three sixty six

last wednesday was my one-month-to-go day! woot woot!

thursday was my first final. yeah we're not gonna talk about that.

i have a take-home final and a huge paper (that i haven't started yet) left - both are due on 5/14.

i am cleaning out my cupboards, fridge, and freezer - not only to save $ on groceries (over $4 for a gallon of milk?!), but to get rid of the foods that i won't be able to eat for a really long time (or ever!).

i pre-ordered a wii online and also pre-ordered the wii fit. i think that's going to help me get moving again. any wii players out there? it's really fun. i have to lose weight before i can play with my wii fit tho (there's a wt limit). but i will get there!

hope everyone is doing well. keep me posted on your progress!

I don't know about post-banding food issues, as I am not yet banded, but...

I'm sick of eating. I cannot wait for my liquid diet. I have been eating non-stop for 25 years and I'm tired of it.

I hope that lasts!

i'm here - sorta - coming up for air! on a VERY quick study break. the internet and LBT are time-suckers for me.

in the middle of finals hell week. will be back at my regularly scheduled posting soon (officially done on 5/14). hopefully not insane when i return.

goodness, i need prayers. this law school thing is testing my nerves.

Sue,

CONGRATULATIONS! What a wonderful milestone! Did you ever imagine that you could change your life so drastically in just twelve months?

It's an amazing, fantastic accomplishment, and you should be very proud!!

:tt2:

allison - kudos for going through with the sleep study!! the pulmonologist i had to go to for clearance thinks i have apnea, and suggested two nights of sleep study. i said "no thank ya!" if i have apnea, i'm not going to use a cpap. just not gonna happen.

i also can't imagine sleeping in a bed with people watching me or monitoring me.. how on earth are you supposed to be rested/how is that going to produce normal results? i dunno, the whole idea totally creeped me out, so i give you credit for going through with it!!!!!

I have Coventry too!

why on earth does everyone jump down my throat for having an honest opinion the rants and raves area?!

I see now why so many people leave this board. Too many attacks!

sorry this is belated, but HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :confused:

With everyone quoting the same response, it looks as though I've hit a nerve.

I'm not directing my comments at anyone in particular. I should have been clearer. My anger about those with much lower BMIs stems from the postings I've seen and the people I've met who are only recently obese; that is, those who have not struggled all their lives.

Regardless of your reactions to my comments, I'm sticking by them. I guess I *do* have entitlement issues, Ang. Thanks for pointing that out!

:cursing::cursing:RANT.:cursing:

The process so far has been, well.. annoying.

I've gotten a policy exclusion from my "oh so excellent" health care coverage provided by my employer.

I've appealed. Denied.

I've appealed to HR in my firm. Denied. They won't add the WLS rider.

Now on to the doctor. I wrote him a letter, asking for a discounted price of the surgery that would be equal to the write-off from my insurance company. Basically I asked to pay what my insurance company would pay (which after a phone call to the insurance co is 1/6 of what he's charging!). I know how much he gets. I know that if he gets 1/6 of what he charges from an insurance company, he can't bill me for the rest, so basically he has to settle for the 1/6.

Today I get a denial from the doctor.

I didn't have anything better to do with that $17,500 anyway.

Another part of my anger right now is that what REALLY bothers me is how I see people on here every damn day complaining about a couple of hundred (or hell, even a couple thousand) dollar co-pay. With BMIs in the high 30's, low 40's, mind you. Mine's over 50! Not to be a complete bitch, but I need this surgery more than someone who weighs 225. Sorry, but I haven't weighed that since high school. I would have a harder time w/o this surgery than you! I even met a woman in my doctor's office who looked skinny to me. Literally. Miniskirt and everything. She was "broke" but was on state healthcare (on welfare), and was complaining that she had to pay the $500 program fee out of pocket. Waah, wahh. Get off welfare, lady! Your designer shoes cost half the fee! That wacked sense of entitlement bothers me.

ARGHH I AM SO MAD.

Oh, and I just know that some people are going to tell me that this surgery is worth $1 million, and I should spend the $$ (and I will) and not complain (that, I refuse to do).

I'm just in a right state. Thanks for letting me vent.

Because you're a LB candidate, the odds of you getting approved for an individual plan are very slim. You have a high BMI and are probably un-insurable under an individual plan.

Good luck!

my first thought upon login today: "ooh, new format."

second, concurrent thought: "OOH! Boo Boo Kitty!!!"

You look so fab up there! Represent!! haha :rolleyes2:

hey everyone!

i'm a jersey shore girl at heart (born and raised).. transplanted to wilmington, delaware. it's just as fabulous as you would imagine. :thumbup:

good topic! i'm curious to see where everyone's from.

366: I used to work at a law firm in town. We did asbestos and insurance defense. I got a better job a little over a year ago at a different law firm. We do mostly asbestos defense. It is not real exciting, but holy cow is it easy to bill!

I don't blame you for not taking summer classes. It is tough working and going to school. I think you are wise to give yourself some time to get used to the band.

that is what i do!!! ok, what firm where you with?? i'm at elzufon. that is so funny!!!!!!!!

yes, finals are already happening! my first final is a brief and it's due tonight. i was up until 3am finishing it.. i cannot wait for summer!!!

my friends are pushing me to take summer classes with them and don't understand why i can't.. you see, i haven't told anyone but my mom, sister and brother-in-law (that's a whooooole 'nother thread), and boss (out of necessity). keeping this to myself for the past six months has been excruciating, but now that it's getting close, it's incredibly harder! i'm probably going to tell friends eventually, but i'm not ready. after the negative experience i had with my sister (too much detail to go into here), i am wary of telling people.

lynn, glad to see your first days back at work have been pretty good!

hopeinapril - 8 pounds is a LOT!!!! congrats!!

delaware: does the Isopure Protein Water help with the shakes/feeling like you're eating zero calories?

hey fairy! good job with the exercise. you can move it, move it :biggrin2:

last but not least, hello to Paige!! welcome to our little thread!! tell us about yourself...

366 - I keep forgetting you work at a law firm. So do I! What kind of law does your firm practice? I work for a defense firm.

me too! primarily defense work. my department handles environmental and general lit defense.. i'm downtown.. are you? that would be pretty funny!

I have been doing a lot of thinking about how I will need to replace food in my life. I am going to need to explore some new avenues to replace my stuffing my face all day. I get up in the morning and think about what food my day holds. I have some interests I have never delved into, and that is one thing I have thought of. My routine has been to come home from work, lie down exhausted and eat the restof the evening. Now I need to walk and then fill my life with new things. It is not like I believe that I will never enjoy food again, but my life can't revolve around it.

Does anyone identify with this, and what have you thought of to replace the obession with food.

My surgery date is April 23. Yipppeee.

i could have written this! in preparation for my surgery, i have taken up a couple of hobbies.

i just learned how to knit because i figured i need a television distraction.. y'know... other than popcorn!!

i'm also taking up scrapbooking.. what better subject than my lapband surgery!

another thing i'm doing in anticipation of a walking routine is exploring new music. i have a zune and a monthly pass to all the music i can listen to, so i am trying new bands and filling up my player. i won't want to stop walking when i have tons of new tunes to listen to!

i'm with you - who is that girl?? you look like a different person!

i bet it feels amazing. CONGRATS!!!!!!!!

Hey bandfan :wink2: I posted a couple posts back about the conversation I had with my mom. SHE actually brought it up! She had seen some things in the mail for me from my surgeon. She was concerned about a lot but I know that I can teach her more and help her feel more comfortable about the whole situation. Thanks for all the support everyone and bandfan, I'm sure your mom would be very proud of you ! :thumbup:

Allison

hey Allison,

glad things went well with your Mom. telling family members when you can already expect opposition (or at the very least, hesitation) is really difficult - I've totally been there! I'll be threading about my experience with my sister soon.

you hit the nail on the head, though - educating those who are unsure of what you're doing is the very best thing to do. I think people who are not sure of what you're about to do are the most reluctant to be supportive. the more they know, the more they will be able to understand. whether or not they exercise that ability is all up to them..

anyway, just wanted to congrat you on your difficult convo. doesn't it feel better getting it off your chest? :tongue:

hello hello! it was great meeting you tonight! let's keep this thread going, ok?

i love these logos! i'm gonna get creative when i get to my laptop.. i'm at work now and prolly shouldn't be here :ohmy:

side note -- HI everyone!!!

how many of these lil rice cakes can you eat (when you're properly restricted)?

...

i just took some "before" shots yesterday. i've been avoiding it like the plague. i had no idea how emotional that was going to be!

it was cathartic, though. needs to be done - everyone should take some! it's an eye-opener, that's for sure....

I nominate Brandy's new pic for the apple-witch-girl replacement!

:purplebananna:

holy CRAP Brandy, these pics are AMAZING! you look like a movie star! send 'em to playboy!!!