The new Labor Day Weekend TJ Bash message board is now up and running! I would like to invite everyone to join. The link is: LaborDayTJBandsterBash-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Don't miss the Bandster event of the century! Please come over and join us. This is YOUR Bash!

Hope to see everyone there!

Sandy

There are two events this year, right?

The oniginal Dr. Kuri Bandster Bash has moved to Rosarito (on the beach), and moved to a week or two after Labor Day, and this new Dr. Ortiz event has moved into the locale in Tijuana and the same holiday weekend that the original bash used to occupy.

A bit confusing, perhaps, but at least there are options.

Originally posted by GeezerSue

There are two events this year, right?

The oniginal Dr. Kuri Bandster Bash has moved to Rosarito (on the beach), and moved to a week or two after Labor Day, and this new Dr. Ortiz event has moved into the locale in Tijuana and the same holiday weekend that the original bash used to occupy.

A bit confusing, perhaps, but at least there are options. [/Q///

Yes Sue, there are 2 bashes. Dr. Kuri's bash is in Rosarito on 9/11. Our bash is on Labor Day Weekend in TJ. Our bash is not sponsored by any one particular doctor and our committee is made up of bandsters banded by different doctors. We will be inviting all of the doctors as well as plastic surgeons, etc. If anyone is interested in being on the committee please let me know. Everyone is also welcome to join our new bash message board on Yahoo at: LaborDayTJBandsterBash-subscribe@yahoogroups.com,

Sandy

Dr. Ariel Ortiz F.A.C.S.

9/5/02 -103 lbs

Sandy,

I'm not convinced that you are explaining it--or that I am comprehending it--completely.

Dr. Kuri has hosted the Bandster Bash in Tijuana for four years. He's had other surgeons participate, including mine. This year, from what I understand, Kuri decided to move the party to Rosarito and away from Labor Day Weekend. I don't think he uninvited any other doctors or their patients. (He was not my surgeon and he did invite me.)

Then, if I am reading correctly, a few patients AND DOCTOR ORTIZ decided to "appropriate" the title of "Tijuana Labor Day Bandster Bash" and have their own party.

My issues with this advertising campaign is that you, as the leader of this group, have kind of muddied the waters and caused the confusion. My skeptical side is convinced that the confusion is intentional, but I'm willing to accept that it may be accidental. Either way, however, there should be more of an effort to unconfuse the mess.

Your party should have the title of "The First Blah Blah," to differentiate between yours and the established bash. And, you should stop insinuating that Kuri's bash is closed to other doctors and patients, because that's simply untrue.

I won't be going to the Labor Day party in Tijuana, mostly because I have better things to do than spend HOURS crossing a border, to visit a hot city, on a busy traffic weekend during a time of national security problems, (I'm a frequent traveler to various countries/continents and have been crossing the border at San Ysidro since 1965.) On the other hand, I may not go to Kuri's party, either, even though it will be along the beach, on a not-holiday weekend. But I know which one sounds more enjoyable.

Sue

Just trying to clear up the misunderstandings

Originally posted by GeezerSue

Sandy,

I'm not convinced that you are explaining it--or that I am comprehending it--completely.

Dr. Kuri has hosted the Bandster Bash in Tijuana for four years. He's had other surgeons participate, including mine. This year, from what I understand, Kuri decided to move the party to Rosarito and away from Labor Day Weekend. I don't think he uninvited any other doctors or their patients. (He was not my surgeon and he did invite me.)

Then, if I am reading correctly, a few patients AND DOCTOR ORTIZ decided to "appropriate" the title of "Tijuana Labor Day Bandster Bash" and have their own party.

My issues with this advertising campaign is that you, as the leader of this group, have kind of muddied the waters and caused the confusion. My skeptical side is convinced that the confusion is intentional, but I'm willing to accept that it may be accidental. Either way, however, there should be more of an effort to unconfuse the mess.

Your party should have the title of "The First Blah Blah," to differentiate between yours and the established bash. And, you should stop insinuating that Kuri's bash is closed to other doctors and patients, because that's simply untrue.

Wayne Smith started the original bash that was held in Tijuana for the patients of Dr. Kuri. Dr. Kuri generously contributed to the bash. It had evolved to include the other Mexican doctors and their patients. HOWEVER, THIS YEAR IT IS NOT THE SAME BASH. Check out the yahoo boards and you will see it HAS CHANGED. The name is now "Dr. Kuri's Rosarito Beach Bash". It was posted that NO other doctors will attend and it's for PATIENTS ONLY. It was then posted that Dr. Kuri will decide which doctors he will invite, so I don't know which one is true. I don't know if even they've decided.

THIS YEAR'S steering committee consists of ONLY Dr. Kuri patients. That was NOT the case in previous years. I was at the bash last year and met some great new friends and old friends as well. Some of the people I met were banded by Dr. Sanchez and Dr. Rumbaut (who have attended the bash in previous years). These people are NOT planning to go this year. When these changes were presented to everyone it was presented as, this is the way the bash is, this is the way Dr. Kuri wanted it (which I doubt he did, as I can't imagine that he would snub the other doctors like that!) so take it or leave it. We decided to leave it!

That bash (Dr. Kuri's Rosarito Beach Bash) is now the ONLY bash that is inclusive to one doctor and CANNOT BE ATTENDED by another doctor! The Texas, Florida, Seattle, etc bashes are open to ANYONE. I for one am glad that they have titled the bash what it really is. It's Dr. Kuri's bash. And I don't see ANYTHING wrong with it. I think it's great for a doc to throw a bash for his patients! I wish my doc would do the same! But, others want to have a party in Mexico as well. We planned last year to attend the TJ bash again this year. So we will! It's just going to be planned by a different committee and that's it! No one appropreated the title. The other committee GAVE IT UP and forgot to patent it! What are we suppose to call it? It's a bash in TJ on Labor Day Weekend (like it was in the past)? All of the docs and their patients are invited (like it used to be, in the past).

As for Dr. Ortiz sponsoring the bash, HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT YET! I'm pretty sure he'll come and participate and so will Dr. Rambaut, Dr. Sanchez, and anyone else that wants to come. Of the 7 people, so far that are on our committee, 3 are Dr. Ortiz patients the rest are bandsters banded by other doctors.

I don't think anyone is that confused either. These are 2 different bashes, with 2 different names, 2 locations and 2 different dates. We have bands on our stomachs, not our brains! I'm not going to twist anyone's arm to go to TJ for a bash. I'm just telling everyone that we're going to have a party too and if you want to come fine. It will be fun. That's all. It's the others that don't like it! I don't know who's feeding you the information you're getting, but come on Sue, you've met me in TJ before and I think you know me better than that! To join the message board, go to: LaborDayTJBandsterBash-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Sandy

Sandy, THIS is what's posted on the Kuri Bandster Bash board:

From:_ XXXX

Date:_ Fri_Mar_19,_2004_ 9:38 pm

Subject:_ 5th Annual Bandster BASH 2004

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! DON'T MISS THE 5TH ANNUAL BASH!!!

It's official!! The TJ Bash this year will be held in Rosarito, MX,

about 20 miles south of the border.

What: Dr. Kuri's Rosarito Beach Bash

When: September 10-12 2004

Where: Rosarito Beach Hotel, Rosarito, Mexico

Cost: 90 Oceanview Rooms at $99 per nite

20 Rooms with no Oceanview $78 per nite

Registration Fee – To Be Determined but Significantly

Lower than Last Year

Events: Main Bash Event will be Saturday, 11 September 2004

Sat AM – 5k Walk/Run on the Beach

Spas/Facials/Massages available

Peer Discussion Groups

Transportation to & from the Border will be Arranged

Come one, come all Bandsters – you don't have to be a Kuri patient to attend this celebration! Newly banded, pre-band, bandsters of all stages are welcome!! Come early, stay late, the weather should be great!

The Steering Committee will be meeting soon and details will be

released as they become available!!

~~~~~~~~

Sandy, the motive for this Tijuana happening may be pure as the driven snow. Or, it may be that a couple of Tijuana doctors are having ego- or business- problems with each other. Such is life. But that is THEIR problem, and patients or potential patients shouldn't be misled because of whatever is going on there. The way the Tijuana deal is being promoted and the misinformation that is being promulgated has been called "tacky" on a Yahoo board, and you seem to have been torn to shreds on the Spotlight board.

I should think you'd want to revise your remarks such that even those of us who DO have bands around our brains can read our way through to factual data; right now, the facts are seriously obscured by inaccurate sniping.

Sue

Come one, come all Bandsters – you don't have to be a Kuri patient to attend this celebration! Newly banded, pre-band, bandsters of all stages are welcome!! Come early, stay late, the weather should be great![/size

However, you MUST be a Kuri patient to be on the committee and if you have an MD after your name it MUST be proceeded with Kuri.

You are right that there seems to be an ego problem. Several things have come to light in some of the emails that I've received as a result of some of my posts that have been seen. Although I cannot say with any certainty, but the buzz is that Kuri and/or his group don't like Ortiz and want to keep HIM away! This is the hearsay info I've been getting by email. I guess I was oblivious to the whole thing. Oh well. They can duke it out. I'll be partying on Labor Day Weekend in TJ. Maybe we could build a boxing ring in the corner and sell tickets!

Sandy,

I didn't know you didn't know. You say that "the buzz is that Kuri and/or his group don't like Ortiz and want to keep HIM away!" Do not assume that that sentiment is a one-way street. You'll have to trust me on that; I've been there and I know. And I took it with a grain of salt. The deal is that they are competitors in a pretty tight market. While some insurance companies have stopped covering RnY, others have started approving the band..and those patients stay in the states. Three years ago almost no doctor in the US was placing LapBands, now many are. And, the prices are going down. When I went to Mexico, it was mostly for my surgeon's experience. But it did save me $20,000 compared to local doctors' prices. Now the difference is only about $2000, if I'm willing to go to Northern California and $4000 closer to home. And there are many people who can and will come up with an extra two to four grand to stay in the country. I suspect the Tijuana surgeons now (or soon will) have to offer more to pocket less to stay competitive in a tighter market. Meanwhile, JNJ should be about half-way done with their band's clinical trials and that product, if successful (and I hope it will cuz I bought the stock), will likely be the star of its own tv commercials.

I'm checking with my surgeon to see which--if either--bash he is attending. Any time I can drive a couple of hours to see him, instead of flying for twice as long, I'm packing and driving. If he's planning to be in Tijuana and to see patients, that's where I'll go, even if it's the Tijuana Hard Rock Cafe on cinco de mayo.

And, I'm just curious, bit if Ortiz isn't aware of this bash, does that mean that right now you have a doctor-less bash? Wow!

Sue