Introducing Me!

Dec 16, 2008

Hello Everyone
My story:
I found myself 120lbs overweight and I have truly tried every "lifestyle change" weight loss drug & diet known to man - and I finally decided that with all of my health problems sciatica, severe back pain, gastric reflux disease, and sleep apnea - if I don't do something to help myself I will become increasingly obese and I will not be living my life to the fullest potential or quality. Where's the fun in being young and FAT??

Sooooo, I have Medicare insurance & could not find a way through Medicare to obtain the necessary educational requirements to have this surgery. Then I transferred my insurance to IEHP Medicare Dual Choice this was a frustrating waste of time!!! Then I did some research and changed my insurance to HN & I found a wonderful program at Beaver - they are very organized and detailed (they are really on top of their game) they have a Patient Education program and a program called Lite Weighs that deals with the emotional and nutritional education. WOW! What a difference. I AM FINALLY ON MY WAY... I love the staff at Lite Weighs they are great. These people are patient, polite, and considerate the doctors are knowledgeable and genuine!!!! I am receiving vital information and I am learning how to make this transformation. Beaver only contracts with two bariatric surgery centers one is SCRIPP (I hear Scripp is top of the line) and the other is Crown (not too sure about Crown I mean I haven't heard anything good or bad). As far as surgeons I have really done my research as well and I am absolutely convinced that DR. DOUGLAS KRAHN is the man for the job!!!! I ONLY TRUST HIM WITH MY INTERNAL ORGANS - FOR REAL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hopefully I can get a referral for him to perform my surgery somehow someway.
He has an outstanding success rate and an extremely low death rate (only one patient death due to uncontrollable circumstances - the patient was going to die anyway)
This surgery is a BIG DEAL!!!
I did not like the initial appointment with one of the doctors at Lite Weighs. I thought him to be a bit rude. He did an assessment about my food intake and exactly how many calories I was taking in over the amount that was necessary which is the actual cause of all my weight gain and during this conversation he wrote down the five things that were preventing me from losing any weight, he wrote 1. exercise 2. exercise 3. exercise 4. exercise, and then he said, "Do you see where I'm going with this?" Uh, How rude. Really I took this sarcasm personally (I was pretty pissed!) until I discussed my meeting with him with another patient and I learned that she too had the same experience so it was not a personal attack.
I still wanted to HOWEVER, I realize that he sees an overwhelming amount of patients even though it was quite obvious that I am fat because I over eat and I don't exercise & maybe I needed to hear it from someone other than my mother.
Anyway, I have since concluded that I will not let his need for a vacation get in the way of my success!!!!!
God Bless you doctor You're in my prayers.