Hi all! Also a L&D nurse, and work with three other L&D nurses who have had RNYs! I'm just beginning the process--consults, tests, etc--but it's great to have the support of all of you who have gone b4 me! Hope all is well for you who have surgeries coming up! Megan

Hey Jeanie, Yeah Lebanon isnt too big of a town, but I work in rolla because they pay more for expirence. Lebanon offered me 24.oo for straight time but rolla pays a little higher AND they have wekend options and many more ways to go for the nurse. I work ICU and the weekend program and make 34.50 hour and I have benefits. BUT the key to this is how many years you have been out. I have been a nurse since 1987 too. I am waiting for insurance approval for my RNY-hopefully soon Loridan

Hello, you. Keep copies of everything. I've seen more than a few people posting about lost papers. There isn't much going on over here. I'm off on disability, so I don't work. I left nursing several years ago and went back to the business world. You are moving ahead very fast. Good for you! Jeanie in MO

How are all you nurses doing out there today?tonight? whatever. I know we do shift work. I'm feeling pretty darn good. Got a call from one of the two surgeons I am interviewing for the honor of cutting on my body asking that I fax in completed paperwork before first consult on the 27th. It is feeling more real. More later. Nancy

Why the DS? This was how I made my decision. When I started reading about wls, I didn't know the DS was an option, had never heard of it. I found some profiles of people who lived in my area, and one of them talked about going out of the country for a duodenal switch. She is an RN, too. After reading all I could find, I decided on the DS for me. I don't want to and I want to be able to drink with my meals. I want to eat "normal" foods. I want to be able to chew gum. I want to take aspirin and NSAIDS. I don't want to "dump." (Keeping the pyloris is a big plus.) I don't want to worry about the opening from my stomach closing up. I want to lose the most amount possible and keep it off. I want my diabetes to be controlled or eliminated. I have a better chance of these things with the DS vs. the others. I checked with surgeons in Chicago, Ohio, Tennessee, Georgia, and Nebraska. No surgeons in St. Louis do the procedure - yet. After finding that some surgeons have years-long waiting lists or that some don't take my insurance, I ended up going to see Dr. Anthone in Omaha, Nebraska. Everything fell in line so easily while I was getting things together - the testing and paperwork and all, that it feels like it was meant to be. I woke up this morning and for the first time, wondered what in the heck I have gotten myself into. Just yesterday, it seemed like my surgery was so far away. Now I'm wondering if I have time to get everything done. 19 days!!! Jeanie in MO