Hello, my name is Anna... I became a member here yrs ago  &  I have posted  a lot in the past & had been trying to get WLS for 14yrs & finally my determination, patience & struggles have paid off! I got  surgery a few days ago 02/01/2010. 

It was Insurance/money issues why I never got it,my different Ins. always had a claus where they saw it as cosmetic & I didn't have the $ to be self pay. I began designing fashion jewelry so I could raise money, I also contacted every talk show, actor, organizations, even the white house for help but probably because I was healthy I wasn't paid attention to.

when I started this my baby was 5 mos. old & I had no comorbidities, through the years I developed diabetes II, hypertension, cholesterol, asthma, vertigo, sleep apnea (mild) also had a few surgeries.

I made a promise to God & to myself that I was going to keep trying to get wls even if I died trying but I would never give up! I promised, if I would in the meantime try to lose on my own & NOT gain!

12 yrs passed & I kept my same weight! I lost 20 lbs regained those 20, however I did weigh like  40lbs less than when I initially started until I had a medical malpractice, my ignorant Dr administered  a overdose of steroid injection that nearly killed me! I had lost weight down to 301 & that day he injected me I gained 35lbs in 5 days, within 3 mos I had  ballooned 70lbs & dying... my organs literally shut down, my kidneys were damaged & waiting for dialysis...  in the evenings I was so swollen &  unrecognizable! only my  husband &  daughter knew what I looked like, I refused  to see anybody especially my mom because I was so embarrassed.

12 mos. later I tried Herbalife & that is what helped save me!

in Dec. a medical assistant told me that Texas Medicaid was covering wls, we had just been approved for medicaid & I checked in to it, since I already had the 6 month medical supervision, I had also had seen all specialist recently, I was given a quick appt for a sleep study since I was due for a yr follow up, my pcp's nurse worked quickly to get me into appts I needed... one day I was at a psychologist appt for evaluation for my daughter whom seemed depressed  because I was always sick, she was fearing I was soon dying I mentioned to him that I needed to see a psychiatrist for evaluation & clearance for surgery, he gave it to me right there & then!

all this was taken care of within days & I was approved the very same day for surgery!!!!!!
I was so very blessed, the key here was that I  put this in the Lord's hands years ago, I asked him  for  this day in day out! I even asked him selfishly that only if he can guarantee this tool would work, 20 yrs  of life with my daughter guaranteed, no complications & strength for me to be able to comply & do  all my part to make this work!

day of Surgery, I was so very calm which shocked me!  I was so happy & confident this was the right   long awaited choice.

my endocrinologist didn't wan t me to have wls because my thyroid was overworking & she was afraid I'd have a thyroid storm, surgeon cleared me for surgery & all went so well, I did have to have Macroscopic Gallbladder removal but because of scar tissue from last yrs 5 surgeries (appendix was  ruptured for 3 mos. w/o me knowing, gynecologist thought it was a cyst in my ovary. I ended up with 3 staph infections so I needed multiple surgeries for debreidment) he had to do open RNY. received 32 staples & I was so worried I was going to have complications walking soon but not at all! I started walking a few hrs later on same day of surgery. Praise god!

I am healing by the grace of god &  the journey has begun!