Hi!  I actually went to Topeka (Tallgrass) and highly recommend it.  I can explain to you why I chose to NOT go through Via Christi (even though my insurance would cover it) in private if you are interested. Good luck! Brandi

I have been calling around trying to find a psychologist so I can get my evaluation for Tall Grass and I am not having any luck. They are scheduling out until like July. This is the only thing I am waiting on before I can get my Lap Band surgery scheduled. Can you recommed anyone else in the Topeka area that is good?

I had my surgery with Dr. Malley on 2/26/08 and I think he would be worth the wait. I was self pay and at my consult  on Jan. 31 he gave me my date as above. I had mine at the new hope bariatric center though. They were all wonderful. Jan

Hi, I got word the other day from a Representative in the Kansas house that it has passed a bill that requires the Kansas Health Policy Authority along with the state Insurance Commissioner to conduct a study over the next year to weigh the benefits and cost savings of adding weight loss surgery coverage to the Kansas State Employee Benefits.  It is hope that coverage to state of Kansas employees may be the beginning to open the door to allow coverage for hundreds if not thousands of other Kansans from various employers suffering from the disease of obesity.  The bill is still working through the senate, but is expected to pass because it has strong bi-partisan support.  Keep in mind this isn't a mandate, but allows the possibility of coverage when people realize that it is cheaper and more humane to cover the surgery, than to go on for years treating only the commorbidities.

If you would like to track the progress if the bill, it's HB2672.  You can go to the following link to track progress: http://www.kslegislature.org/legsrv-legisportal/index.do

I plan to testify before the study committee when the study is conducted sometime around August.  And I advise all of you who have had the surgery or are seeking the surgery to get ahold of your local legislators, the Kansas Health Policy Authority, the Governor's Office, and the state Insurance Commissioner to let them know your own personal story.

As I mentioned I plan to testify before the committee when the study is conducted, if you are not able to testify I would be happy to share your stories with the committee.  If you would like to provide your story on how you have benefited from weight loss surgery, your need for surgery, how your facing an exclusion, your battle with obesity, or anything related to your struggles you can email me testimony at [email protected]  .

Your stories would greatly be appreciated and beneficial to all of us who are in this battle to gain coverage to become healthier persons.

thanks,   Chad B.

I had Lap-Band surgery yesterday with Dr. Hitch****  He's a sweet guy.  He rubbed my feet before I went in to surgery.  It was nice for him to actually touch me.   I wanted to share a little of my experience, because reading posts like this one helped me IMMENSELY before I went in for the operation.  This is a long post but its my story. Yesterday morning, April 2, at the hospital there was so much activity, with them preparing for 15 other surgeries besides mine.  Every one was gracious but it was a bit overwhelming, with nurses and anesthesia doctors coming and going all around.  My first problem was the Hepparin shot in my upper arm, I wasn't expecting it and wow did it sting.  Today I have a bruise the size of a 50-cent piece where the shot was.  Next, when it came time to get my IV...I freaked out a little, hyper-ventilated and almost passed out.  That's not unordinary for me.  I don't like needles or blood. I was very anxious for the surgery to start, to just get it "over with".  They gave me a sedative in my IV that took the edge off of things for about 15 minutes.  Then it wore off and I started getting anxious again.  Right before they wheeled me into to OR, I had to drink some acid reducer for the stomach.  God, that stuff was nasty.  I started getting a little naseous again after that, but by that time I was in the OR.  It was funny, the nurse kept saying, "Are you ready for this?  We can stop if you want to?"  I was like, I'm ready....I've waited a long time for this.  Once in the OR at 7:14 am, I remember moving to the actual OR table and then that was it. The next thing I remember is waking up at 9:45 am in recovery.  I had a lttle discomfort in my abdomen, but that was it.I think my pain was around a 3 on the scale of 1 - 10.   The hardest part was keeping my Oxygen Level about 90 on the monitor, which required deep breaths.  Every time I would doze off, it would fall to about 80 and the nurses would be like "You need to take a few deep breaths."  That was annoying.  But I'm a rule follower, so I did it.  It's not that the breaths hurt it just seemed unnatural to have to breathe that deep continously. After about an hour in recovery, they took me back to "cubicle" where I was prepped for surgery.  Dr. Hitch**** stopped by and my question to him was, "Is it really in there?" pointing to my stomach.  I meant the Lap-Band of course.  He smiled and said "Yes".  I almost wish I could have seen the xray so I would truly know it's there.  I can feel my port so I trust that the rest of it is in there too.  I came home from the hospital at Noon (my surgery was scheduled for 7:30 am) and slept on and off for the rest of the day on the recling couch.  The hardest part is getting off the couch because it uses your abs and were sore. I had read that other people had problems sleeping in bed, I did too.  When I layed down flat, everything on my abdomen hurt, getting up out of bed was even worse.  So I slept on the couch, in the recliner and that worked out great. This morning I was definately in some pain.  I hadn't taken pain meds overnight and I really felt it.  Getting up off the couch was very hard.  It hurts the most across my ribs and below my breast bone.  That is where my port is and there is a 3" incision with staples.  I used a pillow to "splint" when I stood up but it did hurt. It's about 1:00 pm now, and with pain meds on board, I feel better.  My whole body is stiff and sore (not sure why) but I'm able to sit here at my computer. I'm so glad the surgery is over and I'm on my way to a better me!