OK, so if you're a Weight Loss Surgery person, you know what "The Call" is and can skip the next paragraph. If not, here you go.
I got two days of The Call. The first one was yesterday, 1/30/2012, about 6 months after I went to my first information session about baritric surgery. It was my patient care coordinator, Diane, from hospital C calling to tell me that my insurance company had finally pre-approved my surgery! This is the call I've been waiting for - I finished my 90 days of multidisciplinary supervised dieting a month ago, and needed them to review all the documentation and say "Yes, she's compliant and fulfilled our requirements for pre-approval". The second part happened today, 1/31/2012 about 15 minutes ago. Sabrina, the scheduler called and said that they actually have an opening in the surgical schedule for Feb. 16th!
So now that I have a surgery date, I'll call Feb. 16th my new Valentine's Day. The one where I and my whole family say "You are worth this, we love you and want you to live a long healthy life". I'll be honest, when I got the call about the insurance company approving me I broke down and cried. In my car in the parking lot of the grocery store. Several times. It took me until my fourth phone call to family to stop crying each time I told them. So the scheduler was supposed to call me in the next couple days, but they needed to make sure I understood that I would need to pay the $350 program fee and the $3000 deposit (because my insurance caps it's bariatric benefits below the cost of the operation) when I come in for pre-admission testing. OK, I've been preparing for that.
I was so overwhelmed, I almost got in a car accident on the way home. By the time it was dinner, I think I felt like a kid at the end of Christmas day. Dazed, so happy to have gotten just what I wanted, but exhausted from the emotions of it all.
The scheduler called today, and I'm going in for blood work, EKG and counseling with the inpatient care doctor and nutritionist all day on Thursday. Deal! Can I pay the program fee and deposit in just two days? If they take credit cards, I can! (The answer was yes).
So now things are clipping right along, and I'm going to be working like crazy to get everything prepared. Coverage for the kids (my husband and mom will be helping), grocery shopping for them ahead of time - grocery shopping for my liquid diet post-op (noting NOT to overbuy - especially on things like broth, thank you guys for your blogs), and cleaning the house so my mom doesn't put EVERYTHING away where I can't find it when she comes to help. Pre-op pictures - check. The list is a living, evolving thing. Suggestions are welcome!
I'm so excited! And everyone I know is so excited for me. I am blessed.
I got two days of The Call. The first one was yesterday, 1/30/2012, about 6 months after I went to my first information session about baritric surgery. It was my patient care coordinator, Diane, from hospital C calling to tell me that my insurance company had finally pre-approved my surgery! This is the call I've been waiting for - I finished my 90 days of multidisciplinary supervised dieting a month ago, and needed them to review all the documentation and say "Yes, she's compliant and fulfilled our requirements for pre-approval". The second part happened today, 1/31/2012 about 15 minutes ago. Sabrina, the scheduler called and said that they actually have an opening in the surgical schedule for Feb. 16th!
So now that I have a surgery date, I'll call Feb. 16th my new Valentine's Day. The one where I and my whole family say "You are worth this, we love you and want you to live a long healthy life". I'll be honest, when I got the call about the insurance company approving me I broke down and cried. In my car in the parking lot of the grocery store. Several times. It took me until my fourth phone call to family to stop crying each time I told them. So the scheduler was supposed to call me in the next couple days, but they needed to make sure I understood that I would need to pay the $350 program fee and the $3000 deposit (because my insurance caps it's bariatric benefits below the cost of the operation) when I come in for pre-admission testing. OK, I've been preparing for that.
I was so overwhelmed, I almost got in a car accident on the way home. By the time it was dinner, I think I felt like a kid at the end of Christmas day. Dazed, so happy to have gotten just what I wanted, but exhausted from the emotions of it all.
The scheduler called today, and I'm going in for blood work, EKG and counseling with the inpatient care doctor and nutritionist all day on Thursday. Deal! Can I pay the program fee and deposit in just two days? If they take credit cards, I can! (The answer was yes).
So now things are clipping right along, and I'm going to be working like crazy to get everything prepared. Coverage for the kids (my husband and mom will be helping), grocery shopping for them ahead of time - grocery shopping for my liquid diet post-op (noting NOT to overbuy - especially on things like broth, thank you guys for your blogs), and cleaning the house so my mom doesn't put EVERYTHING away where I can't find it when she comes to help. Pre-op pictures - check. The list is a living, evolving thing. Suggestions are welcome!
I'm so excited! And everyone I know is so excited for me. I am blessed.
I am so happy for you I am having Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy on Feb 27 these are busy and exciting times for us both. Yes we are so blessed
ReplyDeleteI am so happy that you finally got your date and approval. I know you were so worried! Congrats & good luck! Can't wait to have you on the losers bench :)
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