thicknthin

Hello To Everyone! I am waiting for approval from BCBSAL. I'll be getting banded by Dr. Dewitt in Birmingham at Carraway Hospital hopefully soon. Is there anyone out there who has traveled this road already? The people at the office are great, and I have a wonderful fuzzy feeling about everything.

OMG!! I thought I was becoming deficient in something. I've been cold EVERYDAY at work. I keep my heater on at home now, and I'm constantly in a sweater. I usually would parade around in a tshirt during the winter, but now....I have on a sweater and the biggest coat I can find. My supervisor noticed my struggling to warm up and informed me that when he was losing weight (not by surgery, but just by running and exercising) he was freezing during his 20 pound loss. So it's not related to the surgery itself. But the excess weight coming off has a lot to do with it. So I have to look at it this way, me being cold is a sign that I haven't gained any insulation to warm me up.

Aww, don't cry. Be glad that it was found now and not figured out after it was too late. It's just an obstacle you have to go through. I've figured out that nothing in life is easy. Keep me updated. I'll be waiting to hear from you after the 16th. I'll keep you in my prayers.:tt1:

I'm doing great!! Sorry, I've been busy at work and haven't been online much. I've been exercising (walking and yes running a little on the treadmill, some eliptical, pushups, crunches, toning) and no problem. I'm down a total of 28 pounds. I've been here for the last week and a half, but since I know I'm not eating a lot of "healthy" food, just very little of the normal food, I'm okay with the results so far. I'm getting back to my veggies and few carbs again soon. I had a fill the thursday before thanksgiving, and my next one will be January 15th. I received 4cc on my first fill. I can tell the difference, but I don't think the restriction is as "tight" as it should be. I think he is gradually getting me to that right fit. But once again, I am doing GREAT!! What is your status?!

Actually, my stomach has been growling alot, but I haven't neccessarily been hungry. I don't know if it is mental or not, but I have been eating almost normal. But so far, so good. I only have some pain where my largest incision (possibly the port) is located, but it doesn't last long. I'm just ready for next week when I can start adding more soft foods to my diet. :biggrin:

Hello, all. My phone's internet wasn't cooperating with the website, but I just wanted to stop by and let everyone know I'm doing fine. I wake up each day feeling better. Just a few mild discomforts, but I don't have any real pain. It hasn't dawned on me yet that the band is actually inside of me. Hard to explain. Talk to u soon.

WOW THAT WAS FAST!!!! I was called today and told that my new surgery date will be Monday, October 27th at 9:30AM. WHEW!! I'm feeling better again. :sad_smile: I won't get too excited until I wake up from surgery though.

:biggrin: I left this one out of the last post. Should have been the main icon!!

:biggrin: Carraway Hospital closed one day before my surgery. :eek: I have to wait for scheduling times at Princeton Baptist Hospital now. So I'm once again, waiting for a date.:smile:

Besides the supervised diet, I also had an EKG and a psych evaluation. The psychological evaluation was scheduled by Lori for me after I went to my consultation. I felt cheated...lol....I was expecting the chaise lounge and the "tell me what's on your mind" talk. LOL. But it was a series of tests, redundant questions and a few other little things. I talked to the doctor for a few minutes, and that was that. Nothing serious. The EKG was scheduled the same day as the Nutritional and Physical Therapy Assessment. EKG lasted abouit 30 seconds (I was shocked), Nutritionist went throught the pre-op and post-op diets, and the physical therapist just wanted to see what physical health you were in now, to track your progress later (ie walking and climbing stairs, touching toes, bending, reaching, turning). I found out I have another class to attend the wednesday before my surgery. I have no idea what it is about though. I think it is my pre-op appt, but I thought it was just an appointment, not neccessarily a class. I'll keep you posted. GODSHELP can you give us some input about the class that was a week before the surgery?

Tuesday, October 21st!!

Tuesday, October 21st!!:cry_smile:

I'll be back on later to respond to you Soon2BeLittleE. I'm at work, right now. LOL. I just had to post the excitment really quick.

SURGERY DATE ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!! Tuesday, October 21st, 2008, I'll be changing my lifestyle. YAY!!!!!

My experience so far has been great. Laurie (not sure how to spell her name) is GREAT! She knows everything about your insurance policy from top to bottom. She explained everything to me well and in detail and I appreciated it so much. She is so helpful. I'm sure you've met Dr. Dewitt, Soon2BeLittleE. He seems like a very nice personable guy. I've talked to him at my consultation in August and talking to him made me more comfortable. He was honest and very informative (as a doctor should be, I guess). But I have gotten word that I have been approved and the surgery has been considered "medically neccessary". Anyway, the staff is great and they know what they are doing. That is why I chose them. I'm VERY confident in them and I pray that GOD stays with him during his surgeries. GodsHelp, can you tell me about any difficulties you may have had? And if you work, how long did you take off? OH, and the six months went fine for me. I went to Dr. Dunn in Norwood Clinic because I called to ask Laurie for a recommendation because I couldn't find a doctor who understood what I needed them to do for the six months. I even gained one of the months, and was a day late on the last month. I was so afraid, but Laurie told me that it was fine. As long as I went once a month, and me gaining that month wouldn't hurt my chances. I went every 4th friday morning. The last month I had to go the monday after that 4th friday. I've been approved so BCBSAL was fine with it apparently. So don't worry, you'll be fine. Just keep your dates!!

I am currently waiting on my approval, and I will be getting banded by Dr. Dewitt. Yes, please tell...how is your experience so far?

Well, this is my first official blog on the LapBandTalk site. At the moment I am currently waiting for my approval from BCBS of AL. I've called EVERY DAY since the papers were submitted by my surgeon's office. I am currently in Birmingham, Alabama, and my surgeon will be Dr. Dewitt. Seems like a nice guy. I'm confident in his work, so...we shall see. But my first submission was on Monday September 22. I was told that a letter stating I was declined was sent out on the same day. I found out it was an error in transmitting the information so the office had to send in a hard copy. I was the third person that has happened to this year. Lucky me! So I called everyday. Day one-Has been received...Day Two-has been received....Day Three-has been forwarded for review....Day Four-has been forwarded for review. Now I sit and wait for Day Five. I'm trying not to call back until Friday. LOL. I'm just really anxious to get this behind me, while I'm not nervous. I'm slightly sad because my mother wanted us to go on a cruise for Thanksgiving, but because the surgery date is getting closer and closer to November, there is no point in me being on a boat during those first 8 weeks. So that has been postponed. But, in a way, I'm glad, that just means, I'll be smaller for the next cruise.