I change my Mind
I'm not really in a position to comment, because I was not nervous about the surgery. I was so miserable, I felt like I was already dead, and either I would not make it out alive and it would be over, or things would get better. But here I am, one of many hundreds of thousands of people who are not dead, not fat, and no longer living like a zombie.
You can get sick and have complications, and even die. But you reduce those risks by following instructions and taking care of yourself. Eating righ****ching your labs, taking vitamins and keeping up with your follow-up visits are all part of the plan. If you can't do that, I agree that this isn't right for you.
Did you ever hear the story about the man who was drowning in the ocean? A fisherman in a boat comes by, and offers to rescue him. He says: "No, Jesus will save me." Then a cruise ship comes by and throws him a life preserver. He pushes it away, and says "Jesus will save me." Then a helicopter drops a rescuer on a line who tries to fish him out of the water and bring him to safety. "No," he says, "Jesus will save me."
Finally, the man drowns and when he arrives in heaven he meets Jesus. "I waited for you to save me, but you never came."
Jesus says: "I sent you a boat, a lifepreserver, and a helicopter. What the hell did you expect?"
And by the way, if you are on Medicaid, Jesus is not offering you this surgery. The taxpayers of America are.
You can get sick and have complications, and even die. But you reduce those risks by following instructions and taking care of yourself. Eating righ****ching your labs, taking vitamins and keeping up with your follow-up visits are all part of the plan. If you can't do that, I agree that this isn't right for you.
Did you ever hear the story about the man who was drowning in the ocean? A fisherman in a boat comes by, and offers to rescue him. He says: "No, Jesus will save me." Then a cruise ship comes by and throws him a life preserver. He pushes it away, and says "Jesus will save me." Then a helicopter drops a rescuer on a line who tries to fish him out of the water and bring him to safety. "No," he says, "Jesus will save me."
Finally, the man drowns and when he arrives in heaven he meets Jesus. "I waited for you to save me, but you never came."
Jesus says: "I sent you a boat, a lifepreserver, and a helicopter. What the hell did you expect?"
And by the way, if you are on Medicaid, Jesus is not offering you this surgery. The taxpayers of America are.
And by the way, if you are on Medicaid, Jesus is not offering you this surgery. The taxpayers of America are.
Boy do I like that! And BTW, I do think if you are ever going to have this done or are thinking that if you change your mind in 2 years it will be there- don't count on it! The American Government is a little wishy/washy right now and things may be totally different then. Again I say, good luck.
Boy do I like that! And BTW, I do think if you are ever going to have this done or are thinking that if you change your mind in 2 years it will be there- don't count on it! The American Government is a little wishy/washy right now and things may be totally different then. Again I say, good luck.
I absolutely believe that WLS should be covered by Medicaid. I also believe there are a lot of other preventative medical procedures and medicines that would help people, and would also improve health to the point where the costs of treatments would be reduced or mitigated.
Unfortunately, our paradigm doesn't support that. The medical industrial complex finds more value in treating advanced disease and maintaining people with chronic illness than it does in cure and prevention.
Billions, for example, are made diagnosing and treating cancers. If someone were to discover a fool-proof cure, a lot of that profit would dry up. I'm not saying that the researchers aren't doing their jobs; I'm simply saying that financial incentives do not place focus on prevention.
If a person has diabetes and high blood pressure, and they are overweight, there is a good chance that losing weight would resolve those issues. The surgery costs roughly $20,000, versus a lifetime of drugs, doctor visits, ER visits, and treatment of other illness stemming from these diseases.
It is an interesting topic for debate, but I assure you the discussion will quickly become: should people get anything paid for by the government at all? It becomes about politics, and socialism, and becomes mired in all kinds of value judgments.
Pull up a chair and a bowl of popcorn and watch what happens!
Unfortunately, our paradigm doesn't support that. The medical industrial complex finds more value in treating advanced disease and maintaining people with chronic illness than it does in cure and prevention.
Billions, for example, are made diagnosing and treating cancers. If someone were to discover a fool-proof cure, a lot of that profit would dry up. I'm not saying that the researchers aren't doing their jobs; I'm simply saying that financial incentives do not place focus on prevention.
If a person has diabetes and high blood pressure, and they are overweight, there is a good chance that losing weight would resolve those issues. The surgery costs roughly $20,000, versus a lifetime of drugs, doctor visits, ER visits, and treatment of other illness stemming from these diseases.
It is an interesting topic for debate, but I assure you the discussion will quickly become: should people get anything paid for by the government at all? It becomes about politics, and socialism, and becomes mired in all kinds of value judgments.
Pull up a chair and a bowl of popcorn and watch what happens!
Same here.
Now that I've had the surgery, I'm back to working full time and then some - I average about 60+ hours a week now with all of the energy I have. If Medicaid hadn't paid for the surgery, I'd be well over 400 lbs by now, and either on dialysis and dying or dead because I chose to take my own life.
Now that I've had the surgery, I'm back to working full time and then some - I average about 60+ hours a week now with all of the energy I have. If Medicaid hadn't paid for the surgery, I'd be well over 400 lbs by now, and either on dialysis and dying or dead because I chose to take my own life.
Proud mama of Mischa and Gabriel, both born post-op.
Sure it should. It's a LOT cheaper than long term care for diabetes, sleep apnea, hypertension, and heart disease, not to mention knee and hip replacements, wheelchairs, and surgeries for all of the above.
ETA: It's also cheaper than paying for long term disability benefits resulting from obesity.
ETA: It's also cheaper than paying for long term disability benefits resulting from obesity.
"Doubt everything. Find your own light."
-- Last words of Gautama Buddha, in Theravada tradition
Although you are basing your decision on a lot of anecdotal misinformation and few negative cases among tons of successes, it is clear that you are not ready regardless of your reasons. You are right, surgery requires a committment to after-care and follow up, as well as some financial investment, not just for doctor's appointments but for a lot of vitamins and high-quality protein supplements. Weight-loss surgery is not for everyone, you are clearly one of those for whom it is not a good idea, at this time.
As for the after-life glorified body, personally, I prefer to have a glorious body in THIS life, so that I can do good for those that live on Earth with me right now. I'm not very religious, but I think Jesus would want the same for you - so you can do His good works today, and I hope you at least commit to trying to work on your weight and health regardless of how you do it. Good luck.
As for the after-life glorified body, personally, I prefer to have a glorious body in THIS life, so that I can do good for those that live on Earth with me right now. I'm not very religious, but I think Jesus would want the same for you - so you can do His good works today, and I hope you at least commit to trying to work on your weight and health regardless of how you do it. Good luck.
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