Update on my Dad, sister.....

Hi Jill! Did you set up an actual office appointment or the seminar? If it was the seminar, when and where is it?? Pam said my sis would need to go to this seminar thingie before the office visit. Thanks for any information you can give me! Dianna

Hey Dianna, wonderful news about your father and sister. I think the seminars are hosted through the hospital (on the hospital website). There is a number to call and you can schedule to attend. That was how I did it. Courtney 8 1/2 weeks out - 43 lbs

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR RESPONSES!!! EACH AND EVERY ONE HAS HELPED ME IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER!!! You guys came through for me yet again in wonderful form!! THANK YOU AGAIN!! I called Dr. M.'s office and here is how Pam broke it down for me for a cash paitent: Hospital: $14,000 Anethesia: $2,000 Dr. M's Fee: $5,500 TOTAL: $21,500 I cannot wait for my dad to get back into town, present him with the numbers and get this ball rolling!! She needs to go to a seminar, and the woman who schedules them is out of town this week (figures) so we will have to wait till next week to schedule that. And all of the pre-op testing can be done through her PCP's office (Who is totally behind her on this!) so there is some money saved there. So, sounds like we will have another re-birth in the family! Can you tell I am excited????? LOVE ALL OF YOU!!! Dianna

Hi everyone. I'm the sister. Just thought you might like an update.... Dianna was so excited that Dad said he would pay for me that she could barely wait for the lady who schedules the seminars to come back from vacation, which apparently she did this past Monday. So I am set up for a seminar on February 22nd. Then yesterday as I was goofing off at work I decided to email her to ask about the next step, which turns out to be the initial consultation. She told me to call Dr. M's office and just set it up, since I already had a seminar date. I called, and now I go in for a consultation on March 2. I'd like to know what to expect from both of these events. I sure hope they let me know what to do and how to do it in all aspects of this surgery, because right now it's kind of overwhelming. Dianna has promised to hold my hand through the whole thing, and she's probably more excited than I am at this point, because she KNOWS what will happen. Unlike my sister, I have never been a "normal" weight, and I spend a lot of time thinking about what that's going to be like. At 5 years old I remember being in the park and wondering why my polyester shorts were too tight. It just got worse from there. And this ultimatum thing with Dad should work out too -- if I do it and she's done it, he'll do it too. It's hard to retire to a fishing village in Mexico when your feet hurt so bad you're constantly moaning in pain. I would love to fix that. With the three of us down, that will leave only Mom, whose Dr. suggested she have it like 5 years ago but she balked. Now she's 66 and I fear that it is too late for her. Anyhow, thanks for all the support. As time goes by, I'll probably be back often with questions. -Julie