My name is XXXXX XXXXX and I have just hijacked my wife’s account under the name of westcoastlady.

Twelve hours ago I took a call from Alex, the owner of this web site and was asked several questions that concerned him. I did not appreciate the way the call started off by pretending to be a future patient of wls and asking me if he could book an appointment through me with a certain doctor. I felt he baited me to see if I was a coordinator or someone in a position that can make a booking and receive a monetary fulfillment. He failed! After being in the conversation for approximately 10 minutes, Alex requested that we “ease off” on promoting certain surgeons, hospitals and hotels but that I should continue to speak the truth as I know it. He suggested we not give out our personal phone number but to discuss my thoughts and concerns over the chat lines (which I will not due to the fact as getting lambasted when discussing someone else’s doctor that they consider a hero). He did not request my wife to leave his site but to “just cool it” abit.

His concern is that my wife has given out our own personal home phone number to approximately 12 people to help people making evaluations for future patients easier.

I have been to TJ 13 times, once for myself, once for my wife, three times with friends and eight times with complete strangers whom I had only chatted with on this site and the OH site.

I KNOW most of the TJ surgeons, all the major hotels and all of the hospitals and clinics and I feel I have a vast amount of knowledge to share.

But regrettably, this will now come to an end since Alex has had a few complaints about me (us)… as he put it… us being sketchy by giving out our private phone number and then offering my “free service”.

We get 20 to 30 emails and phone calls a week of people saying thanks but it just takes a few complaints to take it all away. I even have a “new friend” in TJ right this minute that we are in contact with several times a day. Seems she thought it would be no problem being there by herself but now wishes I was there. Not everyone needs an advocate, but ones that do sure appreciate it.

I know my wife has posted that I have gone down with complete strangers and acted as a patient advocate. This is true. I speak for them when they can’t because of the pain, the language barrier etc. I make them walk when they don’t won’t to. I go buy bags of ice for the nurses’ station for all patients because the hospital/clinic has none. I carry their bags, I call their loved ones, you get the drift.

What is my charge you ask? It’s nothing. Zero. Nada

Why can I do this? I’m retired. Retiring before I was 50 has made life grand and we live it large. I have nothing but free time and a damn plane ticket is less than $500. One hundred percent of all the people I have accompanied are VERY thankful and most of them have bought us thoughtful gifts and trinkets to show their appreciation. And to be very honest… I am considered kinda wealthy. Some say stinkin rich lol. I say healthy!

I have even paid the difference for a young man to switch doctors to another (an $800 extra) so he would not take a chance with a certain doctor where I have personally witnessed two deaths.

In closing I always looked at it as paying it forward. I had such a bad surgery at such a bad clinic that had a doctor on board that wasn’t a licensed doctor, had to get fixed up a year later… you get the picture. My wife had a great surgery with Dr. Kelly and his team. MBC sometimes uses a bait and switch tactic when it comes to inquiries, changing hospitals and hotels without advising you, actually just taking the cheaper way out.

Again… I have vast knowledge of what goes on down there and have tried to share it at my expense. To those who read this and are concerned that I will renege on my future commitments… please feel comfortable as that I am a man of my words and I will follow through.

I have asked my wife not to offer my services to any others and I feel that I have paid it forward as much as I can. Thank you all for your patience reading this mumble jumble. Seems that when you’re upset you have a thought every 5 seconds but not enough time to write them down.

To those of you that complained that we had ulterior motives, your wrong and that’s your prerogative and we hope you have an uneventful surgery with whomever, wherever and whenever.

The drama is over, no more suspense!

I have not been a member that long..however i have heard of you from your wife posting on these boards..i think its admirable that you would want to use your time and money to help others. I can not speak about what went down with you and alex as every side has a story..however out of curiosity..have you ever thought about creating a website for sleevers or people wanting to get sleeved and directing people on here to a link to that website so they can talk further with you about whats going on...you could help many more people that way...and you could proceed to accompany people as an advocate..

Perhaps im suggesting what you have already thought..but i figure it cant hurt to suggest it because i know so many people are in neex of the surgery and in need of stress free un-biased information regarding hospitals surgeons fees and the like.

Thank you for being a great guy..one in a million who actually cares enough to help people the way you do..words are probably not enough

I'm westcoast ladies friend and the couple has helped me every step of the way. Before surgery, after, and all the inbetweens. The couple really has not been anything but nice to me and I really cannot think of any way to make up for how much they have helped me. Besides talking to me and calming me down for hours everyday, never asking for anything in return, they email me reminders to walk and tell me what are fun things to do in Mexico.

I came down to Mexico alone and I would be a mess if not for the amazing work of these two people. When I woke alone in the hospital after surgery, the only thing I remembered was westcoastlady's husband's voice saying "WALK WALK WALK WALK WALK". Despite the pain I got up and walked, I have called them all hours of the day being nervous, excited, tired, and they have never failed to calm me down and make me feel reassured.

I tip my hat off to this couple and this website lost an amazing couple today. I'm just happy they were around when I went to Mx and I love this couple to death!

P.S. If you're ever in town, I need to take you guys out

I am actually the one who brought this to Alex's attention. Contrary to what has been posted, this had nothing to do with competition, money, or anything else. It had to do with concern for our members. Take a step back for a moment, and tell me, knowing the things that go on in this day and age, if seeing numerous posts of a man offering to accompany woman whom he has never met alone to a foreign country, or even his own wife offering his services, doesn't seem a bit suspicious? Unfortunately, we here about internet scams all the time, people falling for them, losing all their money, getting molested, or worse. We do not know the OP or his wife, so, based upon that, yes, we felt the need to protect our members by doing a little investigating to ensure their safety was not at risk. If that offends some of you, well, I will not say I am sorry because I firmly believe what was done was in the best interest of our members. I will continue to stand by my belief that any woman, or man for that matter, should be very cautious about accepting free or paid services from anyone who offers to accompany them alone to a foreign country when they are quite vulnerable and could be taken advantage of. I am not saying that is in any way the OP or his wife's intention, I am just saying better to err on the side of caution.

Isn't anybody else offended by the whole fat lady singing bit???

Isn't anybody else offended by the whole fat lady singing bit???

I was kind of wondering why he was Mr. Nice Guy while talking about fat ladies, but, well...

Isn't anybody else offended by the whole fat lady singing bit??? <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Well I suppose I could sing a song or two.

Any requests?

Well I suppose I could sing a song or two.

Any requests?

Girl I thought we'd start a choir!

Girl I thought we'd start a choir! <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

How about Fat Bottomed Girls by Queen?

Or, "I like big butts"?

How about Fat Bottomed Girls by Queen?

Ooh ooh sounds good let me just warm up...

Meee.... Meee.... Meeeeeee!!!!

"I like big butts"

Tell us more Susan

I didn't accuse anyone of basing this on money. I simply asked a question. As i said i am not in on the goings on behind the scenes here. Its apparent that there are many people on this website that are making money from facilitating services or referrals. That is apparently a legitimate business so not of any concern to me. They all look the same to me.I have no reason to care but it does breed competition and that is what i was referring to. Some people compete in a healthy way and others do it in an underhanded way. It is what it is. That is what is meant and that is all I said.

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Tell us more Susan

And I cannot lie..

And I cannot lie..

Ok you got a belly laugh outta me on that one!!

Tell us more Susan <img src='http://www.bariatricpal.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />

Yes. This is a judgement free zone.

Baby got back.....