Let's get the week started!

Good morning!

Insurance Update

I finally got an update from the doctor. They said that they received a response from the appeal and insurance denied again. However, the carrier told them to resubmit using a different code. They did that and insurance denied again saying that I needed to prove that I have GERD before they would approve the procedure. So, now I'm waiting to schedule a pH test. Has anyone done that?

My understanding is that a doctor places a (very uncomfortable) tube in your nose down to your stomach. You wear that tube for 24 hours and whenever you have symptoms, you push a button that causes the device attached to the tube to record your pH level. I actually have no problem with this requirement and kind of think that it is something that should have happened as soon as we started talking about surgical treatment for GERD. I think my symptoms are so acute that the doctor is sure without this test, but I get why insurance needs it. My big concern is that I have to go without my meds for days prior. That is going to be awful, quite frankly. BUT, there are people out there living with cancer, chronic pain and other issues, so I can deal with this.

I hope they get it scheduled soon. I'm starting to get (only slightly) concerned about being healed in time for Rio.

Rio

Speaking of Rio! BFF & I got swimming tickets! There are two things that stress me out about it:

1.   Someone else got them for me and I don't know them all that well. It is a trusted friend of a trusted friend so I feel sure that it will work out, but I don't think I will truly believe it until the tickets are in my hands this summer!
2.   The tickets are for our first night. We get in at 7am and the event is at 10pm, so there should be no problem. However, last night a flight from Miami to Milan had turbulence and stopped in Canada overnight. I know the odds of something like that are very small, but again, until I'm in my seat watching...I'm sure I will have a little anxiety. 

But overall, I'm just so excited about the trip. 196 days until we leave!!

In the meantime...

I haven't been eating badly, but I have not been working at it either. My workout schedule is not bad. I'm averaging over 20 minutes a day for the year so far which is great considering I was sick the first week.

It has been hard to really focus on my food intake for a couple of reasons. First, since October, I thought I would be having surgery in January. No alcohol or caffeine for months, no solid food for weeks. Whether I'm having the surgery specifically for weight loss or not, there are eating/drinking rules that will have to be followed. It is hard to self-impose when you know that is coming.

Additionally, I'm freaking hungry. For the last four or five years, I have had what I assume is normal hunger. Now that the band is no longer functioning, I'm having hunger like I did for most of my life and honestly, it sucks. It is really hard to make good choices when you are that hungry. Also, when it takes more food to satisfy you, you are more limited on what you can eat. As many of you know, you can only take so much chicken and broccoli.

That being said, I can't just wait until the surgery comes about. I have to take control of the situation. I'm not going to lie...even as I sit here and type this, I feel like I'm going to fail. But last night I tried to walk through my triggers and challenges and come up with a reasonable way to combat them:

• Busy week, when do I work out? Okay, I like working out so I started with the easy one. I walked through the week and found time for 3 workouts. That is not great for me, but as long as I get in all three, I will take it.
• How do I combat eating out Tuesday night? We are going for Thai with a friend on Tuesday. So I read up on good Thai choices. Additionally, I will offer to drive and will skip the alcohol.
• My work serves meals three days a week and they aren't usually healthy, what to do? This is tough because it is hard to turn down free, easy and decently tasty. Also, it is served buffet style so it is WAY to easy to oversize your portions. But for this week only (I will worry about following weeks later), I'm bringing my lunch. I won't even go into the lunchroom today. I brought my amazing homemade tortilla soup and it will be delicious. 

I put my mind to absolutely anything else and I KNOW I would succeed. I don't know why this is so damn hard for me, but I know I'm not alone. I just have to keep fighting.

Hugs!