summerset

Thanks four your answer as well!

You're the second person stating that "the work was unfinished" before plastics. I guess I have (developed) a different view on this.

I certainly don't want to jump through some silly hoops again and delaying for months on end (either the pictures speak for themselves and I get approved or I'm going to self-pay and sue to try to get the money back; that's possible in Germany when you've been denied after appealing) - but it's not like this issue feels as... "urgent" like WLS did back then.

I don't feel like unfinished work (anymore?) and I don't think plastic surgery would somehow close a chapter in my life. There are chapters in life that will always continue somehow, "food issues" most likely being one of them.

Anyway, depending how insurance decides I will go for abdominal/mons lift and brachioplasty first, then breasts and thighs second. Butt, I'm not sure. Plastic surgeon claims that butt doesn't really need it. I guess I will wait and see how the butt looks in comparison to the rest when the other work is done. I don't have issues sitting or something so there is no way insurance will pay for this. Maybe lower body lift is an option after all for the first one. Not sure.

Good luck with your decision. The only thing I thought was urgent was arms! There is no way I could wear anything sleeveless without the surgery and I live in Florida. I told my doctor my goal is "cute, sleeveless dresses in the summertime!" I don't know if most docs do this but with mine you pay full price for the most expensive procedure and then 1/2 price for the rest. So it's better to do as much as possible each time. Keep in touch if you have any specific questions and I'll help you if I can.

Thank you! What my plastic surgeon offered to me is that either I can get combos because they're less pricy or - should insurance cover some procedures - to get a combo with half-self-pay so I can get e. g. brachioplasty or butt less expensive because I don't have to pay hospital stay and anesthesia then. That was one of my criteria for choosing the surgeon: does he offer combo?

There is no way insurance will cover either butt or arms because it's "not bad enough". Arms are almost never covered in Germany. In general it's getting better with WLS being covered but with plastics... forget it.

However, things are so much different in Germany when it comes to hospital stays and what post-op compression wear is available etc. - but thanks a lot for your offer. 😘

Gosh, I remember that time! And it has to be tougher for you, because you're so lean already! So you really don't have lots of reserves to at least quench hunger and create food ambivalence. ((hugs)). Are you vegan or lacto ovo vegetarian?

I'm neither. I eat mostly plant based except the occasional egg, tuna or salmon. But mind you, good tuna steak or wild salmon are either hard to get in my part of the country and/or really expensive so it's more like a treat than regular food.

With eggs it's a little bit like that I crave them sometimes, have hard boiled egg, scrambled egg, fried egg etc. and then I don't want to eat them for like a month or so.

I can't have dairy though. I usually use soy as replacement. Tastes best to me. I don't like the almond or oat stuff.

Ok, so try this. You can google or YouTube either Anthony Bourdain doing eggs this way or Gordon Ramsay. I think they will be soft enough to fit in with puree stage, but will provide savory "chew".

I make "soft scrambled eggs" by Tony's method. I cook them slowly (and usually I mix them 1 whole egg to 1-2 egg whites) and split with Mr. F. cuz the fat in the yolk doesn't always sit well with me. But at about the 3/4 way mark, I mix in a heaping spoon of plain Greek yogurt. And stir the crap outta it until it looks creamy dreamy with small curds of soft egg.

You can also spice it how you want. Sometimes I add a few drops of toasted sesame oil and beat a little tamari into it if I'm jonesin' for Asian...

Hopefully, yes.

However, even if not - the procedures that matter most to me (abdomen, mons and thighs) are covered. I'm partly self-pay because of wanting a lower body lift but since the surgery is partly covered I can get a normal sick leave for work (instead of using vacation days) which is a very important thing.

Appeal regarding breasts and arms will take time again. However, with two surgeries ahead, including the big lower body lift - it will take about a year before this becomes relevant again anyway, I guess. 😊

Hopefully you're fine with the pandemic and all?

Sounds like a good plan to break it into two surgeries. A year will go by quickly. I and my family are still doing well and hopefully the pandemic is in it’s final stages.
How are you and your family?

Ok, so far. We're all vaccinated and boostered and all... people are getting really tired of this whole pandemic stuff.

It's a 6 h surgery and tbh - I'm pretty scared.

Scared but maybe a little excited too? I think my mommy makeover was almost 6hrs. I’m always amazed by the endurance of surgeons and their teams.

Of course I'm excited! I'm so happy insurance approved for abdomen, mons and inner thighs! I'm half-self pay for the lower body lift so to say (IMO that's ok - if you want premium and not standard you should pay for the difference in price yourself). However, sick leave and anesthesia and hospital stay is covered by insurance and that's very important.

Breast and upper arms: there is still appeal going on but it doesn't really stress me out right now because it will be minimum 6-9 months before it would come to the third surgery anyway. Most important thing is that insurance will pay for the stuff that's bothering me the most. My inner thighs don't exactly chafe but the touch of the loose skin when walking when not wearing tight pants that provide a bit of compression is a really unpleasant feeling. It's very... weird. Hooray for running skirts when it gets hot again in summer!

Yes, I resigned today but even given the fact that everyone knew I would only be a 3-year add on and given the fact that I'm staying 3 months longer than originally planned... it was still a weird feeling to hand in that piece of paper this morning.

I will miss quite a few people a lot.

Wow 😮 cheers to moving on to bigger and better things

I don't know if it will really be better - but it will for sure be different. I'm going back to the hospital that sent me away for three years to get my board certification as a neuroradiologist.

It looked very good when I took a look at it on Monday. Big kitchen, both a shower and a bath tub! Big balcony.

Sounds great! Especially the big balcony

Awesome 👏🏻 congratulations

Yes, PH department was just like "Well, no quarantine for you, go back to work!" - yeah, the hell I won't with an infection of the respiratory tract. I'm on sick leave until the end of the week per my GP (waiting for the paper to arrive with mail as they don't want you to come in in person if possible).

Hospital is a bit more cautious than PHD and didn't press me to come back tomorrow. They suspect recent unnoticed infection and wanted me to come in today for drawing blood for antibody testing. So now I'm stalking my labs for the results from home via VPN-client.

So sorry to hear this ..... i'll keep you in my thoughts and prays for a speedy recovery. Praying that all goes well

Prayers luv! I am actually working on my PhD in Public Health, we do care luv! There are many testing underway and with all the political debates on how best to quarantine, there are strict guidlines in place. Unfortunate, an upper respiratory infection with a negative testing is a touch and go situation, especially this time of the year. As someone previously noted: keep track of your temperature daily as well as monitor your own symptoms. If your symptoms worsen, please seek immediate assistance, as we don't have all the answers. Please take care of yourself and seek immediate attention with symptoms like shortness of breath, continued tightness in your chest. Remember there are new symptoms added for Covid-19 due to positive testing and research.

God bless you!

For board certification. Before they allow you to take your exam you have to prove that you're eligible for exam.

You have to hand in certain papers to do so, like e. g. for how long you've worked at the department of a hospital that holds the authority to educate you when it comes to a certain specialty or subspecialty. You also have need to have performed a certain amount of diagnostic imaging or surgical procedures etc., depending on what you're applying for.

That's exciting!

yayyyyyy congratulations....

What happened to the "view new posts" feature? 

It looks like they are upgrading.  

Yeah, looks like it's now the same format as thinner times. Oh, well...

Insnt that the worst! Ive had it happen several times to the point of me throwing up (on homemade chili no less). I have absolutely no idea why either.

TMI: I was relieved at least that I could throw up at least. I was afraid that RNY would screw up that somewhat necessary process.

Ugh... So annoying

The pain is the worst. An additional nuisance is that my stomach feels sensitive for hours after the episode.

Pre Surgery. I now the feeling. Hang in there it will get better. After surgery you will change day to day and in my case my hunger went away. Weird.

Oh, this is not about any surgery whatsoever.

Wow, again? Hopefully it doesn't affect you directly.

Well, I have to keep this diary. Luckily everything still feels normal.

"Being a contact person" will most likely be our new normal I guess. Hopefully there'll be a vaccine soon but I doubt it.

Hope everything continues to go good for you. I had three contact.....none more so than my husband. We slept in the same bed, ate together, showered together... etc. The two of my co workers got it.

Oh goodness, praying for you both. I'm so sorry of the impact this further having on your lives.

Luckily we live in different places and are only together on weekends. Anyway, it stinks.

Would be nice to know if one of us was already infected. Hubby had a scratch in the throat for some days, conjunctivitis and some light coughing a few weeks ago after all.

We'll see...

Congrats!

Don't know if it was the right decision. Several of my colleagues think this way. We might not be able to know until several years have gone by.

ENJOY YOUR VACATION! 👌😁

Hopefully I will!

However, we're living on a construction area so to say because house needs to be renovated, but it's our construction area, LOL. Luckily some of the major things are already done.

ENJOY! 😄 A new bike is on my to do list right now. Everyone tells me TREK is the way to go. I know I need a cruiser type where posture is straight due to low back issues🙄. I plan to go to 2 reputable bike shops within the week to get fitted and weigh recommendations. Bikes are a BIG investment these days, but pay even BIGGER DIVIDENDS to our HEALTH and JOYFUL LIVING!! Have Fun!!!💖

I love these bikes. They're so much more fun to ride than the creaky old thing I use to bike to work. 😂

Anyway, I'm planning on a fully e-MTB (gotta love a fully, even though they're much more expensive!). Fullies are so much more comfortable.

Yay! Very exciting

how exciting, hope all goes well

Safe Surgery! See you on the flat side ❤️

Thank you. Things went fine (or so I guess). Still swollen. It's not easy to find a comfortable position at home. Dreading the first night home without a hospital bed.

Ah yes, I'm literally going to do nothing this evening, lol.

Big Congratulations!!!! I need a consult 😝

Hope its not the covid hope u feel better

Nah, it's more the work overload.

Thanks for sharing. I was just talking to a friend about this.

Very interesting!

Can someone let me know how I can post a question for the group? It only lets me respond

You simply go to the board and create a thread.

Lol I start to feel that way by Wednesday. Thats a great feeling knowing you can sleep in aaah! But it seems I still wake up early in morning.😵

Me, too.

I didn't think insurance was even possible for plastics? I figured it would all be out of pocket?

Well, might come down for me to exactly this but my lawyer is still on it (luckily that insurance is paying!).

Get Well Soon ♥️

Get well and please stay quarantine and don't be in such a hurry to leave the house, make sure that after the 14 days you feel well before going out. Most time if you test right after being slight positive, you will test positive again, so don't be in a hurry to retest. Take care of yourself ❤️