WHY WLS? O.H.? long babble-Re-Post.......
Howdy All!
Here's a OLD Re-Post -----------------------
This is an analogy that helped me connect to the idea
Of this whole process being a "Journey."
It is a re-post from January,'05
and thinking of the upcoming New Year ahead,
I thought I'd drop it out again....
So Quick!
Skip on past if you're looking for info, advice, etc....
So here's my babble-
"Leaving the Deep-fried South" - or - WHY WLS?
Here's my thoughts- (some of them at least...)
For the most part
We all know that if a person
Will just eat the right foods
And get adequate exercise,
They will be healthy.
That's the standard hard truth.
And it Is True.
Nothing is Impossible!
So why are we not all doing that?
Are we,
Were we,
Just not facing the Facts of Life?
I think of it this way-
I live in Mississippi.
If I wanted to get to New York,
Specifically, Times Square,
It would be true to tell me-
"Just Go North!" = "EAT RIGHT,"
"And a Little to the East!" = And GET EXERCISE."
If I had Enough Commitment, I could Do it on foot.
It Can be done! It has been Done.
With No other Directions but this Vague Directive
One could make it to New York and
Could Just as easily Walk right into Times Square.
But Day-um, that's a lot harder than you would think.
Did I ever have enough incentive
To take off walking in that direction?
Did I ever have enough Patience,
Determination, or Desire to
Just set off walking in that general Direction?
No.
So- On to the Diets!
I think of Diets as Maps.
Still a difficult walk ahead of you,
But you have the information and a plan
To make the trek somewhat more feasible.
You can plan ahead to be in a city by nightfall,
Take shorter or easier routes, etc...
But still- On Foot?
I think this is why Diets tend to work for people
That only have that 15 pounds to lose.
If I was trying to get across town,
And I had the maps,
I believe that I could make that trip,
Probably even Would,
If I really wanted it.
But, staying with the analogy-
As a Morbidly Obese Person-
The Trip was just Way Too Far
To seem accomplishable,
On Foot,
With just A Really Good Map.
That's where WLS Came in for me.
It's a little like a Car -With -
A Map in the Glove Compartment.
I still have to really want to make the
Grueling Drive North.
It just falls much further into the realm of the
Probable, rather than just the Possible.
If I had to come up with the cash to get the car
And pay for it up front?
I probably wouldn't have been able to make
The trip that way either.
Fortunately, I've been making payments to an
Insurance Company for over 30 years,
And they were able to step in,
And with the money they had made off of me
Over the years- Help pay for the car.
Now if I'm not careful, and not follow the map, or
Maintain the car,
I could still end up Far from Times Square.
Even the Gulf Coast, if some Hidden Psychological problem,
Like a fear of succeeding in my Journey,
Is compelling me to steer off Course.
If I don't Maintain the Car,
I could break down in Virginia.
I'm sure If I had the Cash,
And held to the analogy,
I could Take a Chartered Jet, or Extreme Liposuction
To get me to my destination,
But since such Luxury is not supported by my
Insurance payments,
I wouldn't ever be able to make such a trip.
Plus, once I got there,
I be stuck without a car or map for future
Travel along my Journey.
Some of us have had so many "Maps" in our past
(Atkin's, Weigh****chers, South Beach, etc...)
We don't even need to refer to the one in the car.
Some of us are starting much further South
And have a further trip to make
Than those starting further North.
Some folks (Revisions)
Got a lemon and along their first trip,
Broke down,
And had to go pretty far South to find another
Car lot that would sell to them.
All of us have bought different Models and Makes of "cars"-
Lap Bands, DS, Open RNYs, Lap RNYs, VBGs, etc....
They've made improvements with all of them each year.
Some of us are only planning
To get from Dallas Texas to Kansas City.
Some are starting in Washington DC
And are Headed to Bangor Maine.
The OH Board is to me,
A little like a CB radio
That let's me talk to others on the road.-
"What's the best way to avoid traffic in Kentucky?"
"Is Flaxseed really reducing the wear and tear on your engine?"
"What about your Gas?" (see, it works for both)
"Attention, Give a call out to ______, he's having a rough time
Right now with his mechanic! Rear-end Problems." (see, it does work for both)
And sometimes it's just fun chatter to relieve the boredom of travel-
"So, Two Penguins walk into a Buffet and say- Can I get some Gas here?..."
Any of us could make this 'journey' without OH,
But it's just more fun
And allows us to not repeat
Someone Else's Mistakes.
Hell, We could make the trip without a car!
Many Do.
Some folks had Parents
That were already headed to their destination
And just drug the kids along as they went.
Some of our Parents were headed South,
And we naturally followed in their footsteps
Until we were grown enough
To decide to set out on our own.
The analogy is surely full of holes,
But it's a fun "Car Game" to past the time.
I started at 385+lbs/North Mississippi
And at 186 lbs, I'm just a mile out of Time Square!
I didn't make it in time to see the ball drop this year, (01/01/05)
But I'll hang around for those in the future.
Have a Fun, Safe Trip Everyone,
And Watch-Out for the Potholes!
(UPDATE! -- I MADE IT ALL THE WAY BY (01/15/05)
AND EVEN WENT A LITTLE FUTHER! (6 lbs Below Goal)
ENJOY THE RIDE!!!!)
Best Wishes-
Dx
Dx,
Sorry it has taken me so long to reply to your response of my email regarding questions about plastic surgery. Thank you for your help. I had an appointment with a plastic surgeon on 12/19 and was hot happy with him at all. I felt like I was given the bum's rush. His intern came in and ask a few questions, recorded them on the file and disappeared. The dr. came in with the same file and ask me a couple questions, said they would take some pictures to submit to my insurance (which I know will not cover this surgery) and be back in touch with me in 4 to 6 weeks after they get word back from my insurance. The intern came back in and took 2 pictures, NO one answered any questions or even gave me time to ask them. I was extremely disappointed. I came home (a 2 1/2 hour drive) and called another ps and scheduled an appointment with him (Dr. Hurwitz in Pittsburgh). I probably can't afford him but want to see what he has to say anyway.
Again, thanks for your help.
Mike
Mike,
Sorry to hear the first PS doc was so disengaged.
Some other WLS folks have talked about being made to
Feel like a "Second-class citizen" because they were
Getting insurance to cover rather than being self-pay.
In fact, there's a couple of gals on the grads board
who had multiple procedures (some ins-covered and others out of pocket)
And they said that they were definitely treated differently by the Doc's Staff.
May just be a perception or maybe very accurate.
I didn't have a similar experience and my PS was pure insurance.
If looking into self pay is an option, do "haggle" the price.
They can and DO adjust fees Greatly.
Ask the business office person for some "ball-park" figures
And then go to the- "Is that $ "solid" or is there some wiggle room?"
My PS group had several different options and ended up actually getting more
Because of how my insurance went about paying for it.
They could have gotten it cheaper.
Hope all of it works out for you.
Best Wishes-
Dx