Kay Lehr

Great to hear from you! I would really like to get together. Do you need evenings or daytimes? My times are fairly flexible,but right now I am waiting to get a lift installed on my car so I can manage the wheelchair alone. Hopefully that will be done this weekend. Email me and we can make further plans. kaylehr@gmail.com:clap2: :clap2:

Hi, I previously lived in Sugar Land, recently moved a little farther in, Still SW Houston. I"d love a support group. My Dr. is Garth Davis, no date set yet, still testing, etc.. I'm excited. and a little scared. If you would like to talk email me at kaylehr@gmail.com.

Thanks for your response. I hope you are feeling better now. It sounds like you have a lot of medical complications too. I'm sorry. Your message relieves me, I've felt much concern about signing that waiver saying that I'll be responsible if Medicare doesn't pay. I'm sure the Dr. and other providers will expect me to sign them. I have to sign them for $10.00 blood tests, but that's very different from $30,000 this surgery is supposed to cost. I'll check that with the ins. people at my surgeon's office. There is absolutely no where for me to raise that kind of money. I'll keep you in my prayers that your new surgery date is okay and that everything goes as you hope. Have you finished all your pre-surgery preparations? Keep in contact, I'd like to hear your progress. Kay

Hi Steve. Hope you surgery went well. I'm anxious to hear all about it. I saw the surgeon on the 6th also, and they think I'll qualify for Medicare! Hooray! That's the only way I can do it.No way could I manage self pay. So I'm busy with calling Drs. making appts., and all the rest of that necessary stuff. I feel lousy, in a lot of pain, and exhausted, but my spirits are up, thinking maybe feeling this way is temporary. I started Zyban yesterday and plan to see an acupuncturist in 2 weeks. I'm praying this will help me stop smoking. The clinic you told me about wouldn't accept me, too many psychotropic drugs, darn.Good luck with yout recovery! I hop to hear you are doing great. Kay

Wow! I was glad to hear of someone older than me. I'm 67 and didn't realize so many young people are doing this. For me, this surgery is the only way out of spending the rest of my life in a wheelchair. Not to mention, a host of other health problems. I feel like I've been existing, not really living. So, I'm working on the qualifications, called a bunch of my doctors yesterday asking for letters stating that I needed this surgery. I'm hoping Medicare will approve, because there is no way I can possibly self-pay. I've learned a lot from this site. Thanks for all the info.

Hi Steve, Thanks so much for the web site. I read it immediately and called to listen to the recording. I was so excited! I had to wait til this am to call tho,because of the holiday weekend. unfortunately, because I take psychotropic drugs, I dont qualify. I was concerned about that, but I was hoping. I'm considering talking to my psychiatrist to see if I could get off them temporarily. I doubt that because some of them I take are for REM sleep disorder and if I don't take them I may go back to walking in my sleep acting out my dreams and hurting myself. Can't do that, almost killed myself more than once. Oh well, thanks again for the thought. I'll just keep looking and trying. Bet you are getting really excited as your date gets closer. Kay

Dear Steve, Wow! Does that sound exciting! I've never heard of such a technique, and yes, I'd love to have a link to find out more about it. I thought I had tried about everything. Anxiously awaiting your reply. Thank you, thank you. Kay

Dear Steve Thanks for the reply. Congrats on the baby. That's a great reason to want to be around. Yes, my health problems are related to my weight. I spend most of my time in a wheelchair, because both kness need replacing badly. My therapist and orthopedic surgeon both recommended lap band before knee surgery. I have to stop smoking to have the lap band surgery and that's my very worst addiction. I don't want to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair and in agony, so it looks like I'm going to have to find a way to stop smoking this time. Nothing so far has worked, but hopefully this time the reason I need to stop will be strong enough. You are in my thoughts and prayers, especially on the 5th. Thanks again for the encouragement. Kay from Houston

Hi I'm new too. Attended a semiinar recently,, and have my first appt. with the surgeon June fifth. I've been reading for several weeks and did.'t understand many of the abbreviations either. Thanks for the info. I'm hoping I'll qualify for the lapband surgery. I'm scared and excited. I'm much older than many of you- 67 and wonder how that will affect me. Also I have a lot of serious health problems that may get in the way of my being approved. Oh well, I'm trying to have faith, and hope it will work for me. Thanks, Kay from Houston.

Wellcome to Texas! I'm from Houston. I'm new to the forum, so I don't really know what I'm doing.I guess I responded from the wrong place. This must be a really big change for you after Buffalo..I've just been here for 3 yrs. Spent my whole life in Illinois.. But, I love it. I'm sorry that you are suffering. I can relate. I once lost 70 lbs., down to my goal weight and felt so good. I never thought it would happen to me again.I was even a Weightwatcher's lecturer for 10 years. It makes me very angry at myself to be in this position. I have so many health problems caused by, or related to my morbid obesity. I haven't heard of your Dr. which means nothing. Hopefully you will get responses from others who know him. My dr. is Garth Davis. He is with The Methodist Hosp Weight management group. He is approved by Medicare, but the Hosp. hasn't yet been approoved by them. I'm going to make an appt with him anyway and see what happens. My son took me to the seminar. He is interested too and has weight related problems. He will be a great source of supportfor me if I am accepted. I hope you have supportive people in your life. Try to be more kind to yourself, You have made a great step in the right direction. That's what I keep telling myself. I'd love to hear from you again. Kay

Thanks for responding. Congratulations on your weight loss. THAT"S TREMENDOUS! Your surgeon sounds mean. He didn't have to talk to you that way. But you've done great job. I just got home from the lap band seminar. So much information! I"m overwhelmed. I'll have to stop smoking, which is a long term addiction that I've never ben able to lick. Maybe this will be what it takes to succeed this time. I don't want to spend the rest of my liife in this kind of pain, and restricted by the wheelchair. I can't lift iit into my car, so I can't go anywhere wiithout someone strong to do it for me. I'm exhauusted,, but I'll write more later. Thanks again for sharing. Kay

Hi I was encouraged by the response I received that Medicare does pay. However, when I began searching the internet for Docs in my area, and many phone calls I found most of them aren't Medicare providers. That means that the whole charge would be for me to pay. That's an impossibility as I can't work, and live on social security. I did find one and am registered for the seminar this week. I'm excited and scared.I need total knee replacement on both knees and spend pretty much of my time in a wheelchair. My therapist and surgeon both think I should have lap band surgery first. I understand the reasoning, but 3 surgeries in my near future overwhelms me a bit. a big bit. I'd appreciate hearing from anyone having similar problems. Is it hard to get approved? What should I anticipate as recovery time? I wonder how much weight I would need to lose to become a better candidate for the replacement surgeries.I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts. Thanks Kay

Does anyone know if Medicare will pay for this surgery?