I had my first fill yesterday, and it was not bad at all. I still could not tell if I had lost any weight other than what I lost pre and post op. But I got a 1cc fill. The worst part was that the PA could not find the right place to fill and he asked me to lift my legs like I was doing a leg lift exercise. Now who in the heck can do that weighing almost 280 lbs, so I tried to do the best I could and he still did not get the needle right. Dr. Antonetti came in, put his gloves on and asked me to do the leg and head lift, yeah right, then he said I would feel some pressure on my stomach. Within a few seconds it was done. I got a bandage and instructions for the next six days. The kicker is when I went to pay, the girl said that will be $200 and you have a balance of $177. I said I have been over this with your office manager and my insurance company for the last 2-3 weeks, my insurance will pay for my fills, now I will pay you my
$15 co-pay and work on paying the balance. Anyway, more than that was said, but bottom line I gave her a $15 check told her to talk to her office manager and walked out.

Yesterday was so wonderfu. We had family at my Daughter Nikki's house. We had prepared everything over the past week so everything would be perfect. Of course, we had a few hitches. We bar-b-cue'd out in her back yard. Someone stole the large garbage can on wheels we put back there for trash (thieves). Any who, we had lots of family and friends that traveled over to Effingham, SC for Christmas. Most were family or family by association. We had a great time. For the first holiday in a long time, I did not eat until I was stuffed, I felt great. Family that had not seen me in a while noticed the few pounds that I've lost. I have not weighed today, but I will maybe later on before I leave work. My first fill is tomorrow around 3:00 pm. I will leave work at 12: 00 to give me plenty of time to be there, as it is a little over an hour away. I hope this fill goes well. I will not be able to stand any vomiting, I feel like I am literally dying when I get nauseated.

I weighed today, and I think I'm down to 278 post op from about 290 something pre op. Is that good? I don't know, I need to exercise even if it is just walking behind the agency's test plots in the back everyday. I think I will be more successful if I did that. I will go for my first fill on the 27th of this month. I am really afraid of this as I don't really know what to expect. I've heard so many things from different ones that I am kind of confused. It seems that the experiences are as varied as the folks who went through them, so I'll have to wait and see what mine will be. I'm a big chicken so I know I will be scared up until that day. I have to work that day and my appt is at 3:00, so I want to leave here around 1:00 to give myself enough time to get there early enough not to rushed. This has been a long hard fight for me, but I think it was worth it and I don't have that many battle scars, so all is good. Talk at you later.

I'm feeling a little better today. After I ranted and raved at Riverside Surgical they called me back and said yes Ms. Nixon your fills are covered by your insurance. "well duhhh, I been trying to tell you all that for 2 weeks now. However, they did not have an appt in Dec while my deductible is met. So they gave me a Jan appt. then they call me back and gave me an appt for Dec 27th. I am really not happy with those folks at all. On top of that, I'm afraid that this clown of a PA they have there will goof off and have me where I can't even drink water. If that happens, what will I do. I live an hour or so away from West Columbia and can't just drive across town if something is wrong. Some of the patient who have had fills by the PA said he might have a little "attudinal" problem. Well I've been know to straighten a few of those out over the years. So maybe he is next on the list.

I'm so upset with those women at Riverside surgical, I could spit nails. I've been on the phone with the women since last week trying to tell them that my insurance would cover my adjustment, and I wanted to do it in Dec. while I had my deductible met, but now they call me and say, Oh your insurance will pay for your adjustment up to 90%, but we don't have any more appts left for Dec. We can schedule you for the 14th of January, which my deductible will go up and will not be close to being met. I think it is just a conspiracy to get money up front. I've been telling them for 2 weeks that I was covered.