i was in room 536 i had my surgery 1/21 i agree you dont get much sleep in the hospital. i went and met with roxie on jan 7 with a couple other people  are you having regrets yet i went to the grocery store today and kind of felt yukky but it will get better i know.  hope you are doing ok. we can help each other  thats awesome my email address is [email protected].  i had really good nurses on monday nite and tuesday and wednesday  my day nurse on monday was aweful i went thru 4 ivs and she wouldnt listen to me until i got upset and started bawling then she finally got someone new in there to do an iv in the spot i told her to and it lasted until i left wed aft. i look like i was in a fight with all the bruises.  write me when you have time.  thanks for the info still haveing trouble sleeping at nite but the deep breathning is getting better. claudia

Well, it is January 2008 and I have hit my last road block that is stopping me from getting the surgery.  I found out the the reason my insurance company won't pay for the surgery is that they believe it is too risky and they don't want to take on the risk.  I even sent in an application to the University of Iowa hospital and since my surgery has two (2) exclusions regarding obesity, they won't even put me on the waiting list.  I have been hopeful but now the air is slowly deflating out of my balloon.  I know I could self pay if I could afford it but that is not an option.  I can't try to finance money when I have no extra money.  It is getting harder to walk and breathe for any distance.  My husband now has to help me put on my socks because I can't bend over that far.  I am 38 years old and sitting at 447 and miserable.  I live in Iowa, so traveling is also an issue for long distance.  I know there is no miracle drug out there, because I think I have tried them all.   I have learned that if you think it is too good to be true, it is!  I have cut back on my calorie intake but now since I have a mobility problem, exercise is quite difficult.  I try to do as much as I can.  I even went to the different talk show websites, like Oprah (for example) and told my story but I haven't heard from any of them in over a year.  My insurance is with United Health Care and I even had my HR person contact them, and they won't budge on their decision.  I have went thru 3 levels of appeals with all declines.  I am married but my husband is disabled and can't do alot of part time jobs.  I have two children and I just want to be able to go for a walk with them.  Taking a bath in a bathtub without any aids would make me on cloud 9.  Is there anyone out there that could let a little light in at the end of my tunnel?

I'm not really sure about the deep breath pain.  Its possible that you might have some sort of trouble from when they put the tube down your troat to breath.  I would talk to your surgeon's office. As for the trouble sleeping I am not really sure what you mean by that.  If you mean that you couldn't get comfortable but found a tolerable position and then woke up a hour later and repeated and repeated that every night for days then that's normal.  I certainly had this problem after my lapband was done in Nov. 

I am so glad to hear that you are doing better.  I am so sorry that we didnl't get a chance to visit the other day.  Am looking forward to have you back in group when you can make it.  It sounds like the flu is bad again this year.  I got my flu shot early, but then I always do.  I have rumatoid arthrits and that makes my immune system weak.  Keep gettin better my prayers stay with you.  Hazel

Hi Barb, so glad you are doing better, sounds like it has been a long haul for you with the hip surgery. Keep up the upbeat feeling, every day is a new better day  Take Care Linda eloc29