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-  Bariatric Surgeon Office Assistant  - I called to let her know she should have everything but the nutritionist this afternoon. 

- Dr Caruana Support Group Meetings First One Tuesday 1/13 6PM, I plan to attend and maybe I can drag my husband

- Nutritionist called back and confirmed we are on for 3pm Tuesday

- Primary Care Records Department - Returned call and promised to fax  a referal letter, HgAC1C and TSH FINALLY a REAL PERSON!  Of course she blamed it on my doctor not giving her a note.  I gave him the sample letter WITH the two blood tests that needed to be included and my signature asking for them to release them.

- Wednesday January 7th 60 day follow-up on Fasting Bloodwork

- Returned call to CPAP company, in the past week I have averaged 4.7 hrs of usage a night she said that was good.

Joining a gym, Curves, printed out my free guest pass today and the first day will be Thursday.  I would prefer a full service gym but the location is not feasible, 6 miles vs 20 miles makes the workouts more likely to occur.  Printed out information on Smooth Fitness Treadmill 9.45ST they are rated for up to 400 so husband can use it as well, will give to the hubby to look at and at $2,277 it is an investment but lifetime warrenty and excellent feedback seems like the top of the line to me.

I have been on CPAP for a week now.  I used ramping last night and it was much easier to fall asleep.  About 4 hrs is my limit but I managed about six last night with the ramping.  I have this weird flash back type breathing sometimes for the first few hours after I wake up like I take a deep breath even though I did not intend to it is like I feel as if I am still on the machine. Another $55/month for that dang thing for the next 10 months.

It has been a bad week as far as nutrition goes, glad to say that I maintained, but I was bad at times.   Parties, dinner with the inlaws, shopping with my daughter.  On a scale of 1 to 10 for being good I would give my behavior a 6.5. 

I have been good a few days and am back at 346.  Need to get back on track now that the holidays are over and start eating right and making daily phone calls to the offices to see where the paperwork stands.  Here is the list of followup calls that I need to do for Monday:

- Bariatric Surgeon Office Assistant  (person responsible is vacationing till the 5th) - Faxed the last thing they needed from me today.  I should be good to go for the first pre Surgery  appointment and be submitted for approval if my Primary's office has done what they were supposed to. 

- Nutritionist left me a voicemail on my office phone saying I needs to reschedule either early one day earlier or one day later. I called and left a message that I am taking the one day earlier and please call me to confirm that we are on for Tuesday 1/6.

- Primary Care Assistant - Confirming Bloodwork, Referal Request done and Referal letter done.  Message left that I need a return call.  I have made two requests today's voice message was the third, I basically left the primary message that I would be calling the baratric surgeon Monday and I expected them to have all the information they asked for when I called, I asked for it in November and my doctor wanted the CPAP results, I asked for it again in December and they did not follow through.  If they don't have it submitted I am going to be a VERY squeeky wheel.

Joining a gym.  Not yet, debating between Curves and YMCA.  I would love to do both but it would be a waste of money.I get a free one month membership to the gym the bariatric team owns, it is out of the way, but free is free so we will see how that goes.  I allocated some money from my next check for this purpose.

I am on Vacation for Christmas through the New Year. 

Here is my list of TO DOs during that time
~Mamogram COMPLETED12/22 all clear
~Sleep Apnea Followup 12/26 9am they prescribed 11psi need to pick up machine.
~Nutritionist 1/7 3pm -Print food logs and weight progress
~Gynocologist 1/14 9am- ask about  PERMANENT  birth control and referal to surgeon on prior issues
     -Call Gyno and/or NUT if there is bad weather to check for cancelations
~Call Primary to see if they have record of sending referal letter and blood tests and get the date they did
~Check with Surgeon Assistant to see if Primary sent in what was needed (as of 12/15 nothing recd from Primary)
~Print and Mail in diet History for past five years to Surgeon Office
~Join a Gym, begin exercising regularly
~Pay some bills

Watch this video100 more times and see if it bore me (97 to go) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cetcnvuhdo 

I ran across this site for tracking nutrition two days ago.  It was created by one of the early employees of eBay and is totally free.  http://www.sparkpeople.com

The best part is that it does all the math.  I am at a computer 80% of my day so it fits my lifestyle.  It will let me print out logs to take to the nutritionist to show what I have eaten and hopefully by the time I get to her I will be in the proper weight loss groove with few adjustments needed.

I give RAVE reviews to Bumblebee's 4oz Lemon Dill Salmon Fillet.  20 seconds in the microwave and it is ready to rumble.  Same isle as the Tuna Fish in foil bags and only a few dollars.

B~

He stated he is recommending me for surgery but is requiring monthly follow ups with my primary to check for depression.

I don't think it will be an issue, but I can deal with that. He said his report would be filed within the week.  I am definite about the RNY which his is recommending but now I am rethinking open vs laproscopic. 

I will go with whatever the doctor recommends as being best for me, he has 3000 opens under his belt but his partner does lapband and RNY and the 1800 he has is not shabby.

The Bariatric offices sent my diet list back for revision about a week ago, they want me to put more detail in it. I had a 15 year history with two medically supervised but there were not enough attempts in the past five years. 

I have a ton of  2 to 3 week stint at a time of all kinds of attempts, I am supposed to remember them all???   If I did not lose enough to want to buy new cloths the books are collecting dust and the dates are ancient history.  Arrgghh.

B~

Called nutritionist, the EARLIEST she can see me is 1/7.  Ugh.  Only three weeks but it seems like forever.  If I lose 30 pounds before my first appointment will it count???

10/29/2008 I asked my doctor to refer me for Bariatric Surgery - $20  My symptoms were knee pain, body aches, bladder issues and being too heavy to weigh on a 350lb scale.  He said he needed to run some blood tests and sent me for $20 XRays of the Hips and an $20 MRI of the knee.
Running Total $60

11/5/2008 the bloodtests  xrays and MRI came back, I was told I had arthritis, probable diabetes 173 blood sugar I needed a retest, hypothyroid, and low blood oxygen, sent for my first sleep apnea test.  Another $20 visit and $22 in prescription cost for Sythroid. Running Total $102

11/13/2008 First Sleep Study.  She wakes me up in the morning and says I will probably be back.  Fast forward to the second test they said I stop breathing (ten seconds without an inhale) 36 times per hour while in normal sleep and 63 times per hour when dreaming. $20.  Running Total $122

11/14/2008 Diabetes Confirmed.  Meter, Lancets, Meds, Test Strips $80 copay. Running Total $202

11/17/2008 Eye Dialation Exam to see if there was any diabetes related damage $65 but I should get $45 check in the mail some day call it $20 Running Total $222

12/1/2008 Second Sleep Apnea test.  Mask on full face, no way, mask over nose only was livable.  I had welts on my face for a week and did not sleep the last few hours from the pain.  I think when the call for machine I will ask for the nasal plug mask. $20.  Running Total $242

12/2/2008 Psychiatric Exam - He agrees with my decision for RNY. ChaChing $20. Running Total $262

12/12/2008 Doctor calls me back.  Yes you have sleep apnea, home care will call you (not yet) $20, the equipment insurance covers only 50% up to 1k/year.  Remind him the specialists NEEDS the referal letter and the bloodwork sent. Running Total $282

12/14/2008 Refill the prescriptions $42.  Running Total $302.