reallyrosy

Were u pleased and are you happy with your choice now? That's most important

Thank you, nreah! I need to hear these positive messages. Hugs!

Yesterday, I freaked out and decided not to have surgery in the morning but in the afternoon, id changed my mind again! I suspect I'll be up and down like this for the next 2 weeks. However, I asked my personal trainer if she would add a 3d day for us to meet until the surgery and she agreed so I have that to look forward to on Friday and perhaps it won't be so terrible. I greatly admire anyone who is going thru this completely alone. My friend had agreed to go to MX with me if I went there. But I'm gonna be in new haven not too far from home and still clutching at hher willing hand. I wonder what would be a suitable gift for this woman? Any suggestions are very welcome! So, that's where I am. Right now, calm...but in 5 minutes, I might read or see something another person experienced as a negative and freak out. Plus the stupid ball game is on tv and I can't zone out to House! If the yankees don't play, there ought not be a series on tv!

Hi folks, I'm going to be sleeved, please God, on 11/7 by dr. Andrew Duffy of Yale New Haven Hospital. I'm in the hartford area but opted for this group. What are your dates?

Betty... All the best to you!

Dr Pleatman posted a. Link to a webiste where folks can petition cms to cover vertical sleeve gastectomy over in the insurance part of the forum. Could someone make that a sticky until the end of the month when solicitations are no longer accepted and perhaps post a lead to it on the main forum? Thanks

Oh yeah! Hopeful spirit! I can connect with all you write.I too don't want to buy 2 seats to fly to florida for a visit! Aside from bring the most embarassing moment, its so uncomfortable. Know what my goals are? Learn to ride a horse and spend a real vacation at a dude ranch! Walk my dog more than 2 blocks. Want to do anything at all and be able to entertain the thought without worrying: I'm too fat to fit in ....whatever. Wear clothes I actually like rather than whatever c,overs me. I've never had a chance to live without restriction. Now I will! Let's keep in contact so we can share our journey later. Today, I signed up with the personal trainer for a 3d meeting a week. Hope to keep me busy and not over think. Hugs!

I added my comment. I said that vsg provides the most choices for leading a normal life afterwards and that private companies are sponsoring the procedure...why should senior citizens be denied access to the most desireable procedure. I also pointed out the enormous amount of positive annecdotal information available on various listervs and said there's gotta be a kernel of truth here Basically, I told them to google it but I did thank them for considering my comments. The govt loves to be thanked...maybe that'll help. Thanks for providing the link

Can non professional add their comments or is this open only to medical personnel?

Hi, Free2b How do you distract yourself when the doubts start to creep in? I almost wish I was still working so I could bury myself in other problems. Trying to muck through without thinking too much about it. I wonder if I should try to increase the number of times I meet the personal trainer just for these last 2 weeks? How do others deal with this stress?

I'm the same way: won't weigh myself unless I know I'll be pleased with the result. I worked so hard to lose these last 9 lbs I don't want to gain them back from surgery that's supposed to make me weigh less! Oh the irony! Of course I will be in touch. I just need to get thru the next 14 days. (Clutching)

Hey, AZ senior...I'm due for my sleeve on november 7th. Thanks for writing this. This morning, I was watching the sleeve surgery videos and reading @ the pain nd decided NO way! I'm 66 and too old for this kind of invited trauma. Now you chime in just when I'm thinking negatively. Other thing thatg happened was a doc who swims at the same pool as I decided to tell me what a great thing I'm doing by coming to the pool so so frequently. So we chatted nd I told her @ the sleeve and sh encouraged me, too. Gee, we have a saying "meant to be"...I guess this was a sign that it is indeed "meant to be". How much are you losing and are you still on Clear liquids? How is the reflux? Do u have it???

My plan is the same and that is wht I am going to do...pay whatever bcbs doesn't cover. Its less than 29,000. I was going to pay that, myself. I absolutely cannot afford to wait any longer. As I told Monty, I'm a stroke wating to happen. My lungs and my heeart cannot tolerate the obese conditions much longer. I've lost 6# and (thanks to the incompetence of the first surgeon's office from 2010) a full year of my life. I'm praying for no complications and to emulate some of the success stories we read about in these forums. I'm 66. I don'tfeel that I have the luxury of time to mess around. Yes, I'll ask the surgeon pertinent questions @ the sise of the bougie he uses, but I think I would consent to a pickax and scissors and just get this over with, n o w! Good luck with your decision as well.

I must've misread u because I thought u were telling me and Monty to get the advantage plan. So your supplement will pay what medicare doesn't cover????

What a lovely message and great inspirational post to those of us still worried and dithering re our surgeries. I hope I have some of your good fortune and I hope yours and your husband's will continue. Thanks

Which is why comparing wt alone is silly. Age is a huge factor, too. Amt of energy expended daily is huge, amt consumed is a factor. Fagedaboud it. You know what? You didn't gain 77 lbs did ya? Go do a happy dance and keep on pluggin

Thanks, monty. Medicare is a federal program. The states got nothing to do with it. The supplemental medicare programs are state controlled. That's what I understand. But the fed gov't sets what medicare covers on a national level so if I can get it here thru medicare, you can get it there thru medicare. Promise

Initially I was quoted 24,000 but just before they gave up trying to convince me to do rny or an approved surgery. They told me it had gone up another 5,000 to 29,000. I was going to go for it anyway. Then I called bcbs and relayed to the hosp what they'd told me: if the doc pre certifies it as medically necessary then bcbs will pay what medicare doesn't. So this hospital is kindly running with that. The first hosp I tried a year ago, that surgeons office refused to follow thru on the information about bcbs paying wht medicare turns down. It has made me paranoid. I am worried, I'll wake up with a sleeve and a hole in my pocket. I can be prepared to py or I can be prepared to be covered but I don't like surprises and I have an instinctive distrust of all insurance coverages. They lie. They tell providers one thing and consumers something else. For what reason would medicare have a code for a procedure if they don't cover it? Bah obama, bah the u.s. health care system...if it is soooo wonderful as obama preaches, why are he and michelle and the kiddies exempt from it? Why isn't congress part of it? Hah????? Oh well. Going to get busy here. We're not quite opposite ends of the country, monty, but its a lovely fall day here. Whould u like me to send you some red and gold leaves???? <grin>

Hi Monty. I'm in CT. I read recently that cms is going to decide whethr to approve vsg b y oct 30. Might be a nice halloween trick or treat! Sigh.

What causes the nausea? Is this heartburn? Are u on a med for that, too? And, if I may ask, what size bougie did your doctor use? Congrats on being "ahead of the game".

As did my doctor's office as well but it ain't approved til it is approved and medicare is notriously slow to move in any direction. (Except up in fees) I'm cleared to go for the surgery, I'm told but I am hoping to have somethin in writing from an insurance co

Hey, me, too. I'm not as excited as you are. I thought I would be bouncing off the walls but, instead just find it difficult to focus on the everyday stuff and keep my 'secret'. Wondering why I'm not sharing with everyone. Reading some of the latest horror stories and hoping for better results. Knowing I can't do anything different at this point unless someone will kidnap me and wire my jaws shut for 8 weeks.... I do believe I've reached the end of my rope. Either I do this surgery or I resolve to live a life of consequences of obesity. Going for surgery and different living. Good luck to you.

I got a date for 11/7. Medicare won't cover but mysecondary will cover what medicare rejects. So at least I won't pay 100%. As for petitions...ain't gonna help nobody now. Your date is rapidly approaching, Ruthie, how are you doing with that? Monty? How is your sleeve working for you?

Care to share? I haven't had my preop yet but the surgeons offi,ce called with a date of 11/7 Do I ask questions? I never even met the doc

Good luck, Felicia. I hope I can share the sense that things are moving rapidly.