Houston, We Have A Date!!

The last few days I have obsessively watched my insurance's website waiting for the approval for my surgery to come through so I could call my bariatric doctor's office to schedule my surgery. My insurance company acted like I would know before the doctor's office did. Imagine my surprise when my doctor's office called yesterday and left a message for me to call them to schedule my surgery. I called them back immediately and now we have a date...February 26th!!! 

Of course there is a lot of prep to do in the mean time. I have to go on a more restrictive (800 calorie) diet for a month. I have a diet class, pre-op testing at the hospital, a pre-op appointment with my surgeon. It seems like the list is never ending but it will be worth it. I am so excited, but I am a little scared too. Life is about to get very different for me. 

Month Two/Diet Appointment Number Three

 Keeping track of these appointment numbers vs the months is confusing. This is the end of month two, BUT is appointment number three SOOOOO this blog gets a weird title. I started out at 273 at the bariatric doctor's office. He wanted me to lose ten pounds before I had the surgery. Today was my final appointment for weight management with my PCP. I weighed 258 according to PCP's scales. Now I do not know if their scales are comparable, but I do know that I have lost the ten pounds that the bariatric doctor wanted. I am so excited. There were moments when I truly worried I wouldn't make it. With the grace of God, I did it, though! 

Next Steps - So when I got home I called the bariatric office to make sure that they had received the fax that my PCP's office had sent. They said that it was probably in their stack of faxes but they "hadn't received it yet." She said once they did receive it, that it would go to so and so's desk to be submitted to insurance. Eeek! Insurance usually takes 10-14 business days to make a decision. If it is approved we will move on. If it is not then they will appeal it. Once we get an approval I will have two more appointments. One will be a diet appointment where we will discuss my diet and I will get my surgery date (Double EEEK!!!!) The other appointment will be where we do all of my pre-op stuff. Because of my BMI, I will be required to do a month long pre-op diet. From what I have heard it is pretty brutal. Think, around 800 calories. We will make it though because we do not have any other choice. 

I am excited. I am scared. I am ready to do this! Please pray for me. Life is changing in so many ways. Good changes, but wow, it is a lot. It will only continue! 

January Weigh-Ins

 January Weigh-Ins

    4 - 258.4

    11 -261.8

    18 - 260.0

    25 - 260.2

Three Hours

 I did it. I decided to pump it up and see what I can do in the next week before I go back to the doctor. I did three hours on the walking pad today! I am very sore but it was worth it. I do not know if I can do that again but I am proud of myself for the goals I accomplished today! 

2025

 I am not a person who makes New Year's Resolutions, but I have been thinking about what the coming year will bring. Where will I be this time next year? What will the new year bring? Will I crush my goals? Sometimes I think I will rock this weight loss surgery. Other times - I feel like this will be another failed attempt in my endless list of attempts to get healthy. (Just being  honest here.) I am in a weird place right now. I feel like I am in a holding pattern right now. 2024 has brought a few changes... more than a few really. 2025 will be bringing so many more, though. I am hoping they are all good changes. My head is full of thoughts tonight but I cannot seem to get them out so I guess I will end this blog post here. 

A Year In Books 2025

 Each year I make a blog post to keep track of the books I have read that year. My goal this year is going to be 52 books. 

1. A Groom for Willow By Patricia PacJac Carroll
2. Allison By Kirsten Osbourne
3. A Groom For Charity By Shonda Fischer
4. A Groom for Fancy By Christine Sterling
5. Adele's Decision By Amelia C. Adams
6. Katie's Conundrum By Lynn Donovan
7. Christina's Crusade By Amelia C. Adams
8. Eliza's Longing By Laura D Bastian
9. Annie's Endeavor By Cyndi Raye
10. Saving Savannah By Laura D. Bastian
11. Callie's Calamity By Jaclyn Hardy
12. Mary Hannah's Misgivings By Lynn Donovan
13. Starla's Search By Cat Cahill
14. Holly's Hallmark By Marlene Bierworth
15. Grace's Gift By Julia Ridgmont 
16. Carrianne's Debacle By Charlene Raddon
17. Brandy's Bluff By Heather Blanton
18. Vesper's Violin By R.L. Ashly
19. Samantha's Sorrow By Jaclyn Hardy
20. Bernie's Banjo By R.L. Ashly
21. Willow's Weeping By Laura Walker
22. Highland Heart By Kirsten Osbourne
23. Mail Order Mukluks By Kirsten Osbourne
24. Mail Order Mittens By Kirsten Osbourne
25. Highland Home By Kirsten Osbourne
26. Mail Order Melt By Kirsten Osbourne
27. The Trapper's Bride By Christine Sterling
28. Forever Family By Christine Sterling
29. The Pinkerton Matchmaker By Christine Sterling
30. An Agent for Claudette By Christine Sterling
31. An Agent for Penelope By Christine Sterling
32. An Agent for Marianne By Christine Sterling
33. An Agent for Pearl By Christine Sterling
34. A Cowboy for Christmas By Christine Sterling
35. A Mother for Christmas By Christine Sterling
36. A Bride for Jeremiah By Christine Sterling
37. A Bride for Elijah By Christine Sterling
38. Mail Order Mountains By Kirsten Osbourne
39. A Bride for Benjamin By Christine Sterling

Month One Officially Over

 Month one is officially over...and I am frustrated. I wanted to lose the entire ten pounds that my bariatric doctor has requested of me. According to my scales at home I was pretty close to meeting that goal. Then, today, I went to my PCP for my second diet visit and found out that according to THEIR scales, I lost TWO POUNDS the entire month. I am frustrated and heartbroken. My doctor was so kind and reassuring. He said he was proud of me when I vented to him. I am on a 1200 calorie diet that I have followed every day minus a couple days. I have walked at least 30 minutes every single day and it's been an entire hour for the last two plus weeks. I am now drinking 140oz + of water a day. I am at a loss for what more I can do. So we are playing with my meds now. He has taken me completely off the Metformin. He also increased my dose of Mounjaro to 15mg. He promised me we would get the to the 10 lb mark that my bariatric doctor has requested of me before this is all said and done. I picked up the new dose of Mounjaro on the way home. I will start it on Saturday because that is my shot day. Here's hoping month two will be better.