KaRaThutmose
It was not easy for me to obtain weight loss surgery. It took me three years to have it come to pass.
When my general physician and I decided to get me lap banded, he had a surgeon from the Kane center come to see me while I was in the hospital for cellulitis. I told the surgeon that I was on medicaid. He said that although they did not take medicaid, I should loose 50 to 70 pounds, and then come to see him anyway. I lost fifty pounds, went to the obligatory seminar, and then made an appointment which was canceled. I wanted to talk to the surgeon, but I could not get a call back. Finally I had a nurse friend, who knew someone who worked for the center, ask the doctor directly about why the appointment was cancelled. He said that he had changed his mind because the surgery was too expensive. At least that gave me the closure. I wrote a letter to him to tell him that he might have at least phoned me when I asked him to, but, of course, I got no response.
After months of searching, I found the Mercy hospital which accepts medicare. Again I attended the required seminar, then made an appointment which took another several weeks. Finally the day arrived,I had my coat on and was waiting for my ride to take me for the appointment, when the doctor's office called and told me not to come in until I lost 70 pounds. After such a build up I freaked. I said that if I could loose seventy pounds on my own I wouldn't need them. She apologized and said that the doctor just wanted to save me a trip. Again, I wrote a letter to the doctor to suggest that he mention in the seminar that one might be required to loose some weight before surgery so as not to pull the rug out from beneath a person at the last minute. No response from Mercy Hospital either.
Again months flew by until my general physician found out about the Lake County Surgeons who did WLS with medicaid, and under some conditions would perform the surgery without having to loose so much weight. I pounced upon the opportunity. I went through the extra medical and psychological pre op visits and finally was lap banded on April 28, 2009.
I have not yet gotten my band to the "sweet spot", however, I will keep tinkering until I loose more weight.
