I just feel like giving up and crying

[Guest guest]

Managed to catch up on the boards and discovered to my shock and

horror that Dr. Rutledge was considering cutting back on his patient

load. To be honest, I had wondered how one man could managed to do so

much for so many people without having a nervous breakdown.

I had only started researching WLS for a few weeks when a member from

ObesityHelp.com pointed me in this direction. Once I found Dr. R's

website, I knew I had found the surgeon for me.

However the fates seemed to be against me. My first problem was being

50 lbs overweight for the surgery (I weigh 400 lbs), but I decided if

I wanted the surgery bad enough, off the 50 lbs would come. My second

problem was having Kaiser for insurance (which is next to impossible

to reason with) so I decided to change my insurance to Blue Shield.

My third problem was I couldn't purchase an individual policy because

of my weight and I wouldn't be able to switch my company's policy for

six months. So I decided to be patient. Then I read Dr. R's post and

feared he wouldn't accept insurance so I despaired. Spent the last

few days trying to figure out how to raise the money to self pay and

each attempt has been shot down.

Right now I'm swinging from desperation to frustration to depression

to tears. A part of me says to have hope and to trust in God. A part

of me just wants to give up and eat everything in sight until I blow

up and have a heart attack. And for exactly one minute I considered

robbing a bank except I'm terrified of guns.

I have been overweight since I was three years old. I have spent 33

years trapped in this obese body. Dr. Rutledge was my last hope and

that hope is slipping away.

I try to think positive. I remind myself that I can always have a RNY

under Kaiser (if I jump through all of their hoops) or I can try diet

number 345,896 only to see it fail again. However when I compare the

MGB to the RNY, it's like comparing a Lexus to a Yugo. Personally I'd

rather stay fat than have my insides messed up for life.

In any case, I am not mad at Dr. R. To my surprise, I am glad he is

putting himself and his patient's needs first. I knew I admired him

when I read the requirements for the surgery. Now I am even more

impressed with his integrity as a surgeon and a person.

To all of those who are post-op and pre-op (and in line for surgery),

bless you all. I've seen your joy and your hope in your posts. I see

the love, respect and admiration you all have for Dr. R. More

importantly I am glad I finally me (even though it was never in

person) a doctor who really seemed to care about his patients. After

years of having all my colds, ear infections, athlete's foot, etc.

blamed on my weight, it's nice to meet a real doctor who understands

the Hippocratic Oath.

Good luck and God bless to everyone esp. Dr. Rutledge.

[Guest guest]

Dear , Take heart and don't give up. I read a post the other

day that said it would probably be a year before Dr. R might stop

taking insurance. I would try to get Blue Shield, that's the

insurance I have, and meanwhile I would try to lose enough weight to

have the MGB, if you did lose weight and worse case senario couldn't

get the MGB you could still go lap rny. It is certainly not as easy a

recovery as the MGB but it does work and could still be an option.

You just need to make up your mind that no matter what you will have

wls and start a new chapter in your life. I had decided to have a lap

rny before I found out about the MGB and if I wasn't accepted by Dr.

Rutledge, I still would have had the rny but I didn't want an open

one. I also prayed alot, maybe we should pray for Dr. R to stay

healthy both physically and emotionally. My husband and I both came

to the same conclusion after looking into Dr. R, that he would burn

out if he kept up the same pace because he is under too much stress.

What ever you do DO NOT GIVE UP your life is too valuable. Remember

we all know how to lose weight, we just don't know how to keep it

off, but WLS will help us do that.

Marjory Sumlin

MGB 8/30/00 God willing

> Right now I'm swinging from desperation to frustration to

depression

> to tears. A part of me says to have hope and to trust in God. A

part

> of me just wants to give up and eat everything in sight until I

blow

> up and have a heart attack. >

[Guest guest]

DON'T EVER GIVE UP!

Dinah in Alabama

> Managed to catch up on the boards and discovered to my shock and

> horror that Dr. Rutledge was considering cutting back on his

patient

> load. To be honest, I had wondered how one man could managed to do

so

> much for so many people without having a nervous breakdown.

>

> I had only started researching WLS for a few weeks when a member

from

> ObesityHelp.com pointed me in this direction. Once I found Dr. R's

> website, I knew I had found the surgeon for me.

>

> However the fates seemed to be against me. My first problem was

being

> 50 lbs overweight for the surgery (I weigh 400 lbs), but I decided

if

> I wanted the surgery bad enough, off the 50 lbs would come. My

second

> problem was having Kaiser for insurance (which is next to

impossible

> to reason with) so I decided to change my insurance to Blue Shield.

> My third problem was I couldn't purchase an individual policy

because

> of my weight and I wouldn't be able to switch my company's policy

for

> six months. So I decided to be patient. Then I read Dr. R's post

and

> feared he wouldn't accept insurance so I despaired. Spent the last

> few days trying to figure out how to raise the money to self pay

and

> each attempt has been shot down.

>

> Right now I'm swinging from desperation to frustration to

depression

> to tears. A part of me says to have hope and to trust in God. A

part

> of me just wants to give up and eat everything in sight until I

blow

> up and have a heart attack. And for exactly one minute I considered

> robbing a bank except I'm terrified of guns.

>

> I have been overweight since I was three years old. I have spent 33

> years trapped in this obese body. Dr. Rutledge was my last hope and

> that hope is slipping away.

>

> I try to think positive. I remind myself that I can always have a

RNY

> under Kaiser (if I jump through all of their hoops) or I can try

diet

> number 345,896 only to see it fail again. However when I compare

the

> MGB to the RNY, it's like comparing a Lexus to a Yugo. Personally

I'd

> rather stay fat than have my insides messed up for life.

>

> In any case, I am not mad at Dr. R. To my surprise, I am glad he is

> putting himself and his patient's needs first. I knew I admired him

> when I read the requirements for the surgery. Now I am even more

> impressed with his integrity as a surgeon and a person.

>

> To all of those who are post-op and pre-op (and in line for

surgery),

> bless you all. I've seen your joy and your hope in your posts. I

see

> the love, respect and admiration you all have for Dr. R. More

> importantly I am glad I finally me (even though it was never in

> person) a doctor who really seemed to care about his patients.

After

> years of having all my colds, ear infections, athlete's foot, etc.

> blamed on my weight, it's nice to meet a real doctor who

understands

> the Hippocratic Oath.

>

> Good luck and God bless to everyone esp. Dr. Rutledge.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I'm sorry that you are feeling so discouraged. This is an emotional

process, is'nt it? It's a difficult decision to make when you decide

to do something as drastic as surgery to cure morbid obesity, and it

is so hard to be patient while the pieces fall into place for the

surgery itself. I know I've had days when I actually gave up. Then

one day something would again remind me that I need this surgery to

save my life and to be the person that I want to be. I don't think

that Dr. Rutledge is going to quit taking insurance any time soon.

Anyway, he promised to grandfather in those of us who have already

filled out the online form. That means that you have the time that

you need to get everything in order! I know that you can lose the

weight that you need to because it is much easier to lose when you

know that you will never have to diet again and you won't regain the

lost weight and then some. My thoughts are with you and if I can help

you in anyway, please email me a talachee @ hotmail.com

Stormy

> Managed to catch up on the boards and discovered to my shock and

> horror that Dr. Rutledge was considering cutting back on his

patient

> load. To be honest, I had wondered how one man could managed to do

so

> much for so many people without having a nervous breakdown.

>

> I had only started researching WLS for a few weeks when a member

from

> ObesityHelp.com pointed me in this direction. Once I found Dr. R's

> website, I knew I had found the surgeon for me.

>

> However the fates seemed to be against me. My first problem was

being

> 50 lbs overweight for the surgery (I weigh 400 lbs), but I decided

if

> I wanted the surgery bad enough, off the 50 lbs would come. My

second

> problem was having Kaiser for insurance (which is next to

impossible

> to reason with) so I decided to change my insurance to Blue Shield.

> My third problem was I couldn't purchase an individual policy

because

> of my weight and I wouldn't be able to switch my company's policy

for

> six months. So I decided to be patient. Then I read Dr. R's post

and

> feared he wouldn't accept insurance so I despaired. Spent the last

> few days trying to figure out how to raise the money to self pay

and

> each attempt has been shot down.

>

> Right now I'm swinging from desperation to frustration to

depression

> to tears. A part of me says to have hope and to trust in God. A

part

> of me just wants to give up and eat everything in sight until I

blow

> up and have a heart attack. And for exactly one minute I considered

> robbing a bank except I'm terrified of guns.

>

> I have been overweight since I was three years old. I have spent 33

> years trapped in this obese body. Dr. Rutledge was my last hope and

> that hope is slipping away.

>

> I try to think positive. I remind myself that I can always have a

RNY

> under Kaiser (if I jump through all of their hoops) or I can try

diet

> number 345,896 only to see it fail again. However when I compare

the

> MGB to the RNY, it's like comparing a Lexus to a Yugo. Personally

I'd

> rather stay fat than have my insides messed up for life.

>

> In any case, I am not mad at Dr. R. To my surprise, I am glad he is

> putting himself and his patient's needs first. I knew I admired him

> when I read the requirements for the surgery. Now I am even more

> impressed with his integrity as a surgeon and a person.

>

> To all of those who are post-op and pre-op (and in line for

surgery),

> bless you all. I've seen your joy and your hope in your posts. I

see

> the love, respect and admiration you all have for Dr. R. More

> importantly I am glad I finally me (even though it was never in

> person) a doctor who really seemed to care about his patients.

After

> years of having all my colds, ear infections, athlete's foot, etc.

> blamed on my weight, it's nice to meet a real doctor who

understands

> the Hippocratic Oath.

>

> Good luck and God bless to everyone esp. Dr. Rutledge.

>

>