Jan 10th Seminar?

I will be attending my 1st seminar in Portsmouth on Jan 10th,           anyone else going to be there for the very 1st time?   The Frank Jones center ? I live in Ossipee Nh and am hoping to have the Lap band Surgery at Portsmouth hospital . Would love a friend just starting out to share this journey together. Jennifer in Ossipee

Pleased to Meet You, Jennifer in Ossipee!    I am a newbie here as well and I will be there on the 10th.  I will be attending the info seminar at CMC in Manchester on the 9th, too.  I can't help you with the location of the FJ Center - it will be my first trip to PRH.      I am not determined on a lap band let alone a surgeon.  I am leaning towards the lap band but I have a lot to research before I'll make a decision.  Ditto on the program.  Right now, PRH seems to have the largest program with lap band experienced docs.  And that means a lot to me.  I am very concerned about the large amount of after care for the band so the program would be need to convince me they are prepared for that role.      Are you concerned about the travel for after -care (fills and unfills and so on)?  I am but that's because I have other medical issues for which I will need nearly contant PT and trips to Boston and scans.  It adds up and so adding more doc apts and apts that take hours to get to and from -are not small matters for me. Anyway, it will be nice to 'know' someone at the meeting - looking forward to it.  Cindy (a member from my town) was my first WLS friend on this board and it makes a real difference to have a friend.  Take good care - Treading

Hi treading.....Thanks for the reply, now why are you going to 2 info seminars?                    Are more then 1 required? As it gets closer to the 10th lets plan on meeting up at the meeting? What town do you live in? Portsmouth is about 1 and 1/2 hr from me but is the closest hospital that does WL surgery. JEN

Hi All, Below are directions to the Frank Jones Center for the information session on Thursday, Jan 10 at 6:30 pm.  It's actually a freestanding event center that's just up the road from Portsmouth Regional Hospital.   Frank Jones Center 400 Rt 1 Bypass South  From I-95 North or South:  *  Take exit 5 to the Portsmouth Traffic Circle and bear right onto "Rt 1 Bypass South" (Hampton Beaches).  *  Follow for approximately 300 yards to 2nd set of lights.  *  Turn left at the lights and at STOP sign bear right. Frank Jones Center is directly ahead. Mapquest map for driving directions: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&address=400+ US+Highway+1+Byp&city=Portsmouth&state=NH&zipcode=03801 For directions to the hospital, visit www.portsmouthhospital.com and mouse over "patient and visitor info" -- you'll see "maps" a few words down... Hope this helps! If you haven't registered yet for the free session, please do at 603-334-2005. Feel free to post if you have any other questions about the session or program.  Hopefully I can answer your questions or I can pass them along to Nancy, the bariatric program coordinator.   Thanks, Grant Sanborn Portsmouth Regional Hospital Parkland Medical Center

HI Jenn,  I'm choosing to attend an info seminar at 3 programs (Dartmouth-Hitch**** in Manchester, CMC in Manchester, and PRH).  I am trying to get a sense of which program has the bast fit for me.  Certainly, the Manchester programs would be the closest and most convenient for me - I live in Hillsboro and work in Concord.  But I am very concerned about the quality of the hospital and the experience of the surgeon and, in the case of lap band, the experience of the after-care team.   I'm still so much in the research phase that I have plenty of time to consider all possible programs, really.  Now, if only the weather will cooperate - we'll see easch other at PRH...  Treading