Happy New Year to OH NYers

Hi all, I find that lately with family and work, I have not gotten the time to check out OH like I used to.  With my son taking up my pc time at home to fill out college apps (thank God we are almost done) and my bosses expecting me to work at work, well, it certainly cuts into my OH forum time. I see a lot of new people posting as well as those who have just had WLS and I wish everyone well wherever you are in your journey. As for me, I am 20 months out from WLS and maintaining my loss vigilantly.  I weigh myself every morning and my goal is to stay under 145 and so far I have.   I am scheduled for brachioplasty and a lower body lift on Jan. 9th.  I had submitted my insurance stuff with the surgeon's office and gotten a letter back from the insurance that I had insufficient proof of medical necessity.  So I figured ok, no prob.  I had prepaid anyway so the insurance money would have come back to me.  Yesterday morning I got a call from the surgeon's office that the insurance had covered me for part of the surgery.  It seems that my submission must have crossed in the mail and they called the surgeon's office to ask for more detail and then they sent a letter to the surgeon's office that I was covered.  I know it's not fully covered, but at least the hospital is covered and I now get to spend one night in the hospital. I had originally been scheduled for a abdominoplasty and my batwing-oplasty, but now with the insurance kicking in, they asked me if I wanted to do the lower body lift and the surgeon's office won't owe me anything back.  So I said sure, what the heck.  (Like I am a real glutton for punishment here). We also went through some sad stuff with my husband's family.  My brother in law (also my son's godfather) had been sick on and off over the past few months.  We were on alert for most of Nov and finally at the beginning of Dec. another brother in law told us that the situation was dire.  So DH flew back home to Peru only to miss his brother by 4 hours.  He got in at 6 AM on 12/8 and his brother passed on 2 AM.  But DH got to spend the next 10 days with his family that he'd not seen in about 15 years.  He lost his oldest brother in August so this was very hard for him and this brother that past this month was one of his closed, but losing any family member is very hard. Hopefully 2008 will be a better year for the family. Hope everyone here had a great holiday and a blessed New Year and all your dreams come true. Sue

Sue, Congrats on the upcoming surgery!!! I will be praying for a safe & speedy recovery for you!!!! You have done so well & are such an inspiration to me!! I am sorry to hear about the losses your family has suffered this year. I have had a couple years in a row where I had to deal with some traumatic losses but thankfully this past year wasn't one of them.  I am so looking forward to 2008 & I can honestly say I haven't been excited about a new year in many years!! I have lost over 90lbs & more than 36.5 inches since July (when I started the Medifast) so I cannot even fathom what in the world I will look like come this July & my birthday!!! It's exciting!! I hope everyone has an incredible, safe & happy new year!!!! Cece

Cece, Thank you!  I appreciate your prayers for my PS and I appreciate you saying that I have inspired you.  I still look to those who came before me for help in maintenance and hope that I can help those that came to WLS after me.  It's the circle of life so to speak. Thank you for the condolences, too.  It's been difficult for my husband, and he acts very stoic, but it's also put him back in closer touch with his family in Peru. He calls just about every day to speak to family and we are going in June so it's a benefit from a sad situation. I'm so glad that you are looking forward to the New Year!  You have really done well and I remember when you were pre-op and unsure.  I bet you can't believe that you're already this far past your surgery!  You've lost almost 100 lbs! You must simply feel fantastic and have experienced a ton of WOW moments! Continued success to you and a wonderful New Year! Sue

I remember that your brother-in-law was ill...and now another has passed. I'm so sorry for your family's loss.  Congrats on the upcoming surgery - you earned it for sure. May your New Year be bright, healthy, peaceful and prosperous. Keep on inspiring us!

Thank you for the condolences and congrats on my upcoming PS.  I am just glad it's getting close and want to be past it and recovering.  All the best to you, too, for continued health, happiness and prosperity in the New Year! Hopefully we can set up a meeting sometime in the New Year for the LI-ers and those of us in the boroughs to connect up again. Take care and good luck with your walking - I have a spread sheet (it's the bookkeeper in me) that I've been tracking how many miles I walked in 2007, so far it's 1250 miles.  I hope to double it in 2008. Sue

Happy New Year to you too Sue. Keep up the good work with maintenance and thanks for saying hello!

xo
Amy

Thanks, Amy, Happy New Year to you, too. I wish for you your heart's desire for 2008. Sue

Hey Sue!

I believe that 2008 will be a better year for all of us!  So sorry to hear about your losses.  Certainly congrats on your upcoming surgery.  Very exciting!!!  Have they any idea what/how much they will remove?  I've seen a body life on television and find it amazing!  How long after surgery before you can resume walking and running?

xo

Thanks Cheri, I am have my bat wings fixed and a lower body lift.  I lost 180 lbs and carried most of my weight in my abdomen, so I have a large pannis to be removed.  Then he is going around the back.  I am going to ask, when I go in on the 7th to be marked up, if he is going to weigh what comes off.  I'd kind of be curious to know. Best to you for 2008, Sue

According to the TV shows I have watched, they do weigh anything they remove.  Will be great to let us know!!!

xo