hijabigirl1973

Ok I know I haven't been here that long but I seriously gotta rant here. I HATE and yes I mean hate my ex husband. He's a worthless piece of trash I tell ya. Little bit of history then I'll tell ya what really set me off. I divorced dumbass in 1999 and honestly he wasn't so bad back then. I just couldn't be with him is all. So we have a great kid, Marissa. She's 14 now but she's sick. She has Crohn's Disease and we haven't been able to find a way to control it yet and that's going on 2 years now so she's always miserable. We pulled her outta school b/c there's no way she can go. Anyhow he's always been a dead beat dad. Yeah I get my child support but that's b/c his wages are garnished so he doesn't have to worry about it. I had to file bankruptcy after we were divorced b/c I got nailed with her medical bills and our cc bills. Of course he won't help pay for her meds or bills, oh yeah or any of her schooling. Yes he is court ordered to but the problem is the collection agencies and credit card companies don't give a hoot and there's not alot you can do about it. So last year Marissa got really sick and she had to see a pediatric gastroenterologist (sp?) and her other specialist is a pediatric oncologist/hematologist. Now dipshit has insurance on her but the problem is the only specialists within a 3 hr drive that need to see her are not contracted by his insurance so b/c of her Crohn's Disease I was able to get medicade for her that will pay for most of these bills. So far it's up to 15K that's been turned into collection. I've been fighting with him for over a year to just get me the EOBs from insurance so the docs can turn all of this into medicade but it seems he just wants to be a total dick. If we had those it would be paid, almost all of it. So now they are getting ready to take me to court unless I start paying all of these bills that should be paid anyway. I hate him, i hate him i hate him. Ugh ok sorry it's so long and if ya read it well thanks b/c I know it was a lot to take in. I'm just stuck and pissed.

Ok I have been researching the band for a bit now and finally had my consult with the doc earlier this month. I had been going between so excited to totally freaking out about this. Well getting my lil report back from the doc that day really clinched it for me. Reading that I have 130 lbs of fat on me when my husband doesn't even weigh that much did it for me! So I'm just wondering if anyone else out there had that moment when something really struck them and made their decision and if so what did it for you?

Hi Ali! Good luck with everything and read read read these boards, tons of info here.

What I mean by tarry is are your stools shiny and sticky as well?

There are many things that can cause a black stool and yes one of them is internal bleeding. Different foods and drinks, meds, iron supplements especially but considering you are banded I would definately get to your dr and get it checked out. Also are the stools tarry?

I had the same problem as this poster. heart valve regurgitation and was hospitalized for a period of time when they couldn't get my heart rate to go down. Luckily after not being on the meds for a year the heart valve regurgitation had healed and my heart is fine.

I have Medicare as well but my dr's office doesn't have to preauthorize for Medicare as long as the BMI is 40+ or 35+ with at least 1 comorbidity. I do know that Medicare will only cover charges that are at a center of excellence. They are also beginning to cover fills as long as your dr's office knows what code to use. I don't know what the difference would be though really, I mean why someone would have to go through the approval process while others done? Does anyone have an idea?

I am still pre-band but I think about this constantly and know that I will continue counseling throughout my weight loss. I have no idea what being thin is like. I've been overweight since I was in kindergarten so it's just going to be very very new for me. I'm scared that even when I lose the weight and I'm at a normal weight for me that I'll still be miserable with myself. I think it's a very normal fear for us to have.

Thanks for the info Kat! I'll definately be checking that out. Denise as for Marissa's wish it is to go to Wilmington NC and meet the cast of One Tree Hill. I sure hope it comes true, she is obsessed with OTH bigtime.

Thank you as well and thank you for asking about my daughter. I think her prognosis is fine, from what we can tell she's not in immediate danger but with crohn's it's just unpredictable so we never know what's next with her sickness. If we could just get her into "remission" it would be so much easier but she's pretty miserable on a daily basis. She's on daily meds plus monthly infusions. she does get a wish granted from the Make A Wish Foundation so that has brought her spirits up alot. now I'm just hoping they can find a way to pull off her wish.....

Thanks. Well a judge can order him to pay his half but the problem is the collection agencies could care less what a judge says. I've already been that route once before and basically gave 2K to a lawyer to find out it's almost impossible to enforce it.

Congrats and good luck!

Wow, I'm in Urbana! Isn't that only about 20 miles?

Awwwwwwwwww they are all so cute!

Congrats! That's great and I'll be having my surgery hopefully around the end of Jan or early Feb as well. I'm also from Central Illinois.

Wow!! WTG Dave!!

realizeband.com is finally up and running. i haven't checked it all out yet but thought i would share with those you might be interested in checking it out. there is also an interactive section.......

It is true that rapid weight loss can cause gallstones. I have also heard of some surgeons taking the gallbladder out during lap band surgery as well. I say if they opt to take out your gallbladder let them by all means. When I had gallstones it was worse then the labor I experienced with my daughter.

My doc charges a $300 program fee, it includes a huge book they have put together, vitamins, protein powder for shakes, exercise bands, unlimited visits to the nutrionist and exercise guru, unlimited access to the gym at the hospital, monthly support meetings, a pedometer, and I'm sure I'm missing something. They won't let you pay this until you have gotten all approvals from insurance as well as all clearances from the other doctors.

That's a great tip I probably wouldn't have thought about, thanks! Also you can find some really great clothes at Goodwill if you are willing to really search through all of them.

Oh forgot to add, maybe this could be pinned somewhere? I think it's a must have for anyone getting ready to go in for the band

Thanks so much for posting this list!

It's amazing how all of these stories are different for each of us but yet we can probably all relate very well. Wasa thanks for that link, I was trying to find something like that before I started this thread.

ok i never want to eat bread again :sick

Good luck from Urbana!!