Taking control of my situation

[Guest guest]

I decided to stay as you can see mostly because so many nice people privately

emailed me and I decided I didn't want to lose the support that I can find here

as well as the information.

I was thinking bout something someone wrote regarding taking control of your

life and that people who speak up get better medical care. I thought I'd been

doing that but realized I hadnt. So today (I'm so proud of myself) I called my

old PCP and explained that I was very unsatisfied with the letter she wrote and

how it was delivered. The letter was two sentences. It said, My patient

requests her desire for weight loss surgery. She suffers with hypertension,

joint...etc. That was it. It did say my medical records were attached. They

were not. The letter was never mailed to the insurance. They mailed it to me 3

weeks after I was in to get it and said they didn't know where to mail it.

HELLO...they know where to mail the bill...why not the letter? Anyhow...I since

have switched to Dr Banjanin here in Bellingham and love him. I got my LOMN

yesterday. It was an entire page. It was written in the view that I have life

threatening morbid obesity and many problems making !

me hard to treat. IT stated that he felt I was a good candidate and appear to

be able to comply as needed for the trade off of doing the surgery and having

other issues to watch over the years. I was very impressed.

So...I informed my old dr I was going to someone that I felt was going to treat

me as if they cared what happened to me and that I'd be over on Monday at 12pm

to pick up my medical records. I also told her I felt she was partially to

blame for me having to do the appeal. If she had written the letter explaining

why it was necessary instead of making it sound like I wanted to have it for no

reason, it would have made a difference. I'm sure she's not impressed with me,

but I don't care. I think she's just happy I left because she obviously did not

feel it necessary to treat my high blood pressure or recheck my cellulitous...

This situation I've been avoiding for almost a month and today I just decided no

more. I'm not going to let her beat me down. I deserve this surgery, I need it

and I have a family that loves me so why should I let her stop me just because I

felt the call would be so unpleasant. It wasn't and I'm done now and feel

great!

AJ

[Guest guest]

AJ, BRAVO!!! May you continue to take control of your life. There

are bound to be other challenges along the way. But, I have

confidence in your ability to handle them.

At 1:42 PM -0400 6/1/01, lookn2bthin@... wrote:

>...

>I was thinking bout something someone wrote regarding taking control

>of your life and that people who speak up get better medical care.

>I thought I'd been doing that but realized I hadnt. So today (I'm

>so proud of myself) I called my old PCP and explained that I was

>very unsatisfied with the letter she wrote and how it was delivered.

>... ...I since have switched to Dr Banjanin here in Bellingham and

>love him. I got my LOMN yesterday. It was an entire page. It was

>written in the view that I have life threatening morbid obesity and

>many problems making !

>me hard to treat. IT stated that he felt I was a good candidate and

>appear to be able to comply as needed ...

>

>So...I informed my old dr I was going to someone that I felt was

>going to treat me as if they cared what happened to me and that I'd

>be over on Monday at 12pm to pick up my medical records. ...I'm sure

>she's not impressed with me, but I don't care.

Right on! this is about YOU and not about her.

>This situation I've been avoiding for almost a month and today I

>just decided no more. I'm not going to let her beat me down.

My daddy used to say, " Here's to those who wish us well, and all the

rest can go to Hell. " Daddy was never one to mince words. But, when

your life is on the line, you have to think of Numero Uno.

>I deserve this surgery, I need it and I have a family that loves me

>so why should I let her stop me just because I felt the call would

>be so unpleasant. It wasn't and I'm done now and feel great!

--Steve

--

[Guest guest]

Hey AJ:

You got it now !! You deserve this DS and don't you let anything or anyone stand in your way!

Huggles,

Tiger

[Guest guest]

Good for you, AJ!!! GO GET EM!!!

....today I just

> decided no more. I'm not going to let her beat me down. I deserve this

> surgery, I need it and I have a family that loves me so why should I let

> her stop me just because I felt the call would be so unpleasant. It

> wasn't and I'm done now and feel great!

>

> AJ

>

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------

>

[Guest guest]

AJ

Sounds like you did a great job advocating for yourself. Congrats!!!!

in Settle

----- Original Message -----

> I decided to stay as you can see mostly because so many nice people

privately emailed me and I decided I didn't want to lose the support that I

can find here as well as the information.

>

> I was thinking bout something someone wrote regarding taking control of

your life and that people who speak up get better medical care. I thought

I'd been doing that but realized I hadnt. So today (I'm so proud of myself)

I called my old PCP and explained that I was very unsatisfied with the

letter she wrote and how it was delivered. The letter was two sentences.

It said, My patient requests her desire for weight loss surgery. She suffers

with hypertension, joint...etc. That was it. It did say my medical records

were attached. They were not. The letter was never mailed to the

insurance. They mailed it to me 3 weeks after I was in to get it and said

they didn't know where to mail it. HELLO...they know where to mail the

bill...why not the letter? Anyhow...I since have switched to Dr Banjanin

here in Bellingham and love him. I got my LOMN yesterday. It was an entire

page. It was written in the view that I have life threatening morbid

obesity and many problems making !

> me hard to treat. IT stated that he felt I was a good candidate and

appear to be able to comply as needed for the trade off of doing the surgery

and having other issues to watch over the years. I was very impressed.

>

> So...I informed my old dr I was going to someone that I felt was going to

treat me as if they cared what happened to me and that I'd be over on Monday

at 12pm to pick up my medical records. I also told her I felt she was

partially to blame for me having to do the appeal. If she had written the

letter explaining why it was necessary instead of making it sound like I

wanted to have it for no reason, it would have made a difference. I'm sure

she's not impressed with me, but I don't care. I think she's just happy I

left because she obviously did not feel it necessary to treat my high blood

pressure or recheck my cellulitous...

>

> This situation I've been avoiding for almost a month and today I just

decided no more. I'm not going to let her beat me down. I deserve this

surgery, I need it and I have a family that loves me so why should I let her

stop me just because I felt the call would be so unpleasant. It wasn't and

I'm done now and feel great!

>

> AJ

[Guest guest]

Dear AJ, Glad to hear that you decided to stay! And on top of that, that you are taking control over those situations! Keep it up! a in CA BMI 36 headed for Spain when the funds come Taking control of my situation I decided to stay as you can see mostly because so many nice people privately emailed me and I decided I didn't want to lose the support that I can find here as well as the information.I was thinking bout something someone wrote regarding taking control of your life and that people who speak up get better medical care. I thought I'd been doing that but realized I hadnt. So today (I'm so proud of myself) I called my old PCP and explained that I was very unsatisfied with the letter she wrote and how it was delivered. The letter was two sentences. It said, My patient requests her desire for weight loss surgery. She suffers with hypertension, joint...etc. That was it. It did say my medical records were attached. They were not. The letter was never mailed to the insurance. They mailed it to me 3 weeks after I was in to get it and said they didn't know where to mail it. HELLO...they know where to mail the bill...why not the letter? Anyhow...I since have switched to Dr Banjanin here in Bellingham and love him. I got my LOMN yesterday. It was an entire page. It was written in the view that I have life threatening morbid obesity and many problems making !me hard to treat. IT stated that he felt I was a good candidate and appear to be able to comply as needed for the trade off of doing the surgery and having other issues to watch over the years. I was very impressed.So...I informed my old dr I was going to someone that I felt was going to treat me as if they cared what happened to me and that I'd be over on Monday at 12pm to pick up my medical records. I also told her I felt she was partially to blame for me having to do the appeal. If she had written the letter explaining why it was necessary instead of making it sound like I wanted to have it for no reason, it would have made a difference. I'm sure she's not impressed with me, but I don't care. I think she's just happy I left because she obviously did not feel it necessary to treat my high blood pressure or recheck my cellulitous...This situation I've been avoiding for almost a month and today I just decided no more. I'm not going to let her beat me down. I deserve this surgery, I need it and I have a family that loves me so why should I let her stop me just because I felt the call would be so unpleasant. It wasn't and I'm done now and feel great!AJ----------------------------------------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

AJ,

I am so proud of you for being assertive and your own best advocate

in this situation.

Physicians arent the enemy, but they may or may not be as

interested or sympathetic to obesity as they should be.

When I first began my journey, I switched over to a young family

physician who my sister recommended. I gathered all my courage,

collected all my medical records, DS information, a couple of

profiles off the DS site,and wrote him a heartfelt letter. I

delivered it all on my first visit. He acted very interested, but

never provided a LOMN, and never returned my calls about it. Two

months went by.

Finally I made an appointment, and asked him what was going on. He

shrugged his shoulders, and asked me " so...what do you want me to do,

I mean, I cant make them approve the surgery, what is it that you

want " ..... Clearly he hadnt even read my packet. So I snatched my

packet out of his hands, gave him a brief but stinging scolding and

stomped out of his office. He stood there with his mouth gaping open

stunned, but I'll bet he'll take the next WLS patient a little more

seriously.

It took two more tries, but I eventually found the most warm and

supportive physician who assisted me 100%. It's a long story, but

I'm finally approved and having surgery this month (egads!!).

Don't give up AJ. Keep your eye on the goal and dont waste time on

anyone who will not be supportive. You are worth it, and your

efforts will pay off.

Meli

BMI 47

Dr Hess

June 21,01

Summer Solstice

- In duodenalswitch@y..., lookn2bthin@c... wrote:

> I decided to stay as you can see mostly because so many nice people

privately emailed me and I decided I didn't want to lose the support

that I can find here as well as the information.

>

> I was thinking bout something someone wrote regarding taking

control of your life and that people who speak up get better medical

care. I thought I'd been doing that but realized I hadnt. So today

(I'm so proud of myself) I called my old PCP and explained that I

was very unsatisfied with the letter she wrote and how it was

delivered. The letter was two sentences. It said, My patient

requests her desire for weight loss surgery. She suffers with

hypertension, joint...etc. That was it. It did say my medical records

were attached. They were not. The letter was never mailed to the

insurance. They mailed it to me 3 weeks after I was in to get it and

said they didn't know where to mail it. HELLO...they know where to

mail the bill...why not the letter? Anyhow...I since have switched

to Dr Banjanin here in Bellingham and love him. I got my LOMN

yesterday. It was an entire page. It was written in the view that I

have life threatening morbid obesity and many problems making !

> me hard to treat. IT stated that he felt I was a good candidate

and appear to be able to comply as needed for the trade off of doing

the surgery and having other issues to watch over the years. I was

very impressed.

>

> So...I informed my old dr I was going to someone that I felt was

going to treat me as if they cared what happened to me and that I'd

be over on Monday at 12pm to pick up my medical records. I also told

her I felt she was partially to blame for me having to do the

appeal. If she had written the letter explaining why it was

necessary instead of making it sound like I wanted to have it for no

reason, it would have made a difference. I'm sure she's not impressed

with me, but I don't care. I think she's just happy I left because

she obviously did not feel it necessary to treat my high blood

pressure or recheck my cellulitous...

>

> This situation I've been avoiding for almost a month and today I

just decided no more. I'm not going to let her beat me down. I

deserve this surgery, I need it and I have a family that loves me so

why should I let her stop me just because I felt the call would be so

unpleasant. It wasn't and I'm done now and feel great!

>

> AJ

[Guest guest]

>

> This situation I've been avoiding for almost a month and today I

just decided no more. I'm not going to let her beat me down. I

deserve this surgery, I need it and I have a family that loves me so

why should I let her stop me just because I felt the call would be so

unpleasant. It wasn't and I'm done now and feel great!

>

> AJ

BRAVO AJ!

You are an inspiration to us all!

(:

Tom

[Guest guest]

AJ,

I'll still kick her butt for you!

:-)

M Palmer

(Phone)

(Fax)

kpalmer@...

> Re: Taking control of my situation

>

>

> >

> > This situation I've been avoiding for almost a month and today I

> just decided no more. I'm not going to let her beat me down. I

> deserve this surgery, I need it and I have a family that loves me so

> why should I let her stop me just because I felt the call would be so

> unpleasant. It wasn't and I'm done now and feel great!

> >

> > AJ

>

>

> BRAVO AJ!

>

> You are an inspiration to us all!

>

> (:

>

> Tom

>

>

>

>

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------

>

[Guest guest]

On Thu, 21 Jun 2001 23:01:59 -0000 tlarussa@... writes:

>

> >

> > This situation I've been avoiding for almost a month and today I

> just decided no more. I'm not going to let her beat me down. I

> deserve this surgery, I need it and I have a family that loves me so

>

> why should I let her stop me just because I felt the call would be

> so

> unpleasant. It wasn't and I'm done now and feel great!

> >

> > AJ

AJ,

I have seen so many people fight this fight, with and without having the

money to do it, all you really need is resources (wich you can find

through most of the people here) and patience. I know that one is the

harder one to hold on to. Look

at Sandy G she has been fighting to have this surgery since I joined this

group and probably since before that. I joined in September of 2000 she

is now finally approved and if you only knew how many times I heard her

be discouraged but she stuck with it and LOOK!!! Good luck!! With the

fight. You deserve this surgery. You deserve to have the best treatment

there is available today. I have to tell you having been through it It is

nothing short of a miracle in my life. I have been obese all of my life

with out any hope of this changing until I learned and had this surgery.

Take care and know you are supported here!!!!

Vera- Lansdale,Pa

Starting Bmi-61-11/00 Starting weight 354lbs 260 now

Dr. Herron / Dr. Pomp assisting @ Mt. Sinai, New York

Open BPD/DS done 01/26/01

PCP scale ? weeks out 94 lbs gone forever as of 06/13/01

________________________________________________________________

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