Hollee's Weight Loss Success Story ((in progress))

Losing weight can be EXPENSIVE when it comes to replacing clothes.  I'm sure it comes as no surprise that NOTHING I owned pre-surgery fits now after losing 100+ pounds. I've bagged my clothes and donated them many times, and replaced them with hand-me-downs and loads of purchased items, only to turn around and donate those.  I always thought a clothing swap would be an awesome idea, but I just don't know enough people around to do that with. This morning I discovered Gwynnie Bee and signed up immediately, especially after realizing the first month is FREE!!  (and you can cancle at any time in those first 30 days to avoid being charged for the second month).  You can choose 1, 2, or 3 items to be sent to you at a time, but those can be swapped out at any time, as often as you'd like.  I chose 3 items of course.  (after the free trial, you can choose up to 10 for various prices).  Shipping is free, and if you damage an item, that's okay- you aren'...

Have you ever stopped to consider how food addiction is different than any other thought you have?  I know some people like to think that they eat 'mindlessly', but I completely disagree. There are only 5 things the brain is capable of processing in 'real time'.  Five. Sight. Sound. Touch. Taste. Smell. EVERYTHING else our brain processes is based on the past.  We aren't capable of processing non-sensory information in real time.  For example, you're doing a math problem-- that isn't real time.  It is all based on thoughts you've had before, things you've learned before. You're having a really bad day, feeling crappy, stressed, upset, etc.  All of those thoughts and feeling are based on something that happened five minutes ago, yesterday, last week.  A reminder of how you felt when something simlar happened before. So when you're experiencing sensory input, that is real time information, and it has the capability to block out al...

My head is in upcoming surgery land. I can't focus on much of anything other than surgery. My mind is swimming with vitamins, and to-dos, and what ifs.... I'm excited and nervous and ready to start over.  I need a fresh start with this weight loss thing.  I've been stuck around 250 FOREVER!  I was feeling a little bit of a failure over that for a while, but I have to remember that I've lost 100 pounds (+/- 5 depending on the day) and that's not something to sneeze at! But I get a new start, and that's exciting and scary all at the same time.  Before getting the band, I watched the procedure online.  I tried to watch RNY online and couldn't do it.  I may try again before surgery, or I may leave well enough alone. 25 more days.

I was banded on September 17, 2012. I can't help sensing that it is a good sign that my surgeon randomly chose September 17, 2014 as my revision date.  I will have my lap band removed and be revised to RNY gastric bypass on my 2-year bandiversary. I did get approved for the sleeve when they reversed my decision, however I have thought about it A LOT.  My surgeon feels strongly that RNY is the best option for me due to the amount of weight I still have to lose and my acid reflux, so I should listen to him.  I didn't listen to him initially, which is why I'm in the situation I'm currently in.  For the band I will not grieve, RNY will be my reprieve.

I will have a surgery date in the morning!  OMG, I am so ecstatic!

When I first started "thinking about" weight loss surgery, I wish I'd done more research.  But I'm the kind of person that once I get something in my head, I am all in.  I don't test the water with my toes, I dive in head first.  Someone told me that I couldn't succeed with the band, and damn it, I was going to prove to her that I could.  Except I'm not sure how that worked out for me really.  I worked the band, and it worked for me.  Until something happened.  We call it a leak, but there is really no 'proof' of a leak.  If you've been following for a while, then you know what all has gone on, so there's no reason to re-hash that part. But there are days where I have bursts of anger.  Anger that I did EVERYTHING I was told to do, and now I am going through this anyway. Days that I am angry that I thought I could have the band removed if I ever needed to and it would be like surgery never happened.  I am an intelligent female, why di...

Just a quick update that I'm feeling very optimistic about my most recent appeal. Yesterday I got the letter from BCBS acknowledging receipt of my appeal.  It included in it the name and telephone number of the person handling my case. So this morning I called her and in my sweetest voice I told her that I was concerned because I couldn't find documentation of an ER visit from March 2013 but BCBS was my insurance company then.  She located it, but stated that she had looked through my case and I had "more than enough" documentation and this one ER visit wouldn't make a huge difference. She took my phone number and said she would be in touch if there was anything she needed. It very much sounded like she is going to approve me.  24 more days to wait for an answer....

For my 300th post today, I want to share with you all my appeal to my insurance company, which I will be sending to them today: To whom it may concern: Please accept this letter as supporting evidence for an appeal to BCBSNC’s decision to deny coverage for revision of bariatric surgery from my current Lap Band to roux en Y Gastric Bypass.   It is my understanding, based on your letter of denial dated 02June2014 (initial submission) and again 22July2014 (peer-to-peer review between Dr. Jin Yoo and Dr. Lawrence Woo), that this procedure has been denied because “there is no perioperative or late complication of previous bariatric surgery per coverage policy AND there is insufficient serial records that there has been post-operative compliance with diet after the previous bariatric procedure, 9/17/12”.   In summary, I refute that there has been no perioperative or late complication of previous bariatric surgery, as I have been diagnosed and received treatment for GERD...