Dody

Medicare is paying for the lap-banding surgery, but doesn't pre-approve any surgeries. The dr. I'm going to have do mine has done about 300 Medicare patients with no problems in collecting from Medicare. I'm 64, but feel 84 most days. I'm hoping to be banded next mo. or so. I was supposed to be banded on June 5, but some other medical problems got in the way. Dody

I'm retired and 64 years young. I think a lot of it is based on your present health. Right now I'm going through some serious medical problems and will probably require more time to recover from the lap-band surgery (if and when I ever get the OK). I will then have had 3 surgeries withint about a mo. time and I have a feeling it is going to take me longer to recover, because one surgery is on my leg and will limit my walking for awhile. I'm keeping a very positive attitude though that I will get over these surgeries quickly and within a few mo. feel great. God Bless, Dody

Control freaks who are always right (even when they are wrong)

What a great inspiration you are. You go girl!!:clap2:

I went with a friend of mine a couple years ago to Salt Lake City as she was going to have RNY done there. The dr. there is a well known dr. famous for doing RNY. The secreatry told her that before the surgery $500.00 was due (the reason for this she said was for the following years information and support groups). My friend informed her she was 6 hrs. from Salt Lake and would be attending a support group in Idaho (which cost nothing by the way). They still insisted on collecting the $500.00, which got her absolutely nothing, but they would not do the surgery without it. She had Tri-Care and they picked up the surgery. To this day she is furious she had to pay $500.00 out of pocket that had nothing to do at all with the surgery. It seemed like kind of a scam to me, but she didn't want to ruffle feathers either and just paid it. Sorry you are going through this, but I guess it really isn't that uncommon in some dr's. practices. You could seek a new dr. perhaps. To me this was just some extra bucks in the doc's pocket for something of no use to my friend. Good Luck, Dody

One of the first times I've heard of this one, but my sugeon wants me on 7 days of Carnation Instant Breakfast (6 a day) and of course water.....it's the first time I've heard this pre-op mentioned, but I'm not questioning a man that has done perhaps a 1000 lapbands in order to qualify for a center of excellence for Medicare. Actually, I love Carnation Instant Breakfast, so should be fine. Dody

I think you gave yourself the wrong name if you intend to take all of Jack's harem away from him. You might want to give that some more consideration. He has quite a following on here. Make sure you are up to the task :eek:

I've seen cries for help before with women saying outright they can't take care of a baby. They aren't kidding. They truly can't. This is often where shaken baby syndrome originates, because a parent just can't cope for many reasons. One of these reasons could be post-partum depression. Don't put off getting involved when there is a small baby that can't speak for itself. You would never forgive yourself for it if anything happened. Speak up and call Child Protective Services. You will be doing the SIL and this baby a huge favor. God Bless, Dody

If this is the result of negligence by the doctor for misplacing the band. I would take the upper GI studies (and also ask for an endoscopy) right to a malpractice attorney and sue this dr. There are to many doctors out there just really learning this trade and have done very few bands. I found this out when investigating the band in my home state of Idaho. The only two dr's. there that did the lap-banding had only done 50 lap-bands between them. I choose not to be a guinea pig for them. I came to Tennessee for my lap-banding at Vanderbilt and am so very glad I did. I don't yet have the band but did encounter a potentially life-threatening situation that needs surgery before the banding. Thank God for a wonderful hospital like Vanderbilt. I thought I had jumped through all the right hoops, but they had more of them for me, and I'm very glad they did. I would run not walk to see the nearest attorney. You should not have gone through this. I would also find out how many lap-bands this particular dr. has done. God Bless, Dody

I never encountered this silly game that truckers play on the interstates until I came to Tennessee to see my kids. My daughter and I were on the way back from Nashville and were about 8 cars behind 2 truckers playing what my daughter called "Roadblock" (fairly common I guess). It is two semis going side by side at 40 mph and holding traffic up. I guess they keep it up until someone with a cell phone calls in a report and puts a stop to it, but that doesn't happen immediately. This went on for about 1/2 an hr. before we finally saw them pulled over. Playing cars in semis and cars is dangerous business....this is also a pet peeve of mine. Dody

Wow, your name says it all. I felt so sad as I read your message. I wish that I could somehow give you some good info, but I'm not yet banded. Of course a post like yours makes me think twice, but there are also success stories out there. I have met someone banded about 5 years and doing well, abeit some problems along the way. I don't think everything stays rosy all the time. I think in everyone's journey there are perhaps little hiccups, but I hope no major ones like you are having. I hope someone who knows more about what has happened to you will chime in with some helpful info. Welcome to the board and thanks for sharing your experiences. I hope that someone here can point you in the right direction. Being 64 and undertaking the lap-banding, I consider myself a real old-timer, but I'm also determined to have it done before to awfully long. I will send out a prayer for you. God Bless, Dody

I was next to a car at Walmart the other day and the woman opened her door and emptied her ashtray right on the ground beside me...unbelievable. I gave up smoking some years ago and it's the best thing I could have ever done for myself. I can actually "smell" a smoker if I pass them in the store. I can't believe they don't know that smell lingers right with them as they go about their day. Stale smoke is one of the worse smells in the world. I think people that once smoked are far worse non-smokers than others. I would have liked someone to have arrested the woman who did that and put an orange vest on her, send her out with the other inmates, and let her clean litter up from the side of the highway.:clap2: OK, off my soapbox for now too.

I am now laughing at myself. I read your post "I have a date and a jealous husband" and I thought well of course you do...thinking you had a date with another man and were married. Oh I so should not be here when I am taking this stuff. Nothing seems to be making much sense to me. Good luck with your surgery Dody

Xanax is the medication I'm on for panic attacks and it works wonderfully. I'm sure if this is the cause of your mom's problems there are several great medications to treat her with. Pre-menopausal just was the first thing that came to mind, because I remember my kids telling me I did the very same things. Elizabeth is right she should have extensive blood work done also. Much luck to you and Mom both. It's a tough thing to go through for the kids and for Mom. Dody

Your mother could be pre-menopausal, as there are some very strange behavior changes and mood swings that go along with it. Perhaps it is time Mom visied her GYN and told her how she is feeling. I know I found everything hard to deal with. It's a time in your life when you are saying goodbye to a very important part of it, and looking forward to another, and is very confusing. I'll send out a prayer for your family. She may need something as simple as hormone therapy. God Bless, Dody

The nutritionist told me absolutely no soda pop. She said if I let it get flat (yuck) I could have a couple sips. You also have to give up ibuprofen which will be extremely difficult for me, but I want the band bad enough to give up both of these things. I don't know of anyone on here still drinking soda pop...I think everyone knows they are empty calories and carbonation is very bad for you. If you truly want the band there are just some things you have to give up. You can have tea, decaf coffee, milk etc. I love Dr. Pepper diet cherry vanilla pop, but I have to give it up, or I'm defeating the purpose of getting the band. Good Luck, Dody

It worries me so much when Ihear of older people going to Mexico without the extensive testing that is done here in the U.S. Without the great physicians here at Vanderbilt diagnosing a very serious problem with my carotid arteries I could have been in very serious trouble had I had surgery on June 5th. Any surgery is dangerous and every surgery is not right for everyone. It's a very personal choice. I do, however, hope and pray that people over 50 do not go to Mexico without having sleep study tests, psych evals, and thorough and complete physicals just because the price is cheaper. There is no price can be put on life itself. Please do not take offense at the fact I'm recommending a more extensive test for older people especially. I think a person needs to go where they are most comfortable, and if Mexico is where you want to go I just ask you get all the proper testing beforehand. It could save your life. God Bless, Dody

It is never wise to hold off on seeking medical attention. Usually if you think something should be looked at it should. This could also be ringworm...that's just a guess, but it is certainly something that needs to be checked out. Best of luck to you. Dody

"Welcome back 40 years in time". I lived there for 20 years. How did you end up in Mt. Home. I know you can't be military or retired military or you would have Tri-Care and be covered. I moved to Caldwell, Idaho in 1990 but still have loads of friends in Mt. Home. Isn't it the most boring drive in the world between Mt. Home and Boise...just sagebrush and more sagebrush. I was in Mt. Home when my first husband was in the Air Force stationed at the base there. After divocing I merely moved with my kids to town and just kind of stayed there till I met Mr. Right. There is absolutely nothing, but nothing, to do in Mt. Home. I never saw so much nothing in my life. I'm interested how you ended up there, or were you born there. I wish you luck on your lapband journey. Mine is on hold for awhile, but certainly not permanently. Take care, Dody

Right now I'm looking at two surgeries before my banding, which were totally unexpected and very depressing. I have torn the medial meniscus in my right knee and am having an MRI tonight on it to see if it can be fixed or I need total knee replacement. They also found when I went for the lap-band exam I have blocked carotid arteries which must be fixed either by stenting or completely cleaning them out before I'm cleared once again for surgery. I'm not looking forward to either surgery, but I'm going to do them. I won't give up my hopes of the band and have been assured by Vanderbilt that they will get me in as soon as I'm cleared by the surgeon for the carotid arteries. I know I'm looking at possibly lots of weeks and 2 major surgeries...but God will see you through it. It's not the end of the world, but simply a "roadblock". I wish you lots of luck. Just remember all the reasons you are doing this. Good Luck and God Bless, Dody

I had my last child at the age of 40. She is the joy of my life even now that she is grown. There was a big age difference between her and her sisters, so she was raised almost like an only child. My husband and I decided we had a lot of love to give and another baby was a great way of doing this. Unfortunately he didn't live to see his little girl grow up into the beautiful woman she is today, because he was killed in a car accident 10 years ago. My children are all are a great source of joy to me, and this one is extremely special. She was my first C-section, and I had many problems carrying her to 7 mo. She weighed 4 lb. but did great. Babies are a very special treasure and this particular daughter looks exactly like her Daddy, minus the beard and mustache, and is kind and generous to a fault. All of my children called him "Dad" because he was all they ever knew. He took on a ready made family (4 girls) and was a wonderful father. My youngest took his death very, very hard and the following couple years were extremely hard for her. She has now blossomed into a beautiful young woman who turned to God and he saw her through this. I love all of my girls, but this one is very special to me as this was a second marriage and the only one I had with my true soul-mate. All of my girls are gorgeous in their own way and very, very special, but this one tugs at my heart strings with her kindness and generosity. I've never even known of her to have a fight with any of her sisters. They all treat her more like a Mom then a sister. I hope these people realize you are never too old to give love. I bet once he lays eyes on this new little human being he will lose his heart to it. Mr. B. played just as big a part in this pregnancy as his wife. If he truly didn't want another baby there are ways to ensure it doesn't happen. I feel sorry for your friend and hope that if worse comes to worse she sees her husband's true colors and goes on with her life with her new child. He sounds like he is more in shock than anything else. You are never too old to give or receive love. I'm sending prayers out to them and hope they will realize what a true gift this is. God Bless, Dody

Happy Birthday to one of the best board buddies anyone could ever hope to have. I hope you have a wonderful day, and thank you for always being there to spread sunshine on my life :confused: God Bless, Dody

Medicare most definitely pays for the band. I know that to be fact as I'm being banded under Medicare. The only hitch is it has to be a center of excellence, and that is why I'm with family in Tennessee to be banded at Vanderbilt. Call Medicare and find out the centers of excellence or google it. It is well worth the time, and Medicare is now paying much better for the band. I will be left with a remainder of $300.00, and that is great. Please don't give up hope. You will require an extensive physical but that is great. I'm on hold right now for some other medical problems, but I hope to join the banded before long. If you have any questions at all feel free to PM me, and please let me know what state you are in. Good luck to you, Dody

It must be bedtime. Nothing is making any sense to me here today.... I'm truly sorry about your pants Dawg. I'm also sorry someone invaded your thread, but it seemed a desperate plea for help I'm out of here for now. Take care of each other. Dody

Who is Dexy? How did you re-size yourself in one day to fit into your pants? You take a big dose of Milk of Magnesia or what