So good to hear that you are doing well. it can only get better. I hope that i will be there one of these days. Hugs, Layla

Hey Diana, I am so glad that you are doing better!!! That is terrific that you have lost over 20 pounds, and that you are so much healthier than you were before. Jaye Jaye

I can feel your pain somewhat, my doctor was/is 146 miles from my house. I live at Ft. Stewart GA and my surgery was at Ft. Gordon GA. Money was tight for us also but we did it. We rented a room the night before my surgery at guest housing because I didnt register in time for the Fisher house, you probably have time to register if you do it now. If you are going to use Military look into the fisher house if it is civilian I think its called a hospitality house you can stay there for free. Hubby was able to stay in my hospital room with me which was a blessing but I did use military. I had lap RNY on Wed and would have been released to go home on Friday but they waited until 6:30pm to tell me I could go home so I decided to stay one more night because of the drive home. Ive been doing fine so far. Hope this helps. I also heard that Tri-care will pay for your rooms.. well you pay for it and they pay you back but Im not sure about all of that, I submitting everything after my post-op appointment. Hugs Donna S Ft. Stewart GA

Champva is Civilian Health and Medical Program of Veterans Affairs. It is insurance for the dependents of 100% total and permanent disabled veterans. It is kinda like tricare. This insurance pays 75% of the allowable charges. After 3000. out of pocket, they will pay 100%. I have a supplement that will pick up the 3000. for me. The handbook does say they will pay for the RNY for morbid obesity. This is not why I am having the surgery, but it will help with the obesity. All my problems were caused by a banding that I had in 1990. They had to take the band off in 1999 because of all of the complication that it cause then. The doctors did tell me that I may still get cancer of the esophagus and this surgery may or maynot stop the damage, but if I don't have it, I definately will get it. I already have the changes. After reading a lot on this board, I feel more at peace about having it. Since I had a previous band, I do know what it is about with the eating and such. I do thank everyone who has been willing to share their stories with others.

Diana, Thank you for the kind words. It is very hard when you have no family around and I really don't have any friends that can help. I do not belong to any church, so that is not an avenue I can take but I am trying to contact someone I knew when I did work in the Milwaukee area, but it is kind of hard to ask for something when you have not been in contact for a while. I know this is going to take some thinking, and you never know when a solution will pop up. I just need to keep looking and going. Where there is a will there is a way.