Jumping Through the Hoops

Interestingly, one the "requirements" that I have to meet before I can have the surgery is that my primary care physician has to "sign off" on the surgery.  I guess that means he has to send a letter recommending me for the surgery or stating that I'm healthy enough to have the surgery.  That seems a bit bizarre to me since fat folks don't have the reputation for being all that healthy.  Ironically, according to the data that I've seen this surgery can be very helpful to people suffering the side effects. People with type 2 diabetes get huge benefits.  Blood pressure drops, cholesterol levels go down, etc.  So, essentially, my PCP has to verify that I'm healthy enough to have an operation that ostensibly will make me healthier.  In reality, I think it's more CYA.  My problem is that I don't really have a PCP because I haven't been to a doctor in over 5 years.  In fact, I don't even remember my former doctor's name and if I recall correctly she moved out of state several years ago.  So, I had to find a doctor and essentially inform him that I am going to have this surgery and he is going to sign off on it. 

I am also required to have a full panel of blood tests done.  Several years back I had blood tests run for the first time and I was really scared as to what they'd show, especially with regards to cholesterol levels and the like.  Those tests came back and showed that, despite my weight, my levels were really, really good.  I'm not sure how that is, but it has remained true since then.  About a year ago my wife was shopping for health insurance and they needed blood again.  My tests again came back clear.  Not sure how I pulled that off but I'm glad for it. 

I may have mentioned before that the only long term "side effect" that I've ever had from my weight has been my blood pressure which has always been borderline.  I remember having the county health nurse take my pressure when I was in high school and tell me it was high.  It's just always been that way.  Well the new PCP noted that it was heavy too and he put me on a pill to help out.  Funny thing is it's just a water pill that means to extract excess water from my veins, making them more pliabe and lowering the blood pressure.  I'm due to go back to his office on December 21 to get looked at again.  I don't know if my blood pressure is down but I do know that for the past month I've been peeing out my ears!  Seriously, every time  go to the bathroom it's like I'm 6 years old again and having so much fun playing that I forgot to pee and then have to spring to the restroom at the last moment before I wet my pants.  So far I haven't done so.