karen091866

Praying for a smooth recovery & bounce-back for you. One thing that all / any of us on this forum need to be truly grateful for is observant, attentive surgeons and care teams - & it sounds like you're in good hands. As a nurse of nearly 25 years (and less than 48 hours pre-op as I write this post), I know that complications can occur..and whereas scores of suregeries go off without a hitch or a hiccup, there is always going to be that "0.0001%" where someone experiences an unplanned detour. I will keep you in my prayers that you bounce back stronger and more determined to "master the sleeve" than you ever were before, hon. --You've got this...and you've got a world of support right HERE...whenever you need it. [[[[[[ hugs ]]]]]] Karen in Monroe,WA

Wow! Lots of life- changing events and good vibes being shared! Let's do this! =)

I have United Healthcare (Optum / PPO plan through my husband's employer) ...and when I made my decision, the prerequisites were: 1) I had to register w/ a BRS Bariatric Resource Support through UHC Bariatrics...they assigned an RN to me, who followed me along the way, making sure that everything got done & nothing was overlooked. (the supervised dietician visits, the psychiatric eval, the labwork)...AND 2) the biggest prerequisitve was that the surgery location HAD TO BE a 'center of excellence'...a location that had a minimal track record of post-op complications, as did the surgeon. THAT being said, I did have to change surgeons mid-stream ..I sure wish I had "Yelped" the place my primary care provider had initially referred me to...YIKES... Fast fwd--> I'm good to go for this Thursday, 11/19/15, with a wonderful surgeon. ---Just because the surgeon is a UHC provider doesn't mean that they meet all of the strict prerequisites UHC has for this type of procedure. I can't encourage potential surgery candidates ENOUGh about the Yelp review bit...Never did I expect to read what I saw about the initial physician / location. Once my dietician visits were complete, I scheduled my procedure the very next day...so if you haven't already, call UHC customer care and ask to speak to someone in bariatrics...NOT general surgery. Best of luck to you..I'm sure it'll all smooth out...I've been covered by UHC for over 15 years and they're nothing short of wonderful. [[[[[[ hugs ]]]]]]

SO happy for you! My surgery is this Thursday, 11/19/15 & I'm right with you...so excited to finally "be here" after all of the appointments, tests, evaluations...Let the HEALTHY begin! Hope everything goes AWESOME for you! [[[[ hugs ]]]]

Veggie burgers ARE amazing! Glad it tasted yummy and exceeded your expectations. Isn't it wonderful how we appreciate new tastes and textures along this journey? =)

To kadie777.... I am over the top excited. As we all know, it takes many months of prep work to get to this point. I am jazzed...to say the least! ✨????????

I fall into the 'extremely private group'...My husband, and 1 of my 2 children (the one still attending college & living @ home) are the only people that know. When I think about anyone @ work knowing, I cringe...I'm just "THAT private". To me, sharing personal health information with anyone seems to be asking for unwanted gossip, drama...and this is such a personal, intimate, life-altering decision for me, that I don't consider it to be something I care to broadcast..The positive changes and health benefits will be MY well-deserved outcome...The masses don't need to know about my personal choices--they aren't paying my insurance or bills...so it is my choice as to who knows.

Hello! My surgery is scheduled for Thursday, 11/19/15 @ Virginia Mason in Seattle..We live in Monroe,WA.

Hello, there! I'm still PRE-op (surgery date 11/19/15) --but my surgeon suggested using Miralax. As a nurse, I've given Miralax to others for YEARS..and "know that it works"...so that is what I have on hand. Hope it resolves quickly..you can buy generic Miralax, btw...a lot cheaper than name-brand

I am scheduled for surgery 11/19/15 and my surgeon has informed me that I will have a PCA (patient- controlled analgesia) pump afterwards..so I can manage my own post-op pain. Some insurances do not cover PCA... That may be the pump / detail that is causing a glitch. Just a thought...

Dr. Lily Chang- Virginia Mason Bariatrics @ The VM hospital in Seattle WA

Being new to this group (and 2 weeks PRE-op, I am so grateful for these forums...it helps me "get in touch" with what to expect so I don't freak smooth out when "I feel" something has veered off my preferred plan. I don't know any of y'all---but already feel like a kindred spirit to so many, having felt, thought and experienced the same things. To Original poster: Deep breath! Your body has been through some major drama & the "injury" of surgery takes months to completely heal. (I'm a nurse)--- 6 weeks for initial healing, 6 months for total healing. So go easy on yourself. [[[[[[ hugs ]]]]]]

Hi, everyone! I'm new to this site..My surgery is scheduled for Thursday, 11/19/15 @ Virginia Mason w/ Dr. Lily Chang. I am so glad to find a WA support group...I'm "a few miles away" from most of the posters...we're out in Monroe,WA--but it is so comforting to find "local support" ..I'm on the pre-op diet phase right now--and it is encouraging, amazing, overwhelming..all sorts of emotions...as I get ready for this life-changing event on 11/19/15. I hope to get to know y'all better as we make this journey together!