Update

I had my follow-up with Dr. Cacucci this afternoon. Everything is still staying intact so far. This is the longest that is has held so it does give us hope. I will be staying off of work a few more weeks (returning to work on Jan. 19th) to give it a little more time for the pain to ease up. It was funny that even the nurse was oohing and ahhing over how flat my stomach is now compared to looking like I was 9 months pregnant.

I doubt that I participate in anything with any kind of distant driving or physical activity for the next month or so. After just sitting at my desk for ~one hour yesterday to do my bills I ended up in pain and needing meds. I am so thankful for my laptop so I can be in my recliner.

Sherri

ps...I had gotten my letter in the mail concerning Dr. Cacucci going to Dr. Inman's group. I brought the paper with me for my records to follow Dr. C. While we were there, we talked with her some about it. It sounds like there may be some additional moves coming up and that it has more to do with real estate than personalities. So...If you are with either group, don't get too shook up if you receive a letter too. If you do get a paper, just make sure you call before you go to an appointment to be sure you know where your surgeon is located until everyone gets situated where they want to be.

Good news for you Sherri.  I am glad you are doing well. 

Thanks for the insight into the whole Dr. C deal.  I was not sure what to do.  I haven't seen her just yet since Gupta left and I was lost.  I still am not sure what to think.  I hear she is an awesome doc but I want to get established with someone that will be there the next time I go back.   ughhh... I miss Dr. Gupta so much.

Huge hugz,
Tracy

Tracy,

Trust me, I understand how you feel. Dr. Gupta and I had a pretty good relationship. Ought too...I think it was 20 endo's, 8 surgeries, and 2 colonoscopies in the course of 5 years that Dr. Gupta performed on me (and 9 hospital stays). It didn't help with her leaving before all of this was sucessfully concluded with my stomach. Bill and Tiffany had a pretty good raport with her too. That's not easily accomplished with Bill and doctors. Dr. Cacucci was really the only option that we even considered. We did have some history with her also since she had done 2 of my endo's and while I was going through the whole coma ordeal, 3 of the surgeries. She is the one who had to initially make the call to induce the coma. So...Bill and Tiffany were not unfamiliar with her either. In fact, they were more comfortable with her than I was since I was out of it. I think her ability to finally get my stomach fixed has us all won over though. Yes, I'm still in alot of pain with it..and yes, I think it'll be a long time before I'm actually completely pain-free. But...I do believe that I won't have to go through another abdominal surgery because of a hernia. You know what the last few years have been like for me Tracy so you know that fact alone is more than enough reason for me to be 100% satisfied with Dr. Cacucci.

Personality wise..So far, Dr. Cacucci strikes me as having a more sympathetic bedside manner. Not that Dr. Gupta was uncaring, she just didn't let her emotions show as much as Dr. Cacucci does. Yesterday, Dr. Gupta would had looked at my elevated blood pressure and could tell I was still in too much pain to go back to work. Dr. Cacucci asked because of the look of pain on my face. While I'm usually a fact-driven person (the hazards of working in a lab environment), yesterday, I really needed some sympathy for what I was feeling. So...both personalities have worked well for me and I believe Dr. Cacucci's will for you as much as Dr. Gupta's did.

I quickly filled out the paperwork to have my file follow Dr. Cacucci in part because I just do NOT want to be stuck with Dr. Diaz. I don't know what it is about him but I just don't like him. I haven't had that much experience with him...he saw me on the weekends a few times that I was in the hospital...so it's not something I can pinpoint. I just don't like him. So...I filled it out almost as much for who I did NOT want as much as for who I did want. Even if they didn't stick me with him, while I think Dr. Jones is very sweet and knowledgeable with weight loss surgery, it's my impression that she isn't as knowledgeable with the type of issues that I've had. I know that those in Dr. Inman's group is very knowledgeable with complication-prone patients so...even if Sr. Cacucci decides to leave St. Vincent's completely like Dr. Gupta did, I feel like I would be in better hands with Dr. Inman's group than those remaining in Dr. Jones'.

Hope this helps...
Sherri

Thanks for the insight.  I had Dr. Gupta and switched to Dr. Cacucci when she left.  I have only met with Dr. Cacucci once in the office but she seemed nice.  I have had my share of complications and was comfortable with my choice so I was distressed to hear that she is leaving.  I did not know what to do.  But it sounds like following her may be my best option.  I take it that this new group is associated with St. V's also and that is important to me.  I hope you continue to heal.   

The group that Dr Cacucci  is going to is far from being a new group. They've been around for awhile too. They (Dr. Inman, Dr. Evanson) practice at Sr. Vincent's and Clarion both.

Sherri

Woo Hoo!  Skinny jeans, here comes Sherri!

Glad that you are getting some extra time off.  After what you've been through, you deserve it!

Glad to hear that things are progressing with your healing. I think it is a wise move to stay off work a little longer. You need to be COMPLETELY healed before you do too much. Take care of yourself and please keep us posted. Jana