grandmasoon2b

Has anyone had Dr. Wright do their surgery? I was at a WLS support group a couple months ago and she was recommended...but I would like more than one or two people saying she is good. :confused: I'm hoping that UNMC will be approved when I am ready to roll. IF not, who would anyone suggest at Creighton to do it? (I'm not thrilled with Creighton hospital, but I want this done and I can survive one or two days there). Thanks! Laurie

Ok, I have completed ALL the testing MY doc required me to do before he would refer me to have the lap band walk. So, now I need to know if anyone knows if Creighton U. hospital has in fact been approved for the Center of Exellence regarding the lap band. I was told in a weight surgery support group a couple of months ago that they were in the process and that they should have it by June 1. I am just wondering if any one here knows. I emailed the hospital and they won't answer. Also, does anyone have Dr. Cori McBride for their surgeon? I have heard good things about her and think that I am going to ask for a referal to her. She does her lap bands through Creighton, and that is why I am wondering about the Center of Excellence thing, as medicaid / medicare will ONLY permit a Center of Excellence to perform lap band surgery. Thanks! Laurie

I'm confused. :cry I thought that the doctor's office was the one that contacted the insurance to help you get ok'd? :help: I am planning on going to one of the meetings in Omaha in August (depends when grandson arrives) to get going. I have my GP's approval, so next is the required informational meeting, then the doctor meeting. I know that I was told that I had to bring the last 2 yrs. medical records with me to the meeting. Soooo.....could someone go into more details? :confused: I'm not looking at Dr. McBride, so is this common for all docs or do they do their own thing regarding when they see you and such? thanks! Laurie

I haven't had surgery YET! But am also being very careful about who I tell. I have 5 daughters, all teenagers or in young 20's. They see the tv shows about "skinny" people and feel that they are "fat". They have seen me try and try and try again to lose weight over the last several years and every time I started a new one I got "another diet?" They would roll their eyes and bulk and laugh and ask how long it would take. Over the last couple of years my weight has gone even higher than it has ever been, I have been fighting severe depression, sleep problems, severe arthritis and pre diabetes. I have a huge family history of diabetes and heart problems, as well as high blood pressure. My mother died at 56 from complications of a surgery, stroke and sudden death. She was obese and in her autopsy, it stated that she looked at least 10 years OLDEr than her stated age of 56. THAT was 9 years ago 4th of July weekend this year and since then I have openly balked at being fat. I'm exhausted from the trials I have put my body (and family) through. who ever knew that one so desperate would literally try anything (cabbage Soup? ICK!, apple cider vinegar to drink with every meal?) to lose weight. The best I did was with Richard Simon's food mover, and that only worked to get 60 pounds off and I was still about 75 lbs over weight. I gained it all back and now I am over 310 lbs. NEVER in my life did I believe that I would get this FAT! I've lived through my kids refusing to go to the bus stop for school because of the names other kids would call me, or that we didn't HAVE to go to a school program because I couldn't sit in the chairs. I have cried over all of this. I have given 21 years to my girls (all 5 are girls!) and hubby. I have come to the conclusion that if I don't have the band done I won't have another 21 years to give them, and having lost my mother while I was in my 30's, I know how hard it is on a child. I love my girls, my soon to be grandson in August and my hubby, but it is time that I, as a mother, learn to love myself enough to take care of ME! I have to put ME first, probably the first time in my life, but if I want my children to be happy, my hubby to be happy and most of all ME to be happy, I have to do this! I have told my kids, my best friend in the whole world and my hubby. I have the support of my hubby, my best friend and two of my daughters. Two of the girls don't quite understand the whole thing, so they are not against me as such just not sure about the whole thing, and the fifth, believes like the rest of the world does about fat people. She tells me to get up and EXCERISE AND QUIT EATING SO D**** MUCH and I wouldn't have a problem. Need I state that this child is a gorgeous size 11 with all the curves in all the right places? My oldest daughter has had her fight with weight problems and knows already the pressures of life. My hubby is 300% behind me, though he reminds me that he loves me no matter what size I am. My GP looked like he was going to dance for joy when I suggested it. He said that he will do whatever he can to get me the surgery and is thrilled that I have researched it and know what I want and that I WANT to take control of my life. I can't wait to get moving on the road, but I have a couple of things yet I have to do before the balls really rolls. I have three brothers, and I have told only one of them. I don't care what anyone else says, knows or what they care. This I am finally doing for ME, MYSELF AND I. Me? I want to be happy, off of medications and enjoying all the things in life that I love to do. Myself? Heck, I'm selfish, I want to wear some of these cute clothes that are out there, I want to buy OFF the rack instead of having to hunt and hunt and hunt for things to wear. I? I am ME and I want what I want and I am willing to do whatever I have to do to get it! As for what the rest of the world has to say about it, screw them! Have they lived my life? Do they deal with MY problems? Do they understand the REAL explanation and consequences of obesity? If they haven't walked in MY shoes, eaten at MY table or talked to ME, they have no clue what it in my head, heart or sole. Power to everyone who has taken this walk, I am proud of you!!!! For those of you who are stepping quietly and carefully like me, you have everyone's support here and from me, and I hope that we can all be the support that we all need and can use. This is a scarey step, a worry of what if...and a look at the other side of a new lifestyle. I'm excited, scared and worried, but if we all chose not to do things that gave us these feelings, there wouldn't be alot of things, or children in this world. :girl_hug: You can't be successful if you don't try! :target: Hugs (sorry so long winded lol, I have a problem with not just eating but with shutting up!) Laurie

Thanks for your reply. I finally rec'd an email reply from Creighton, they have just been approved as a Center of Excellence. BUT the surgeon I would like to use doesn't do her surgeries there. She is at UNMC, but I rec'd an email from them as well and they are just waiting for a visitation inspection or something like that and they will also be a Center of Excellence. yeah! Laurie

Hi All, I really, I promise, didn't drop off the face of the earth...it just tried eating me up! LOL Whew, I'm so glad that May is about over....I HATE May! We had three kids with birthdays, two of my broter's and one nephew, add to that a high school graduation and college registration and I"m pooped! I talked to my doc and he said after some other tests (had to check my thyroid and blood glucose and am having a sleep study done) because of servere tiredness (I can't seem to sleep more than a couple to four hours at a time and want to take naps every couple of hours during the day, it is really hard to get things done!). The thyroid and blood glucose are fine. I do the sleep study on Tuesday night and then it is a 4 to 7 day wait to see the results of that. THEN he told me that all I have to do is give him the name of the doc I want to see and he will get it all set up for me! He also took down all the info on the diets I have been on and said he will do anything and everything to help me get the band! WOOOHOOOOOO! I'm hoping that the info I was told is correct, if so, Creighton (and Dr. McBride) will be a center of excellency as of June 1st. I will be contacting them ASAP to find out. I found that my deceased sis in laws mom would also like to have the band done and we had planned to do it together, but last week I found out that they discovered a heart condition that will require her to have a pace maker put in, so now I'm no sure if she will be a candidate for the band. Does anyone know???? i was looking forward to having a "band" partner for the trips back and forth and for support locally. Any news from anyone on what's up :drum:. OHHHHHHHHH, yeah, the new grandbaby is a little boy, he has had his due date moved up to August 12th. We are sooooo excited (and he won't be spoiled one little bit! LOL) Hugs! Laurie

I have medicare, is he considered a center of excellence? I have to see my regular doctor first to be able to be referred to another doctor via medicare. If anyone here has gone through medicare / medicaid can you tell me if it was REQUIRED for you to see a nutritionist for 6 months? I know that medicare / caid doesn't cover it and there is no way I can afford it. I'm wondering how after 14 years of dieting I can get over this hump. Thanks! Laurie

Actually I was at a support group last night and found out that there is another place that is 'a center of excellence' now in NE so I will be talking to my doc about it. The young lady said that Creighton University hospital is now one. If it is true that is awesome because it is only about 2 1/2 to 3 hours from me instead of about 6 hours away. MUCH nicer travel time. Thanks for your info, I will check there as well. Laurie

Hi! My kids are older (teenagers) and don't go to things like that any more. I don't have a problem with listing everything that my weight causes me problems with. How about walking? I have severe arthritis in my feet (I can hardly stand to stand up in the mornings), knees and lower back. Brusitis in my hip, GERD, severe depression, inability to work. I would love to be able to get out and work again, but I'm in so much pain so much of the time that I just can't, thus am on disability. I found info on the medicaid coverage and it says it has to be from a "center of excellence" and the only one of those I can find in NE is in Scottsbluff. Quite a distance for me, but even my hubby agrees if we have to drive that far we will. I'm so tired of being tired and in pain. As to the documented 6 mo to a year of medically observed weight loss, 14 years of a fight, have had dr put me on a diabetic diet trying to lose. Lost, gained back, then did low cal, lost and gained back. Just a frustrating circle. Now doc is telling me to walk, he is a skinny little guy and I don't think he quite understands that just because logically I should be able to exercise and such that physically I can't. there are days I can hardly walk from the car into a store to get groceries, but he refuses to give me the paperwork for handicapped parking. Those days I have to take a daughter or hubby so that they can drop me off and park, then pick me up. I'm still doing lots of research, I'm going in prepared and hopefully he will support me on this. Hugs! laurie

HI! I just found the board tonight and am glad I did. I am in the process of gathering information for a band. I had not heard of them until about 2-3 months ago while trying to find another "diet" and talking to a friend of mine (who is a nurse). I'm tired of dieting (not to say the bad influences that they have had on my five daughters! with me yo yoing for the last 10 years). The more I read the more I feel this is the best way for me to go. I have fought weight loss/gain/loss/gain problems from the time I was in Jr. High. I lost a bunch of weight just before I met my husband (went from a size 18 to a size 9 in a year) and then got pregnant. I gained 65 pounds with her. That was 21 years ago (she'll be 21 in June). I then waited (and didn't care about my weight gain at that time, I wasn't "too horrible" and besides I had a new baby) two and a half years and got pregnant with my 2nd daughter. I didn't wait between kids, I had four babies in less than 4 years. They are 11 months apart, four times with the exception of the last one who is 18 months from the one just before her. I was losing weight and exercising when I discovered the surprise pregnancy of the last one. From there I have just kept fighting weight. :help: My family history is that of obesity and I lost my mother in 1998 when she was 56 years old. I am now 42 and looking at either facing the facts that I won't live to see all of my grandchildren OR taking ahold of what the obesity has done to my family and fight it like H***. Well, I guess since I'm here, you all know what choice I have made. I think I can say I"m the only one I know of who has GAINED on several of the diets following them to a "T". So trying another one of then at this point is NOT an option. I fight depression, severe osteoarthritis in my feet, knees, back and hip. I have had two knee surgeries on my left knee and one on my right. I have GERD as well as pre-diabetes (which is also another family hand me down!). I am looking for as much info as I can to take to my GP on the 26th of this month. He is a great doctor and I have before brought him information about other medications/ideas and he listens and helps me with either deciding they are good and moving forward or bad and directing me to another source/help. I think he will be happy that I want to take control of my weight and my life! He has been telling me to exercise and eat less. Why is it that people cannot understand that if I could exercise I would? I have a hard time walking long enough to get groceries, but I will say that I REFUSE to ride the little cart and have only used wheelchairs if there is absolutely NO possible way for me to walk. I want to LIVE, LAUGH and ENJOY my up and coming new grand baby and to watch him/her grow up as well as any other's my girls may bless me with. I want to WATCH my girls as they marry, succeed in college and move on with their lives. But I also want to be able to WALK down the aisles as the mother of the bride and NOT roll down it. Thus, I need help! And at this point the Band is the source of what I feel will keep me on the help line for the rest of my life. I LOVE healthy food, but I am hungry ALL the time....and thus, I eat. At this point my 5'4" frame is holding up (barely) 310 pounds. I KNOW that there is a small sexy woman under all of this fat....but I only see the fat lady at this point. And as I have always said, it ain't over until the fat lady sings...well this fat lady will hopefully be singing this fall when they roll my stretcher into surgery and I can begin a new life! Can't wait to hear from you all and your stories! I need lots of support too! My brother's all live out of state. My parents are gone, my in-laws are gone. I have my husband of 22 years and 5 girls and my best friend in Canada that will be support. But they will never (except my best friend as she has weight problems too!) totally understand the hurt when someone looks at you and points, or a child makes fun of your child because you are fat. The world is mean and I want to survive it now more than ever! I want to be ME! Finally! sorry, i have a lip problem (well, lol, finger problem when typing), family calls it diarehha of the lip. Hugs!

Hi fellow Nebraskans! I'm from Minden/Kearney/Hastings area. I am hoping to get banded this fall. I have to bring it up with my GP and such yet, but that is this month. I have a question. I hope someone can answer for me! I have medicaid coverage and from what I have found they will cover the band HOWEVER it has to be an "approved" doctor (they have chosen). At this point I only see the doctor in Scottsbluff being the one approved. Are any of the ones in Lincoln or Omaha approved? It is like double the distance for me to go to Scottsbluff instead of Lincoln/Omaha and with four kids still at home (though all teenagers) I don't want to have to spend LOTS of time on the road (though will if I don't have a choice, I want this BADLY!) Thanks so much! Also I'd love to hear more about the doctors and the requirements they have and the procedure itself. Thanks so much! Laurie

The first day of a new journey! Congrats! And relax, I HATE IVs...but it will get you to your journey! HUGS! Laurie

I'm glad that you were able to get it! Self pay is not an option for me unfortuantely. I will have to beg, plead <or beat up> medicaid if they deny me. :confused: I'm anxious to see how every is doing with their bands and watch the weight come off with all of you....and am HOPING to join you all in August or September. Hugs Laurie

My poor family! I don't know how many "weird" diets I tried. Interesting what desperation will lead you to isn't it? I loved Atkins, but with my "hungry all the time" I gained weight on it. My brother lost and bragged and I gained. I hated him! The one that did the best for me was Richard Simmon's food nmover. I lost 80 lbs with it, met him in person and everything....and then gained it all back PLUS 30 lbs. GRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I think I have had it with "diets". I am looking forward to the band where I can learn to eat healthy and in SMALL amounts.... Laurie

Hi Janine, Thanks for replying! I don't know what I would do if my DH contradicted himself like that. Bill is VERY VERY supportive and has eaten some of the weirdest things I know of because that was what I was cooking.....down to cabbage Soup <any one done THAT diet?>. I have a BMI of 53 and from what I have researched my insurance (I'm on medicaid due to disability) they will cover it. I don't know what kind of hoops I will have to jump through to have it, but I'll do just about anything they want at this point. I have yet to talk to anyone who is from Nebraska and has medicaid and has had the lap band done. I'm thrilled for you and that you get to have it done so soon! I'm jealous too lol. I want it YESTERDAY! I have spent late nights researching and thinking things through trying to come up with more questions and such. Oh, I thought of another one for those who have already had it done. With the port, can you see it since it is placed so close to the skin? And you said it didn't hurt to get it filled, is it like poking yourself with a sewing needle? I'm really not good with needles, but like I said, I will do ANYTHING to get healthy and enjoy my life! Hugs! <and congrats to you ALL for making the choice and losing the weight, soon I will follow!> Laurie

Thanks so much Autumn444, I see my doctor (GP) on the 26th of this month. I have mixed feelings about how he will take this, BUT he has been encouraging me to lose weight for the last three years (I had a different doc in the same practice until then, but he is on semi retirement and I decided to change before he left). He is a little thing and doesn't get it when he tells me to go for a walk (just a few blocks he says) that it is NOT possible for me to walk that far. I did grocery shopping last friday at Walmart, I had to quit before I was done just because I could no longer stand up, my knee, foot and lower back pain had me near tears. I get tired of people (thin of coarse) who say, "well just quit eating so much and exercise" (one of my daughter's being a culprit of this mind set). They don't understand that "quit eating" is easier said than done. I llike, no LOVE food but not only that I love the compliments I get from cooking. I am 1/2 Swede and well, Swede's tend to think that the larger you are the happier you are cuz you have eaten so well, and that the mother must be takng good care of you since you have grown up so large. NOT a good train of thought. I don't know if ALL Swedes are like that but my family was. I love having people that know what I am going through and what I am looking toward. I would like to know how long your recovery has been and how long you spent in the hospital. I am trying to figure all of this out, in tune with my grandbaby's birth. LOL Oh, and I'm going to Canada before this is done as well. I will be in Canada from July 26th until August 13th. My girlfriend (I call her my sis ) will be turning 40 on the 10th so I want to be there for that. Kim (daughter) due August 26th and I want to do recovery while she is on maternity (or there abouts) because I will be watching the little one while mom and dad work, at least for a while, they don't trust anyone else to watch the baby, not that it hurts my feelings any lol. I can't wait for that one. Kim is talking 2-3 weeks recovery time before she goes back to work, soooooooooo.....I'm hoping to work everything out so that I can have the lap band in that time space...though I know it will also depend on doctors and insurance and all of that. I'm excited that there is something out there that can help me help myself! And that there are boards like this at which I can find new friends who have also been through the surgery, and shrinking and can share things with me. Hugs! Laurie

Thanks for the welcome Denise! I want this lapband so badly I can literally taste it. LOL I am so jealous at times of my 6' 6" husband. I swear that guy can eat anything and everything AND DOES! he has a hard time understanding why I want to be thinner, I want to be healthy. He thinks (being German and Irish lol) that I am just fine as I am, BUT he also supports me in the choice that I have made. He knows the tears when I go to buy clothes and walk away with tears in my eyes because nothing fits. Being in mid America there isn't the choice out there that some people have, and being on a very limited income I can't afford to find clothes that I need. I have three pair of pants right now lol. BUT I refuse to buy more....I will get some summer things (I sew so will make some cute tops and find some capris on ebay) and then this fall, good Lord willing, I will begin my new journey. I have four graduations for the four youngest girls and I would just love to be able to say in May next year, yes thank you I have lost weight. And just smile to myself. I will have to go about 3 hours away from home to have this done, and that leaves my 21 yr old (who is expecting her 2nd child, first one was stillborn Mother's Day weekend last year) to take care of the other kids. My 2nd oldest will be starting college this fall and on her own. Two of my kids already have weight issues (though the doctor won't say so to their faces and I almost wish he would!) but they have decided on their own that they are going to work on getting healthy this summer. I think the lapband will help my whole family. I only cook one kind of food, so if I'm watching what I am eating, the rest of the family will be too. I have few friends, in fact, the one in Canada is basically it. I get so lonely sometimes and my husband who is a loner just doesn't understand that I want and NEED people to talk to. I want to be able to go back to work in a few years, even if it is part time, just for the social contact. I mean, I have two businesses that I run from home now, medical transcriptionist for my brother who is a geriatric psychiatrist and a sewing business that is run from online and I sew for babies/reborn dolls. But it just isn't the same. Well, again thanks so much for replying! best get my transcriptions for the week done, I do have two sewing jobs to do plus finishing up another one. have a great day! Laurie