Hello, I am new...

Hello EVERYONE! I am new and wanted to introduce myself. I have been watching the emails for a few weeks now and I wanted to say this is a really supportive and great group. My name is Angel I am 28 years old and I am in the process of deciding whether or not to have the surgery (RNY) I am really scared of dying and all of the complications. My husband thinks the rate 1 in 200 die is high. He has a problem with it. He wants me too have the surgery but he is scared too. I live in Saint Donatus 10 miles south of DUBUQUE (where Jesi is from! HI JESI) I grew up in Dubuque. I am 305 pounds and would love to get to 165. My aunt had an open RNY and had a really rough time I plan to go to Des Moines to Dr. Smolik he is the closest my insurance would take (tricare thru the military). My husband is going to school in Alabama for 16 months to become a pilot. He has been deployed twice before. He will not be with me when I have my surgery which is going to be very difficult. I am planning on having the surgery unless something changes my mind. The main reason why I want this surgery is to be HEALTHY! I am sick of carrying around this weight and it is hard for me to keep the weight off. I lost 50 pounds but regained it. I am a nurse, I take care of a special needs child in my home full time. my child also is a special needs child too (partial complex I mitochondrial disorder) and requires a lot of time. I hope to chat with all of you! Any good advice chime away!! Thank you Angel

Hi Angel! Welcome to the board! I think the Iowa board is the most supportive board there is at OH. I have been lurking around some of the others.....but its not the same. I am a pre-op...just like you...and also have some reservations about this surgery. Make sure you do your research. This is a decision that only you can make. I look forward to reading your posts! Billie jo

Hi Billie jo thank you for replying nice to meet you. It will probably be the hardest decision of my life. I am still doing research, it has been over a year now. I finally made the call and hooked up with Des Mones so I am on my way! Thank you again Angel

Hi Angel! I'm Tracie, I too have Tricare, my hubby is an Active Duty Army recruiter. I too am going through Mercy, but with Dr Cahalan. Tricare/Triwest can be difficult at times. You need refferals for EVERYTHING, but in the end,if you are on prime remote, they pay for everything....no co-pays. Well worth it. Welcome!

Hi Tracie, My husband is considered active duty too. So I do have prime remote. It was really hard to find a place who accepts tricare can you tell me do they accept tricare as full payment? He was on thier list of surgeons who accepts tricare. I went to the lecture and this thur. I will talk with the nurse on the phone. That is where I am. Dr. Cahlahan was the one who talked. he was nice but I picked Smolik. Nice to meet you and thank you for replying. Angel

The good thing Tricare prime remote is they understand that we are not near a base/post/what ever that all co-pays deductibles etc are waived. Thus far I haven't paid anything, but did get my explanations of benefits and they didn't pay for much. My sleep study was ~2200, and TPR only paid a little over 500. They did authorize my auto pap with humidfier.

HELLO!!!!!! I get so excited when people are close Your insurance won't consider Davenport's Genesis?? Or Satori in Cedar Falls? They would be so much closer! I would love to have you over anytime and we can talk all about the surgery!!! I know and old couple from St. Donatus......The live in the white house right there on the main drag....she has short curly hair and he is a tall gray haired kinda stocky old guy.....I cannot remember there names now for the life of me....but I see them and talk to them at bingo every once in awhile We go to Kalmes a lot for the Sunday breakfast buffet for like Mothers day, Fathers Day or like birthdays....it is one of our faves!!!!! 1 in 200 seems like a huge risk......but it is a lot more risker everytime you hop into your car and drive to work, that you will die. And that risk is nation wide....you and he both need to worry about the risk of YOUR surgeon who cares what the averages of everyone in the US is.....that is why when you talk to your surgeon you ask them what there death rate is......and if it is DesMoines you have to go to Mercy Capital or whatever......I don't think they have a bad record at all!!! So tell your hubby to relax a little. I probably is a little harder for him since you do have an aunt who has had problems....when did she have hers......and everyone is so different! But I can tell you for sure the risks of living at 305 are a lot deadly then the surgery! I was 312 at my highest I think (pregnant with third and refused to look at the scale after seeing that) But when I went in for surgery I was 294. And when asking my surgeon which was riskier.....staying obese or having the surgery.......He assured me there was a SLIM chance of death with surgery, as with any surgery....but it was a 100% sure bet I would die of something obesity related staying at my weight and my age!!! Kinda shocked me to hear it that way.....Fell free to contact me anytime......there are so many of us close.....we really need to start getting together and have our own little support group......I know I have talked to a few people about and I am going to work with the people here in becoming a chapter leader......Hope to hear from you more.....Take Care jesi

Hi Jesi, I go to Dubuque everyday. Thank you for all of the advice. I was actually shy about posting until I read so many wonderful comments. I am not sure who you are talking about my husband is from there and I moved there 4 yrs ago. At Mercy Capital they said they did 230 people before thier first death. they only had one death so far in 2 1/2 years. They have not said how many total they did so far. YES lets get together! That would be awesome! ight now I am in Alabama for 2 weeks I am visiting my hubby. I know you just had surgery and probably need time too. But it would be great to get together. Is anyone else from Dubuque? I would love to help start a support group I know my aunt would go too. She had hers 3-4 yrs ago. She had a hernia and was in severe pain. I am planning mine of course LAP, hers was open. My insurance was being so crazy I spent 8 hours back and forth on the phone with them on where to go. They told me I had to find the doctor who accepts tricare and is on their list. To be honest I got sick of trying to find one then I looked in Des Moines and found a hit. Glas**** (sp?) was not on the list. Actually a lot of the doctors were not on the list. They first sent me too Dr. Breiling who is a doctor who has been doing the surgeries awhile only does Vertical Gastric banding only and OPEN. It was odd in the group of the conference at Mercy Capital (they make you come to a meeting to get the packet) thier was 2 in the crowd who had that surgery and they were VERY overweight and wanted to have a conversion. I am glad I didn't have that surgery sounds like it doesn't work. Anyways I can't wait to meet you. Angel

I know of at least 7-8 in this area that have had it. Let me know when you get back from alabama....Can't wait to meet you! Take Care jesi

Hi Jesi I wil be here for 2 more weeks then we can get together. Talk with you soon Angel