Slowly But Surely.....

Yeah!!! I was fat enough 5 years ago. I heard this morning from Katie at Dr. Graber's office that my weight history came in via fax from my endocrinologist. In February 2003 I weighed 257 pounds which would give me a BMI of 42.7 which is above the 40 BMI requirement by Aetna. She said that she faxed the info to Aetna at 8:15 this morning and wrote urgent all over it. We're hoping that we hear something soon since there are only 3 business days before my surgery. I'm excited and nervous all rolled into one!!

I called Katie a little while ago and she confirmed that Aetna had received all their required paperwork and that it had been forwarded on to Aetna's medical examiner. Katie was hoping to hear something before 5pm or first thing Monday morning. Keep your fingers crossed!!

ONE WEEK!!!

Nothing major to update today. I tried to call Katie at Dr. Graber's office but apparently she only works Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I told them I would call back tomorrow to see if she had gotten my info from my endocrinologist's office. I'm still very nervous about getting the approval but I have come to the realization that I can't really do anything about it so I am just along for the ride. Hopefully it will be a smooth one!!

Holy Crap.... 8 DAYS LEFT

Well 8 Days left before my surgery. I got in touch with Dr. Graber's office today and asked if they thought I was going to have to reschedule my surgery again as my insurance company hadn't rendered their decision yet. When I was talking to Katie, their insurance rep, she mentioned that she heard from Aetna and that the only thing missing was my 5 year weight history. I thought hell would freeze over before I wished I had been fat for long enough, but I did wish that today. (I hope that my weight was high enough 5 years ago to qualify for surgery as apparently I have everything else necessary.) I told Katie I would call my endocrinologist and see if they would fax over the information today. I checked back at 2pm and Katie still hadn't received the weight history so I called back my endocrinologist and basically begged them to send it over. I explained the situation again that I was scheduled for surgery next week and I really needed to get the info to Aetna so that they would hopefully approve my surgery. I was in meetings the rest of the afternoon so I wasn't able the call Katie again to see if she had received the info or not. I will try to call her first thing in the morning. I am anxious to get the answer as I don't want to have to start my three day liquid diet on Monday and then have to do it again later if the insurance company doesn't get their required info in time.

On a different note I have been trying to make up 9 hours of work time during the current pay period for the day I have my surgery so that I don't have to use all of my vacation time. As of the time I left today I only have 15 minutes left to make up. I'll try to get that done tomorrow so that I don't have to worry about making up any more time prior to my surgery.

I'm also getting anxious about telling my friends. I just had a friend invite me to go to lunch with her on June 23rd.... 9 days after my surgery and I'm not sure how to handle it. I told her that I would have to see if my husband had anything planned for us that weekend. I'm afraid of people's opinions of me having the surgery. Not that I will let that sway me in any way about having the surgery, but it will become an issue post-op. I just hope the are accepting of my decision.

No News Is Good News?

That is what I keep trying to tell myself. I am more nervous about getting insurance approval than I am about the surgery. I asked my husband to read through my insurance company's requirements for surgery and he confirmed that I had met all of them. I guess with my surgery scheduled for only 10 days away I am really nervous. That is only 8 more business days for them to approve the surgery. I'm not sure how long ago the insurance company received my info from Dr. Graber's office so I guess all I can do is wait. My plan is to call Dr. Graber's office on Friday if I haven't heard anything to see how they would like me to proceed. I have to start my 3 day liquid diet on Monday and I would rather not get through the 3 days and be told that I can't have the surgery. I am really excited about this next chapter of my life and I want to get on with it!!!

Another Weekend Gone By....

I've been on a dead run since Friday morning. I managed to get all my errands done and made up some time at work for the day of my surgery. I have enough vacation time, but I'd rather not end up using all of it while I am recovering. I'd like to have a little bit in reserve. I've managed to help my husband a little bit every day with construction at our farmhouse too.

Its hard to believe that I have 11 days left before my surgery, soon I'll be down to single digits!!

My husband took me to a movie and dinner on Friday. That was a really nice surprise. We saw Shrek the Third and I loved every minute of it. We had a nice dinner too. He's a keeper :)

Its hard to believe how much I have left to do before my surgery and how much I have done already. I'll just keep whittling away at it.