Our insurance dilemma

My husband and I both work full time and are currently under his insurance. But our companies both have very similar policies and neither cover wls. I have done a lot of research and it seems as though BCBS of FL has an exclusion to all their policies with private employers that prevents any weight loss surgery to be covered regardless of medical necessity. My HR department was interested in helping me by adding a rider to our policy, but BCBS told them it wasn't an option. I've had a lot of people look into it for me and it doesn't seem to be in the cards. While it pains us to spend the cash when we know it is covered in so many other circumstances and for so many other people, we have accepted that that is what we have to do. We cannot wait around for the slight possibility that are circumstances may change. There is too much at risk.

WLS Seminar

Last night was the weight loss surgery seminar by U.S. Bariatrics.  Dr. Marema's colleague, Dr. Koppman, was there to speak to us.  I really liked him and would feel 100% comfortable with him performing my surgery.  This is the second seminar we've attended.  The first was with Dr. Sebastien in Daytona.  I left last night feeling 10 times more comfortable with Dr. Marema and Dr. Koppman than I felt with Dr. Sebastien.  Of course, it didn't help that Dr. Sebastien was not in attendance at our seminar.  In addition to feeling better about the doctors, we also like the facility where they operate better.  

Flagler Hospital is a short drive away and has a recently remodeled wing set up special for U.S. Bariatrics.  Pictures can be seen on the contractor's website: http://www.addavis.com/commercial/flagler-hospital.htm.  Steve has always been supportive of my decision to get surgery, but he was a little scared when I switched from thinking about the band (leaving everything intact, reversible) to the sleeve (changing my anatomy forever).  However, I did a lot of research and encouraged him to do the same and I feel like he's on board with it now.  

In the beginning of last night's seminar, Dr. Koppman was going over obesity's co-morbidities and effects.  Steve kept looking over at me or squeezing my hand because it was like Dr. Koppman was talking about me.  Lately, I've had these awful headaches.  I'll take an Aleve or Advil and then 4 hours later need another one.  Well, Dr. Koppman mentioned that many of his patients come in complaining of chronic headaches.  They are caused by blood pressure problems in the brain.  Even if the patient doesn't suffer from traditional high blood pressure (like me), they can still have problems in the brain.  Scary stuff.  He also talked briefly about sleep apnea (which I don't think I have, but Steve is pretty sure he has) and it scared the bejeezus out of Steve.  At the end of the seminar, Steve even mentioned that if he can't lose the weight with me after my surgery that he would think about wls himself.  Funny thing is that I was more worried at that statement than I am about myself going through it.

After dinner, we went to a restaurant that a former neighbor recommended.  We talked things through and really feel like I cannot wait for the small chance that our insurance circumstances might change.  I'll be waiting around forever and from all the research I've done the #1 regret of wls patients is that they didn't do it sooner.  I want to be able to enjoy my life more.  I don't want to avoid traveling with friends because I can't keep up with them.  I don't want to feel so damn tired anymore.  I want to be able to bend over in the car if I drop my cell phone (when I'm a passenger of course).   Not to mention the wider selection of clothes I can buy if I'm not a "plus size".  The cost of the procedure, including all surgery-related costs and complication insurance, is $17,765.  About $3000 more than we were expecting.  But a practical and safe car would cost just as much and wouldn't have the return on investment that the VSG surgery provides.  I applied for a medical loan last night and we were approved.  We will receive a Care Credit credit card in the mail shortly with the details.  

The patient coordinator told us last night that for self-pay patients, the soonest we can have surgery is 4-6 weeks.  That's ok by me!  That seems like such a short time away compared to how long I've been living like this.  My next hurdle is getting the time off of work.  I've emailed our benefits manager to find out my options.  

Overall, I am feeling very positive about this! (And the roller coaster continues...)

Surgery update

I was planning on waiting until December for the surgery since I have "free" holidays at work (I work at a university) between Christmas and New Year's, but hearing that my bff is pregnant reminds me even more how much I want to start a family. My husband and I don't want to wait an extra 5-6 months on top of the already 12-18 months I'll have to wait before getting pregnant. I'm going to try to find a way to take the time off before then which won't be easy since I only get 2 weeks off a year for vacation and have already had to take days here and there for weddings, out of town visits, etc. I was sick about 2 months ago and used up practically all of that time too. My boss is super understanding and I was planning on just telling him the truth (we are like a little family), but after my bff's reaction, now I'm nervous about what he's going to say/think.

Tonight is the information seminar with Dr. Marema. I'm nervous that once I meet with him he won't think I'm a candidate for VSG (I have no reason to believe this, it's just me being irrational). So while I'm happy to get the ball rolling, I'm scared this journey won't play out like I thought it would in my head.

Some loose ends

I realized I have mentioned several items on this blog and then forget to follow up! So here are some general updates:

Candy - She is healing nicely. The wounds are looking better and she is wagging her tail again! My mom emailed the local news to inform them about the coyote and then ended up going to their house and taping an interview with my dad. It was on the 11 o'clock news as the top story!

Our kitties - Harley and Dublin are doing very well! They love each other now and only occasionally fight :) Dublin has his neutering and declawing yesterday and we picked him up from the vet today. He is doing well. His little pupils are so dialated from the pain pills (which are a PAIN IN THE ASS to give him!) so his eyes are looking more like Harley's! Harley's eyes are always big - I guess it is because he is generally anxious all the time. Tomorrow (well technically today since it is 1am) we are celebrating Harley's first birthday. The vet estimated a July 4th birthday for him. And Dub's is estimated as March 17th so we have two holiday babies.

The HOLE! - After a weekend of work, my dad and Steve have successfully patched the hole in the ceiling. We now have satellite TV and all is well. lol.

TTC - we definitely aren't preventing, but there is no use in actively trying. My cycles are so screwy and I would rather lose a lot of weight before getting pregnant anyhow. I will have to go on BCP when I get the VSG surgery because it is not safe to get pregnant until at least 12 months post-op (and some surgeons recommend 18). I'm ok with that considering once I get the "ok" to TTC again we will hopefully have better luck since my body will be in a better place. In any case, as least a doctor will be willing to help us. It looks like I'll be 27-28 at the earliest when we have our first baby. Which is great!

Well, they we go. I feel better now that I've given some of these items closure. I've also changed my layout a bit. Added labels and a new background. Now that I'm posting regularly on www.obesityhelp.com and link my sig to my blog, I figured it better look presentable. Haha. I still don't have the courage to share my blog with anyone IRL. Maybe one day.

To conclude on a happy note here is a pic of Dub from today!

Weight loss surgery

After almost a year of research, I have decided to get weight loss surgery.  I will be attending a bariatric surgeon's seminar next Tuesday 7/7/09 (which, coincidently, is Steve and I's 7 year dating anniversary).  I've attended one before with another surgeon, but have changed my mine and decided to see Dr. Marema in St. Augustine.  He is one of the best surgeons and has performed many thousands of surgeries.  The surgery I have chose is the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy.  It is a purely restrictive surgery and works by removing approximately 85% of the stomach.  At first I thought I would have the lap-band, but it seems as though the complication rate of the lap-band is increasing as the years go by.  It doesn't seem like a feasible long-term solution.  The VSG just feels right to me.  I'm excited to get the process started, but I have to wait until December to have the surgery.  I don't receive many days off at work and in December the university shuts down for a week between Christmas and New Year's.  That will act as a buffer for my time off.  Some people need up to 3 weeks while others less than a week.  I guess it will all depend.  I'm so excited!

Wow - what a night

So, last night my cousin Heather and her daughter, 5 year old Megan, came to visit Steve and I.  They are on a long trip and stopping to see everyone they can on the way.  Super cool.  Anyways, I love seeing them and we were having a great time.  Until, around 9:30 my mother calls me.  She's panicking and our family dog (they've had since I was 11) had been attacked by a coyote.  They've been having coyote problems for a while but I guess no one they've call has really done anything about it.  My mom called me back when they were on their way to the animal hospital and said she was bleeding everywhere and barely breathing.  It turns out the coyote got her on both sides of her neck, puncturing both carotid arteries.  They were able to get things under control and they think she is going to be alright.  She goes back this evening for a check-up.  They are concerned about infection and the poor baby is just so miserable.  I was a WRECK last night.  I felt like such a baby, but we thought for sure she would be put down.  Now I can't wait to go over there and see her.  Even though my mom said she just wants to be left alone.  Aww.  

Keeping Up...

...sorta.  

Well, sadly, Bill passed away shortly after my last post.  He was able to go peacefully, but it has been very hard on his family.  I'm sure this Sunday will be tough for his two boys as the first Father's Day without him.

Onto happier news, we adopted a new kitty!  We (well, really just me) felt like Harley needed a friend.  He just seemed so lonely moping around the house all by himself.  Once I convinced Steve of this idea, he started looking up pets for adoption on Petfinder.com.  Let me take this time to say how important it is to go the adoption route.   There are so many abandoned and neglected animals that need homes that there is no reason to support ignorant people who breed

 their animals for fun or stupidly choose not to spay/neuter.  But I digress...

So, Steve fell in love with a picture of a little tiger kitty called "Little Boy Blue".  We contacted the foster mom and was able to get the kitty the next week!  His story is so sad.  The rescue group was given a tip that baby kittens were dumped into the dumpster behind a local Chinese buffet in town.  The owner of the restaurant wanted to just leave them for the garbage truck to come collect.  Well, the rescue group went out there as soon as they heard and it happened to be garbage day.  Our kitty and his sister were rescued hours before they would have been killed no doubt.  I only hope there weren't more kitties in there that couldn't be located.

The vet approximated his birthday to be St. Patrick's Day.  In honor of his newly-found Irish background (and because it is so darn cute), we named him Dublin Murphy.  Murphy is my grandmother's maiden name.  Without further ado...

He has a little orange nose.  His mother was Siamese.  He is the WILDEST little bugger ever!  Harley and him had a rough start, but now they are best buds.

'Til next time...