Unicornucopia.org

I have some homework, so I'm making a list here so I remember it all:

1. Contact Julie (the nutritionist) and have her send her office notes and a
cover letter to Dr. R's office. Have her include that I wasn't weighed
during her office visits because she didn't have a scale that could weigh
me. (She didn't have ANY scale, so it's not a lie *snerk*.)

2. Fax request for records to Baylor, have them send them to Dr. R's office
as Dr. D's office only saw fit to send a few things, not my whole packet
*grumble*.

3. Make two more appointments for weigh ins with Dr. F.

4. Let Dr. R's office know when last weigh-in is completed.

5. Have Dr. F send Dr R office notes on weigh-ins when appointments are
concluded.

6. Cross fingers, pray to any and all deities, and hope that surgery gets
completed in early December (only 6 months after Dr. D's office originally
said it would happen).

One thing that I have to do for myself is to accept that my new character
this year will not be what I had hoped she would be. She'll still be fun,
and I'll still enjoy playing her, but I had hoped for so much more. It's
disappointing...damned disappointing. I have to get used to the idea and get
past it because it's probably silly that it makes me want to tear up and
cry. I guess it's not so much about the character as I wanted to have a very
obvious change from what I've been to what I will become, and the break from
Frances seemed like the perfect way to start. A new character, a new body, a
new life. But now that's not going to happen. It will be a new character,
mostly the same body with the same problems, maybe not QUITE as bad, but
still there...and the same life. It's stupid and childish to put so much
stock into it, but...I did. And now I have to get over it and grow up, I
guess. I know that it's good that it will be happening, and that it doesn't
REALLY matter when as long as it happens. I just wish...

But if wishes were horses, beggars would ride, right?

Anyway, some interesting differences between Dr. D and Dr. R. Dr. R does NOT
make you go on liquids for two weeks ahead (YAY!) as he doesn't feel that
the relatively small amount of weight lost during that period is worth the
suffering of the patient. Dr. R also wants me to have this really cool blood
filter thingie put into my gut before the surgery. It will help me avoid
blood clots, which I'm a prime candidate for because of the fact that I'm
"Mega-Morbidly Obese". Heh...sounds like I should have a cape and a spandex
outfit, doesn't it? It's a house, it's a train, it's Mega Morbidly Obese
Girl! *snerk*

John, the physical therapy / exercise coordinator guy, says that I should be
healed up enough to fight during faire if things go as planned. That's cool.
I can't practice right away, or for several weeks, because it's too much
pulling and twisting on the incisions, but by the time we get into
rehearsals, I should be fine. We'll see how it feels. If it's still kind of
tender, I may end up not fighting this year.

The insurance won't pay the anesthesiologist, the doctor who is putting the
little filter thingie in, or some of the prescriptions. If approved,
however, the surgery itself is covered 100%. It WILL be approved. If they
deny me, I'll appeal. If the appeal is denied, they have an attorney who
specializes in insurance company appeals for gastric bypass. He had one
himself and had to threaten a lawsuit to get it. He does it for VERY
reasonable rates. :) So I say again, it WILL be approved.

Oh, and the lady who does the insurance work for Dr. R is MUCH nicer than
the PT over at Dr. D's office. His response when I said I wanted my records
transferred was to say in a patronizing tone of voice, "It won't be any
different over there, you know. Your situation will be the same." I simply
said, "I know." though I WANTED to say "There will be one big difference...I
don't have to put up with your rude, obnoxious, condescending and
patronizing, not to mention INSULTING attitude!!!"

I told Dr R. why I had switched. When we finished, as he was showing me back
out to wait to meet with the next person, he asked "So, have we treated you
better?" and I could honestly smile and say "Yes."