youknowit

Thanks for the help... so if we don't have those options (FSA HSA) the other route is still good? Just making sure. thanks again.

bandayed... yahoo, you must be banded by now. how cool! keep us posted.

Dana, I'm a Scorpio too... November 13... so this is my birthday present to me! Best of luck in your surgery day and the days and weeks to follow. angie

bumping for a friend... bump bump bump

I managed to get the "balls" to tell a very close friend/ask for her opinion, and I knew she would tell me her true feelings. She was excited and told me she was "proud" for me doing this for me! I could NOT freakin' believe it. I'm still not going to tell the family or other friends, just knowing the she knows, and knowing that she will be thinking of me while I'm in surgery, etc, I feel a MASSIVE weight off my shoulders regarding doing this alone. Still scared, and all that, but now I have someone in my life to "watch and walk" me through this. Phew! angie

bandayed, Best wishes and here's to a quick recovery and losing lots o' pounds! I too am having my "last supper" weekend... I get banded on Friday, Oct 28. I'm having the SAME exact feelings you mentioned. Thank you for sharing that, because I needed to know it's not just lil ole me... Sadly enough, I couldn't find one single person to go out to "dinner" with this weekend... so much for eating my last weekend away! Keep us posted, ok! Still scared but getting excited -- angie

So no one else going to be a Halloween Bandster?

La Madam, Cool! I'll be gone by that early morning, so I guess I won't have a chance to cross paths... Maybe next time?

MSFROSH, Where are you being banded at? Just curious... I'm excited that others will be banded on the same day as me.

Less than two weeks! I'm getting excited and MORE nervous! Ahhh. Glad someone else will be getting it done that day too (even if not in TJ). PM me and let me know how you are doing. Would love to have someone to "walk through" this with! angie

Hi all. Well, I finally bit the bullet, and I made my appointment to get the band. I'll be going over the weekend of October 28 (having the band that day, and staying the weekend). Wondering if anyone else will be in TJ at that time for surgery too? Feel free to PM me, and maybe we can catch up with one another.

lucartwlucy -- if you have a general question, you need to take it to another post, or start a new one. This one won't help you out with that. Hope this helps.

bump for a friend who asked about this thread...

good questions, vines. seems like something else might be happening that is upsetting Fee? Whatever you decide, I hope it works out for you, Fee.

you're kickin' butt!

yes...check out Publication 502 on the irs.gov website. i was just hoping for a clarification as to if having the surgery in a foreign country would make me ineligible? Thanks for all your help!

Betty, Can you direct me to the article... couldn't find it. Thanks!

Hi all. Tried to find this by searching, and came up with nothing. I know "money" isn't a popular topic for many of us, but I'm curious to know... Have any of you used your surgery as a tax write-off? I looked at the IRS website today after someone I know who doesn't have insurance was talking about writing off their bypass surgery. I looked at the IRS website, and under Publication 502, here's what I found: Weight-Loss Program [/url]You can include in medical expenses amounts you pay to lose weight if it is a treatment for a specific disease diagnosed by a physician (such as obesity, hypertension, or heart disease). This includes fees you pay for membership in a weight reduction group and attendance at periodic meetings. You cannot include membership dues in a gym, health club, or spa as medical expenses, but you can include separate fees charged there for weight loss activities. Ok, so my real question is... if we go to Mexico (or wherever outside the U.S.) can we still use this as a deduction? Anyone have the info on this? Here's hoping this is doable. Any accountants in the house??

right on loopylou... and vines, you are so right. sad thing is, has the world change all that much?

It was truly disgusting (the storyline). And sad. Now I have to go to bed... here's hoping I can get some sleep (ahhh... I'm too sensitive!). nighty night.

There's a thread with all the acronyms and abbreviations of the terms. Here's a link to that thread (hoping it works): http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=7959 Maggie -- your response just gives me more assurance that I'm doing the right thing by not telling anyone. When this topic has come up in general conversations among friends and family, even the people who are in seriously medical trouble make snide comments about weightloss surgery. It's too bad really... Best of luck... hope the links works.

Hi everyone. I just watched one of the saddest and most disturbing episodes of a television show I've ever seen (seriously). It was the episode of Cold Case tonight on CBS. Did anyone else see it? What did you think/feel about it? I was literally crying and very upset at the end. Why are people so cruel? As many of you may know, Cold Case is often based off of "somewhat" real scenarios/cases. The fact that this storyline could be even remotely true is horrifying... Just wanted to vent. :think

i was told you might be able to get away with a soda that is "flat"... but then, what would be the point, right? i'm preparing for no soda. thank goodness iced tea is still ok!

haven't read the book, but saw it at costco last week... probably the cheapest place you'll find it.

i hate to sound unsympathetic (because as vinesqueen put it, someone somewhere... you know). BUT -- the first thing I thought to look at was how long this person has been on LBT and how many posts. Hmm. 2 posts. Hmm. 2 days. Hmm. 2 negative. Hmm...