Things I want to do:

1. Be able to wrap a regular size bath towel around my body and tuck it in at the top.
2. Walk from my office to my car and not get short of breath or feel as if I need to sit down.
3. Participate in the Hospital week Olympics "physical" and "brainiac" events.
4. Sit in an airplane seat and not have to ask for the "extender" belt and not worry that I will be asked to pay double for my seat.
5. Get too small for the smallest size clothes in my closet.
6. Go to the clearwater creek outlet store and buy a whole new wardrobe at goal.
7. Put my grandson on my lap and actually HAVE a lap!
 

May 16, 2003 Checked with my insurance today and my file has been open a whole whopping ONE day now. At least they know about me and told me that they have 2 weeks to get back on the approval/denial. Wait.... wait.... wait..... wait.

May 13, 2003

Ok, something was niggling at me telling me to CALL my insurance.... so I did. Guess what? They haven't heard of me. Said they don't have a file open on me... denied anyone from Dr. Patterson's office called and talked to them. Holy freakin' #*(&%^$^ ! So, tried to call the docs insurance lady and all I got was her answering machine.... and of course she hasn't called me back. I am SOOOOOOO steamed, 2 1/2 weeks of waiting for nothing! Gawd how I hate this whole process.

May 9, 2003

Today is the 2 week mark waiting for my insurance approval, and of course I haven't heard anything yet. I am surprisingly calm about it considering how upset I became at other delays. Not sure if it taking so long means anything one way or another. I just want to get the uncertainty over with.

May 1, 2003

Happy May Day! One week down now and another to go, waiting for insurance approval. I can't wait to hear! I have lost 23 lbs. since the end of January, 9 of them just since seeing Dr. P. I am craving carbs, but I am being good.

April 17, 2003

Got to meet Dr. Patterson in person finally! She says I seem to be a good candidate for surgery and didn't argue with me about shooting for the R-N-Y. Now it is a matter of waiting for insurance approval. Tonite I get fitted for my CPAP mask.... this should be a trip. Oh.... the infamous tuna and cottage cheese diet isn't going to be as bad as I thought... there is a bit more leeway in there than was at first apparent.

April 10, 2003

Only 7 more days until I finally get to see Dr. Patterson. I can't wait to get all the uncertanties behind me. Will she pressure me into the ABG, will the insurance company approve me or not. All of this is enough to make a person nuts. I thought I was a patient person, but I am finding out that I am far from it!

April 5, 2003

I finally have my first appointment with Dr. Patterson scheduled for April 17th. The number of hoops and delaying tactics you have to put up with to move forward with this surgery is incredible and impossible! Perhaps someday some in the legislature will take pity on us and take on our cause.

Greetings!

I am an RN committed to making this change in my life.I have found the surgeon I want to perform my surgery, Dr. Emma Patterson in Portland, OR. I am currently undergoing pre-surgical testing.