Sounds like my mother. About four weeks after the surgery, we are driving along the highway and she blurts out "See? You didn't need that surgery." Huh? She is lucky to be alive. 

Before I call Empire, I'm wondering if anyone else had a similar situation. I'm a self-paying Empire member and the plan is HMO/POS, meaning I can also use services out of network.

I'm considering going to Canada for gallbladder/hernia surgery with Dr. Gagner, and I can't decipher Empire's terms and conditions for out-of-the-country procedures. There seems to be something about some hospitals being in the network (including Sacre Coeur, which is one of the centers where Dr. Gagner operates), but I can't figure out whether that's if you are visitng and get sick by chance, or whether they cover it if you schedule a procedure there to begin with.

Any tips or suggestions how to approach Empire would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks!

 OK, so when I weighed 269 pounds my mother kept telling me I needed to loose weight. I get my guts rearrainged, loose some where in the neighborhood of 130 pounds and now she tells me I need to gain weight, WTF!!!!

You can do it!

Just make it more about YOU talking...drink LOTS of fluids along with your meal replacement.

You'll be amazed how turning it into a social activity for you will make you less focused on the food.

i am excited, nervous, not looking forward to the liver reduction diet that starts in 2 weeks, on thanksgiving of course.  i did talk to one of the nurses who said i could still have a normal meal on thanksgiving, but after thinking about it i dont think i am going to.  food got me into this situation, so i must learn dicipline.  i should be thankful for getting a 2nd chance in life, a chance to add years to my life, and time with my wife and children.  so if sacraficing a thanksgiving is needed to be done, its considered done. 
thanksgiving seems to come every year on the same day:)  so i can wait:)