It is wonderful you will be attending the conference.

Once you sign up and pay, you are registered for the event.  No tickets are mailed. Everyone is required to give their name upon arrival at the event.  All those who signed up and paid will be on the list.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

My son Austin is trying to raise money for Diabetes Adventure Camp. Austin was diagnosed with Diabetes when he was 4 with a blood sugar of 1296. Normal is 80 to 150. The doctor's said he wouldn't make it through the night, well he is 11 now :) He is trying to raise the money to go to diabetes camp. Two years ago he had to come home early and missed out on lots of activities because he had gotten really sick. This year he really wants to go back and be able to stay all week. He is now on an insulin pump that has his diabetes under much better control. All the info is at : http://diabetesadventurecamp.chipin.com/

Austin works together with Diabetes Youth Services to raise money for camp every year. This year due to changes in the insurance company they are not going to help. (The last 2 years they paid half.)

Diabetes Adventure Camp helps children learn to manage their diabetes independently, while being supervised by Certified Diabetes Educators. Positive experiences like the DYS Camp help to give kids the confidence to attend other area recreational and sports camps. This year includes rock climbing, paintball, white water rafting, and a day at Cedar Point!

I am not sure if amnyone here can help, if not its okay, I understand... His dad isn't around and refuses to help, it makes things very difficult on me.

Thank you for your time and consideration.


- Michelle

VSG 11/19/2008 down 155 pounds to date:)

I want in on this :)

I am going through the Cleveland Clinic Bariatric program right now. I think it is an excellent program. They are very thorough and want you to be prepared for the surgery so that you can use your WLS tool successfully. They also want to make sure you have everything you need to get approval from insurance.

I have CareSource insurance and it requires a 9 month doctor supervised diet. So, I've been working at this since September 2009. I went to my first Cleveland Clinic program seminar in November 09. Completed all of the paperwork and they pre-authorized me with my insurance to make sure I would be covered for all of the bloodwork, xrays, EKG and psychological evaluation. I comleted that in December/January.  I also did 4 weekly group meetings for binge eating (just completed it last week). I found it VERY useful. That was completed during the month of March. I spread mine out more because I'm not even eligible to submit to insurance until June (when my 9 month diet is complete).

Anyway, if you don't have any insurance mandated diets to complete it should only take you 1-2 months to complete all of the program requirements (depending on your health, weight and if you are recommended for additional group therapies). Your surgery date will also depend on insurance approval.

If you go to my blog (http://[email protected]) I have a post about how the bariatric program works at the cleveland clinic. But in a nutshell:

Step 1: Call the Cleveland Clinic Bariatric Program and pre-screen. They will send out a lengthy questionnaire/patient worksheet for you to complete. Then you mail it back to them

Step 2: They verify that your insurance actually covers weight loss surgery, and review your patient worksheet to see if you are eligible for the surgery (via BMI and health conditions you list)

Step 3: If your insurance does cover the procedure and you are eligible they call you to schedule an appointment for the Patient Workshop. This is where you learn about all the different kinds of surgery and how the program works

Step 4: Medical Assessments - bloodwork, EKG, X-ray (at minimum...if you have other health issues they may do other tests). Nutrition and also Psychology. Nutrition will get you started on some vitamins and preparing you for surgery (protein drinks, no soda...stuff like that). Psychology there is a 45 minute computer test and then you meet with the Psychologist for an hour. She evaluates where you are at mentally with eating and in your life. She isn't there to scare you but help you...giving you coping tools and making sure you are mentally prepared for life after surgery.

Step 5: Visit (briefly) w/surgeon

Step 6: Once you have completed all of this and met all insurance requirements they will submit to your insurance for you. Since their program is so thorough they almost never have problems getting insurance approval.

Step 7: After approved your surgery and pre-op clinic visit will be scheduled

Step 8: Pre-op clinic visit (meet w/surgeon to go over surgery in depth)

Step 9: The surgery

Step 10: Follow-Up Visits


I've liked that it's taken me this long. Initially I did not, but I'm slowly getting a grasp on all the mental changes I need to make to be successful. That was really important for me and I needed this extra time . Only 3 more months until insurance submittal!

Hope all of the info helped. Send me a message if you have any more questions! Good luck!

yea I love the snooty fox for nice things. I found a pair of $95 jeans there in next to new condition for $16.

I have to check out the other spots you mentioned.  I am sitting around an 8 now and could use some more new things.

OP...I might have some jeans in a 14/16 still. not sure if my mom took them or not.