I HAVE A DATE!!!

I'm so happy for you Dianne...has it hit you yet??? I'm so thankful that all went so smoothly for you...God is good I was approved by Tricare on the 12-23...I haven't got my surgery date yet...I still owe a balance on my enrollment fee...I paid $750.00...but still owe $1750.00...Dr. Bour's office won't schedule surgery untill the fee is paid in full...God willing I'll have it paid soon. I was hoping to go in around the same time as you...but it's ok...I'll live vicariously through you ... again I'm so excited for you...keep us posted...I will continue to lift you up in prayer. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Hugs from Greenville, Tonya

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS AN ENROLLMENT FEE? IF I UNDERSTAND THIS CORRECTLY, IF YOU HAVE TRI CARE, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING ... NOTHING MORE THAN YOUR DEDUCTIBLE OR A SMALL CO-PAY AT MOST. THE SURGEON/HOSPITAL CONTRACTS WITH TRI CARE TO ACCEPT THEIR PAYMENT AS PAYMENT IN FULL. TRI CARE WILL NOTIFY YOU BY SENDING YOU AN EOB (EXPLANATION OF BENEFITS) IF YOU OWE ANYTHING ... &, AS FAR AS I KNOW, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAS TO BE PAID TO THE SURGEON BEFORE SURGERY. I'VE HEARD OF SURGEONS BILKING UNSUSPECTING PATIENTS OUT OF MONEY BY CHARGING SIMILAR FEES, BUT AS FAR AS I KNOW, THIS IS ILLEGAL BECAUSE THEY ARE UNDER CONTRACT WITH TRI CARE. PLEASE CALL TRI CARE ASAP BEFORE YOU PAY ONE MORE PENNY & EXPLAIN WHAT YOU'RE BEING CHARGED FOR & ASK THEM IF THIS IS LEGAL SINCE YOUR SURGEON IS A "CONTRACTED PROVIDER" (PROVIDER OF MEDICAL SERVICES). FOR INSTANCE ... MUSC CHARGES $32,000.00 - $50,000.00 FOR WLS DEPENDING ON COMPLICATIONS. IN GENERAL, MOST INSURANCE COMPANIES ONLY PAY 1/3 OF THAT COST. THE REASON IS BECAUSE THEY SEND SO MANY PATIENTS TO MUSC THAT MUSC ACCEPTS LESS MONEY PER PATIENT BECAUSE THEY GET SO MANY PATIENTS. IN SOME CASES, PATIENTS MAY HAVE TO PAY A DEDUCTIBLE OR CO-PAY, BUT NOTHING ELSE. IN THE CASE OF TRI CARE PRIME (THE TRI CARE POLICY I HAVE), I DID NOT HAVE TO PAY EVEN 1 CENT ... NOTHING ... &, THAT IS THE WAY IT IS WITH MOST TRI CARE PATIENTS FOR WLS SURGERY. IF TRI CARE SAYS THAT THIS IS NOT LEGAL, GET ANOTHER SURGEON, SWEETIE. IF HE/SHE WILL CHEAT YOU BEORE SURGERY, YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT YOUR LIFE IN HIS/HER HANDS. IF I'M WAY OFF BASE, PLEASE ACCEPT MY APOLOGIES NOW. BUT, I'D RATHER SAY SOMETHING & SAVE YOU $2,500.00 THAN KEEP QUIET & LET YOU BE SCAMMED OUT OF YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY. IF TRI CARE SAYS HIS CHARGES ARE NOT LEGAL, ASK THEM TO HELP YOU GET YOUR $750.00 BACK. IF HE/SHE IS CHARGING PATIENTS ILLEGALLY, TRI CARE COULD DROP HIM/HER AS A PREFERRED PHYSICIAN & THAT WOULD COST THEM BIG BUCKS IN LOST PATIENTS & PAYMENTS. IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN ONE OTHER LADY ON OUR BOARD HAD THIS HAPPEN TO HER ... FORGIVE ME, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER HER NAME BUT HER PICTURE HAS HER LOOKING UP & SHE HAS A HAT ON. IF I FIND HER PICTURE, I'LL ASK HER TO TELL YOU HER STORY. UNDERSTAND THAT I'M COMMENTING FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCES FROM WORKING IN A MEDICAL PROVIDERS' OFFICE IN THEIR INSURANCE DEPARTMENT &&& FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCES WITH TRI CARE PRIME ... SO, I COULD VERY EASILY BE WRONG, BUT I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO CHECK ON THIS. GOD BLESS YOU, MS TONYA DAWN & NICK PS: I KNOW WHO YOU COULD ASK ... LOOK FOR BRITTIAN'S (BRITTY) POST. SHE USED TO WORK FOR TRI CARE. SHE COULD GIVE YOU BETTER ADVISE THAN I CAN, BUT STILL CALL TRI CARE TO VERIFY.

Hey Dawn...thanks for looking out for me, I really do appreciate it ...now let me explain what Dr. Bours registration fee is for...first Bariatric Solutions requires that thier patienrs attend 6 preop group meetings before surgery...then you have to attend postop meetings...then they have an advance group(a year or more postop)...you will have access to these groups for life. You also have access to thier nutritionist, and Dr. Russell, the psych Doc for life...this includes counseling for you and your spouse if needed...I guess some couples have trouble adjusting to the huge changes that wls brings...and lifetime help on the nutritional side...ie,they have cooking classes for healthy food preparation, how to pick healthy choices on resteraunt menus, and a ton of other helpful things...it also covers the 4 wks we have to be on optifast prior to surgery...they say this helps shrink the liver prior to surgery. All in all they feel that your wl journey will be more successful if all these issues are addressed...I found him on obesity help...and his office is literally 5 min from my house. I could tavel to avoid paying this fee, what do you think? I really value your opinion. I planned on paying the balance in full on Wed of next week...my sweet husband has already cashed in some of our stock. Again thanks so much for your concern, Tonya

WELL, MS TONYA ... IF YOUR DOCTOR IS DETAILED ENOUGH TO PUT A PLAN TOGETHER LIKE YOU DESCRIBE, THEN MY HAT IS OFF TO HIM. & YES, IT IS WELL WORTH THE $2,500.00 FEE. SINCE IT IS A COMPLETELY "STAND-ALONE" PROGRAM (NOT ONE NORMALLY INCLUDED IN THE SURGERY OR FOLLOW-UP PROCESS ... BUT, NOT SERVICES THAT AN INSURANCE COMPANY WOULD PAY FOR), I APOLOGIZE FOR POSSIBLY CAUSING YOU WORRY ABOUT IT'S LEGITIMACY; NO OTHER DOCTOR I HAVE HEARD OF HAS HAD THIS KIND OF PROGRAM SET UP FOR HIS/HER WLS PATIENTS. IT ALL APPEARS TO BE VERY LEGITIMATE & VERY WORTHWILE! ACTUALLY, NICK & I WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY TO ATTEND THE MEETINGS & CLASSES YOU DESCRIBE IF THEY HAD BEEN OFFERED HERE. WE HAVE ACCESS TO OUR SURGEON (MOSTLY THROUGH HIS NURSE UNLESS WE HAVE OUR SCHEDULED APPOINTMENTS), OUR NUTRITIONIST BY PHONE & E-MAIL, & ONCE-A-MONTH SUPPORT MEETINGS AT MUSC, BUT THAT IS REALLY ABOUT IT. JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING I HAVE LEARNED IS FROM PERSONAL RESEARCH & FROM OTHERS ON THE DIFFERENT BOARDS HERE ON OBESITYHELP.COM. SO, FOR YOU TO HAVE REQUIRED PRE- & POST-OP MEETINGS IS ACTUALLY A BLESSING. INSTEAD OF LEARNING THINGS PEACEMEAL LIKE I HAVE, HOPEFULLY THEY WILL BRING YOU ALONG KNOWLEDGE-WISE AT EACH STEP OF YOUR JOURNEY. YES MA'AM, THE CHANGES FROM WLS PUTS AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF PRESSURE ON MARRIAGES & OTHER RELATIONSHIPS, EVEN THE GOOD ONES. CHECK OUT MY PROFILE & SCROLL DOWN ALMOST TO THE END OF WHERE I HAVE POSTED & READ "DON'T LEAVE SPOUSES & LOVED ONES BEHIND". IT IS ABOUT AN INCIDENT BETWEEN NICK & MYSELF THAT ABSOLUTELY FLOORED ME ... I WAS SO SURPRISED AT HOW HE FELT. SO, I WROTE ABOUT IT & POSTED IT ON SEVERAL BOARDS. I WAS AMAZED AT THE HEARTFELT RESPONSES I RECEIVED & SIMILAR STORIES OF INSECURITIES IN "GOOD, STABLE" MARRIAGES. JUST WHEN YOU THINK IT CAN'T HAPPEN TO YOUR MARRIAGE, IT DOES & THE THING TO DO IS FACE IT WITH LOVE & UNDERSTANDING. TAKE THE TIME TO READ IT, MS TONYA. IT'S WORTH IT. THE FOOD, COOKING CLASSES & RESTUARANT CHOICES ARE IMPARITIVE ... GOOD FOR THEM OFFERING SUCH CLASSES. WE HAD 1 CLASS AT MUSC ON FOOD & BASICALLY, I'M FOLLOWING A 2nd PHASE ATKINS ... BUT, I'VE COME TO THAT CONCLUSION BASED ON THAT 1 MEETING & THEIR LIST OF FOODS IN THEIR IMPORTANCE ... WATER/FLUIDS, PROTEIN, GREEN VEGES, DAIRY, WHOLE GRAINS & THEN FRUIT. THAT'S THE ONLY CLASS WE HAD ON ANYTHING REGARDING FOOD. YES, HAVING SOME SORT OF LIQUID DIET BEFORE SURGERY DOES SHRINK THE LIVER & FATS ... WHICH MAKES THE SURGERY EASIER ON YOU BECAUSE IT'S EASIER FOR THE SURGEON TO GET AROUND YOUR ORGANS. THEY HAVE PUT TOGETHER A VERY COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM, MS TONYA, & YOU ARE VERY BLESSED TO BE GOING THROUGH IT. IF I WERE IN YOUR SHOES KNOWING WHAT THIER PLAN IS, I'D PAY THE FEE! WHEN YOU LEARN NEW THINGS FROM THE CLASSES, PLEASE SHARE THEM ON THE BOARD. THAT'S THE ONLY WAY MOST OF US LEARN & WE'D APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT. GOD BLESS YOU DAWN & NICK

Hi Dawn...thanks so much for all your input...and please know that you did not cause me any worry...I felt I had done my research and was sure this program was what I needed, since I have already had wls before(VBG) and it failed miserabley...I knew I needed a more controlled program. Please don't sell yourself short...I have learned a great deal from you and all the other wonderful Obesity Help members...believe me when I say...I look almost daily to see what info I can gather...so you keep sharing too. I read your profile concerning Nicks concern about being "Left Behind" when you first wrote it...my Honey and I are coming up on our 25th wedding anniversary on Feb 5th(just couldn't wait for Valentines Day ) We have shared more than 1/2 our lives together...we attribute our success to putting God first in our lives...so it is a blessing to know that there is help if any problems should arise...and if there is we'll conquer them together...again thanks so much for caring and sharing. Hugs to both you and Nick from Greenville, Tonya

GOOD FOR YOU FOR NOT GIVING UP. IT MUST HAVE BEEN HEARTBREAKING WHEN THE 1st SURGERY/STAPLES FAILED. I'VE HEARD OF THAT MANY TIMES WITH THE OLDER SURGERIES. JUST CHECKED OUT YOUR PROFILE PHOTOS & YOU'RE JUST ABOUT WHAT I WAS PRE-OP. I WAS 279.80. SO, I'M EXPECTING GREAT SUCCESSES FROM YOU!!!!!!!!! SERIOUSLY, YOUR DOC HAS A FABULOUS PROGRAM. I KNOW YOU'LL DO FANTASTIC. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR 25 YEARS AS HUSBAND & WIFE. NICK & MET ONLINE ON FEBRUARY 5th, BUT IT WAS IN 2000, NOT 25 YEARS AGO! WE BOTH COME FROM VERY DESTRUCTIVE 30-YEAR MARRIAGES & WE TRULY BELIEVE GOD PUT US TOGETHER. WE NEVER LOOKED BACK FROM THE DAY WE MET. WE "FIT" SO WELL & THIS IS THE WAY A MARRIAGE SHOULD BE! I'VE SAID THAT IF I HAD TO GO THROUGH 30 YEARS OF HELL TO HAVE THIS MAN & THIS MARRIAGE, THEN IT WAS WORTH THOSE 30 YEARS OF MY LIFE. NEITHER OF OUR PREVIOUS MARRIAGES WERE BASED ON GOD. WHEN NICK & I GOT TOGETHER THAT WAS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH BOTH OF US. WE KNEW WE HAD TO BE WALKING TOGETHER SPIRITUALLY OR WE'D NEVER GET PAST ALL THE DAMAGE FROM OUR "PAST" LIVES. WE PUT GOD THROUGH THE RINGER SOMETIMES, BUT HE IS OUR ROCK & HE HASN'T GIVEN UP ON US. NICK IS GENTLE & VERY EASY GOING; I'M PASSIONATE & HIGH STRUNG (AS IF I HAD TO TELL ANYONE THAT! ) SO I'M SURE WE TEST GOD'S PATIENCE (ME, MUCH MORE THAN NICK). BUT, WE CAN'T IMAGINE LIVING ON OUR OWN STRENGTHS SO GOD, IT IS! BTW, HAVE YOU BEEN ON THE CHRISTIAN BOARD? THERE ARE SO MANY WONDERFULLY STRONG CHRISTIAN LADIES ON THAT BOARD. CHECK IT OUT ... http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/christianity/recent-activity.html BLESSINGS FOR SUCCESS AFTER SUCCESS DAWN & NICK