PGee

{{{{ HUGS }}}} for you. Pity parties are allowed.
This is not a race, it's a journey. Remain steadfast & be encouraged. Try to add 1 additional minute more to your walk every other day or so. BE that Little Engine that could. It's easy for me to give advice right now, b/c I'm pre-op. But if/when I get to where you are, come encourage/poke me as well. I'm going to need it.

So glad you posted that about Facebook....was afraid I was the only one LOL But want to keep this off facebook. Welcome all our newbies.....I'm preop, but have been lurking for a few months. waiting on insurance....

Please check out this website that gives out grants for Weight Loss surgery: It's the Weight Loss Surgery Foundation of America.
Full Grant Applications will be accepted July 1, 2013 – December 2013.
*Qualified surgeons can refer patients in need. Referred patients may submit a completed application packet to the WLSFA between dates listed above.
*Qualified surgeons are US Bariatric Surgeons that are ASMBS Center of Excellence Certified & members of FACS or have ACS BSCN Accreditation & members of FACS. US Plastic Surgeon who are Board Certified by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons ASPS
Who is Qualified to Refer Patients for Grants?
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Doctors must refer patients with the WLSFA online Referral form. A referral letter from the Doctors office is not accepted.
If you are a referred patient: Access the Referral Guidelines and application forms CLICK HERE
If you are a qualified surgeon:
Please send an email to Send Email to request a password to our secure online Referral Form.
The referral process is on line and secure. Your surgeon will request a password via email and they can complete their referral form on line. Referring doctors will be required to print a copy of the referral to give to the applicant to include in their application packet.

To Help You Prepare
All referred applicants must be 18 years old or older and will be asked to provide the following required information with their grant application:
· A letter of referral from your surgeons office via the WLSFA online Form.
· A Completed Application Form
· A Completed Financial Questionnaire
· If Insured: Verification of insurance denial – including appeal
· Verification of loan denial from three different sources
· Verification of public assistance denial ( Medicaid, Medicare, State Programs) (If quailified for these programs)
· Contact information for character references
All applicants must answer the following questions:
· Agree to raise 10% of the funds required for your grant? (The WLSFA will assist in the fundraiser)
· Willing to be an Ambassador for the WLSFA? Appear on Television, Radio, Print and On -Line
· For Weight Loss Surgery Only – Agree to attend support group provided or recommended by your surgeon for one year
The Selection Process:
The selection committee bases it’s decisions on financial hardship and patient effort only.
All required information must be submitted with the application including an essay. The essay can be up to five type written pages telling your story. The Blinded grant application (the applicants name and contact information is removed) along with the surgeons referral is reviewed by the selection committee who selects the finalists. The board of directors of the WLSFA choose the actual grant recipients from the finalists for each grant cycle. The number of grants awarded is based on the funds raised in that grant cycle. There is no guarantee any grants will be awarded.- See more at: http://www.wlsfa.org/looking-for-help/#sthash.N5ofEYyf.dpuf'>http://www.wlsfa.org/looking-for-help/#sthash.N5ofEYyf.dpuf
Full Grant Applications will be accepted July 1, 2013 – December 2013.
*Qualified surgeons can refer patients in need. Referred patients may submit a completed application packet to the WLSFA between dates listed above.
*Qualified surgeons are US Bariatric Surgeons that are ASMBS Center of Excellence Certified & members of FACS or have ACS BSCN Accreditation & members of FACS. US Plastic Surgeon who are Board Certified by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons ASPS
Who is Qualified to Refer Patients for Grants?
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Doctors must refer patients with the WLSFA online Referral form. A referral letter from the Doctors office is not accepted.
If you are a referred patient: Access the Referral Guidelines and application forms CLICK HERE
If you are a qualified surgeon:
Please send an email to Send Email to request a password to our secure online Referral Form.
The referral process is on line and secure. Your surgeon will request a password via email and they can complete their referral form on line. Referring doctors will be required to print a copy of the referral to give to the applicant to include in their application packet.

To Help You Prepare
All referred applicants must be 18 years old or older and will be asked to provide the following required information with their grant application:
· A letter of referral from your surgeons office via the WLSFA online Form.
· A Completed Application Form
· A Completed Financial Questionnaire
· If Insured: Verification of insurance denial – including appeal
· Verification of loan denial from three different sources
· Verification of public assistance denial ( Medicaid, Medicare, State Programs) (If quailified for these programs)
· Contact information for character references
All applicants must answer the following questions:
· Agree to raise 10% of the funds required for your grant? (The WLSFA will assist in the fundraiser)
· Willing to be an Ambassador for the WLSFA? Appear on Television, Radio, Print and On -Line
· For Weight Loss Surgery Only – Agree to attend support group provided or recommended by your surgeon for one year
The Selection Process:
The selection committee bases it’s decisions on financial hardship and patient effort only.
All required information must be submitted with the application including an essay. The essay can be up to five type written pages telling your story. The Blinded grant application (the applicants name and contact information is removed) along with the surgeons referral is reviewed by the selection committee who selects the finalists. The board of directors of the WLSFA choose the actual grant recipients from the finalists for each grant cycle. The number of grants awarded is based on the funds raised in that grant cycle. There is no guarantee any grants will be awarded.- See more at: http://www.wlsfa.org/looking-for-help/#sthash.N5ofEYyf.dpuf'>http://www.wlsfa.org/looking-for-help/#sthash.N5ofEYyf.dpuf
http://www.wlsfa.org/looking-for-help/
Weight Loss Surgery Foundation of America
Saving lives one grant at a time

Top of Form


Grants

Full Grant Applications will be accepted July 1, 2013 – December 2013.


*Qualified surgeons can refer patients in need. Referred patients may submit a completed application packet to the WLSFA between dates listed above.
*Qualified surgeons are US Bariatric Surgeons that are ASMBS Center of Excellence Certified & members of FACS or have ACS BSCN Accreditation & members of FACS. US Plastic Surgeon who are Board Certified by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons ASPS
Who is Qualified to Refer Patients for Grants?

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Doctors must refer patients with the WLSFA online Referral form. A referral letter from the Doctors office is not accepted.
If you are a referred patient: Access the Referral Guidelines and application forms CLICK HERE
If you are a qualified surgeon:
Please send an email to Send Email to request a password to our secure online Referral Form.
The referral process is on line and secure. Your surgeon will request a password via email and they can complete their referral form on line. Referring doctors will be required to print a copy of the referral to give to the applicant to include in their application packet.


To Help You Prepare
All referred applicants must be 18 years old or older and will be asked to provide the following required information with their grant application:
· A letter of referral from your surgeons office via the WLSFA online Form.
· A Completed Application Form
· A Completed Financial Questionnaire
· If Insured: Verification of insurance denial – including appeal
· Verification of loan denial from three different sources
· Verification of public assistance denial ( Medicaid, Medicare, State Programs) (If quailified for these programs)
· Contact information for character references
All applicants must answer the following questions:
· Agree to raise 10% of the funds required for your grant? (The WLSFA will assist in the fundraiser)
· Willing to be an Ambassador for the WLSFA? Appear on Television, Radio, Print and On -Line
· For Weight Loss Surgery Only – Agree to attend support group provided or recommended by your surgeon for one year
The Selection Process:
The selection committee bases it’s decisions on financial hardship and patient effort only.
All required information must be submitted with the application including an essay. The essay can be up to five type written pages telling your story. The Blinded grant application (the applicants name and contact information is removed) along with the surgeons referral is reviewed by the selection committee who selects the finalists. The board of directors of the WLSFA choose the actual grant recipients from the finalists for each grant cycle. The number of grants awarded is based on the funds raised in that grant cycle. There is no guarantee any grants will be awarded
- See more at: http://www.wlsfa.org/looking-for-help/#sthash.N5ofEYyf.dpuf'>http://www.wlsfa.org/looking-for-help/#sthash.N5ofEYyf.dpuf

Welcome, and congratulations!!!! It's interesting to see how doctors' recommendations differ.....for me it will be a week of Clear Liquids, then a week of full liquids, then a week of puree.....and perhaps by the 3 or 4th week soft foods.....Best wishes

Thank you all! I'm officially in the 'waiting for approval' stage....but I'm not that anxious about it.....maybe it's age LOL
I haven't hit menopause....but I am on medicine that prevents my period...I'll be on it for another 4 years (to fight off breast cancer recurrence)...it'll be interesting to see if that has any effect....
Good reminder not to compare the rate of weight loss success with others....thanks again!

Okay you fabulous & 50 sleevers, had a quick question...is there anything different for VSG patients 50 and over (for instance is the weight loss slower?) Anything I should know?
I'm hitting 50 in a few short months, and was just wondering if there's anything age related that's not being discussed on other boards....Many thanks!
On a side note, my NUT has seen permanent weight loss success more often with patients in our age bracket than patients in their 20's...thinks its a maturity thing (this is her personal experience only)....that's encouraging!
I don't have a surgery date yet, but after talking with the surgeon's office, and if approved, I may be looking at a mid August date for surgery.
Many thanks!

congrats, and good luck!

I am 8 months out from my surgery last November. I only told specific friends and one family member. My response to everyone else is "I came to the point in my life that I needed to make major changes in my lifestyle so I could be healthy". I just leave it at that and not one person has snooped further or bothered me about it.

I hope to be one of those skinny beotches that gets cold when its 80 degrees instead of sweating like a roasting pig!

The thing about these numbers are they are averages based on a small group that would have been studied which means that it is easy for the numbers to be way off if there were people in the study who totally didn't follow the plan and lost little or nothing. I personally am also at 70% at 7 months out and still losing and if you look at the posts on here most have lost over that 60% from what I can tell. So in other words I totally agree with Nicolanz don't let these studies dissuade anyone with proper following of the plan I believe much better percentages are definitely achievable.

Cindy, sending you cyber hugs.....I can't imagine losing a child as young as Jonny.....nor can I imagine grieving the loss of a child and worry about two little ones at home who need their mommy....
I know of two non-profit support groups (free) I think they both have chapters nationwide and are non religious based, run by people who have walked the walk....their members will all have different stories, each grieve the loss of a child differently, but we all go through similar emotions/situations.
If you want info, send me a PM.....I am currently not a member of any group...but one of them helped me tremendously when we lost our only child 4 years ago.
Remembering him yearly is an awesome idea....a balloon release or butterfly release, plant a tree in his memory....volunteer with the family one day in his honor....donate a book or two in his memory to the local library or women's/children's shelter, have the other children each pick out a book.....or donate a package of diapers to a diaper bank/shelter...a can of food or two to a food bank or Soup kitchen..it doesn't have to be expensive....or making a special family play day to honor his birthday...
If I can be of any help, just PM me. You are not alone [[[hugs]]]

Cindy, sending you cyber hugs.....I can't imagine losing a child as young as Jonny.....nor can I imagine grieving the loss of a child and worry about two little ones at home who need their mommy....
I know of two non-profit support groups (free) I think they both have chapters nationwide and are non religious based, run by people who have walked the walk....their members will all have different stories, each grieve the loss of a child differently, but we all go through similar emotions/situations.
If you want info, send me a PM.....I am currently not a member of any group...but one of them helped me tremendously when we lost our only child 4 years ago.
Remembering him yearly is an awesome idea....a balloon release or butterfly release, plant a tree in his memory....volunteer with the family one day in his honor....donate a book or two in his memory to the local library or women's/children's shelter, have the other children each pick out a book.....or donate a package of diapers to a diaper bank/shelter...a can of food or two to a food bank or Soup kitchen..it doesn't have to be expensive....or making a special family play day to honor his birthday...
If I can be of any help, just PM me. You are not alone [[[hugs]]]

Good luck to you all going in today ! May God bless you & may u have a speedy recovery ... I'm right behind you ...

Today is the day good luck to all my fellow sleevers in the name of jesus protect us all today and may we have a speedy recovery !

Cindy, sending you cyber hugs.....I can't imagine losing a child as young as Jonny.....nor can I imagine grieving the loss of a child and worry about two little ones at home who need their mommy....
I know of two non-profit support groups (free) I think they both have chapters nationwide and are non religious based, run by people who have walked the walk....their members will all have different stories, each grieve the loss of a child differently, but we all go through similar emotions/situations.
If you want info, send me a PM.....I am currently not a member of any group...but one of them helped me tremendously when we lost our only child 4 years ago.
Remembering him yearly is an awesome idea....a balloon release or butterfly release, plant a tree in his memory....volunteer with the family one day in his honor....donate a book or two in his memory to the local library or women's/children's shelter, have the other children each pick out a book.....or donate a package of diapers to a diaper bank/shelter...a can of food or two to a food bank or Soup kitchen..it doesn't have to be expensive....or making a special family play day to honor his birthday...
If I can be of any help, just PM me. You are not alone [[[hugs]]]

I was talking to my hubby about what to expect immediately after post op.....its just the 2 of us.....I told him the first week or two post op he'd be on his own for meals, while I was on Clear liquids. He thought I was joking.
He's a wonderful guy, but nurturing (or cooking) doesn't come easily for him. As long as he knows what to expect ahead of time, he's fine....I figure with planning I could have some meals in the freezer for him to nuke......I can't imagine cooking while being sore and on Clear Liquids.
How did you handle meals for your significant other/family immediately post-op?
Thanks!

I had to laugh at your DH's comments.....I'm expecting something similar LOL
I'm a little concerned about the girls.....I already have one a little deformed from a lumpectomy....I hate to think what it'll look deflated LOL [but, really, if that's an issue, I'll get a lift]

This is really important for Pre-surgery peeps.... There are 8 videos, each one is less then 10 minutes and the content is awesome. It's everything we'll need to know to make this surgery work for us !!! Please take the time to watch these.

Cindy, sending you cyber hugs.....I can't imagine losing a child as young as Jonny.....nor can I imagine grieving the loss of a child and worry about two little ones at home who need their mommy....
I know of two non-profit support groups (free) I think they both have chapters nationwide and are non religious based, run by people who have walked the walk....their members will all have different stories, each grieve the loss of a child differently, but we all go through similar emotions/situations.
If you want info, send me a PM.....I am currently not a member of any group...but one of them helped me tremendously when we lost our only child 4 years ago.
Remembering him yearly is an awesome idea....a balloon release or butterfly release, plant a tree in his memory....volunteer with the family one day in his honor....donate a book or two in his memory to the local library or women's/children's shelter, have the other children each pick out a book.....or donate a package of diapers to a diaper bank/shelter...a can of food or two to a food bank or Soup kitchen..it doesn't have to be expensive....or making a special family play day to honor his birthday...
If I can be of any help, just PM me. You are not alone [[[hugs]]]

tigerbelle-I was sleeved on the 8th and have lost 35. We are not that different. You are doing awesome. Please don't be discouraged.

I really am grateful that i'm not in my 20's or even 30's - I DO wish I could have done this in my 40's but they didn't have it. I just think we're smarter at this age, i'm not sure if i'm any more patient, but I know that I never expect anything to be easy.

I am 55.. had the sleeve on April 8th... I am down 44 lbs. I would never ... ever have lost this much in what 3 months??? nope never... its all good and I am feeling fine... energetic ... walking every day... and working my sleeve...

I am 50 and menopausal. I feel I am losing at a great rate. I was also diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 1998. I am now in remission. That feels awesome. I walk every day for an hour. I eat low carb and my sleeve has healed completely, at least it seems that way.

I am 52 and am 4 months out. I am very pleased thus far with the results. 53 pounds down. 13 was pre op so 40 since surgery. That's 10 pounds per month on average! Others have lost faster but I don't at all consider it slow. I have not lost anything this last month but I am losing inches. I think that at our age, our bodies do take longer to adjust to the loss so it doesn't surprise me that longer adjustment period my be required during this loss. I am hoping any day though to get on the scale it see it moving again.
That said, my eating plan that my surgeon and NUT have me on is not low carb. It is just the basic rules of the sleeve, Protein first, veggies and fruits second and carbs last. It is their belief that just eating healthy will achieve the results. I am 2 pounds away from where my NUT wants me to be at 6 months so I am on track for that goal for sure.
I also think we are much more patient with the process. We know the weight didn't come on over night and are fine with it taking a while for it to come off. In the meantime, we are all enjoying healthier and more active lives!

I'm 50 and a slow loser (I don't care how fast I lose AT ALL). The most important thing to me is preserving/improving my health. I want to stay active in my daily lifestyle. Right now, I am the most physically active non-athlete I know.