Archive for June, 2007

The Word from San Fran

Saturday, June 30th, 2007

So … Doc J gives a call and once I tell him my meds hes like, well, youll
die on the table at that weght with that much wrong with you
and Im for candor and honesty and all that, i was just hoping that he of all
people would offer hope
ok … so what do I do doc? (besides start digging with a back hoe and going
out for plywood sheets to make a really REALLY big coffin … maybe norm from
this old house could help)
It says here you are 512, are you SURE you are 512, it says you were 850
before
well yeah I was doc, but I lost and now Im backsliding, but give or take ten
pounds im right in that ballpark
well if you had insurance (note: Im getting that chiseled into my TOMBSTONE )
I would bring you out here, park you in the hospital for a month and get you
tuned up for surgery, optifast you, wring the water out, dialyize if needed,
etc (I felt like a freakin buick getting talked about heah!) but see if you
(more…)

To Elise and anyone else needing a taste of the milk of human kindne

Saturday, June 30th, 2007

…. It may come from a surprising source … the Gummint!!!!
It turns out that one of the assemblymen in my district is a doctor, an MD,
so that my letter of medical neccessity / urgency from my nephrologist should
be acted upon immediately …
this according to a very good source, someone who has “been there done that”,
so we shall see what we can see … but basically there are clauses where the
government will let you go out of state to whereever the skills and talents
are located - and since this operation could croak me, these skills and talents
are needed! If you cant afford it, they find the program, if you are on a
program, they modify it. Cant lose!
Go to your state government website and check out where the districts are ..
and call the assemblyman, especially if you are suffering from multiple co
morbidities!

Bowel issue question

Saturday, June 30th, 2007

Hi. Long story but I will try to keep it short…
Open R-NY - 05/07/2001
lost 110lbs
Baby — gained 48lbs
C-section 8/03
Groin Hernia following c-section
Lost 35lbs
Groin Hernia fixed lap 10/04
Following the Hernia surgery I have been unable to produce a BM on my
own. I have to take daily stool softners and stimulant lax. Thought
it was because of the surgery bumping my bowels around and it would
settle down….
12/04 — New Groin Hernia (tear under the bottom of the mesh of the
10/04 repair)
Prior to the groin hernia surgery my bowels were “normal”. I had my
(more…)

Brain storm

Saturday, June 30th, 2007

Good day to you all,
I was just sitting here thinking about the crystal light on the go
packets, I think it would be really convenient if we could get our whey
protein in these to go packets! Just think of the convenience, just
throw a few of them into your purse as you are going out of the door. I
also wanted to update you all on my weight loss slow down. Since I
posted last I have lost another 6 pounds. I have started to drink 2-3
protein shakes daily, I admit that I had been slacking off o drinking
them, but I have learned the error of my ways. Also I have an
appointment with my Dr. on April 1st, so they said to keep in mind that
this appointment will be for at least 2 1/2 hours as I must have a
meeting with the dietitian. I will be sure to let you all know how that
goes. Thanks bunches for all your kindness’s. Gloria

States Ponder WLS Legislation

Saturday, June 30th, 2007

By NOREEN GILLESPIE, Associated Press Writer
HARTFORD, Conn. - A proposal before Connecticut lawmakers would
require insurance companies to cover the surgery for people with a
body-mass index of 30 or more if a doctor deems the surgery medically
necessary. The BMI is a widely used formula based on height and
weight.
The Connecticut proposal may not get off the ground this session
because lawmakers are struggling to define under what medical
conditions the surgery should be covered, said Sen. Joseph Crisco, a
Woodbridge Democrat who chairs the legislative committee looking at
the issue.
The debate is not unlike others across the country. Georgia lawmakers
are considering a similar bill this year. And in Louisiana, 40 state
employees were chosen last year from 1,200 applications to get the
surgery on the state’s dime.
(more…)

sticky seroma

Friday, June 29th, 2007

what does it mean when the fluid coming from the incision gets sticky, is
that a good thing? very viscous, no odor, no increase in pain

A Note from the Eastern Front, I’ve Got a Battle Plan

Friday, June 29th, 2007

Hi, its Ray again, star of recent sagas featuring The Brothers Grubb and
Horizon Merciless, the “Lets Hope They DIE Before Costing Us Money” health care
mismanagement specialists. Well kids, yer ol buddy Ray has some good news, the
creatine DROPPED to six something and the iron rose to nine something … now,
I know what you are thinking, damn dude, yer sick as SCHIT! and you would be
right, I am at that … but its an upward trend, its good news, its SOMETHING
..
one of the few things I can still do is think, and as you might imagine
I’ve been pondering just what the hell to do next. I thought to myself, Self …
whatsa matta u? The matter was, I have a problem that is essentially two fold
from a physical point of view … fiduciary dilemmas aside … I am basically
up against a stopwatch that begins ticking the moment they knock my big butt
out cold. Time is critical, less is more and more is less. The other problem
is that the more they cut, the more the fluid shift gets exacerbated. As
RNJANERN so eloquently and succinctly put it, it doesn’t matter who does the
(more…)

No-carb pre-op diet

Thursday, June 28th, 2007

Hi
I have a date of June 10th for lap. I am concerned about what to eat the
two weeks before, when I can have no carbs. I have always done weight watchers
and never counted carbs. What is permitted during that time period? More
importantly, what is not permitted, other than the obvious carbs.
Jeanine

having a hard time eating

Thursday, June 28th, 2007

Get to your doctor. You have to eat. Living on your vitamins isn’t good for
you. You need your 3 meals a day, and/or whatever your doctor prescribed for
your post op diet. You probably have depression and need meds for it. Those that
have what you have usually get on depression meds whether short term or
longer, depending on the severity of it and at the discretion of the
doctor/therapist. Then see someone about your food issues. Cross addiction with
obese people
post op isn’t abnormal. Some turn to shopping, some turn to
anorexia, some turn to gambling - whatever it isn’t normal. They no longer
have their security blanket = food. These issues have to be dealt with. Call you
surgeon and let him/her
know what’s going on with you. Then find a competent therapist who deals with
post op wls patients and food issues. Food issues are very common in many
post ops but you’ll need help to get over them. Feeling “sick” even before you
eat is a fear you’ll have to work through with someone. It may be tied in to the
(more…)

Dr. Marchesini essentially said NO … NOW WHAT????? :o(

Thursday, June 28th, 2007

In a very nicely worded letter Dr. Marchesini essentially told me that he now
would not consider me for WLS … he is angry at my HMO, appalled even, and
apologetic … but he was also quite precise in his logic, if there is a strong
possibility of dialysis, and transfusions due to the anemia, and a Greenfield
to prevent PE, these are all hideously expensive. He said odds were good I
would need to be in an ICU with many specialists. He makes a lot of sense here,
Ill quote him directly, I don’t think hell mind
“All these expenses should be covered by a medical insurance. It is not fair
to be a self pay in this situation. I am really sorry for all this
inconvenience you are going through. Think about if it is wiser to come to
Brazil or to
insist for US HMO accept you as a WLS patient”
So despite tears, despite nausea, despite the feeling that a death sentence
was just handed down to me, I’m thinking, and I’m wondering if anyone knows
about Blue Cross Blue Shield kicking in during an emergent situation, or is
(more…)