Need a PenPal!

Hi, I am 40 years old and a mom to 5 kids ages 5-22. I am a Nurse and I live in Missouri and am looking into WLS. I am having insurance troubles and am considering self pay and maybe going to Mexica. I am still researching my options. I would love to find a friend to talk to with out this stuff. Knowone knows what I am feeling! I am hoping to find someone who has similar issues. Robin

Hi Robin! I am 42 and also a nurse. i have 3 kids 10-16 and married. I live in California. I just had my surgery 7/13/04. I also had trouble with my insurance they have a exculsion for anything obesity related. I appealed 2x and was denied 2x. Amazing a nurse working at a hospital (that has WLS done there) can't get covered for this. But i heard that this is pretty common!! unbelievable!! Anyways I got my surgery with self pay. we refinanced the house and took out a loan. One good thing i got to pick my surgeon and he is one of the best. I am happy I did this and so is my husband and family. Once i found my surgeon it was less than a month that i got my surgery!! Make sure that you get a package with things included such as pre-ops,f/u appts, pysch eval, etc... I hope I helped anytime u want to talk i am here!!!! Cindy

Thanks for writing, it is so good to find nice people with the same issues I have been battling most of my life. I was just in San Diago last week with my husband and my oldest daughter. SanDiago was just beautiful and the weather was perfect. I just wish I have been thin enough to wear a swim suit and get on the beach. UGH!!! That is my typical complaint. Everything centers around my weight and my not being able to participate in things that I want to. I am too shy and afraid of looking like a whale! Anyhow, I am looking into surgery in Mexico (been checking out the South of the Border message board). It is a lot less money if I have to to self pay. I don't have equity in my home now to take out a 2nd or refinance, to it will be just a regular loan. I found a site online that makes loans to people having surgery that is not covered by insurance. The terms doing seem too bad. I just HATE the idea of making payments for 5-7 years, but I guess I need to think in terms of being healthy and much happier for those 5-7 years. My husband is not too happy about spending the money either. He really is a nice guy, but is clueless when it comes to being overweight. He is thin and has no trouble maintaining a normal weight. He thinks I should be able to do this the "normal" way like other people have done. But ultimately I think he will be supportive and happy with the results later. Anyhow, Thanks for replying. I hope you are having great success!!!! Let me know how it is going. I look forward to being on the loosing side ASAP. Robin Green

Hello Robin, I am Kellie in South Carolina 37f 260 with medicare and medicade. My dr. will only take my medicade but not both and i will have to pay around 265.00 for the surgary and 25.00 for the first visit and 3.00 for two other visits. I am trying my best to come up with it. I see the dr. for my first appointment on august 17 . My fear is my stomic is slow and I had a history of chrownes disease several years ago inactive now. SO I am scared he will denie me but maybe not. Then there is the true cost after they run the insurance.......So I feel like i can relate to you ..........stay in touch Kellie my aol name is kelliefs and yahoo kellieee_maria2001. Thanks, Kellie

hi robin we have somethings in common!i'm 40,a nurse and am half seriously considering mexico because i can't get insurance to pay .i have 4 kids (10-14) .i would like a friend to correspond with.