Hi Laura L, I had really good insurance to cover my surgery and pre op stuff... but all together in Billings it costs about 25,000 not sure if they have any kind of discount for a total lump sum cash payment. I had to go through classes and support groups, but it only takes about a month total. Good luck!

We received a lot of great member comments when we asked your opinions about the new FX comedy series Starved which will have its final show of the season Thursday night, Sept. 15 at 10 p.m. on FX. I had the great opportunity of speaking with Eric Schaeffer the writer/director/actor/producer of the series and you can find the exclusive interview online at http://www.oh-magazine.com/. We hope you enjoy the article and have a chance to watch the last episode tomorrow night.

Ronda Einbinder
Public Relations Manager
ObesityHelp :type:

Obesityhelp.com would like to thank all of you that have responded during this time to help fellow weight loss surgery patients with their needs. We realize how hard it can be to find plus size clothing, supplements and other needs during this time and are trying hard to make sure these needs are met. We've had a great response from our vendors wanting to help our members and thank them also for their kind donations. If you want to help with clothing donations, food, volunteering please contact someone at the email or phone #'s below. Also for help please contact someone below.

Here are the List of places to Donate too or Volunteer...
Important contacts are:

Katherine Kreis RN, BSN
8561 Florida Blvd #32
Denham Springs, LA 70726

Diapers,Formula for the Babies,Personal Items such as toiletries.
shampoo,toothpaste,soap,towels,toilet paper
Clothing of any kind large or smaller sizes,shoes,can goods,ect...

===========================

Aimee Hortman
CHRISTUS Schumpert Bariatric Center
925 Olive Street
Shreveport, Louisiana 71104

~ ~ Aimee ~ ~'s Email Address: [email protected]
Needed are Vitamins all types and Protein Powders and Protein Bars

===========================

Minimally Invasive Surgery Institute/NooMee! Foundation is a bariatric surgeon's office. They are taking donations of bariatric supplies and supplement. They can't store clothes. If you want to donate clothes to someone in the Baton Rouge area, email me at:

[email protected]

Send bariatric supplies and especially supplements to:

Minimally Invasive Surgery Institute/NooMee! Foundation
777 Hennessy Blvd. Suite 612
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Office contact:
Genie Kruszynsky, office manager: [email protected]
No clothes can be accepted here, sorry.

============================

Tonja Campbell
105 Decatur Ct.
Bossier LA 71111
Plus size 28's, and other plus sizes for the shelters.

============================


There is a shelter in Lake Charles that is housing victims from New Orleans.
Lake Charles Civic Center
900 Lakeshore Drive,
Lake Charles, La 70601.
Phone: (337) 491-1256

If you mark the box
Items for Katrina Storm Victims, the post office should be more than happy to drop it off with the Red Cross there.
They will only except:
Food, bottled waters,pillows,mattresses,toiletries such as
shampoo,toothpaste,soap,towels No Clothing excepted at this location.

============================

The address for the American Red Cross office in Lake Charles is:

American Red Cross
Services offered: Providing shelter to evacuees at the Lake Charles Civic
Center and Burton Coliseum.
How you can help:
Monetary donations - Make your check out to American Red Cross, put "Katrina" in the memo line. Mail checks or drop them off at:
American Red Cross
3512 Kirkman St.
Lake Charles, LA 70607-1836

To volunteer please call the American Red Cross office at 337-478-5122.
If the phone is busy, please try to call back later.

I would mark the outside of the box.......supplies for Katrina Storm Victims. We have been taking things straight to the civic center because
it was announced on TV that items could be dropped off there.

==============================

Salvation Army
Services offered: For clothing:
Salvation Army
418 Broad Street.
Lake Charles, LA 70607-1836
(337) 721-8068

Salvation Army
3020 Legion Street
Lake Charles, LA 70607
(337) 433-4155


How you can help:
Monetary donations - Make your check out to the Salvation Army, put
"Katrina" in the memo line.

Salvation Army
PO Box 17166
Lake Charles, LA 70615

Volunteers needed to process incoming clothing at the Broad Street location. Non-perishable foods donated at the Legion Street location.

=================================

The Baton Rouge Area Foundation
402 N. Fourth Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(877) 387-6126
http://www.braf.org

=================================

Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation
c/o Division of Administration
1201 North Third Street, Suite 7-240
P.O. Box 94095
Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9095
http://www.katrina.louisiana.gov

================================

Salvation Army
P.O. Box 4857
Jackson, Miss. 39296-4857
(800) SAL ARMY
http://www.salvationarmy.org

===============================

Salvation Army
7361 Airline Highway
Baton Rouge, LA 70805
http://www.braf.org/page25288.cfm

===============================

You can mail or ship non perishable items to these following locations Below, which are REALLY delivering services to folks in need....

Center for LIFE Outreach Center
121 Saint Landry Street
Lafayette, LA 70506
atten.: Minister Pamela Robinson
337-504-5374

===============================

Mohammad Mosque
65 2600 Plank Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70805
atten.: Minister Andrew Muhammad
225-923-1400 225-357-3079

==============================

Lewis Temple CME Church
272 Medgar Evers Street
Grambling, LA 71245
atten.: Rev. Dr. Ricky Helton
318-247-3793

=============================

St. Luke Community United Methodist Church
c/o Hurricane Katrina Victims
5710 East R.L. Thornton Freeway
Dallas, TX 75223
atten.: Pastor Tom Waitschies
214-821-2970

=============================

S.H.A.P.E. Community Center
3815 Live Oak
Houston, Texas 77004
atten.: Deloyd Parker
713-521-0641

=============================

Thanks for all your efforts to help reach our member during this time. Remember no donation is too small, if it can help just one person that's all that matters.

Amy Williams
Member Services Manager

Hi!

For those of you have been wondering about the name change to ObesityHelp Magazine... wonder no longer! OH Magazine is here, and with it comes more fun and information than ever!

We invite you become acquainted with our new and improved publication by checking out www.oh-magazine.com! While you are there, look around a bit and get to know our re-designed website. Check out our great new features like free-for-download web-exclusive articles.

Be sure to click on the "Contests and Fun" link. The current contest features the practical and enlightening new book Plan C: The Medical Reimbursement Plan, by Certified Tax Preparer and WLS patient Sandra Lynch. I have the prize copies sitting by my desk as I type, and I can tell you that this book will be an extremely valuable addition to anyone's library who would like to have some of the mystery taken out of US tax code! As someone seeking treatment for a medical condition, obesity, you may be eligible for tax reductions you did not know about. However, the book will be especially helpful if you have to pay (or had to pay) for your WLS or reconstructive surgery out-of-pocket because you don't have insurance coverage. Don't miss your chance to win a copy.

You don't have to be a subscriber to enter and win the contest, so click on through and enter whether you are a current subscriber or not!

If you have been considering subscribing but have been putting it off, now is the time to act, because between now and the end of September you can get a special subscription rate of $20 for 6 issues.

We would love to hear from you about the new look and the new name and about the magazine contents. Don't hesitate to contact us at [email protected] with any questions or comments you may have!

Best,

Nikki Johnson
Managing Editor
OH Magazine

HI everyone!! I am going to be attending a meeting with my son and the meeting is about a project to help the children of Katrina that have lost everything and will not be able to attend school for quite a while. Can anyone please give me some ideas as to what these children may need, besides the obvious things? I want to bring some good quality ideas to the table, something that will really benefit the children there. Also can anyone give me some good, fun, creative ways that 5th and 6th graders can raise money for the cause too? Thank you all in advance for all of the suggestions and I hope that in our small way here, we can help out abundantly!! Thank you all, Allie from Texas