greensleeve

I too am a survivor of child hood sexual abuse. I have a history of binge eating and ended up with a husband who was emotionally abusive. You are very brave for having the surgery and for telling your story. My heart goes out to you. Have you gone to therapy at all?

Good for you!! Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm pre op and I usually get entree and a soda. My husband is the same way. We have actually had wait staff give us attitude when they find out how little our tab is going to be. I'm just wondering how to handle that when I'm even eating less?

Why did you have to wait so long?

Well I'm pre op so I think that's the problem! I can't wait to get my sleeve.

I think the problem with some like me is that after you conquer all those demons you still are hungry all the time.

I've dealt with the patient advocates before, they are useless.

I got an email today that they got my packet and assigned me to a coordinator. My old hospital didn't have coordinators.

Why did you switch?

Why won't he just do the switch or a bypass? I know I feel a lot of embarrassment over letting myself get to the point where I need surgery to help me. You have a lot to lose but if your surgeon didn't think it was possible he wouldn't let you have the surgery. You can do it! I'm pre op and I have been through every emotion in the world through this ordeal. It's a big deal. It seems like some people just get on board with the surgery and they just breeze through whole others like us have a lot of fear and shame and anxiety. I'm going to send you a private message.

Thank you so much!!!!

Let us know how it goes.

Can you please get her to give more detailed information about where to go on the site because that would really be amazing if it's true.

My journey has been long and difficult. I have a blog on another WLS site, are we allowed to post links? Thanks

I'm so glad to hear that! I am the same way with hunger. I hope this does the same thing for me. Congratulations! I just wish we could see more of your face under that beard.

I'm so glad to hear that! I am the same way with hunger. I hope this does the same thing for me. Congratulations! I just wish we could see more of your face under that beard.

"These questions are asked quite often by individuals who have lost large amounts of weight and have excess skin folds. We appreciate your desire to donate, however, this kind of donation is unworkable. Allow me to explain why: Our center does not obtain skin from these patients for several reasons. First, this method of obtaining skin is cost prohibitive. The amount of transplantable tissue obtained from tissue reduction surgery is minimal when compared to the amount of tissue obtained from a cadaveric (deceased) tissue donor. The procurement costs would be much greater as it would require the services of doctors, nurses, anesthetists, and other health care professionals as well as the use of an operating room and other hospital services. Cadaveric donation requires only trained tissue recovery technicians, and they can procure tissue after the body has been sent to the morgue (rather than in an operating room), thus keeping expenses to a minimum. Additionally, cadaveric donated tissue can be used for transplant soon after recovery (as soon as quality assurance testing is complete), however, the FDA requires that tissues recovered from living donors must be placed into quarantine for six months. At the end of six months, all serologic testing (HIV and Hepatitis) of the donor must be repeated before that tissue can be used. It is extremely difficult to obtain a skin graft from tissue than has been removed during tissue reduction surgery. The usual procedure for tissue reduction surgery involves the removal of skin and underlying attached tissues, often several centimeters. Skin grafts used for transplant (burn patients) are only 15/1000 (0.015) of an inch thick and do not include these underlying tissues. Skin grafts for transplant are obtained by the use of a surgical device called a dermatome, which peels off a very thin (0.015 inch) uniform layer of skin. I do not know of any tissue bank that would pay for a donor's tissue reduction surgical expenses for the purpose of obtaining skin for transplantation. If you are interested in donating your tissues upon your death I would encourage you to share this information with your family. Your gift can save lives and greatly reduce suffering." From a tissue bank web site. Maybe it is different in some countries?

It is 100% not an urban legend. My friend has not one stretch mark bc she has been over weight her whole entire life. Maybe do your research before you say something is not true I did do my research. As my username indicates I've been at this for over two years and this subject keeps coming up. All I can ever find are the same links that the previous poster found. And like I said I hope it is true. That would be so amazing for so many people. Even if you still have to pay for the surgery it would be awesome to know that your skin is helping someone else. Wow. So I went to that organ transplant website and there was nothing there for live donors, it seems geared for families of people who have passed or people to register in case they die.

I'm not trying to be rude but I have heard that is an urban legend. They say that the skin we would donate is too stretched out to work properly. I wish it were true.

Wow this thread I started is still going! So much pain but I can relate so much. Thanks everyone for sharing.

Congratulations!!!!

I am switching to DePaul, I filled out the paperwork and sent it in today. I also filed a complaint with Joint Commission.

I really want nothing to do with them. If this how they treat people I can't trust them. I don't want to have to deal with her after the surgery and if it truly was Dr Minkins decision I want nothing to do with him. There have been several people complaining about her on two boards. "Someone" always created a new user name and claims to be a former patient of his and raves about it and then never posts anything ever again. Just wait....

By the way it's Dr Minkin, Des Peres Hospital St Louis Mo. I also complained to the My New Self program there and didn't here a word back.

I meant when I called in November they said they were full. That woman is the office manager. I have no way to talk to him and at this point I don't want anything to do with them other than letting other people know what happened to me.

I am switching over to DePaul after a horrendous experience at Des Peres. I'm glad to see so many people are having good experiences!