Hi I am new here!

Hello everyone! My name is Carol, I am 34 and hoping to have RNY surgery done in the coming months.   I have severe Rheumatoid Arthritis (I've had it since I was a child) and over the years and the prednisone, the weight just piled on.  I managed to lose some in college but one cannot live on tuna fish and plain pasta for long...
I then had 3 children within 4 years so the weight kept piling on.  Bad habits kicked in and now its just time to put an end to all this madness.
I've been trying to get the surgery done for over a year now.  I've been to 3 informational seminars at 3 different hospitals.  Next friday I have my first consult with the Nurse Practicioner and Nutritionist at Northwestern Hospitals Bariatric Clinic, I believe Dr.Nagle is the surgeon.

Can anyone share with me their experience with Dr.Nagle?  The process?  I have Medicare  and they have assured me that they take Medicare for the surgery.  I asked them about a dozen times.  You see the last hospital I was at, going through the process, I did everything, then at my surgeon consult THAT was when they 'discovered' that I had Medicare, not just Medicaid and they told me that since I had both they couldn't accept me.  What really made me the most upset is that I had shown them ALL of my medical cards from day one.  It wasn't like I had hidden the fact from them.  It was there error and I had gotten my hopes up only to be crushed.

But this time is different, I've been very sure of it!!

The other day I was at Walmart waiting for one of my boys prescriptions to be filled so I wandered over to the woman's department.  Just for kicks I picked up a pair of size 7 jeans and looked at them.  I kept thinking, one day I am going to wear these jeans.  Then I started looking at all the NON-tent like clothes and kept getting more and more excited at the idea that if all goes well I will be able to wear clothes I LIKE, not just whatever fits and hides my rolls.

Sorry this is so long, I just really wanted to say HI! Glad I found this site and if anyone can tell me about their experience at Northwestern's clinic I am all ears or eyes I guess since I will be reading it ;-)

Thanks!
Carol

Hi CArol,

Welcome to the Illinois board.  I don't have Northwestern Experience, but wanted to welcome you.  You will find lots of support and good answers on this board.  Keep checking in.  Best of luck to you.

Georgie

Dear Carol:

Welcome, welcome, welcome!!!!

I can't speak about your particular surgeon, but I wanted to welcome you to the board.

The only thing that I know about Medicare acceptance is that they require that your surgeon/hospital be a "Center of Excellence" and that may have been the issue before.  Make sure that you ask them if they have this accreditation.

I am looking forward to getting to know you and supporting you on this journey.

Come back and visit us on the daily "roll call".

Hello Carol

Welcome!!! 

I believe one our regulars on this board has Dr Nagel.  I know the feeling looking at a pair of pants and longing to fit in them.  I can't wait till I'm wearing a size 14...as long as I'm not plus size anymore. 

Please come back every day and post on our daily roll call.  We share our lives, problems, joys every day.  Nice meeting you.

thank you for the warm welcome!!

I did verify that the Northwestern Center IS a Center of Excellence.  I triple checked. I am so paranoid at this point that I will be turned away again.

I did check in at roll call, plan on dropping in every day!

i can tell you what i do know, i found out a a seminar that with your insurance you can only go to specific hospitals, so i would hate for you to get hooked on a hospital and you cannot have your procedure there. Good luck

Hi Carol, as you can see, I am a neighbor of yours. There are a few of us LaSalle Countians on this board. You will find, once you get in with a  Dr. that the time will fly. I bet you will be on the losers bench by fall if not before. I wentto Alexian, also a Center of Excellence. Northwestern was also one of my choices.

Hugs.
LISA

Hi, I'm with Dr. Kushner too (making my way through the process toward Nagel or Hungness). The insurance coordinator's name there is Roseanne. Not sure if I spelled it right, but I'd recommend you call her. She's on my call list, too. Maybe our paths will cross at NMH. I'm looking at having to do a six month program for insurance now. Welcome to the board. I'm new here too!

Here's the link to reviews of Nagel:

http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/bariatric+surgeon+profile+Alexander+Nagle+mkr.html

Oh, maybe it would help if I spelled his name correctly: Nagle. :)