I posted on line yesterday before I left for my doctor's appointment. Now it's just a wait and see game with my insurance company. I wish I had talked with someone about their first trip to see a plastic surgeon so I would have known what would happen when I got there. I was completely shocked when they said I'd have to have some pictures taken. I should have known they would do that but I guess it was just something that I didn't think about. After the initial interview and answering a lot of questions, I was told that as soon as the photo room was available, they'd take me there. That's when the nerves hit! I didn't know what to expect at all. Then the moment of truth came and I was taken to the photo room and told to take all my clothes off and put on a pair of surgery panties. Needless this was nothing more than a small piece of cloth held together with elastic strings. I told the nurse that was helping me that I had always thought my first time to wear a g-string might be under different circumstances. Then the doctor came in and that's when the tears started to flow! He told me this wonderful story about daffodils and what it all meant was to not look back at the past but just look forward to the future. So, there I stood completely naked with tears rolling down my cheeks and have pictures taken. Now those will be sent along with a couple of letters from doctor's stating medical necessity for the surgery to my insurance company. All I could think of was "great, now a bunch more people can look at my horrible body". But if that's what it takes to make part of a dream come true, so be it. I'd be stupid to not know that I couldn't have blown my body up to the size it was and not expect there to be some "party favors" left over. I feel like a balloon that was blown up way too much and then all the air was let out. Not that that isn't a great thing because I feel like a different person, now I just want to be able to look into a full length mirror and not be grossed out by my own reflection. I just wanted to share my first step with anyone that might be taking this journey as well. Like I said, I just wish I had talked with someone so I would have known somewhat to expect. Now I have to just sit and wait to hear from my insurance company and the good Lord willing, I'll be scheduling a pannicolectomy in the near future. Thanks for letting me share all this with y'all cause if there's any one in the whole world that can even somewhat relate to all of this I know it's y'all. As you can see by my novel disguised as a post....I'll keep everyone updated on how this all goes for me.

Y'all are the best! Kat and Steph, I'm so happy for both of you. I sure hope that I can make it the 3 Musketers soon! I'm so excited for you two and I know that y'all have to be both excited and nervous at the same time but I know it's a great feeling!

Becky I would call the insurance co. just to see where it sits. You have every right to call so just do it :smile2:

I am excited. I went grocery shopping this evening, I got enough for 2 weeks, alot of frozen stuff that dd and dh can do without my help. I've got the laundry just about done up and my floors clean... Just a few more days...woohoo!

I got the never to call my insurance company and of course they didn't have a decision yet. I guess I'm just being a bit impatient but I told them I was going to be calling a lot and check on it. Maybe they'll get tired of me being a pain in the butt and just stamp approved on my file and get me out of their hair! I've always heard the squeaky wheel get oiled, well all I can say is....pass me that oil as soon as possible! My coworkers are throwing me a 3 year bandiversary party on Thursday, it's supposed to be a surprise but my sister spilled the beans. They are the ones that have to try and keep me on track waiting for the insurance decision so I guess they thought I needed a party to perk up my spirits. Wouldn't it be awesome if a miracle happened and my insurance company kicked it into high gear and I got my approval and I could share that with everyone at my party that day. I'm blessed to have coworkers that support me so much and equally blessed to have all of y'all cheering me on. You guys rock!!!!!!!!

Got my fingers crossed for ya------should explain my inability to type!

Kat

Hey Becky! I read your post and the fact that you've lost that amount of weight is truly phenominal!

I am also a lap-bander and had my band put in about a year and a half ago. I have lost 100 pounds and feel amazing.

I am a junior @ UNT and am majoring in journalism. For one of my journalism classes I am writing my final paper about lap-band and need some quotes from people like you who have had the surgery done. I am especially interested in saying something about the plastic surgery, and would love anything you could say.

My professor requires that we get our contacts' full names, age, phone number and hometown purely for reference, so if you would be interested in sending me some of your thoughts, I'd need that as well. You can email me @ elizgillette09@yahoo.com as I know it's fishy to put up personal information on the web.

Thank you!! And congratulations!!!

Becky don't worry about being a pain in the butt. I would call them twice a week. I did call them twice a week. I was told by one of them at the insurance co that they appove it within a day so then I gave them 3 days... lol .. I was afraid I was getting on their nerves but hey they approved me! I'm still praying for you.

The girl I spoke with at the insurance company was the one who told me to call every other day. She said once it goes to determination of qualification--that each time someone checks on it, it brings it up to the top of the que again.....

In the end, it went fast---getting it there was what took forever! She suggested that to me on Monday, and it was approved that week!

Call Away!!!! Be pleasant--but call. The first time I called, I had a legitimate question for them....I had ended up with another tear, and did not know if I needed to go in for documentation, and if so who I should see, my primary or the PS. She noted it, and said for the time being see who I usually saw, which was my PCP, and then as we talked, she is the one who told me to call back on Wed. then again on Fri. EACH week. Because they are instructed to tell you that once it is received it could be 3-5 weeks before determination is made. It took less than 3 days!!! At least less than 3 days from my phone call--it may have taken the 3-5 weeks if it had not been pulled from the depths.....

CALL!!!

Kat

Kat....I'm giving my insurance company another week and then I plan on calling them every other day and checking on it. If being persistent helps with the approval, then I'll be more persistent than I've ever been in my life. I can't believe how badly I want this. Who the heck ever thought going under the knife could be something someone wants this much????? Thanks all of you once again for the fantastic support cause right now, I need it. I'm not kidding when I say this is about all I can think about. I had a dream about it the other night so maybe that was a good omen that my dream will come true and my insurance will give me the thumbs up!

Oh, boy, now I am crying. WHat a beautiful thing for your doctor to say to you, I wish you the best.

To keep everyone updated, I just talked with my plastic surgeon's office and they said they didn't even submit my paperwork to the insurance company until April 30th so that really bummed me out. But I still plan on calling my insurance company every other day and just check with them. It sure can't hurt, well I hope it doesn't. I just hope to hear something soon so I can quit worrying about approval or not and switch my worrying over to having the actual surgery! I so want this especially after seeing how great Steph already looks.

oh Becky - thank you! I'm still praying for your approval. I just feel its gonna happen for you. I know how you feel I was there and its so hard to sit back and wait. Needless to say I didn't. I called, at least 2x a week. Don't worry about being a pain, just keep calling until you get the answer that you want.

Steph, thank you so much for your encouragement. All of y'all to be exact! For some reason when I read this post, I just started crying. It so helps to have people share this with that know exactly how badly I want and need this surgery. I hate looking in the mirror after losing so much weight and being disgusted by what I see. OK, pity party over, I just have to think positive that my insurance will approve me! Take care Steph and continue to feel better every day!