Thursday morning roll call

Morning Hoosiers, I went to the support group last night and I got to meet Carmen. He looks amazing. I can tell a big difference in her pic to how she is looking now. Shes done an amazing job. Give me 6 months and we will have to do some big time shopping girl...lol I do have a big questions for all u losers out here. There was a girl/lady at the mtg who said she started out at St Vs but is now going to have her surgery at St Francis becouse St V required her to go to Carmel about 3 days a week. I wasnt sure what she meant by that since Ive not been told anything about that. Do any of u that have Dr jones or Cacucci or Gupta have to go that often. I have no desire to change drs or hospitals but thats a 2 hr drive for me each way and I really cant do that excpt maybe the week or two after surgery but I cant keep that up after I go back to work. Does any one know what shes talking about? Also has anyone heard how Brian is doing he had surgery yesterday at St. V's???? Mariah

I go to Dr Cacucci and I went 1 week after surgery to have drain removed. (best appointment in my life ) 6 weeks after surgery. 3 months after, 6 months after,8 months after,12 months after, then it will be 18 months after then once a year after that...after your appointments you go downstairs and make an appointment for the dietition the same day as your next appointment ususally 15 minutes prior topyour Dr appointment. My support group is in Speedway I have never gone to the St V one... I HATE driving all the way to Carmel.. hubby takes me.. Linda

i have no idea what she is talking about, but i know several who started out at stV and changed to st F and i am sure the other way as well...I chose St F cos, it was closer to me, i knew support was important and to me st V is the other side of the world...plus what you just saw last night, how st F welcomes you no matter where you did what...not that i would go to st v for a support meeting even if i could, cos it is the other side of the world...i have a friend who had the surgery at st v and she also has gained all her weight back...due to lack of education and support i felt....this is just me talking and how i feel..you have a drive either way....dang it i should have gone to the support group....i need to see those great people...

Whoa now! I don't know how anyone can say St V doesn't have the education and support system. Pherhaps she just didn't utilize it. Before I had surgery I didn't even know about St. F. so I never checked them out. I was with a differnet surgical group. I didn't have a drain so I didn't go back for dr visit till 1 month, 4 month, and my next will be 10 months post op. They set up all my pre op testing and pre-op education classes on back to back days because I have 3 hr drive to get there. St.V also sponsors a support group in Ft. Wayne which is just 45 min drive for me. Usual turnout for meetings is around 30 people some pre-op some just looking into the surgery.

she had her surgery in 2000 and i do not believe she was told about the TOOL and i know she did not go to support meeting...but even though she gained her weight and then some back, her tool is still workable and she has been going to ww and lost 60 pounds....sorry but i just do not feel she was told all there was to be knowing...we have come along way in the years since....plus another gal i know that also went there, again no support meeting and again she is like 5 years out until i told her protein protein protein she was stuck....she was in a size 18 for ages, and once she did protein she got down to a 10....

I went a couple of times before surgery for testing and so on. Then the week after, at 1mo, 3mo, 6mo, 9mo, 1yr...had to miss my 18mo because of starting a new job and not being able to take off. I go again at my 2yr appt. The only other times I go to Carmel is when I choose to go to support groups. I feel their support group were WONDERFUL pre-op and for the first 4-5 months post-op. After that I felt like it was a record being played over and over. They really need the general support group so pre-ops can hear post-ops and post-ops can get "revived" again. But they need a support group for post-ops alone as well. I now attend the COOP group for 1yr+ out which I learn SOOOOO much from. St. V's has been doing this a long time and have their stuff together for sure. I have heard good about St. F's though to. BTW, I drove from Connersville, so I totally understand about the whole 2hr driving thing. It has been the best decision of my life though! Good luck to you and feel free to email with any questions!

Mariah, Thank you so much for the complement! I will go shopping anytime (just don't tell my husband) LOL. I hope you had a safe drive home since you were both so tired. Have a great day all, Carmen

Good morning everyone! Hope you all woke up to a beautiful day! Mariah...I agree with what everyone else has said (1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 yr, 1.5 yr...and I have an appointment for my 2 yr). For awhile, I was up at St. V's quite abit, but that was due to complications, NOT standard quo. Pre-op, you go for your consult, your pre-op class, and your pre-op medical tests. That's it. I do think they are a wonderful group of people. I did quit going to the support meetings however after ~6-9 months post-op. Pre-op, the meetings did do me alot of good. I would recommend the 2nd one of the month though, not the 1st one. The first one is way too crowded and if you have a question, there's a good chance you'll never get the opportunity to ask it. You all have a great day! Sherri ps....At the end of my profile, I started added recipes. As I find time & find new ones, I'll add to the entry.

I'm a Dr. Caccuci girl too, and I went for my consult, pre surgery food class, pre op med tests, 1 week, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, and i dont go bac****il august now for my 24 week appt. Maybe she has some medical conditons that would require more testing or Dr visits?

I agree with everyone else. You have to go on back to back days before surgery for pre-op testing and nutrition class. Then I have had the same number of visits as the rest. I also live about 2 hours away. I have been planning my follow-ups on Friday so I can spend the night down there and shop! Hey Jan, it only takes me about 2 hours to get there, I must drive really fast. lol Sarah