:-S I'M AT LOOSE ENDS!!!!

Things were going along pretty smoothly on my WLS journey. Met with nutritionist again on 10/27 and I had an appointment with Dr. Drinkwater on 10/28 for my second consultation and to get my surgery date! My husband and I were both excited, a little nervous and had several questions to ask, but when Dr. D came into the room he said we were going to have a conversation much different than I was expecting. It seems he has been offered a position in a MA hospital where he will head a surgical team and have residents and administrative responsibilities.....and that means he won't be performing any more surgeries until he makes a decision whether to leave or stay at SNHMC. He told me that the ball was in SNHMC's park, so to speak and he felt he would know something in the next couple of weeks. If Dr. D decides to leave SNHMC he will be asking other programs to take over his patients, both pre and post op, since there probably won't be anyone to take his place in the immediate future. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. Especially since I have worked very hard to meet all the criteria of this program and I feel comfortable with the people and, most importantly, Dr. Drinkwater. If I have to transfer to another program I am hopeful that, with Dr. D's support, the new program will accept the progress I made in this program and will be able to give me a surgery date pretty quickly. I just hope I don't have to start all over from the beginning! So for now I'm just waiting to hear from Jen, the program coordinator, who will call as soon as Dr. Drinkwater makes a final decision ..... and I truly do wish him the best of luck ..... it is just hard to be at this point and have such uncertainty dropped in your lap.......

OH WOW....I can't believe this. I have done the psych visit, have my 4th appointment with Susan TODAY...was hoping for the coping skills class in November....I am numb.... I sure hope SNHMC makes him an "offer he can't refuse". Please continue to post on here when you find out anything. I do want the best for Dr. D, but we sure do need him in NH.... Barbara

I can't believe what I'm reading. I too have come a long way-have my 4th appointment with Liz on the 9th, have lost more than the expected weight loss, have had my psych appointment and just today had my necessary bloodwork done. What to do next!! Dr D. and his statistics are the reason I chose to go ahead with this surgery. What a dilemma this is. Let's just pray SNHMC does want to keep him on enough to make an offer appealing to him. This really stinks-the possibility of not having him here. Cindy

holy **** you cannot be serious..... what does that mean for all of us... pre-op and post-op???? No more surgeries at SNHMC??? No more support groups? No more DR. DRINKWATER?!?!?! I dont know what to think right now.....

HERE IS THE EMAIL I JUST SENT TO JEN - I have edited quotes to keep them anonymous. This is serious! Hi Jen, I think it's important that Dr. Drinkwater knows how important he is to NH and what his patients are feeling. Many of us did months of research and chose him over programs at CMC, Elliot, and even Dartmouth Hitch**** in Lebanon. Dr. Drinkwater's program is the best and the other hospitals should follow HIS example. Dr. Drinkwater is the only surgeon I was able to confirm that is a member of the Board of American Society of Bariatrics. Here is just some of what his patients have written already: ============================================ I can't believe what I'm reading. I, too, have come a long way. What to do next!?! Dr D. and his statistics are the reason I chose to go ahead with this surgery. What a dilemma this is. Let's just pray SNHMC does want to keep him on enough to make an offer appealing to him. This really stinks ... the possibility of not having him here. ============================================ You cannot be serious..... what does that mean for all of us... pre-op and post-op???? No more surgeries at SNHMC??? No more DR. DRINKWATER?!?!?! I dont know what to think right now..... ============================================ OH WOW....I can't believe this. I am numb.... I sure hope SNHMC makes him an "offer he can't refuse". I do want the best for Dr. D, but we sure do need him in NH.... ============================================ It seems that Dr. Drinkwater has been offered a position in a MA hospital where he will head a surgical team and have residents and administrative responsibilities.....and that means he won't be performing any more surgeries until he makes a decision whether to leave or stay at SNHMC. He told me that he felt he would know something in the next couple of weeks. If Dr. D decides to leave SNHMC he will be asking other programs to take over his patients, both pre and post op, since there probably won't be anyone to take his place in the immediate future. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. Especially since I have worked very hard to meet all the criteria of this program and I feel comfortable with the people and, most importantly, Dr. Drinkwater. If I have to transfer to another program I am hopeful that, with Dr. D's support, the new program will accept the progress I made in this program and will be able to give me a surgery date pretty quickly. So for now I'm just waiting to hear from Jen, the program coordinator, who will call as soon as Dr. Drinkwater makes a final decision ..... and I truly do wish him the best of luck ..... it is just hard to be at this point and have such uncertainty dropped in your lap....... ============================================ PLEASE SHARE THIS EMAIL WITH ANYONE THAT MAY HAVE A DECISION ON WHETHER DR. DRINKWATER MAY STAY OR LEAVE. ============================================ SNHMC needs to know how important he is to this program !!! ============================================ Thank you for taking the time to share this with Dr. Drinkwater & his management. They need to find a way to keep him on staff ! Sincerely, Kimberly Ribbans

Thanks Kim for your email to Jen. I was at the nutritionist yesterday and she had just found out 15 minutes before I got there and she was stunned also. I wonder if there is anything more we can do to try and convince SNHMC how important Dr. D. is to us and the program. If anybody has any ideas, I would be willing to do most anything. Our support meetings are so important I believe to post and pre op patients and I would hate to lose that. Let's just pray SNHMC makes the right choices and Dr. D continues on with the fine work he is doing. I am sure he has a large support base in his patients and hopefully we can quickly find some way to express that. Barbara

Kym, Thanks for sending this letter to Jen. Hopefully it will be shown to Dr. D and to the higher ups at SNHMC. Maybe we should all try to get together and get up a petition-saying we'll take all our business to MA, following him there, have everyone that will-sign it and then take, or send, it to the administrative staff at SNHMC. What does everyone think about this? I know he's the one I want to do my surgery, and I would have it tomorrow if he'd do it. I'm ready! Cindy

How does everyone think is the best way to get the word out. I think Cindy's idea is good. I just wonder how many people actually read this forum...think we need to post something under Dr. D's Patient Forum on this web site? Do you think Jen would give us the email list of his patients? We need Dr. D!

I have talked to Jen and she said we need to wait for Dr. Drinkwater's announcement on Nov. 16th to get all the details. From the notes from Bonnie and a few others, it looks as though he may be head of a surgical team, and he may not be doing gastric bypass himself anymore, BUT I'm not sure. It's also my undertanding that he MAY have more administrative duties, and less hands on, but AGAIN - I don't want to start rumors or make assumptions. I asked her what hospital, but we have to wait. We all need top be patient until we see him on Nov. 16th at our next Support Group. It's too late for petitions. He's made his decision. We will all miss him, but as stated in Jen's email ( the one I've posted ) , this was an offer that his family could not refuse. Some opportunities are too good to pass up. love you guys! Kym