Disappointing News............................

Hi everyone, I'm really down today. The person I was going to depend on to get me back and forth to the doctor and hospital visits in St.Louis has welched on me. I suffer from short term memory and I would never attempt to drive there on my own. I am just devestated. I don't know what else to say. I am so upset. My friend (of 35 Years) said she didn't want to give up all her days off running me back and forth to St.Louis. So I guess my journey ends today. I am just so depressed. I would still like to keep talking to you guys. It seems you all are the only ones that understand what a dream this would have been for me. I guess it's just not my time. I ask you guys to please pray for me. Thank you for your answers to my questions and all of your support. Please keep me updated on all you guys. Love to all! doo Mary Porter

Mary....I am so sorry to hear about what your friend has done....Do not know of anyone else that might help out?.....What area do you live in? Where I live they have a transit system that will take you to appts like that. Please don't give up hope, maybe something will come up!.....Did you explain to your friend that the doctor appts are usually 1 time a month? Most of the time they get as much into one appt as they can so you don't have to travel as much. We will definitly be praying for you!!!!!!!! Drop in on the board and talk to us anytime and let us know if you have any changes. God Bless....Hugs and Love....Tammy H.

Hi Tammy Thanks you so much for all your kind words. I live in Jackson, MO. It's about a 2 hour drive to St. Louis. I'm on Medicaid and it does cover for trips and/or gas reimbursement in my town but I don't know if it would cover that far away. I will call them Monday morning and ask. I haven't learned anything on what all takes place concerning how often you go to the doctor and any of that stuff. I'm still waiting for the call about my first "anything"! So I'm kinda blind about it all right now. If you have time sometime could you kinda give me a fast rundown on what happens before and after surgery? Like how often you have to go, what happens at the visits. I've went through a box of tissues since yesterday. This has just put me in the deepest depression. I'm having one of those go to bed and pull the covers over your head days! Thanks for caring!!! Friends, doo Mary Porter

Mary....that is great that you have that in your area....YES THEY WILL TAKE YOU THAT FAR!!!!!! They are taking me to my appt this thursday and they are taking me all the way from my drive way to Columbia Mo!!!!!! All you have to do is call and give them your informaton on where you live...you medicade# and information on where you are going.....you have to call three days before you appt to make the reservaton and then they will give you a trip# to confirm your reservation. Thats all there is to it....Matter a fact they are taking me to two appts thrusday when I go to Columbia. On the other stuff....I called to make me an appt and I got one for about 3 weeks away from the day I called....I went to the doctor and they took all my info, weighed me and then I talk to the nurse and she ask me questions and gave me the run down on most of the stuff and my options...Then Dr.Scott came & talk to me as well and we came to a disission on how I would go about my surgeries.....After I talk to him they sent me to the lab to get my WLS blood work done.....My next appt was made for 4 weeks later...during that time I had blood work done to check my iron and got my psyc evaluation done........For this appt I am going to thrusday I will be weighed again so he can see how much I lost since I last saw him because he had requested me to loose some weight before surgery. Thursday I hope to get my other appts that I left to do set up for all in one day...I still have to do the 1/2 day class with the nutrionist, dietician and etc and I have to see their psycologist breifly. As far as I know when I get all that done I will be ready for my surgery date. I am about halfway done with what I need to do and this will only be my second appt at Columbia......After surgery you have to go back for a 1week, 1mo, 3mo, 6mo and 1 year appt........then you have to go see the doctor once a year for 5 years I believe it is. .........There are seveal trips involved but don't worry if you have the transit thing in your area then medicade will pay for every trip. They will pay for any trip you need to make that involves seeing a doctor of any kind.... When I made my appt they told me I needed to have somthing saying that Columbia was the closest place I could go for what I needed done...So all I had to do is call my family doctor and she faxed them a note saying I was in need of the WLS and that Columbia was the closest place for me to have it done that the doctors would take medicade.....After that I had no problems! If you will email me your phone number I will be more than glad to call you and talk with you on the phone....I understand the kind of day you had yesterday and would like to welcome you to call me if you ever need to talk ......my email address is [email protected] ....... Keep your head up.....I think things will be fine now that we figured out a way for you to get to the doctor.....God Bless............Hugs....Tammy H.

Hi Tammy Thanks for the info. Well just when I thought things couldn't get any worse!!!!! IT HAS!!!!! My landlord informed me today that she was raising my rent. It's way more than I can afford. I have been here 15 years. She tried to put the house up for sale last summer and then changed her mind. This time she is just raising my rent. Last year I looked and looked for a rental house. I was turned down every where I looked because of me having my german shepherd. There is no way I would ever get rid of her. I live alone, and she's my heart. One of my friends told me about an empty house that would be close to hers. I walked my dog past it this afternoon. It's really nice, but I know it's way out of my price range. I called my sister-in-law crying and she told me to agree with her in prayer about it. So keep me in mind when you say your prayers. And please ask as many people to pray for me that you can. I might as well face it. There's no way right now that I can go forward with this surgery. I just have to face it. I'm just worrying too much about it. I'm making myself sick over it. They say if you don't know what to do - don't do anything, so I guess I can look back into it in a few months. It's just too much stress right now with what I'll be facing with this house situation. Something good has to come out of this surely. Well I'm turning in for the night. Please help me flood Heaven with prayers for this house...... Thanks goes to you, my new friend! Hoping tomorrow will be a brighter day. doo Mary Porter

Mary.....I am so sorry to hear you have more bad news to deal with....I will be praying you find housing you can afford and still keep you lil buddy with you as well....Hopefully things will start looking up and you can get back to thinking about your surgery again in a few months. Please keep posting or send me emails to let me know how things are going! Take care....God Bless....Hugs & Love ...Tammy H.

Hey Tammy, My e-mail is [email protected] I'll talk to you there!!!!!! doo