:help: Really want to have the surgery

click here:http://www.lapbandwish.gomain.org

have you been able to raise a lot this way? Just curious.

Is anyone else skeptical about this?

Just when you think you've seen it all something like this comes along. It's like telemarketing on the internet. I'm curious if anyone responded?

Never...Never...Never in a million years would I even consider donating to this. There are more legitimate ways to raise funds.

I really need to have this surgery i dont have a reason to lie

what do i have to do to let you no that i am telling the truth

i really don't have the money but if you still don't think im telling

the truth tell someone that i am a scam which I'm not and for the other post no i have not got any money but that really hurted alot.

Just forget the post i sent because i am really under enough stress and depression as it is trying to get the surgery and thinking maybe someone will help me and yes i tried everything but just can't get the money i can post full body photos of myself with a little note that says see lapbandtalk.com i was telling the truth but its ok and for the ones that had the surgery congrad to you all but if anyone wants to chat you can email me at shakeerah06@yahoo.com and exchange numbers or something because i really need to talk to someone.

but yeah just forget the post and good luck!!!

If you live in the US then there are other government subsidies for people in your situation. And if you have enough money for a computer and for internet access, then I say your not saving hard enough for your operation.

I am in no way saying you aren't needing assistance with your lap banding surgery, but there are many on this forum and others in the very same situation. I think you would be best served by making copies of your letter (minus the donation part) and mailing them to every bariatric clinic in the U.S. and other countries in hopes that some physician (and there are some I'm sure) would take you on free. I know physician's do this for people overseas, so I'm sure there must be a few that do here. Your story is touching, but so is the story of half of the people on the lap band forums that have been battling insurance problems and their own hardship problems. I wish you good luck, but I would take a different approach.

I actually think it is just some creative fundraising. Good for her. I don't think she meant for US to donate, but that the story it tells as her intro. We have all tried a bunch of things, but maybe she will actually get some "sponsors" out of this. Maybe someone who is overweight themselves but either does not want to have the surgery, or can't for another reason, but wants to sponsor someone elses life to change.

Come on people, lets be more open minded about this. Geez, what about that pregnant woman that uses her belly as marketing and gets a ton of money for it... bad? Nope, just good business skills. I say if she can raise the money through donations, then more power to her! She isn't tricking anyone to donate, it is a straight forward request and obvious donation. She isn't calling around to unsuspecting seniors asking for them to donate to a firefighters luncheon or anything... Geez, sometimes this place is too judgemental. Let's be a little more open minded.

As far as I am concerned...... YOU GO GIRL!

I believe if I were in her shoes with that dx I would go to the state building and apply for SSI. Once accepted she can get on medicade which will pay for weight loss surgery. If she is still a dependant under her mother and there are 4 kids, one with a disability, she may already be on assistance or state funded health care and should qualify. If that is the case you need your doctor to seek approval.

You know, I have to agree with Princess on this one. Shame on anyone for judging another person's situation.

We have all had to battle our own demons, and we all have our own struggles. Instead of tearing this poor girl apart and judging, why don't we help her come up with some different ways of getting the funding that she'll need to have the surgery done?

Thank you to everyone who has given her some ideas. Has anyone contacted her via email? She's probably too afraid to come back here now.

I wish it was years ago, before scams became so popular, but people are leary of donating to what may possibly be a 65-year-old man hiding behind a story like this and wanting donations. We have to be really open and face the reality. There are people on the internet up to no good. I don't know if this story is real or not, but like I suggested I would be sending this letter to every bariatric clinic around in hopes some dr. would take on this case. It's just that people are leary of believing anything they read. Although people are friendly we don't really know who they are on the internet. I would love to still believe in people, but have been taken advantage of too many times. You hear about young girls talking to what they think are teenage boys on here who turn out to be 45-year-old predators, and you have to be cautious whether you want to believe in a story or not. My heart goes out to her if this is a true story, but I feel she would get further appealing to doctors then the many people that don't even know about lap banding. Just my thoughts. It's not judging...it's being cautious.

How many of you are going to send money that think this is on the up and up? Huh?

Kat - I think that she said that she lives with her mother, in which she would not be the one paying for the internet access, her mother would be. She also said that she does not have a job.

I've emailed her and asked her to come back here for support, so let's all be nice and keep this positive please. Like I said before, we all have our own issues that we're dealing with, and others belittling or attacking us doesn't make us feel any better about them.

It's hard not to judge here and I'm so sorry up front but what I find "skepitical" about your story is there are lots of people right here on this forum who have been 300 pounds and managed to work. I have friends who work every day and weigh over 300 pounds.

Of course I don't know your entire story but I had to pay $17,500 for my surgery and I didn't just pull that money out of a hat.

I'm sorry for you but I think if you have the computer skills that can create that site and link to paypal you're ahead of a lot of other applicants out there for getting a clerical or semi-technical job.

I honestly do not have any money to give. I am struggling here myself, and had insurance pay for most of my surgery. Which is the only way I could afford it. I was sick for so long, that I am just now paying off my doctor bills as well.

You don't have to donate a dime to be kind to someone, however, and to welcome them into the fold at LBT. Kindness is priceless, less the self sacrifice it takes to give that kindness to the other person.

P.S. And if it was just someone trying to scam us, then they probably won't come back. But at least we will have done our part to be kind, and it still hasn't cost us even a cent.