I'm Almost There!

Yesterday was the day that I designated to call and verify that my health records had been faxed to the surgeon's office. They now have 5 out of 6 months data needed and they still need my psych eval. Month 6 of 6 and the psych evaluation will both take place tomorrow! That's it, that's all I have left... except the last phone call with the nurse coach that I resent so much. I won't be approved until I talk to her one last time, but I am unsure if I need to wait until it's actually October to speak with her or not.

Basically, I'm finished and I should have a surgery date by late October, early November! Praise God. It takes about three days for the psychiatric evaluation to be faxed to the surgeon, and they'll submit to insurance for approval which can take up to two weeks and then they will schedule a consultation at which point I'll be told my surgery date which will be another two weeks or more out. So I'm estimating a surgery date on or about October 16th. I'm truly, truly excited about this. My mother had a comment that went something like, "remember your excitement in this moment so that when you're in pain and mad that you can't eat what you want, you remember how badly you wanted this."

I told her that, as she was well aware, this wasn't my first surgical experience. I have literally had pain that made me cry out to God to take my life, to grant me relief. You don't ever forget pain like that, and I vowed I wouldn't. From that moment on, (and I was about 14 then,) I decided that pain would be the benchmark by which I measured all other pain. If it's not bad enough to pray for death, it's not pain.

For me, I look at the end result. The result is a new lease on life. I'll admit that I have been relatively blessed in that I have been living in blissful ignorance. Aside from blood pressure, which has been normal, I have had no measurable indicator of the toll obesity has taken on my body and overall health. That does not mean, that going forward, I'd have no health issues made manifest.

Eventually, when I make it home to my scanner and peripherals, I'll scan a picture taken on my 22nd birthday. Aside from my large breasts ready to pop out of my dress, I looked amazing. In fact, at ANY point in my past, I looked better then than I do now. My face hasn't aged, but it does look larger. Even two years ago I looked amazingly different. My personal goal is simply to look my best and be healthier, but there is so much more to it.

My psychiatrist, whom I see for bi-polar disorder, encouraged me to seek the surgery. I told him that one of the reasons I chose the surgeon I did was because of his youth. I see that as an advantage because he is more closely familiar with the newer methods of bariatric surgery. I'm truly happy to have such a support system around me from family to the healthcare professionals I've chosen. Even when I reached out to a plastic surgeon a few days ago, the woman that contacted me not only encouraged me, but asked me to follow up and keep her posted on my progress. I appreciate that because she wasn't just courting my business, she was genuinely interested.

Pray for me.