Surgeon Visit & Stranger Visit

Apr 04, 2009

Well I went in to Dr. Rossi's office yesterday to ask about a change in medication and they had me just wait and see him.

Good news, I have lost 205 lbs I have 115 to be where he wants me.  He figured I would be close about June/July.  I asked him about the size of my stomach and how another 115 lbs would get rid of all of it.  He said "It won't".  I was slightly in shock and thought, OK, keep up the strict regime for another 3-6 months.  Then he said you have to have it removed.  It will all be skin and gelatinous fat that has shrunk but will never disappear.

Bad news, he said I would need abdominoplasty this summer to remove 30-40 lbs, or a little more, of skin/fat around my stomach.  I was surprised but thought, OK I figured Christmas or next summer.  Now the bad part of the news... My insurance will not cover it, not a single penny.  So I asked what the cost would be and he said I would have to ask the nurse that does the scheduling.

I asked her and she said it depended on the hospital, how long the OR was used, how many days I was in the hospital.  I asked if she had a rough high amount, she said $10,000-$12,000.  I felt like someone reached in and grabbed my heart and started squeezing.  Dr. Rossi isn't the type or surgeon to tell you to get something unless you needed it, he wouldn't tell me to have something done for purely cosmetic reasons.

I have no idea how to come up with the money, We have maybe $500-$600 in the bank and there is virtually no way to get the cash.  We lost our house last summer and had to file for the big B.  So even getting a loan is not in the realm of possibilities.  I haven't been this depressed, anxious and stressed in a long time.  I figure I am screwed and will have a large protruding 'gut' for along time to come.  The cost will only go up as I wait to try and get enough money over the coming years.  I am to the point I wished I hadn't had the damn surgery.  I never would have done it had I known I would have a gut hanging out as far as mine does and another 100-120 lbs isn't going to do enough.  My thighs have huge 'sacks' on the upper inside, my upper arms are very saggy, I can live with the arms and thighs for a while til I get the money but the gut has me ready to give up.

On a positive note I visited someone in the hospital that had the surgery yesterday, Jennifer Ferrell, and she is doing great.  I visited for a couple hours, hope I didn't overstay my welcome.  I met Jennifer on OH and saw she had Dr. Rossi and her surgery was April 3rd and I had an appointment at the same hospital on the 4th so I offered for some stranger company.

Jennifer has a great husband and two very nice children, they seem like a very happy family.  Jennifer is so upbeat and nice.  It was a pleasure to visit with them.  I hope the best for Jennifer and her family, I am sure, with the support she seems to get form her family, that things will go very well for her in her WL journey.  It was nice to not think about my money problems for a couple hours while visiting with the Farrell's.

-Jaime

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