Well my insurance company sent a LETTER to my surgeon requesting the facility that would be used for my banding. So I guess this will now be the third attempt to present the letter of Pred? But in this day of advanced technology they sent it by POSTAL SERVICE instead of a FAX or EMAIL. They WILL NOT take the information from me only from my surgeon. I have HCA UHC!!!!!!!!! MY husband works for the HOSPITAL. It is part of our insurance contract that to be covered by insurance it has to be done at an HCA facility. The surgeon's office is IN THE HCA facility for crying out loud. Why would I submit for insurance coverage and then go ANYPLACE ELSE where it wouldn't be covered by insurance.

I can do this. Just take a deep breath. Patience is a virtue. Patience is a virtue. Patience is a virtue. M:pout:

I have a date!!!!!!!!!!!!!! May 19th at 10:00 a.m. Finally. M

:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: Yaaaay! I am so thrilled for you! Gosh, it will be here before you know it! Do you have all your postop supplies? Better get busy!:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

You know it Nanahanna. I'm on it like a duck on a june bug. HeeHeeHee.

M

Duck on a june bug! LOL. Got get 'em girl.

Nanahanna let us know how yours goes next week. M

Oh, I definitely will! Gotta let my buds know what went on! LOL.

Sharon - I don't mean to intrude on your thread... I was wondering what made you to go with the RNY and not the band? Good Luck! Definitely keep us posted!

Kim, you aren't intruding at all. I chose RNY because I am afraid I wouldn't be able to tolerate the band (foreign object fixation). I also would have to drive 90 miles one way for fills. My good friend had RNY two years ago and she said she couldn't understand why I would want to have to go back and forth getting fills, possibly having an erosion or a slip and maybe not even losing all the weight I need to lose. After I thought about it, I realized that this is probably my only shot at getting something done because of being Medicare and I don't think Medicare would pay for a revision if lap band didn't work for me. I know about 8 others personally who have had RNY and say they would do it again in a heartbeat. I know it was a BIG decision to make but I have prayed and thought and researched and read online profiles and opinions and I know I would be devastated if I went with lapband and it didn't work for me. ..and then couldn't get a revision and at my age (61) I don't want to have to go under the knife anymore than absolutely necessary. My husband wasn't too keen on the RNY until I showed him all the statistics and risks of both procedures...and he hasn't questioned my judgement since. He knows I am no dummy, worked in the medical field for 35 years and am well aware of the risks and possible complications.

Nanahanna it's the 10th. Let us know how you seminar went. M

LOL. I went to the seminar on 4/28...TODAY I HAD MY FIRST CONSULT! It went great. I can get the surgery. The doctor was great, very friendly, said he wanted to know if I was prepared....and be careful what you wish cause you will get it! LOL. He said after talking to me, asking me a few questions like why I wanted surgery, what I expected from it, etc. that he could tell I had done my homework and that I was intelligent enough to know what I was doing so he was going to send me on to the next step! I have to have lab work, EKG, gallbladder ultrasound, chest x-ray...all of which can be done at my PCPs office. Then I need to have a psyche eval, nutritionist eval (by phone...I can record it!), and an EGD. Then I get my preop and a surgery date! I am so excited! They said they were very very please that I was so well prepared with a letter of referral from the PCP AND my Rheumy, and had all my medical records in hand with dates, weights and diagnoses highlighted! I am good to go. I will keep ya'll posted!

Way to go Sharon....you are on your way!! Just keep knocking those things off your list and you will be home recuperating before you know it!!:clap2:

Thanks! Can you tell I am excited? LOL

Yup....and good for you. :biggrin1: You should be excited. Your about to be transformed!!

I forgot to tell y'all that my doctor doesn't require a preop liquid diet...I can eat up until midnight the night before surgery, and I don't have to have an enema! Yaaaay. And, he uses no NG tubes or drains at all. He did say he would like for me to try to lose 8 to 10 pounds before surgery to shrink the liver. I also found out that the hospital I will use only has private rooms...Yaay! I was worried being a Medicare patient that I would have to have a semi-private...but they have no semi-private rooms!

Way Cool Nanahanna!!!!!!!!!! Won't be long now.

3loves it's getting close. Can't wait. M