JOURNAL

JOURNAL CONTINUED

03/14/03   I need to locate a new place to get weighed, out if order sign every other week at rite aid. This week it shows a gain of 8 lbs., not sure what’s happening, my diet has not changed much lately. A few days of cheating also unable to do any exercising because of knees problems (legs of an old man). The only other explanation maybe from a change with medication, we will see next Friday when we follow-up with my PCP on diet and other issues.

03/17/03   My wife and I spent the past weekend in Temecula, CA visiting family, a needed get away for us. The cost of gas in Las Vegas was $1.97 unleaded, in California cost were from $2.18 unleaded to $4.18 super unleaded in various locations. Most of the weekend it rained and very hard, that was something new to see considering Las Vegas is in a drought condition this year. Hopefully this Friday I’ll get my letter signed and all the needed records to complete this process in order to get my OC appointment with Dr. Fisher. Kaiser finally sent 21 pages of records to my PCP; hopefully they are all referencing my diet history. As far as military records, I received an email saying they are backlog so who knows when they will come. I was hoping to have this surgery before the summer, this much weight and heat (100+) are a killer on me. My time will be here soon enough and looking forward to shedding this weight. HAPPY SAINT PATRICKS DAY

03/22/03   Well went to my PCP appointment yesterday, the doctor said they sent the letter to Dr. Fisher's office a month ago but no records. This doctor is not happy with having to provide a letter or records for this surgery and to insurance company (his quote, it’s a delay tactic). Kaiser also sent 21 pages to my doctor's office referencing weight control issues, so hopefully everything will be sent or already at Dr. Fisher's office to move to the next appointment with the surgeon Dr. Fisher or Dr. Atkinson. My PCP stated that he will support this surgery and me but I will be his last patient he going to support with WLS, he and his staff do not have time for all this paperwork issues. Maybe its time to find a better PCP that really cares for his patients and weight loss surgery. One issue that I asked the Doc about was the recent gain in weight, his comment was likely caused by new medication, just what my knees needed. The pasts couple of weeks my legs and knees have been killing me, by the end of the workday that’s it for me I'm wiped out. So hopefully the rest of this process for surgery will be better and no more delays.
God Bless our troops and our families.

4/1/03    Well 10 days since my follow up appointment with my doctor and he has not provided any documentation on weight loss history or the Kaiser records to Dr. Fisher's office. A call to my PCP last week they had stated that they would fax documentation next Monday. We called his office on Monday morning his staff stated that they would fax paperwork latter that day as promised. I stopped at Dr. Fisher's office to check my status with Shannon; it remains the same "still missing documentation". I made a call to my doctor's office; I asked what was going? They stated that the documentation was mailed this morning, I questioned why it was not faxed and if they could do this now. Then the bull____ started to roll, they stated they would have them latter this week! First they stated it was mailed, second it's not ready until latter in the week, what next I'm not over weight and nothing is wrong with me! I can not believe what has taken place with this DOCTOR and STAFF. I hope that I do not have to start another diet program and if so we will find a doctor that supports WLS and cares about his patients more than my current so called joker, oh excuse me "Doctor".

4/4/03   A great day for me, we finally have my letter and documentation and turned into Dr. Fisher’s office. My appointment set for 4/15/03 with Dr. Atkinson. They still need to get the surgery approve by my insurance company-Cigna, hopefully everything is in order.

4/15/03 Just back from Surgery appointment with Dr. Atkinson, everything went well except for my weight is up to 455 lbs. The good news is “June 11, 2003” is the tentative date for surgery. That’s eight weeks away a long time and hopefully goes by fast. Everything still needs to be approved by insurance company, once they have an approval my day may move up sooner. All we can do is hope and pray for the best. The surgery will be the Lap-RNY, however it could change to an open procedure based on what they find during the surgery.
This past weekend was a good weekend, one of my relatives (My Aunt Carol) came to town to see Las Vegas, the surrounding area and checking the cost of real estate. I have not seen her since the 80’s and she has never met my wife, so we spent some time together and showing her around town mostly driving, not able to do a lot of walking. We even had a nice ride to Parahump about 60 miles west of Las Vegas to see some land My Uncle Pete owns this was my first time out there. Then a visit to Red Rock Canyon and then to Hover Dam and then a stop at the Sahara Casino and the Buffet for dinner.