new Dayton WLS support option

Ok, here's the scoop!  Dr Rita Anderson's office (New Life Surgery) is going to begin offering an informal, monthly WLS support gathering starting in November.  This will be a non-structured, fun, come-and-share-or-learn type of gathering where people can share their successes and struggles, receive and offer advice on WLS issues, exchange tips, explore issues, etc.  It is open to anyone who has had ANY weight-loss surgery procedure done by ANY surgeon (pre-ops are certainly welcome, too).  The meetings are scheduled to be on the second Thursday of each month (November 13th will be the first gathering) from 7-8 (or 8:30) pm at the New Life Surgery/South Dayton Surgeons office (3533 Southern Blvd., Suite 2250 -- the physician's office building attached to Kettering hospital).

If you have any questions, I can try to answer them (we had an initial meeting tonight to organize things) or you cal call Susie or Tammy at New Life Surgery.  I'm excited.  I think it will be a good group.  Susie and Tammy are really cocnerned about providing the kind of mutual support environment that many WLS patients want/need and volunteered to be the organizers.

Come check it out on Nov 13th!

Lora

Lora,
THNAKS for helping form a new group.
Is it Tuesday 11 or Thursday 13?????
Thanks,
Robin

Oops!  It is THURSDAY the 13th!    The second THURSDAY of every month.  Sorry about that!  I'll edit my original post so people don't get confused!

Lora

GREAT !!!!!!!!!!!!!! I might be able to make these!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Elizabeth has cheerleading practice on Thursday but I might be able to get hubby or one of the other parents to bring her home!!!!!!!! ( I don't like her walking home by her self at 8 pm when it's dark) 
 I would really LOVE to get back to REAL LIVE TALKING AND SUPPORT even at 5 years out support groups are GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Robin

This sounds great.  So is there going to be any advertising to get the word out do you know?

Our plan for advertising it between now and the first one is:
1) my message here and on one of the other area WLS boards
2) they are going to TRY to get a note about it added to the newspaper ad for the next New Life Surgery info session (but we're not sure whether they can do this or not)
3) it will be mentioned at the info session on the 22nd
4) flyers in Dr Rita's office for patients coming in for WLS related visits
5) word of mouth to get the info to patients of other area surgeons

If anyone has any other suggestions, we'd love to hear them.  We do have to be a bit conservative, though, because this is not intended as a replacement for the existing official Kettering Weight Loss "support" groups and we don't want to step on any toes... we just want to provide a type of support (they are leaning towards calling it an "in-person chat" group or something along those lines) that is missing right now.  We aren't trying to replace a meeting to talk about what to expect post-op or to have someone like Dr Martin come talk about plastic surgery... we're trying to add something that provides more peer support and focuses a little more on the long-term aspects of living with your WLS rather than just surviving the first 6 months, etc..

Lora

cool...  that reminds me.. I need to sign up for the oct 22nd meeting

Yeah, definitely do.  I found it very enlightening to hear the info sessions from two different surgeons... not only did I get additional information and perspectives on the different procedures, but I got a "feel" for the different surgeons themselves (although all of the surgeons at Kettering, Sycamore, and Miami Valley are very qualified).

Lora

I'll be there!! Will bring my friend Denise who is having surgery the 27. of this mo. with Dr,. Rita.

Great! 

Lora