grandmasoon2b

Has anyone had Dr. Wright do their surgery? I was at a WLS support group a couple months ago and she was recommended...but I would like more than one or two people saying she is good. :confused: I'm hoping that UNMC will be approved when I am ready to roll. IF not, who would anyone suggest at Creighton to do it? (I'm not thrilled with Creighton hospital, but I want this done and I can survive one or two days there). Thanks! Laurie

I'm confused. :cry I thought that the doctor's office was the one that contacted the insurance to help you get ok'd? :help: I am planning on going to one of the meetings in Omaha in August (depends when grandson arrives) to get going. I have my GP's approval, so next is the required informational meeting, then the doctor meeting. I know that I was told that I had to bring the last 2 yrs. medical records with me to the meeting. Soooo.....could someone go into more details? :confused: I'm not looking at Dr. McBride, so is this common for all docs or do they do their own thing regarding when they see you and such? thanks! Laurie

I haven't had surgery YET! But am also being very careful about who I tell. I have 5 daughters, all teenagers or in young 20's. They see the tv shows about "skinny" people and feel that they are "fat". They have seen me try and try and try again to lose weight over the last several years and every time I started a new one I got "another diet?" They would roll their eyes and bulk and laugh and ask how long it would take. Over the last couple of years my weight has gone even higher than it has ever been, I have been fighting severe depression, sleep problems, severe arthritis and pre diabetes. I have a huge family history of diabetes and heart problems, as well as high blood pressure. My mother died at 56 from complications of a surgery, stroke and sudden death. She was obese and in her autopsy, it stated that she looked at least 10 years OLDEr than her stated age of 56. THAT was 9 years ago 4th of July weekend this year and since then I have openly balked at being fat. I'm exhausted from the trials I have put my body (and family) through. who ever knew that one so desperate would literally try anything (cabbage Soup? ICK!, apple cider vinegar to drink with every meal?) to lose weight. The best I did was with Richard Simon's food mover, and that only worked to get 60 pounds off and I was still about 75 lbs over weight. I gained it all back and now I am over 310 lbs. NEVER in my life did I believe that I would get this FAT! I've lived through my kids refusing to go to the bus stop for school because of the names other kids would call me, or that we didn't HAVE to go to a school program because I couldn't sit in the chairs. I have cried over all of this. I have given 21 years to my girls (all 5 are girls!) and hubby. I have come to the conclusion that if I don't have the band done I won't have another 21 years to give them, and having lost my mother while I was in my 30's, I know how hard it is on a child. I love my girls, my soon to be grandson in August and my hubby, but it is time that I, as a mother, learn to love myself enough to take care of ME! I have to put ME first, probably the first time in my life, but if I want my children to be happy, my hubby to be happy and most of all ME to be happy, I have to do this! I have told my kids, my best friend in the whole world and my hubby. I have the support of my hubby, my best friend and two of my daughters. Two of the girls don't quite understand the whole thing, so they are not against me as such just not sure about the whole thing, and the fifth, believes like the rest of the world does about fat people. She tells me to get up and EXCERISE AND QUIT EATING SO D**** MUCH and I wouldn't have a problem. Need I state that this child is a gorgeous size 11 with all the curves in all the right places? My oldest daughter has had her fight with weight problems and knows already the pressures of life. My hubby is 300% behind me, though he reminds me that he loves me no matter what size I am. My GP looked like he was going to dance for joy when I suggested it. He said that he will do whatever he can to get me the surgery and is thrilled that I have researched it and know what I want and that I WANT to take control of my life. I can't wait to get moving on the road, but I have a couple of things yet I have to do before the balls really rolls. I have three brothers, and I have told only one of them. I don't care what anyone else says, knows or what they care. This I am finally doing for ME, MYSELF AND I. Me? I want to be happy, off of medications and enjoying all the things in life that I love to do. Myself? Heck, I'm selfish, I want to wear some of these cute clothes that are out there, I want to buy OFF the rack instead of having to hunt and hunt and hunt for things to wear. I? I am ME and I want what I want and I am willing to do whatever I have to do to get it! As for what the rest of the world has to say about it, screw them! Have they lived my life? Do they deal with MY problems? Do they understand the REAL explanation and consequences of obesity? If they haven't walked in MY shoes, eaten at MY table or talked to ME, they have no clue what it in my head, heart or sole. Power to everyone who has taken this walk, I am proud of you!!!! For those of you who are stepping quietly and carefully like me, you have everyone's support here and from me, and I hope that we can all be the support that we all need and can use. This is a scarey step, a worry of what if...and a look at the other side of a new lifestyle. I'm excited, scared and worried, but if we all chose not to do things that gave us these feelings, there wouldn't be alot of things, or children in this world. :girl_hug: You can't be successful if you don't try! :target: Hugs (sorry so long winded lol, I have a problem with not just eating but with shutting up!) Laurie

Thanks for your reply. I finally rec'd an email reply from Creighton, they have just been approved as a Center of Excellence. BUT the surgeon I would like to use doesn't do her surgeries there. She is at UNMC, but I rec'd an email from them as well and they are just waiting for a visitation inspection or something like that and they will also be a Center of Excellence. yeah! Laurie

Ok, I have completed ALL the testing MY doc required me to do before he would refer me to have the lap band walk. So, now I need to know if anyone knows if Creighton U. hospital has in fact been approved for the Center of Exellence regarding the lap band. I was told in a weight surgery support group a couple of months ago that they were in the process and that they should have it by June 1. I am just wondering if any one here knows. I emailed the hospital and they won't answer. Also, does anyone have Dr. Cori McBride for their surgeon? I have heard good things about her and think that I am going to ask for a referal to her. She does her lap bands through Creighton, and that is why I am wondering about the Center of Excellence thing, as medicaid / medicare will ONLY permit a Center of Excellence to perform lap band surgery. Thanks! Laurie

Hi All, I really, I promise, didn't drop off the face of the earth...it just tried eating me up! LOL Whew, I'm so glad that May is about over....I HATE May! We had three kids with birthdays, two of my broter's and one nephew, add to that a high school graduation and college registration and I"m pooped! I talked to my doc and he said after some other tests (had to check my thyroid and blood glucose and am having a sleep study done) because of servere tiredness (I can't seem to sleep more than a couple to four hours at a time and want to take naps every couple of hours during the day, it is really hard to get things done!). The thyroid and blood glucose are fine. I do the sleep study on Tuesday night and then it is a 4 to 7 day wait to see the results of that. THEN he told me that all I have to do is give him the name of the doc I want to see and he will get it all set up for me! He also took down all the info on the diets I have been on and said he will do anything and everything to help me get the band! WOOOHOOOOOO! I'm hoping that the info I was told is correct, if so, Creighton (and Dr. McBride) will be a center of excellency as of June 1st. I will be contacting them ASAP to find out. I found that my deceased sis in laws mom would also like to have the band done and we had planned to do it together, but last week I found out that they discovered a heart condition that will require her to have a pace maker put in, so now I'm no sure if she will be a candidate for the band. Does anyone know???? i was looking forward to having a "band" partner for the trips back and forth and for support locally. Any news from anyone on what's up :drum:. OHHHHHHHHH, yeah, the new grandbaby is a little boy, he has had his due date moved up to August 12th. We are sooooo excited (and he won't be spoiled one little bit! LOL) Hugs! Laurie

I have medicare, is he considered a center of excellence? I have to see my regular doctor first to be able to be referred to another doctor via medicare. If anyone here has gone through medicare / medicaid can you tell me if it was REQUIRED for you to see a nutritionist for 6 months? I know that medicare / caid doesn't cover it and there is no way I can afford it. I'm wondering how after 14 years of dieting I can get over this hump. Thanks! Laurie

Actually I was at a support group last night and found out that there is another place that is 'a center of excellence' now in NE so I will be talking to my doc about it. The young lady said that Creighton University hospital is now one. If it is true that is awesome because it is only about 2 1/2 to 3 hours from me instead of about 6 hours away. MUCH nicer travel time. Thanks for your info, I will check there as well. Laurie

Hi! My kids are older (teenagers) and don't go to things like that any more. I don't have a problem with listing everything that my weight causes me problems with. How about walking? I have severe arthritis in my feet (I can hardly stand to stand up in the mornings), knees and lower back. Brusitis in my hip, GERD, severe depression, inability to work. I would love to be able to get out and work again, but I'm in so much pain so much of the time that I just can't, thus am on disability. I found info on the medicaid coverage and it says it has to be from a "center of excellence" and the only one of those I can find in NE is in Scottsbluff. Quite a distance for me, but even my hubby agrees if we have to drive that far we will. I'm so tired of being tired and in pain. As to the documented 6 mo to a year of medically observed weight loss, 14 years of a fight, have had dr put me on a diabetic diet trying to lose. Lost, gained back, then did low cal, lost and gained back. Just a frustrating circle. Now doc is telling me to walk, he is a skinny little guy and I don't think he quite understands that just because logically I should be able to exercise and such that physically I can't. there are days I can hardly walk from the car into a store to get groceries, but he refuses to give me the paperwork for handicapped parking. Those days I have to take a daughter or hubby so that they can drop me off and park, then pick me up. I'm still doing lots of research, I'm going in prepared and hopefully he will support me on this. Hugs! laurie

Hi fellow Nebraskans! I'm from Minden/Kearney/Hastings area. I am hoping to get banded this fall. I have to bring it up with my GP and such yet, but that is this month. I have a question. I hope someone can answer for me! I have medicaid coverage and from what I have found they will cover the band HOWEVER it has to be an "approved" doctor (they have chosen). At this point I only see the doctor in Scottsbluff being the one approved. Are any of the ones in Lincoln or Omaha approved? It is like double the distance for me to go to Scottsbluff instead of Lincoln/Omaha and with four kids still at home (though all teenagers) I don't want to have to spend LOTS of time on the road (though will if I don't have a choice, I want this BADLY!) Thanks so much! Also I'd love to hear more about the doctors and the requirements they have and the procedure itself. Thanks so much! Laurie

The first day of a new journey! Congrats! And relax, I HATE IVs...but it will get you to your journey! HUGS! Laurie

I'm glad that you were able to get it! Self pay is not an option for me unfortuantely. I will have to beg, plead <or beat up> medicaid if they deny me. :confused: I'm anxious to see how every is doing with their bands and watch the weight come off with all of you....and am HOPING to join you all in August or September. Hugs Laurie

My poor family! I don't know how many "weird" diets I tried. Interesting what desperation will lead you to isn't it? I loved Atkins, but with my "hungry all the time" I gained weight on it. My brother lost and bragged and I gained. I hated him! The one that did the best for me was Richard Simmon's food nmover. I lost 80 lbs with it, met him in person and everything....and then gained it all back PLUS 30 lbs. GRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I think I have had it with "diets". I am looking forward to the band where I can learn to eat healthy and in SMALL amounts.... Laurie