, I guess. Not a good feeling. I will not be drinking that again.

Compliments

Because my hair is getting much thinner on the top, I decided it was time for a new hairstyle. I figured it would look better shorter and layered. This is a pic I took of myself. I didn't use a flash and the photo is reflected off of the mirror. Kind of like the way it came out.

I also colored my hair so it is now a strawberry blond color which compliments my skin tone. I went to work and had to talk to the guy in the office next to mine. I walked in and just started talking and he was staring at me. He finally told me that when I first walked in he was wondering who this person was. He was confused because of the new hairstyle and said it took him a few moments to recognize it was me.

I had to go speak to someone in another department yesterday. When I walked in, the receptionist asked me if I changed my hair. I confirmed that I did and then she said that I looked great and she noticed that I had lost a lot of weight. I told her that I had the surgery blah, blah, blah. She told me that she didn't know it was me! It had been at least two months since she had seen me and she said I looked like a completely different person. That just made my day. I feel like a completely different person too.

Official Weigh In

Met with Dr. Bypass on January 12, 2007. Lost a total of 38 official pounds and 44 unofficial pounds.

My BMI dropped by 6 points. I found out what BMR is. You use energy no matter what you're doing, even when sleeping. BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR); the number of calories you'd burn if you stayed in bed all day. Mine has dropped by 701, which I guess sounds impressive, but I really don't know.

Unfortunately, my blood work had not been faxed to the dr. prior to my visit. The office called to get it. They told me everything was fine, but I don't actually have the report myself, which I want. I think I will call and have them fax it to me

Now I start going every other month for my check-ups.

Regurgitation

I was always someone who threw up easily. What does that mean? Smells, as in rotting garbage or foul-smelling flatulence could make me vomit. I had heard that post-surgery, smells can really get to you and make you puke. I was not looking forward to this since I was so easily a puker already.

The only smell that has caused me to puke is that of dog vomit. I must admit that this made me puke prior to surgery as well. I have vomitted post surgery due to some foods that I have eaten. Here is the list thus far:

macaroni & cheese
rice
crackers
eggs with salami
pastrami
rye bread
roll

Fatty meats like salami & pastrami are not sitting well in my new stomach. Breads and carbs don't seem to like it either. Still in the trial and error phase, so I will just keep trying different foods to see how they go down and if they stay down or not.

Post-Op Day 3 & 4

I keep waking up at 3:30 in the morning. Its really hot. The weather is unseasonably warm so that hasn't helped. I get up and pee, but then the dogs wanna go out to so I let them out and then try to go back to bed. I'm able to sleep a bit more on my side so that is good.

I'm not supposed to lift anything over 5 pounds, which means that Pinky isn't sleeping with me. She cannot jump on the bed. Its too high for her and I can't lift her up so it is driving her mad. I can hear her pacing around the bed with her tags a jingling.

Every day is getting a little easier. I'm getting my 4 ounces of liquids in every hour and I am taking all my vitamins. My daughter understands that she can't pounce on me and is very concerned about "mommy's belly." She has been taking out her doctor's kit to take care of me. Its cute.

Day 4 I am not napping as much during the day. AR took me for a ride in the car and for a trip to WalMart. It was good to get out into the fresh air, but as I mentioned, its like spring. You don't really need a jacket. Walking around WalMart tired me out pretty quickly. We bought a few things and came home. I had some broth and napped for about 45 minutes.

I would have napped longer, but I had a visitor. My first one! My uncle came and brought me two dozen roses. I couldn't believe how heavy they were! I put them in water and we visited for a while. Of course, the house was a complete disaster. The slipcovers were half on and off the couch & love seat, there were toys all over and leave particles were all on the carpet, and there were goldfish crumbs on the coffee table and a sock was on the floor. It was my husband's!

Well, what can you do? I'm not able to vacuum and such and AR has had his hands full with taking care of our daughter & dogs 24/7. By the time he left, it was time for Dr. Phil so the nap portion if my day was over. I made some peach jello. Not bad at all. I measured it out into two ounce portions and poured into little Solo cups.

I have only been taking the Percoset at night, but it seems to have no effect on me. I am still waking up at 3:30 in the morning, so maybe I will stop taking it. I definitely do not need it during the day. I am not in pain. I am just a little uncomfortable.

Tomorrow is Poo day. Dr. Bypass said I should have a bowel movement 4-5 days after the surgery and tomorrow is day 5. I thought I was gonna poo today a few times, but it was only gas. Yeah, I have a lot of that, but more burping than flatulence.

Day 2 Post-Op

I was up at 6 am and started on trying to get down 4 ounces of liquids an hour. I was able to tolerate the juice if I watered it down. The tea was okay too and the jello, well, maybe I just don't like jello that much. I took a few more walks and then lay down on the bed at 7:30.

Dr Bypass and his assistant came by to check on me again. My incisions all looked good. He asked if I wanted to go home today or if I wanted to stay another day in the hospital.. Are you kidding me? I wanna go home! He prescribed Percocet for me for the pain, but the pills are too big for me to take, so he suggested quartering them or crushing them to get them down. I could shower and I could remove the patches over my incisions in 4 days and then I needed to see him in one week.

The nurse came in and asked what time I wanted to leave. I knew AR was taking our daughter for her flu shot at 9:30 so I said noon. I washed my hair and put on underwear and a bra. I still left the hospital gown on because I was still getting shots and stuff.

Dr. Fink saw me again today as well. My blood sugar was still high, 160 vs the 190 it was yesterday. This is normal to have lousy sugar levels after the surgery, but with not eating anything, my levels are expected to go pretty low. He doesn't want me to take any pills, but he wanted me to monitor my sugar levels which I haven't been doing so he wrote a script for the monitor. He wants me to write down my sugar levels after testing and he wants to see me on Monday.

AR came to get me at noon and it was pouring rain. I just wanted to go home. The ride home was so bumpy and every bump hurt. He dropped me off at home and went out to get my prescriptions. The dogs were overjoyed to see me. They wanted to jump on me, which isn't something that you want after surgery. I took a nap on the bed and put a pill low on my belly to prevent doggy attacks. It worked pretty well.

I am going to have broth for dinner tonight.

Day 1 Post-op

In the morning, a nurse came to remove the catheter. As soon as that was done, I wanted to pee, so they had to get me up, which was tough. I have 7 incisions in my stomach so just pulling myself up was a major feat. Hardly any pee came out though. My mouth was severely dry. I Brushed my teeth and it felt wonderful.

I went for a walk around the floor, which felt pretty good. When I came back to my room, a nutritionist was there telling me what I was going to be eating, or rather what I'd be drinking for the next two weeks. Clear liquids, so I could have water, diet tea like crystal light, diet jello, caffeine free tea and coffee, broth and sugar free ice pops. Day one I had to try to drink one ounce every 30 minutes by sipping slowly. The jello and juice did not agree with me. Not even the tea could I get down, so I stuck with water.

The more I drank, the more I peed, so that was pretty much the rest of the day for me. I tried the broth, but it made me naseous, so I would have to try that again tomorrow. I walked some more, but I was so tired from lack of sleep last night that I catnapped during the day.

At night I received a new roommate. She was having surgery on her arm tomorrow. Again, there was a lot of activity at night. Because I had been drinking so much, I was up ever hour to pee and then I decided to take a walk. This is how I got through the night.

It's On!

Saw Dr. Bypass yesterday morning. He was NOT wearing that pinstriped suit. Nice to know that he has others. I noticed that the bowl of candy corn was gone from the office too. I thought he was trying to drum up business...I lost 4 pounds from my last weigh in. Woo Hoo!

They actually received all the information that they needed so I am scheduled for surgery on 11/6/2006 at 11 am. I have to be at the hospital at 9 am that morning and no food after midnight on 11/5. I don't know how long I shall be in the hospital. I could be released 11/8 or 11/9 depending upon how well I bounce back. I will be out of work 8 weeks, so my return to work date is January 1st, unless I feel tremendously better and then I can go back sooner/ Don't forget, I'm only getting like $150 a week or something for disability.

I'm going out today to buy some liquids that I will be eating for the next two weeks. More on that later.

Why am I doing this?

I've been fat my whole life, well, at least what I can remember of it. I wasn't fat when I was a baby, but I don't remember that. Food has always been my drug of choice. I used it to celebrate the good things that happen and I used it to medicate when I was unhappy. Like many overweight people I have dieted most of my adult life. Weight Watchers, Slim Fast, Nutri-System, Medifast, Atkins, Cabbage Soup ad nasuem. My weight has been up and down like the proverbial yo-yo.

Two years ago I walked into my doctor's office and told him I didn't want to have that fat surgery, so what could we do? We talked about following a low carb diet and he gave me Meridia, a prescription weight loss pill. After 2 weeks, I lost 5 pounds and my blood pressure was way up, a side effect of the pill. After another two weeks I lost a total of 7 pounds, which didn't seem like a drop in the bucket and not worth (in my opinion) taking the pills, so I stopped.

My health has been going downhill in the past two years too. High blood sugar medicine I am taking caused me to gain 60 pounds in 18 months, which wasn't exactly the sort of response I was looking for, especially since I was eating less than I ever ate before and was watching the carbs! The added weight just lessened my desire and ability to exercise, which has further compounded the problem.

I have a soon-to-be three-year-old and I want to be able to run around the yard and play with her. I want to be her mother forever if I could, but certainly, I want to see her graduate from college at the very least. I want to be healthy for her. I want to set a good example for her and how can I do that now?

The biggest risk of gastric bypass is death. I am fully aware that some people have died while having this surgery. I had a stress test done to ensure that my heart was healthy and that there were no blockages. Could I still drop dead in the OR? Yes, but I am reasonably sure that I won't. My surgeon has quite a reputation and he wouldn't let that happen, even if only to make himself look good. He is very full of himself, but I think most surgeons are like that.

There could be complications such as infection, hernia and leakage in my future. Here is an explanation of leakage: An anastamosis is a surgical connection, between the stomach and bowel, or between two parts of the bowel. The surgeon attempts to create a water-tight connection, by connecting the two organs with either staples or sutures, either of which actually makes a hole in the bowel wall. The surgeon will rely on the healing power of the body, and its ability to create a seal like a self-sealing tire, to succeed with the surgery. If that seal fails to form, for any reason, fluid from within the gastrointestinal tract can leak into the sterile abdominal cavity, and give rise to infection and abscess formation. Leakage of an anastamosis can occur in about 2% of gastric bypass procedures, usually at the stomach-bowel connection. Sometimes leakage can be treated with antibiotics, and sometimes it will require immediate re-operation.

Are you still reading??? Good for you. That last paragraph nearly put me to sleep. I have had two previous knee surgeries on my left knee and lately it is hurting a lot when I take a short walk. My feet and heels hurt too. I just want to be healthy and this surgery will give me the boost that I need to get there.

Stress Test Part 1

I had to have the test in two parts. Part one was just the injection of radioactive dye and then x-rays of my heart with the dye pumping through it. Part two was the stress part where I walk on the treadmill, and then more x-rays.

So after all of that crazy back and forth shit with my PCP, don't you think that there was a problem with the paperwork when I got to the hospital? Of course there was. The paper that I was assured was a prescription and a referral, was indeed not. First, they didn't like the wording of the prescription and hopped on the phone to speak with someone at the doctor's office. It was 12:30, so of course, everyone is out to lunch. The hospital decided that the wording was correct after all.

I was called in to give more paperwork and that was when they decided that the paperwork from the PCP was not a referral. They called the doctor's office again and it was going to take them time to get the referral paperwork together. Meanwhile, I was sitting there waiting...The hospital decided to let them start the test even though they didn't have the referral, confident that the PCP would come through. Great because this was my lunch hour and now I was going to have to use more time to cover my absence from work.

A balding middle-aged man came to bring me into the room. He wasn't much of a talker and had zippo personality. Oh, this was going to be fun. I sat down and he went off to get the radioactive dye. It was the color of yellow/green Gatorade. He started looking for a vein to shoot the dye into. Since he was such a cold fish, I wasn't exactly forthcoming with how difficult it is to find my veins...I don't know why because the only person I was really hurting was myself.

He attempted to stick me in the arm. After digging around for a vein and not getting one, I suggested that he just go for the hand. Yeah, it hurts more, but at least they always find a vein. He tried the arm a second time and then went for the hand. He pushed the dye in and I said, "well, you got it, right?" and he said, "I hope so." That didn't make me feel too warm and fuzzy.

Anyway, I lay down on this narrow table with my arms over my head for 15 minutes while the machine slowly snapped x-rays. I wasn't supposed to move, but you know how that goes, right? Someone tells you not to do something, so of course, you have to do it. It wasn't too bad and then it was over. He said he'd see me tomorrow for part two of the test. I took that to mean that I was stuck with Mr. personality again. See what joys befall me?

I had no time to eat anything for lunch and had to head back to work. I used 1.5 hours of sick time in addition to my lunch. I heated a can of Soup to Go in the microwave and went back to my office to eat it. Just then, my boss walked in and sat down. She was in the mood to talk, so I couldn't really have my soup. The soup was too hot anyway, but by the time she left, it was cold. So much for lunch.

Blood Pressure

So last week I met with this new doctor. Dr. Bypass told me that I needed a new PCP to see me with my post surgery issues. When I walked into the building where the office was located, I was impressed. It was well-lit and had marble floors. The security guard let you into the lobby and then I had to be buzzed into the doctor's office.

As I stepped into the office, it looked like circa 1952. The hallway was dimly lit. The rugs were thin and dark and thread-bare. I was suddenly concerned. I figured that this Dr. Fink was going to be old and decrepit. Then I saw his diplomas handing on the wall. Columbia University 1999! I started to feel better about him.

What I liked is that the receptionist was very nice. Not like the ones at Dr. Bypass's office! I had to fill out some paperwork and then was whisked into a room. Dr. Fink came in right away. He was actually very nice. We went through my entire medical history in a flash. All their records were computerized too. No more paper files for this office. I explained why I was there, at least as far as I understood it.

He explained that he was the director of bariatric at the hospital, and did most of the follow up visits with gastric bypass patients so he is very familiar with the issues we face post surgery. He asked me if I knew what sort of complications can be the result of the surgery. Um, Death is a possibility, so is leakage, hernia, blod clot and infections. He was happy that I just reeled them off to him.

He asked why I thought I overate. I said I was an emotional eater. He said that of all the times he has asked this question, only once did someone say that they were hungry all of the time. He pointed out that whatever issues I had would still be there post surgery and so I had to work through them, which I acknowledged. I'd have 12-18 months of a honeymoon period of weight loss and then after that, I'd know how to beat the system so to speak and while the surgery would make my stomach full, it wouldn't change what was in my head. Yes, there is going to be a shrink in my future and not just in pants size.

The nurse took my blood pressure when I came inand it was crazy high. 150 over 100. WHAT! Yeah, so he took it again and it was still high like 145 over 100. As I gain weight, my BP goes up. If I lose weight it goes down to normal. He said I was hypertensive and wanted to see me next Monday. If my BP was still high, he would prescribe a BP medication to get me through the surgery.

All and all, I liked Dr. Fink. He seemed nice, not jerky like some docs are. He also had a sense of humor, which I happen to like in a doctor. I told him I was having the stress test. He said that as long as the test was okay, he'd approve me to have surgery.

Stress Test Part 2

Part two of the test was scheduled for 8:30 am on October 31. Yes, that meant Halloween. It is also my wedding anniversary. Silly me, but I thought that if I arrived early, they might take me early and that would mean less time away from work. I was there at 7:45. No, they didn't take me early.

I was called in at 8:35. Zippo personality was nowhere in sight. I was lead into a different room and the nurse had me sit down so that they could put an IV in me. I started to explain that I was hard to get a needle into, and she said, " Oh, we know all about you." Uh, oh. Sounded rather ominous. She said that they were bringing in their top gun to get the IV in me as Zippo personality cued them in as to how difficult it was to get my veins!

Teeka came in and she slapped my arms and tied two tourniquets on me to find my veins. I told her to go for the hand and she did--twice, with no luck. The vein on my hand was popping, so she was putting a lot of pressure on it to prevent bruising. She did not want to try a third time. They called for reinforcements. A former IV nurse came in and did a thorough examination of my arms. Slapping my veins and tying the tourniquets while she yapped on and on. She kept saying that she wouldn't stick me unless she was sure that she could find a vein. I was beginning to think that it was never going to happen and then she did it. Right in my poor hand that had already been jabbed twice. Ouch! It really hurt, but she got it in.

Next, the cardiologist was called. It seemed to take him forever to show up. They couldn't start the test without him. The EKG things were all over my chest and side and back and I was just waiting. He finally showed up sp the test could start. I started walking on the treadmill at a nice pace. Nurse took my BP and it was 144 over 88. After 3 minutes, they speeded me up and took my BP again and it was 160 over 89. He kept asking if I had any pain, if I was tired or if I had trouble breathing - no to all. Then they had me going super fast. I wasn't running, it was more of a fast jog. My BP was 180 over 89.

The treadmill stopped and the dye was injected. The cardiologist said I did fine, but had to wait for the x-rays to give me a passing grade. He said that I was hypertensive, yep, I already knew that and thought I should be prescribed a BP medication temporarily. I explained that I saw his colleague last night and he did prescribe me medication that I was to take right after this test was over. He seemed pleased. I waited in the waiting room for 20 minutes while the dye worked its way into my heart.

Zippo personality came back to get me. He took me into his lair and did the x-rays all over again. When he was done, he removed the IV and the EKG thingies. I decided to stop by Dr. Bypass's office because it was in the same building. As soon as I got there, and told them whom I was, they said they already had the results of the stress test and I was a go for surgery on November 6th.

All I needed now was my medical clearance. I asked which doctor I had to get it from, thinking it would be my new PCP. I was told Dr. R., my former PCP. Great, now I had to get an appt. with him!

Went to work and called my husband. Explained I had to have an appt. with Dr. R tonight! Reason? It is the only late night for Dr. R and Dr. Bypass needed the medical clearance in their office two days before surgery. He called me back in a huff. They told him it wasn't enough time to get the clearance and Dr. R was booked so I couldn't see him. They told him could come in at 1 pm to see a doctor I had never seen before. First off, I didn’t know this dr. and second of all, I just got into work at 11 am. I couldn't very well tell my boss that I had to leave at 12:30 for another dr. appt.

The whole thing was exasperating. I couldn't get the medical clearance until the stress test was done anyway. I didn't make an appt. with Dr. R because I thought my new PCP was going to do the clearance. I decided to call Dr. Bypass's office. Can Dr. Fink do my clearance instead of Dr. R? Sure, they said. Why didn't they tell me this earlier??? Okay great. Fax everything to him. I called Dr. Fink's office to let them know the paperwork was coming. I called my husband and told him to forget Dr. R. He said he made me an appt. with Dr. R at 4:45 on Thursday. Forget it! That was too late anyway and I already have Dr. Fink doing it and I don't have to go back to his office as I just saw him last night.

ARGH!!! Doctors and insurance companies. What a combination!

I see Dr. Bypass tomorrow morning at 8:30 for my pre surgery weigh in. If they tell me that they do not have my medical clearance, you will be able to hear my screaming from the comfort of your own house.

More Stress

So I think my stress test is scheduled and then the hospital calls me and tells me that I have to bring the referral from the doctor, pre-certification and a prescription from the doctor. She left the message on my voicemail at work so nothing was explained. What precertification??? She said that she called Dr. Bypass and he said that they don't do the pre-certification.

I call her right back and get her voicemail and I leave a message for her and wait....and wait...I don't like waiting so I decide to call my new doctor that I saw Monday night. I'll get to that later, but I ask if the pre-certification is the same as the medical clearance, which we had discussed Monday night. Nope. They don't do pre-certifications. Dr. Bypass does that. ARGH!!! No one knows WTF is going on and I just want to cry. I hang up and wait.

The hospital called me and I asked her what the pre-certification was for. She said it was for the stress test. Okay, that helps a bit. I thought it had to do with the surgery. She told me to call my primary doctor to get the pre-cert and reminded me to get the referral and the prescription. I told her that the hospital should have the referral already, but of course, she said they didn't.

I shut my office door and call the referral people. They told me that I had to call a toll free number and make the appointment for the stress test. I already had the appointment for the stress test, but I play along. She gives me the authorization number which she says is the pre-certification. I call the 1-800 number and it was easy. I gave them my name and the authorization number and I told them where I was going for the test.

Then I sent my husband to my primary doctor to get the copy of the referral and the prescription for the stress test. They didn't understand why a prescription was needed because the referral was sent. AR came home with a piece of paper that he was told was the referral. Oh, it was a referral all right, but not the right one. It was a referral for me to see Dr. Bypass, which isn't going to help me get the stress test at the hospital. ARGH!!

We waited one day and then AR went back to the office. He was able to get the referral and the prescription. They knew he was going to come back because they realized they had given him the wrong referral. Would have been nice if they'd called us though, right?

It think it will be a friggin miracle if I actually have the surgery done on November 6th.