HappyHomeCC

The first place I was dealing with had a call center for 11 locations, I couldn't get through to who I needed, no one could answer my questions. They would send me to different voice mails I would leave clear messages and not get return calls. Made me nervous, I figured I would change after I had surgery, someone else to do fills etc... well then I realized no one wants to adopt someone elses surgery to look after. So basically i decided to bit it and find someone new. I spent 2 days on the phone narrowed down to 3 offices then 2 then finally chose one. I was so blown away by the new office. I am so glad I stood up for myself.

Elgrad is EXACTLY RIGHT believe me you can't afford NOT to change. I didn't want to tack on extra months before surgery... trust me I wanted it done, I almost just went with the flow.... Now I KNOW I have not only a great skilled surgeon but a great team for my after care... this is a long term relationship for success.... I did all my pre op tests with the previous surgeon... so I now have different test that this new surgeon requires, The only thing he will really use from the other surgeon is the 3 months of nutritional consulting. Extra money now.... and success is more important long term dont you think? Hang in there. I can't afford to pay again my portion either (I am unemployed with no unemployment check, actually my earnings are 1/4 what they were 6 months ago) , but ya know I want success. You will be fine and you will work it out. Feel good you have a great Dr and team to work with you. Bottom line is we will get our lives back! that is priceless!!!! LONG TERM THINKING IS KEY

I don't know about "problems" but you may have to take new tests. I do after changing. It has set me back a couple of months but I am happy now with my choice and I know I will be well cared for. For me it is worth it.

I am sorry to hear that too HeatherO. I hope that you will heal quickly. Hang in there. Hows that lil girl of yours doing? I am taking care of a 4 mo old boy who is just the sweetest snuggle bug that laughs up a storm. Insha'Allah you will be up and running in no time! {{{{{{{{{}}}}}}}}}

Terms don't have to be specified at 2 or 4 yrs, it could be 8 or 10 pending the office and the feasibility. Yeah Voting .... My brother doesn't vote, but he grumbles and I tell him to come back and talk to me after he votes, My grandfather was a Marine, and he always said, I fought to give you this right to vote use it... If you don't pack up and leave or shut the hell up! LOL My husband has been a citizen for 11yrs and he votes.

I guess Patty has not spent time outside our nation. Bottom line is what has been happening for years can NOT continue. The money spent during the Bush Admin was used for War among other things I am sure, BTW what the heck happened to the pallets of cash sent to Iraq, and whos idea was that??? DOH! All we did was take money away from our nation, we did NOT do any thing good with this war thing other than create more terrorists. We have more broken people out there now than ever before. We have Vets lives taken or destroyed. Countless citizens of the other countries we have invaded who have lost everything they had even multiple generations of one family leaving often a sole survivor that is hopeless and angry. Look At Gaza, Oh wait lets not go there... we have provided Israel with weapons and $$$ to reak havoc on these people. Killing innocent people, children and old people. does killing one "enemy" justify these masacures? I don't think so. would you like someone to bomb your neighborhood to get one bad guy? One Israeli is killed and it is all over the news, a neighborhood is leveled in Gaza and we don't hear about it. I challenge you to watch AlJazerra news or PressTV and get a different view on world news... forget your CNN, FOX and MSNBC for a while. Our news is so full of celebrity gossip and sensationalized stories it is a joke. Where are the important stories? The Christian Chronical does a better job too. BTW Patty I do agree with you on one point so far.... CHINA... they have too much economical power in our country.... borrowing from them to buy oil, buying crap products that contain harmful substances...OMG This is crazy.... drives me nuts. I have boycotted Walmart, and I try to check labels at every retailer... If there is a choice I make it accordingly. OH yeah and term limits

wow, this thread is really interesting. Kartman, BJean and Cleos Mom. I am on your team. PattyGreen,not to pick on you but have you ever lived in another country , or have family who have to see how others live? I know Kartman I asked this on your other thread. I have found over and over again, that the majority of the people that oppose the "changes" and are the most "angry" are those who have not been anywhere.

I hear you on the daycare thing, I myself am licensed. I have been licensed for almost 12 yrs. I think Dang if they take away the use of swings I am screwed LOL. But the majority of the regulations have been for the safety of the kids. Locking spa tops, smoking in the home, .... Some have been put in place because we are a sue happy nation with no common sense. Many providers count on safety gadgets and gates to substitute for actually "watching" the kids. My contract went from 3 pages all the way to 12 with in a few years... why? common sense! I have to add important things about medications and fevers, and also trivial things about letting trash fall out of the car and leaving it on my driveway. Proper language in my home. etc.... rediculous!!!!!! So if you have to deal with that crap just caring for 6-8 kids imagine the school or the nation. Everyone is looking for a get rich plan... #1 way that people think to come up with a bundle of cash..... a LAWSUIT. When I was living in Spain some years back I saw a car hit a moped, the man went flying off.... the driver got out ... helped the man up,checked to see if he was ok, checked his moped and they hugged , kiss on the cheek and they were off.... no exchange of information NOTHING !!! I stood in awe could NOT believe what I just saw. Oh by the way, government run car insurance!!! cheap too!

I chuckle because I think "W" was hoping to get out of office and pass the torch before the whole economy crashed.... I am glad it was tumbling before he left, otherwise everyone would blame Obama for the fall! He has been proactive trying to make changes, lets face it it is a daunting task. Would you or I want it or be able to clear it up? BTW thank God and your government for healthcare, in the form of medicaid or medicare, my mother bashes other countries methods, "it is socialism" But you know what she would be dead literally with out her government run medical program. and heck she applies for more programs and when she gets denied she is pissed and left to fend for herself or I foot the bill..... SO ... Where will you be when you are 65? BTW my mother has never left the country and has no friends or family outside the US but she speaks with so called "authority" on other nations healthcare.... she has NOT A CLUE! Her opinion is based on what she has "heard".

I was thinking more about the question while I was meeting the drs on Wed. I am ashamed of how I have let myself go to get to this place..... always saying things like.... well if I get to 140, 150, 165 etc if I get to 200 ... well I was never able to stay in action mode and have lasting progress. Now a new book, I dared to take action and decided that food was no longer going to run me but I would need help. I have been making gradual changes, I am confident to lose now that I know I will have a definate support team. Many of my friends say... no way I could never do what you are doing, others say, we will see how you do, and others in my cheering section ... I am proud to take action and I don't feel bad because I am looking toward gaining my life back!!!!

Good point Kartman, just because we have some of the best technology etc doesn't mean we all have access to it. Quite frankly there are plenty of Americans that leave here especially for Cancer treatment to get treatments that the FDA won't sanction. And it costs less and many are healed.

don't worry 16 lb on a liquid diet is a piece of cake lol pardon the pun. I am required to do a 2 week and we were told in seminar if you haven't lost at least 5 lb a week during that (most lose more) then you are not following instructions. YOU CAN DO IT.

Baptist preacher Steven Anderson (Tempe, AZ) gave a sermon entitled: Why I Hate Barack Obama" in which he declared he was praying for Mr. Obama's death and called on God to "melt" the president like a salted snail. The next day one of his parishoners went to a town hall meeting with Obama with a bullhorn and semi-automatic assault rifle. And he was just exercising his 1st & 2nd amendment rights? Give me a break!! And this preacher defends, supports and promotes the bible you base your life on. Who got it wrong? Back to basics...... WWJD what do you think his response be to peoples behavior toward each other? Any clergy , Christian , Muslim or Jewish that promotes hate, violence or ill toward another is NOT a man of God. "Blessed are the peace makers" God have mercy on our nation.

computer farted and I responded and can't figure out where the post is I was answering to.......... we have threads for different ages, different parts of the country, lesbians and gays, bikers, each has their one set of cultures,foods, passions and issues that everyone does not have interest in. I am sure if you wanted to go hang in any of those forums you would be welcome. We have Gay TV channels , Spanish channels , ethnic channels, Many of our TV channels in the past have been predominatly white. Cosby show was break through, one of my favorite all time shows. Now almost every program has people of different ethnic groups and gays.... What is your point? My family is multi racial, multi cultural, etc. We are all equal in Gods eyes, we are judged by our character and out hearts. We have come a long way racially, how ever we still have quite a way to go. I am not just talking African Americans but all groups.

we have threads for different ages, different parts of the country, lesbians and gays, bikers, each has their one set of cultures,foods, passions and issues that everyone does not have interest in. I am sure if you wanted to go hang in any of those forums you would be welcome. We have Gay TV channels , Spanish channels , ethnic channels, Many of our TV channels in the past have been predominatly white. Cosby show was break through, one of my favorite all time shows. Now almost every program has people of different ethnic groups and gays.... What is your point? My family is multi racial, multi cultural, etc. We are all equal in Gods eyes, we are judged by our character and out hearts. We have come a long way racially, how ever we still have quite a way to go. I am not just talking African Americans but all groups.

that is spending you are aware of. Lets stop giving Israel $$$ and weapons . Do you have any clue what is going on there? Bush ran our country into the hole. At least you know where Obama is putting the money and he is not attacking anyone. You have to put money into our economy , our country to propell it.

So explain to me How there is any dialog going on with people behaving like this... give the officials a chance to explain what the plan is so you know straight away what you are objecting to and can make a educated argument instead of going on assumption!!!!!!!! EVERYONE has their own agenda, EVERYONE is trying to promote their own agenda!!!! Give me a frikin brake. GOP has put plants to derail the townhall meetings.... Come on now Everyone needs to sit down like adults and discuss the matters at hand. Find a way to work together. I can agree that the proposal isn't perfect but at least he is the first President to get this far on healthcare since I was born. No one likes change, but you know what the current system is NOT working! Steps need to be made even if they have to be amended , better to take action than NO action.

I should clarify ... my husband PAID TAXES in those countries , he has NEVER been unemployed NOR has he claimed a false # of dependents to advoid taxes.... He also learned English, he works hard and is honest. I have been married to him for 16 yrs and he has never been on public assistance. And yes he and we have been without at times. I am so against the illegals raping our system, just as much as the citizens cheating the system, they have really nice cars, tennis shoes and electronic gadgets I will never have. Our schools in CA SUCK partly due to an over taxed system as well as poor management. So I suppose you guessed wrong about my opinion. I also think it is wrong that a 67 yr old green card holder who has never in her life worked in this country, lives with her son here and collects SS , not only that but she collects MORE than my mother who was born here and worked since she was 16 all of her life until she became disabled due to an accident. THAT IS WACKED!!!!

the majority that HAVE health insurance are happy with theirs. Any Clue how much Cobra is..... Any clue as to how many do not or cannot secure policies that are "useable" by that I mean without deductibles that cannot be met without going broke? Or policies the average person can afford that are comprehensive. Those that have great policies , just wait until you get cancer and you out live your lifetime max benefit like my BIL did. He had to cash in his life insurance and his stocks and 401K to continue to receive care.... Guess what after 5 yrs he died and left his wife and kids with NOTHING but debt. This is a man who was high up in a company making 250K a year doing all the right things to prepare for his family for retirement etc. He worked until he could no longer.

Originally Posted by pattygreen There are people who shouted down a disabled woman in a wheelchair talking at a town hall meeting about the cost of her drugs ($289/week) and how she worries about not being able to pay her taxes or afraid she would lose her home. The people shouted her down and insulted her. One man asked "The disabled have rights and I don't?". What does this have to do with spending? The plan will cost trillions! That has alot to do with spending. These people were ther to express their anger and frustration over government they are oppsed to I personally don't understand why they don't express there anger of loved ones being denied health care or going broke trying to stay alive when they don't have insurance or a procedure has been denied by a pencil pusher to enhance the bottom line. those with $$$ are valuable, those with limited resources are expendable? I see my mother struggle on less than $800 a month, she has to chose between meds, food , and even the things we take for granted, newspaper, TV, and phone. Several preachers are asking for prayers for Obama's death. This is outragous, and if it's true, then they are committing a horrific sin. This does NOT represent what the rest of us promote. There will always be a few maniacs within every kind of group. Unfortunately this will be what our opponents will focus on. Now you know on how us Muslims feel, we are the evil doers according to W ? I am Muslim now but I am a former preachers kid , Christian college educated. I would not dream of judging Christianity by the actions of the KKK or other extremists any more than Islam should be judged by the acts of a few brainwashed uneducated hopeless men. They do not demonstrate true Islam. People are showing up at Obama's events with guns strapped to them and won't answer the question about what they plan on doing with the gun. The relatively few who have shown up with their guns were demonstrating their 1st Ammendment right to do so. Many of these rights are gradually being taken away from us a little at a time. They didn't have any 'Plans' to do anything with their guns, except to show or prove their right to carry them. It was a stand on government and their attempt to take away our rights. And kind of like a "ha ha, THIS is my right!" sort of thing. In some of those 'cowboyish' states, carrying a gun in public is a common thing anyway. Where I live in Ct, you would never see that or hear about it. Once again the media has sensationalized things. See how they do that? Hurts doesn't it? Parents don't want their kids to hear Obama talk about staying in school and studying because it would be an endorsement of his agenda. That's right. He wants to promote his socialistic agenda, and we don't want him to try to indoctrinate our children towards leaning towards his way of socialism and government control. Think of what socialism means and think of all the things that are already socialized. Think of where you will be when you want to retire and have to be a greeter at Wal-mart to pay for your medications etc. I have relatives in Canada, Germany, France, Spain and Algeria, all have social systems and they receive wonderful care, ya'll are hearing propaganda unfortunately. I have taken my daughter to the hospital in Algeria 2 seperate years and she received wonderful care and I did not have to pay. I paided for her meds a a pharmacy and submitted for a refund from the system and got it in a couple of weeks. My husband worked as an illegal in England and Spain and received healthcare in both countries with no problem, there were no questions asked, no bills to him... and he didn't hide from them. None of this has anything to do with budgets, the stimulus, spending or aides. The people who hated Obama before he became president and are angry that he became president have now found an outlet - which started witht the town halls. It is a mob mentality and these are the same people who are the birthers and deathers and others who are extreme in their views and intolerant of others. I didn't bring up Obama's race - you did. Town Halls should be used to find out what Obamas plans are and get a firm grasp on the plan and let him know of our concerns and answer our questions not to start riots so nothing is accomplished that is so ghetto. I believe those behaviors are fear based, fear of change and that someone may have a good idea. If the idea is not good enough lets suggest to make it better, being counter productive is NOT moving us toward any solutions. There are plenty of countries to use as models and find out what is more successful and what is not and work a plan from the best examples. For a nation like ours there is no excuse to have such poverty and poor health care, and to continue to rape our education system I can't understand why you would think that I am a bigot and a hater for any reason except for maybe you feel that I am a racist. Is it not possible to love all people yet hate the things that they do? I have no reason to 'Hate' Obama. He has done nothing personally to me. I am not a prejudiced person. I have biracial children, and family members who are black, white, and philippino, and even some who are gay. I love them all dearly. This is about his spending us into oblivion with all his actions!!! Lets talk about Bushs spending us into oblivion ... robbing families of their loved ones here at home and the countless communities abroad that are "collateral damage" Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 WMD was an excuse to settle a score. Any weapons they had The first Bush gave Sadaam to make attacks on Iran, remember , the idot used them on the Kurds in his own country. We hung him quickly so that he would not have a chance in court to bring up Bush and his cronies. But if you believe that our nation is not racist, you are the only one. Unfortunately we still have a racist nation. I have seen that traveling through the south in particular... still fighting the civil war. Even the churchs show that side. Really? Do we not have a black and white president? I have nothing to "get past" because what I have said is true. Who better to lead our nation than a man who is bi racial and educated with an educated wife. What an example!!! A man who has been raised in more than one country, a man who has been taught about different religions. A man who loves his family and his wife. A man who is humble enough to admit when he makes a mistake and does what needs to be done to right it. Why would we not allow him to address our children... encourage them to be educated and be the best they can be. I encourage everyone to get a passport and travel outside the US and spend some real time with people in other countries. I mean for real not in a hotel hanging out at tourist destinations. I have been blessed to have started my worldwide trek around the world at 17 and I am now 42. The only way to truely have peace in the world is to make sure people have clean Water, food, medical and education. Education is power, How many illiterate adults and children in our own country. Come on America... Lets show our compassion, that is the greatest lesson we can teach our children. I am convinced that if we all follow our religions to the best of our abilities we would have an incredible world to raise our kids. We need to raise them to be world citizens. Ok enough of my soap box ;o) HHCC

I am required to do a pre-op liquid diet 2 weeks prior to surgery. In part to lose weight before but also to prove that you are commited to lifestyle change. I am considering doing for 3 weeks just because I know you can lose a bunch of weight and I have done the master cleanser for 40 days at a time and lost more than 40 lb. I was thinking it would be a great jump start and I always feel good on that fast. Now I know the weight will not rebound with a vengence so I am so excited and committed to being normal again. My 11 yr old was going through my closet discovering all the "cute " clothes I have that I haven't worn in forever or never still with tags ... she can't wait til I can wear them, LOL me either. told her next spring/summer we are going shopping. She is all giggly. She is my biggest supporter

you are quite welcome

Cleo's Mom, I have to side with you on this one. I chuckle when I read about the staffers for MO , makeup artist etc.... Well if the country wouldn't flip because she wears shorts getting off Air Force One While NOT heading to an important meeting, guess she ought to pay those staffers OT to advoid any of those incidents.... GAWD every one nit picking about Obamas jeans that day on the base ball field .... I can't believe the gossip coverage. Instead of bringing up trivial things that don't matter why don't we all figure out what to do to make our nation strong. Work together instead of having the GOP hell bent on Presidents Obama failing, hoping and wishing for failure. Or an assasination. What is wrong with America? BTW when was the last time or anytime you heard W say opps I made a mistake or I am sorry? Hell I am so impressed to hear our president say I am sorry I made an error.... Now he is only human ya'll. I stand by my vote. Do you think you could do better as President of the USA, would you want to take on and tackle the mess he inherited? Lets unite to make our country strong.

I am glad you are at peace with going to do the test. We just have to remember that the uncomfortable things we have to do are short term, like the liquid diet ;o) and they will make our lives better in the long run to be there for those we love and more able to really participate in life to the fullest. I am excited for my future. I know you are too.