He canceled another one!

Folks, when Dr. Bauman says he will cancel your surgery if you gain weight, he means it.  He canceled another one yesterday -- 2nd one that I'm aware of in the past year.   I know that the last time this happened, after some further investigation and scale comparisons, the patient was able to be rescheduled within a couple of weeks and had the surgery after all.  I hope this is the case for this patient.  I cannot imagine the disappointment of going through all that you have through to get the surgery done, and then going to the hospital on surgery day to find out it's now canceled! 

Hi Dana: Hopefully Dr. B will reschedule this person and they will get on track. Anyhow, I did want to say that you have done an amazing job with your loss and I see you are just overweight. Fantastic! If you didn't toot your horn you should! I know you must feel as amazing as you look! Lisa

Oh I don't doubt he did.  I'm telling you he put the fear of ROC in me.  He really looked me dead in the eye and told me he wouldn't do surgery on anyone that gained weight.  I immediately took steps to start loosing!    Now don't get me wrong...  he isn't a horrible person or scary or anything like that...I was really scared that i would gain weight and all of my work would be a huge let down.   YES...Dena...you are doing so great!!  Good to see you on the board.  You must really busy!!   Connie

Connie, work has been NUTS lately so I've not been able to get online much at all.  I keep popping in every few days, but haven't been able to be here much at all for the last week.  I miss y'all!   Yeah, when Dr. B says he is canceling you if you gain, he means it.  I was so scared that last week preop that I'd have a gain and not find out til I was in the preop area.  I think it's great that he doesn't make you do a liquid diet or anything like that preop, but maybe it would have decreased my fears if I had done one.  Fortunately, I didn't gain -- but I only lost 6 lb in that whole 8 months preop during my "physician-monitored weight loss attempt" phase for Cigna, and that 6 lb was because I got food poisoning! 

Thanks, Lisa.  I feel fantastic.  I need to update my ticker, as I see it says 126 lb loss and I've lost 131 now.  I'm 10 1/2 months postop and lovin' my RNY! 

He is not the only one.....I have heard of a few from Dr V that have been canceled. That is one thing the surgeons don't play with. I know it's hard going through all that stress of the pre-op testing and stress can equal eating which will add weight! So hang in there to all you pre-op patients and try to put the WLS lifestyle into effect now. This way you want have to worry. :) 

Great advice.  I think that "last supper syndrome" gets a few people, unfortunately.

I really can't say I blame him if he did cancel, as heartbreaking as it is.  He is a very dedicated doctor who wants to help people and probably get discouraged when people come to him wanting help, but are unwilling to follow his instructions.  I would not want to waste an office visit on anyone who is not willing to do the work.  There are many others out there that would like that appointment and his services.  I feel like it's kind of like saying, "help me, but I won't lend you my hand".  I might be a little harsh in thinking this, but when he told me not to gain, I thought it was a very little task to ask for in lieu of a chance of another life.  Go ahead,,,,,,,,,give me heck, lol.  And by the way, I moved my ticker again today- by following the instructions. Nancy

He wants to be sure you're really dedicated to what it takes to be successful postop, I think.  I know that we aren't able to diet long-term successfully preop, which is why we have to go to the extreme of WLS to begin with, but he doesn't ask for a significant loss preop ... just that you not gain.  Maintenance is okay with him.  So I don't blame him, either.  I bet it is a major shock to a patient to get to the hospital on surgery day to find out that the scales told on you, though. I didn't work where I had to see him every day back when I was working towards getting this surgery, and now I do have to see him daily.  I don't know if it is THAT that keeps me focused or if it is just that I believe his instructions are the best for me so I stick to them.  But I trust that man (and Dr. Pirrello, his partner), and if they tell me to do something (or not), then that's what I'm gonna do.

He put the fear of God in me to loose not gain. But I  understand why? Myrtis