OHSU

Has anyone had WLS at OHSU?  I am just starting the process and was wondering how long the process is and what you thought of the hospital.

DianaT

In 1991, I had a hysterectomy at the main hospital of OHSU and stayed in the hospital 3 nites rather than the surgeon's usual 7 because I was recovering so well.  I was in the OR about 3 hours and in recovery about 2 hours.  I was on the 14th floor of the main hospital in the Women's Health Center ward on the north side (the C-wing).  I had a very large private room with its own toilet, sink, and shower, as well as a built-in cot for visitors to sit on or a visitor to sleep on.  It also had a small round table with 2 chairs.  The door to my room was kept closed at all times for privacy reasons and to keep hospital sounds out.  All the IVs and catheter were removed the morning after my surgery.  I walked the halls a lot once I did the initial walk with the nurse in the afternoon the day after my surgery.  The halls have railings on the walls to allow patients to hang on to them as needed.  The surgeon and her residents stopped by several times a day.  Medical personnel was very diligent in washing hands and using disposable gloves.  The day nurses were great.  I had different 2nd-shift nurses; one was very good and the other was not very responsive because she socialized with other patients too much and didn't seem to understand my needs when I had a problem with one of my staples.  The 3rd-shift nurses woke me up for vitals the first couple of nites but otherwise I slept a lot during their shift.  The staples were removed the day of my discharge and replaced with steri-strips which were removed about a week later.

In 2004, I had a day surgery at the day unit at the Multnomah Pavillion of OHSU and left the hospital 7 hours after being admitted.  I was in surgery 4 hours and in recovery about an hour longer than necessary because the spaces at the day unit were full.  One of the nurses told me that they usually move patients out of recovery once the patients wake up and are stable.  I had a combined gurney/bed that I could adjust with the touch of a few buttons and it was with me throughout my stay.  Overall, the staff was very professional.

In 2008, I had a lap DS at the main hospital of OHSU and stayed in the hospital 5 nites rather than the surgeon's usual 3-4 (for lap) because I had some medical issues that had to be monitored.  I was in OR about 4.5 hours and surgery took about 3.5 hours.  I was in recovery for several hours until just before 4 PM.  While still in recovery, I was transferred from the gurney to a bed and then wheeled up into the room.  I was on the 14th floor of the main hospital in the General Surgery ward on the south side (the A-wing).  I had a very small private room with its own toilet, sink, and shower.  Wing chair in room probably would not fit those over 350#.  However, the hospital is willing to bring in wider-width chairs as necessary.  All the IVs and catheter were removed the afternoon after my surgery, but the IV port was left in my arm until a few hours before my discharge.  I walked the halls a lot once I did the initial walk with a physical/occupational therapist after lunch the day after my surgery.  Again, the halls have railings on the walls to allow patients to hang on to them as needed.  The surgeon stopped by for a few minutes several times while I was there.  However, his residents stopped by on their rounds every morning, sometimes as early as 6 AM!!!  Nurses take vitals and blood sugar tests on all patients in the unit several times a day--even during the night.  Nurses asked about my pain level at every contact.  Medical personnel was very diligent in washing hands and using disposable gloves.  Hospital now uses disposable BP cuffs on inpatients.  Housekeeping cleaned my room every day.  During my stay, we had 2 fire drills:  the first just before midnite on my third nite; the second around 9 am the day of my discharge.

In all my stays, I was discharged in wider-width wheelchairs.

Take a look at "My Story" in my profile for my WLS status, timeline, and WL ticker.

I had my RNY at OHSU.  Dr. O'Rourke is great, and the whole process through their clinic wasn't bad, but my stay in the hospital was a bit of a fiasco.  You can read about it in my profile.  All in all, it's a good place with a professional team and yes, I would do it again if I had the chance, knowing the things that were to happen afterwards.  I'm over a year out and healthy, and that's the whole reason I did it!

Linda

 I had my lapband at OHSU on August 20.  The approval process through the doctors office was kind of long.  There were lots of testing requirements and waiting for records to transfer and be entered into the system.

Once you are let through to  see the surgeon things seems seem to go a bit more smoothly (although I do wait around a lot for the doctor to make it into see me-either in his office or OR (best advice-bring your own reading material!!)

My big picture for the whole process is hurry up and wait.  Everything takes twice as long as it reasonably should.  

When I had my surgery date I showed up to the hospital at 11 checked in at noonish and then sat in preop until 5pm to get wheeled into surgery.  I did not get out of recovery and into my room until almost midnight!  (I really don't know why-the surgeon suggested they were waiting for a bed).

I had to share a room with another new lapbander and although at first this didnt thrill me I think in the end it was good because we got to talk.  We shared a bathroom.  They refused to take out my cath. until just a couple of hours before I was discharged (completely unreasonable as I have had a heck of a lot more invasive surgeries and getting up to pee peeing was a huge motivator to walk around).  

The person who wheeled me to my room complained several times at the size of my bed (hmm i tried not to take it personally but im sorry i was in a fat person bed and she should have been more sensitive).  LIkewise the person who wheeled me out of the hospital complained about how the person before me did not fit in the chair (i did not suggest that she should have gotten a bigger chair and not complained to me about it).  

The nursing staff either had one heck of a busy floor (I did not see evidence but who knows there could have been really sick people behind closed doors) or just did not care a whole lot.  One nurse was told to help me with a bath.  She moved everything as far away from me as possible.  put both sides of the bed down then disappeared.  I could not get up because i could not push the heavy tray away.  I could not get in my bed because i had nothing to grip to get back in it.  I finally manage to bend way over to push my button (mind you I was cathed, I'V'ed and really sore) so this was no easy task.  The RN came in but by then i was crying (i cry when I am really mad!!)  She fixed stuff but it was inexcusable.  I would rather have washed my face and teeth and called it good.

Finally during the 2 hours I was allowed to pee again we were supposed to pee in a tray to measure liquids out.  Well  because i was sharing there were two of us with trays.  No one bothered to remove the tray and I had to wait around for several minutes while a nurse made her way back to my room to empty the tray so I could pee in mine.  Sheesh!!  I think that is why they refused to take the caths out. 

OK so I just whined quite a bit!  and I have to say it was a bit more irksome than my multiple experiences at Providence hospital for my c-section, 1 hernia repair, and gallbladder removal.  But like all hospitals- procedures are followed whether they make any sense whatsoever.   I had trouble with the tray empty, catheter removal and waiting around in post op at providence too.

The complaining orderlies was new and sharing a room was new.

The surgery is awesome!  I love my band already and I have had no side effects. I like Dr. Wolfe even though he is not very punctual and it is a pain in the rear to get to see him for the first time.

So I would do it again in heart beat.  I would just bring and plan to in the future bring my own novels to read while I wait!!!! 

Hi Diana,
I had my surgery in Nov. with Dr. Deveney. Just for info if you're interested. We have a support group in Salem tomorrow night at the hospital 6:30 in the basement, all pre-op, post-op, thinking about surgery are welcome. There are a  couple of us from OHSU, others from Legacy and Coos Bay.
But i'll be glad to answer any questions.
-Pam

Diana,

I didn't have WLS there, I've had 3 rounds of reconstructive surgery there however--the most recent was the 15th of July.  I DO know they have a great program, although they are extremely busy.  I had surgery w/ Dr. Read in Corvallis and had a great experience.  Lori (Mac support group) will be having surgery on the 16th of Oct at OHSU.

T