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4/15/02: My journey begins. I began researching surgeons and all of the
weight loss surgeries to decide which one was right for me. After much deliberation, I chose my surgeon, Dr. Barry Greene,
and set up my consultation appointment on May 7, 2002. Dr. Greene is fairly new to weight loss surgery but his stats are very
good thus far.
5/7/02: Dr. Greene seems to be an excellent surgeon. He knows what he is doing, and is very concerned
about his patients physically and mentally, both before and after the surgery. He is very informed and wanted to make sure
I knew all the pros and cons about the surgery (Lap Roux-en Y). His first question to me was "So, how do you feel about eating
three, three ounce meals a day for the rest of your life?" I am actually looking forward to it and food not controlling my
life anymore. I would rather worry about what I want to do next instead of where I am going to eat next. He is very thorough
in his pre-surgical screening. He requires a list of all past diets, a sleep study, a meeting with a nutritionist, a mental
health evaluation, blood work, an abdominal sonogram for gallstones, an upper endoscopy and a breathing test with a pulmonologist
on staff at the hospital where he performs the surgery. Well, looks like its going to be a long journey but here goes!!
5/14/02:
Breathing Test with pulmonologist. No sweat except they tried to take blood out of an artery in my wrist. Can we say OUCH!!
Not very pleasant, course I'm a baby when it comes to needles. Turns out he couldn't get my artery anyway so he gave up after
3 tries.
5/23/02: Meeting with my pulmonologist, Dr. Kariya. Super super nice guy although very blunt (could be
construed as rude) about my weight. After we spoke for 45 minutes about my breathing test results, he did an exam, listened
to my chest, took my blood pressure, asked me many many questions about my history and family and let me know what I should
be doing to prepare for the surgery. He would like to see me lose 50 lbs before the surgery and to walk 2 miles a day til
and after surgery. Wow... maybe I'll start with a mile and work my way to 2 miles!!!
5/28/02: Meeting with my nutritionist,
Sara Blumenthal. Sara was a riot! She has a very good sense of humor and put me on a high protein low carb diet until surgery.
She also gave me the names and types of protein powders, vitamins and protein bars that I might want to look into before the
surgery. She let me know also about a wonderful artificial sweetener called STEVIA. If you don't already know it... research
it. It's comparable to Splenda, Equal and Sweet-n-low and its ALL NATURAL with no carbs. Try it, you'll like it!!!
6/4/02:
Meeting with my Gastroenterologist, Dr. William Stern. First of all, before my doctors appointment I began researching what
is entailed in an upper endoscopy. WOW, a little scary and they have to take a biopsy of my stomach to test for Hyplori virus.
This is a little intimidating and am a bit worried (probably for no reason). After I had my consultation with Dr. Stern, I
felt very comfortable and confident and no longer worried about the procedure. The office manager (Pam) also did all she could
to get my procedure scheduled ASAP!! She got me in on 6/14/02 (10 days) instead of a month and a half. Talk about Customer
Service!!! I recommend talking to PAM if you use Dr. Stern.
6/6/02: Abdominal Sonogram at the Germantown Medical
Center. I went in at 8:15 in the morning and was shown into a little changing room and was told to put on a gown. I recommend
that you ask for a larger gown even before you get this far. As I tried to squeeze into the gown they gave me (my arms barely
fit through the holes!!), I realized that it wasn't going to happen and requested a larger rob which was quickly brought to
me. I was then taken into a small dimly lit room and had that oh so lovely jelly squirted all over my tummy. Thank god it
was warm!! Oh, and ladies, I suggest taking an extra bra with you or taking yours off before the exam. They say you can leave
on your underclothes but the drawback is the jelly got all over the bottom of my bra. Not a great feeling when I had to go
right back to work!! All in all, it was quick and easy and I was out of there in 10 minutes.
6/14/02: Upper Endoscopy
with Dr. Stern. Well, it first started with my appointment being about 45 minutes late. I was then called into the back room
and I changed into a lovely gown (tent) and then an IV line was set. After about 20 minutes of waiting, I was wheeled into
the procedure area and my doctor administered a nice dose of demerol. I wish he would have given me more as I was extremely
sleepy during the procedure but not asleep. I was uncomfortable but it was over in about 5 minutes. I just wish they would
lubricate the tube they shove down your throat!! Anyway, I came out and was in recovery for about 1/2 an hour and was given
something to drink. Man did my throat hurt!!! All in all, it was ok and I was even given pictures to take home, pretty scary
and gross actually.
6/17/02: Mental Health Evaluation with Marylou Tablang-Jimenez (Psychiatrist). Can I first
start out by saying, this by far was the worst thing yet!! Here's how it went. I first arrived at Ms. Jimenezs' office and
walked up to the receptionist, no shoes, feet on the desk, reading a magazine. Right there I thought, OK, what kind of office
is this?? Then when I confirmed that I was there for an appointment and the time, I was abruptly asked for my copay. Not may
I see your insurance card or the papers I filled out before coming. No, just give me your money and sit down!! So I paid my
copay and sat down. After about 20 minutes, I was called into her office where Ms. Jimenez asked me questions about my childhood,
present life and my family, then proceeded to take a 10 minute personal call on her cell phone on the other side of a half
open, half closed door. She came back and started asking more questions about my family. I grew up in a very normal home,
I was a good kid, never did drugs or got into trouble so I thought, no problem. Well, at the end of the session, she stated
in not so many words that there was no way I could be fat and not have mental problems!! Could you believe that!!! She then
wrote a prescription for blood work, a urinalysis (to test for drugs?? I had told her that I didn't do drugs already?!?!)
and referred me to a psychiatrist that I should see every week for at least the next 3-6 months. I was flabbergasted. I didn't
know what to say... to do. I grabbed the note from her, walked out the door and proceeded to drive home in a blind rage. How
could she say I was crazy because I was overweight?? Course, she wouldn't know, Miss petite size 2 wouldn't. So, I went home
and called my surgeons office. Thank you Julia for reassuring me. She then recommended me to Martha Vayhinger, the psychiatrist
that does most of the psych evaluations for them. I quickly called Martha and she got me in 2 days later. Thank goodness!!!
Can we say that this was a VERY traumatic day and my insurance company will be notified about this (excuse me) BITCH!! Sorry...
6/19/02:
Psychological Evaluation with Martha Vayhinger (Social Worker). Can we just say, PHEW!!! What a relief! I had the most pleasant
hour speaking with Ms. Vayhinger. She had such a comforting office and she reminded me of home, as she was from the hometown
I grew up in in Pennsylvania. It was so refreshing to speak with her after the fiasco 2 days ago. She doesn't know why the
psychiatrist said I had "issues" because I was overweight. Martha was more than delighted to clear me for surgery and gave
me all the best wishes in the world. THANK YOU MARTHA!!! I recommend, obviously, to anyone using Dr. Green. GO SEE MARTHA!
The only problem was that the parking was a little hairy. Park in the public parking diagonal from her building on Spring
Street.
7/1/02: Sleep Study at Washington Adventist Hospital. Ugh!! Well, lets just say that this was an interesting
experience. Lets also say that I couldn't sleep a wink!! I finally gave up after being hooked up to a million wires 5 hours
into the night at 2:30am and went home. I was so afraid that I would have to wait a couple of months for my next sleep study
but they got me in on 7/7/02!!! Can we say AWESOME!!! So, I will update when that sleep study happens. Oh, and I had to get
a prescription for Ambien for the next sleep study. If you have problems sleeping anyway like I do, get a prescription from
your doctor before you even go to the sleep study. They have no problems with you taking sleeping pills.
7/7/02:
2nd Sleep Study at Washington Adventist Hospital. Ugh!! Why can't I sleep??? OK, so I go with my happy little prescription
so I can sleep and think, this will be a breeze... WRONG. So by the morning I ended up sleeping a whole 2 1/2 hours and overdosing
on Ambien. I managed to drive myself home, don't ask me how, and continued to throw up all day. Glad I don't have to use that
stuff all the time. But it came down to I slept. That's all that mattered and the technician said that I had VERY mild sleep
apnea, not enough to put me on the C-PAP machine. VERY COOL!!! Now I have to call my doctors office and make sure they have
everything to submit to the insurance company.
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