I got a letter from the government health department, and here is a quote:
"Please forward a note from the patient's Alberta family physician when Mrs. Bellion 's BMI meets the criteria for the final stage GRS at the Centre Metropolitan de Chirurgie. The Centre Metropolitan de Chirurgie's eligibility criteria for final stage GRS includes a requirement that a patient's BMI be less than 40. Documents submitted from Dr. Hane Annawi note that Mrs. Bellion's current BMI is 43"
So this is it. I lose weight, or I dont get put on the waiting list.
Wish me luck.
Comments
We'll be rooting for you!
This is great progress. Hopefully the weight loss will go well. The only advice I have to offer -- I lost 95 pounds in 2010, and have been able to keep it off -- is to approach it not as a "diet" but as a lifestyle change. In my case, I had to figure out how to permanently break some really bad (but comforting!) eating habits; before this I had been on and off diets for 10 years, dieting was really hard and nothing seemed to work. Once I started living completely differently, though, things became much easier -- losing weight still required work, but it was no longer impossible as it had been before.
I know from your blog posts that you tend to get depressed, so take heart and believe in yourself. You can do it!
-- Michelle
Weight Loss
Girl, can I identify with that one. I made the personal decision to go as far as I can go. Diabetes got me from 265-270 to 240, I have gotten me down to 197 (still dropping). I have found the motivation I've always needed, but it taint fun. There is no substitute for walking, when I get stuck, which is often, I have to lengthen my distance, last week to break out of the 200 pound rut (for a month) I took two 6 mile walks, which worked. I'm going to have to keep up the efforts too.
Yea Dottie!
Hon, no luck is needed, just lotsa WILL POWER & a positive attitude! You go girl! Big (HUGS) Taarpa
Now You Have Another Goal
Dorothy,
Go for it with everything you can. I know you're having leg problems; however, you need to exercise. Maybe someone could help you find a stationary bike. I'll bet Cathy might be able to help.
You are so close. I have to lose weight too. I did a mile and a half tonight. It's not nearly enough. I'm 70.
Portia
Portia
You will make it
According to that letter you have a body mass index of 43 and you need to be under 40. You are almost there already. Yes, getting rid of that last percentage for some reason seems the hardest but you sound to me to be dedicated enough to make it.
Incentive
It's called incentive. If you want it badly enough, you'll do it. Otherwise ....
Red MacDonald
Well,
I think you know exactly what I'm going to say now! = )
Looks Like...
...around 20 pounds, at least at my height of 5-8. (280 calculates to a BMI of 42.5, 260 is 39.5, and my 230 is 35.)
Hope you can make it work. I got lucky, sort of: some odd combination of my depression, heart and diabetes medications reduced my appetite and dropped my equilibrium point from 246 to 228 over a few months. So I can't really give you any advice from personal experience.
Best, Eric
You so got this. Team Dorothy
You so got this. Team Dorothy FTW!
Upon my liar's chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
You can do this. You've come
You can do this. You've come so far already. Good luck with the rest of the journey.
My prayers are with you for the success you dream for.
Mark <3
Today is the first day of the rest of your life.
Why such a requirement BMI 43/40
Pardon my ignorance, but why is this a requirement? Is it a health issue? Don't waste money on fat people? Or they don't like fat chicks :-(. Or is it something else?
Rami
RAMI
Expect it's a surgeon thing
When I had my open heart surgery last year the cardiac surgeon mentioned in passing that there was a BMI cut-off point past which they wouldn't do the surgery. Just too much fat to work around. He told me about trying to do emergency surgery on a guy and having to go through a foot of fat trying to find the man's heart.
Just a guess.
"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin
I think Karen has it. Going
I think Karen has it. Going through the outer layer can be problematic. I've been told before it is also harder to move things around during surgery and BMI can cause internal organs to shift just a bit.
Upon my liar's chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
Maximum BMI requirement for surgery
Some other important points are that with such a high BMI the circulatory system is already under severe stress. Also the regulation of anesthesia and the artificial ventilation during the surgery is much more difficult.
Martina
Get to work love!!!
Come on now Dot, it's only three points on the scale from 43 to 40.
It's not often I get angry but this is just not acceptable.
Salient points. PUT DOWN THE FORK!!! GET OFF THE SOFA. GET OUT OF YOUR CAR!!!
If I can get from 17 stone (238 lbs)down to 12 stone, (168 lbs) in two years simply by forcing myself to get out on my bike and missing out the midday meal then surely you can do what's required.
Just consider your fortunate circumstance where, (Like us in the UK) you can have SRS done on your national government health scheme. Our poor American sisters are cruelly denied this solution to their desperate circumstances simply because their government so far still applies primitive, selfish, ungodly and inhumane attitudes to health care. Aren't you thankful that you at least get the chance to go for it.
You have the chance so I'll be blunt!!!
Get off your butt and go for it and think of the poor little children below the 49th!!!
To coin a crude but vulgar phrase from my maritime career, 'If you want sympathy, you'll find it between s--t and syphillis in the dictionary'!!!
Now get to work girl and get your BMI down!!!
Dorothy, Sems To Me That The Alberta Red Tape Is
trying to tangle you up. I believe that you will be successful and get on the list.
May Your Light Forever Shine
Just like any other protocol...
...we can often see the diabolical or the arcane in something very plain; the requirement is likely just like almost any other of the protocols in that it's one more way to make sure you are in the best possible physical postion for major surgery. One might argue the specifics regarding the physical parameters, but as in any other surgery, there are restrictions and limitations or just plain old risks of which the patient must be aware.
I know you can do this; you've said it often enough to give me confidence in you. Have the confidence in yourself, since this is something you don't just want, but vitally need to live your life. My prayers to you!
Love, Andrea Lena
Weight Loss
YOU CAN DO IT!
I have seen and heard of several ways to lose weight, some of which involve a diet of some sort.
Here is the best of the bunch, your mileage may be different.
1. Walk continuously for a minimum of 30 minutes daily. If you cannot walk that far, then try to increase the time until you can do 30 minutes comfortable. Now you can work on increasing both time, and distance walked.
2. DO NOT get any food, where you motor vehicle gets its food! (a very good idea for all of us, BTW!)
3. When you walk, walk in an upright position with good posture, remembering to swing your arms. Think the fast walking races in the Olympics. gt is not necessary to do the fast walk, though. Walk at your own comfortable pace, b ut WALK!
4. DO NOT eat your meals in the same room you prepared it in. You are much less likely to return for seconds. (or you can do what I sometimes do - skip seconds because they make you fat! Instead, go straight to thirds and fourths! LOL! jk here)
5. Did I mention walking? Actually, any type of good aerobic exercise is good, and walking, even on a treadmill is excellent.
Don't let someone else talk you out of your dreams. How can we have dreams come true, if we have no dreams?
Katrina Gayle "Stormy" Storm