Re: a little bit of everything

[Guest guest]

My best positive kharma goes with you, Rhonda. You will do fine. Wear

horizontal stripes! Exaggerate the negative!!! We are all pulling for you

and will be sending our best your way. Fondly, PhillyJude

[Guest guest]

hi Rhonda fro Indiana, I'm from Indiana also,

up in northwest corner about an hour north of Lafayette. Where are you, Indy?

Good luck with your meeting, I pray everything goes well for you. Let em have

it!!

Trudy

Demotte, Ind

preop-335 lbs. 61 BMI

a little bit of everything

Hi everybody! Rhonda from Indiana here. I also wanted to let Lara

know that it is good to see her back on the list. I wish you the

best as you prepare yourself for surgery. God speed to you. I also

have missed Cathy Morrow. I don't post real often but I read them

every day. There are certain people I just expect to see. I always

wonder if things are going okay for them when I don't see them post.

I can't usually spend much time posting because I am at work. I

don't have e-mail at home yet. I have not been able to convince my

husband of its value. I think he equates e-mail with the internet

and he is dead set against having the internet. We have a friend

that got involved with someone over the internet that has tore her

life and her family's life apart. Now my husband will not even

consider having the internet in our home. I really want it for just

this reason of posting and talking with people like me. Nobody

understands me like all of you do. Anyway, enough of my problems

about that. They are really small compared to other things going on

for all of us. I would like for everyone to keep me in their

thoughts and prayers. I will be going to Indianapolis on October 19

to present my need for surgery before the Grievance Committee. I am

so scared about this. I am more worried about this than having the

surgery. Now I feel like if I get denied again, it will be my fault

because I did not present myself well enough. I will know one way or

another by October 20. I am praying to God that he will hand pick

the people from Cigna that sit in on the Grievance Committee that

day. Well, better go for now. Best wishes to all that are still

waiting and congratulations to all the are on the other side.

Bonded by our experience, strength and hope

Rhonda

[Guest guest]

Rhonda,

This is indeed a tough hurdle to get over, but put it in God's hands! I'll be

praying

for you.

Tricia in IL

Rhonda C wrote:

> I will be going to Indianapolis on October 19

> to present my need for surgery before the Grievance Committee. I am

> so scared about this. I am more worried about this than having the

> surgery. Now I feel like if I get denied again, it will be my fault

> because I did not present myself well enough. I will know one way or

> another by October 20. I am praying to God that he will hand pick

> the people from Cigna that sit in on the Grievance Committee that

> day. e

[Guest guest]

> hi Rhonda fro Indiana, I'm from Indiana also,

> up in northwest corner about an hour north of Lafayette. Where are

you, Indy?

> Good luck with your meeting, I pray everything goes well for you.

Let em have it!!

> Trudy

> Demotte, Ind

> preop-335 lbs. 61 BMI

Hi Trudy,

Thanks for the good wishes. I live in the Warsaw area. In a little

town called Atwood. It is about 6 miles west of Warsaw, if you have

ever heard of Warsaw. I just got a call from my PCP and he has wrote

yet another letter to Cigna to see if he can help me. I am going and

picking it up later today. My counselor has also agreed to write a

letter for me detailing the counseling that we have been doing

concerning my wieght and having wls. This makes me so nervous every

time I think about having to go down to Indy!!!! I tell you what,

wanting this surgery has made me stick up for myself in a way I never

thought I would be able to. Thank God for 12-step programs and what

I learned in them. I'm not sure I could have done this for myself

had my life been different than it was and I did not have a 12-step

program to go to. I belong to two and they have been a god-send when

I need them the most. Thanks again and keep in touch.

Bonded by our experience, strength and hope

Rhonda

[Guest guest]

> My best positive kharma goes with you, Rhonda. You will do fine.

Wear

> horizontal stripes! Exaggerate the negative!!! We are all pulling

for you

> and will be sending our best your way. Fondly, PhillyJude

Thanks PhillyJude!!! There was a time I would not be caught dead in

stripes....horizontal or otherwise.....never know maybe it would work

to my favor at this particular time in my life!?

Bonded by our experience, strength and hope

Rhonda

[Guest guest]

> > I will be going to Indianapolis on October 19

> > to present my need for surgery before the Grievance Committee. I

am

> > so scared about this. I am more worried about this than having

the

> > surgery. Now I feel like if I get denied again, it will be my

fault

> > because I did not present myself well enough. I will know one

way or

> > another by October 20. I am praying to God that he will hand pick

> > the people from Cigna that sit in on the Grievance Committee that

> > day. e

[Guest guest]

> > I will be going to Indianapolis on October 19

> > to present my need for surgery before the Grievance Committee. I

am

> > so scared about this. I am more worried about this than having

the

> > surgery. Now I feel like if I get denied again, it will be my

fault

> > because I did not present myself well enough. I will know one

way or

> > another by October 20. I am praying to God that he will hand pick

> > the people from Cigna that sit in on the Grievance Committee that

> > day. e

[Guest guest]

> Hi everybody! Rhonda from Indiana here. I also wanted to let Lara

> know that it is good to see her back on the list. I wish you the

> best as you prepare yourself for surgery. God speed to you. I

also

> have missed Cathy Morrow. I don't post real often but I read them

> every day. There are certain people I just expect to see. I

always

> wonder if things are going okay for them when I don't see them

post.

> I can't usually spend much time posting because I am at work. I

> don't have e-mail at home yet. I have not been able to convince my

> husband of its value. I think he equates e-mail with the internet

> and he is dead set against having the internet. We have a friend

> that got involved with someone over the internet that has tore her

> life and her family's life apart. Now my husband will not even

> consider having the internet in our home. I really want it for

just

> this reason of posting and talking with people like me. Nobody

> understands me like all of you do. Anyway, enough of my problems

> about that. They are really small compared to other things going

on

> for all of us. I would like for everyone to keep me in their

> thoughts and prayers. I will be going to Indianapolis on October

19

> to present my need for surgery before the Grievance Committee. I

am

> so scared about this. I am more worried about this than having the

> surgery. Now I feel like if I get denied again, it will be my

fault

> because I did not present myself well enough. I will know one way

or

> another by October 20. I am praying to God that he will hand pick

> the people from Cigna that sit in on the Grievance Committee that

> day. Well, better go for now. Best wishes to all that are still

> waiting and congratulations to all the are on the other side.

>

> Bonded by our experience, strength and hope

>

> Rhonda

***Rhonda,

Why thank you for your comments. Please e-mail me about Cigna. My

husbands insurance just added Cigna to their company. I have

approval for the surgery so maybe I can give you some advice or tell

you what I did. Good Luck Doll!!!

With Love,

Lara Akin

Back and better than ever fighting the GOOD fight!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest guest]

Dear Rhonda:

Take this e-mail in and hand it out to the review panel. Good luck.

Judith in Seattle

Re: a little bit of everything

>

>

> > ***Rhonda,

> > Why thank you for your comments. Please e-mail me about Cigna. My

> > husbands insurance just added Cigna to their company. I have

> > approval for the surgery so maybe I can give you some advice or

> tell

> > you what I did. Good Luck Doll!!!

> > With Love,

> > Lara Akin

> > Back and better than ever fighting the GOOD fight!!!!!!!!!!

>

>

> Lara,

>

> I'm not sure what you want to know about Cigna. They have turned me

> down twice and now I am at what they call a level two appeal. Which

> means my case will go before the Grievance Committee. They said that

> I have the right to be conferenced in on the meeting or actually go

> and present my case in person. I have chose to go in person. Not

> because it is what I want to do but I feel it will give me my best

> chance at getting approval. Everything in me says don't do this. I

> have been humiliated enough because of my weight. I am scared to

> death to go before a group of people and beg for my health. I am

> such an emotional type person I am afraid I will get there and all I

> will be able to do is cry. They are denying me on the basis of not

> having three 12-week doctor supervised weight loss attempts. One has

> to be in the last year. I took Redux for a month in '96, when I went

> back to my PCP for my 1 month check I had gained four pounds so he

> took me off. I did the Optifast in '98. I did pretty good on it

> until I started adding the food back in. I lost 65 pounds on the

> Optifast. It did not take me long to gain it all back plus some.

> In '99 my PCP prescribed Xenical for me. I took it for about 2

> months. I was not losing any weight and the side effects I was

> having were absolutely humilating. I talked to my PCP about what it

> was doing to me so he told me to go off it. Cigna told me that they

> would not count the medication as being a doctor supervised diet

> because I did not go back to the doctor every week and I did not have

> any counseling along with it. I have done so many things to try to

> lose this weight. I have had short term succes with some of the

> things I have done. Nothing that last though. I lost 65 pounds

> while going to Overeaters Anonymous. I was in OA for about 7 years.

> It did help me with some of my spiritual and emotional issues but I

> was not able to find lasting recovery for my physical problem.

>

> To make a long story short, as I said before, I am scared to death to

> go before this committee. I don't have a clue what I am going to do

> or say at this point. When I try to sit down and work on it, I can

> not get my mind to stop racing long enough to put anything of any

> value on paper. I do have a letter from my counselor explaining that

> I have not gone into this decision lightly and that we have talked

> about what wls will mean in my life on several occassions, 13

> different sessions to be exact out of 21 sessions. I have another

> letter from my PCP saying that he supports and agrees with my need

> for surgery. From there I'm not sure what I am going to do. I know

> I need to write something up. I was told I would only be given 5-10

> minutes to plead my case. That alone scares me. Trying to get all

> the reasons why this surgery is medically necessary in 10 minutes

> doesn't seem possible to me right now.

>

> Anything you can share would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot.

>

> Bonded by our experience, strength and hope

>

> Rhonda

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

> ***Rhonda,

> Why thank you for your comments. Please e-mail me about Cigna. My

> husbands insurance just added Cigna to their company. I have

> approval for the surgery so maybe I can give you some advice or

tell

> you what I did. Good Luck Doll!!!

> With Love,

> Lara Akin

> Back and better than ever fighting the GOOD fight!!!!!!!!!!

Lara,

I'm not sure what you want to know about Cigna. They have turned me

down twice and now I am at what they call a level two appeal. Which

means my case will go before the Grievance Committee. They said that

I have the right to be conferenced in on the meeting or actually go

and present my case in person. I have chose to go in person. Not

because it is what I want to do but I feel it will give me my best

chance at getting approval. Everything in me says don't do this. I

have been humiliated enough because of my weight. I am scared to

death to go before a group of people and beg for my health. I am

such an emotional type person I am afraid I will get there and all I

will be able to do is cry. They are denying me on the basis of not

having three 12-week doctor supervised weight loss attempts. One has

to be in the last year. I took Redux for a month in '96, when I went

back to my PCP for my 1 month check I had gained four pounds so he

took me off. I did the Optifast in '98. I did pretty good on it

until I started adding the food back in. I lost 65 pounds on the

Optifast. It did not take me long to gain it all back plus some.

In '99 my PCP prescribed Xenical for me. I took it for about 2

months. I was not losing any weight and the side effects I was

having were absolutely humilating. I talked to my PCP about what it

was doing to me so he told me to go off it. Cigna told me that they

would not count the medication as being a doctor supervised diet

because I did not go back to the doctor every week and I did not have

any counseling along with it. I have done so many things to try to

lose this weight. I have had short term succes with some of the

things I have done. Nothing that last though. I lost 65 pounds

while going to Overeaters Anonymous. I was in OA for about 7 years.

It did help me with some of my spiritual and emotional issues but I

was not able to find lasting recovery for my physical problem.

To make a long story short, as I said before, I am scared to death to

go before this committee. I don't have a clue what I am going to do

or say at this point. When I try to sit down and work on it, I can

not get my mind to stop racing long enough to put anything of any

value on paper. I do have a letter from my counselor explaining that

I have not gone into this decision lightly and that we have talked

about what wls will mean in my life on several occassions, 13

different sessions to be exact out of 21 sessions. I have another

letter from my PCP saying that he supports and agrees with my need

for surgery. From there I'm not sure what I am going to do. I know

I need to write something up. I was told I would only be given 5-10

minutes to plead my case. That alone scares me. Trying to get all

the reasons why this surgery is medically necessary in 10 minutes

doesn't seem possible to me right now.

Anything you can share would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot.

Bonded by our experience, strength and hope

Rhonda

[Guest guest]

Rhonda, when I went in front of the review board, there were 3 people

not employeed by Cigna and a few others on the phone conference.

Basically tell them what you have said in this email. I was so

nervous, that when I spoke about needing to be here for my kids, I

got teary eyed. I think that shows our human side. Stick to the co-

morbidities, don't let them deviate from that. At least your Cigna

is looking into this as a medical necessity appeal, I have heard of

many people with Cigna who were approved after appeal for medical

necessity. I lost because mine was an administrative appeal, because

WLS was listed as an exclusion, they would not look at medical

necissity, only if they were following their contract. I think you

will do just fine. Do you know if your plan is self-funded through

your company, and Cigna is just an administer of the plan? If so you

have a good chance of winning. Good Luck, , Denver, NC

> >

> > > ***Rhonda,

> > > Why thank you for your comments. Please e-mail me about

Cigna. My

> > > husbands insurance just added Cigna to their company. I have

> > > approval for the surgery so maybe I can give you some advice or

> > tell

> > > you what I did. Good Luck Doll!!!

> > > With Love,

> > > Lara Akin

> > > Back and better than ever fighting the GOOD fight!!!!!!!!!!

> >

> >

> > Lara,

> >

> > I'm not sure what you want to know about Cigna. They have turned

me

> > down twice and now I am at what they call a level two appeal.

Which

> > means my case will go before the Grievance Committee. They said

that

> > I have the right to be conferenced in on the meeting or actually

go

> > and present my case in person. I have chose to go in person.

Not

> > because it is what I want to do but I feel it will give me my

best

> > chance at getting approval. Everything in me says don't do

this. I

> > have been humiliated enough because of my weight. I am scared to

> > death to go before a group of people and beg for my health. I am

> > such an emotional type person I am afraid I will get there and

all I

> > will be able to do is cry. They are denying me on the basis of

not

> > having three 12-week doctor supervised weight loss attempts. One

has

> > to be in the last year. I took Redux for a month in '96, when I

went

> > back to my PCP for my 1 month check I had gained four pounds so

he

> > took me off. I did the Optifast in '98. I did pretty good on it

> > until I started adding the food back in. I lost 65 pounds on the

> > Optifast. It did not take me long to gain it all back plus

some.

> > In '99 my PCP prescribed Xenical for me. I took it for about 2

> > months. I was not losing any weight and the side effects I was

> > having were absolutely humilating. I talked to my PCP about what

it

> > was doing to me so he told me to go off it. Cigna told me that

they

> > would not count the medication as being a doctor supervised diet

> > because I did not go back to the doctor every week and I did not

have

> > any counseling along with it. I have done so many things to try

to

> > lose this weight. I have had short term succes with some of the

> > things I have done. Nothing that last though. I lost 65 pounds

> > while going to Overeaters Anonymous. I was in OA for about 7

years.

> > It did help me with some of my spiritual and emotional issues but

I

> > was not able to find lasting recovery for my physical problem.

> >

> > To make a long story short, as I said before, I am scared to

death to

> > go before this committee. I don't have a clue what I am going to

do

> > or say at this point. When I try to sit down and work on it, I

can

> > not get my mind to stop racing long enough to put anything of any

> > value on paper. I do have a letter from my counselor explaining

that

> > I have not gone into this decision lightly and that we have

talked

> > about what wls will mean in my life on several occassions, 13

> > different sessions to be exact out of 21 sessions. I have

another

> > letter from my PCP saying that he supports and agrees with my

need

> > for surgery. From there I'm not sure what I am going to do. I

know

> > I need to write something up. I was told I would only be given 5-

10

> > minutes to plead my case. That alone scares me. Trying to get

all

> > the reasons why this surgery is medically necessary in 10 minutes

> > doesn't seem possible to me right now.

> >

> > Anything you can share would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a

lot.

> >

> > Bonded by our experience, strength and hope

> >

> > Rhonda

> >

> >

> >

> >