!!!!!!!!My surgery has been postponed!!!!!!!

At approximately 5:15pm this afternoon during my many mad rushes to the bathroom due to the bowel prep Noreen from Dr. Blackstones office called to let me know that my surgery was being cancelled for tomorrow and tentatively being rescheduled for February 7, 2007!!!! I have CIGNA insurance and for the cardiac clearance I underwent an EKG and a 3 minute stress test which is all CIGNA required. However since CIGNA was faxing the results to an incorrect fax number Dr. Blackstones office did not receive the results until early last week. When I spoke to Stella at Dr. Blackstones office about making sure all of my stuff was cleared (of course the panic over the breast cancer scare was enough to stop my heart) she said that Dr. Blackstone had not received my echocardiagram. I contacted CIGNA with no results. I left message after message for Stella with no call back. After the ultrasound to rule out the breast cancer on Monday I went directly to my primary care doctors office to find out about where the results were to my cardiac clearance and why an echo had not been done. I met with Noel there and she said since I had zero abnormalities to my stress test or EKG an echo was not required. I left that message for Stella. When she called me back (late in the day) I told her that CIGNA said that an echo was not required so what should I do? She was going to get back with me. I waited until 12:45 today and phoned Dr. Blackstones office. I was told to go ahead with the bowel prep because my surgery was on and I should be fine. Then Noreen calls at 5:15 pm and all is cancelled. The first available is February 2007! My heart is broken. I am angry and totally frustrated. I feel so abandoned by the people I am going to let cut me open. I know that this is wrong to feel but I was so looking forward to this being over so that I could get on with my life!

Oh Ellen! I am so sorry for this... and its over paperwork and insurance stuff and obviously complete miscommunication between the office and Cigna. I cannot imagine how you feel right now... but please know you are in good hands with Dr. Blackstone. I am sure she is just as fustrated with the office staff right now as you are!!! I am keeping my fingers crossed that your surgery date will be bumped up!

Oh Ellen! I don't even know you but have been reading your posts and others and felt so excited for you and looking forward to my own date sometime in the future -- and to get a call at 5:15!!! after you've checked and done the bowel prep!! is the worst disappointment I've heard only the best about Dr. B, but there's more than one post in here about her staff. Does she know this????? And yes, I understand the safety concerns completely -- that's great -- but Ellen's experience SUCKS big time in my humble opinion.... Ellen, thoughts and hugs your way...geez...

Ellen, I am so sorry to hear about your delay. I can't even imagine the sorrow and disappointment you must be feeling right now. Please know that we are all here for you, and will be with you through this trying time. I'm sending a big hug out to you right now..... Alli

Ellen Keep your head up, paperwork is always the worst part of any surgery! Let the girls at Blackstones Office know you are willing to go on a waiting list - who knows someone else may have to cancel and you could slide into their spot ! I believe everything happens for a reason, Plus use the time to loose a couple more pounds - this will shrink yourinternal organs make surgery easier on your body and Dr Blackstone. You might want to start getting copies of all paperwork and keep your own records, I do and it maks it so much easier when I go to a doctors appt . Plus I can look back at my labs and see how numbers change ( better & worse ) I am going to say a prayer for you that Dr B's office calls you with a new date in Dec or Jan..

Ellen, you kind of sound as frustrated as I was when mine was postponed until January. I couldn't believe so many people are waiting for this surgery that they have a cancellation list of at least 10 people. I think it gets complicated when the insurance co says one thing and Dr. B's group says another. That Echo test is nothing more than a sonogram of the heart at rest. I've had it 2 times, and next week is my third. Dr. B was happy with the 1st one it's the pulmonary doc. who is determined he's going to get a pulmonary artery pressure. He won't clear me without this, and because he's one of the doc's involved Blackstone will hold up the surgery if I don't get this done. It's kind of like you might as well not fight the system, is it frustrating, you bet it is! I can not even tell you how angry I would be if they brought me down to the last day and cancelled me. Now your labs will have to be repeated as well. After you let the anger pass you'll just go about everything as they want it done and have the surgery in February. It's better than not at all! Think about where you would be if you didn't do the surgery at all... it's not really an option to not go forward. It does seem they should have realized before the last day you didn't have the other part of the cardiac done. As you can see what the insurance requires has nothing to do with what the doctor wants prior to surgery. Some of what we go through is not only to keep us safe, but they have to show that all reasonable efforts were made to determine what kind of health we are in prior to the decision to go forward. If something should happen to go wrong as a result of some medical condition that was present, it opens them up to liability they would rather not have. Dr. B. has a really good record, and it's because she is so careful, I'm so sorry that happened to you. Maybe they will be able to move you into a cancellation spot. Let us know what's happening, good luck girl. CaroleM.

HI Ellen: I was talking to someone at work today about my wls and I heard a another woman on the phone also talking about wls. It was your sister. I did not know it at the time but she told us about her sisters dilemma. I informed her I knew who she was talking aobut. What a small world. I am having my cardiac and pulmonary testing done on Monday the 27th. Its a month before my surgery. After reading Carols problem and now yours I am going to make sure I have all the right testing done and paperwork in hand. I understand they are going to try to get you rescheduled in Dec. I would be mad as heck but don't give up. Frustrated would not be the word if I was cancelled at the last minute and that's exactly when you were cancelled. But once again you have come this far. It will happen. Good luck and keep us informed.

I can't even imagine how frustrated you must be. I feel for you. Here's the good news, you don't have to go through the holidays with a new pouch. I was actually glad that my surgery didn't happen around the holidays and happened March. By the next holiday season, I was able to enjoy myself and was far enough out that I didn't even want the food fest. I took a bite or two of everything and was satisfied. I think that if I had had surgery in November or December, I would have struggled with wanting to eat what everyone else was in the amount that they were. I hope everything works out and you enjoy your Thanksgiving. Connie