Lissa_S

Thanks Joe and congratulations on your amazing success! It's inspiring and you're right - if we aren't prepared to do things differently we aren't ready for this! I am going to be "sleeved" in September and I feel I am ready for this change! I have already given up several things that got me here (coke, chocolate) and already feel better for just doing that. So thanks for your advice - it helps me to feel like I am on the right track!

Soooooo...It's four minutes before DHS opens and I can call them to see if my funding's been approved. They did say to call this morning lol - they probably didn't mean as soon as they openned but you know what I am going to give it a red hot go Hoping for an outcome, preferably positive please! Will update shortly - using creating this blog as a mechanism for distraction until these last minutes tick by Why so slow, time???? You go fast enough usually!! Two minutes!!! Gotta go Be back on as soon as I can....

Hope all goes well for you! Let us know how you got on!!

Hello fellow sleevers So I am pleased to report that I got my approval today - the whole surgery is now paid for and I can just prepare myself now for this as it is going to happen. I even got to speak to my clinic today and they asked which time I'd prefer for surgery - I asked for the first one if possible. They said that they will put it on the file and contact me closer to the 3rd of September to advise me of the details, when to get to hospital etc. it's just the best news! Everyone was telling me not to stress but I admit, I was totally stressed out. Not that if I'd been knocked back it would have stopped me, just delayed me a bit. But this way I get to keep to my preferred schedule It's not an accident I wanted it as soon as possible in September - I want to get myself healed and losing weight so I can swim this Christmas (it's summer in December in Australia). I wanna get in that pool! I wanna play with my nieces and nephews...and to have more energy, better health and hopefully a better quality of life. So excited - wishing you all well out there! Today is a GOOD day!

Hahahaha - me too although a friend of mine who was sleeved about 18 months ago told me that she had a nasty comment the other day - her beautician (nasty person anyway) told her to eat something "BECAUSE YOU LOOK LIKE A CANCER PATIENT"... gee people are mean! She looks amazing - I told her (1) not to go back and (2) to tell her to suck it So I guess we also have to watch out for people who want to put us down for losing weight as well as mock us for being overweight!

Congratulations !!! Glad you're doing well!

Good luck! I am sure you will be fine but best wishes for a speedy recovery anyway!

LOL I honestly dream of having that problem I suppose when I read this I remembered what my surgeon said - that basically the sleeve acts to "reset" the body and to get your body used to working on less - less energy (as you're lighter you don't need to produce as much), less weight and less caloric intake. She said to me that at the end of the day, it will be a combination of my body and my lifestyle that determines where I end up. If I want to be thinner and my lifestyle supports going to the gym 12 times a week, then it's awesome. If I decide on a weight I am happy with that I can maintain by working out 5 times x 30 mins a week (as per current health guidelines as the minimum exercise for general good health), then that is awesome too. It will be our CHOICE - pre-sleeve I haven't felt like I've had much choice or control for a while so it will be really nice to exercise that muscle too

I am paying the $18000 but it is coming out of my superannuation fund (I applied under early release of superannuation benefits compassionate grounds) so I am paying for it but not really out of pocket. I've been working professionally for 10 years and have always contributed extra to my super so it's kind of like I was saving for this without even knowing lol. Primarily the only out of pocket expenses were the initial consutlation fee's, my travel and accommodation costs while I am there so all in all, it will be around $3000 out of pocket for these things plus my follow up appointments at 6 weeks, 6 months and 12 months. But the actual surgery etc itself will be covered by the $18000. Hope this makes sense

And in even better news, I got awful information yesterday from an employee at the clinic- the fee for the anaesthetist was included so the $18000 I am getting from my super does cover all costs. So happy about the outcome !!!! Although now it means that it is all systems go the clinic asked me if I wanted to go first and I said yes please - no guarantees of course but it makes it all a little more real so feaking happy right now- thanks for your support guys! Honestly I think you preserved my sanity!,

I got approved!!!!!!! The DHS have approved the surgery and hospital costs of $18000 for the surgery!!!!!! I just wish that my clinic had told me about the anaesthiologist so I could have included that too! Oh well very happy all in all...now to find out about the added costs...

LOL so apparently he didn't mean to call at 9am this morning I will wait and call back later on today .... ugh, the waiting blows !! I guess it's all part of the process...

Thank you so much to everyone who responded - there seems to be some consistency around the $2000 full cost with some of you paying the gap . I am paying for the whole shot myself so I will have to find out in the morning what they are going to charge me but I will let you know once I do what the costs are Though I have hospital cover my benefit didn't cover this surgery and I made the decision not to wait until May when I am eligible...so it was a choice and I have to live with the consequences. It just makes it hard when you don't get clear and accurate information from the clinic... Your support and advice is awesome and greatly appreciated! Cheers, Lila

I think because I am paying the full costs it might be a bit different - you mightn't be as aware of all the little costs where I am painfully aware lol. Fingers crossed though that it won't be as bad as I thought but I am anticipating it to be around $2000...

Sorry to hear you are heading back into hospital and I hope everything goes okay. If I plan for about a $2000 bill at least I might be pleasantly surprised when I get the quote Anyway I will keep my fingers crossed for you when you go back in to see what's up...

I have my surgery on 3 September and I've had the same thoughts. I think it's natural to think about it - I just made sure that I had everything sorted out (will up to date etc) but when I was thinking about this over the weekend, if I don't do something now I will have to have surgery down the track for knee replacements or hip replacements due to my weight (and I am only 33) - so I am looking at it like a pre-emptive strike lol. Best of luck to you though and I agree with the recommendations to stay positive - it won't make any different to think negatively but if you think positively, your body will be under less stress which makes our bodies work more efficiently and our recoveries should be better So aim for a little positivity and I look forward to hearing your exciting updates post-surgery!

LOL - oh yeah, I definitely have some "booth and chair" issues I can't wait to address post-sleeve Congrats!!

Good luck!

I got a call from DHS today and they said to call back in the morning for the outcome. I am so excited and anxious Can't wait to hear the outcome - the way he was talking was very positive though so fingers crossed for a good outcome!! Will let you all know how I go in the end

So exciting - got a call from DHS today asking me some clarifying questions about my application but the upshot seems to be that it is all going ahead. I have to call tomorrow for an outcome for it but the lovely man on the phone today indicated that they were only questioning the additional costs of travel that I applied for and seriously, I can manage to work that out - it's the $17500 for surgery that's most important So I should be able to advise you of the outcome by lunch time WATCH THIS SPACE!!!

Thanks - I am a bit annoyed as the letter from the clinic says that amount included assistant surgeon and the anaesethiologist fee's but when I called today she said it didn't. So confusing! But thanks for letting me know and I will follow this up tomorrow and let you guy's know the outcome!

Thanks for letting me know I will try to find out that information tomorrow

Hi guy's. I have just spoken to my clinic and they've said that the quote they gave me didn't include the anaestheologist (sorry can't spell) fee. For those who had to pay this, can you give me an indication of how much this costs? I hadn't anticipated this as an expense and am worried it will run into the thousands Cheers, Lila

OMG I can't wait for the next two days to fly by! I just spoke to DHS and they are checking applications from the 27th which means...in the next day or two they will check my application I lodged on the 30th. I am so damn excited!! And bloody nervous...the reality is that if this doesn't come off I am going to have to push back my surgery date. Though I can't see why they would knock it back, you can never be totally sure and I really want to know the outcome. September 3 isn't far away at all and I can't wait to know for sure if it's going to go ahead. This is the only thing holding me back now...I can't really get excited about it until I get this approval I imagine it is what many of you experience waiting to hear back from your insurance people. Don't get me wrong, this WILL happen for me, it's just the WHEN that I am worried about. I really don't want to wait any longer than I have to so I can begin this process. It is just that important to me. But I also know that things happen for a reason and I will manage whatever comes my way (I just don't want to have to manage my disappointment lol). Anyway this was an unnecessary ramble Hope you're all well sleevers!

What I won't miss is feeling like the biggest person in the room when I walk into it. I won't miss feeling embarrassed to eat in public. I won't miss not being able to wear short sleeve tops or dresses because I hate my flabby arms. I won't miss not being able to shop in my home town for clothes. I won't miss worrying if I will be able to get my butt into chairs when I go places or have to ask for a seatbelt extension on airplanes. I won't miss being so unfit I can't join in things for fear I can't finish or will hold people up. I won't miss discounting opportunities for relationships so I can avoid being naked in front of someone else. Man, I could go on all ***ht...I won't though lol