Well trust me, you aren't missing a thing! :) nm

• I thought the TMZ site was bad, but TV show is - disgusting.
  • Why? - nm
    • Very sleazy and very tacky. There are other gossips shows, but - that one is the lowest.
  • I can't believe Harvey Levin (from People's Court). I no sm - Teacher
    • I guess he is smart, he is making a load of money I am sure! - NM
      • Well, I can make a load of money too if I wanted to get into porn. and - Teacher
        • Sounds like you are talking about Joe Francis. Can't stand him - either.
  • disgusting shows are proof of lack of intelligence of producers. - n/m
    • What do they show that so disgusting? - LinK
      • Have you ever seen it? All of those shows are just disgusting. - nm
        • No, I haven't seen it. - LinK
          • I have seen, and Harvey Levin is - Shows
          • Well trust me, you aren't missing a thing! :) nm - Teacher
            • You have a remote control for shows you don’t like, - Shows again
              • ohhhhhh....is dat wat dat's for? - no msg
                • Yep. Use it to go to PBS and learn grammar and - spelling. nm

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will jeopardize her other benefits.  You should have an attorney who is well versed in this type of thing to go over all the ins and outs of the situation. 

I understand your disappoinment...I'm sorry you had to catch him in a lie...that's the worst.

Stick to your initial plan and don't give in....He's gotta regain/earn your trust back at this point before you let him have the car.  The end of the semester may seem like an eternity, but it's only about 8 or 9 weeks and then he'll be home for Christmas break.  He'll live and perhaps thank you some day.   

It appears the girlfriend's parents and you are on the same page.  That's a big plus.

Did you ever get that cell phone back?   Cat

I've been the trustee of my older sister now since 2001 when our mother died.  She is mentally retarded because she fried her brain on LSD and mescalin when she was a teenager, also is bipolar and on SSDI.  

She just called me to say she is on the edge of losing all of her benefits, including her state-funded housing, because her love toy went and blabbed to the housing authority that she was getting this "extra" money and it's a huge amount.  Well, it's not a huge amount by any means, not even $40,000 to last her lifetime.  I'm sure she and her benefits are protected via the whole category of "Special Needs Trust" but to say my blood pressure is up is an understatement of the decade. 

I just want to drive 8 hours to smack the sh*t out of her and her G-spot Johnny (did I mention she's also hypersexual?!) boy toy.  Now, I'm not a violent person, but the attorney told me that the government could also come after me if they feel there has been any sort of fraud here.  I'm not the one that did drugs, yet for some reason this responsibility was tossed in my lap.  Hmmm...could be that whole atheist thing and this is mom's retribution. 

So, anyone know anything about Special Needs Trusts I should be particularly concerned about?

Next year alone, an estimated 6 million Americans will travel abroad for surgery, according to a 2008 Deloitte study. "Medical care in countries such as India, Thailand and Singapore can cost as little as 10 percent of the cost of comparable care in the United States," the report found.

Next year alone, an estimated 6 million Americans will travel abroad for surgery, according to a 2008 Deloitte study. "Medical care in countries such as India, Thailand and Singapore can cost as little as 10 percent of the cost of comparable care in the United States," the report found.

=============================

NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- "I was a walking time bomb. I knew I had to get on that plane if I wanted to be around to see my grandkids."

Sandra Giustina is a 61-year-old uninsured American. For three years she saved her money in hopes of affording heart surgery to correct her atrial fibrillation. "They [U.S. hospitals] told me it would be about $175,000, and there was just no way could I come up with that," Giustina said.

So, with a little digging online, she found several high quality hospitals vying for her business, at a fraction of the U.S. cost. Within a month, she was on a plane from her home in Las Vegas, Nevada, to New Delhi, India. Surgeons at Max Hospital fixed her heart for "under $10,000 total, including travel."

Giustina is just one of millions around the world journeying outside their native land for medical treatment, a phenomenon known as "medical tourism." Experts say the trend in global health care has just begun. Next year alone, an estimated 6 million Americans will travel abroad for surgery, according to a 2008 Deloitte study. "Medical care in countries such as India, Thailand and Singapore can cost as little as 10 percent of the cost of comparable care in the United States," the report found.

Companies such as Los Angeles-based Planet Hospital are creating a niche in the service industry as medical travel planners. One guidebook says that more than 200 have sprung up in the last few years. "We find the best possible surgeons and deliver their service to patients safely, affordably and immediately," said Rudy Rupak, president of Planet Hospital. "No one should have to choose between an operation to save their life or going bankrupt."

Planet Hospital, which works with international clients as well as Americans, books patients' travel and arranges phone interviews with potential surgeons. Patients are greeted by a company representative at the airport in the country where they've chosen to be treated; a 24-hour personal "patient concierge" is also provided, a level of service that's standard among many of the top medical travel planning companies.  Watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta meet some medical tourists »

"Our patient concierge was amazing," said Giustina. "He came to the hospital every day, gave us his personal [telephone] number and after my operation, he arranged private tours of India." Just two days post-op, Giustina and her husband, Dino, toured local markets and landmarks including the Presidential Palace and the Taj Mahal.

"I was able to fix my heart and tour India, which is something I thought I'd never do."

Walk through a patient wing at Max Hospital in New Delhi on any given day and you're likely to see people from around the world. In one visit, CNN met patients from the United Kingdom, Nigeria, Jordan, Afghanistan and the United States. They're alike in choosing surgery abroad, but their reasons differ.

Many South Asians and Africans said they travel abroad because they do not have access to care in their homeland.

Some Canadians and Europeans said they chose to travel aboard, despite having national health plans, because they are tired of waiting -- sometimes years -- for treatment.

Patients from the Middle East said they come to India because the technology as well as the staff is more advanced.

For most Americans CNN spoke to, it came down to finding the best value. "If I could have afforded my procedure in the United States, I would have taken it, but that was not my option," Giustina said. "I had to get online and look for a Plan B." Read about hot destinations for medical tourism

The private hospitals in India market themselves as having upscale accommodations, Western-trained surgeons and state-of-the-art medical equipment.

CNN spent time at Max Healthcare in New Delhi and saw operating rooms similar to those in many U.S. hospitals. If fact, Max's neurosurgery room had an inter-operative MRI scanner, which is technology hardly seen at hospitals in the United States.

The lobby had marble floors, a book café, coffee station and a Subway sandwich shop. The patient suites were equipped with flat screen TVs, DVD players and Wi-Fi. This hospital also catered to families traveling together. The suites had adjoining rooms with a kitchenette, coffee maker and a sofa bed.

Max neurosurgeon Dr. Ajaya Jha said the hospital can provide high-quality care at low prices because the staff work hard to cut waste.  Watch Dr. Gupta visit an Indian spice market »

"I've seen hospitals in the U.S. where they open up something costing $10,000 and say, 'Oh it's not working. OK, give me another one.' We would never do that here. Even for 100 rupees (about $2) -- we would say, "Do we need to open this suture? Do we need to open this gauze?' We are very conscious of cost."

Hospital officials negotiate hard to keep costs low for high-tech medical machinery and other supplies, Jha said. "In the U.S. people are making careers out of carrying laptops and documenting things that are not really useful in the long term for the patient."

The salary of a U.S. surgeon is five times that of a surgeon in India. "We [surgeons in India] want to make a profit, but we don't want to profiteer. We don't want squeeze people and I think American industries should also think that way," Jha said.

Critics of medical tourism warn patients to be diligent when researching treatment aboard. "I've found that industry voices tend to crowd out those of us who are more cautious about the legal risks," said Nathan Cortez, assistant law professor at Southern Methodist University, who is conducting a case study investigating what legal recourse patients have outside America.

Patients don't think about their legal vulnerabilities, Cortez said. "Some countries limit patient access to medical records so they can't really learn what happened during the surgery. And a lot of practitioners in other countries just refuse to give you your medical records. So people have to weigh the risk versus benefits."

While most tourism patients from America are uninsured, major U.S. insurance companies are considering providing "medical tourism" coverage to their customers. Several have already launched pilot programs.

"I think what's really important about medical tourism is that you make the choice for what's right for you and what's important to them," said a spokesman for U.S. health insurer WellPoint Inc.

Experts say that every patient considering traveling abroad for surgery should inquire about postoperative care, legal rights and the safety standards and certifications of the hospital. Foreign health care providers should be willing to discuss the procedure and answer question ahead of time.

"What really helped me feel good about the process was that my doctor in the U.S. spoke to the cardiologist in India prior to my trip," said Giustina. "They were so open about everything; I knew I'd be in good hands."

Just weeks from returning from abroad, Giustina says she has only one regret, "I shouldn't have waited so long! I feel like a new person again, no more pain."

http://www.helpfindkatie.com/info.htm

The above is a website for a Lincoln, RI woman who was suffering from post-partum depression. She disappeared after a short stay in a hospital and was last seen in Newport, RI trying to sell a piece of jewelry. Someone thought they saw her on a bus to NY City but no leads so far. Those of you who have walk the walk must realize how the system has failed us. Please look at her picture and keep her in your thoughts. Thanks

I am not a Matha Stewart type.  I have to cook which I love, but I am missing something: 

Menu:  Spiral sliced ham, potato salad, cheese ball, and snowball cookies.  A raw vegetable plate would be perfect but I am cooking for elderly and they cannot eat raw veggies (edentulous).   I know I am missing something, any suggestions?

My husky, Carlito, has been missing for 4-1/2 weeks.  He is 13-1/2 years old and has some arthritis in his hips, and seems to be getting hard of hearing because sometimes he will jump when I'm near him, like he didn't hear me there beside him.  He's been an outside dog most of his life, so I'm not worried about him and the weather, but I am worried about the fact that there are a lot of wooded areas around my town, and a main road that leads out of the small town I live in that goes from 25 mph in town, to 55 mph right outside of town. I haven't seen him on the side of the road anywhere right near town. I've called the animal shelter every couple of days asking if anyone has called reporting seeing him. I called the first day I realized he was gone, but they had no one working that saturday, and I didn't hear from them till Monday when I called again, and they said 2 people called saying they saw him within a hour after I called them.  She gave me their numbers, but they said they hadn't seen him since that same day I called...that was 4-1/2 weeks ago.

On Mother's day (last weekend), went to see my step-mom. she is pretty blunt when she talks, she doesn't mean anything by it, its just her way, she is a very nice person in the fact that she does what she can for people and is very helpful. But, on Mother's day she told me when I mentiond he was still missing "he's probably dead by now."

That upset me, but now that its been another week and still no sighting of him, signs posted at the local store windows asking for anyone to call if they've seen him have had no results....its been a little over a month. I was hoping to move this summer, though not finalized if I am or not. Its just me and my son and we were going to move to a different city here in WV.  I worry that if I leave, he will miraculously show up and we will be gone...but people keep telling me to give up that he's been gone a whole month with no responses to flyers, no one calling to report him to the animal shelter for pick up, and he's old and that I should give up on him.

I guess I just want some opinions, would you give up? At what point do you say "well, I'm going to get rid of his cage then"...if he is gone and not coming back, I'm going to clean up his back yard and get rid of his house and bowls because its just a sad reminder every time I go out back that he's missing...but if he returns, then I'll have gotten rid of them for nothing.

I know, this is totally insignificant, but he's my doggie I've had him for 13-1/2 years, he's been with me through my divorce, keeping my feet warm when I cried my eyes out when I was going through my divorce and had my 1 year old child. He let my now 8 year old pull on his tail and his ears and never once growled or snapped at him. I just miss him and just wonder even for my son's sake, when do you just say he's not coming back and try to move forward without guilt?

have to say my fav thing was summers in WV as a child with family...many of whom are dead.  It was so pretty up there and innocent...playing in the "holler" and mountains, blackberries, and just a sense that all was right in the world.  My mom's been dead for almost 20 years (1 week) and I still miss her, but know she's looking out for me down here while she's up there with my dad and sister.  Life goes on but it's hard w/o parents, even as a grown up. 

Yesterday something happened that really put me in a glum mood. I went to Starbucks for a coffee before coming home to work. I opened the door and a guy sitting there looked up at me, did a double take, got that look of recognition, then adjusted his headphones and went back to the book he was reading.

He is my neice's husband, the couple I asked just a few months ago if they would take care of my granddaughter if anything happened to me before she is grown. BTW, they had a baby a few months ago and didn't tell me about it, which means she was pregnant when I was asking them about being the godparents, far enough along to know and didn't tell me then, either.

He would not have talked to me, but I took the 2 steps to reach him and called him by name.  He instantly!! said my name, so there was no doubt he had made the choice not to acknowledge me when he saw me.  They are living in Scotland, so bumping into him at my local coffee shop is somewhat unusual and I don't understand how he could be so rude.  We were supposed to get together for this Christmas...they have been here 2 weeks and not a word to me to get together with them.  I had no idea they were back in the States yet.

But that got me to thinking. My sister (neice's mom) won't talk to me because she is after my mother's inheritence. My mom has done some really hurtful things to me and I can't have a relationship with her because every time I try, it's the same thing every time...I just don't have the energy for that. I found out my other sister that I am try to be close to (she won't contact me for months, then all of a sudden shows up on my door all concerned about me) has been feeding lies to my mom about me and my kids, so now I don't trust her to tell her anything.  I found out she said she was glad I was back living in the area because now HER family looks better than MY family as being the blacksheeps of the family.  She is after my mom's money too.  I have always been the one who was honest with my mom - maybe the reason I always get hurt when I try to stay in contact with her, because she is naive and I would tell her what my sisters were doing to her. My sisters manipulate her and she falls for whatever they tell her.  My brother died just 3 years ago of cancer at the age of 45 (two years older than me).

Since my daughter brought me her child to raise, that split everyone else up too... people saying I'm a child stealer while (surprisingly) my ex's family feel like I saved the child from the state taking the child.  I am in the process of adopting her now, but that means my daughter won't have anything to do with me.  When it started, I was helping her out...now I'm a vindictive witch, except last week when we were in front of the judge cuz she got a contempt charge for failure to pay child support and my daughter didn't want to go to jail.  THEN she was nice to me to keep her out of jail.

I don't know if I''m overreacting or just feeling lonely. I feel like my granddaughter is now my only real family.  I'm so sad because I grew up with a huge family, over 2 dozen cousins, almost as many neices and nephews and now their kids...and nobody keeps a realtionship with anybody else and everybody just seems to be brown nosers to get money (something I don't do). I'm also sad because I can't show my granddaughter what a real family is supposed to act like since there isn't any real extended family to stay in regular contact with.  My ex's family only see her on a couple of major holidays during the year even though I encourage them to visit whenever they want.

Sorry, just wanted to get it off my chest...maybe I'm not the only one going through something like this during the holiday season. 

I came home from work tonight and noticed a man that resembled my husband sitting in our kitchen watching TV. I began to converse with this man who I believed was my husband only to find out he's not my husband. I was faced with a hostile irritable male figure who was complaining with not an ounce of happiness. 

I continued to listen to words that didn't make sense in my book until I couldn't take anymore and went upstairs to fold and put away laundry. I then hear this man downstairs coughing like a mad man. You'd think I'd run to the rescue, but for a total stranger, I think not! So I do the next best thing, turn up the volume on my TV as I'm puttering around doing laundry. I then hear him climbing the stairs to my bedroom complaining that he almost choked to death and where was I? I simply rolled my eyes at this creature and walked out of the bedroom where he is now sleeping in MY bed

So I beg of you, if you find my husband please send him home as I'm not so sure who or what this thing is that is sleeping in my bed - Thanks So Much!!