[steve55]

Katie- Yes, I did tell Dr Bitan's biller that it was my understanding that he was thinking of waiving the 30% on everything, and I asked her to check with him again. In her reply, She didnt clarify if she did personally approach him about it, she just reconfirmed it did not. I guess I can make sure whether or not she actually personally asked him but she is saying he did not mean that.


Fuzzy- No, I have no travel companion who can take off work and help. The previous one cant take off work again. And even if I had someone, Id have to spend alot of extra money for their airfare, food, and hotel. Why do that if I can avoid it. Also, it sucks to drag your luggage in connecting flights , the airlines do not ship the luggage straight through, you have to go claim it in Canada and tout it through the airport. Then I connect thorugh London, tons of walking and waiting. It was killing me on the return. I imagine fusion will be even worse recovery than ADR. Having a 3 hour flight coming back sure beats a 20-24 hour total in transit time. The waiting and going through long security lines at london and canada and in florida killed me!! I dont want that again, especially on the return leg. I REALLY feel hesitant to deal with all that after fusion surgury. And Ill pull my hair out sitting in a hotel room for a week with 1 english channel at the hotel. Last time I had my best friend with me and it makes a huge difference, time passes with good company. I never did really find food I REALLY liked in Straumbing. Seemed every restraunt had a german twist on everything, even the lasagna at the best italian restraunts (I tried them both) and did not like either dishes. And I did not like the hamburgers either. They were extremely different. I ate a hamburger at the American 50's nastalgia joint and it was horrible and made me feel sick actually. Although I did like the hotel breakfast buffet VERY MUCH. That and mcdonalds was the only thing that tasted familiar. Im a picky eater I guess. The hospital food was often bologne type slices and little soft sausage thingies, and bread. I coudlnt eat any of it. Once in a while the dishes were sometyhing I could eat or even liked. Mark has ideas on how I can get better food, but that just solves one of many issue I wish not to experience again.

I would love for Dr B to do the revision, but if a equally competent doctor can do it locally at a similar cost, I just cant see myself putting myself through all that stuff in germany again, especially without a travel buddy this time. If I gotta sit in a hotel for a week, at least with a American hotel I can pass the time with great movies & TV channels, and 24 hr room service anytime Im hungry with great food Ill always like. Thesientore doesnt have a all day restraunt nor room service,... I had to venture out anytime I needed food other than breakfast. If my buddy wasnt there to go out and buy snacks that I could eat in the early days, gosh, I might have starved cause I was in no shape to go out and do it all myself. Maybe all this sounds finicky but after surgury, you really want to keep things as simple and accessible as possible. And my Aunt will be there to back me up too.

Im going to really line up all of Dr regan's estimates and make sure there wont be any potential surprises. I should know something within 2 days. If I feel they cant deliver, I guess Ill have no choice but to go back to germany.