Help! Should Care Change?

I have a friend that is doing a study of pre- & post- care. His question is ... If you could, what would you do differently if you knew then what you know now? Please be frank & brutually honest. For that reason, if you don't wish to post here you can email your responses directly to me at [email protected]. This is purely for research purposes, no names, or any other personal information would be used. He's interested in knowing what you would like to see change with regard to care... Body, spirit, diet, socially ... everything. In advance, thanks for your help! Colista

Colista, My Dr. did not beleive in protein suppliments so I did no protein except what I got in 3 small meals for the 1st 3 months. I had several complications . I am 8 months out and have lost 110lbs. If I could change anything I would eat protein suppliments and I would exercise more in the first 6 months. This is when you get the best weight loss and I feel like I wasted time. Can't go back so I will move forward. I must say I feel really great now and feel like life has just begun. See you lighter. Joanne

Thanks Joanne and congratulations on your new life! You've got an amazing opportunity to change everything about how you handle food and your heart! Your honesty about this process is INVALUABLE!!! A follow up question, if you don't mind ... 1) Did your center give you any support with regard to the mental aspects of changing your life post-op? Positive thinking exercises? Setting you up with support groups? An "angel" to lean on when you have questions? I look forward to hearing more about your journey! Colista

Colista, I have to say no to all your questions but one. Washington Hospital Center does have a support group on one Saturday morning a month. Unforunately they fall on my weekend to work. I have found support groups on my own and started one myself. I think we are our best advocates and know what we need. I was not required to attend support groups or even go to a nutrienist before surgery. Hope this helps. See you lighter. Joanne

My plan was good but I think I would tweak the nutrition/psych portion of our program. Although each support group I go to now seems to show me that they are doing just that! I am very proud of the PA Hospital program. They do listen and I believe the future post ops will benefit from it. I like that pre ops need to attend meetings. I just wish they would ask more questions...after all these sessions benefit them as well. I think alot of them just look at them as a hoop that they have to jump through in order to get surgery. I believe if the people of this support session put more effort into making it a support session rather than leaving it all up to coordinator I would be attending more of them. I go to several meetings so its not like I don't go at all. I just prefer to spend my time at meetings that I feel will be helpful to me. I would also like to see some of the long term post ops discussing their journey's whether they were a success or not because it would be a true picture of after surgery. Things could be really good or they could be really bad. A lot of it depends on the individual and their committment. That is never really brought up in our sessions and I think its a very important part of this journey...YOUR COMMITTMENT!

WOW! Debbie do you get "IT" ... you've hit the nail on the head as so why these questions are being asked. There appears to be a systemic problem with regard to the mental preparedness of people both pre- and post-op (regardless of the procedure they've undergone). Your directness and honesty are refreshing!!! I do have one follow-up question, if you don't mind?: 1) When you ask for more "support" from your group - exactly what is it you are looking for from them ... and how would that benefit you as a post-op patient? a) More "information" about nutrition? b) More support for psychological issues like being a carb junkie or food addict? c) Other/All? Your directness is what is being sought so that we can change the way all of the doctors performing this surgery and setting up support systems address the REAL needs of their patients! I look forward to hearing more about your success! Colista

Colista, Are you a Chem Professor? One question with multiple parts? I remember a final exam I had from Chem Professor just like this he said he was only giving us one problem it took me two hours to solve!!! LOL Well lets see if I can answer these in less than two hours: 1) When you ask for more "support" from your group - exactly what is it you are looking for from them ... My support system is multifaceted. I do the boards, sites, and groups. In the group sessions I try and confirm what I have learned to be sure I am on the right path. Or if I have strayed find out from others how they are getting back with the program. You have to remember that one size does not fit all so you listen and take what you need to get you there. I have met the most wonderful helpful people in this journey. They are very willing to talk to you just as I am willing to help others. The pay it forward really does work. I like it when the audience in the groups participate. Its nice to hear the lecture from the medical experts but when its all said and done we are really the experts! We have common grounds and if you listen long enough to people you start to see the patterns. I find I attend more meetings where other post ops do give their experiences. I think as a pre op person some of the stories would have scared me to death.....but its reality and people should hear it because you need to identify if that happens to you can you deal with it? As a post op you can also benefit because if it should happen to you, you have the knowledge of what someone ahead of you did to solve the problem. Nutrition is a very sore spot with me......I think you always have to go back to basics with people. Why....we tend to forget and reinforcements are good in this area. I even think the nutrition experts need help from us as well. I know in my program they don't have much activity from long term post ops....they just don't go back in and discuss their eating activities. I know I will try and follow up with them at least once a year just to be sure I am on the right path and let me tell you I forget the basics all the time. And its good for someone else to look at what I am doing and offer me some ideas. In a group setting its hard to do such a process but a one to one would be good. A good thing I would like to see is sample menus of the different stages of this journey. Offer up ideas that would help people think what they could eat that would be good for them.....Tell them about portion control because further out you can EAT MORE...And well MORE = CALORIES = POUNDS! Psych issues like identifying the carb problem and how to expose the problems is a definite topic! I am surprised there aren't any sessions on this.... Okay as you gather from my response...I would like to see it all....each session could be a meeting. Also for helping the attendees of meetings....post what the topics will be a few months in advance so people can decide whether they want to attend or not.....That is a problem with PA Hospital's group. I cannot tell which meeting I want to attend ahead of time. I do have a life outside of support meetings and I like to plan them so I don't waste time hearing about topics such as anthestia, surgery procedures....I am post op and don't need that anymore..... Hope this helps. Debbie and how would that benefit you as a post-op patient? a) More "information" about nutrition? b) More support for psychological issues like being a carb junkie or food addict? c) Other/All?