The application process

Thursday, July 16, 2009
We went to WLS meeting Saturday on the eleventh of July. DH and DD went with me. I was afraid there would be all skinny people there. Everyone was normal though or really overweight. Of course I was the only one in a wheelchair and I felt like I was the biggest one there.

The presentation passed with my DD approval. One of the doctors presented with the aid of power point and answered questions. My biggest questions was,” would my insurance cover it?” I made an appointment to be evaluated with Dr. Pilcher. He was the doctor recommended by my Dr. and as it turns out this is a center of excellence for weight loss surgery. Later in the week they called to inform me that the procedure would be covered after co pay at 80/20 by Aetna. What a relief! DH is still worried about the 20% but I figure we will work it out somehow.

On the 15th, I went to New Dimensions for an evaluation and to meet with Dr. Pilcher. It was an intense session but well run. It turns out that I have been at that location before. 24 years ago! This was the hospital where Jonathan was born. They don’t have a maternity section any more. The entire second floor is now devoted to New Dimensions. I arrived at 7:00 am and finished up at 1pm. First they looked over my name address insurance information that I had filled out at the seminar, I signed some papers and then they put a hospital bracelet on me. Then they sent me to the waiting room which was two hospital rooms with the adjoining wall knocked out. I waited about two minutes and they came to take me to have my weight, vitals and picture taken and there I signed some more papers. Then I went back to the waiting room and I waited another two minutes and they came to get me and I had an interview with a woman who was training another woman to take over for her during maternity leave. We went over the info that I had given them about weight and medical history and entered all that in the computer. After that the PA came in and went over my medical history in detail and they had me get on a table and measures to see if the laparoscopic tools would fit. They will. I also had a short physical exam. Dr Pilcher came in for that. They poked my belly where my liver was. I guess he wanted to see if I was a good candidate for laparoscopic surgery. Then I got dressed and went to the bathroom. There were plenty of those, one in every room since it had been a hospital ward. More papers to sign. The behavioral therapist came to interview me. That was very much like what you and I talked about why do you want to do this, why now, what do you expect? She inputted all this into my computer file. I waited there and I read an article in an old magazine. Then the doctor came in. He was very nice, not rushed at all. It was different to spend time with a doctor and not be quickly moved out. He reserves two mornings for new patients. He does 3-4 surgeries on the other days. I had still not decided on the procedure that I wanted so we talked about that. Dr Pilcher and I both decided that the gastric bypass would be best for me. It’s the RNY. The risks for both operations are the same the gastric band has the initial operation over with sooner but requires lifetime follow up and may need surgical correction for slipped band or inverted port. The recovery time for the RNY is another day in the hospital. The dumping syndrome is a strong and immediate reminder about the quantity and the quality of the food you consume. Dr Pilcher says you don’t die from the syndrome just wish you would. He recommended that I lose at least 10 pounds prior to surgery, have a colonoscopy and a sleep study done. He wants his patients to have the colonoscopy because one of his earlier patients had the procedure but it wasn’t discovered until later that she had colon cancer. The sleep study is because I fit the profile. After he took me back to the waiting room I had a long wait, enough time for me to use the bathroom and fix half a cup of coffee about 5 minutes. Then the patient advocate came to get me and we went to his office and went over the appointments I had to make and answered any questions I might have. By then I was on overload. I think they expect that because everyone told me to just call anytime if I had any concerns. The doctor gave me his card with his personal email on it and invited me to email him. He said he answered all emails personally. My final meeting was with the dietician. I received the pre-surgical weight loss diet and we decided on 3 goals for this first month 1. Measure starches and limit to 4 servings a day. 2. Limit snacks to 2x a day and evaluate hunger if hungry chose protein if not free foods 3. Avoid fluids at all meals and I hour after. There are also free group sessions twice a week. I have to meet with her again in one month. She took me back to the front and I signed more papers and they snipped off my hospital band and I was free to go. Whew! When I got home the sleep center had already called for me to set up an appointment and your birthday present was in. We went to get that ate at EZ’s went home and I slept like a log