Good for you Sharon. Keep working with the RD if you can. Any amount of weight you lose before surgery will help you and your surgeon in the long run. When we lose weight, internally it decreases around the liver and stomach first, doing this helps if you have an RNY-lap by making the liver lighter and the stomach easier to visualize. Keep tabs on the approval. My surgery was approved 2 months before me or my surgeon were notified. I found out by calling the insurance myself. Ask your surgeon when to get the test done. I had to have them before I could get a date, now they start when they actually have a date. I had to repeat a few because I had a six month wait. Take care, it is all worth it. Robin

Hi Michelle, I wish you the best as well. I am 19 months out now and must agree this is the most important thing I have done for myself. Your day will be here sooner than you think. I took 8 weeks off after my lap. Going back sooner may be an option if your unit will allow restrictions, but usually they won't. Also you will need to be careful lifting the epidural patients especially when pushing. My doc is very conservative with his patients and especially his nurse patients. He knows how we can be. I also do L&D, registry. Working after surgery is the hard part especially depending on your area and hospital. I plan my meals and bring them with me. I also have a bottle of water everywhere I go. The cafeteria is no longer an option. Take care of yourself after, no one else will. Robin

All those hoops are just steps in the process. It will be here before you know it. I couldn't even send in for ins approval until all the testing was finished. Good luck

Hi everyone! I too am happy to see a board for RN's. I've been a nurse now for 7 years. I currently work in a maternity unit where I can be in either L&D or postpartum. My date is scheduled for Sept. 27, 2005. I was thinking about 4 weeks off.... I guess I'm not sure. Any thoughts about that?

I'm glad you're doing so well. Tonight is my last day at the "old" job. I'm sorry to leave the people I work with. They are a great group of people. Everybody understands though and quite a few have expressed indignation that our hospital claims to be a "bariatric center" yet does not cover surgery for employees. I start my new job August 8th. I'm taking next week off to relax and try to get my house cleaned up a bit. I'm nervous about getting my hopes up. I'd like to get the surgery in the next 6 months if I can manage it. I hear First Health is tightening requirements for proving medical necessity. I'll keep you posted. The wedding was great fun. I was a little sad it was over so quickly, but we had a good time. We took a little trip to San Antonio and Galveston for a few days. Phil is doing well. He is holding his weight now, not losing but not gaining. I think when he increases his exercise again he'll start losing. He was very gung-ho at the gym at first and then slacked off as his schedule got busier. Take care. Sounds like you're doing great. Caryl