I'm afraid I'll die before finding funding, PLEASE HELP

I have been trying to get gastric bypass surgery for over three yrs. now. My insurance company denied me several times & I was eventually referred to a specific weight loss program and told that I would have to lose approximately 50 lbs. to be considered. I weighed 446# at that time. With alot of hard work, I eventually lost 55#. The struggle was complicated by the obesity itself and I was forced to endure numerous surgeries and extended periods of bedrest during this time. Well, to make a long story short, I have been disabled for approximately two and a half yrs. now & since I was never able to return to work, my insurance (COBRA) expired. I am now totally without insurance & unable to work. Having filed for social security & being denied twice, I am awaiting a court date. Now I've learned that I will need to wait 24 months after I'm approved for social security before I will have medical coverage. In the meantime I continue to sit on my butt, unable to care for myself or the patients I dedicated my life caring for during my 22 yrs. as a registered nurse. What a waste! I'm just not happy sitting here, waiting to die, does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do to help myself? I honestly do not expect to live another five yrs.

Oh Luann... Can you get on medicaid? Have you checked the new program at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus? THey do a lot of free or reduced cost care as they are not for profit. Might be worth checking out. Pam

Thanks Pam, I will check it out. My problem is, I make too much money from my private disability insurance to qualify for medicaid, but not enough to afford the surgery. My disability will be expiring in about 6 months......don't know what will happen then, just trying to survive day to day right now. I do appreciate the support, and suggestion. Thanks!

You say you make too much money, but not enough to afford the surgery--but I say that you can't NOT afford the surgery. Check out any and all funding options. How's your credit? Take out a loan. Call all surgery centers and ask to be considered for any reduced or free surgery options that they offer. Do you own your home? Refinance it. Max out your credit cards. Sell whatever you can. Ebay or garage sale. Any rich relatives in the woodwork? Check out vocational rehab. --One thing I have learned, nobody will walk up and just hand your life back to you, you have to claim it, and fight like H*LL to keep it. I know. 14 months ago I was waiting for medicaid to approve me. No such luck. Denial. No credit. My home didn't have enough equity. I felt hopeless. Then I got mad. Long story short. 9 months post op. almost 100 lbs. gone. Life regained. Best of Luck, and when you feel like you have no one who cares, remember we are all here, and we love and wish the very best for you!! Also, I don't know what kind of surgery you are considering, but on this very page I see the lapband offered for 7300. This is alot easier to come up with that 30-50,000 that some may require for surgery, and while I think RNY and DS are GREAT options, I am LIVING (great word) proof that lapband CAN and DOES work even when you have alot of weight to lose. My bmi was 54 on the morning of surgery, 41.1 today!

Thanks Theresa, Appreciate the words of wisdom, & I do feel the support. I have thought of most of what u had mentioned, (note, I said "most"). Over the course of my battle I have lost everything, but my house & car. Had to file bankruptcy & used almost all of my retirement account. Even lost my life insurance. (They decided I wasn't "disabled"). The same company that prints my disability checks by the way. (How's that for a swift kick in the butt when your're down?) I am hoping to eventually be able to get back some of the money paid to Social Security over the course of my 30 yrs. of working & contributing. Sometimes I think the government would even prefer I die rather than have to give any of that money back! LOL I do finally have an attorney and expect to eventually win this battle. If I do live to see that day, u better believe it is already earmarked for the surgery. What I didn't know was that the lapband could be done on someone with a BMI of 67, nor that it was so affordable. I will definately begin exploring that option. Thanks so much. Congrats on your accomplishments. I wish u continued success.

Hi, I had a difficult time getting social security disability, my Dr. recommended that I go through a company called Allsup they were wonderful, they filed all the papers, made the appointments with Doctors, virtually took care of all the details. There is a fee involved but believe me it was worth every penny. It may be worth looking into it. Hang in there!! I will pray for you, remember you are not alone. Judi

Thanks so much Judi, do u happen to know if Allsup has a web site? Oh heck, I'll find 'em. It's so comforting to know I'm not alone. Bless u for ur help. LuAnn