Megan:

I recieved your request to join and sent you back a private Facebook message.  You will probably see it in your "Other" Facebook inbox.  However, given that you have posted here, I have approved your request.  You should have access now.

Cheers!

 xcalibur

Hi I am scheduled for my sleeve sept 6 2014 and would love to join this group !!! Please leavemy info thanks

Here is what my timeline at Red Deer was.

Referral June 2013

Orientation Aug 3, 2013

First Nurse Appointment - Sept 2013 (dont remember the exact dates)

First Surgeon Appointment with Dr. Farries - Early Oct 2013

Gastroscopy - End of Oct 2013 (This was due to a cancellation and I was able to get in early)

First Dietician Appointment - Early October 2013

Another nurse Appointment and meeting with Social worker (I never had to see the psychologist) - November 2013

Appointment with Dietician (I had lost over my 15%) and same day date with Surgeon, approved for surgery - December 16th, 2013

Nurse Appointment - January (Found out at this appointment that Dr. Farries had the whole month of January off so surgery dates were pushed back one month) also had an ECG done same date.  I also had a mental health class in January.

February - Nurse appointment again and then pre-op nutrution class and Class about medications and such

Nurse appointment - March

April 9th - Surgery date

As far as I know, every surgeon in Red Deer requests a gastroscopy to ensure that there is no issues with your digestive tract rather than get into surgery and realize that something will prevent going forward with the surgery.  At that time, he discovered that I had a hyatius hernia and this was repaired at the time of my surgery.

I believe that all doctors will also request an ECG that can be done in minutes right at the hospital there. 

Good luck in your journey.  Everyone's path is different with the same goal posts that we have to meet.  I remember thinking it was going to take forever and yet now it seems just like yesterday.  Take the time to learn and absorb everything they tell you in each appointment or class.  Its easier if you can start to create new habits around food and eating prior to surgery.  The time goes by so fast. 

Remember it took us a lifetime to get to where we found ourselves when we requested to be referred to the clinic.  It wont be changed in a short snap of the fingers.  I for one am grateful that we have to "learn" how to relate and work with food and our bodies prior to being given surgery.  It is that fact that increases the chance for long term sucess with whatever surgery you do end up choosing.

Good luck to you!!!

Shelly

Not being paid what they THINK they are worth and being paid what the AHS schedule allows are two different situations.  This is not news.  It's the same for insurance companies who use dental schedules from 3-4 years ago to reimburse clients and we are left with the extra uncovered costs.  The fact of the matter is that an Albertan should be able to go to any plastic surgeon and get the pannus removal or breast reduction done at no cost.  Mine were both done free of charge by Dr. Toy.  If there are surgeons who are refusing to do this, it likely should be reported to Alberta Health.

As for the extras, that is a different story as well.  I believe that AHS should be covering more  procedures for patients who have had massive weight loss.  For me, I had to pay $20K over and above what was covered by AHS for my reconstructive surgery.  Granted, I realize that I am a special case as I was in the 500 club when I started and I didn't expect to get it for free.  I love the results thus far and will gladly pay for a expert surgeon like Dr. Toy.  However, it would have been better if AHS stepped up and saw that reconstructive surgery is not just about breasts and panni only.  It's usually also about inner thighs usually.  I have a friend who has had to battle cellulitis three times (with hospital stays) and the risk of losing her leg due to the excess skin she cannot afford to have removed.  AHS cannot realistically justify that it's not medically necessary to remove the skin, but yet it's still not covered.  What a crock!

Cheers!

  Xcalibur

Unfortunately, it's not true that no reconstruction is covered in Alberta.  In fact, the pannus removal and breast reduction are both covered by AHS.  http://www.health.alberta.ca/AHCIP/what-is-covered.html

Cheers!

  xcalibur