Initial Consultation

So today I met my surgeon.  I'm so glad he's the guy I picked!  He's the director of the program there.  He answered all my questions and never made me feel rushed even though the office was super busy.  My next step is to make an appointment to get all my tests done.  They have it set up where I just make one appointment and they do them all in one day.  That's so much better than having to set up 6 different appointments.  I also need to start my 6 month supervised diet. One thing I was surprised about was my height.  My whole adult life I've been 5'8", but today they measured me at 5'6 1/2".  Have I really shrunk that much?  My guess is that I was slouching, but who knows?  Being fat does weird things to you.  I have been wondering lately what will be required in the weeks before surgery.  I've read about a lot of people needing to do a liquid diet for two weeks and that made me nervous. The good news is that I only have to do that for three days.  It's not super strict either.  Clear liquids, juice, protein shakes.  I know it sounds strict, but when I asked if I was limited to just a few juices, he said no.  When I asked if I could use a juicer at home and make my own, he was thrilled at the thought.  I love juicing.  There are so many different combinations you can do.  While I might get tired of being on a liquid diet, at least my taste buds will be happy.

That's all for now.  Stay tuned to see which juicer I pick out.

And away we go......

Hello to any and all that might be reading.  My name's Allison.  I'm 31, have two kids, and I'm fat.  The more medical term for it is morbidly obese.  I've been overweight for a long time.  I was a chubby kid.  After my freshman year of college, I lost about 20 pounds and looked great. However, after getting married and having my first child, the pounds started to pile one.  Things didn't get really, REALLY bad until after my second child arrived.  Over the last 9 years, I've gained 70 pounds.  I now need to lose 135 pounds to get to the high end of my ideal weight range.  I've tried dieting......many, many times.  I've tried exercise.  I hired a personal trainer and went at it for a full year, only to lose 15 pounds.  Over the last year, I've given a lot of thought to whether or not I wanted to have a weight loss surgery.  I finally decided that yes, I do.  I don't want to be such a bad role model for my kids.  I don't want my knees to hurt anymore because the weight of my body is just too much for them.  I'd like to get off my meds for high blood pressure and thyroid issues.

My adventure officially began on Feb 7, 2010, when I attended a seminar at Des Peres Hospital.  It was very informative and solidified my decision.  I had turned in my insurance information so they could run it.  I'm very pleased to find out that my insurance company, Cigna, does cover the procedure.  The maximum I'll have to pay is $2300.  That doesn't mean I'll be having surgery any time soon.  Cigna requires a 6 month supervised diet along with a couple other things.  My first appointment with the surgeon is Feb 28.  So that's where I am now.  I can't wait to see where this adventure takes me.