DOWN TO THE WIRE!

Hi all, I am down to one last appointment at my pcp to get the letter of medical necessity on thursday!! My old pcp would not word it the way Dr. Hart's office needed it worded, so I had to change to a different pcp!! Mildred at Dr. Hart's office called and told me that they can't guarantee me the surgery, because my insurance stops paying July 1! Also, they are going to be swamped with patients trying to get the surgery before the cutoff date! She said first come first served! If I have gone through all of this and don't get this done, I am going to screem! Man, this has taken soooo long. I feel like I have been through the mill! I am thankful that I have been checked out from top to bottom, but I am ready to get this show on the road! I am afraid to get on the scales also, because I was told by the nutritionist that I could not gain any weight before surgery! I know I have gained! I stopped smoking and turned to eating more! I need your prayers and hopefully really soon I will be on the losing side. I need to attend the support meetings, but I have been so busy! Do any of you know of one coming up soon in the Lawrenceville area or close by? CAN YOU TELL I'M STRESSED???? Prayers PLEASE!!! Thanks to all of you for your help and encouragement! I need it now! Karen

Hi Karen, The process for approval for this surgery just seems so backwards from any other surgery or procedure that I have had done. Typically the dr gets the approval and then you may have a few tests done. We go through so much testing before anything is sent into the insurance company. Hopefully you are in the home stretch and things will move quickly. As far as support groups Dr Hart has one tonight at the 980 dr's building on Johnson Ferry Road (just a few blocks from N'side Hospital). It lasts from 6-8 and there will be a guest speaker, a chef to give a presentation on healthy cooking. Anyone in any stage of the process or any dr is welcome to come. It is the first Wednesday of every month. I also attend a weekly meeting in Lawrenceville on Wednesday nights at Central Gwinnett high school. It lasts from 7-9. Many in the group meet for dinner beforehand. Again anyone is welcome to come and it is a non surgeon specific group but the majority have used with dr Hart or Daly. We do a lot of social activities also. We currently have planned a bowling party for May 5 which we are calling cinco de bellio. We are honoring our good friend Nat whose wls was 05/05/04 and who passed away 12/18/04 from cancer. We have been tubing in Helen, climbed Stone Mtn, some have gone white water rafting, horseback riding, Braves game...the list is endless. It is really a great bunch of folks and is more like a family than a support group. Hope to see you at a meeting soon! I also work at the pharmacy on the ground floor of Dr Hart's office so stop in and see me next time you are there. Marie post op 12/02/03 lap rny, Dr Hart

Karen come and join us tonight for dinner/meeting see the Wing nuts site on yahoo, Barbara

the website for the Lawrenceville suport meeting is: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/LawrencevilleWINGNUTS/ This group has really helped me! I am going to Dr.Hart's meeting tonight but I hope to see you next week in Lawrenceville. Emily Brady Dr. Hart May 25, 2005

Hey Karen, I'm in the same boat, and the earliest I can get the medical clearance is 05/12. My psych eval is the same day. I hope I get cleared and have a surgery date b4 cutoff. I am so praying that this happens for me!! I hope you get approved in time too! Caren