Having second thoughts about waiting

[Deehovey 48]

I was going to wait until January for my surgery. I have a very high deductible and out of pocket expense so getting the surgery now would cost about $7000 and I've got $2600 in a health savings account. I've got about 50 hours of paid leave left for the year. I've got plenty of available credit to finance the rest. My bathroom remodel can be postponed a few months.

If I wait til January I can go with a lower deductible plan and it would cost about $3600 out of pocket and I would have most of that in my health savings account by then. I get 160 hours of paid leave a year. From a money standpoint it makes sense to wait.

I was reading that for FMLA to go into effect I'd have to use all of my paid leave first. IF something were to go wrong and I had complications and needed to take extra time off then I'd end up being out of paid leave for the entire year in January or February. Leaving me screwed for the rest of the year if something non - surgery related happened. That would leave no time to just take a personal day or a long weekend or anything for nearly a full year. We wouldn't be able to take our yearly February trip to Puerto Rico. No time off for weddings or funerals or anything. For a year. Even if things didn't go wrong my boyfriend is still kind of low man on the totem pole at work and the only long vacation he can get is in February because prime seasons (spring break, summer, holidays, etc) are reserved by old timers with much more vacation time and seniority than him.

If I do it in the next couple of months I'd be 4 or 5 months out by February vacation.....

I don't know. I'm so torn. I'm ready to do this now. My surgeon's office says it could happen in a few weeks because my insurance doesn't require a long diet or anything, just a nutritionist and psych visit.

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[plane224 8]

If you are ready and can afford to have the surgery why wait. Come January you could be 4 months into your recovery. You could enjoy the holidays having moved forward instead of waiting(which we are all so good at. I will do this when, I will wait until after I lose ...)

If you are sure of you decision and your doctors are on board, I say go for it.

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[suzeroonie 37]

If you can afford to financially then why wait? I was in a similar position. I had the option of having my sleeve on July 19 or 30th November. Although it made sense financially to wait I was so ready and I don't regret it at all.

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[Christinamo7 4,042]

Fmla I would think has nothing to do with leave- but short term disability usually does. I know for myself there were issues that on the one hand made sense to hold off but the truth is I needed to have my surgery as soon as possible. Is the bathroom remodel for cosmetic or functional reasons?

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[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Jump.

[Deehovey 48]

Fmla I would think has nothing to do with leave- but short term disability u no sually does. I know for myself there were issues that on the one hand made sense to hold off but the truth is I needed to have my surgery as soon as possible. Is the bathroom remodel for cosmetic or functional reasons?

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The bathroom remodel is for a new master bath. Our house has 1.5 baths right now and it's just the two of us so it's not a necessity.

[Deehovey 48]

I emailed the surgery center this morning and they have already responded. She's working on finding out when she can schedule my preoperative stuff and financials. I'm so excited and nervous!

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[chycky 671]

FMLA does have to do with leave, it just does not provide PAID leave. I don't know your work week hours or what you would be taking out of your "bank" of hours. But I would consider it unusual if you needed more than 2 weeks and if you did that could happen now or next year. Maybe less likely if you lose a lot between now and then, but who knows.

I think the comfort of finance should not be overlooked, but you have to balance that with what your work schedule maybe looks like at that time of year vs sooner and how important it is to move up.

Good luck, sounds like you are taking all factors into consideration!

[Deehovey 48]

Holy cow! That went fast! I've got EGD next Thursday. Cardiac test the following Wednesday and then surgery scheduled for August 16th! My head is spinning!

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[plane224 8]

Wow! I know things seem to be going fast. You are going to handle this just fine. Keep us informed on your journey. I can't wait to heat how you are making out.

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[Deehovey 48]

1 more week! It's getting real now!

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