Saturday Roll Call
Hi Lasolas,
Wow, you have a lot to think about. It's definately nice to have options. Here are my thoughts regarding your post. Be warned: it's long!
1) The best way to figure out what your insurance will cover at each hospital is to ask. Don't let the insurance company person hurry you or try to just "send" information. Ask what they cover as far as every aspect of the procedure you can think of (inpatient care, anesthesia, post-op visits, etc), exactly how they want the exercise portion documented, etc.
2) Keep in mind that you want to know the reputation of the hospitals AS WELL as the surgeons and the bariatric program. How is the nursing care? What are the infection rates of the hospitals, etc. I hear over and over from patients that the quality of nursing care at NMH is far above many other institutions. After the surgery itself, the nurses are the care givers you will be depending upon for the bulk of your care.
3) It is nice that LCOM is closer to your home. I haven't felt inundated with appts. since surgery, though. I plan a few for the same day (primary care/nutritionist/surgeon) and just get them over with. Probably the best thing I can tell you is what happened to me post-op: I called my surgeon at the 2 week post-op mark to tell him I couldn't eat anything besides purees without getting sick (I was approved for soft food at that point). I got an appt for the next day. After seeing the doc, he set me up for an endoscopy the same day, which was done by a GI doc who does a lot of work for the bariatric program, so he knows what to look for and how our altered anatomy is supposed to work. He found a stricture, which is a narrowing of the opening between the pouch and the intestine. Three endoscopies later, I felt great! I was so pleased with the care. I felt like the physicians really listened to me and took quick action to solve the problem.
4) Support group: Although I'd like to attend NMH's support group, I have found it difficult so far. I live about 40 miles outside Chicago, and even though I work at NMH, the meetings are always on a day I'm off. Instead, I may start attending meetings in a suburb closer to me. Can you find out if LCOM will allow you to attend support group meetings post-op? I will tell you that I have OH to be a wonderful site for support and information. There are members who know so much about vitamins/protein, etc and are happy to share the info. Also, you will find several members who have their own websites which are helpful.
5) I read your latest blog post. The nutrition sessions at NMH will give you many of the answers to your questions. They discuss what/how you should be eating post-op and years out from surgery. They also go over exercise and will give you a pedometer (although they don't "track" your exercise). The most helpful session for me was the last one, which is scheduled after you have your surgery date. They go over the requirements for the 2 week pre-op diet, what you should have available when you get home, what vitamins are required to start with, and what the food progression is for the first few months post-op.
6) If you are curious regarding lab values or other medical questions, please feel free to send me a private message and I will answer you. I'm certainly not a physician, but as a critical care nurse, I'm pretty knowledgable about the basics. If I'm not sure of the answer, I will tell you to ask your doctor!
Good luck with your decision. If you do decide to go with NMH and would like a visit post-op, let me know and I'll come say hi!
Stephanie
Wow, you have a lot to think about. It's definately nice to have options. Here are my thoughts regarding your post. Be warned: it's long!
1) The best way to figure out what your insurance will cover at each hospital is to ask. Don't let the insurance company person hurry you or try to just "send" information. Ask what they cover as far as every aspect of the procedure you can think of (inpatient care, anesthesia, post-op visits, etc), exactly how they want the exercise portion documented, etc.
2) Keep in mind that you want to know the reputation of the hospitals AS WELL as the surgeons and the bariatric program. How is the nursing care? What are the infection rates of the hospitals, etc. I hear over and over from patients that the quality of nursing care at NMH is far above many other institutions. After the surgery itself, the nurses are the care givers you will be depending upon for the bulk of your care.
3) It is nice that LCOM is closer to your home. I haven't felt inundated with appts. since surgery, though. I plan a few for the same day (primary care/nutritionist/surgeon) and just get them over with. Probably the best thing I can tell you is what happened to me post-op: I called my surgeon at the 2 week post-op mark to tell him I couldn't eat anything besides purees without getting sick (I was approved for soft food at that point). I got an appt for the next day. After seeing the doc, he set me up for an endoscopy the same day, which was done by a GI doc who does a lot of work for the bariatric program, so he knows what to look for and how our altered anatomy is supposed to work. He found a stricture, which is a narrowing of the opening between the pouch and the intestine. Three endoscopies later, I felt great! I was so pleased with the care. I felt like the physicians really listened to me and took quick action to solve the problem.
4) Support group: Although I'd like to attend NMH's support group, I have found it difficult so far. I live about 40 miles outside Chicago, and even though I work at NMH, the meetings are always on a day I'm off. Instead, I may start attending meetings in a suburb closer to me. Can you find out if LCOM will allow you to attend support group meetings post-op? I will tell you that I have OH to be a wonderful site for support and information. There are members who know so much about vitamins/protein, etc and are happy to share the info. Also, you will find several members who have their own websites which are helpful.
5) I read your latest blog post. The nutrition sessions at NMH will give you many of the answers to your questions. They discuss what/how you should be eating post-op and years out from surgery. They also go over exercise and will give you a pedometer (although they don't "track" your exercise). The most helpful session for me was the last one, which is scheduled after you have your surgery date. They go over the requirements for the 2 week pre-op diet, what you should have available when you get home, what vitamins are required to start with, and what the food progression is for the first few months post-op.
6) If you are curious regarding lab values or other medical questions, please feel free to send me a private message and I will answer you. I'm certainly not a physician, but as a critical care nurse, I'm pretty knowledgable about the basics. If I'm not sure of the answer, I will tell you to ask your doctor!
Good luck with your decision. If you do decide to go with NMH and would like a visit post-op, let me know and I'll come say hi!
Stephanie
Thank you, Steph! This helps me order my approach and thoughts --- which is tough because I feel like I'm trying to read a "Manual for Life" in preparation to get WLS and live a more healthy life. It's rather overwhelming. I was chewing on some of the things you mentioned, but seeing them in black & white brings such clarity. My to-do list is getting bigger, but it makes more sense and has more specifics on it. --- Again, thanks! I'm definately starting to sharply skew toward NMH given the info I'm getting. One of the biggies is that it would likely be the better place in case I had a serious (like - save my life!) complication during surgery or afterward --- and that would be in-network for my insurance.
Stephanie S. has deleted this message.
The post op support groups will depend on my ability to get a babysitter for the boys. My hubby works over night so I would need to have someone who can sit at night until I get back. Just this past year we've developed quite the support network here with fellow parents who are more than willing to help out. In fact one Mom is going to cover for me with my kids when I got to the first nutrition class the first tuesday in Feb.
But I usually always just make a day of it when I have an appointment, whether it's my rheumy or the bariatric center. I get into Chicago early and check out a museum, which is heaven for me because I am alone and don't have to worry about the kids and keeping them in line! Plus usually there are free days so I get in free! Then I will usually eat lunch at NMH -- love au bon pain! Then will go to my appointment. When I'm done with the appt and the labwork I get a coffee for the ride home and off I go! I don't know if there are support groups in my area, I'll have to check that out!!
Like I said, if you pick NMH we could always meet up!
But I usually always just make a day of it when I have an appointment, whether it's my rheumy or the bariatric center. I get into Chicago early and check out a museum, which is heaven for me because I am alone and don't have to worry about the kids and keeping them in line! Plus usually there are free days so I get in free! Then I will usually eat lunch at NMH -- love au bon pain! Then will go to my appointment. When I'm done with the appt and the labwork I get a coffee for the ride home and off I go! I don't know if there are support groups in my area, I'll have to check that out!!
Like I said, if you pick NMH we could always meet up!
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