Miss Michelle

Thats funny, because I live in Newburgh, and they could not have cared less. I am glad that someone had a good experiance with the staff though!

Wait, I have a question....What are the tongs for, exactly????

WOW! I thought I might be the only one who thought the staff was rude! I bet they have tons and tons of phone calls daily from people who ask all kinds of questions and alot of no-shows from people who are not fully commited to getting banded. I mean, for that reason, I understand why they wont schedule any appointments prior to the completion of the prior neccessary step, but I thought it was ridiculous that while I was in the office waiting (and waiting, and waiting...) to be seen by the nurse and nutritionist they would not let me schedule my consultation. I mean, really I was there for my nutritionist and nurse appointments what was going to happen? I guess it will be all worth it in the end to be able to have Dr. Fielding as my surgeon.

Although I have alot of casual stuff, most of my clothing consists of business wear/work apparel. I am not banded yet (hoping to be soon) but I already have decieded to donate my business clothing to 'Dress for Sucess". They are a charity that focuses on providing gently used career apparel to women down on their luck and out of work so that they will have something decent to attend job interviews and go to work in. For the rest of it, is it bad that I want to burn all of the left over stuff that I never want to be able to fit in again???:regular_smile:

Welcome! Keep us posted on how things go for you! :regular_smile:

You are meeting with him this coming Wednesday? Lucky you! I have also chosen Dr. Fielding as my surgeon and my surgical consult with him is 4/23. I have tried calling to see if there were any cancellations but the office staff there who answers the phone is really rude. Never in person but always over the phone.

Just a quick note to say "Hi" and update everyone on my progress. My last pre-op appointment is set for 4/23! Can't wait!

So I was reading this thread and eveyones comments and thought, "I probably won't get stupid repsonses like these until after surgery (I am still completing all of my pre-op steps). Well, was I wrong! At work today I was talking to my 2 bosses about needing to take time off for surgery and my assistant manager says "I've got a better solution for you, instead of getting a rubberband put on your stomach, just have one put around your tounge?" And as if that wasn't dumb enough, my manager then replies "No really, why don't you just have your jaw wired shut?" I think people really believe that the band is supposed to be removed after weight loss!

I have Oxford and they didn't require a 6 mo diet either, so I didn't have to go through that just for NYU. I did have to have a full physical by my pcp, and blood work after attending the seminar. I also had to meet with a psychologist, the surgeons nurse for a medical history review and physical, and a nutritionist. My next visit is to meet with Dr. Fielding, my surgeon at NYU, for my surgical consultation and the surgical coordinator to set a tentative surgery date.

I know, *sigh*, I was dissapointed too that my next visit was 20+ days away, but I guess w/ a surgeon like Dr. Fielding, I did expect there'd be a wait. The day of my surgical consult I will also be meeting with a surgical coordinator who will schedule a tentative date. Luckily I have great insurance, but I am thinking that will be atleast a six to eight week wait. I will be calling them daily though to check for any cancellations so atleast if I can get my consult scheduled sooner, than I can get the insurance review started sooner. As far as weight loss, if your pre-op diet is anything like mine you definately will begin losing before surgery itself. Don't worry though too much because the days will pass quickly and you'll be preping for surgery before you know it. My only goal is to have the surgery before my 26th birthday in July.

I just had my nurse and nutritionist appt today at NYU. It didn't take long at all. Most of the time spent in the office was filling out paperwork. The nurse listened to my heart, took my blood pressure, felt my tummy and back, weighed me and then went over my medical history w/ me. Pretty standard stuff. She did tell me that my next round of blood work would need to be completed two weeks or so before surgery. The nutritionist mostly went over the pre-op and post-op diet requirements. I set my surgical consult for 4/23 w/ Dr. Fielding. I will also be seeing the surgical coordinator that day. I think they give you the requirements for the 2nd set of pre-op tests to be done on the day of the surgical consult. I guess your medical history will determine what needs to be done (sleep test, simple blood work, etc.)

I am sooo excited to hear all of this...I have Oxford Freedom Plan Access and have my final pre-op appointment, my surgical consult, on 4/23!

I have three tattoos- one on the back of my neck, one on my shoulder and a lower back tattoo too, but I got them all like 10 years ago when I was 16 and a size 11/12. Anyways, since gaining weight the lower back one has changed shape a little but not much. I only hope it doesnt get worse once I am banded and start losing.

I am soo happy that I found this post! While I should have had my 'Ah-Ha' moment a million times over, the one moment that truly made me put this whole thing into motion was because of something my five year old son said. I was in my room, laying on the bed wathcing tv like I usually am, and my pride and joy, comes in and said something that broke my heart. He says, "You know, if you wanna lose weight all ya gotta do is exercise".... I immediately went into defense mode forgetting his age and innocence and screamed at him, "Who told you to tell me that?!?". I truly believed that he could not have just come up with that on his own. He just looked at me shocked with his big blue eyes and replied "Noone, Mommy". It took me weeks of family interrogations to realize that noone had set him up to tell me that. He was just telling me what he believed the solution to be. I thank God everyday for that five years olds honesty and how in that moment he changed everything. I cannot wait to start actually living our lives together. My goal is to be comfortable enough with myself to bring him to the beach to swim in the ocean that he has never even seen, and play in the sand. It took the aftermath of that moment to realize that not only was I NOT living life to it's fullest, but neither was he at no fault of his own.

Welcome! My surgeon is Dr. Fielding, Dr. Ren's hubby, who also works in NYU Medical Center. So far, I have passed the psych eval, had a full physical and blood work doen by my PCP, got a medical neccessity letter, and I am going to NYU for my pre-op nutritional consult and nurses visit on 4/2. Did you have to go through all that too?

1- I want to go into a shoe store (ALDO, preferrably) and buy a really sexy pair of peep toe stillettos and never again have to settle for whatever comes in a wide width. 2- I want to go on a tropical vacation with my husband and son and feel comfortable in an unfamiliar place for the first time instead of worrying about who is staring at me...

My surgeon requires a liquid only two week pre-op diet. Haven't started that since I dont have a surgery date yet but I am NOT looking forward to that. It gonna suck!

I am about 3/4 of the way thru the pre-op steps. I have attended a seminar, chosen a surgeon, completed and passed the psych eval, had a full physical (including blood work) and am meeting with the surgeons nurse and nutritionist on 4/2 (my surgeon requires this). Luckily I have gotten all of this done in only about a month. My insurance is great too and doesnt require much (ok, someone knock on something wood now, hehe... since requirements can change soo quickly) so I am hoping to have my surgical consult by mid month and then send everything for insurance approval. Wish me luck! I am sooo ready to get this whole thing started, but honestly I am not looking forward to the all liquid diet!

OK, so I am in the begining stages of this whole thing. I am currently 3/4 of the way through the first steps and am getting ready to meet with my surgeons nutritionist and nurse on 4/2. This is the last appointment before my actual surgical consult. Anyways I have to bring a current full body photo along with my medical records. Well, I reluctantly took that picture this week. I almost died when I saw that pic! I mean, obviously I know I am a big girl, but wholly s**t! I cannot believe I look like that! :thumbup: I have not taken a full body photo(or many other types of pictures either for that matter) since my wedding in 02 when I was about 3 sizes smaller! For goodness sake I only display pictures of me in my home that are about 10 years old and god knows my old myspace page had a six year old picture of me. I mean, I have never seen myself like that before, not even when I look in the mirror! I guess that is why I am always bumping into things? The only good thing about me not being able to live in denile of what I look like anymore is that I am soooo glad I did not wait any longer to get back in control of my life and start this whole process.

Well, I am not crazy! Atleast not enough to be denied for surgery, LOL. Psych eval went well - On to my next step....

Thanks to all for the feedback. I attended a seminar and met with Dr Fielding last night and everyone was right, he was WONDERFUL! I am meeting with his psychiatrist tomorrow for my 1st step, the required psych eval. SOOOOO EXCITED!!! :thumbdown:

I cant wait to see mine without a mirror! Congrats!

Just attended a seminar last night, finally after two prior cancellations! I am so excited to get everything rolling! I am meeting with the Psychologist tomorrow for my surgeons required psych. evaluation, and my primary care doc next week for my full physical and blood work. Wish me luck! -Michelle :thumbdown:

OK, So I can give up soda after I am banded, but I heard that caffeine is also a no-no. Is this only for the pre-op diet or will I have to give up coffee too?

I personally cant wait to see the faces of some of the guys I dated in the past once my transformation is complete! I always said 'dont make fun of the fat girl in school, cuz you never know who she'll turn out to be'! Thankfully I am happily married now though. And hello! I cannot wait to buy trashy lingerie!