Dawn K.

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

Well, the news came sooner rather than later!  I got the call this morning from Sheryl in Dr. Cribbins office telling me I have been approved for VSG!

I have my date set (March 4, 2010), barring any financial issues.  We have to come up with our deductible and other out of pocket expenses.  Worse situation is we have to postpone the surgery until after my husband gets his yearly bonus.  But I am going to do everything I can to make it happen in March as that is how I have planned it all along.

I will be having the surgery at Baylor Medical Center at Frisco (http://www.bmcf.com/).  It looks like a beautiful hospital and I have heard good things about it.  Plus, it is near where we live and just down the road from my sister, as well.

2010 is going to be a year of new beginnings!

Well, a year has passed.  To sum it up quickly, I was declined for surgery again last year.  Over the last year I have gained more weight and feel like my body is slowly (sometimes rapidly) falling apart. 

But, I am ready to get back on the right path and will hopefully get approved for surgery this time.  I have already had an appointment with Dr. Cribbins and met with Sheryl.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that I hear good news back this week...or at least sometime soon. 

Please send good thoughts my way for a speedy approval!

When I spoke with Sheryl, the bariatric coordinator at Dr. Cribbin's office, last Friday she mentioned that she might be hearing something from the insurance company as early as today with the outcome of their decision.  I know I shouldn't get my hopes up, but I just want to know that we can move forward and schedule the surgery date. 

Anyway, I am going to keep my fingers crossed that perhaps there is good news to be heard today.

Today I met with one of my instructors to accept a position as a lab assistant.  I will be taking my nutrition class with her this semester.  I wanted her to be aware that more than likely *fingers crossed* I would be having this surgery and might have to miss a some work. 

When I told her, she yelped NO!  She questioned why I didn't come to her earlier and let her know as she would have worked with me to lose weight through diet and exercise. 

Thankfully, she listened to my reasons.  I said that I have been on a lot of diets and I have never been successful.  I told her that I have researched this for several years.  I explained that I tried to get approved for lap band last year and was declined and during the interim I decide that RNY was a better option for me.  I shared with her that I worked my schedule for the spring semester around having the surgery - no lab classes, all lecture.  And I specifically wanted to take her nutrition class while I was going through this process. 

I know she still doesn't wholeheartedly approve, but she wished me the best and told me to come to her if she could be of any help. 

This is why I like this woman.  Fiercely opinionated, but compassionate.

I attended a weight loss surgery seminar hosted by Dr. Joe Cribbins on January 8th.  It went well and I truly liked him. 

So at this point, they have submitted my insurance request...so my fingers are crossed.

They are also going to use my psych and nutrition evaluations that I completed last year.  So I don't have to repeat those expenses. 

I am going to follow up with my insurance tomorrow...just to see if they recieved the paperwork and are working on it.  Really it is to see if they might have approved me already...but I doubt it will occur that quickly.

Hey, a girl can dream.  :o)

I was in this exact same place last year.  A new year was beginning and I was trying to get approved for weight loss surgery.  I believe I will qualify for it this time as I meet (and exceed) all the pre-req's they require (BMI, document of obesity for 5 plus years, age).

There are a few differences...last year I was about 10 pounds lighter...then I still felt attractive whereas now I just feel fat and think my face is pinched and not very pretty...and in the past year I decided bypass would be better suited for me than lap-band.  

I met with Dr. Culpepper, my primary care physician, this morning.  Weighed in at 289.9.  My highest weight ever.  I told him that I had changed my mind and think I would prefer bypass over lap-band and told him that my knowledge of my friends experiences have shown they have had more success with bypass and less complications overall.  I was totally surprised when he agreed with me and said he slightly favors bypass over lap-band.   

He referred me to Dr. Cribbins.  This is the same weight loss surgeon he recommended a few years ago.  Then he wasn't in-network with my insurance.  Now he is.  I have an appointment for the required seminar this Thursday morning.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that all of this can proceed as planned. 

I had hoped to use Dr. Veninga, as I liked him so much from my gall bladder surgery, but he only performs the lap-band.  Oh well, I will definitely recommend him to anyone looking for a lap-band doctor.

I need this surgery.  My health is dependent on it.  My happiness is rather precarious lately.  And I just want to enjoy life with my wonderful husband.