Went for my first appointment today with AIGB and found out I will need to have my surgery in Decatur for my insurance to cover it. That is 64 miles and 1 1/2 hours away. Talk about pain for the drive home! OUCH!

Has anyone had surgery there? Were the facilities ok? Know Dr. Benevides will take good care of me where ever, but just worried about a place I have never seen before.

Any info will be great.

Oh and Just an FYI, I must do a stress test, psyche exam, sleep study, nutrition counceling, and labs before they send me off for approval. Most scheduled for 11/21, sleep study on 10/21. It will be a long month!

You will be just fine!!!! This month is going to fly by before you know it. The sleep study was great and the beds were devine, I would have really enjoyed myself if the darn nurse wouldn't have kept waking me up! :-)

Ok, thought I would bump this one up for info.

Also, If you were banded in Decatur did they make sure everyone was in network? (I had my appendix out and the pathologist was out of network... )

Any and all info appreciated!

The hospital is brand new but they've been doing wls surgeries in the other hospital for years. We are 2 hrs away so we went the night before and stayed in a motel a couple of blocks away (dont' stay at the Best Western....ugh). We had planned to stay that night but it wasn't necessary.....rode 2 hrs home, dozed most of the way, didn't have any discomfort at all. They gave me a little pillow to hold on my tummy. Gave me 2 prescriptions I never even filled (pain/nausea).

I made it thru the surgery ok this morning and thought I would share some info.

First, be prepared to go up and down the elevator. I went to the second floor to admitting, up to the third floor to sign in for surgery waiting, back down to the second floor to get some lab work done, then back up to the third floor.

Love the little pillows they give. They are a lifesaver, and the ice packs are WONDERFUL. That has really helped me today.

The facility is still under construction, so be prepared.

I rode 1 1/2 hours home, dozed most of the way. I let my nurse know I had a ride ahead of me so he "hooked me up" with some pain meds for the ride home.

I did fill my prescriptions. I am a BIG WIMP and feel like dirt at this moment in time.

I give the Decatur hospital and staff an "A" for their patience and service. They did a great job with this big pink chicken.