Support Group at Madigan

Hello! I think I have introduced myself here but not sure. I get a little scatter brained sometimes.  My name is Kimberly, a proud Navy Wife!  I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season and enjoy time with love ones and family. I know you guys are busy so I won't expect a response right away so here goes. I am nearing the end of my screening process and wanted to know when are the support group meetings at Madigan. I have read through a few post but I still got confused!  Are the meeting every Tuesday at 3 and 5 or once a month? I have attended a couple of meeting at Bremerton Naval Hospital and wanted to go to Madigan cause that is where I am having my surgery and it is closer to my house too! I apperciate any responses I get.  TIA!

Hi there! I only know of the Tuesday meetings every week at 3pm at the nutrition clinic in the medical mall.  There is another meeting as well, but I dont have information on that one.  Good luck in your upcoming surgery, I too am having mine at Madigan, I have my psych consult on the 3rd then off to make my pre op appointment with surgeon. Happy Holidays

Thanks Shelly. Good luck on your upcoming psych eval. I did mine a on the 11th. I was nervous, but it was very easy!

Thanks  I'm glad we have the kind of evaluation we do, that couple of hundred test thing sounds grueling. 

Your welcome. I had two appointments. The first one was all the testing. There was a 4 or 5 page paper to fill out about me, diets I tried, my knowledge of the surgery and my fears. Then they put me in a tiny room with a computer for a test that was 350ish questions. After that another test that is 160 questions. They try to trick you and ask you really silly questions like " If you were a reporter would you report on sports?"  All you have to do is answer the questions and DONT read more into the question than what is stated. After that I had an appointment to go over the tests and she asked a couple of question about me and the surgery. To my surprise I'm not CRAZY! Darn!

Yikes! I am so glad I didn't have that test. Mine was chattin with the shrink for about 45 min and then done! As far a meetings go at madigan I know they have an evening one on thursdays but I am not sure of the time. If you call the nutrition clinic one of the ladies there knows. Have you met your surgeon yet? See you around.

Haven't had a person to person yet. I just basic know about the docs through others. I wanted to meet them but I was told if I go try to meet them before my case manager allows me to I will possible get set back.  I am pretty sure I want it laproscopic, especially after finding out my liver has very little fat! Thanks for the info!

I see you are in the early stages of thinking and waiting. We have a support group in Puyallup. We're a little different in our focus since we tend to look at long term issues because we ARE long term.

All doctors, all surgery types are welcome at our groups, even if you are attending the military groups.

Ours are a cycle of 3 in a row. 2nd Tuesday is the week, so Tues, Wed, Thurs. All are welcome at Tues & Wed, Thursday is bands only at this time. This one is still experiemental.

OK, 2nd Tuesday (and the next 2 nights in a row). Next group are Jan. 8, 9, 10, 7pm. Scream if you need directions.

I wanted to add that I went to the one at Vitalady's...it was very good.  I enjoyed it a lot.  AND I was told by someone that had their surgery at Madigan, that the Thursday night one at Madigan is going strong.  Even though they kind of discount it at the Nutrition clinic.   You know how the Nutritionist discounted Vitalady...well I think there is a lot that Vitalady can offer that the military really cannot.  The nutritionist is an "expert" in nutrtition.  Vitalady is an expert in wls nutrition.  VERY DIFFERENT. 

Thanks Annie! I will more than likely attend a meeting this coming week. Had a small setback with my journey because I was told I have h. pylori in my tummy so I am on two weeks of antibiotics.  Yeah, my Nut. visits were in my opinion kind pointless. She would give me a lot of websites to go and visit but I don't feel she did very much for me because things she told me I already knew and when I did my 10g of fat a day diet, I asked her for an example meal plan and she gave me nothing thus I did poorly. Anywhoo, I will go to maybe two support group  this week!