My sister's doctor told her

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Otherwise known as "male menopause"!! Sheesh! That explains a lot, lol. She said most men start to experience in their mid to late 40's (I'm 47), and I do believe it. Darn, I thot guys were spared all that "hot flash" stuff!

he told me it was caused directly by smoking.  He told me I would have to quit immediately.  I continued to sneak and smoke for the next two weeks while undergoing an extensive workup including multiple office visits, x-rays, 3 cystoscopies (1 in the office, 2 in the hospital), blood work, MRIs, CTs, bone scan,.....

I had an in-patient cysto on a Monday, and my oncologic urologist told me I had 4 bladder tumors that needed to be removed, but he wanted me smoke free for two complete weeks due to the extensive nature of the surgery.  I was discharged on a Tuesday morning and puffed my very last cig on the way home.  The next two weeks were spent crying...out of fear of what was going to happen to me as well as desperately wanting a cigarette and knowing I couldn't have one.  Following surgery (removal of entire bladder and lymph nodes, a complete hysterectomy, removal of most of my terminal ileum, and creation of a neobladder) I spent 1-1/2 weeks in the hospital and was too busy praying that I would die (morphine barely touched the excruciating, never-ending pain...) to even think about wanting a cigarette.  Today (18 months later) I am smoke free.  Every once in a while I'll think I'd like to have a cigarette, but then I remember all the terrible pain I had; I remember hearing my husband and daughter crying as they stood at my bedside; I remember the fear that gripped me; I remember hearing my doctor say if I smoke again I have a 70% chance of developing mets to liver, lung, or bone over the next five years.  By not smoking, I've given myself a $120 a month raise ($4 a pack x 30 days).

She is trying to get another job and get out of a bad situation.  Her boss, who is weird to begin with, has become increasingly paranoid and strange over the past few months.  He is accusing her of stealing and locking her out of some necessary (bookkeeping) parts of her work.  It is a landscaping company and she does a lot of the scheduling and bookkeeping stuff.  We both wonder if he is on drugs and/or schizophrenic.  There are several employees who obviously come to work stoned and/or get stoned on the job (meth probably). 

I want to report him to someone, not sure who or how.  I mean I want to get him in BIG trouble.   When she leaves, his little company will probably crash. Maybe that is trouble enough.

She is a little disappointed in that she is not losing weight as fast as she would like.  You go back for appointments and they tighten the band little by little, so you can eat less and less.  She has lot about 25 pounds so far and I think that is pretty good for that amount of time.  They emphasize that they don't want you to lose it TOO fast.

Insurance covered hers and most likely if you have a high enough BMI (body mass index), insurance would cover it.  My SIL told me how much it is without insurance and dang it I can't remember now.  For some reason $17,000 is popping into my mind but I am not at all sure about that figure.

Sharon Osborne, Ozzie's wife, had a lap band a few years ago.  She used to weigh quite a big more.

It seems like they got your e-mail,but not your message... If it were me, and I know we all have different situations, but if it were me, I would begin quietly looking for another job.  You know what you have right now, and you know what your dream job is, maybe you can find a compromise.  If you do it while you are still working, there is not as much pressure to find one right away, and you know that eventually there is a light at the end of the tunnel (hopefull not an oncoming train) so it may not be as hard to take.  In the meantime, come here and vent whenever you want, that is part of what we are here for, to get each other through the tough times... 

#1.  How did these people even know about her return to college?  I would have her check with the financial aid office of the colllege to see IF they notified anyone in order to get grants for her, as in state grants, Americans with Disability Act, etc.  Someone had to tell these people and if the college is selling names to marketers, then they should be called on the carpet by the atty gen.

#2.  My biggest concern is that these people now have access to her checking account and if she has her SSD check deposited monthly, whose to stop them from deducting all they want?

Very scary and I would make sure this is looked into immediately.  Hoping for the best of this situation.