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I am glad already, I explained everything to her and she is very interested and as I said, concerned. She is very supportive... What a great boss she is! :-) I explained the whole procedure and the fill process and what I expected to be able to do after and how long I "expected" to be off. (3-4 days) then she said to me... "You are given time for medical situations, take the week if you need it". One thing with my job is the fact that I live 1 hour away and drive it every day. My Dr and Surgery will take place at a town in between work and home. So right now I am "TAKING" Tuesday - Friday and it just so happens that following Monday we are closed for Martin Luther King Day, so I'll get an extra day there too! Life is Good again...

I did it... I told my boss... and as it turns out she is very understanding and had all the answers I needed to get the week of surgery off. Or at least however many days I need... I'm happy I took your advise and told her! Plus she understands that I do not want anyone else in the office to know. AAHHH!!! :-) Now to complete the time off paperwork so she can "approve" it!

No, unfortunatly, my boss is female, the BEST boss one could have, and a fairly good "friend"! Very caring and always concerned about what is going on! She is also, THIN! well, maybe not thin but very fit at the very least. I'm thinking that I might be able to work Monday, and maybe Tuesday am and then head to the hospital, and go home Wednesday and Thursday and back to work on Friday? Oh who knows... Maybe I'll just tell her what I'm doing so IF/WHEN I need to leave to have my fills and such she will know why! Only other problem is that it is an elective procedure which means (I THINK) I have to use personal time and not sick time... UGH! Thanks for the support and advise! When were you banded? how much time did you take, and how are you doing now?

Hi! and first of all I really need to say I am really slacking in my blogging latley... ! When I got my surgery date I was on my way out of town for a week and then Thanksgiving and Now Christmas seems to be getting in the way! Where does the time go??? Anyway I have been thinking alot latley about writing a blog and just haven't gotten to it. SO that said, here I am to "Vent" a little. I got a phone call yesterday, actually a message left on my maching at home, from the Surgeons scheduler. Stating that after January 1st they are only doing surgeries on Tuesdays... UGH! Talk about throwing a wrench into my not telling my boss at work and only taking a Long weekend to have it done!!! Now I have to take almost a full week and they have bumped the date up to the 12th instead of the 15th of January. I've been feeling a little nervous and anxious lately, and I'm not exactly sure why... I really do not want to tell anyone about this. At least not right away... not until I know that I am a success and I'm feeling alot like a failure right now... Other life hassels that always come into play around the holidays are getting to me and then I think a plan is coming together and ... well, somthing messes up my plan!!! I'm so sorry! I don't like discussing weight issues with anyone, mine OR theirs! It's just a topic that is plain uncomfortable for me. My husband is behind me with my decision to have the band completely and knows that I want no one to know. I have 3 friends that know... I know that they will not tell anyone. One has had the RNY proceedure and is as secretive about it as I want to be, One is in North Carolina and is a friend from College and doesn't really know or correspond with anyone up here, AND the other is contemplating the band herself and doesn't want to tell anyone either. MY 2 BFF's aren't in the state any longer so I WILL NOT tell them, I want to surprise them with the "final product" or at least a partially finished new me, when I see them again... I have told people that I am going to do the normal New Year Resolution to lose weight this year and have asked them if they want to join me and do a challenge between ourselves! Of course my friend who is 5'4" and maybe weighs a whole 125 lbs., laughed and said she'd support me! LOL. I just got the call back from the scheduler... the 12th is going to be my definite day now, Afternoon, probably about 2:30 she says... Now tonight/tomorrow/this weekend, I need to figure out how to take the time off work and not tell the boss what I am taking it off for!!! UGH

Getting Mine done in Elmira, NY at the Arnot Ogden Medical Center

HI there fellow up-stater! I to am in that infamous "UPSTATE" NY Category. I actually live in PA, 6 miles from the border. Everything is done in Upstate for me, work, Dr's hospitals etc.. I am not banded yet however, I also joined this site on the advise of my surgeon. and altho I really need to get on here more often, I find it very helpful! My journey started in May 2009 when I finally decided on my own to get a consultation and picked up the phone to call. And as of yesterday at about 4:45 I am approved and scheduled for banding on January 15th 2010. I am excited, yet nervous. But more than either of those I am READY!!! Good luck with your journey and let's be friends/buddies!

You both got banded that same day??? AWESOME! Did you have a room together at the hospital?

Yes, I am a very Happy Girl today! You see I have been extremely sick for the last 4 days with a severe sinus infection. :thumbup: I finally was able to get myself to my regular Dr for diagnosis and meds. Anyway while there they asked how the Lap banding was going... and when I said it had not been done yet, they kinda looked at me funny. Well, anyway I went to the drug store and then came home and in my mailbox was a letter from the insurance company telling me that I was APPROVED!!!:tt2: I was so excited... can I just tell you that the first thing I did was call my surgeon and say "what do we do now". :huh2: And when they told me that all I needed to do was wait for the scheduling call! Well I got it last night at about 4:45. Due to my trips out of town that have been planned, one being next week... I could not take the first option of next Friday... 11/13/09 :eek: UGH! I was kinda happy that I couldn't do that on a Friday the 13th, I'm not superstitious but still... Then the second option was 12/15/2009. And again... Just as I figured :smile2: I will be out of town on the 18th - 27th for the holiday. UGH #2. HOWEVER, Option #3 was January 15th 2010. :thanks: BINGO!!! Scheduled... It is a Friday and it it 2 months away but I AM SCHEDULED!!!! Can I just say I am a happy, happy girl right now! My New Year's resolution to lose weight and live a healthy happy life as a smaller person will finally come true. Hooray for me!!! :cool:

Yes, I am a very Happy Girl today! You see I have been extremely sick for the last 4 days with a severe sinus infection. :redface: I finally was able to get myself to my regular Dr for diagnosis and meds. Anyway while there they asked how the Lap banding was going... and when I said it had not been done yet, they kinda looked at me funny. Well, anyway I went to the drug store and then came home and in my mailbox was a letter from the insurance company telling me that I was APPROVED!!!:tt2: I was so excited... can I just tell you that the first thing I did was call my surgeon and say "what do we do now". :confused: And when they told me that all I needed to do was wait for the scheduling call! Well I got it last night at about 4:45. Due to my trips out of town that have been planned, one being next week... I could not take the first option of next Friday... 11/13/09 :eek: UGH! I was kinda happy that I couldn't do that on a Friday the 13th, I'm not superstitious but still... Then the second option was 12/15/2009. And again... Just as I figured :confused: I will be out of town on the 18th - 27th for the holiday. UGH #2. HOWEVER, Option #3 was January 15th 2010. :thumbup: BINGO!!! Scheduled... It is a Friday and it it 2 months away but I AM SCHEDULED!!!! Can I just say I am a happy, happy girl right now! My New Year's resolution to lose weight and live a healthy happy life as a smaller person will finally come true. Hooray for me!!! :thumbup:

I just have to post and say that I am feeling a bit anxious today! I called the Insurance Co yesterday tosee where we were at and they said that things were moving right along... :rolleyes2:the Surgeon that I have chosen has been approved, (on 10/26) and they had a Reference number for the Hospital. Now it is thier partners job to approve the hospital and that shouldn't take to long. Just knowing that I am have way to being approved is making butterflies :thumbup: in my stomach!!! I just know that I will be getting banded in January and I can't wait. I realize that January is still 2 months away but wow... It's ONLY 2 months!!!:crying:

I just have to post and say that I am feeling a bit anxious today! I called the Insurance Co yesterday tosee where we were at and they said that things were moving right along... :rolleyes2:the Surgeon that I have chosen has been approved, (on 10/26) and they had a Reference number for the Hospital. Now it is thier partners job to approve the hospital and that shouldn't take to long. Just knowing that I am have way to being approved is making butterflies :scared2: in my stomach!!! I just know that I will be getting banded in January and I can't wait. I realize that January is still 2 months away but wow... It's ONLY 2 months!!!

I called my Surgeons office, left a message to have them call me back if there was anything that I needed to do to get things moving a little faster... No call back so assuming that they had done everything that needed to be done I called the insurance company... OMG... I wanted to tell that lady right where to go... I kept getting "ma'am we do NOT have any thing in process, or even on file for you" . AND, to make matters worse I have to call from work because they aren't ever available when I would be home so trying to get time, and quiet, and NO body around because I am not telling anyone at the office about this was even more frustrating for me. Anyway, I finally hang up with the insurance and call the surgeons office again. I have to leave a message for the girl who does the insurance stuff because she is on the phone with insurance companies all day long so she returns calls after 5 pm... I can accept that, she has her job to do too and if it were me and had to deal with those insurance companies all day, I'd be bald from pulling my hair out! So, it's really ok. Last night at 6:15 she calls me! :-) however, she says... "I sent your paperwork in today, so you should see an answer in a week or 2 at the most" I wanted to cry :thumbup: at that point. :eek:... ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? :wink2: I was under the assumption it had been submitted 2 weeks ago and that it was the insurance company that was holding things up right now. :thumbup: Last night I was so bummed it wasn't funny. But have dealt with it and decided that I will make this my last holiday without the band, the new year will bring the "Normal" resolution that I have always made (to lose weight) only this time it will work. And it will be easier for me to not tell the people that I don't want to tell!!! Right now you are probably saying (or going to say) why not have it done before the holidays... And I was thinking that too, but I have a trip scheduled in November and then another in December to visit family out of town. and I really don't want to cancel either trip or be recovering from surgery during either trip! So, right now I am just waiting for the approval and then ready to schedule a January, 2010 surgery date... New Year, New Me!!! It's all good! :thumbup:

ConB113, Of course I will keep you posted!!! rebsbrat, Those holidays aren't as important to me as being OUT of Town for Thanksgiving AND Christmas. which is why I have decided to wait. AND the fact that I am not telling everyone about my surgery. it will be much much easier to make the New Year resolution and stick with it this way. No one will assume that I have even had surgery.

I called my Surgeons office, left a message to have them call me back if there was anything that I needed to do to get things moving a little faster... No call back so assuming that they had done everything that needed to be done I called the insurance company... OMG... I wanted to tell that lady right where to go... I kept getting "ma'am we do NOT have any thing in process, or even on file for you" . AND, to make matters worse I have to call from work because they aren't ever available when I would be home so trying to get time, and quiet, and NO body around because I am not telling anyone at the office about this was even more frustrating for me. Anyway, I finally hang up with the insurance and call the surgeons office again. I have to leave a message for the girl who does the insurance stuff because she is on the phone with insurance companies all day long so she returns calls after 5 pm... I can accept that, she has her job to do too and if it were me and had to deal with those insurance companies all day, I'd be bald from pulling my hair out! So, it's really ok. Last night at 6:15 she calls me! :-) however, she says... "I sent your paperwork in today, so you should see an answer in a week or 2 at the most" I wanted to cry :thumbup: at that point. :eek:... ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? I was under the assumption it had been submitted 2 weeks ago and that it was the insurance company that was holding things up right now. :mad: Last night I was so bummed it wasn't funny. But have dealt with it and decided that I will make this my last holiday without the band, the new year will bring the "Normal" resolution that I have always made (to lose weight) only this time it will work. And it will be easier for me to not tell the people that I don't want to tell!!! Right now you are probably saying (or going to say) why not have it done before the holidays... And I was thinking that too, but I have a trip scheduled in November and then another in December to visit family out of town. and I really don't want to cancel either trip or be recovering from surgery during either trip! So, right now I am just waiting for the approval and then ready to schedule a January, 2010 surgery date... New Year, New Me!!! It's all good! :thumbup:

Hi Nancy, I'm Sandy, I felt like you did about 6 - 8 months ago! Scared to death about having the surgery but needed to do something... I have not been banded yet. But have had everything done that needs to be. I am waiting on insurance approval right now. Diets yeah done them all. and yeah lost weight, but likeyou gained it all, plus some back. I finally had the original consultation with my surgeon last May 28th and then a friend of mine had the Bypass surgery. I've watched her lose 76 pounds since July and she has been so supportive of my decision to go thru with the lapband. I decided on lapband because I have less than 100 pounds to lose to my goal weight and when I get there I will be happy for the rest of my life. Good Luck with your journey... as you read and learn more you will become more comfortable... I did! Keep in touch!

yeah I feel very frustrated today! When I sopke to the office about when I might be able to get banded, and asked if October was a reasonable guess they said yes... by all means if there are no complications and we do not forsee any. So I was really really hoping to get banded by this week. And All I can say is I'm still waiting for approval! It's been 2 weeks tht the insurance company has had all my appropriate test results, letters, paperwork of all kinds and still not answer. So, I guess, since I have some things going on in early November, and then there is Christmas, I probably will be a 2010 bander. Damn! Just when I really thought things were going my way for a change!

Hi, My name is Sandy and I am new within the last 3 days to this site. I joined on the suggestion of my surgeon. :sad: I like to think of myself a pretty computer savy but am having a hard time working around things here. I need a buddy that I can chat with regarding the site itself AND the band too. I am not banded yet. :sad: everything is done, all appointments and tests, I'm just waiting for insurance approval. I went to the support group session in my area and everyone that is in that group has had the RNY procedure done. It's not the same! I'm not telling anyone about this surgery except my husband and a few close friends... I don't care if you are a new bandster or an old hat at it... I just need someone to talk to!!! First question on this site is how do you get your appointment dates and the "tickers" to show in your posts? :scared2: I've tried several attempts and none seem to work.

Thanks BG and smason. I will call my insurance Co tomorrow, I am calling my Dr's office right now to see if there is anything they can tell me first! :-)

OK, here I am at work again! LOL !!! So, I just have to tell ya, all this waiting is driving me insane! :blink:Everything went so fast after the first appointment and now I feel likeI am stuck in limbo waiting for the insurance co. At least I hope that is all I am waiting on. I called my Dr's office and asked (actually left a message for the girl that does this stuff) if there was anything else that I needed to do to get a surgery date and they haven't called me back So I assumes that means everything is there. But that was almost 2 weeks ago. :thumbup: It appears from everything here that I have read or that I have heard from friends that have had the RNY done, it seems that they get approved within 2 or 3 days. :w00t: I don't know what to think? Maybe I'm getting disapproved? UGH! Now that would really suck the big one! :eek: I'm so ready to change my life it isn't funny. I've even already lost 10 pounds but man, it wasn't easy!

yeah I feel very frustrated today! When I sopke to the office about when I might be able to get banded, and asked if October was a reasonable guess they said yes... by all means if there are no complications and we do not forsee any. So I was really really hoping to get banded by this week. And All I can say is I'm still waiting for approval! It's been 2 weeks tht the insurance company has had all my appropriate test results, letters, paperwork of all kinds and still not answer. So, I guess, since I have some things going on in early November, and then there is Christmas, I probably will be a 2010 bander. Damn! Just when I really thought things were going my way for a change!:thumbup:

P.S. YAY!!! It worked!!!:biggrin::thumbup:

OK, Sandy... Buddies it is... I needed to do some hunting to find this message as I am at work... probably should be NOT doing this here but had to see what was happening. and When I checked my home e-mail I see that you had written. I did what you told me to do with teh ticker so lets see if it works, altho I think I tried it before. maybe I just didn't save it??? P.S. I sent you a friend request so I hope it will be easier to find "threads" from that!

This post has been so helpful for me. I am going to have the surgery however, do not have a date yet. Waiting for the insurance approval. I was wondering about what I would be able to eat after the weight is lost, like a year or so downthe road. My surgical office has been more than helpful whenever I hve a question but this site seems to be able to answer alot of my questions quicker. I just wish my insurance company would hurry and say yes, so I can get on with it! The holidays are going to be tough enough just dieting let alone If I have to decline family dinners because I am on liquids or mushies! UGH!

Elmira NY Here...