I am a single mother of two wonderful boys. I have been divorced for 2 1/2 years now. I have battled my weight my entire life. FINALLY, there is a way out!! I have tried just about ever diet out there: slimfast, weight watchers (4xs), cutting calories, metabolife, trim spa, hermal remidies, ect.... I have also bought so many exercise programs - i could make my own : the firm; walking off the pounds; turbo jam; windsor pilates, gazelle, billy blanks circut training, jazzercise, ect..... so this is my last resort! I have to do something now or i know i will just continue on this distructive path and end up so large ~ my health will suffer much more than it already is.

I attended the SCOR Lap-Band Seminar April 18, 2006. My weight is 210 and i'm 5'3. I had researched online and spoke to family before even committing to attending. Luckily my family was behind me 100%. I was excited before i ever got there. I had looked into my insurance policy before even going also ~ it's not excluded however i've been on plenty of diets but none of them have been medically supervised. So, that was my biggest fear of not getting approved. There just is NO possible way i can self-pay.

I made my inital consult w/Dr. Powells office for April 26th, 2006. My insurance pre-determination said i needed 3 years of physician supervised weight loss attempts. I told them there way no way that was plan specific ~ so we continued with the consult anyway. I was told i was a good candidate for the surgery and i had to get my psych and nutritional evaluations done and then we could sumbit to insurance. I had already gotten all of my medical files for the past 5 years before coming to this appointment~ i didn't want any delays

My psych exam was May 5th ~ seemed easy enough, just a bunch of questions and a computer test.

May 10th met w/ psychologist for review of my psych results ~ it was a student and she told me she was going to suggest my surgery be placed on hold until i seek Pyschiatric help to re-evaluate my current depression meds and further counseling. I was OUT RAGED!! What did she think has been causing my depression all of these years? OH well, i called Myra (Dr. Powells nurse) and we decided for a second opinion. However, the nutritionist did clear me and said she saw the medical neccessity needed for the surgery and her report.

May 17th~ I went to Dr.Howard Smith - a psychiatrist - and he cleared me on the spot after 30 minutes of talking to me. Thank Goodness~~i was getting worried.

Friday May 26th ~ my paperwork has been mailed to my insurance company~~it was too large to fax - LOL.

June 1st ~ insurance has received my paperwork! I am gonna call every other day until i hear something probably. I'm just afraid that it will just sit on someones desk. Not likely w/my insurance - they are pretty on top of things. However they said it could take up to 28 days for review..uuuugggghhhh!

June 19th ~ WWWHHHHOOOOO HHHOOOOOO!! I just called insurance and i am APPROVED! I am blessed to have such a great insurance company. I was afraid i would have some of the same issues as i have read about here and other boards. I am glad that i didn't. I talked to Myra(Dr Powells nurse)- and she was very excited for me and said as soon as she gets the letter she will call me and we can get set up to see Dr. Powell and get a surgery date :Dancing_biggrin: So, i called the office responsible for sending out the approval letter and she's not in..but the secretary said she'll e-mail her and try to get it printed and faxed to Dr. Powell's office by Wednesday :confused_smile: I am SO excited it seems sureal. I know it's not a quick fix ~ but a very valuable tool to help me get back to a healthy lifestyle.

June 22, 2006 ~ met Dr. Powell today and got my lovely Myocel and surgery date :behindsofa: It is July 6th, 2006 @ 7:30am. I am SOOOOOOOOO excited. I'm sure i may be nervous the morning of, but right now it is a wonderful feeling knowing it's really gonna happen!

June 25th, 2006 ~ OMG, that Myocel (vanilla) is AWFUL. I thought since i am used to drinking Slimfast that it would be alright. Well, after adding chocolate pudding mix (sugar free) it wasn't so bad. Tolerable atleast. I know i have to do it~ so i will. Went to Beth Moore Living Proof conference in OKC this weekend..it was SO awesome. All i could do was praise our God b/c he is GOOD. I prayed so much that this surgery would be his will and i could get approval. Well, obviously~~ it was and its great!

June 26, 2006 ~ My surgery is ONLY 10 days away...i have to go get blood work done today-ewwww. OH well, just a means to an end :rolleyes2:

June 28th, 2006 ~ atleast i'm getting used to drinking the protein shakes, but i'm pretty sure i will get the cholocate myocel next time! Kinda afraid to weigh myself ~ it's that time of the month...and it's probably better if i don't anyway. I'm still excited about surgery date ~ just trying to stay realistic though and not expect results too fast :lightbulb:

Well, only 6 days left until surgery! I can hardly believe it's actually gonna happen. By no means am i expecting any miracles. I know this will be work ~ i am just gaining a very effective tool to help me. I am ready to be healthy! I want to be able to play with my kids as they grow up and grandkids when the time comes! God willing ~ i will be able to make this work. Better hit the sack :rolleyes5: :notagree

June 30, 2006~~Ok guys, only 5 days until surgery! I have still been reading posts n this site and some others. There are some very unfortunate omplications that have risen from this band. I am trying to be optimistic, but not naive to this fact. So many people have lost weight in the first 6 weeks of healing, and some are having trouble losing even after fills. I know everyone is different. I also know its just a tool. I guess i'm just venting concern. I am still excited and wanting this surgery ~ just a little freaked out by what some have said here and there!!!

Well, only 3 days left :rolleyes5: Yesterday i went to a family gathering and a friend of the family was there. She'd had the lap band back in May 2003. She almost died. She was following the post-op directions to the 'T' and lost 60lbs. Then all of a sudden she couldn't keep anything down. She got so ill~~~so many hospitals~~~ just awful. Fortunatly, God wasn't ready for her to come home yet. After removing the band and much rehab ~ she is alright now. I completly believe that the lapband is not for everyone. Don't quite know how to "know" who it is right for~~guess i'll find out. I belive in my heart that this is Gods will for me. Going to the store today to get post-op foods and such. Guess i'd better be going....update later :thumbsup:

December 5th, 2006

I got banded July 6th, 2006 -so i have a new birthday! I haven't done so well with weight loss though. I am only down to 202 - so that's 10 lbs in 4 months!!! I now have a 2.4 cc in my band and i have major restriction. I'm really going to start trying to walk on the treadmill more - i have run out of excuses! I am not giving up ~ NO WAY~ never!!!! I will make this work!! I have to remember the band is just a TOOL... not a miracle worker by itself. So...i'll try to keep up - ttyl

__________________

:)Jessica Stevens

Dr. Powell 7-6-06

212/202/120

Awwww that is sweet. Sweet dreams....dream about walking.....it is a key exercise.

Your surgery is today. Good luck and walk as much as you can.