Work Schedules and Surgery

[Chimera 644]

Is anyone else a teacher? I am a college professor, and while my job is not exactly strenuous physically it is very challenging to get covereage for classes, especially if you are going to be out for more than a day or two. I have a very small window of opportunity which is rapidly approaching to have my VSG - my last MWL appointment is in early December and I've had to reschedule my endoscopy and ABG for December 22nd - after the semester is over.

I have BCBS of Illinois and I am hoping that I will get a fast approval and that my surgeon will have an opening within my golden two week window. If not I will have to postpone until May. Has anyone else experienced the madness of trying to schedule this?

[Stacey Nicole 40]

I am in the middle of getting my appointments done (psych eval, nutristion, and pulmonologist). I work alone and when I need a day off, I have to find coverage. I have already given my boss a heads up that I am doing this and will require time off in January or February (Hoping for Jan!).

I do not think anyone can tell you that you cant take the time off - Especially for surgery! If you dont want them knowing what kind of surgery you are having - request that your doc put abdominal surgery on your paperwork. It is no ones business! If you dont have vacation time off, you can usually take a medical leave as well.

I am sure I will have to jump through some hurdles for my time off as well.

Good luck on your journey

[Chimera 644]

I talked to my insurance gal at the surgeon's office today and explained how tight the schedule is for me - I think the best choice for me will to be to finish up all of my requirements, continue my MWL plan with the nutritionists and plan for surgery in May. She said that it can take 4 to 8 weeks for insurance to give the go ahead after submitting everything.

So I will continue to do what I am doing and we will submit to insurance in March. This also helps the at home schedule as I have to drive my step daughter to her bus stop in the mornings which is much too far for her to walk (and dad leaves for work an hour before we do). She will be able to drive herself very soon. I cannot know how rapidly I will bounce back after surgery and I owe it to my students and co-workers to be on top of my game. The courses I teach are difficult to have covered because they are both technical and esoteric at the same time, and pretty specialized. I already feel relief knowing I will have time to rest and recover and not inconvienience anyone.

[indi1 66]

I also am in the same kind of situation. My work has a "lock-down" at the second half of December. Plus, to date, I have met just about all of my out of pocket expense with BCBSIL, so having the surgery this year would be the best financially as well. I have just completed my last 6 month supervised visit and my PCP sent the paperwork over to the surgeon's office yesterday. So I will have to follow up to see when they send it in to insurance, but BCBSIL told me the approval time was 7-14 days. When I talked to the the surgeon's office, they said they were booked till February. But would consider putting me on a waiting list of cancellations.(how many cancellations could they have ). I have considered checking other surgeons in the area, but I wonder if this surgeons office gets the approval, does that mean that approval is only good for that surgeon?

[Beth323 13]

It is difficult I agree. I only took a week off work because I knew the mountain of work that would be waiting for me. Which also meant no short days when I went back. Also the follow ups appts I have to take time off for. My surgeon sees post ops on Mon and Wed with the latest appt at 2:30. His office is 45 min from work. My hours at work are 9 to 5:30. I could not do a FMLA because I am already on one for a detached retina in May. I just think of it is I'll do whatever I have to to make this work and a year form now when I look back I'll so WOW you did it!

[Chimera 644]

Good to know that I am not alone with the rough schedule - I think it is great that some folks go to a seminar and shazam! they have their sleeve within a month or two - I am in the group where it is a looooong process - I will certainly be well practiced at my high Protein and Vitamin taking by spring ha-ha! Recovering in sunshine with flowers outside, rather than the cold damp sounds better anyway