ypawlowski

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I am officially down 100 pounds from my highest weight of 308 pounds at the beginning of 2006, 42 pounds since surgery on 10/30/07 (52 pounds at 3-week preop visit prior to liquid fast), haven't felt this good in years!  Had a bit of a rough time in the beginning because of a C-diff colitis infection, but finished my 2nd course of antibiotics last weekend and am feeling much better!  Kind of didn't eat too carefully on Christmas Day, but have gotten back on track and ready to go into the New Year with the goal of being below 200 by the end of January!  HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

I have decided to go self-pay, and am cashing out my retirement fund in order to do this, yikes!  Big step, but I am concerned that if I do not do something drastic to improve my health, I won't have much use for the retirement fund anyway.   I have gone through the initial consultation, have had the wonderful upper GI, and have been given a date of 10/30/07, ready to commit to this drastic lifestyle change to make my life healthier and hopefully a bit longer.  My daughter (she is the cutie in the 7 months picture), 17 now, is my cheerleading section and personal chef (she will be going to culinary school after graduation), and this will be a huge help!

Did some checking today on insurance coverages, etc., and found out that I could possible get BCBS of MI individual coverage that WOULD cover bariatric surgery; however, I an not eligible for this as long as I am eligible to be covered by my employer's group plan, which EXCLUDES bariatric surgery.  So basically, I can quit my job and get coverage with BCBS of MI and have the surgery, or I can keep working so I can pay my bills and try to find a way to self pay?!  Yikes!!!

September 23, 2005: Have had my initial consultation with the Barix Clinic on September 8th. Prior to scheduling the appointment, more than 2 months prior, I had communicated with the insurance office that my coverage with UHC had an exclusion, but a vaguely worded exclusion, so I was told that they would submit this for an appeal. Received a phone call from Barix on Wednesday of this week, and was told that they will not even try and submit this as it is a waste of their time and they have never won an appeal on an exclusion with UHC. I have been in contact in the past with Obesity Lawyers, Walter L., and I updated him on what had occurred. He told me that Barix Clinic's main focus is the bottom line, and I needed to try and find a doctor/clinic whose main focus is on the health of the patient and who would help me try to fight this. Am I trying to find a unicorn, fairy, etc., by even trying to look for such a place? I live in Michigan, would be willing to travel if this is what I would have to do to find this.