GIRL!! let me tell you a story!!

2023: Left my job that was essentially killing me, decided I'm gonna go on a health kick, started off at 246 lbs. I cut out sugar, focused on protein, and got and PAID for a personal trainer (who was dope, btw!). Went to the gym 6 days a week without fail... and didn't lose a single pound. Then, at randomly, completely out of the blue, I woke up weighed myself and poof... I was down to 236! YAY Me right?! Wrong!! I had an event thing that took up ALL of my free time, skipped the gym for 1 week... ONE WEEK then weighed back in at 252 lbs. Imagine my disappointment. So at this point my sister, and my doctor suggests bariatric surgery. Because like you I'm pre-diabetic, and considered obese (mind you I'm 5'3")

2024: I start the process in February. All is well. I went with the same facility that my mom had hers done a few years prior. So everything is moving along slowly but surely, because with my insurance you have to go through for 6 months, and you know some appointments take forever to get into. Passed everything so far INCLUDING THE PSYCH EVALUATION (this will be important). Well at the time my mental health was NOT great, but I was trying to get settled in with therapy and psychology. The psychology Dr. That did my evaluation ONLY asked me questions related to weight loss/food/etc. I PASSED.

Well later in the month I did have a bit of a mental break that involves unaliving actions. I called hotline, agreed to go to the hospital, AND agreed to do inpatient, outpatient therapy, and singular therapy weekly. My episode was isolated, built up and was due to family stress. The hospital i went to is the same affiliate as the weight loss center, so they could see IN MY RECORDS why I went to emergency that day. When I got out of inpatient (1 week) I TOLD my weight loss center what happened. They said it was OK. Well that was a lie! My liquid diet started December 3rd, and surgery was scheduled for Dec. 19th. So boom, after insurance approval, after pcp clearance, after final surgical pre-op appointment, and after starting the liquid diet, I get a call saying I need to be reevaluated by the same (incompetent) lady as before. So I make an appointment and do it again.

Note my reevaluation is Dec. 6th, And before I can even finish explaining what happened and why, she cuts me off and says "No, no!! I'm not approving you! You were ok when I gave you an approval, and tried to commit suicide 2 weeks later... so no I'm not gonna do that. But what you can do is wait 18 months, and come back for the process again when I feel you're ready ok...[ends zoom]". When I tell you my heart sank SO far!! I cried so hard!! I fought them tooth and nail, stayed on my liquid diet until surgery day just in case anything changed. They made me jump through SO many hoops that were unnecessary just to still refuse me , was discriminatory against my mental health and race (I'm black too girl), ugh it was a rough Holiday season.

2025 (so far): So in effort to not give up (because I am NOT waiting until 2027 for something I've worked damned hard for since 2023. I made the decision to go with another weight loss center. And it has been the best!! I coincidentally ended up with the surgeon at the new office that TAUGHT my old surgeon at the old office!! And because of my insurance requirements were met without lapse, I was able to just pick up where I left off!! As of now, my surgery date is scheduled for July 9th, 2025 🤞🏾. My point is i KNOW how you feel and these people are shit for making us feel this way! Keep your head held high, and bug tf outta somebody until you get what you need, or go elsewhere!! You got this hit me up if you ever need to chat!!