Elective surgery in your hospital?

LPN2be2005 · Jul 3, 2004

Hi everyone. My health insurance just began to cover gastric bypass surgery and I am strongly considering it. The problem is that I live in a pretty small city and the insurance doesn't cover the surgery "out-of-network", which means I would have to have the procudure done at the hospital I work at (on the floor I want to work on in the future!) I am a pretty private person, and this makes me a bit uneasy. Anyone have any experience or advice?

Thanks!

LPN2BE2005

Dixiedi · Jul 3, 2004

Hi everyone. My health insurance just began to cover gastric bypass surgery and I am strongly considering it. The problem is that I live in a pretty small city and the insurance doesn't cover the surgery "out-of-network", which means I would have to have the procudure done at the hospital I work at (on the floor I want to work on in the future!) I am a pretty private person, and this makes me a bit uneasy. Anyone have any experience or advice?
Thanks!
LPN2BE2005

I had my nose fixed (brother-in-law boo boo, yes, it really was a boo boo) at my hospital back in the day. It was no problem at all.

Lots of visitors, candy, flowers, food. I knew the resident who did my admission work up really well and he said they were drawing cards to see who was going to get me. LOL Basically, it was a pretty good party for all of us even though I couldn't see (glasses couldn't sit on my nose), had to be st cathed post op (always have some kind of problem with anesthesia,LOL).

Those were the days when you were admitted the evening before OR and stayed for a couple of days (even just to get your nose rebuilt) post-op. That's probably about as long as your stay will be these days for a gastric by-pass.

Enjoy it! The surgery will make a new person out of ya and you'll be so glad you did. Wish I had the insurance to pay for it. If I'm overweight enough. Used to be you had to be 100 pounds over.

Dixiedi · Jul 3, 2004

Hi everyone. My health insurance just began to cover gastric bypass surgery and I am strongly considering it. The problem is that I live in a pretty small city and the insurance doesn't cover the surgery "out-of-network", which means I would have to have the procudure done at the hospital I work at (on the floor I want to work on in the future!) I am a pretty private person, and this makes me a bit uneasy. Anyone have any experience or advice?
Thanks!
LPN2BE2005

I had my nose fixed (brother-in-law boo boo, yes, it really was a boo boo) at my hospital back in the day. It was no problem at all.

Lots of visitors, candy, flowers, food. I knew the resident who did my admission work up really well and he said they were drawing cards to see who was going to get me. LOL Basically, it was a pretty good party for all of us even though I couldn't see (glasses couldn't sit on my nose), had to be st cathed post op (always have some kind of problem with anesthesia,LOL).

Those were the days when you were admitted the evening before OR and stayed for a couple of days (even just to get your nose rebuilt) post-op. That's probably about as long as your stay will be these days for a gastric by-pass.

Enjoy it! The surgery will make a new person out of ya and you'll be so glad you did. Wish I had the insurance to pay for it. If I'm overweight enough. Used to be you had to be 100 pounds over.

LPN2be2005 · Jul 4, 2004

Thanks! I think it will be worth it, I'm just a little nervous(well, I am nervous about alot of aspects of the surgery, but having it at "my" hospital is kind of weird. Guess that should be the last of my worries!)

Angie

LPN2be2005 · Jul 4, 2004

Thanks! I think it will be worth it, I'm just a little nervous(well, I am nervous about alot of aspects of the surgery, but having it at "my" hospital is kind of weird. Guess that should be the last of my worries!)

Angie

LPN2be2005 · Jul 4, 2004

Anyone else have experience with this surgery or having surery in your hospital?

I'd love to hear what anyone has to say!:)

Angie

LPN2be2005 · Jul 4, 2004

Anyone else have experience with this surgery or having surery in your hospital?

I'd love to hear what anyone has to say!:)

Angie

Trauma Columnist · Jul 4, 2004

We do many at the hospital where I work - please ensure you have a very reputable and experienced MD doing the procedure. Get counseling BEFORE surgery so that you know what to expect afterwards. Be realistic in your goals - its not going to change your life or the person you are inside - it will change the outside. Good luck..judi

Trauma Columnist · Jul 4, 2004

We do many at the hospital where I work - please ensure you have a very reputable and experienced MD doing the procedure. Get counseling BEFORE surgery so that you know what to expect afterwards. Be realistic in your goals - its not going to change your life or the person you are inside - it will change the outside. Good luck..judi

Dixiedi · Jul 4, 2004

We do many at the hospital where I work - please ensure you have a very reputable and experienced MD doing the procedure. Get counseling BEFORE surgery so that you know what to expect afterwards. Be realistic in your goals - its not going to change your life or the person you are inside - it will change the outside. Good luck..judi

Only those of us who are large and used to be small and those of us small and used to be large can understand how much size matters. People, good people say it's what's on the inside and it is. But, in the general population thin is in fat is out plane and simple.

Loosing the excess pounds will change your life a lot!

I would encourage couseling before also. When i was working med-surg I remember a woman who came in....had the surgery and the next evening was back in the OR so they could retrieve a huge sandwhich from her abdominal cavity. Blew the stomach wide open! I remember another woman who came in, went home and then returned 7 or so months later so her husband could have the surgery. (They were from out of town). Anyway, I was pushing the med cart down the hall and as i came closer to this lady I said "good afternoon" and "excuse me".

She said, "you don't recognize me do you Diane?"

"No, I'm sorry, I don't" and she then told me who she was!

I was so happy for her! She looked great, felt great and wsa very thankful to everybody for helping her life change so much.

Good Luck, but remember, you will have to drastically change your eating habits.

Dixiedi · Jul 4, 2004

We do many at the hospital where I work - please ensure you have a very reputable and experienced MD doing the procedure. Get counseling BEFORE surgery so that you know what to expect afterwards. Be realistic in your goals - its not going to change your life or the person you are inside - it will change the outside. Good luck..judi

Only those of us who are large and used to be small and those of us small and used to be large can understand how much size matters. People, good people say it's what's on the inside and it is. But, in the general population thin is in fat is out plane and simple.

Loosing the excess pounds will change your life a lot!

I would encourage couseling before also. When i was working med-surg I remember a woman who came in....had the surgery and the next evening was back in the OR so they could retrieve a huge sandwhich from her abdominal cavity. Blew the stomach wide open! I remember another woman who came in, went home and then returned 7 or so months later so her husband could have the surgery. (They were from out of town). Anyway, I was pushing the med cart down the hall and as i came closer to this lady I said "good afternoon" and "excuse me".

She said, "you don't recognize me do you Diane?"

"No, I'm sorry, I don't" and she then told me who she was!

I was so happy for her! She looked great, felt great and wsa very thankful to everybody for helping her life change so much.

Good Luck, but remember, you will have to drastically change your eating habits.