enjoylife

what hospital was that?

IT'S NOT THE SIZE OF THE TOOL, THAT MATTERS... IT'S HOW YOU USE IT. lol:tt2::drool::thumbup::wub::sneaky: Now that's funny!

Thank you all for the information. I am scheduled for March 20, 2008. I have all kinds of questions running through my head and I am on this site everyday reading posts and blogs. By the way Susan4794, I loved the advice you gave the newly banded person that wants her band removed after only seven days. You were very kind and informative. Sue Magoo, thanks for teliing me about what those doctors said. TerriDoodle, thanks for that visual picture of the 8.8 cc in a 10 cc - that does make sense to me. I have a high BMI (I'm ashamed to say it is 50) so I may be considered for having a larger band anyway based on what I am reading here. Of course I will ask my doctor how he makes that decision. Thanks to all who took part in my poll. As for those of you who thought this thread was about "something else".... well I'll try to do better next time!! dirty minds...

Hopefully cases like yours will make your insurance company change its policies to included coverage for weight loss surgeries. Good luck to you and thanks for the fyi.

Can you say it to someone else? Someone who would be willing to be your sounding board? Can you write it out? Maybe not here, but somewhere that you can be totally honest. Or maybe a therapist? But you know, it may open old wounds, but it may be a good idea to just say it to whomever you feel needs to hear it. I mean face it, they may be old wounds, but apparently your's have not healed. I hope it works out for you.

What's the difference in band sizes? I have read about 4cc, 10 cc, and 14 cc size bands. Does the doctor choose the band size or does the patient have a say in the matter? Is it based on the size of your stomach? Does a smaller band offer better restriction or does it limit your restriction? Anyone with information regarding any of this please respond.

Maybe I shouldn't be getting the band. I have a surgery date of March 20, 2008. My information was sent to the insurance company on Dec. 5, 2007. After a month :frown: of reviewing they said I need two more clearances - cardiac and pulmonary. Ok, that makes sense. I get those. My last appointment was on Feb 13, 2008. On Feb 22, 2008 I call the surgeon to make sure they have everything, and its a good thing I did because they don't have the pulomonology clearance. I call the pulmonologist - my clearance letter has not been typed yet:cursing: - nobody knows why:angry: :biggrin:. "Don't worry," they say, "we'll take care of it today". They do. The Surgery scheduler, Natasha, sends those off to the insurance company. Today, March 6, 2008 I call the insurance company to find out what is holding up my approval. I have been online checking everyday. I know that another woman's surgery was approved and our stuff was sent on the same day. What did they say:confused2:? "We are still waiting for your pulmonogy and cardiac clearance"!!!!!!!:tt2: So of course I call Natasha - she is out for the day:scared2:. The person I spoke with cannot find either of my clearance letters!!!!! I'm sitting at my desk, but I am screaming. I'M SCREAMING ON THE INSIDE. I AM SOOOOOOOOOO ssssccccrrrreeeeaaaaming!!!!!!!!!

Maybe I shouldn't be getting the band. I have a surgery date of March 20, 2008. My information was sent to the insurance company on Dec. 5, 2007. After a month :wink: of reviewing they said I need two more clearances - cardiac and pulmonary. Ok, that makes sense. I get those. My last appointment was on Feb 13, 2008. On Feb 22, 2008 I call the surgeon to make sure they have everything, and its a good thing I did because they don't have the pulomonology clearance. I call the pulmonologist - my clearance letter has not been typed yet:cursing: - nobody knows why:angry: :thumbup:. "Don't worry," they say, "we'll take care of it today". They do. The Surgery scheduler, Natasha, sends those off to the insurance company. Today, March 6, 2008 I call the insurance company to find out what is holding up my approval. I have been online checking everyday. I know that another woman's surgery was approved and our stuff was sent on the same day. What did they say:confused2:? "We are still waiting for your pulmonogy and cardiac clearance"!!!!!!!:cool2: So of course I call Natasha - she is out for the day:scared2:. The person I spoke with cannot find either of my clearance letters!!!!! I'm sitting at my desk, but I am screaming. I'M SCREAMING ON THE INSIDE. I AM SOOOOOOOOOO ssssccccrrrreeeeaaaaming!!!!!!!!!

Is there a web site that I could go on to read about these cases? Were they patients of the same doctor? In the same hospital? Were the deaths back-to-back or spread out over a few years?

now that is a reality check for me - or it could be that my stomach is churning and my head is flipping because I can barely tolerate the sight of my own blood, let alone someone elses. the second photo looks like you're healing nicely. thanks for the insight.

When you go for consultation (or call your doctor) and find out what you have to ohave done before surgery. Like get cardiac clearance, pulmonology clearance, psychological clearance and visit a nutirtionist. Get eyither your primary care physician or your surgeon to write you scripts for all of that stuff. - oh for my pulmonologist i needed at chest xray and a pulmonary function test before the actual visit - otherwise i would have had two visits - one to tell me to go get those things and one for them to review the PFT and x-ray before writing the clearance. ANYWAY, get all of that done ASAP, then all you have to do is have yor surgeon's office submit ot the insurance company and then wait for approval. I hope this helps.

Hey Kim, continue to hold on and keep the faith. Your son - love him, but you are right, he is an adult and his actions do not reflect on you.

Good Luck. You can do it. These two weeks will allow you a rebirth. You are worth the hunger pangs!

i didn't know i could buy a refurbushed ipod! thanks for the info!!!

I wrote a post about my pulmonary function test, but I guess its gone. Oh well, that's the price you pay for progress and updates. anyway, I had my PFT. It was a blast - pun intended. Sitting in an office and wrapping my mouth around a wide plastic short tube:ohmy: was not comfortable. Blowing my breath out until I felt like my lungs would collapse was even less fun. Taking four pulls on an inhaler - now that was just plain nasty:confused_smile:. I feel for anyone that has to use an inhaler. I did not know that they tasted so nasty. It's no wonder my ex-boyfriend would put off using his inhaler until he couldn't stand it anymore. I was so light-headed by the end of the session. It was worth it though. I needed that PFT for pulmonary clearance. I have that appoint on the 2/13/08. I actually made three appointments - the other two are on 2/14 and 2/22. I'll have to call and cancell those two. I just kept making appointments until I could get one early. I'm trying to have surgery sometime around 3/21 or 3/24. I have that time off from work and school so that would be the perfect time. So waiting for 2/22 to see the pulmonologist was pushing it too close. At least the 13th gives me an extra week. my information was originally sent to my insurance company on 12/05/07 - it took them over a month to say, "we need more information." Specifically, they wanted cardiac and pulmonology clearance. So this is my last step before resubmission. Please Lord, let this be it. Let them say, "YES!!!!!!!!!!!":thumbup:

I wrote a post about my pulmonary function test, but I guess its gone.:rolleyes2: Oh well, that's the price you pay for progress and updates. anyway, I had my PFT. It was a blast - pun intended. Sitting in an office and wrapping my mouth around a wide plastic short tube:ohmy: was not comfortable. Blowing my breath out until I felt like my lungs would collapse was even less fun. Taking four pulls on an inhaler - now that was just plain nasty:confused_smile:. I feel for anyone that has to use an inhaler. I did not know that they tasted so nasty. It's no wonder my ex-boyfriend would put off using his inhaler until he couldn't stand it anymore. I was so light-headed by the end of the session. It was worth it though. I needed that PFT for pulmonary clearance. I have that appoint on the 2/13/08. I actually made three appointments - the other two are on 2/14 and 2/22. I'll have to call and cancell those two. I just kept making appointments until I could get one early. I'm trying to have surgery sometime around 3/21 or 3/24. I have that time off from work and school so that would be the perfect time. So waiting for 2/22 to see the pulmonologist was pushing it too close. At least the 13th gives me an extra week. my information was originally sent to my insurance company on 12/05/07 - it took them over a month to say, "we need more information." Specifically, they wanted cardiac and pulmonology clearance. So this is my last step before resubmission. Please Lord, let this be it. Let them say, "YES!!!!!!!!!!!":thumbup:

i can't even see a surgical scare! whoever did your surgery, did a great cutting job. its amazing how quickly your body is showing weightloss changes. you look good. i think i'll do this when i get mine done.

ok, i feel stoooopid. but in my defense, the first time i opened your post, the only thing i saw were the emoicons. now that i see your pictures, i get it. you look wonderful - no past wonderful - beautiful. i'm inspired.

I haven't been banded yet, but I wish you well on your journey. This is a wonderful site. You are going to get so much support and information here.

does that mean you got approved?

This is size 4 This is size 3 This is size five:eek: I have decided that I will not be submitting anymore entries with tiny writing. Nobody wants to read that crap - and only a few probably can! :biggrin: so I'll look assnd decide what I like 3, 4, or 5. Which do you prefer?

This is size 4 This is size 3 This is size five:eek: I have decided that I will not be submitting anymore entries with tiny writing. Nobody wants to read that crap - and only a few probably can! :rolleyes2: so I'll look assnd decide what I like 3, 4, or 5. Which do you prefer?

My paperwork was submitted on December 5th. It took over a month for them to say, "We need more information." To be specific, they want cardiac and pulmonary clearance. I almost immediately :biggrin: set up an appointment with a cardiologist. I'm glad I went to see him. It was very kind, yet straightforward. Apparently my fist sized heart has been working over time pumping blood through my Mac truck sized body. My left ventricle is slightly enlarged. No need for panic or alarm - just the realization that I do in fact HAVE to lose weight. I mean my knee, hip, and back pain are tiresome and can bring my spirits way down when its bad (and it can get really bad) but the thought of me having heart problems on any level is frightening. I have a five year child. Heart disease runs in my family. I have to do better. I have to start making better food choices right now. Its not fair for me to risk not being here because I like food. I like food, I really do, but I love my child. So I am going to start a food journal. Not here - I'm not on here enough for that to be effective. I would like to start tomorrow, but I think I should start today. If I ate an extra thick peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast - which I did - I ought to own up to it and write it down. So yea, i will start today. Now to get my pulmonolgist clearance. I can't seen to get an appointment before Feb. 22nd. That's not good because I want to have surgery on March 21st which is Good Friday and the first day of Spring Break. So I have taken to phone stalking the pulmonologist's office. I have called three days in a row. Once to make the appointment. Yesterday to get an earlier date (no luck), and today to try to get an earlier date (got the answering service instead). So of course I will be calling back again today - before 12 noon because then they will close for one hour for lunch. Hey they've got to eat too. I hope they don't get disgusted with me. It seems that I have such a long wait because this doctor works with lung cancer patients and for some reason this region gets more than its share of lung cancer patients. SO when I think about it - my case really isn't all that important - somebody else is a battle for their life. I am too, but it just doesn't feel like my case is as urgent. Let's pray that I don't have a heart attack. I'm serious. Well, I guess I need to try to get some work done. I also need to be dialing that pulmonogist's office again. Later.

My paperwork was submitted on December 5th. It took over a month for them to say, "We need more information." To be specific, they want cardiac and pulmonary clearance. I almost immediately set up an appointment with a cardiologist. I'm glad I went to see him. It was very kind, yet straightforward. Apparently my fist sized heart has been working over time pumping blood through my Mac truck sized body. My left ventricle is slightly enlarged. No need for panic or alarm - just the realization that I do in fact HAVE to lose weight. I mean my knee, hip, and back pain are tiresome and can bring my spirits way down when its bad (and it can get really bad) but the thought of me having heart problems on any level is frightening. I have a five year child. Heart disease runs in my family. I have to do better. I have to start making better food choices right now. Its not fair for me to risk not being here because I like food. I like food, I really do, but I love my child. So I am going to start a food journal. Not here - I'm not on here enough for that to be effective. I would like to start tomorrow, but I think I should start today. If I ate an extra thick peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast - which I did - I ought to own up to it and write it down. So yea, i will start today. Now to get my pulmonolgist clearance. I can't seen to get an appointment before Feb. 22nd. That's not good because I want to have surgery on March 21st which is Good Friday and the first day of Spring Break. So I have taken to phone stalking the pulmonologist's office. I have called three days in a row. Once to make the appointment. Yesterday to get an earlier date (no luck), and today to try to get an earlier date (got the answering service instead). So of course I will be calling back again today - before 12 noon because then they will close for one hour for lunch. Hey they've got to eat too. I hope they don't get disgusted with me. It seems that I have such a long wait because this doctor works with lung cancer patients and for some reason this region gets more than its share of lung cancer patients. SO when I think about it - my case really isn't all that important - somebody else is a battle for their life. I am too, but it just doesn't feel like my case is as urgent. Let's pray that I don't have a heart attack. I'm serious. Well, I guess I need to try to get some work done. I also need to be dialing that pulmonogist's office again. Later.

I used to be obsessed with it. Now I try to stay a way from the scale - not do it every day. However, I still have to weigh myself like five times back to back on the days that I do weigh in. Its like I can't trust the scale so I keep getting back on to see if it changes for the better or worse - weird I know...