Week Two...

Monday's are our "weigh-in" day, so despite going to a family reunion on Saturday and then yesterday having company for dinner, I managed to lose 2 pounds. Last night we BBQ'd ribs, had corn on the cob and I made a wonderful veggie salad with spinach, red bell, green onion, red cabbage, broccoli, avocado, and pine nuts. I would have normally served a "starch" like potatoes and/or bread, but I skipped that altogether and just had the meat and the veggies and guess what? No one noticed! I did, however, make a pear tartin with puff pastry, sugar, and butter, and served it with ice cream...but I figured since we skipped the bread/potato thing, the dessert thing wasn't so bad. Baby steps.

I made it to my monthly "weight loss" doctor visit on Friday (for the insurance to approve my weight loss surgery, remember?). If you read my "saga", you would know that I went faithfully for three consecutive months: May, June, July, losing weight as I went, then I had a malfunction and gained...and skipped one appointment, for August. That was when Katy decided she wanted to do the gym thing and signed me up on her membership, so her timing was perfect...RIGHT when I was falling of the wagon, she dragged me back on.

So, fortified by the new exercise regimen and having seen with my own eyes at the dental office where I work a beautiful woman who is a successful gastric bypass recipient, I rescheduled my missed weight loss appointment with the physician's assistant, Maria. She berated me for gaining and skipping. She said it will affect the package of information they submit to the insurance for weight loss surgery approval. She questioned if I have what it takes to change my eating habits for life. But I did lose weight each prior month, starting in May, I told her. So I must show a significant loss between now and my October visit, and hopefully I will be back in good graces with Maria AND the insurance.

If you recall, one hoop to jump through is to see a dietician, which I have done. Another hoop is to see a psychologist who will evaluatae my mental state and decide if I am a good candidate for this surgery and all it entails. I already saw one, but evidently it was the wrong doctor; they want me to see a certain doctor. Just found this out at my appointment Friday. At the beginning of this process, my doctor's office didn't quite have their act together I guess. They just said I have to see a psychologist; I self-referred and picked my own and went. The first week. I was gung ho. So now I need to go again, to a different one, fine. The referral desk will get me approved to see "Dr. Hendrikson", call me, and I will get that scheduled ASAP.

Also, Maria had originally told me that 40 pounds was the required amount to lose on my own to get approved for the surgery, a number she seemed to pluck out of the air. I questioned her about this on Friday and asked what is the exact formula imposed by my insurance to come up with that number, and she admitted she was not sure, that she would look into it. So, I will find that out at my next monthly check-in with her in October. I am hoping it is something closer to 20 or 25. Then I can get this surgery sooner rather than later.

This insurance process seems vague, or it might just be that my particular doctor's office doesn't quite have the system down...but I will be the squeaky wheel to make it happen. Between now and my next monthly check-in, I will get the referral for the CORRECT psych to see, and Maria will find out for me the EXACT number of pounds lost needed to get approved by the insurance...and in the meantime, I will exercise with Katy and try to lose a couple of pounds a week.