question

Queenie,
Another thing I just thought of. It is now required that you take 3 months of Nutrition classes at Merit Care prior to surgery. It sounds like a lot but in reality it is two times a week for 3 months. It was some good information to learn/get to prepare for the lifestyle changes with foods after.I am guessing you will need to sign up for that. They will most likely give you that information.
Kelly/tink

Kelly/Tink,
Thanks for all the info, I appreciate all the help I can get.
Well that is a new one on me,
All Becky said is I do the phyc.appt, see Garcia and go to the Dietian and try the foods again (Opti source)
She said I should have a surgery date in March.
So hopefully!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I know only what Im told.
But I did go through all of this in 2007 also.
Thanks again for thr info.
Loretta/ Queenie

Well at least your armed with added information. LOL Maybe they will grandfather you in and you can by-pass the classes. Becky is fairly new and might not be up to speed with everything. She has been around for about 6 months I would guess.

Hi queenie,

The kinked bowel can happen to anyone, but people who have lost a dramatic amount of weight are at high risk b/c your organs also somewhat shrink, creating more room inside of your abdominal cavity.  This allows your small intestine more room to maneuver around & sometimes results in it becoming kinked = bowel obstruction.

My first intent was to go with Dr. Fabian at MeritCare in Fargo.  I have BCBSND, which doesn't require nutrition classes, so they designed a two-hour nutrition class with basic info for people who were self-pay or whose insurance didn't require it.  That was in late October 2008.  It was the first or second class the nutritionist had done where she was trying to fit in a heck of a lot of info in a two-hour class.  She expressed frustration & did say that they were trying this class as a pilot program to see how it went.  If they didn't like the results, they might not be offering it anymore, even if you have BCBSND or are a self-pay.

Hello Lisey,
I also have BCBS, one through the state and the other through my husbands work.
All  I know is in 2007 I took a class of sorts about the foods to eat and we tried the pureed food and protien drinks.
Becky Dr Garcias assistant told me I need to have my phyc. eval, appointment with Dr Garcia, and this class with the dietian, then they are submitting my paper work and a letter from the Dr to the insurance, they told me I will have a surgery date in March.
I have been through this in 2007, Was denied,
So we will see.
How do u get the ticker to work?
I have tried twice now.
Thanks
Queenie/ Lo

Well, the ticker is the $64,000 question b/c I can't get mine to work either.  I have it on my signature, but I haven't been able to change/ update it.  I have figured out that the place on your profile on OH where you update your weight is not where you enter the info to update your ticker.  You have to double click on your ticker & it takes you to the ticker factory, where you enter in your sign on/ password info, update, & presto, it's updated on OH.  I don't know, maybe you have to paste another code into the OH section of your profile, but I'm stumped b/c I can't click on my ticker.  I have put out this question on the DS board about one hour ago, but no responses yet, except Tammy, who is in Mandan to say sorry she can't help me - at least she tried!  If I figure out more any time soon (eg, before I forget about this post), I'll let you know, but if that's not for another month, I'll probably forget by then! 

I had the psych eval at EDI also, it was pretty straight forward.  Good luck & let me know if you have any other questions.  Take care, Lisey