IM APPROVED!!!!

Ok, so I am REALLY bad about not opening our mail. I know I shouldn't be, but I get tired of always opening bills, so I usually put it off until I absolutly have to. So an unopened stack of mail as been on our counter since Friday, just looming. Ryan decided to open the mail last night at 10:30, before we went to bed. He threw me a couple of envelopes that had my name on it. Oh goody! Just what I wanted right before bedtime - to be stressed by bills!!!

So I open the first one, which is a bill from the insurance for Ryan's joyous ambulance ride on 7/3. Yay! Then I go in for bill #2, also from UHC, and begin reading it. The first line was something about "Sleeve Gasterectomy for Amy Adams" and I just stopped. I couldn't do it. What if it said no? What if I waited all this time and got my hopes up and told family & friends for nothing?? So I did what any sane person would do - made my husband read it to me! LOL

Long story short - I AM APPROVED!!!

OMG I am SO happy. I just started screaming "Are you serious!?!?" over and over. I was crying and laughing at the same time. My poor doggie Buster didn't know what to think! I grabbed him up and me and the hubby just embraced each other for like 15mins. It was awesome. Then we went to bed and ended up staying up (in the bed) until after 12 just talking about how awesome the next year is going to be.

This past Friday we got dressed up and headed to Red Lobster, cause he was feeling better now that his drain tube is out and wanted him some crab legs. I took that opportunity to go ahead and get my "before" pics out of the way. My current weight is 317lbs.

PS: I hadn't noticed how long my hair has gotten. Its about time for another donation to Locks of Love!

PPS: I really am vertically challenged, and since Ryan is 5'11" and I am 5'4", the angle of the pics REALLY do not help me at all.

A bad weekend and 1st surgeon meeting

Wow, so what an eventful 5 or so days. Where do I begin...... well I'll start with the weekend. This weekend was HORRIBLE!!! I haven't been as sick as I was on Sunday in a a LOOOONG time. I was dizzy, nauseous, throwing up, freezing, burning up, headache, & couldn't swallow or hardly talk because my throat was hurting so bad. It was BRUTAL! I vomited until there was nothing left in me to vomit. It was violent.

All this could not come at a worse time, because Monday was my appt with the surgeon. I had planned on taking a 1/2 day at work then going to see him, but given my condition and how weak I was, I decided to forgo the whole day. At 12 I decided to go to the walk in clinic to get some antibiotics in me. I thought I was planning good because my appt with the surgeon was at 3:30, about 30 mins away. We were at the doctors office until 3, so I called to let them know I would be a few mins late. I didn't figure it would matter anyway right? Doctors are late for their appointments all the time. Well Miss Receptionist tells me if I'm not there by 3:45 then I need to call and reschedule. I was pissed off. Here I am sick as a DOG, trying to hurry and rush around, not having ate (and kept down) a complete meal since Saturday, and she's telling me I need to reschedule. Aw Hell No. I told her I would be there, and we took off. Thank God my husband is a seasoned Dirt Track race car driver or else we probably wouldn't have made it.

We get to the office at 3:35. Take that Miss Receptionist!!! Guess what? We end up waiting in the lobby until 4:30. I told you. Doctors are always late. I shouldn't have even called down there. I've learned my lesson for next time. When we are finally called back, I am nervous. Or maybe its the illness. IDK, but I'm not feeling good either way. I just want this to be over. He drops a bomb on me, that he thinks I should go with the Bypass, because of my BMI being 57. WTF, it was 54.9 a month ago. I have actually lost weight since I hadn't been eating. Whatever.

So he goes on to tell me about RNY. I never wanted the bypass, and I wasn't too hot about him suggesting it either. It was almost like he was trying to change my mind. When he saw that I wasn't changing my mind he told me about the Sleeve. Turns out he has done about 80 sleeves, and 800 RNYs. His leak rate is 1% and he has never had a death as a result of surgery. Those numbers made me feel a bit better, but I am concerned about the 80 sleeves. I know 1 of his sleeves, and she said she had "trouble," but wouldn't elaborate. I wouldn't put it past her to be jealous about sharing her WLS spotlight and trying to thwart me, so I'm taking her opinion with a grain of salt.


I left the office with a list of things to do and places to visit. I was told that I need to lose at least 20lbs by surgery date (which is TBA). He said he didn't care how I did it, he just needed some room in there to move around. He suggested a White Trash diet, which is basically if it is white and not a meat, throw it away. Pretty simple and easy to remember. Once I get feeling better I plan on starting it. The nurse is going to contact UHC and see what all my requirements are. She said I have to do a pre-op diet, as designated from UHC, but when I contacted them they told me I didn't. If I do end up having to, I believe my 6-8 month long appts with a dietitian will qualify me. The surgeon said that he isn't available until mid-June for a surgery date, so I know I wont be having anything done until probably around July. Which is fine. I can live with that.

I know that May is going to be very busy, as I have a lot of things to get done and a lot of doctors to see.

Lets Begin, Shall We?

So today I decided to start a blog. Not just any blog, but one that will chronicle my life, as I am about to make some drastic changes to it. But before we get to that, how about some background information?

By glancing around, you have probably figured out that my name is Amy, and I am in my 20's. Good job! I grew up in a small community in East Tennessee, out in the country. I have never in my life lived in the city, and never plan to. (unless one day my future children move me into a nursing home; then I will have no choice) I have one younger brother, Andy.

I now live about 30 minutes south of where I grew up, with my husband (Ryan) and two dogs (Buster and Hershey). I have been married since October 2006. Has it been tough? Hell yes. Have I wanted to give up? Hell yes. Do I regret marrying him? Absolutely not. I love him with all my heart and I cannot wait until we can grow old together. We constantly talk about starting a family (apart from Buster and Hershey) and have so many plans for our future.


Buster, being Groovy


Hershey



Ah, the future. That my friends, is why I started this blog. See, I am overweight; overweight to the point of it affecting my relationships as well as the plans for our future. I want to get out and do things, I want to be a mommy, I want to live past 50. Unfortunately, I have been overweight pretty much my whole life. I remember being in the 5Th grade and wearing a women's size 12/14. I have been made fun of, passed over for dances/prom, left out of shopping trips, judged, AND I AM TIRED OF IT! I am ready to be the Amy I have always wanted to be. So, I have decided to have weight loss surgery.

Weight loss surgery is my only ticket to a "normal" life. I have tried multiple diets (hell, I have even been hypnotized) and nothing works long term. I ALWAYS gain it back. I know there are some skeptics out there about WLS, but ya know what? I don't give a flyin' flip. I have researched this through and through and I know what is best for me. I have talked to people who have had surgery, and I see that sparkle in their eyes, and I can't help but want it. Maybe it is selfish for me to go cutting and messing with my body to alter my appearance, but its more than that. I need to alter my appearance so I can truly enjoy and prolong my life.

I have chosen to have the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy procedure. It seems to be the best one for me. I have thought about the Lap Band as well. I know two people who have had WLS, one had Lap Band and the other had the VSG. I have talked to them both, and compared Pros & Cons, which led me to my choice. I have also discussed my options and chance of success with each surgery (Band, RNY, VSG, DS) which also helped me to decide.

As you can see, my blog will be mostly about my journey with WLS. Not to say I won't throw in some personal drama here and there!