Thank you. I have gotten over my ire and reposted my OP, although it is significantly different now. I am excited about surgery. I am less so about the "approval" from my alleged insurance.

Okay, I am putting this back. I don't mean to be a drama queen. I was really angry and I should have waited just a teensy bit longer to post anything. But I was excited. I am going to have surgery. I am approved by my insurance company. It happened it record time. The lady who does this stuff at the doctor's office was amazed. She told me to expect six to eight weeks of waiting before I even heard. It took them four days to approve me. They didn't ask for any supporting evidence, blah blah blah.

So yeah, I was excited. But then we started digging. By the time I pay my deductible and out of pocket expenses, it would be cheaper to tell the insurance company to eff off and put my monthly premiums toward surgery as well. I would literally have money left over. This is what Obamacare has done for us. Huge premiums, small coverage. I would have to get really really sick or have a catastrophic injury to break even on what I am paying for the privilege of keeping the government off my back.

Aside from that, I am looking forward to surgery. I can see from reading here it is no picnic. But I am determined to push through with it. I was prepared to pay cash anyway just because. I made the mistake of getting excited thinking my insurance was actually going to be a factor.

Haha I wouldn't have been mad to lose all of mine either! I got mine very very young by someone who should never have been allowed to give tattoos. It was a heart with butterfly wings and the word "love" on top. Now only the "love" part remains. In the next couple years, I'm gonna cover that up with something new!

It's just the other arm actually lol, the first photo was taken outward facing by a nurse, and the second photo is a "selfie" facing picture ? but I did lose most of my lower back tattoo in this process!

Here's my first before and after photo. Other areas qill take more time. I can't stand nearly straight enough to give an idea of the abdomen, it's it very very tight!