Loooong time no post

 Hi Everyone...

I know its been a very long time since I have been on here.  Just wanted to post an update and ask a question and see how everyone is doing!

Well, I am almost 18 months out now!  I have lost 102, am holding steady at 135 (size 4) and life has become "normal" again for the most part.  I am busy with life, my church, my kiddos...and love being thin.

I am now the spokesperson for the large scale clinic that my surgeon works for (for free).  I have just been asked to be the spokesperson for the very large hospital health system for their bariatric surgery program...and I don't want to do it for free.  Does anyone have any experience with this?  What is reasonable to ask for?  They are cashing in on MY success...I drink my protein every day and "work my tool"...If you have done this what was your compensation?  I don't owe them any money so can't ask for a credit...What do you think?

Hope you all are well!

Hey! Good to see you. I don't know what to advise about the compensation. Dr E wanted me to lead a vitamin clinic for him a year or so ago but we haven't talked about it for some time now.

--gina

Hey there, it has been awhile since I have posted as well!!  I have been taking classes this fall, it has been totally time consuming!  but, it is finally over and I am a free person again!  Good to see your doing so well.  No advice on the spokesperson thing.  Again, congrats on your success!

Dawn H

Hi Dawn!  Good to see  you - I've been wondering where you've been!

Dawn, its good to see you posting again.  You have been missed!!!!  Dont be a stranger!!  Cindy

good to see you!  Can't give you any advice other than to ask them what's in it for you..

Wow!  That's pretty cool.  I wish I had advice for you, but don't, really.  I think I'd say something about asking what sort of budget they have for this, and what compensation they had in mind.  

I'm torn on this one.  On one hand, I TOTALLY see your point as this is asking you to help sell their "product/service" so you should get a piece of that as well.  On the other hand, I think that this whole experience has given me a lot of my life back, I would "pay it forward" in a sense.  Karma really does exist and think of when your journey started to have someone like you saying "been there done that" and not getting paid to do so.  You would totally have believed them.  If it was a paid person, I might take that as a commercial.  I am a skeptical person by nature to begin with, so I might be on an island with this opinion, but I do see your point.  You time is very valuable, too, so this one is going to take some soul searching I think.

Good luck and congrats on the offer!  I would take that as an awesome compliment!

 See that is why I am doing it for the major clinic for free...as a pay it forward...I speak at seminars, help run support groups, etc.  I do this all for my surgeon's office/program because I know that for me, seeing before/after stories is what pushed me forward to make the decision to change my life.

BUT...they have asked me to travel, to take time away from my family, etc...and to take on the hospital, which, other than being the facility that my surgeon operates in, has nothing to do with my program, and if this is going to be a big time commitment that takes away from my kids (I have 3) and husband then there should be something...however small, IMHO.  Even if it is free photos from the photo shoot or some small stipend.

I do take it as a major compliment and I am flattered that they would ask ME...and I am really not the type of person to try to CAPITALIZE on every opportunity...

Now I get it!  Yes, with travel and that kind of time committment, then yes, you should be compensated!    still a great compliment!!