Bariatric Developments

So, after my bust of a bariatric seminar at one of the local hospitals, which won't do my surgery because I'm too damned poor and no matter what I say or do the insurance company will only cover $10,000 out of the $16,000 or so I need to pay for this elective procedure my doctors say is a medical necessity based on family history (once again, insurance companies get to have it both ways...), I found, as I mentioned in the above-linked post, a clinical trial at another of one of the two big hospital systems here.

When I called them, the coordinator said I was a bit above the desired BMI, which they want to be above 40 and below 50. She gave me an October 6 preliminary appointment and an October 20 full appointment (nutritionist, psych, surgeon) and told me to get my BMI below 50 so I can qualify.

So, I've actually managed to lose about ten pounds at this point and would like to lose about another ten (the first twenty, as I've mentioned previously, are easy; it's after twenty that I have a problem). The dieting is going well and I anticipate (I REALLY HOPE!!) weighing in well below the 50 BMI cutoff.

If I qualify, I will get to undergo a newer type of bariatric surgery that seems to be designed for patients in my weight class.

I know the surgery isn't a magic bullet. But I do know it will help me where other methods have failed miserably.