A date certain - Maybe

June 10 is the date the surgeon has set for my surgery. While I am not happy to have to wait that long, it is beyond my control. I might as well get happy. I am happy that as far as I know, all hurdles have been overcome.

I will have to pay $1500 to satisfy the insurance company and $2500 to satisfy the doctor. Everything else will be covered, or so they say. So we will have $4000 out of pocket expense up front. I am most thankful we can pay this through the blessing of God. However, that is a prohibitive amount for many people.

I also have to meet with three different doctors to get all the pre-operative work done. We start on those appointments next week. More hoops, but as I understand it, these are not approval hoops, but implementation hoops. That is OK.

The reason the surgery is delayed until June 10 is because it is the first day the surgeon has completely open. He intends for me to be the only surgery that day. I am of moderate risk due to my size, so he wants to be able to give me his full attention. That is a good thing and worth waiting for. While I do not expect any complications, I am very aware of some of the risks inherent in this surgery. However, my quality of like issues make the risk/reward equation one I am most comfortable with.

My wife and son and family will have to reach their own peace with these risks. I hope they are fully informed and cognizant of the possibilities. I will ask the surgeon to be most explicit with my wife at our pre-surgery appointment.

So, on May 6 we will meet with one of the surgeons who will be in the operating room. On May 18 we talk by phone with the bariatric nurse at the hospital. Then on June 8 we meet with the surgeon then with the anesthesiologist. Then about 6 or 7 am on June 10 we will show up for the surgery. Normally the hospital stay is 3 days. That's about all I know.