Callisto

You go!!!! two days and the weekend, that is promising.

The heavy lifting for UPS would be hard. I almost bought short term disability insurance through AFLAC but .... I did not. I could still do it but I think because my surgery was already set then it would not be covered.

https://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/1273-september-2017-sleevers/ I hope that works. I am nervous and scared but sometimes I dont get really anxious until right before something happens. I have my moments where I feel like this is not really going to happen and then realizing "this is happening."

9/18 for me. There is a sept 2017 group. I will see if I can figure out how to link it.

That is awesome!!! I have federal blue cross blue shield and was denied about 2.5 years ago because my BMI dropped below 35 the year prior when I was on prescription weight loss pills. This time it took about 10 days to get an approval, probably because poor BCBS had to go through past medical records to verify my weight and the medical records are enormous. I was ready to put up a fight also. my 17 year old daughter's idea was "can't you just send them a picture of your body so they see that you need this?" HAHA! I was getting ready to submit a nude photo and hash out all my medical issues. I might not weigh as much as some but I am short and this body rejects me being heavy. I could literally weigh 100 pounds and still be within in my weight range so an extra 89 pounds on my small frame has not been kind to me. I have not been able to keep weight off long enough to reverse my medical conditions and I sure hope this is a tool I can use to maintain a healthier lifestyle. In fact, I know it will be a good tool because I am determined. My surgery is 9/18, so pretty close to yours! I have been trying to MAINTAIN my weight also, they did not say anything about it going up but the dr said they didnt want it to go down much or I would be denied. In a way I am sick of eating to keep up five pounds and in another way I am starting to feel that I want things I know I should not have but know I will have to give up.

When I first wanted surgery about two years ago or more - I really wanted to go the RNY route to reverse my type 2 diabetes but then after thinking about it for so long I decided to go with the sleeve because I dont want to loose to much weight (but my doctor assured me that most people end up gaining weight some weight anyway) but he also felt like there was less risk involved. I had to really weigh (no pun intended) it out in my mind and really the malabsorption was another factor that pulled me to the sleeve side. I know that my type 2 diabetes will lessen with losing weight even with the sleeve.

I am addicted to carbonation and slowly trying to get myself off of it. I found myself wondering if you take the carbonation out of diet Mt. Dew, will I be able to handle it eventually? But that probably is not a good thought since it will be hard enough to even get regular water intake down for a while. I love to chug water. I find myself trying so so so hard to remember to sip my water!

You are certainly correct on that because the temp changes do affect me as it is. I would not want to fall asleep at the wheel either. I guess it is will be wait and see - I cant even imagine taking off 6 weeks but if it came down to that then it is what it is. Hopefully not. I could potentially do three weeks of paperwork - no lie. lol

Holy smokes, 6 weeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkssss.......ahhhhhhhhhhh......I cant do six weeks but it kind of sounds nice too. lol

I am a therapist/counselor with intellectually disabled clients which sounds easy except I see my clients in their homes. Because I make my own schedule then I can determine who and what time or where I want to go. There are weeks where I drive a lot or may have a 40-50 hour work week. I would in and out of the car often. But the other part of my job is writing reports and paperwork (the boring part of my job). I don't have an office that I have to be in except for once a week for a mandatory meeting. At this point I am hoping to see my clients a lot before I go into surgery, this gives me time to just do the paperwork portion of my job for a week and half. The paperwork I can do from home or wherever I want and paperwork is never finished so it is not like I will be without anything to do. I could be on vacation and actually work and I do. I also do program development and work with transitional housing about 15 hours a week as a volunteer job. I can take off there and have someone pick up the slack for me, plus I live around the corner, and I am available by phone. If I have to go over for a housing check or check on people I can have someone drive me and I can I show up for a few minutes for a visit. I have subs that will teach my classes. I just don't want to over extend myself right away because I do need to be back on the road and ready and I don't want to exert myself too much too early and mess it up. 10 days no work 10 days of paperwork then maybe back on the road Maybe I should tell the boss "hopefully" back on the road 20 days later. I hate taking off work but I have to take care of myself too.

I am wondering how you are feeling also, praying for you.

My surgery is three weeks away and I am right there with you - all of a sudden starting about ohhhhh about yesterday. I don't have a pre-op diet yet cause I am really close to my BMI so they think they are only going to have me a pre-op diet a few days before. Anyway, up until yesterday i have been feeling pretty much blah about food, almost like I am ready to just give it up maybe cause I am tired of feeling like a mini-Macy's Day parade float. But suddenly it all hit me just like you described - you are not alone. This whole process probably is not as black and white as we think. One day we may actually be able to eat pizza and chinese again in small quantities (not all you can eat) but for now...happy food funeraling. We got this.

Oh, and thank you for your service and I am not sure if that was your son in the picture but thank you for his service too. My father was in the Navy, my step daughter is Army NG and my son is USMC.

Awesome!!! I love seeing before, during and after pics.

ME TOO! The last thing that sent me over the edge was going low carb, once I did that and lost then when I gained it back it was so hard and then I was diabetic type 2.

I also went from "if" to "holy sh!t"!

How about the blood pressure cuff? Anyone else have that problem? It is embarrassing. And I can't use the home blood pressure cuff at all.

9/19 in Oklahoma.

You are right, we don't get to see them that often. If you wrote a letter it might get to the business office anyway. The patient portal would be a good idea if it is available. I am not usually a confrontational person but I had it out with the office manager of a chain dental company. It was about insurance. I was fighting insurance (long story) and she made a snide comment about my step-daughter, very unprofessional. She said that insurance was not going to cover it and that my daughter's teeth must not be that important if we weren't able to pay for it. In that case I wrote a letter to the corporate office. Then I received a huge apology. Insurance ended up covering $10,000 worth of work as my step daughter had slipped on a cement culvert at the pond and busted out her front teeth, awful experience. That poor girl. However, with wls doctor's they are not going to have a "corporate" office. It had nothing to do with the dentist, he was awesome, but it was the office manager that ticked me off. In this case her surgeon is probably great but she is dealing with the office also. I am glad to hear you have had such a great experience. How exciting that you are so close to approval. My group has been awesome. I have even texted with my coordinator because I am on the go a lot and some days have back to back clients it is difficult for me to find time to talk on the phone and it helped that we could text back and forth. My coordinator makes me feel comfortable and I can ask her anything.

This is really vain and my reasons for the sleeve are not really out of vanity but more medical but it will be nice not be embarrassed about being in family pictures. Last Christmas photos I looked like a blueberry, so round and blue/purple clothes. lol

Bras would be nice for me too!!!! I carry my weight in my back and arms like a mini line backer but I don't have big boobs so who carries a 40 B?? And btw, what is going to happen to my boobs after all the weight loss? I will have to curl them up and put them in my bra that I can finally buy at victoria secret! LOL My back, Oh Lord, how I hope my back hurts less as I lose weight. Less meds, better health, I don't want to be a walking stroke any longer. I hope my feet hurt less. Although, some of that if from neuropathy and I realize it can't be reversed. Putting my wedding ring back on.

Right, I agree 100% if they are not going to advocate for you prior to surgery then how are they are going to advocate for you during and after surgery? It might be a sign of things to come - just more of the same, if you don't change surgeons. Of course, you might let the surgeon himself know why you left. Sometimes the surgeon does not realize that his office is being less than proactive in your surgery. I had to have two years of weight history. I was denied two years ago because the year before that my BMI dropped below 35 as I was on diet pills. I just could not keep taking those pills and so I gained it back. I was so disappointed. This time, two years later, I went through the entire process again of all the NUT appointments, paying for the psych and was approved. Yeah, I hope you are able to find another surgeon in your area that you trust. Good luck!

LOL!

Cindy appreciates the uplift. You will lose a whole man. You are going to have a huge transformation. Yeah, the water thing. How does one sip that much water in a day? Maybe that will be my goal today to sip my way through all my water rather than downing it like a fish. Sometimes I find myself downing it out of habit but today I am going to make sure I am double self conscious of it. My job also allows me to have water around me most of the time. You know, trying not to spill it on my computer and what not or in my car. lol I actually bought a water bottle that had a straw and I was stoked about it because it made me sip until I found out I can't drink through a straw after surgery. Then I was sad again, for a moment. I am not sure if all sleeve patients are told not to drink through a straw but I understand that it creates gas and Cindy will be even more sad about gas so no straw for me.

Ya'll had me straight up worried when I read the initial post. Because I do exercise, nothing serious because of my upper back issues but it is a goal to be able to up my exercise as my weight decreases. That is if my back feels better as my weight goes down (I carry a lot of my weight in my upper body, arms, back, belly). I do water aerobics three times a week. I am pretty faithful about going unless work gets in the way. I can do the recumbent bike with less stress on my back than walking. Plus I see my physical therapist twice a week at a 1.5 hours at a pop and they are going to still see me through my weight loss surgery and have me do whatever I can do. Right now I do a lot of ab work to strengthen pelvic floor muscles and help with back pain. I obviously won't be able to do the ab work for awhile after surgery. Number one, for me exercise is important for mental health. It is a good pick me up. I can't do my job without being awake and present with people. Exercise helps me with that. So I really hope that exercise does not impede my weight loss. Plus the saggy skin part - there is nothing that can be done about my arms. Like no matter how many exercises I do, my arms are going to be saggy as I lose weight. I do hope that exercise helps fill some of that out, though. I swear there are muscles under that fat, somewhere. lol