Please help me

I have been fighting with my insurance for many years, 3-4. My doctors have sent in requested to have the surgery and I still get denied. Does anyone know if Oregon, Washington or California has any kind of program to help pay for this surgery? Please email me at [email protected] I would appreciate it soooooo much. Thanks. Susan

Susan - I'm sorry you are having such a hard time with your insurance. I know of no programs that pay for the surgery with exception to Medicare. I work for the state and my insurance doesn't even pay, so I had to go to Mexico in order to afford it. Good luck to you - I hope you find a solution soon. Dina

Good Morning Dina, First of all Thank you so much for responded to my letter. I am so frustrated that I've started looking to other means of getting the surgery too. Would you mind telling me where I can get the information about the surgery in Mexico. How did you feel about it being done there? I've said things about Mexico here in the office and they all say for me to be careful. Once again appreciate the responce.

Susan - I went to Dr. Alejandro Aguirre in Ensenada Mexico. You can click on my profile and go to my surgeon's link there to find out more. He has a huge following here on OH and has a stellar reputation. For details on what it's like, read my blog (linked from my profile) and check out other's profiles as well. You will find a lot of us from Oregon & Washington who have gone to see him. It's different than in the US - some ways better, some ways more primative. I had an excellent experience all in all and would go back every year if I had to. Dr. Aguirre has been doing this since 1988 and he knows his stuff. It costs $8500 for surgery, then you have travel expenses. I took a friend and we stayed at a resort hotel (US prices for that one) and spent a total of about $10,500....that included paying for her meals and incidentals. We were gone from home about 9 days. You really should stick around a week though in case of complications, but mostly so he can remove the drain, check the incision and remove some staples. Flying on the plane was no big deal. I thought it would be horrible but it wasn't a problem. I swallowed my pride and got seatbelt extenders from the flight attendant. I figured it would be the last time I had to do it. As for getting into Mexico and travelling around, there are great accomodations that have been made with a wonderful gentleman, Bamby, who will pick the patients up in San Diego and drive them to their hotel, or the apartments that Dr. Aguirre has now set up. If you get the apartment package (which I would rather have done in retrospect) they have a driver there for you whenever you need them, and they have a nurse come in to help with showering and dressing changes every day. The apartment is beautiful looking and has a computer with internet access as well. Anyway, I have to get going to work. Let me know if you have more questions. I had major reservations about going to Mexico until I started reading more and more from people like me who had great experiences. This is the best thing I could ever have done for myself! Dina

Hi Dina, Thanks for the reply. I was wondering if there would be anyway I could drive down and talk with you over Coffee? I think My mother would be interested too. She doesn't need to loose weight but my parents are very worried about me. I am a single parent that is doing it all on my own. Work full time and after work I take my son to wrestling and Sylvan. So we are on the run all week. Some how I get my house clean on the weekends too. Lately I've been doing a couple rooms at a time. Anyway I would love to meet you and be able to ask you questions. Or if you don't want to meet I will call you. Let me know what you think and thanks once again. Susan

Susan - I'm always up for a good cup of coffee! LOL! In fact, if you like, we always have a weekly get-together with other wls patients on Thursday evenings at 6:30pm. Usually it is at Marie Callender's but this next Thursday we are going to try Hometown Buffet. That would be a perfect time to get together as the group is small, but it's a great time for me with my crazy schedule. Let me know if you want to try to make it down for this and I'll make sure you know where we are meeting! Take care - talk to you soon! Dina

Dina, Do you have an email address? I would love to email you. I would like to meet you first time maybe one on one. Only because I have alot of questions. It is easier for me to come on the weekends. What are your weekends like? Please let me know and thanks again for helping me through this process. Susan

Susan, Simply click on the "email" icon under Dina's name and you can send her an email. tee

Dina, I emailed you but I have not heard from you and wanted to know if you received the email. Please let me know,

Hi Susan - Sorry, I haven't been great about checking messages lately. I didn't get your email, and I routinely check my spam folder for anything that erroneously got put in there. You can email me at javajunqee at aol dot com (do that the normal way/I just spell it out so spam-bots won't pick up on it). Sorry about not catching your earlier question. My father was in the hospital and died that week so I was a little scattered. My weekends are little odd. I work as a dispatcher and nights, so usually Saturdays I switch my schedule around to go to church in the morning and then come home and sleep in the afternoon. Then I go to work Sunday night. I have Thursdays through Saturdays off. Email me and we'll figure something out. Talk to you soon! Dina