Getting closer!

I only have two hurdles left until I can submit my paperwork to insurance:  

1.)  lose 7 more pounds

2.)  get my primary care to write my letter of medical necessity

November was quite the whirlwind, between the corgi Nationals, the symposium I organized and bariatric visits.  I had my psych evaluation on the 19th and I think it went well.  She told me at the end that she thought I would do quite well post operatively.  So I guess I passed!

I had a visit with my nurse practitioner this past Monday and that too went well.  She reminded me that the RNY has better results with respect to long term weight loss and improvement/resolution of diabetes.  I told her I was well aware of that, but still felt more comfortable with the band.  Unless, for some reason, it fails me, I would prefer to keep the routing of my intestines as is.  

Though I haven't been exercising in a few weeks because of my really bad viral infection (started in sinuses, worked its way down to my lungs;  just now starting to feel human again), I have no problem with adding exercise to my lifestyle.  I had been doing quite well before Nationals and when I got sick.  After going to the Nationals and seeing the other dogs, I realized Jack needs to drop a few pounds.  Like seriously.  (I knew it before, but seeing dogs at show weight clenched it)  So once we get his nails done, it's off to hit the walking trail.

Looking at the numbers, if you do the band and add exercise to your regime, I think you do just as well as RNYers who don't exercise.  And my take from reading online is that many do not.  My goal is to do agility and Rally with Jack, and I need to have some stamina to do that. I actually WANT to be more active.  So I feel comfortable with my decision to do the band. Again, I'd rather do the sleeve, but because that's not covered by insurance, the band is what I'm going to do.

So I only need between 6-7 pounds of weight loss to file with BC/BS.  I am so thrilled!  That seems like much more of a do-able number than the 27 pounds I started out with.  I was able to get the records to start with 6 pounds lower than initially, and I have LOST 14 pounds since early October.  Wow.  I don't even know how I did that.  Well, I've really cut down on snacking and waiting to eat when hungry.  And if it isn't fabulous (worth the calories), don't eat it.

Can you believe this:  I just threw away a cookie from Panera.  It was probably stale and totally not worth the calories to even see if it was stale.  I have definitely noticed a shift in my thinking when it comes to eating.  This is a good thing and hopefully will help me lose those last few pounds over the coming weeks.   The sooner they are gone, the sooner I can get scheduled!

The nurse said it usually takes 2 weeks to schedule, so she thinks I can lose the weight, get scheduled and be done by late January or early February.  I am hoping for late January, as I want to be well recovered prior to the dog shows in early March.  I want to be able to go and work (for our Nashville cluster), if not show the puppy.  

Fortunately Thanksgiving was no challenge.  I barely ate at all, certainly did not gorge. Didn't have seconds, didn't take home leftovers.  Christmas might be more challenging with all the rampant sweets, but I'll just write the number of pounds left to lose on my hand at and look at that when I reach for a cookie.  Is it worth it?  Really?

And hopefully Monday I will feel well enough to skip riding the God-forsaken shuttle busses and get back to my walking routine.  6.5 pounds--I know I can, I know I can!