tx_heather
It all started at birth. I was an overweight baby to begin with. I had two overweight parents, that loved to cook and eat. Every ocassion, good or bad, was celebrated with food. Once I hit my teenage years, my mother began to control what I ate. She did it out of love and care for me. I eventually lost a bunch of weight, but the minute I moved out on my own, I gained it all back and then some. I went to having someone controling what I ate, to having no control myself. I would sit there and eat the whole box of cookies, not because I was hungry, but because no one was there to stop me.
I eventually gained over 100 pounds. I had two children and was still gaining weight. Food was consuming my thoughts, dreams, and my life. I had to do something. I was an emotional eater, one who ate when there was nothing better to do, and I ate to live. There was no problem in my life that a twinkie and hoho could not fix.
In February of 2002, my grandmother passed away. They had to order a larger casket because of her weight. At her funeral service, and the days afterwards, all I could hear was the snickering and comments made about her weight. I vowed then to turn my life around.
I wanted to live to watch my children grow to adults and have granchildren for me. I wanted to improve my marriage, I wanted to live a healthy life.
I tried diet after diet, and nothing worked. I finally decided that I would look into WLS. That is when I found NeWeigh in Houston Texas. It was more than a surgeon, it was a family. They offered support groups, and much more.
On May 22, 2003....I began my new life. I had a lap RNY. I began to loose weight immediately.
It has now been 15 months and I have lost 142 pounds. I have gone from a size 30/32 to a 12. I am enjoying life and all it has to offer. I have a closer relationship with my children and my husband. I get to the gym at least three times a week, and my whole family eats healthier.
I am not going to say that it has been an easy road to take, because it hasn't always been. I have had to re-learn how to deal with my problems instead of eating my way through them. I have had to re-learn how to eat and when to eat.
But I can say one thing...I have no regrets, and I would do it over in a heartbeat!!
10/04/05
After many responses to my post and a few individual emails asking me how I got insurance to cover a LBL, inner thigh lift and breast lift...I thought I would post on the board to let everyone know.
First let me start by saying that I have two insurances, one through my employer, which is primary and one through my husband's company which is secondary.
I started documenting my rashes and pain through several doctors over a 4 month period before I went to the PS. I went to my OBGYN, my PCP and a Chiropractor. They all documented my rashes and pain, and even prescribed me some prescriptions. Even if I did not need the medications, I got them filled anyways. This is the only way the insurance knew I got the prescription, was to actually fill it.
I went to a WONDERFUL PS in Houston TX named Dr. John LoMonaco. When I went to his office, I brought copies of all my medical charts from all three doctors, along with two letters of recommendation for the PS. Dr. LoMonaco took pictures of all my rashes and wrote a letter to the insurance company requesting the procedures be covered. Since there was not a specific code for a LBL, he broke the surgery into parts, i.e. buttocks lift, abdominalplasty, etc.
Insurance denied my claim. They stated there was an exclusion in my employer’s policy prohibiting me from having the procedure covered. Therefore, I went to my human resources department at work and talked to them about the situation. She saw that I had medical problems and offered to take my case to the insurance review board at work. Sure enough...they agreed to write an exception to the exclusion to have all of my "medically necessary" procedures covered.
Dr. LoMonaco has been so patient and kind through all of this and has worked with my insurance company and my HR department on getting things covered for me.
My secondary insurance is still in limbo. They have denied the initial claim and have denied my first appeal. I have my second and final appeal in January. Although my LBL is in November, they will still pay for thier part if they over rule the appeal in January.
Anyone seeking a PS in Houston...I HIGHLY recommend Dr. LoMonaco.
Anyone wanting a copy of the letters I wrote to submit to insurance, please let me know...I will be GLAD to help!!
02/08/06
Well, I guess I need to update everyone on things that have been going on. On November 11th, I had a lower body lift with a breast lift and augmentation. I used Dr. John LoMonaco. He is WONDERFUL!!! His work is suberb as well. He removed 17 pounds worth of skin and liposuctioned another 4.5 pounds on top of that. Anyone wanting to see pictures, please email me.
I have also been going through some personal issues as well. On December 26th, I finally left my husband of almost 11 years. I am no longer under his control. I have a place of my own, my children are happier...and life gets better and better every day.
I am so thankful for the wonderful friends and family I have made on the Texas Message Boards. Thank you for all your love and support through my journey...
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