My Surgery Date is Scheduled!

5 more months and then bye-bye to this stomach!! 

Gosh you guys! I was so nervous for this appointment. It think it was more about what it represented than the actual appointment. Sure, I had a few more questions left but just knowing I was scheduling the actual surgery date set me into the shakes and tears.

I have this fear that I’ll end up worse off after surgery. 

I went from knowing absolutely nothing to knowing way too much. However, in order for me to truly move on, I had to follow this path. I was thrown for way too many loops the past few years, so I had to know it all before moving on. 

All of those loops makes it really hard for me to trust anyone.  Every plastic surgeon does a few things differently, which initially sent me spinning out of control. I just wanted everyone to agree that THIS way was the exact best way for me. However, that just doesn’t happen. For example, there is a lot of debate over how many layers of stitches to use when sewing me up. I thought I probably needed at least two, but my surgeon said maybe. He will see how it goes. Sometimes, less is better because there is less space for scar tissue to  accumulate. However, I have also heard another layer is better for someone like me with such an extreme case.

It is all super overwhelming but at some point I just need to trust my surgeon. He seems so confident and excited for me. He does a TON of research. I had to book this guy 6 months in advance. People come to learn from him. He gets my athletic goals. It’s time to let go and believe.

1. Lipo? Pros and Cons since I genetically carry fat in my belly. Too unnatural? Any reason not to have it done?

No lipo!

2.              What technique will you use?

He will lace me up like a corset. Two layers are possible depending if he thinks I need it once he is in there!

3.              Is there a video where I can watch the technique?

I didn’t ask this one. I decided I was okay the way he explained it.

4.              Ask again to make sure there is no mesh being used and if there is that it will dissolve.

NO mesh.

5.              Ask again about pulling muscles in too tight and NOT overlapping.

He is going to pull them together but they will not overlap.

6.              IAP monitor use?

I didn’t ask this one either. I am going to see how recovery goes. I’ll be taking it slow.  

7.              Sutures: What material is being used? Okay to stay in my body the rest of my life?

It all seemed fine. He explain it like fishing line.

8.              Sutures: Barbed wire kind? 2 layers and do they sew them up using two different patterns?

He didn’t like the wire. And the second part of this question was answered above.

9.              Anesthesia: what kind and why?

I”ll be knocked all the way out so my muscles don’t twitch.

10.           Thoughts on hospital overnight stay?

I’ll be sent home. I am finally at peace with this. Before it freaked me out.

11.           Can my PFPT watch the surgery?

YES! She is going to watch :)

I made it very apparent that whatever happens when I am on that table during surgery is to make the call on function over aesthetics. Don’t get me wrong. I do NOT want to look like this anymore but my #1 goal is function. He was joking and asking me if I lost a watch that he might find in there. It was pretty funny, and he made me laugh hard. But he said maybe he might find more hernias in there but they will all be repaired the same way with no mesh.

12.           BILLING: once I have new insurance next year I need to see the best way to go about this since hernia part will be covered but the rest and most of it will not be. Could billing just the hernia portion to the insurance somehow make the the rest of the surgery cost more? How does this normally work?

13.           When are payments due?

OH billing- this is a totally different issue for another time. Overall, it is terrible that insurance will not cover this procedure. I am really super bitter and angry about it. My doctor said he would love to fight that battle on the big stage one day.

The reason I haven’t even bothered to attempt to try to fight it is that my insurance is terrible anyway. We pay 1200 a month for private insurance for our family. If we go to the doctor, we just have a co-pay but anything above and beyond a visit- we have a 13,000 deductible. We will see if we have better plans to choose from next year. It didn’t use to be like this. If we do, then I will at least try to get this covered by my insurance.

Right now, we owe 8,840 and this is without the hernia repair (since she was assuming it would bill to insurance). So, if I still have the crappy insurance it will probably be 10,000? I don't know. And, at U of M we have to pay 2 weeks before at pre-op. It's all just shitty. 

But yet again, financials aside, the surgery scheduler/biller just could not say enough amazing things about my surgeon.

I have spent enough time in the negative researching all of the things that can go wrong. Positive thoughts only until April 8th. It's go time. Those dresses in the basement are waiting for me!