THE FINAL WEIGH-IN: YAY, I'M FAT ENOUGH

The tales of my adventure pick up after I've had my initial consult with Dr. Julie Ellner, Bariatric Surgeon.  After my Stefan and I attended her seminar at Alvarado Hospital in mid-April 2011, I knew all those years of tears, pleading with doctors for a new weight management program, years of exercise tapes, my marathon, all those 5Ks and all those medicines for the many conditions...all of the years of prayers were now being answered with the help of Dr. Ellner.

Here I was my last ditch effort, in front of Dr. Ellner's office this morning inhaling a Venti Starbuck's a Grande Water, a Breakfast Sandwich and putting my cell phone and my heavy keys in the pockets of my jeans so I could make sure I was at least the required BMI of 35 to be considered obese along with my preexisting conditions.  In my bloatedness, I sat in my car and laughed out loud as I thought about how twisted my situation was where after my consult I was told that ensure approval for 100% payment by my insurance company that I would need to weigh-in  with an additional 5 lbs. immediately to meet the minimum requirements.  So in order to live a longer life with my family, I actually had to add more pounds to this already big frame.  UGH.  So the last week has been about "bulking up" ending in drinking beers with my darling husband at midnight last night.  Really?  Yes, really. 

I imagined I was Violet Beauregard from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory after she chewed the test gum and turned into a gigantic blueberry-like ball.  Fat. Fat. Fat...Keep thinking Fat. Fat. Fat.  I did it - I was even a pound more than my "fat goal weight" to cushion the number.

After that appointment I went to the Sleep Data center to pick up my machine to take care of my sleep apnea test.  The take-home machine will start recording at 9:30 p.m. tonight and I turn in the machine and data will be calculated sometime this week.

So what do I have left before a surgery date is scheduled:

• A Psych Eval
• My Fasting Blood Test
• My Nutritionist Eval
• Insurance Approval
• Sleep Data Results
• Liver-Shrinking Diet to start Immediately - at least 60 days

Thanks for peeking in to see where I am in the process.  For more info on Bariatric Surgery (SAFE Bariatric Surgery) or for info on Dr. Ellner, go to her website: EllnerBariatric.com.