Layoff = No Long-Awaited WLS For My Friend, After All

My best friend's wife has been SO most of her adult life ..  Once I had my own WLS and she saw how well I did with it, I think I finally convinced her that she should go for it as well .. 

 "C" has been employed in the bookkeeping department of one of the largest lumber wholesalers in the DFW area for over 20 years ..   They have group health insurance through BC ..   She was just getting all set up with Wade Barker's office for LAP-band (I think they had her convinced, though, to go with RNY instead) ...  All she needed was her psych evaluation, and she was in the process of receiving the results of it when ....  

  ... most unfortunately, she found out in March that her employer was making major layoffs due to the bad economy, and, sure enough, she was one of the unfortunate ones  ..  She does not expect to get called back ..  Although she was eligible for COBRA continuance of her group health insurance plan for the next 18 months, due to the lack of employment and all she has had to cancel her long-awaited WLS plans (her husband also has a downturn in his income at present)  .. 

   I just feel so crushed for C., as I'm sure she and her DH do ..  The only good side of the layoff is that she has made plans to return to university for another two years, to complete her degree in secondary education (something she said she has "always wanted to do") ..     Hopefully she'll be able to continue her WLS plans at some time again then ..   

That is really sad Paul.   My neice was looking into having WLS long before I was.    She was all set to have it when the BS who was doing surgery at John Peter Smith Hospital decided to only do his private practice.   SO she has been waiting now for 4 yrs for JPS to get another bariatric surgeon.    Maybe that will happen soon.   Good luck to your friends wife as she returns to college.


Hugs and blessings ~~~ Vivian

PLEASE PLEASE Tell her not to give up!!   This happened to me, my husband was laid off due to the company loosing two multimillion dollar contracts.   With that said, we just kept the insurance for me through COBRA.   I have BCBS PPO as well, and my COBRA is only $138.00 a month!!   I just received my APPROVAL LETTER yesterday in the mail for my RNY Gastric Bypass!!   She can have the same success!!   I will keep her in my prayers.

Just FYI - there is a new law that passed.  For people on COBRA, the employer pays 65% of the premium and the employee pays on 35% for 6 months.  This makes it much more affordable.   This could make a huge difference in her decision making.

Good Luck to your friend.