Money Issues

I have been a little nervous about money since I know that I am going to be out of work for a few months to recover from kidney surgery. (Monday is only a few more days away, everyone wish me luck!) Back in July, I had to oppurtunity to work out with a personal trainer at Gold's Gym that I have had a crush on for a while. So, I did the work out and afterwards he wanted to sign me up for sessions. I told him that I didn't think it was a good idea for me because I'm a little tight on money, especially with school starting and because I would be leaving for kidney surgery in a few months and would be out of work. He told me that it was no problem to put my membership on hold, and that even though they couldn't stop my payments all together, they would be able to lower it to something like $10 a month, or at least something more affordable. With that promise, I signed up for my personal trainer. It ended up being someone other than the guy that signed me up, but he is still awesome. I have really been working hard and I think I am starting to see some good results.

Before I left, I tried to get my membership on hold. It is $25 to freeze your account, instead of the $10 that people told me, and on top of that, I had to put a separate hold on my personal trainer, so I had to pay them $50 to put my account on hold. Then, freezing your Gold't Gym account doesn't stop your billing. So I am still going to be paying my expensive personal trainer bills, even though I won't have a job. I went back to the guy that signed me up, and he said that we never talked about me leaving for surgery. I said, "Yes, we did." It is kind of a big deal to me. There is no way that I would have forgotten to mention it. I told him that he had said that they wouldn't freeze my billing, but that they would lower it to make it afforadable for me. He said, "Now I know I didn't say that, because that isn't true." I was SO MAD! I started crying. They LIED to me to get me to sign up for a personal trainer! And on top of that, I have already signed a contract to renew my membersip for the next two years. So not only do I have to pay them, but I am going to have to for the next two years as well.

I called the corporate office and they confirmed all the ways they were screwing me over. They said there is no way to make my payments lower since I am not leaving on a mission or in the military. Medical reasons don't apply. I told them about the manager that lied to me in order to get me to sign the contract and he said that because I didn't get it in writing, that there was nothing that I could do. Awesome, huh? Doesn't that make you want to go sign a contract with them?

On top of that, I got some reimbursement funding for the trip up to Oregon. They are paying for my travel expenses, my food and my gas. However, when we stopped at the first gas station, my card was declined. When I called about it, they told me that my credit card had a $5 limit on it. $5?! What is the point of a $5 credit card? They knew a mistake had to have been made, but the people to call had already left for the day, and we were already on the road. Luckily my dad paid for everything for the first day, and I was able to get everything sorted out by the next morning and get him paid back, but I was not having a good day! I wish money wasn't so hard to come by!
At least one of my two big money issues is taken care of, and I will figure out some way to pay bills while I am out of work.

I met with the a few of the doctors on Wednesday and did all of the final blood work. I am in perfect health, so I have been given the okay to give Wesley a kidney on Monday. Our surgery time has even been moved up an hour, so I won't have to be fasting as long. I am really nervous, but I think that everything will be okay. Everyone was really good at explaining every step of the process for me. I also have a great support system of my family and friends. Thanks for all of you that are taking good care of us. My whole family is coming up this weekend to be here, except Danae and Gary who can't make it, but are here in spirit every step of the way. Thanks to the extended family for getting our names on every temple prayer roles as possible. Thanks to Matt who offered to give me a priesthood blessing and many of my other friends that said they would pray for us, meditate and send good wishes our way. I really appreciate everything and I know that Wesley and I will make it through this. :)