I had my 1st appt with Mercy Capitol

Hello Dixie! I have tried Davenport, Cedar Rapids ect. but they do not accept my insurance. If they don't accept it I will have a huge out of pocket to pay. I don't mind traveling to get care but I am having a hard time finding a support person I have 2 who will come for 3 days I need one more. I am in the process of finding the 3rd. I thought about those questions too about the nursing care. The nurse from Mercy Capitol told me I don't want to go thru this procedure alone because it is such a hard procedure mentally and physically (I think that is why I was scared) she said so many go into it thinking it will be easy and it is not that is why you need a good support person. I also thought about the support in hospital but they want you to walk right away with your person. Thanks for listening Angel

Poor girl.....I don't know what to tell ya.....Do you have to stay in a motel or something? They do seem to be a little strict. My husband also could not stay at the hospital.....he did try and come visit me, but I was basically by myself for the 6 days I was in the hospital. About missing food, yeah it sucks, it's hard, but it is so temporary.....you can have almost everything again.....and there is so many options for food and sweets!!!!!!! Regain is very possible....you can out eat the surgery and screw up......but if you follow the program that first 6 months and make the neccesary mental changes....you have a great shot at staying successful I think we all struggle a little in our own ways with stuff.....but in the end, we were all given a wonderful oppurtunity and we have to kick our own butts to stay on track!!! Even with the worst day, it is still a lot better than before.....because now I do have the TOOL to succeed and I just have to use it.....as pre-op I didn't have the Tool (pouch) and it was a lot harder!!! NOW.......with all that said......YOU have to make sure you are ready.....it is a HUGE decision and commitment....and you just might not be ready.....being home by yourself puts a lot of pressure on ya.......We are all here to give ya advice and root for ya whether you decide to go thru with it now, or wait till hubby gets home, or not have it at all......we are here for whatever!!! Take Care and good luck!!! jesi

Hi Jesi! Yes I have to stay in a hotel for the week. They have one nearby the hospital. I know I will be emotional after the surgery it is how i get. I will be so sad my hubby is not here but i will be ok. I would rather do it now than wait till next June or July or even August. My hubby would be in the hospital with me but I feel a woman would do a better job with me. They do seem a little strict but I think they want the best for the patients and they feel if thier patients do not do good it reflects on them. I am ready to give up some foods to lose weight and feel better. I feel so much better today than the day I wrote that message. I was so overwhelmed and scared after my appts. I also feel if you have the surgery it is important to stick with this website so you are always in this loop to get you back on track!!! I would LOVE to get together again! I have some questions I would love to ask people and get thier respones too. Thank you Angel

I had surgery in Boone. My hubby left the day I had surgery after I came back to my room. I didn't see him again until he came to pick me up. I wanted it that way. I don't want anyone around when I don't feel well. Afterall, that's why you have nurses. Boone is almost an hour and a half away from me. I went home, my hubby went to work the next day. I did fine on my own and I had open. But everyone is different. Seems a little excessive to expect you to stay in DM for 10 days. Have you checked out the program at Mary Greeley in Ames, Dr. Hardy, or Dr. Sundberg in Boone? Both have great programs. Only a suggestion.

I had my RNY at Capitol 9 months ago and I thought the nursing care sucked. ICU was fantastic, and my husband being a Mercy employee helped because they knew I was "family". But once I got down to the floor, I could have literally died before I'd get attention. I had some serious complications BECAUSE of their inability to give me the attention I needed. I had 105 degree temp and I the only way I could get them to call my surgeon was for my husband to call down to the weight loss clinic and talk to one of the bariatric nurses down there. There were a lot of hours wasted with my temp getting higher and higher. I had to do that more than once, invlove the clinic nurses in order to get the help I needed up on the floor. I had a potassium IV that was burning my veins, and for a half hour begged someone to come and do something about it. I finally figured out how to turn it off myself and I called the clinic and asked them to call the nurses station and tell them what to do about it (give me the potassium through my G-tube). So, my husband or my adult daughter stayed with me almost 24 hours a day in order to make sure I was properly cared for. And I was not being a big baby. I was having scary complications of unusual pain and fever. I wrote a scathing letter when I was asked to write a review of my stay. And not one person contacted me to discuss my problems with it. All that being said, I think the actual Center for Weight Loss is great, the nurses are fantastic, and the program is solid. They were really there for me when I was discharged and needed them for all the wound infection junk I was dealing with. But the hosptial stay? Um, I could have died there, and not been noticed for a day or two. But again, I have to reiterated that ICU was FABULOUS! But on the floor, I can think of only two nurses I had that were actually competent. And one who was not, actually scared me with her incompetence, letting me bleed out all over the floor because she couldn't deal with my IV complications, etc. So do you need a support person at Capitol? My answer is YES. Do not be left alone there. You have no way of knowing right now whether you are going to breeze right through this, or be unusually sick, like I was. Don't take the chance. jean

Hi Jean, I am sorry to hear about the nurses. Thank you for warning me. I will bring it up with the nurses. I can't believe the problems you had. I am a nurse and I would think they would watch you closely and call the doctor about the things you experienced. Sounds like you had a bad experience. I am still working on my support people. I did read some of your story online WOW you did have some complications. Did you have 2 surgeons during your surgery? Which 2? I liked Dr. Smolik when I met him. He seemed really concerned about the outcome of losing weight. Thank you Angel

Dr Smolik was my surgeon and he was assisted that day by Cahalin. Good luck and watch out for the creepy guy-patient care tech. Yeah, he was only too eager to help you take a shower. "Um, no thanks, I have my daughter here to help me......." ugh. jean

UGHHH thank you for the warning. I would NEVER let a guy help me. I wouldn't even let me hubby LOL. ANgel

Hi, Angela... I'm not near to you, and I have not had surgery... I'm gearing up for it, too. But I wanted to wish you the best and I hope that you have a good surgery and a fast recovery with much success! hugs, Angela B

Hi Angela That is so nice of you. I wish you luck with your surgery too. I am nervous but also anxious and I want to get it done! I want to be on the losing side! Angel