Ok. I read through quite a few entries here, and I've gained insight and encouragement through Tawnya's story. I have decided to begin my own.

Recently, I've been diagnosed with High Blood Pressure, and have pre-diabetic conditions. My weight has ballooned to 299.2, with a very high BMI. I'm also short. I also have other disorders... some related to weight, some not. More on that later.

My husband and I talked with my medical doctor today. We all came to the same conclusion. I need some sort of gastric bypass in general, and have decided to go with the lapband. I found that my insurance won't pay, but will pay for most of it (I swear that's what they said). They will only pay if there is a medical condition attached to me.

I have decided on a hospital, and will hear from them this week.

So my journey begins.

Updates as they come in....

Linda

Oh my gosh everything has been such a mess and crazy since moving. We drove straight through and I was already tired and cranky from lack of sleep. When we got to the road to get onto the army base (which is in the middle of no where) we counted 43 crosses from people who have been in accidents on that road, I was freaked out and sad for all the victims that road has taken. It's such a long road I guess that people fall asleep or are in a hurry and lose control. We finally got on post and got lost trying to find housing. When we finally found housing they had given us 4 keys to go look at houses to live in. We just got there and were so lost. Every house they had us look at was the same except they each had different dirty things like bug, fridge not clean, cupboards about to fall off. I was like are you freaking kidding me I refuse to stay in any of them. So the lady said will you be willing to take a 3 bedroom instead of a 4 bedroom to have a newer house. I said I would consider it. We looked at a place similar to the one we will be getting and we liked it so now we have to downgrade to a 3 bedroom, but still have to pay the same amount. I hate this base, it's in the middle of no where and is so small. I miss Kansas. I cried the whole way off the base to the hotel we are staying at. Yes we have to stay in a hotel until our place is ready. The only nice part has been to see family. We are checking out of the hotel on the 2nd and going to stay with my mom and sister for 3 days until our place is ready. Oh yeah the second day we were here I had to go to the ER on the base which is crappy since my bladder infection never went away and I was in pain. We have not established a doctor here yet so for anything I have to go to the ER. I hate moving especially to new places. They treated me like crap at the hospital and did make me feel comfortable like the hospital in Kansas. The basically took a few hours to say yes you have a bladder infection here is some antibiotic now be on your way. I was telling them I have the lap band and just got 2 fills in one week and it's been hard to drink enough water and I'm dehydrated and they would not give me fluids and said we are treating you for a bladder infection right now not dehydration. The movers have not even got here with our stuff not that it matters since we don't have a place. Sorry just had to vent, it's been crazy and I have been arguing a lot with my husband. We have no kitchen so we have to eat out and I feel like I'm failing my diet even though I eat less and have to watch what I eat. Even hard boiled eggs feel like they are stuck and want to come back up. It's hard to get protein in when that's what makes me feel stuck even though I chew chew chew.

Glad to hear you and Larry are not fighting anymore. So awesome you had a wonderful 50th birthday. Wish I could have been there. Your party sounded like so much fun.

OMG! Seeing all those crosses must have freaked you out. So sad. I bet you were really glad to get there, even though the housing issue wasn't good. Will a three bedroom be large enough? Do you have a yard? How big is the base? Is it small enough so that the staff at the hospital will get to know you? I absolutely hate hate hate finding a new doctor. Of any sort. Its like you have to pick at the scab to expose every little detail before they trust you. That seems backwards. They're working for you, not the other way around.

Hopefully, you'll be able to eat better at your Mom's house. The only problem with mothers is, they (at least in my case) want to feed you all the time. I used to go over to my mother's house, and the first thing out of her mouth was, "Are you hungry?" and "Let me get you something to eat." I can't imagine going to a restaurant and just eating an egg. I don't think I have that much control.

My party was a blast. The kids loved it. We enjoyed good company, good food, good music.

Linda

That's cool you had your first appt. It seems more real once you actually get an appt. that's good that they are going to see about other meds for your blood pressure.

My first appointment with an actual doctor isn't until next month. That's when I get my physical. Most likely, I won't have the surgery until after the first of the year.

Sometimes it's nice to just get away for a little bit. That seems like a nice trip. I think your dad will enjoy it. I'm the same way with my mom, I can only stand so much of her before I need a break.

We didn't go. Dad wasn't feeling up to it. And now he's working on finishing the painting on the house, so who knows. When he's done with that, he will be getting up on the roof to rip it off and re-do it. He's 74 years old. and apparently stingy. He doesn't have a cell phone to take up with him, just in case he falls off. He did that several years ago... not off the roof, off the top of a ladder. It was messy.

He is the definition of a narcissist. Lots of reasons. Its a pain.

Wow looks like your insurance moves faster than mine. So happy for you to start the process. I'm feeling better about my decision on lap band since I got my fills. I still think I need 2-3 more fills to be where I want to be at, but I'm losing weight. I haven't been on a scale since before the movers took it, but I can fit jeans that did not fit before and my others jeans look so baggie. I'm so happy for you. I'm looking forward to going to Disneyland with my kids and riding the little rides with my son before it gets to cold. I'm going to call my old doctor to see if he found me a doctor out here to get another full from so I can get another one soon, that and when we move all healthy food at home and will be seeing the weight drop for sure. I can picture losing 20 or more pounds a month after my next fill and eating healthy at home.

I hope you get to Disney soon. I'm sure you and the kids will love it. I don't know why, but I pictured you taking your scale with you on the drive down. lol Is losing 20 lbs a month realistic? I would love that! It makes reaching your goal weight even sooner. Fingers crossed.

AHHHHHH!!!!!! Ok. I feel like things are moving now. I talked with my insurance company today and they gave me all the figures. Looks like they're going to cover 100% less my deductible. I'm almost tempted to call and talk to someone else, because that just seems too easy! They don't require much to qualify. No supervised diet (though I'm sure the surgeon will). No real weight loss log, Just that I have and what. No time frame needs to be specified. They don't even require any additional medical testing (but again, I'm sure the surgeon will).

I'm done for this week. On Monday, I have an appointment with my medical doctor to go over all the paperwork so he can do his part. My first dietician appointment, and my physical are scheduled for August 22nd.

I'm getting really excited now!

Linda

You all must be from the states cause no insurance company in Canada will pay any part of the 16k dollar price tag. Any Canadians with a different experience?

You all must be from the states cause no insurance company in Canada will pay any part of the 16k dollar price tag. Any Canadians with a different experience?

Wow. I didn't know that. I thought everything was covered in Canada. I'm in Ohio. I'm disabled, so I have Social Security Disability Insurance. I have Medicare for medical stuff (operations, doctor visits, medications). Its regulated by a regular insurance company. In the U.S., unless you are really rich, you're at the mercy of what your insurance company thinks is right. If they don't cover a medication, for instance, you have to fight tooth and nail to get it covered. And sometimes they still won't cover it, so you have to make do with something else. /on soapbox If I'm paying for someone to *insure* my health benefits, and my doctor prescribes something - be it medical or pharmacological - it IS medically necessary. It drives me insane to have to fight for every little thing. But then, the insurance companies are publicly traded and have to pay their shareholders, so the little guy gets crapped on again. /off soapbox

Linda

Its been awhile. The class wasn't really a class, but more of a meeting with the insurance stuff. I was given paperwork to complete and labwork , to do. Then later, I met with the doctor to go over concerns and such. All my bloodwork came back ok, with the exception of a vitamn D deficiency. We decided that with all the meds I take, that I should meet with the anesthesiologist seperately. That'll happen closer to

surgergy.

After the doctor, I went straight into the dietician's group class. We were given log forms and information on nutritian. I have to eat six times a day, marking how hungry I was and what exactly I ate. I've been doing *well* so far. I think. I can't seem to get into eating that 6th meal. I'm never hungry. I've also started back excersizing. A bit at a time.

I will meed again with the dietician three more times, taking in my food logs each time.

Insurance doesn't have a lot of requirements, but the program does. No shortcuts. This won't be easy, but nothing great ever is.

Linda

I've had to log my eating for the last two weeks. Every single thing that goes into my mouth. I've been pretty good with just one big screw up. They want me to eat six times a day. I can't do it. That equals about every three hours. I'm just not hungry every three hours, but I try to fit something in. I've had to *practice* chewing, and all the tricks like taking a long time to cut food into tiny pieces before I eat it. Meals for me aren't really meals. I haven't had a problem drinking liquids though. They want me to drink mostly water, but I've been drinking weak coffee in the morning, and weak tea all day. Nothing with meals.

Today I have my first one on one with the dietician. We'll see how that goesk, and how my meds fit into the picture.

Linda