lisaph2
I know that my insurance will not cover this. The policy specifically excludes anything weight-related. Thankfully, my husband and I feel we can cover the expense, and of course save ourselves expense in the long run (related to health care).
Both of us are in higher education, he being a professor and me a counselor/advisor. I work with students who are either disabled, first generation (neither parent has a bachelor's degree), or low income. I help them with career choices, degree planning, finding community resources, financial aid, etc. It's great work!
We have a six-year-old daughter, who pretty much "rules the roost." She just finished kindergarten and is now enjoying a summer full of swimming, dance classes, and gymnastics. She also visits grandparents frequently.
I'm having surgery with Dr. Clay Wellborn in Little Rock, AR. My date is July 13th. Obviously, I'm not superstitious! I look forward to being rid of back pain, having more energy, and shopping even more than I do now (since clothing will fit more easily). I also look forward to being more active with my daughter, ie, able to chase her around the playground and fit with her on the slide. We'd like to give her a little brother or sister when I'm healthier too.
09/06/06 This is a long-awaited update. I'm obviously not a blogger, but thought I should at least give some basic info. Since surgery, I've lost about 22 pounds, and pre-surgery 20, for a grand total of 42. I've been getting a number of compliments, some hesitant as people aren't sure if it's okay to comment on another's weight. Hey, I'm glad to hear you noticed my lesser figure, even if I do have a long way to go! I'm glad to hear too that my face looks thinner. For some years, I was lucky enough not to carry weight in my face and a headshot wouldn't give away my fat body, but I crossed that threshold about three years ago. My back pain has lessened greatly too, which pleasantly surprised me. So, I'm back into some clothes I had "outgrown" and am slowly buying new ones. I love shopping, so this is exciting. I was actually starting to enjoy it less since clothes were so hard to fit, so this is great for my hobby, if not my wallet. My daughter keeps telling me she wants me to stay as I am, which still surprises me a bit because I remember how people my age teased about fat parents. She always says "I love your squishy-ness" and even tells me I'm sexy (and yeah, she's six). I think she'll appreciate the loss though as I'm able to do more with her, including playing on the playground.
I've had one fill, with little restriction, and will get another this weekend. Lately, I'm just holding, and a little disappointed with that, but understand I can eat normally now. It's still less than usual, but not enough for loss, at least without rigorous exercise. Most of mine now is "incidental", but I don't avoid it like pre-surgery.
I don't have an updated photo yet. I'll work on it!
09/11/06 Can I brag a little? Really, I'm just sharing my happiness. Two days ago I went for my second fill. My doctor was pleased with my loss, and I was too, especially since I had little restriction. I lost 10 lbs since the first fill, which was 3ml in the VG band. I now have 5.4 (I think). The doc actually said "you're losing like a bypass patient." So, now there is more evidence that bandsters can lose as much as the bypass group. I feel so much better with less weight on me, even though I have a long way to go. I can't imagine how good I'll feel with another 40 off, and another, etc.
| L | Luxurious |
| I | Innocent |
| S | Sophisticated |
| A | Appealing |
