Tiffany Talbert Corbet

How sad your walking path happens to be in "unhappy, stuck-up land". Holy smokes, people either need to learn how to relax, or they need to learn what actual HAPPY people look like. I say keep walking in the morning if that's when you want to do it. They will either 1) get used to you and follow suit....thus making the walk more enjoyable, or 2) take their sour-puss, stuck up, unhappy, RUDE selves back home and walk when you're not. I say don't give up for ANYONE....it's a free country and you have every right to express your happiness any way you please. Especially after the success you've had and how hard you're working to continue the outstanding progress! Dance on, sista!! I say add some ABBA and some Freddy Murcury and see how they like that!

Wrinkling happens due to loss of colligen, not necessarily weight loss. Your best bet is to find a good skin regimine to cleanse, moisturize and find good suppliments to help support the corners of your eyes, and the skin along your neckline. Exfoliating your skin will keep it rejuvinated and new skin developing which will help keep the skin tight and help avoid sagging. There are a lot of products on the market both in department stores and through independent beauty consultants for different companies.

Ladies, I've had this fear as well, and I brought it up with a friend of mine. She is a breast cancer survivor and a beautician. She lost all of her hair, and she used Nioxin. She got me a set (shampoo....conditioner...leave in conditioner) from her supplier. Her cost was $16....so I'm guessing the set is $20 - 25? I'm using the shampoo and conditioner right now (pre-op) in hopes it will strengthen and nourish my hair now to help it sustain the loss of protein due to my diet change post-op. If you're able, and have a good relationship with your beautician, you might see if she can find it for you too. She said she used it when she lost all her hair. She would shampoo...condition, and then massage the leave-in conditioning gel into her bald scalp. After a few weeks post-chemo, she started growing hair back. Her hair today (though kept short....to her ear lobes) is thick, healthy and curly (it was straight prior to chemo). I hope this helps!!

Well, yesterday was interesting to say the least. I'm very lucky with the job I have to be able to work from home when situations require (which is handy since I live an hour from the office). After being delayed from last week for my upper endoscopy, yesterday was the day. My hubby drove me to the hospital where I checked in and they took me back to talk with the nurse and go over all the medical details, repeat for the upteenth time what meds I'm taking and answer all the personal questions we've all answered God knows how many times. One would think when your primary is associated with the same hospital you're having the procedure at, they would already have all that information in yoru electronic file that they all have access through the laptops they carry around. It's the same system! Ok, moving on... (sorry, time to leave for work) To Be Continued. Ok, I'm back...whew! What a day. So I arrived at the check in counter, and the check in tech was very nice and had a great since of humor. She put a wristband on my arm, we waited for my hubby to park the car and come in, and we went toward back to my bed. We met the charge nurse on the way and she walked with us to the waiting room where we sat and went over everything. We then went back to my bed, where I was asked to change into a gown. Once comfortable in bed, they brought a blanket and started looking for a vein for my IV. After 4 tries (2 in the back of my right hand, and once on the inside of my forearm) they finally gave up and brought in a more practiced nurse, who plunged right into a vein just outside my elbow (where I sometimes donate platelets from....which I told them about several times but they didn't want to sue). Anyway.....we got the IV started. (this took about 20 min) I was then wheeled into the procedure room where I had 2 nurses who joked with me the entire way, and as they were setting me up for the procedure. One placed the monitor patches on me as the other double checked my details (name, birthday, etc.) Once that was done, one walked around the bed and had me open my mouth and said she was going to spray a medicine that will numb my throat (spray, swallow, spray, swallow, spray, swallow....and it did NOT taste good!). The other asked and helped me turn onto my left side. After I told them I could barely tell I was swallowing my mouth and throat were so numb, they said that was the idea. The medicine they had put into my IV had relaxed me to the point where I knew what was going on, but I wasn't really thinking about it. They put a mouth guard in my mouth to help me hold it open while they performed the procedure. I couldn't even tell when they inserted the tube! I never felt it go down my throat, I never felt it in my stomach, and it wasn't but 5 or 10 min, and we were done! The wheeled me back into my space, let me lay there for a bit. Went and got my hubby, who had enough time to go and get something to eat, and after about 15 min I could get up and change back into my clothes (after they removed all the monitor patches, IV, cords, etc.). They they brought a wheel chair, explained that I was to go home and find a comfortable place to sit, and not even do housework for the next 12 to 24 hours (which is how long they said it would take for the meds to wear off). They told me when I go to get up, I'm to slide to the edge of the chair and wait until my head gets settled before standing up. Once I was dressed and ready to go, I just got up off the bed, and walked over to the wheel chair (with no problems!). The nurse about crapped and told me to slow down! That I was under the influence even if I didn't feel like I was. (Well, I don't think I was.) My hubby went to get the car, picked me up from in front of the hospital, and we stopped and got dinner on the way home. The only issue I had, was after my hubby left about 6:15 last night to go get my mother in law and go to a church meeting (which this procedure got me out of....thank you LORD), I got up to get something to drink and started getting cold sweats and a bit nauscious. I didn't throw up, I managed to sit down for a bit....and after awhile, I got up and got my pillow from my bed, cuddled up under an afaghan on my couch, reclined back, and fell asleep until he got home. Boy....that did the trick! I went to bed at the same time I do every night, got up with the alarm this morning and headed off on my hour commute and had no trouble today. I remember everything that happened, and don't remember any trouble, but the IV prep. Next step is to call the office tomorrow to find out the results. Then I wait until 9/24 to have my chest x-ray, EKG and blood drawn for testing. Then 9/26, I go meet with the nurse to go over the test results, the 2 week liquid diet required priot to surgery, and then set the surgery date! Hoping it can be as early in October as possible so by Thanksgiving, I can participate without making too many people uncomfortable.

When you reach your beautiful thin goal, I fully expect you to get back on that plane (preferrably with the same attenant) and when she comes by to offer drinks/snacks, I want you to turn to the 3rd person in the row with you and ask him/her if they are comfortable with her waiting on them. How RUDE! Since when is it ok to descriminate against those who are overweight, but they can be so PC in every other situation? The nerve.

I have a friend who is a beautician and she's a breast cancer survivor. Chemo therapy caused her to lose most of her hair. I was talking to her about this last night at dinner, and she suggests Nioxin. She used it even when she was almost completely bald and kept massaging it into her scalp. She now has a very nice, thick short hair cut. She's offered to get some for me so I can start using it before my surgery in hopes of getting some nourishment into my scalp before I start having this problem. I hope that helps!

I have tried the unflavored. It's ok, but for some reason, I can smell it just before I take a drink and it really turns me off. Almost to the point of not being able to drink it, but I pull that "little kid" trick and hold my nose and down it goes. (ugh) I wonder if I were to add it to something with stronger flavors if that would help hide that smell, but it's very slight and I only catch it right before I take a drink. Oh well... The strawberry I really like. I add frozen strawberries and a couple teaspoons of sf jell-o powder. The chocolate splendor is good as well. I don't think it's chocolaty enough, so I add a tablespoon of Hershey Special Dark Cocoa, which really makes it dark chocolate. The chicken Soup was disgusting. Won't do that again. Chances are my tastes will change post-surgery, but right now, this is what has worked for me.

Well today I was scheduled for my endoscopy at 2 p.m. Told not to eat or drink anything for 8 hours prior. Got up at 6 and was so good to not eat or drink anything. Used lip balm and brushed my teeth to get the dryness to go away. 9:25 a.m. comes, tummy is grumbling (loudly) and the phone rings. The hospital called and said they need to reschedule my procedure due to the dr. having to perform emergency surgery this afternoon. Now, I'm not selfish in the least. I'll donate anything I have (blood, platelets, tissue, marrow...) as long as I can reproduce it or live without it if someone else needs it. I'm in no way sick, and I'm only in a holding pattern until my next appointment in September for my x-rays, EKG and blood tests, so what's another 8 days to wait for an endoscopy? No sense making a stink about it. If it's an emergency, it's an emergency, and God bless him for dropping everything to help whomever needed him at the time. But I do have to admit to being a bit disappointed. Having this procedure would have been a big step for me in the process to tell me that it's really real and going to happen. So, I put my patience hat back on, and look forward to next Wednesday (8/29) for my endoscopy. Oh the joys of life and never knowing what's right around the corner.

Wow, thanks for the head's up! Really puts an emphasis on eating slowly and paying attention to what your BODY is saying and not listening to what your BRAIN wants to do. Lesson (I hope) learned.

This is probably a silly question, but just to cover the bases, I'm asking anyway. Have you tried the nicotein Patches or gum? I know quitting smoking is just as hard (if not harder) than losing weight, and trying over and over just becomes more frustrating. Some people are successful with those treatments....others just have to stop cold turkey and walk away (as hard as it is) because trying to cut back only gives them the option to increase again. Maybe call your pshychologist and see if they have any suggestions that would help? I know it's not easy (I'm a non-smoker, just have been around those who have had the struggle), but I wish you much luck.

I have been thinking about you and had to check the string to see what you had decided. I'm so happy that you have been able to get your daughters on the same page and they realize how important this is to and for you. Your husband sounds like a lot of guys I know. They want to always seem strong and sure of themselves, while inside they're frightened and unsure because they can't be the one to fix the situation. I hope he's able to come around and see that this is something you need to do for you, and his best course to "help" you get "fixed" is to support you the best he can while you recover. Good luck and congrats on finding a way to make it happen for you!!

Good luck!

Yeah! The Nurse Practitioner called me Friday on the drive home from work. She was working through the files on her desk just like I was told. Now that things are in her hands, it seems as though the ride from here might be a bit smoother. I am not scheduled: August 21 - Endoscopy September 24 - Chest X-Ray; EKG; Blood Work September 26 - Review tests with Nurse Practitioner, go over 2 week diet requirement and schedule the surgery date!! After talking things over with my hubby, and trying to navigate the events we have coming up, I believe I'm going to work to begin the 2 week liquid diet on 10/15. I have a wedding party to do make up for (Mary Kay Consultant) the first weekend of October. We are taking my 88 y/o mother-in-law on vacation the next weekend (10/12). That would put my surgery (if I'm lucky and there's availability) the week of 10/29....which puts it very near my birthday. I'm TOTALLY ok with that, as this can then be my birthday present to myself!!! At 44, I'll be starting a new me! Next year, it will be 2 birhtdays in one! This will also mean (hopefully....if post-surgery recouperating goes well) that I could potentially have turkey and mashed potatoes with everyone at Thanksgiving! And Christmas will be even better because that will be about 8-9 weeks out and things should be showing significant progress. (I know, maybe a bit Pollyanna-ish, but if you're not positive, things won't happen, right?) WHOO HOO!!! I'm SO excited this is finally moving forward.

Yeah! After talking to the Dr's office Monday and finding out they still had not received the letter from the insurance company, Tuesday I called again, and they told me it was in nurse review. I called the insurance company and they told me that wasn't so, that I was approved and the letters were all mailed out the same day (7/24). If they still had not received it, they could log into their website and use the reference number (she gave me) to pull up the letter and print it from there. I called the Dr's office back, and gave them the informatino along with the website and reference number. I called back yesterday, and was told they called the insurance company but had not received a call back, and asked if I could fax my letter to them. So as soon as I walked through the door when I got home, I dropped everything and faxed that sucker to them. This morning I called to confirm they had recieved it. She said they had and that my file was on the coordinator's desk and I would get a call soon to start the scheduling of pre-op testing that was needed. I didn't think anything about not getting a call back. At about 3:50 p.m., my husband called. He had just walked in at home and said I needed to call the Dr's office before 4 p.m., but he had not written down the number. I found the number on the web through my phone (one would think I would have it memorized by now) and called. The receptionist answered and found my paperwork. I was scheduled for an endoscopy on 8/21 at 2 p.m. The file will now go to the nurse practitioner who will call me to schedule a date/time to go in and meet with her to go over the next steps, procedures, what to expect, 2-week liquid diet, etc. She is on vacation next week, so hopefully she will call me tomorrow. I made sure to let them know to use my cell as my primary number, so now we wait...... At least things are moving forward.

I swear, two steps forward, three steps back. I'm usually known to be a patient person, but this is REALLY starting to test my limits. So last Tuesay (7/31), I got the approval letter in the mail from my insurance that I am approved. It's assumed that the dr's office received one the same day and I would be hearing from them soon regarding scheduling the next pre-op tests. OF COURSE NOT! I was patient, and waited until Friday to call the dr's office (keep in mind, I have not talked to them, because they don't bother to return phone calls, since 7/17.....when I called them and found out they had not submitted my paperwork after waiting a week for my psych results they had not requested after THEM scheduling me on 6/10 for the appointment!) {deep breath} So anyway, I call and the coordinator actually answered the phone (it's 90% the part-time receptionist. I think the coordinator hides from me). I told her that I had received the approval letter on Tuesday and was just calling to find out what the next steps will be. "We haven't received a letter from your insurance. Perhaps it's in the mail and I haven't seen it. I'll go back through and see if it's there. If not, no big deal, I can call the insurance company and get the code needed to move forward.". Ok, cool, no big deal. I didn't not hear back (of course). So I called yesterday, and they said they still had not received the letter and insurance told them it was in "nurse review". (This is where I call bulls***.) So I got off the phone with them, and called the insurance company (UHC) and tell them the dr's office has told me they have not received the letter. She tells me that's odd since it was mailed out on 7/24. (UGH) So I get the reference #, and the website they can go to and print the letter out from there. I call the dr's office back, and get the receptionist again and give her this info. She takes it and my cell #. Do you think I've heard a peep out of them!? HELL NO! I need a patient advocate, because my ends are about frayed and I can't be responsible for not blowing my cool the next time I talk to them. Are we really sure it's always the insurance companies in the wrong, and not just incapable workers in the dr's office? This is driving me NUTS! I'm going to need the psych all over again when this is finally done just to get rid of my murderous thoughts. Ok, one more time.....UGH!

Things are looking up. I faxed the letter to the Dr's office and confirmed they got it this morning. Moving forward finally.....endoscopy scheduled for 8/21 at 2 p.m. Persistance paid this time!

Oh, and the plan is to not mention anything about the organization of their office team until after the procedure. The hospital sends out surveys after each visit, so I figure that's my best opportunity to let not only the Dr's office know the issues, but the hospital as well so it can be elevated and have a light shined on it in hopes some changes are implimented. Part of me wants to go in and teach them how to be organized and efficient, but then I have my own job (and a side job) that keeps me busy enough. (I should have known this was going to be a communication challenge when the coordinator couldn't be bothered to put the fax machine tech on hold and continued talking to him all while we were finalizing paperwork when we were leaving after the surgeon consult.)

I have considered several times trying to get to someone who is a supervisor, but it seems there are 3 office workers, the nurse practitioner and then the pt, dietician and surgeon.....so I think I'm probably already talking to whomever would be considered the "office manager". I did call them again this afternoon (even though I hate being thought of as a pest) and got one of the 3 I have spoken to. She asked if she had just called me. I'm not sure if she did because the first number listed is my home number and I was at work. So she asked me to hold and went to talk to the coordinator. Then she came back and said that they had called the insurance and no one had returned their call (I just don't buy that) and asked if I could fax the letter to them. I said sure, give me a fax number and I'll fax it as soon as I get home (I'm lucky enough to have a printer/fax/copier compliments of my employer at home) so I faxed it right after I walked through the door and put my briefcase down. Any bets on how long it will be before I have to call them again to get an update?

That's just rediculous! They make all this money for these procedures, and I KNOW those people are getting paid better than minimum wage. Why can't they hire KNOWLEDGABLE, CAPABLE people!? I'm probably in a bad position to view this, being an ex-General Manager at McD's and now an Exec Asst to senior management (and yes, I may have a slight case of OCD), but how may patients do they do this to? I know I'm venting, and probably boardline whining, but really..... Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone.

Sounds kinda odd since many of the insurance companies are jumping on board to cover it for their patients. I would think they would happily cover her since it will be an indication of fewer health issues in the future, thus lower costs for them in the long run, and they can make money off of her premiums with fewer claims coming their way. I would find out who she heard that from, and do some calling around to different insurance companies and ask. (But I highly doubt this is the case.) Plus, it would boarder on discrimination (IMO) because it's not a pre-existing condition (again, IMO).

Congrats!!! I'm SO looking forward to getting into a short little black with white polka dot dress my hubby bought me when we met!! I TOTALLY get what you're saying and can't wait to be there too. ENJOY!!!

unjury.com has a chewable multi-Vitamin that is specially made for wls patients and you only have to take it once a day. I think it was $19.95 for a bottle of 90. I've been getting use to the Protein powders and they're really yummy. I haven't tried the Vitamins yet as I'm trying to get rid of my Centrum before my surgery. Good luck!!

I'm similar to dooter55....single, no kids, pre-op. But PLEASE have the surgery. If you don't do it now, when (they will keep knocking you down each time you bring it up)? I don't think it's so much that they don't want you to do it because they want you to keep doing everything....I think they're scared you'll change and not be the "you" you are now. Your girls are used to you as you are, and your hubby may just be afraid of how beautiful and happy you will become and realize you don't need him any longer to make you happy. GO FOR IT! I'm in the same shoes you are in the way that I have been overweight all my life. A few years ago I was actually pretty successful with Gorge Cruise's 3-Hour diet and lost about 80 lbs. When I was losing so much, and would go to visit my sister's family, my niece and nephew were SO loving. Then we were sitting at dinner, and my niece (who was 15 then) burst into tears and begged me to not lose anymore weight because I wouldn't be here "Aunt Tiffy" any more. She liked all of the "me" she got to hug when I would come to visit. I had to convince her I was the same person, she just got to hug me closer. This is why I believe it is fear on their part. Have you considered attempting family counseling to try and get someone to help get them to where they understand this isn't a bad change? Change is hard and they may need a little more help than you can give them to get them to see the light. Regardless....if you don't do this for yourself, you will end up mad at yourself in a year because you had the chance and you let it pass you by. PLEASE take advantage of this opportunity while you can.

Wow, your doctor's office was ON it. Mine is like pushing a rope. I used to think it was the insurance companies to blame for the issues, but right now, it's looking like the office staff for the COE where my surgeon is, isn't the best and brightest out there. I started the process with my psych eval on June 10. Appt w/surgeon, dietician and pt 7/12, office took a week to submit paperwork, not remembering I had the psych eval the month prior and thought they were waiting on it when they hadn't requested it from the phych! Now 2 weeks later, (after I received an approval letter in the mail from the insurance company) the dr's office says they haven't received it. UGH....seriously? When was the last time you checked the mail? Now waiting to hear from the scheduling nurse to work on getting the other pre-op requirements scheduled prior to surgery. Insurance says scheduled for 8/31, but can't get info from dr's office. Congrats on your successful procedure! I've never had surgery either, so to hear another newbie have such positive results helps set my mind at ease. As you can tell, I'm right there with you reading everything on here trying to prepare myself. Thanks for the info!!

Good luck, and safe travels!!