One Step at a Time

One step at a time. I have to keep telling myself this. This is a tough journey for sure. My name's Gabi. I'm 32 and am on my way to getting weight loss surgery!! I can't fucking wait. I feel like I have been waiting a lifetime for this.

4 years ago, my husband got lapband surgery. At that time I was planning on getting it, but I was 10lbs under the weight requirement! Can you believe that? 10lbs? I thought of gaining weight to get it, but in the end decided not to. I was really struggling w/other things at that point in my life, and I am ultimately glad I didn't get it. I'm really proud of my husband for all his weight loss. He's gained a new life, and is really healthy now.

Anyway, flash forward to today. I have decided to get vertical sleeve gastrectomy surgery (VSG). I am def. in the weight requirement now. I had a baby last year and let's just say I haven't lost any weight.

I'm between 5'0" and 5'1" and weigh 215lbs. My BMI is 42. If you want your insurance to pay for this bad boy, you have to have a BMI of 40 and above. Hall ay fucking luya! My insurance has NOT approved this surgery yet. I still have one more test to do.

If you know anything about weight loss surgery, you will know that insurance co's love to put you threw the ringer. There are numerous tests you have to get to make sure you qualify. Luckily I've already done all the tests, except for one!

I have premera bluecross. They made me get a 6mo doctor supervised diet. This means I had to see my primary doctor every single month for 6 months and discuss my weight. My dr. put me on a paleo diet. Basically you cut out all grains and sugar and eat fresh, no packaged foods. I lost 3 lbs in 6 months. Not the weight loss I was hoping for.

This Friday is my last an final test (unless they spring on another one). It's called esophageal manometry. Basically they stick a tube down your nose into your stomach and leave it there for 24hrs! EGADS!!!! I had to go off my heartburn meds a week before. I've gotta say that it really sux. I can take Zantac for 5 days, then the last 2 days you have to stop that as well. I can take over the counter stuff, like tums, maalox. Today is the first day it's really bad. Just have to make it a few more days....

If I don't qualify for VSG I am going to get the Bypass. It's a much bigger surgery, but I'm sick of being overweight and unhealthy. I will know next week if I qualify. Then they put my insurance thru. THEN I get my surgery date. PHEW. Getting to the final stages :)