Thanks for the awesome welcome!

Thanks Kathy and CJ for the welcome . Everyone here sounds so nice...I'm very lucky to have found you. Last evening I got a call from Flanagan's office: they needed a Psych eval and Nutrition eval ASAP. Believe it or not, I called immediately (flipped through the phone book, not caring if insurance will cover it) to a psych and found one who let me come in this morning ! Unfortunately, I had to take the day off of work (bummer! haha!) but this is an important reason to me. The psych eval went good, I think. The doctor said he would recommend the surgery for me barring any huge problems in the 500 question t or f test I had to take! (can you believe that?!) Some of the questions were: I hear voices that no one else hears...hmmmm should I answer t or f to that ? haha! and another said: I feel like hurting myself and/or others frequently...again, a no brainer. The nutrition eval is going to take a bit longer, the soonest I can get in is Dec. 1, but I'm hoping it will be easy and quick beyond that. Fingers and toes are all crossed...if this falls into place for me this quickly it will be a miracle. CJ: MY insurance BCBS Regence also has an iron clad exclusion policy..which totally makes me angry! However, it's my husband's that covers until Dec. 31. Although I'm VERY thankful it does cover until then, it makes me so mad they are discontinuing coverage at that date. I can tell you one thing, if this surgery does go through, and even if it doesn't, I will make it a life goal to do everything I can to see that insurance companies begin to see the err in their ways. (If you know what I mean.) Have a great day all, and thanks again for the welcome. ~Lynn

The insurance situation in Oregon is outdated. We all need to help in whatever way we can to get WLS included. Both my policy and my husband's are iron clad exclusions but they have paid all of our pre testing, including that lovely psych eval. I do remember that 500 t or f test. My husband got the ok right away but I got called back to the psych office so the guy could talk to me in depth before approving me. I had to promise I would do something about depression - hell, I'm depressed cause I feel so awful and I feel so awful cause I'm fat and have to deal with beaucreatic paperwork, like 500 t or f questions. Made me laugh and he finally said he would ok me for the surgery. So I must not be too crazy. Take care KW

Keep us posted and stay on top of that insurance.. I hope it all goes as planned!! You are off to a rippin' good start!