adorable

LOL that is sooooo funny! That definitely sounds like something I'd do. I can just imagine me doing it right now! Yep that will be me next week! At least you didn't eat the crust, just sucked on it.... :clap2: 3 more days and counting!!! I'm excited, I'm nervous, I was so nervous this morning before my pre-op labs that I almost had myself sick physcially. Sad thing is, I know after the surgery I'll realize how silly I was. I just had an abdominal hysterectomy last year and if I could handle THAT pain, I surely can handle this.....right?? :girl_hug:

My official surgery date is April 26th!!!!! I'm soooo excited, yet I'm scared too. I have so many things to look forward to, but I also have fears...fears of the unknown I suppose. I'm afraid that I'll fail as I always have at losing weight. I'm afraid that I'll lose this weight and continue to have the same health problems that I have being fat. I'm afraid that my family won't be a good source of support (yes they're all overweight and love to eat - including my hubby). I'm afraid that this will affect my marriage - and I love this guy dearly. I'm afraid that I'll not make it out of the anesthesia, and how my kids will take that... But despite all of my fears, I know that for myself I have to do this. I'm killing myself just being so overweight... *I* am tired of being overweight, I'm tired of feeling unattractive, and I'm tired of being unhealthy. Also, despite my fears I have so many things to look forward to. Here is a list of my goals: 1) Get rid of my high blood pressure (and the meds that go along with it!) 2) Get rid of my swollen ankles and legs (and the meds that go along with it! lol) 3) Get rid of my aching joints (and the meds that go along with it!) 4) Get rid of my GERD and hiatal hernia (and the meds that go along with it! jeez I'm on a lot of meds....) 5) Hopefully have more of a sex drive for my poor hubby (it's not as fun when some positions just hurt or make your arms tired LOL) 6) Be able to tie my shoe without that sideways bow and without having to lift my leg up on the bed and get out of breath 7) Be able to wear shirts that don't go down past my butt so that I can hide my gutt and butt! (or at least THINK that I'm hiding them) 8) Be able to try on clothes in the regular "misses" section without trying to be inconspicuous in the "plus size" section of the store. 9) Be able to try on a bra and have it actually fit all the way around me. I went shopping for a bra this weekend - Do you believe that not even Lane Bryant (for plus size women) had a bra that was a 48C??? I guess C cup there ends at a 44 which was too tight....I just wanted to cry so I'm still wearing the only bra that I have left that I've stretched enough to fit.... 10) Be able to walk to the bathroom in the middle of the night without the bottoms of my feet killing me 11) Be able to sleep all night without waking up and waking up tired (I think I may have sleep apnea - I snore louder than a man LOL) 12) Be able to fit into a 12 (a 9 would be great...hell who am I kidding??? I'd settle for a 16 right about now lol) 13) To not be afraid that I'm going to die from heart disease because I have so much fat in body and my arteries...heart disease runs in my family, as does diabetes, hypertension, etc. I feel that by being fat I'm slowly killing myself. Sure I could get hit by a bus tomorrow, but I can't control THAT. I CAN control what I do to my own body. 12) To have a BMI under 25 (I'll even settle for under 30) 13) To be able to sit in a chair and actually fit. 14) To be able to go to a concert at the local convention center and fit comfortably in the seat. 15) To be able to wipe in some very specific places (or dry off, or shave my legs) without getting a cramp in my side from twisting back around. 16) To be able to clip and paint my own toenails and not depend on my daughters or the hubby to do this for me. 17) To go get a massage and not wonder if the masseuse is thinking of charging me double LOL 18) Be able to feel attractive and healthy again - for myself and for my beautiful daughters and hubby so that they can enjoy me more (even though it will technically be LESS of me!)....

Funny that you all mention people making negative comments about WLS...I used to be one of those people.... I guess it was probably that I envied them more than anything...that I knew (or thought) that my family wouldn't support my decision to have it myself. I didn't know if my insurance company would cover it...or whatever the reason, I was just jealous that they would be losing weight and I wasn't. Then there was the fear of surgery itself...I guess that I was afraid AND jealous lol.... Finally I said to heck with it...I'm going to look into it myself and see what it's all about. Simply put, I educated myself. Now I realize that WLS is NOT the easy way out at all...yet a tool to help where I've failed before. Just because I'm having the band does not mean that I'll lose (yes it does because I'm going to work hard!), and I can always gain it back if I stop working at it. My thought process is not that I'm dieting, yet that I'm eating healthier, becoming healthier. I've told everyone that I know about my plans to have this surgery. I don't give a hoot what they say...they don't live my life, they don't look in the mirror and see what I see. In fact they probably aren't happy with their weight either! They may be scared or envious too! Anyway, that's my honesty for the day. :clap2:

I haven't gotten my official surgery date yet, however I'm hoping that it will be April!!! I just got a call from my insurance company on Friday, well the Nurse Case Manager that they assigned me to to take the entire journey with me, she told me that I was approved for the lapband and that she's always there for questions, concerns, fears, etc. Now I have to wait until tomorrow to call my doctor's office to see if they actually received the approval yet and how soon I can be scheduled!!! I'm SO excited!!!! Denise Awaiting surgery date! Hoping to be an April bandster!! 260/260/140?

You all look wonderful!!! I can't wait to see if my insurance company will approve me...I just turned 41 today and I'd LOVE to lose about 130 pounds!!! I've been eating healthier and just started walking so I've lost 12 1/2 lbs since January 11th, but it's SOOOO hard when I can eat whatever I want lol... Good job everyone!!! Here's my starting photo - about 265 lbs here (I'm in the pink sweater, right hand side...this was Thanksgiving 2006 with my kids, mom and daughters boyfriend)

Omg!! Congrats on your surgery! I'm SO envious of you!!! Tell us all about it....how did it go? What's it like so far? How sore ARE you?? Etc, etc, etc. :clap2:

Ok, I just found on my policy that bariatric surgery IS covered...if you're "morbidly obese" which in medical standards I am lol... So then I searched until I found the Blue Cross Utilization Management Guidelines which says the following (just more of what you posted above): Medical Policy Subject: Surgery for Clinically Severe Obesity Effective Date: 09/14/2006 Last Review Date: 11/13/2006 Policy #: SURG.00024 Current Status: Reviewed Description/Scope Clinically severe obesity is a result of persistent and uncontrollable weight gain that constitutes a present or potential threat to life. There are a variety of surgical procedures intended for the treatment of clinically severe obesity. This policy addresses those procedures. Policy Statement Medically Necessary: Gastric bypass with a Roux Y procedure up to 150 cm, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (the Lap-Band® System), vertical banded gastroplasty, or biliopancreatic bypass with duodenal switch as a single surgery, is considered medically necessary for the treatment of clinically severe obesity for selected adults (18 years and older) who meet the following criteria: 1. BMI of 40 or greater, or BMI of 35 or greater with co-morbid conditions including, but not limited to, life threatening cardio-pulmonary problems (severe sleep apnea, Pickwickian syndrome and obesity related cardiomyopathy), severe diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease or hypertension. *Note: Individuals considering the laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (Lap-Band®) procedure must meet the above minimum BMI requirement and, in addition, have a maximum BMI of less than 50. AND 2. The patient must have actively participated in non-surgical methods of weight reduction; these efforts must be fully appraised by the physician requesting authorization for surgery. AND 3. The physician requesting authorization for the surgery must confirm the following: * The patient’s psychiatric profile is such that the patient is able to understand, tolerate and comply with all phases of care and is committed to long-term follow-up requirements; and * The patient’s post-operative expectations have been addressed; and * The patient has undergone a preoperative medical consultation and is felt to be an acceptable surgical candidate; and * The patient has undergone a preoperative mental health assessment and is felt to be an acceptable candidate; and * The patient has received a thorough explanation of the risks, benefits, and uncertainties of the procedure; and * The patient’s treatment plan includes pre- and post-operative dietary evaluations and nutritional counseling; and * The patient's treatment plan includes counseling regarding exercise, psychological issues and the availability of supportive resources when needed. For revision of a gastric restrictive procedure for clinically severe obesity, there must be documentation of a failure secondary to a surgical complication such as fistula, obstruction or disruption of a suture/staple line, and is subject to the same criteria listed above. :amen: Blue Cross of California_ Medical polices and Clinical UM Gui....pdf

That is so wonderful to hear! I go for my first seminar on Tuesday and from past posts it appears that Blue Cross of CA used to give people problems with approvals. My BMI is 46 and I have comorbidities such as arthritis, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, GERD and I firmly believe I may have sleep apnea although I've never been tested for it. Hopefully this will be enough to get me approved. Any suggestions would be appreciated! Wish me luck! Denise Still researching the lapband :help: