Surgery Date set for 03-19-07...

I'm going crazy waiting... :crazy: (I feel like a child on Christmas morning waiting for my parents to wake so I can open the gift!!!) Anyone else with a surgery date within a week? :help: How are you coping? What do you do to calm the nerves... (Curently I am not working, so I have ALL day to sit and think about it!!!) :fairy: Maybe if I had a fairy to sprinkle some dust on me so I could just get some sleep I wouldn't be so :crazy: crazy! I've been waiting 2 years for this surgery - Medicare - and in PA in 2006 they decided that as of 02-27-06 they would only pay for the surgery if the facility was a 'Center of Excellent'! I have Multiple Sclerosis and need to drop the weight for health issues not just the MS but High PB & High Chlorestoral. Oh let me tell you... when my doctor first suggested this surgery in early 2005, the Physcian he recommended to me, I was told that getting Medicare to pay for this surgery would be a very long and hard battle... So I decided to wait, as Medicare usually comes around. Then in 2006 I kept hearing a commercial on the radio for this surgery and one day after listening for several months, I called on or around early April... AND was informed that as of 02-27-06 Medicare would only pay for the surgery if the facility was a 'Center of Excellent'! meaning they would have paid when I first called the doctor, that doctor's office didn't know all they should have known about the insurances. SO again I waited and waited for Sacred Heart in Allentown PA to receive their "Certificate of Excellent" Well the coordinator called me the day she received it in the mail... and I can't express my feelings :jump: : dance: on how fast everything has gone since... (if I wasn't a smoker :smokin: I could have had the surgery 2 weeks later, but he wanted me to be smoke free for a month - something with the nicotine hampering the healing process... well what's another 2 weeks at this point?) AND now the surgery is ONLY 5 days away... and I'm going to end up in the looney bin :crazy: before the surgery, my mind is going so crazy. OK so after all that, what advise does anyone have to keep me sane until Monday? Sincerely Sue

Hi Sue, I just wanted to wish you luck. I don't have any ideas on calming your nerves, as I am freaking out a little myself. Congrats on quitting smoking. I hope you can keep it up after the surgery. Postive thoughts coming your way for an uneventful surgery and recovery. Take care, Wanda

I just wanted to wish you luck on your surgery I got soooo nerves I call and said NO I can't do it... Hope all goes well good luck. Virgie

Hi Sue!! what a great story!!!! You day is almost here and you have waited so long!!! what is another few days. Since you do stay at home I would suggest doing something to get your mind of it. Go to the mall and people watch. Call all your friends. Clean house! Do all the laundry. Browse the internet. Call a friend who is busy a lot and ask her if you could help her clean HER house (i'm sure she would be happy happy happy!!) If I didn't have to work I would HAVE to find something to keep my mind off of it because it is ALL i think about and I have a very time consuming job! I have a week and two days till my surgery and my son is gone for the week so I have more time this week to think. I have just forced to think of other things and not the actually surgery. I have also taken out a couple of sheets of paper and put my personal goals and my specific monthly weightloss goals. I have created a chart for my measurements adn as soon as I get one of those measuring tape things from the fabric store or walmart I'm gonna take my measurements!! There is lots to do to keep your mind off the JITTERS and focus on how your life will be after! I have decided that if I am going to invest in the seriousness of surgery then I will also invest in a Gym membership so I have gone from gym to gym (thankful I have put this into my job) and search for the best value for the price! (still looking and don't have to make up my mind until after the surgery. I hope these ideas help. I have been very nervous too so I understand. You can also pray and read the bible if that is something you do. This helps me TREMENDOUSLY!!! Talk to you on the losing side!! with a smile, Rita

Unfortunately due to the weight and the MS, cleaning is not an option... can hardly do anything in my own place never mind cleaning someone else's... but that's for thinking of me! Swuki (Surgery date 03-19-07 w/Dr. Holland, Allentown, PA)

Hi Sue! I wish I had advice for you about how to stay sane and worry free but, I am neither! My surgery is wednesday and I am freaking out too! I backed out of this surgery before and don't want to do it again. Anyway, good luck to you on Monday! I hope everything goes smoothly and you recover fast. Let us know how you are...... Christy

Hi Susan....I have to say I CRIED for days!!! I actually thought at the hospital I would just get up at the last second and run out..... I had surgery on 3/6 last Tuesday and I can't tell you how AWESOME I feel and this was honestly the best thing I've ever done. My Dr. and all of his staff and the whole hospital really put me at ease!!! You're going to do great and look back and smile.... Read my profile and if you need anything let me know.... I think I lost weight just crying tears from being scared!! HUGS

Hi Sue I am also scheduled for the 19th! The waiting is excrutiating! The next couple of days hopefully will fly by! Good Luck to you