Wow that's interesting. Yours is the first non-Medicare insurance that I've heard of to have that requirement. The scuttlebutt is that most insurances tend to follow Medicares lead. Support is good. I had my surgery October 5th, and my wife had hers on October 26th. It's been immeasurably helpful and fun cheering one and other on. She's down 75lbs I think. It's been a couple weeks since I last saw here on a scale. Could be more than that now. The goodwill thing is a snazzy idea. We have a salvation army thrift shop here in Topeka, but I never thought about going there. As soon as I figure out how the clothing exchange here works, I'm going to put a good size of clothing up. It's all in very good shape because I didn't wear them long especially my shirts. It's a shame to leave them hanging in a closet. I'd like to help somebody out.

Good morning! As for the salt museum, they are not done with it yet, though they are done enough to have tours. There are tour buses there all the time. I imagine it will be even better when we decide to go down there.  I have now had three requests for the dress, so I have sent pix to the first two. One wants it for her daughter, the other for her mother!  So, whichever is fine with me. I took it out yesterday for the first time since our wedding and took pix. I forgot how gorgeous it is! Well, have to check out the board and then get ready for a cookout. I am not looking forward to sitting out in the heat and humidity, but it is my husband's boss who put it together, so.....what do you do? Hope you have a great 4th too!  Hugs, LaNeta

Are you sure that they are a COE? I'm assuming that your iinsurance is Medicare. I think they consider themselves to be a COE but Medicare doesn't agree. There have been others on this board who found out the hard way. If you go to this web site:http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareApprovedFacilitie/BSF/list.asp#TopOfPage you can search Missouri. There are 4 of them. 3 are in the Saint Louis area and the other is in Sedalia. This page is updated every day and I've found it to be very accurate. I'm not trying to ruin your whole day or anything, I just would hate to see you go there and find out last minute that Medicare won't pay, or worse have the surgery and find out Medicare won't pay. I think the mix up is that the doctors the are all ASBS certified but the hospital itself must be certified as a COE as well. Saint Frances hospital in Topeka is now a coe, but they weren't when I was trying to get surgery. I had mine done in Sedalia last Oct 5th. I'm down 147 lbs and counting. I go and buy a cheap pair of jeans at Walmart because I wear them for a few days and put them in the wash. By the time I get them back they're starting to get loose! So I don't buy Levies any more just jeans from Walmart for $9.97. I too would like to see this board get more action. I come here just about every day to check and more times then not nothing has changed.

Congrats! But, ain't it the way that when you are waiting for something, someone is ALWAYS out of the office? My sugery date is August 6th, but I think the time will fly by! Have a great 4th!    LaNeta

Hi there! Well, God gave us all different talents. I used to watch my mom and aunt can, but never got into it. We have an Amish community just 6 miles from us, and you talk about canners! Whew! They can what they grow, and boy, are they good at it!  I dvr'ed the newest Big Medicine, and am anxious to see it. I understand about the flooding. We have had a lot of that around here this year, and it has destroyed much of the wheat crop. The wheat behind our house is pathetic, and will probably be plowed under. A friend of ours has 3000+ acres that he and his family farm, and they are only making 11 bushels to the acre. That is BAD! Have you been to Hutchinson since our new underground salt museum opened? It is the only one in the western hemisphere, and just opened a few months ago. We only live a half mile from there, but we haven't been there yet. I want to wait until I get the weight off, so hopefully, I won't be so claustrophobic!  We also have the Kansas Cosmosphere, but in the 18 yrs of living here, we haven't been there yet! :-)  Well, I have two people to e-mail pix of my wedding dress. They are interested in the dress, which is about size 28-30. It has been put away for 22 years, and I will be thrilled if someone can use it. Heaven knows I won't use it again - ha!  Hope you all have a great 4th - take care!  Hugs, LaNeta