Post-op and moving to CT - need recommendations!

The Subject says it all - I'm relocating from Monterey, CA to Groton CT (yes, my husband is Navy) next summer (2006), and I am looking for information for ongoing support (doctors, support groups, etc.) If anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them. Specifically, if any of you back there in CT were stationed out here in CA and had your surgery with Dr. Mark Vierra and now live and get follow-on care in CT, I'd like to hear about your experience. I'm also anticipating needing plastics around this time next year, and I'm starting to research now - where is THE place to go in the area for bariatric plastics? Looking forward to getting back to the east coast (my home!), four seasons, changing leaves and yes - snow! Thanks! Alisha Lap RNY 7/5/05 265/258/196/125

If you don't mind driving the 70 minutes (or so) from Groton to Norwalk, Dr. Ralph Crum is a bariatric surgeon, very active with his post-operative support groups and very skilled with reconstructive surgeries (he's done my legs and pani since my 300+ pound loss). Welcome to the East Coast and the land that winter never forgets.

Alisha First of all..congratulations on coming to a very active CT post op board. You will find lots of support here. There are a lot of support groups in CT. I do know of one that meets at Mohegan Sun--but not sure of the schedule. If Middletown is not to far of a drive for you...Dr. Aranaow's support group is wonderful. Kathy K. will have the low down on plastics for you and she lives not far from you... Again..good luck on your move...I would much rather be in Calif. this time of year...but its always good to "come home again". Joanie

Hi Alisha, Here's a link to the surgeon's in CT: http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/bariatric+surgeons+in+connecticut.html Here's a link to some of the plastic surgeon's: http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/plastic+surgeons+in+connecticut.html Remember, they volunteer to be on this list. I live in Rhode Island and drove the one hour to Middletown to have Dr Aranow as my surgeon. I chose (in my opinion) whom I thought was the best man for the job. Dr Borokowski does plastics in Middletown and I've heard very good things about him, also. You'll only be living about 30 minutes from Westerly, where I live and I think you'll find south eastern CT a pretty place to be. The shorline is beautiful. If you need any info on docs, the area, etc, just ask! Middlesex's support groups are top notch too. The drive from Groton to Middletown will be about 45 minutes or so. For me, it's exactly one hour from Rhode Island. There is a support group at the Mohegan Sun casino put on by one of Dr Aranow's patients and it meets once a month on a Thursday. You can email: [email protected] for info. I've never been to that one. Your drive will be only minutes from Groton. Less than 15. Take Care, paula

Welcome to CT! Dr. Barba is in Hartford, CT, which is only about 35-45 minutes from you. We have an amazing aftercare program and many support meetings. Please feel free to contact me about it. Jessica

Welcome Alisha! I'm a California transplant too. We came from Petaluma (I love Monterey) my husband's coast guard and we lived in Groton for 6 years before moving a bit north. The subase has alot of resources for military families but I don't know that any of them are specific to post op bypass patients - it's worth asking about though. I'm one of Dr. Barba's pre-op patients (going in on the 19th) and he and his staff are great. Their pre-op program is wonderful and I hear the aftercare is just as great. There are support groups at St. Francis in Hartford for post-ops and other groups around CT as well. Feel free to email me if you want any more info! Jennifer

Hi Alisha! Well, we're certainly glad that you'll be joining us here in CT. You'll find the WLS community here to be very supportive and active! There are probably quite a few Dr's for you to choose from for follow up care. personally, I'd recommend Dr. Aranow out of Middletown. I believe that most doctors/hopsital support groups are open to anyone, and not just to the doctors patients. So, you could pretty much go where you like. I think they also hold regular groups out at Mohegan Sun,which will be pretty darn close for you (basically up the road fro the sub base). I hang out most of the time in Gales Ferry, which is right next door to Groton. My boyfriend is works on the Subbase for Electric Boat. He does nuclear engineering stuff for the boats. Groton is actually a really nice area of CT, it's so close to the shore, it doesn't get much snow, but does get some and it's gorgeous in the summer, a short drive to lots of great beaches, especially in RI. So, we'll look forward to welcoming you sometime soon, hopefully in person, maybe at one of our gatherings, or at a support group. Best, lisa C

Wow, what a wealth of information - thanks for all the replies! I should have prefaced my question by saying that I am very familiar with the Groton area - we were stationed there 1997-2002 and lived in North Kingstown, RI during that time. So, towns and surrounds are quite familiar to me! Lisa, my husband will be assigned to "Sup Ship", the agency between EB and the subase. He's a former submariner, and it will definitely be a homecoming for him. We are looking at buying a house in the area between North Stonington and Gales Ferry/Ledyard. We'd love to live back in RI again, but the prices there seem to have gone through the roof! At least I'll only be an hour drive from Providence Place (Nordstrom!) and Whole Foods in Providence -- road trip!!! You all are such a wealth of knowledge, that I may as well ask - any information on jobs for a psychiatric social worker? I work in hospital settings with seriously mentally ill patients and am looking for something similar in CT. I've already found Backus and L&M's websites, but an inside line on a job opening would be great! I 'm looking forward to getting to know all of you online and perhaps in person next year. Thanks again for being so friendly and so helpful to a transplant! Alisha

Hi Alisha, Welcome back to CT. I wish you luck finding a home, job and all your bariatric needs. I had my surgery with Dr. Aranow and like his support group meetings, I just have a hard time getting there now since we moved from East Haddam to Waterford. But there is a good support group meeting every 3rd Wednesday of the month at L&M hospital in New London. It is a pretty good group and they have some interesting guest speakers. Looking forward to getting to know you here on the CT boards and maybe we will meet soon at a meeting. terri

Hello Alisha, My husband is in the Navy and we live in Navy Housing here in Groton, he has been stationed here for almost his whole career (18 years), he has kept me here in the area because I grew up in Waterford and that is where my whole family is. I just started going to the support group at L&M with my friend who had the surgery the same time I did. It is a good group and really close to the base, they have a rep that comes from the base there also. We are getting ready to move to Portsmouth, New Hampshire in a month, but I will be back for meetings and to see my friend often (thank goodness it is only 3 hours away). Good Luck on your move and Welcome Back. Jennie