Preop meeting tonight

Who's going to the pre-op meeting tonight at Dr. Loggins? It's at 7 pm. I'm coming and bringing my handsome 15 year old son. I want him to see what's going on before surgery so it's not so scary for him. Would love to see you all.

I was there!  I didn't know you were going.  I do remember a young guy there---I should have looked more closely.  I was in the very front row in a red long sleeve shirt.

I'm sooooo bummed! I wish I knew I would have said hello.

Was this your first preop meeting? I've been to 2 at CMMC and several in Portland. I like the Portland ones much more. Corinne seems disorganized or doesn't have a set plan. I'm not going to anymore pre-ops I don't think. It was 10 pm when we got home. It is just too late.

No it wasn't my first.  I try to make all of them---even just getting one thing out of the meeting is good for me.  I live by the Lewiston turnpike exit so it isn't far at all.  Everytime I have gone they have been great.  I love seeing how much people have lost and the amount of time it has taken.  The last one I went to had the girl that is in all of the commercials (Sarah I think?/).  That meeting was very interactive.  Everyone was asking lots of questions and I got a ton of good info there.  It was a much smaller group then though.  I like the smaller group ones.  I think more people would talk more and take #'s etc.  Even just sitting around talking about the protein drinks we have tried, sharing tips on where they are less expensive, what we are eating for low cal stuff etc.  The last one I went to they talked about all these protein supplements/meals you could get at the gym associated with the bariatric center.  We talked about the gym then too. I think last night was different from the others in that it was packed and people probably felt uncomfortable speaking up, and the projector being messed up to.  I think Corrine has always been organzied and always starts new topics at them.  But when no one is really saying much I think it is hard.  I was glad the lady in the bgack was there that lost all that weight since May.  It is always good to reinforce not doing bad things---I know I don't wanna be on the floor in the bathroom in walmart! I have my 2nd mtg today with Corinne.  I have been logging for what seems like an eternity.  I really wish I could move on to the next step, but I have no idea if I will.  I have done everything that was asked and I believe I truly understand the nutrition and exercise part of it. I weighed myself here before my last appointment, then weighed there, and weighed again when I got home (only an hour difference and nothing in my mouth).  So I know my scale is exactly 3 pounds off.  But using my scale from then until this morning I was down 5 pounds.  Which is good-----but my appointment is at 1:30, and I started my day as usual.  Seriously I am already up 2 pounds on my scale since this morning (I wake up at 5 with the babies) from my breakfas****er etc.  So by then I will have had a mid-morning snack, more fluids, AND lunch---right before the mtg.  So it will probably look like I didn't even lose anything by then!  Uuuuggghhhhh.  All my other appointments have been super early, so it stinks this one is in the afternoon....but I wasn't about to take a later date :)

so how was your meeting with corinne?  how was she concerning your weight loss so far?  how much do you have to loose and how far have you come?  I know I have tons of questions, but I"m very affraid of her.  my 1st appt isnt' till Feb 6, I can't wait, but NOt really, haha... I wanted to ask I didn't make the pre op support group and forgot what they told me, but are those mandatory? is it ok if I go to the post op ones? do they keep track of if you go?  I'm waiting for Corinne to whip me... I"m doing well on my diet. I have to loose 23 lbs. but have no clue how much i've loss, my scale is old and needs to be trashed.  I only started New Years day, so I've probably got much longer before my surgery if she won't approve me till its gone.  well, nice talking to you.  haha, even if it was all me talking, have a good day.  cheryl

It went really well!  Basically I just need to lose some more weight and get all my test results in.  I have to get on my docs as they are still waiting on annual exam copies etc.  I have an appointment in 3 weeks to see if I lost some more weight.  But I can go weigh in any time.  I was motivated before---but now I am extra motivated to light a fire under some peoples butts to get my results over there.  Some I called for back in October! The support groups are not mandatory.  It is nice to go and see some people that are in the same boat as you, and some that have already had their surgery.  It is amazing to see how much they lost and how quickly.  I am not sure about going to the post op meetings.  I don't see why not, it would be beneficial to hear their concerns and experiences after surgery.  They do send around a sign in sheet, so they do keep track of who goes. I think it is funny you said you were afraid of Corrine!  You will laugh at that once yu have your first meeting.  She is seriously one of the nicest people I have met, truly cares about her patients, and is super supportive and positive.  Today I was so annoyed that I gained 3 pounds from the am until my afternoon appointment (I had breakfast, mid morning snack, 40 oz of water and lunch all before my appointment).  So the scale only showed a 2 pound loss.  I was super frustrated since I knew from weighing myself this morning and then right before I left the house there was that difference.  So in my head I lost 5, but on the scale there it officially showed 2.  But she was like---it is a loss right?  Not a gain?  And we had the holidays since my last appointment.  Mine are always in the morning this was late.  So she was more okay with it than I was.   You are brave not having a working scale.  I am officially addicted to mine.  Good luck!  You look familiar to me for some reason. 

Hey Tanya,

I wish I had been to that meeting you went to that was smaller and has a lot of more Q&A. I also love hearing people's stories. I find them very motivating and would have loved to picked their brains. We probably could if the group was smaller. I really wanted my son to experience it too as he is one of my support people. I also wanted him to see the area I will be having my surgery in so it won't be so scary for him. Now he can visualize a bit.

I'm glad you showed a loss and Corinne is being supportive. She is a great gal. I know it's funny that she comes across tough at first but ultimately the responsibility lies on her to make sure we are successful. If she releases us too soon we may not be ready or have the skills and that doesn't help anyone.

Anyway, I have 6 more days til I see her and can't wait. I'll ask then if all my reports are back too. I had all my tests done and am just waiting to complete my visits with Corinne.

Are you going to the meeting tonight? I doubt I will. Gas is so expensive! I wish I lived closer. I will probably have to stay at the Arbour house for a week as I live just over an hour away.

6 more days---yahoo!  I wish all my paperwork etc was in.  Then it would just be on me with the timng to lose some more weight.  It irritates me bacause some of it I requested and signed releases for back in stinkin October.  I called again today and they are supposed to be faxing them over.  The psych eval was recently, but I can't imagine that takes too long to get there.  The thing I am most upset about is my sleep study.  I called St. Mary's to check since I hadn't heard anything about them sending the results.  There is one guy *****ads them apparently.  And he is behind and is till working on people that had theirs in October!  Mine was Dec 28th.  The ladty said about 8 weeks.  If I have to wait 8 weeks before even going to try for insurance approval I will be so frustrated. I am hoping that the test was ordered because I snore sometimes and that it was to show the insurance a co-morbidity possibly to get approval.  Bceause I have spoken with my insurance and I do not need a co-morbidity for approval.  If that is the case I am hoping the office might submit to insurance without the sleep report for approval.  If denied and they need one (which it sounded like they would not at all) then we wait on the report.  But if approved---no need to wait.  I know the tech (who can't officially say anything), said that only when I was on my back (which was very very minimal) that I had a few mild whatever they call it.  She said the likely next step would be that the doc would ask me whether or not I wanted to go back and do another with a cpap to see---but that it was so mild it would likely be my choice.  And since this surgery basically cures apnea (which I don't even have), what would be the point.  I really just would hate to have everything ready to go and have to wait for some guy who is back logged with sleep things to read. You will have to keep us posted on your meeting and what is left!!!! I never had heard of the Arbour House before.  Maybe if it is just over an hour they will make an exception.  It would stink not to be in your own home. 

Sounds like you're getting your ducks in a row. That would totally suck if you had to wait 8 weeks for that report to come thru. I think they should try for approval without it and use it as back up if needed.

I really want to be home after surgery too. I live 1 hour 20 minutes away. But they seem adament (sp) about being within an hour. I also don't want to be away from my son that long. I'm a single mom and granted he's 15 but who knows what kind of trouble he will find.

I tried to get an appointment today with Corinne. I said it was slow at work and asked if they had a cancellation. Kim said no as they are seeing new patients today. Oh well, thought I'd try as it is really slow today.

I'll post again after my meeting. Keep everything crossed for me.