I've decided....

I have decided to definetly make an appt with Dr Metz (the lap band surgeon who took over after dr Mel left) I am going to call on Monday to make an appointment. I will probably go pick up my CT scan results for him to see too.

I am going to ask him about having a pannulectomy (removal of the "apron", or hanging down part of the stomach) at the same time because of medical neccessity. I , personally, believe having a hernia repaired in late June and having it come back by November says there is a problem there. I have been reserching this online the last hour or two, and I suspect the insurance company will not go for it. It appears that recurrent hernias (this is my 3rd in the exact same place) is not good enough criteria for this procedure. Bummer. I am still going to ask him if he would be able to perform this surgery, and ask him to try to pre-auth it. I don't expect much to come of it though ;(

I finally figured out why BC/BS made me so miserable while trying to get my original lap band surgery OK'd. Every time someone at the doctors office (OR I) called we got different answers. I couldn't believe an insurance company could have so many idiots working for it. Well.... now I'm one of those idiots!! Working with the senior supplement plan now, I realize how difficult it can be to give proper info... and how many people don't even try. I just DREAD having to go through that whole thing again. I know how hard it can be to get proper benefit info (especially when I already pretty much know this will be a uphill, fruitless battle) but... I am still going to try.

I just went to a BMI calculator, and it looks like I will have to lose 28 pounds more to get to a BMI of 40 (Dr Metz told me he would not do the repair til I am at a 40 or less) So, I guess that will be my next mini-goal, after the one for minus 75.. I need to lose 11 pounds to get to 75 pounds down (I am aiming for early April for this). The good news looking at it that way is that I will only have another 17 to lose at that point. Definetely doable when looked at like that!!!

Hope everyone is doing well.... more later.....