Alli's Place

Username: alligatorpgr
Location: PHOENIX, AZ, USA
Member Since: 12/11/2005
BMI: 21.1
Post Op
Surgery Type: RNY (05/10/07)
Surgeon: Robin P. Blackstone, MD FACS

Photos

Mine (30)

I'm in (0)

Uploaded on 7/12/08 12:07 pm	My stepdaughter, hubby and me! Uploaded on 7/12/08 12:07 pm
Uploaded on 7/12/08 12:07 pm	Me!!! Uploaded on 7/12/08 11:56 am
My husband and I Uploaded on 7/12/08 11:56 am	Uploaded on 7/12/08 11:56 am

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Friends

alligatorpgr has 98 Friends

kandbsmith	CK777	Ayaunna
LILAC45	Cira S.	Melissa P
Nicole W.	jos52bbe	highmaint64

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Surgeon Testimonial

Robin P. Blackstone, MD FACS
Just attended her seminar today 9/24/2006. Very no nonsense, but very passionate about what she does. Seems to really care.

Member Interests

Dogs - Love my Queensland Heeler Tiberias
Aerobics & Aquarobics - I used to teach Aerobics in my skinnier days
WLS Light-Weights - I love being called a Light-Weight :-)

Click here to see interests of other ObesityHelp members.

Hospital Reviews

(Scottsdale, AZ) - Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Campus (COE)

Latest Surgery Support Comments

Comment by Nicole W. on 5/8/07 11:26 pm

The day has finally arrived... and I am so excited for you! I am honored to be your angel and feel free to call me WHEN EVER! I mean it... when ever and for whatever reason. You will be in my prayers and in my thoughts tomorrow. XOXO Nicole

Comment by Celest J. on 5/8/07 7:28 pm

Sending lots of love and good vibes your way. Big hugs, Celest

Click here for the surgery support page

alligatorpgr's Blog

1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!
on May 10, 2008 8:53 pm

Okay, I can't believe it's been a year, I've been so bad about posting on a regular basis, the last 6 months have just flown by. Its amazing how much there is to do when your whole life doesn't revolve around food anymore. I pretty much lost most of my weight in the first 7 months, and a 1 year our I'm below goal. I look and feel so much better. I can eat anything, just in much smaller portions than I've ever had before. I did lose a lot of hair but had so much you really couldn't tell, but it's thinned out so much, that I've been experimeting with wigs lately. Lots of fun, and easy to style, makes life a lot easier. I'm looking into plastic surgery down in Mexico right now. The girls have gone way south, and my tummy will never be the same again......Anyhoo, I really appreciate all the support I've received on the baord in the last several years, I couldn't have done it without y'all. Thanks a million!!!!

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It's almost my 6 month Surgiversary!!!
on November 6, 2007 4:54 am

Well, on the 10th of this month, it will be6 months since I had my surgery. This has been an amazing journey so far, and I am very proud of my progress.

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Yippe for fruits and vegetables!!!
on June 4, 2007 10:35 pm

I am now almost a month out of surgery, feeling good, and I get fruits and cooked vegetables added to my food plan. Very exciting now that it's getting really hot here, and I'm craving some watermelon or cantoloupe.....Hmmmm sounds really refreshing. othing else gets added until the 4 month mark, so I've got to make it really interesting for the next few months. I find that everything goes down well, but I'm eating too fast. I get the foamies quite often, and I know I need to slow down. I sometimes forget I've had surgery until I put something in my mouth. Crazy huh?!?!?!?! My incisions are all healing quite well, I got my drains out the day I was released from hospital and I do feel really good. I do miss food though, I am obsessed with the Food Network Channel!!! I've been watching it non-stop and I just love it. I don't have any desire to eat ony of the food, I just like watching the shows....Very strange for me not to be obsessed with food. I used to think about it all the time from morning until night, and now I have to force myself to eat anything. Very different for me.....

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I hate food!!!
on May 31, 2007 9:36 pm

OK, I hate everything I eat and drink.......I've lost 16 lbs in 21 days, so I think I'm doing ok, but even the thought of eating make me want to vomit. NOTHING!!! taste's good at all!!! I was so excited to be able to have an egg or some yogurt, but nothing appeals to me anymore. I can't stand any of the protein drinks I've tried yet, so I know I'm not getting enough protein in. Water and vitamins and a little bit of food here and there, and that's it. I should be losing a lot more weight if you ask me. I feel fine, I'm not too tired at all, but am I going to hate food for the rest of my life?!?!??!?!? I go back to class on June 4th, and I'm excited to get fruits and vegetables, or will this be a big dissappointment also. I hate to complain, as I wanted this surgery so bad, and I've had a pretty decent recovery, but I hate trying to gag my food down....

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First Post-Op Vist with the Dr
on May 22, 2007 2:00 pm

I am 12 days out of surgery, and very excited to see what my Dr has to say about my progress :-)!!! I left the hospital on the 13th weighing 244lbs and today I weighed in at 223lbs!!! Yeah for me!!! I lost the 11 lbs I gained in the hospital, and 10 lbs lost from my original weight of 233!!! This seems to be working:-)!!! I feel great, have no appetite or desire for food, everything seems to stay down ok, so all is well. I haven't found a protein drink I like yet, but I'm getting my vitamins and water in, so I should be able to live off my fat stores for quite a while LOL.....I'm very excited to see where this surgery will take me :-)

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Archive

My Story

5/10/2007: 246lbs - 104lbs to lose!!!!

5/17/2007: 225lbs -21lbs

5/24/2007: 223lbs -2lbs

5/31/2007: 217-5lbs

6/7/2007: 213lbs - 4lbs

6/14/2007: 211lbs - 2lbs

6/21/2007: 208lbs - 3lbs

6/28/2007: 203lbs - 5lbs

7/5/2007: 201lbs - 2lbs

7/12/2007: 199lbs - 2lbs

7/19/2007: 193lbs - 7lbs

7/26/2007: 191lbs - 2lbs

8/2/2007: 191lbs - My first stall, arrgghhh!!!!

8/9/2007: 185lbs - 6lbs

8/16/2007: 182lbs - 3lbs

8/23/2007: 178lbs - 4lbs

8/30/2007: 178lbs - My second stall, arrgghhh!!!!

9/6/2007: 174lbs - 4lbs

9/13/2007: 173lbs - 1lb

9/20/2007: 171lbs - 2lbs

9/27/2007: 169lbs - 3lbs

10/4/2007: 166lbs - 3lbs

10/11/2007: 166lbs - Another stall!!!

10/18/2007: 162lbs - 4lbs yipee!!!

10/25/2007: 159lbs -3lbs

11/1/2007: 159lbs - Another stall, I have to stop eating Hot Tamales!!!

6/19/2008: 132lbs - Below my goal weight yippee!!!

7/29/06
I am almost 40 years old, have been overweight for at least the last 10 years, and need, want, gotta have WLS. I am tired, (literally) of life passing me by because of my weight. I hurt from the minute I get up until I go to bed at night. There has to be more to life than this. I have tried to be proactive, and have contacted my insurance company to see what the requirements are. I have UHC, and from what I've heard so far everyone loves them or hates them. I have really bad asthma, and have been hospitlized several times, and insurance has been great about that, but I'm not so sure about WLS. When I called this week I was told the surgery is covered, but the rep couldn't tell me what the criteria is. I am considered obese by my bmi, but besides my asthma, I am a healthy fat person. Go figure. I am grateful that I am as healthy as I am considering my weight, but I feel like I am dying. I will try again on Monday with the Ins Co., and hope to get to the next seminar at Scottsdale Bariatric. Wish me Luck:-)

8/1/2006
I have a Dr's appt on Friday with my PCP for my letter of referal. I have talked to him in the past about my weight issues, and he is aware of the stress and pressure's in my life. I've been on WW for the last several years, and have never been able to make it to my 10% goal, so I am really hoping he will be supportive and write my letter of necessity for me. I have signed up for Dr. Blackstone's seminar on 8/27, and am excited to get this process going.

8/4/2006
I saw my PCP today, and let him know that I need a referal for WLS and he said that my insurance didn't require a referal (UHC), and I said maybe they didn't, but the paperwork I received from Dr. Blackstone's office requires one, and he said I didn't need it again, so it really sounds like he's not all that supportive of my decision. I will continue on in spite of him, and hopefully if Dr. Blackstone's office absolutely has to have it, I will find a way to get it from him. On a different note, the last time I weighed myself I was 240, and today I weighed in at 232. Interesting......

8/14/2006
Well, I received a call from my PCP today following up on all the bloodwork I had done last week. Well low and behold, I have a thyroid disorder. Seems like I've been trying to explain to him how hard I try, and how tired and miserable and achy I've been. Now I don't feel like such a failure. He is going to put me on a regimen of thyroid meds, and he also said he will write me the LOM necessity for my Bariatric surgeon. Isn't it terrible to thank God that there's finally something tangible holding me back from losing the excess weight that I need too? I feel vindicated, and I think he feels bad for the way he made me feel at my last visit. I have decided to fly to LAS for a WLS seminar for a DR that did my friends surgery. We both work for the same company, so we have the same insurance and he was on the table 3 weeks from the time he started his WL journey. I'm so jealous, I just want to get this done and over with, so I can start on being healthy and living a normal life. With the drama going on in Dr Blackstone's office, even if I do get approved quickly, who knows how long it will take to get my surgery scheduled. I would much rather stay here in AZ, and I would love to have SBC do my surgery, but there's a chance my insurance will change for next year, so if I have to get it done in LAS, that's what I will do.

8/27/2006
The surgeons office from the LAS seminar that I went to last week called and gave me some disappointing news. She said that I would have to provide a 5 year weight history, and that I would need to have been morbidly obese for the last 5 years. Does that make any sense to anyone????? I've been heavy for the last 9 years, and been morbidly obese for the last 2 1/2, I can't wait another 3 years to get this surgery.....

9/24/2006
Went to Dr. Blackstone's seminar today, and was very impressed. She is very passionate about what she does, and really seems to care about people. Although I think it will be a fight with my insurance company to get approved. I am definite that I've made the right decision with Dr Blackstone. Let the fighting begin!!!!

10/3/2006
I mailed my packet into the office today, it say's on the SBC website that it can take a couple of weeks so hopefully I will be able to update with more news by the end of the month.

10/12/2006
Terri from SBC called today, and my appointment is on the 25th of October. I am very excited about this. I know this is only the first step in a long process, but it makes me feel like I'm moving forward. I'm scared also that I won't get approved, but I know in my heart this is the right thing to do, and I know God will lead the way.

10/25/2006 - I had my first appt today with SBC, very busy morning, but got quite a lot accomplished. I took my psychological test, had my psychological evalutaion with Dr Messer, met with the nutrionist Cassie, and met with Randy the NP. Oh, can't forget the financial meeting just to make sure I understand what the costs might be. Everybody today said I would be an excellent candidate, so it's off to insurance for approval. That can take from 2 to 4 weeks, so it's all about waiting right now. I'm so excited that this first part is over with, and very excited the SBC had such a great aftercare program.

11/16/2006 - OMG, I talked to my insurance company yesterday (UHC), and they said I have been APPROVED!!! I even asked the nice lady to repeat that for me, and she said yes, you have been approved. I'm so excited I don't know what to do. I called Freda at SBC, and she said she had to get the official word from UHC, so she will call me today to let me know what the next step is......YEAH BABY, I'm gonna be a "loser" too......

11/27/2006-OMG, I finally have a date!!! 3/21/2007 I am scheduled to be a loser....I am SO EXCITED....Everything I've hoped and worked for is finally coming true.....