21 months out....dr visit at PN!

I have always LOVED going to PN at Methodist hospital.   This is the place that got me on the road to a better me.   It has always been a positive thing going there and knowing I was getting closer to surgery and then the excitement of losing weight after the surgery. 
However, things changed a few months ago and PN reorganized the way they do things in their bariatric department.  After surgery wls patients only get to see a Dr.......There is only one choice of a Dr. to see.     I saw her at my 14 month checkup and now again today!   After seeing this dr. two times,   I no longer look forward to going to these visits that use to bring such plesent feelings.  :O(   I am so bummed.  Before surgery,  I loved seeing the nurses who had WLS.   They felt much more in tune to what I was experiencing.  I miss that!
My appointment today felt very frustrating.........not helpful at all.  I am sad how this program has been restructured.    I left the appointment feeling frustrated and wishing they had more people in place who have walked our walk!   
The silver lining:
As I drove off, I came to realize that I HAVE ALL THAT I NEED! I have a support group at Sat. morning coffees, I have all the information I need to do what I need to do.   I have now chosen to set that appointment aside and focus on me!!!!!   It ended up being a good kick in the rear for me today....I will take control and work this tool!!!!   I have what I need and am so thankful for that!   
Blessing to you all!

I agree with your take on the "new" PN program.  Yuck.  I wasn't too impressed with Dr. so and so either.  I'm an old old timer and will just go yearly to get my labs done and not expect anything further.  I really miss Barb and Terri from the old days.  I felt I knew as much as this new person did since I've been in this body for so long.  Learned nothing new there.

Oh well...times change.  Sometimes not for the better.

Yup.......Me too....Labs will get done.......find support in other places and remind myself I have what I need now!!!!   :O)
May try to let someone know there at PN..don't know who.....but they need to know and care.....I hope they care!   :O)

I'm glad the band program is still the same... I see the two ladies that are wonderful that do the fills. I'm glad that you realized that you have everything that you need though! That's fantastic!

I agree with your assessment of the Dr.  At my 6 month I didn't feel like I got much out of it, but I needed labs so that's why I was there.  My 9 month is this afternoon, and again I am not all that excited about it and even considered cancelling since it is really only a "check in" and no labs to be ordered.

I guess one good thing about the Dr. is I didn't feel criticized at all.  My WL has been pretty slow and she did help me feel better about my progress.  I have started looking for NSV's instead and that has been a good shift for me.  I hear about so many doctors, nuts and RN's that are pretty critical and downright mean at follow ups.  The PN approach feels like a team approach with me on the team. 

Oh, one thing I did find out from Vicky, the scheduler.  You CAN still see a nurse at your follow ups - they just want you to also see the Dr.

I know PNC peeks in here every once in a while - at least they USED to - so maybe even if no one directly voices their concerns, they'll be heard?

It has changed, for the worse, I'm afraid.  And it all seems to be for the benefit of the people who work there,  Even the support group - moving to Methodist for their convenience (although we will now be forced to pay for parking), and earlier (5:30 start instead of 6pm, which will make it difficult if not impossible for some to get there) and only meeting for an hour instead of an hour and a half.  Did they bother to ask the opinions of those of us who have made group a regular part of our post-WLS lives?

MY hope is that enough people will make noise that they might actually TRY to make it better for those of us who are patients, but to be perfectly honest, I've been privy to enough of the bs within the program that I'm not gonna hold my breath.  I'll never skip my appointments, and I will continue to attend group on occasion (maybe just once a month instead of twice?), but it's sad.

PNC, are you listening???

LisaJoy!!

You are such an inspiration to me! You are so strong and definately have a great support system!! People you can count on for the everyday things and if you need something else, I know you will find it!! See you Sat!

I am glad you found a silver lining in the situation.  I want you to know how beneficial & supportive you have been for me since I was a pre-op peep & now being almost 6 wks post-op.  I thank you for being one of the 1st wonderful people at our Saturday morning coffee meet-ups to offer your words of wisdom & advice.  So, you definitely have all you need & with all that knowledge you are able to help so many others! 

I too, have stopped going to the group, not impressed with the way it is run and will not go to methodist and pay parking there for a meeting I get not much out of.  I kind of hope there is someone there who cares enough to be looking for feedback-I am an employee there, but not with bariatric and I don't feel like I know anyone in that dept. anymore that I could share anything like this with.  maybe we should have a letter writing campaign!
lynn

Thanks all of you who offered your two cents about this situation!  It's good to know I'm not alone.  I will try to contact someone at Methodist.  They need to have people talking positivley about their program or wls prospects will go elsewhere.  However, it seems to me all the programs suffer from lack of support post op?  Doesn't make it right...they need to step it up!    In the meantime.....so glad to have the boards and coffee....yahoo!!!
Thanks for the nice thoughts about being helpful!!!!   That is good to hear!  :O)   It is so fun on this end having you more recent folk at coffees.....it's like a birth!   :O)   Gets the rest of us all excited!!!!