GreenChrysalis

Like steph_co, I did not have a very good experience with SurgeryLoans.com. The highest amount that they could give me didn't cover the entire cost of surgery and the best interest rate was only slightly lower than my highest credit card interest rate. Granted, I only have OK credit, but I was able to easily get an increase on a credit card in seconds. They also wanted my husband on the loan (which I didn't want) as well was four references for each of us, including family members. Since I am not telling my family or most of my friends about the surgery, that was not an option for me. When I thanked the rep for his time and asked him to just cancel everything, he got rude.

I know that I'm not the only Georgian getting banded out of state, but I've searched here and so far haven't found any recommendations for local fills/aftercare other than Fill Centers USA. I intend to return to my surgeon for at least the first two fills. But in the event that I need something like an emergency unfill, it would be nice to have a backup. I have seen such mixed reviews of Fill Centers USA, but obviously if I couldn't find anyone else that's where I would go. I have contacted Dr. Champion and Dr. Dennis Smith, and neither will see other surgeon's patients. Dr. Bryan Freeman in AL (supposed to be about 90 mins from Atlanta) will consider taking on other surgeon's patients depending on the case. I have called a few others but have not heard back from them yet. So if you were banded out of state, do you have a fill doctor in Georgia? If you were banded in Georgia, do you know if your surgeon will do fills/aftercare for bands that he did not place? Thanks!

Hi FatBoySlim, congratulations on your success! I found Dr. K here too. I hope everything goes well with your wife and I look forward to hearing about her progress. :biggrin:

Well, I happen to disagree with your brother...the best thing to do is not always the easiest thing to do. If everything fell into my lap, maybe I would take it for granted and not fully understand it. I feel that it took me 2.5 years to get to this point for a reason -- I needed to be very sure that I wanted to do it. I wish I'd done it back then, maybe I'd be at goal by now, but I wasn't ready yet. By spending that time doing as much research as I could as well as therapy and soul-searching, I proved to myself that I was truly ready to move forward. I don't think you should feel like a failure for not being able to lose weight via dieting or for needing to finance the surgery, but I understand those feelings completely. I have had to get over them myself and focus on the fact that I am taking charge of my health and doing a positive thing for myself as well as my family. But I don't think anybody here can advise you on whether to do it or not. You are the only one who knows what is right for you. We will be here to support you no matter what. :biggrin:

Hey FW ~ I hope you are able to work something out. I went on a bit of a rollercoaster with the financing issue myself, it was quite frustrating. Keep us updated and don't give up yet!

My DH doesn't care for the GS Cookies, so even more reason not to order them. My brother was a Boy Scout and they sold popcorn also. We all thought it was gross. And it can't compare with cookies anyway. :biggrin:

I think this is part of my problem with it. I'm pretty sensitive about eating in front of other people for this reason, but I've noticed people do tend to try to force it on me. It was really bad around Christmas. I can be weird about eating homemade stuff if I don't know the person well, and there was one co-worker who was practically pushing her mother's fudge on me. I honestly just didn't want it. I always decline politely, say it looks good but I don't want any, etc. But some people just can't let it be, and like you, I start to wonder if they just want ammunition. I know that sounds kind of paranoid at times, but I also know that there are a lot of catty women working here!

This is very cool, Angie! Thanks!

I wouldn't personally be interested in eating most of the meats that Marcy mentioned, but I also don't live in Alaska where it's quite common to eat moose, et cetera. To each his/her own. So let's just be supportive, OK? I'm sure there was a lot of high-quality protein going on there!

Good luck Tied2BeFit! I am so antsy to get this done already. I have never been a very patient person. I am on LBT every chance I get when it is slow at work -- I have a desk job -- and it's just making me want it more. I get really antsy when there's nothing to do but wait. All I really need to do is get a comfy outfit or two to wear around when I'm in CO (since all of my current comfy sweatpants, yoga pants, etc are so worn that they aren't fit for public view).

I have no idea. I guess I'll never know, since I'm not going to buy any. :rolleyes2: Unrelated, congrats on your loss! I always feel very inspired when I see tickers like yours.

Mariposa Bella, I ate an entire box by myself once, too. That was when I knew I had a problem. Maybe one day I can buy one box a season and eat one a day as you do, but currently I can't trust myself to be that restrained!

Apparently it's that time of the year again -- Girl Scouts cookie sales. Inevitably, there's at least one person at nearly every place I've worked who has a relative/friend/friend's child who is in Girl Scouts. I love one particular flavor of Girl Scout cookie: Samoa. It is probably one of my favorite Cookies ever. Because I know that I can't just eat one or two at a time, I have not purchased any in two years. At my previous workplace (I've only been in my current job a few months), there were several people rather actively "competing" to get you to buy the cookies from their child. I politely said "no, thank you" and one of the people acted very offended -- she kept trying to "sell" me on them. "Don't you like them?" "Yes, too much." "You can freeze them." "I know...they taste great frozen too." "Do you dislike the Girl Scouts?" "No [although I don't have fond memories of being one since I was teased about my weight], I just don't want to buy the cookies." Was it shocking for a fat person to refuse cookies? I have no idea. That probably wasn't it. But c'mon, when someone says no, then just let it go. Here, there's just a form in the mailroom -- which is much more tolerable. A note stated that the cookies would be delivered in March and I thought, "I'll be banded by then. I don't need them now, and I'll need them even less in March." But it was still kind of difficult to keep myself from signing up for at least one box...and I'll have to walk quickly by the Girl Scouts that will set up outside of the grocery store.

Hi Roxie and welcome -- I have family in White and Cartersville (I live in Douglasville). The interest rate varies a lot based on your credit history and so forth. I looked at several financing companies and the lowest interest rate quoted to me was 9.9% (this was MySurgeryLoans.com -- they shop around to various financing companies). I did not go with that because they could not finance me the full amount of the surgery. I don't think I could've found any lower. My credit is OK but it is an unsecured loan, so this seems fairly typical. Some people go with a low-interest credit card instead. Best of luck and I hope you keep us updated.

There are definitely less expensive options in the U.S. I was originally going to go to Mexico but was never very comfortable with the idea for various reasons. Then further research turned up reputable, experienced surgeons in the US that charge an affordable amount for self-pay patients (of course affordable is subjective, but for me, it was under $10k). I chose to go that route. I would never say that it's inherently "better" to get surgery in the US or that there's anything "wrong" with getting surgery in Mexico. It's a very personal choice and you're ultimately the only person that you have to please with that decision. Just thought you should know that there are many options out there.

Yeah, well, I still have a big scar on my knee from the time I thought that DH could do a better job shaving my legs than I could. So I don't think so. But it sounds like a good idea in general. :rolleyes2:

I don't think you're too liberal. But I'm pretty liberal myself, so I may not be a good judge of that. :rolleyes2: I think that this is ridiculous, especially in light of the fact that a male actor on the same show (Denis Franz) showed his buttocks and ABC has not been fined for it. Is there a double standard? Is there some reason why male buttocks are OK and female buttocks are not? I don't watch the show so I don't know anything about the context in which they were shown, so I don't know if that matters. My opinion is this...and yes, it's just my opinion...we're much too uptight about nudity and much too lax about violence.

I've been watching AI since the first season. I love to sing so I thought a singing competition sounded like a great idea for reality TV. But I don't usually watch the audition rounds -- it's just too painful to me and I feel too embarrassed for people. So I usually wait until the top 24 or whatever and start watching from there. Even then, I DVR all of them so I can ff through the boring parts. But I enjoy the cheese factor.

I have never done waxing, but once I get down near goal weight I would consider it -- I'm too embarrassed now. Not because of the nanners (one of my favorite euphemisms, yes, I admit I am easily amused), because of the fat. I often shave but dealing with the possibility of ingrown hairs, etc is just annoying and with my big gut it's difficult to do at times. I hear it's much better with waxing. I also have a high tolerance for pain.

I also have a crazy MIL -- long story -- she was verbally abusive and I think possibly schizophrenic (not that she would've ever voluntarily seen a doctor for that), but did not threaten to kill herself as far as I know. We cut all ties with her, changed our phone number, when we moved gave no forwarding address, we are not listed in the phone book, etc. I did consider a restraining order at one point as she used to show up at my husband's workplace to confront him and also used to wait in the parking lot to follow us when we left our apartment. She also harassed my parents and sick grandmother with phone calls and letters. But the harassment dropped off quickly, thankfully, and we have not heard a peep from her in several years. It sounds like you are doing the right thing and that you need a restraining order in this situation. Especially since you have children. We do not have them, but if I did I would certainly not want my MIL near them.

Yeah, that latest ad campaign annoys me. How is it not a diet? Wheetsin, I like your comparison to televangelists! And you're right. I have lost weight before. It's the keeping it off part... BJean, you said it better than I did.

Hey Smsmithart, is there anybody who can possibly go with you? I don't think it's a good idea to be alone like that. I wish I could help you but I'll be there a few weeks before you are. Did you have your nutrition consult yet? If not that's when you will find out the specifics of your post-op diet and know what you'll need to have those first few days after surgery. Keep us posted!

Hey L.A., I'm sorry you're feeling rough. Maybe you need to be putting protein powder in everything you're eating?

Welcome! It most assuredly affects every aspect of our lives to grow up with alcoholics.

Hi Lynne, I understand what you mean. When I first attended a group for teenage children of alcoholics (organized by my HS counselor), I was sure I didn't belong since they had stories of physical and sexual abuse, being evicted, police being called, houses burning down, etc. But yes, that's part of the thinking. I never put my own feelings, thoughts and needs first anyway. I like individual therapy moreso too, I think, but it is nice on occasion to get other stories. Congratulations to your husband and to you for your support of him!