Toronto East General Hospital - Info needed

Hi all!! I am having the RNY surgery on February 3rd at TEGH with Dr. Aarts and I have some questions.

The normal stay days are 2 nights and you are discharged by 11:00am on the 3rd day?

Is it true that all bariatric patients are put in semi-private rooms or can I request private?

If in semi-private, can I have someone sleeping with me?

In the pre-op room, can I have someone with me while I am prepped?

Thanks in advance.... I am getting ready and am a bit anxious!

Hi Lulu, I am also having my surgery on Feb 3rd with Dr. Aarts! Dreamy74 is also booked for surgery there the following day.  I don't know the answers to your questions unfortunately but I have also heard that bariatric patients are put in semi private rooms.  I am sure you could still request a private room.  They have information on their website but Im sure they can answer all your questions at the Pro Op appointment, I go for mine on January 27th.

Hi Lulu and hi juleeg!  hehe

Yes Lulu we're all surgery triplets hehehe! 

I went to TEGH on Sunday via transit to check it out.  It is 4 bus stops from Coxwell subway station.  Visiting hours are from 12 to 8 but on the day of surgery you can have a support person with you all day, right up until it's time to go to the OR but the nurse will take you into the operating room so you won't be alone.

As far as having someone sleep in with you, I don't think so.  But as juleeg said, when you go for your PAC, be sure to ask.

Isn't Dr. Aarts so nice?  I just loved her when I met her last week. 

How are you doing on your Opti?

Oh and as for semi-private coverage - do you have benefits with your employer?  If so, check and see if you have semi private coverage and if you do, bring your benefits info to the PAC and the day of surgery to advise them.

Had my surgery at TEGH and they had semi private rooms Saw DR. AARTS FOR  the consult but as she will tell you either her or her partner DR. CYRIAC will do it . WHEN you go to pre op they want to know what kind of insurance you have if you want semi or private then you have to pay the extra.  HUBBY AND SON STAYED WITH ME TILL Dr. Cyriac wheeled me into the op room. He did mine said it would take 3 hrs. but only took 2. No complications at all and if you do well he lets you go home the next day. Hubby was allowed to sleep in a recline chair the second night as we lived further away and I WAS going home in the morning.

Thanks Pegawatt! I'm glad everything went fine on your surgery!! I hope you are doing well.

Did you stay in a semi-private? Did you request to be there?

I'm glad he could spend the night with you. I'm worried that I will need help to go to the washroom in the middle of the night and a nurse won't come right away.... 

Yes I Requested semi private as my insurance covered it, yes Hubby always helped me which made the nurses grateful they had less to do

Yay!!! I'm so glad to have "met" you guys! I hope we can have an easy and uncomplicated procedure

I was there yesterday for my pre-op and of course I forgot to ask all this

Their website doesn't say anything and I have tried calling, but no one answers the phone....

I have never met Dr. Aarts.... I had the surgeon appointment with Dr. Cyriac and then later they called me saying it would be done with Dr. Aarts. But I have heard very good things about her, so I am happy with that.

In the pre-op they gave me some info booklet and it does say that someone can accompany you out of visiting hours, but I wanted to confirm.

I do have private insurance and the nurse gave me a form at the pre-op to be filed out and choose the type of accommodation. But someone here in the forum said that they only give private rooms for isolation patients....

Yes, I am on Optifast and I have to say it's been easier than I thought so far. It tastes better than I remembered... although I do crave regular food... I heard some people can eat lettuce and cucumber, but I was told nothing but the shake, broth, coffee/tea and the sugar free Jello. How are you guys doing?

I am in a same boat as you. Day 9 in Opti and 5 more to go... Yay!!!!!!!!!. My surgery date is Jan 27th at TWH. You mentioned Dr. Aarts it means you surgery will be at TEH - correct? I am doing okay on Opti as well but time to time I do crave for spices.... hungerwise I am okay but I did get constipated. So I started Milk of Magnesia this morning... hopefully I will go soon....lol. It is hard to drink all 4 shakes in a day. I am able to drink only 3 but I am drinking alot of water in between. Hopefully that will be okay! I think I will have one full box of Opti left. Good luck to all of us with our upcoming surgery :) I am very much looking forward to it !

Hi Dolly K.!

I'm on day 3 of the Optifast and so far I've gone to the washroom more than normal, but I don't have diarrhea. so hopefully it will keep like this. Good luck on your days left of Optifast and on your surgery!!!

So far so good, I was tired and cranky the first couple of days of opti, but feeling better now.  I have to say I am not liking the vanilla at all, the chocolate tastes better to me.  I put some almond extract in my vanilla this morning and it was a bit better.  How did pre op go?  What tests did they do?  How long did it take?  I can ask them your questions while I am there on Tuesday if you havn't been able to get a hold of anyone by then.  It looks like the dreamy, lulu and Julie will be walking the halls of TEGH together lol.