Can any of Dr. Miles or Schmitt's patients help me with a few questions I have? I have BCBS of AL PPO.

How much where you required to pay upfront? (with insurance)

What was the PREop requirement? (liquids for so many days etc?

What is the POSTop requirement? (liquids so many days, mushies.. etc)

I think that's all for now. We have a couple of vacations coming up and I would like to have a heads up on the money so I don't spend it on vacation lol and food requirements..... same.. need to be sure vacation goes along with them.

Thanks!!

Di4AU

How are you feeling? How did everything go? Its funny, as each surgery date comes that I know, I really think about how everyone is doing.

Let us know!!

=)

Shawna

I know Shawna. I am the same way. I messaged her last night but haven't heard. I sure pray all went well.

How are you feeling? Got the staples out?

Thanks for the information savedbygrace...I am seriously considering my options. If I get it done here in the Middle East it is alot cheaper about $9,000 I am assuming that is a good price but if I try to go through my insurance it appears to be alot of steps. What do you think?

Thanks for the information savedbygrace...I am seriously considering my options. If I get it done here in the Middle East it is alot cheaper about $9,000 I am assuming that is a good price but if I try to go through my insurance it appears to be alot of steps. What do you think?

Your welcome! Different insurances require different steps. Mine required a 6 month physician directed diet. During that time, I did alot of mental preperation and took care of the other requirements. I couldn't afford to be self pay so it was my only option. Although I didn't like that they dictated my healthcare.... I am now grateful for the time I had to prepare myself for the changes and go ahead and start implimenting them beforehand.

I know Shawna. I am the same way. I messaged her last night but haven't heard. I sure pray all went well.

How are you feeling? Got the staples out?

I got my staples out on the 13th. I was really surprised that it didnt hurt at all. BUT I am sooo allergic to adhesives and those steri-strips just ate through my skin and fell off after about 3 days. I have bigger sores from those than from my incisions, in-fact you can barely see my incision scars.

I started mushies earlier this week. It has been great. But I feel like I am eating so much (I keep reminding myself that this is normal). I am using smaller bowls and plates (like we learned in that class) and it really does work. I have just got to get in more water.

How are you doing? When is your first fill? Are you excited? One day we will have to meet up in Huntsville for tea or something.

I got my staples out on the 13th. I was really surprised that it didnt hurt at all. BUT I am sooo allergic to adhesives and those steri-strips just ate through my skin and fell off after about 3 days. I have bigger sores from those than from my incisions, in-fact you can barely see my incision scars.

I started mushies earlier this week. It has been great. But I feel like I am eating so much (I keep reminding myself that this is normal). I am using smaller bowls and plates (like we learned in that class) and it really does work. I have just got to get in more water.

How are you doing? When is your first fill? Are you excited? One day we will have to meet up in Huntsville for tea or something.

Sounds like you're doing great!

My incisions are still VERY obvious! I was told to take the bandages off the next day. Therefore I didn't have any issues with the strips. I have been getting in the tanning bed this week and thought that would make them vanish faster but maybe I'm wrong. I've been putting mederma on them but they still aren't going anywere.

Other than that, I'm doing great! We are working out every night...well right now we were instructed to walk and ride bikes to get used to it.. so that's what we're doing.

As far as food, I was able to start regular foods last night and it scares me. I had a taco from taco bell and it went down fine... I'm just scared I'll start making bad food choices again and I don't need that! My fill is scheduled for 6/5.. yes I've very excited. The last 2 days have been my first of feeling hungry so I'm READY for a fill!!!

Meeting up sounds fun!! :-)

I'm alive, I'm alive!!! I had intended to dash off a short note when I got home, but like you Shawna, I had a "pretty big" hernia, so I was in a little extra pain and didn't much care about anything. Everything went smoothly. I told everybody over and over as instructed, that anesthesia nauseats me, so they loaded me up and I felt fine afterwards and walked the perimeter not long after returning from recovery. The Good Nurse gave me half a shot of demerol and phenergan before her shift change. The Evil Nurse wouldn't give me the rest, said it hadn't been long enough. I kept telling her I'd only had half, she wouldn't listen. At that point I told DH, let's get the rest of this liquid down and take me to pee, we're going home. Evil Nurse came back and gave me some liquid Loritab. We headed for home and made it about 20 yards and I said "stop the car", I threw up, all that gas came out and I felt great. And it doesn't hurt at all to throw up, no more than usual anyway. I was worried. The girl who had surgery after me came back from recovery puking like crazy. I felt so bad for her. Anyway, was sort of dizzy all night from the anesthesia, but haven't touched any more Loritab in case that's what made me sick. Feel really good today, didn't sleep much last night though, getting up a 100 times to pee. What little gas I did have was in my back, not in my shoulder. Gas-X strip and DH rubbing my back for 30 minutes got rid of that. All in all I think I have really had an easy time of it. I do have a fever that we are watching rather closely. I'm thinking since they say to call if it reaches 101 it must not be uncommon. Anybody else have a fever?

I thank you all so much for thinking of me. It's very comforting to know I'm not in this alone.

Great to see you are doing well Diane!! Let me know if you need anything!!

Today is my birthday and my husband got me a Wii Fit! I am watching my 7 year old try it out and it looks GREAT! I think it will a great exercise program. I am starting tomorrow.

Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day!

=)

Shawna

Thanks to all of you that keep we "waitin' for it" folks informed on your post surgery stories. I appreciate good descriptions on day to day living; it's a good eye-opener for all. Hope continued success is experienced by all of our new BamaBanders!

God Bless-

It's great to hear from you Di! So glad you made it over! Things get better every day. I would say I pretty much feel back to normal now, at about 2-1/2 weeks postop.

I started the couch to 5K on Friday and DH joined me tonight ( never in a million years would I ever think he would do it). It's actually pretty fun. I've never jogged before but with it being in small increments it makes it manageable. He got me an IPOD for our anniversary on 5/2 which has a stopwatch so I am able to use that and listen to my tunes while I'm exercising and it has been awesome.

Shawna -- I am so jealous of your WiiFit. I have been seeing those commercials and just commented to DH tonight about how much fun that looked like...it would especially be great for rainy days. Let us know how you like it.

Thanks everyone. I feel great, except I still have a fever. We're going to try and get in touch with the doctor today. This isn't right. Makes me feel kind of blah. However, starting Protein yesterday was fantastic! I had thought it might help with kicking whatever is causing this fever, but it's still here this a.m.

Shawna, I had pre-ordered my WiiFit and it arrived the day before surgery. I played around with it a little Saturday (post-op). Tried out the step exercise and the hoola hoops (no, it didn't hurt!). It is going to be fun.

I played with my WiiFit last night. I love it. I did the balance games, yoga, hula hoop (I only got 2 hoops, I didnt know I was supposed to catch the ones they were throwing at me LOL).

Hope everyone is doing well!

=)

Hey everyone! I'm back! We had a great weekend with family and I didn't gain a pound!! WOO HOO. I started solids on Thursday so I was really worried about vacationing and beginning the solids. We did stay busy the entire weekend so I'm sure that helped. I am anxious to get back in the gym tonight!

The WiiFit sounds like alot of fun! Work it gals and guys! I don't have a wii so that is out of the question until they go down on the price haha.

Di, glad to read that everything went fine! Take it easy.. IT DOES GET BETTER!!!

I am so ready for a fill! Next Thursday is the day! I called today to try and move it up but there wasn't any appointments available uugghh

I'm getting hungry and I dont like it!!

DI: How's the fever situation?

SBG: Welcome back and a big CONGRATS on not gaining on vacation. That is a major accomplishment in itself if your vacations are anything like mine!

Shawna: STILL jealous over your Wii but like SBG, no such luck on getting one anytime soon! :sad: Keep working it, though. It's probably great for working things you don't even know you're working! :biggrin2:

I had my husband sign in on the Wii Fit last night and he did a bunch of exercises I'm not ready for just yet. He got quite a workout and is sore tonight (but he says he's doing them again tonight). I think it's really going to be a great motivator. It ticks me off when I step on it and it groans and when he steps on is it says "Great!".

I called the doctor yesterday, Dr. Miles was on call and he told me to come in today so he could look at my incisions. He said they looked fine. Infections with these bands are just a mess, he says and the only indicator they have of infection, is the incisions. He said he really wasn't concerned, it's not unusual to run a low grade fever after surgery (I thought five days was extreme, however), so he put me on some antibiotics just in case. I go back Friday to get my staples out. Anyway, most of the soreness is gone so, I'm still doing great other than the fever.

Good job on your first "test" Wendy!