Where to stay near info session

notoriousgrannyD
on 12/8/11 9:08 am
VSG on 10/16/12
I'll be coming in on Thurs night for the friday morning session and I was wondering which hotel would be closest to the 'm session.  I will be coming in alone so I am hoping for something safe-ish and cheap-ish (unlikely combo).

Also, Andrea told me that she would send me an info pack for the info session but it has  been 2 weeks and it has not arrived so I have no idea where to go or if there are forms to fill out, etc. 

It's great having a journey but not knowing where the heck I'm going...... hahaha.

NGD
Dianne C.
on 12/8/11 9:39 am - Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
VSG on 02/06/12
Hello! 

The info session is at St. Boniface Hospital, right? The Norwood Hotel is two blocks (short ones) away. It's an easy walk. (I am saying that as an obese person who gets short of breath walking a block! I just walk slowly when I have to do it.) You can leave your car parked at the hotel (presuming you're driving to the city) & save on paying for parking at the hospital. I think the Norwood might have a special rate if you tell them you are staying there for a medical appointment.

I work at St. Boniface Hospital. The entire area is very safe 99% of the time. (This is Winnipeg, after all!)  

Good luck!


Dianne           
HW 270 (Sept 2011); surgery weight 236 (Feb 6, 2012); current 167 (103 lb lost); goal set by nutritionist 148 (ha ha!!). Vertical sleeve gastrectomy at Obesity Control Center (Dr. Ariel Ortiz), Tijuana, MX. Self-pay, self-referral, 4-week wait. Abdominoplasty Aug 10, 2013 (Dr. K. Dolynchuk, Winnipeg - self-pay)

notoriousgrannyD
on 12/8/11 10:33 am
VSG on 10/16/12
Thanks Dianne for the great info!  I'm going to start mapping out the easiest way to get to the hotel from the perimeter (I'm not much of a city driver)  and book a room there.  I went to a Medical Records workshop there last year so I kinda know the hotel.  Thanks again for the tip, Dianne!

NGD (Diane.....one "n") haha
Dianne C.
on 12/8/11 11:09 am - Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
VSG on 02/06/12
Small world -- I'm a medical transcriptionist, or I was until six months ago when I switched to an administrative support position at CancerCare at St. Boniface.  If you work at the hospital in The Pas, I suspect there is at least one person you know (not in Medical Records) who works there who know someone I worked with. 

Dianne           
HW 270 (Sept 2011); surgery weight 236 (Feb 6, 2012); current 167 (103 lb lost); goal set by nutritionist 148 (ha ha!!). Vertical sleeve gastrectomy at Obesity Control Center (Dr. Ariel Ortiz), Tijuana, MX. Self-pay, self-referral, 4-week wait. Abdominoplasty Aug 10, 2013 (Dr. K. Dolynchuk, Winnipeg - self-pay)

notoriousgrannyD
on 12/8/11 11:52 am
VSG on 10/16/12
Very small world.  I have a friend named Elaine who works with CancerCare and comes up to cover for our regular chemo nurse.  She also goes up to Thompson and Dauphin (I think).
I did a few years as a medical transcriptionist and a stint in Diagnostic Imaging transcribing.  I took my Health Information Management Course a couple of years ago (that was good for 25 lbs lol) and now I am an HIM.  I used to be a unit clerk in the OR so I needed to be in the theater on occasion and was fortunate enough to see lap surgeries up close and personal so the whole surgery thing doesn't freak me out too badly (still a little nervous though)

Also I meant to tell you that one of the nurses in our hospital went to Mexico as well and I heard that she is getting she is getting about $2500 ish back from MB Health for ???, but that's what I heard.  I can find out more if you want.........


NGD
Dianne C.
on 12/8/11 11:24 pm - Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
VSG on 02/06/12
Hi Diane 

Anyone who has "necessary" surgery that they pay for out of their own pocket is eligible to claim the cost of the surgery on their income tax as a health care expense. (They used to let you include any surgery, but they cut out "cosmetic" surgery a couple of years ago. This isn't considered cosmetic, so it qualifies...have read many stories of people who have claimed it.) I suspect that's what the person you mentioned is actually referring to, but if you wouldn't mind, you could ask her if there's something else I'm not aware of.  If she went through a company called Weight Loss Forever based in Saskatoon, a $2500 tax credit would be about right for what they are charging. You get 17% of medical expenses as a tax credit, so I'm only expecting about $1300 for what I'm paying...but hey, I'll take it!!

After I took this administrative secretary position, I realized how much I missed doing transcription, so I've signed on with a company to do it from home in the evenings and weekends. I did this before, but quit a couple of years ago.)  Besides, since I'm paying for this surgery, the extra money is a good thing! 

Speaking of the health care expense on income tax...you should look into whether all your travel costs to go back & forth to Winnipeg (gas, meals, hotel, etc.) would qualify as part of a health care expense for income tax. I know it's not cheap to have to come in here so if you can get any of it back, it's a bonus. If I were you, I'd get receipts for everything just in case.

Good luck at your info session next week and with the rest of your "journey"!


Dianne           
HW 270 (Sept 2011); surgery weight 236 (Feb 6, 2012); current 167 (103 lb lost); goal set by nutritionist 148 (ha ha!!). Vertical sleeve gastrectomy at Obesity Control Center (Dr. Ariel Ortiz), Tijuana, MX. Self-pay, self-referral, 4-week wait. Abdominoplasty Aug 10, 2013 (Dr. K. Dolynchuk, Winnipeg - self-pay)

Karenerickson
on 12/10/11 1:21 am - Portage La Prairie, Canada
I'm pretty sure you can claim meals and mileage as health expenses on income tax if you are seeing a Dr/specialist that is not in your community. You can also claim meal expenses if you need someone to come with you.
We claim all our mileage to take our son into Children's for appointments and meals for myself and him.

Karen
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