So...Progress!

This week has been a buuuuuuuuusy one. Lots of appointments and phone calls and all that fun (rolly eyes) stuff. So just a bit of progress on what happened this week and how everything is going.

So Susan, the RN and coordinator for my surgeon Dr. Fuzz, suggested we talk to Vocational Rehabilitation for help possibly paying for the Roux en-Y surgery. Basically, they help folks get to the optimal health, physically and/or mentally, to find employment. Morbid obesity is technically a disability, so VR may be able to help. We finally got in touch with the correct county VR office, and I'm scheduled to go to their "orientation" this Tuesday. After orientation, you get an application, and fill it out, and it goes from there.

...Hope hope hope they might be able to help financially...

Speaking of finances, my parents also talked with their bank, and they're going to be able to get a line of credit that can cover the cost of the surgery. Tuesday's also the day they're going to take care of that, I think. Every single day, I feel so blessed to have supportive parents. My mother is still concerned... I sort of have a track record for not really truly keeping up with things like I should (certain health aspects - diabetes esp - along with other issues). But I know that she just wants the best for me, and wants to make sure I'm not rushing into anything. My father said he wants the best for my health and weight, and he has no second doubts. He's not a many of many words, but what he says, means a LOT.

Along with parents that are just absolutely amazing, my mother's best friend, my aunt Teresa, gifted me the $500 cash we needed to pay the psychologist on Friday. I had my psych evaluation Friday morning, and they require $500 up front, for the eval and one year of post-operation meetings. She's just a wonderful woman, and she's also overweight, and wants the world for me. At some point, she wanted to have the surgery done, but her health jeopardized it. And now, she's retired so no insurance to cover the surgery.

Anyway, speaking of the psych eval...WOW, so much more positive than I ever expected!! Dr. Smith, the psychologist, is such a nice, soft-spoken but humorous man. He's insanely informed about weight loss, and WLS. He's worked with behavioral psychology and weight loss his entire medical career, and got involved with WLS some years ago. The appointment was very relaxed, he just asked me about myself, my reasons and desires from having this surgery, a few questions about my eating issues and such, and I don't know...I mean, we talked for 90 minutes, but I never felt nervous or like I was being grilled. :D He also talked about, with all his knowledge and experience with weight loss and weight loss studies that when you're 100+ lbs overweight, the surgery is definitely the smartest and most successful venue. As he said it, "I won't tell you that you should (or should not) get the surgery, but if I was more than 100 lbs overweight, surgery would be my decision." (paraphrase)

So, yes, that was very positive! And I have my appointment with the nutritionist set up for this coming Friday...Very busy time! OOOh, almost forgot...Wednesday evening, I went to the WLS seminar Wake Forest holds and is required for all patients. While I can't say there was a ton of new information there (there was a LOT of info, but I guess I'm fairly educated about the surgeries, diet, etc), it was good to hear it all. And there were about 50 people there - Wow! So, lots of activity this week, and I'm happy about that! I hope the Vocational Rehab things next week are successful, along with my nutritionist appointment. I shall keep Blogger updated!