Dr. Blackstone is out ALL WEEK!

I couldn't believe it when they told me on the phone a few minutes ago, she's to teleconference her office this afternoon as they have no clue what to do. You would think there would be some sort of plan B, but I guess that didn't occur to anyone. I emailed Noreen who schedules the surgeries, no response, I emailed her twice. I finally got through to someone in the office who told me Dr. B. would be out all week, and I should leave a message for Sylvia. Hopefully she will return the call. It's a matter of no one knows what to do. They have all these appointments to re-schedule along with surgeries. I would think they will work in the people from Friday through this week into next week's schedule. How hard can that be???? She may have to do an extra surgery each day, I wouldn't think that would be the end of the world. It's not right to make the people wait a couple of months that were scheduled now, we didn't cause any of this and shouldn't be moved out any longer than absolutely necessary. Has anyone else heard from Dr. B's office, Danielle how about you? Sorry if I sound like I'm whinning, but I am upset!

Oh, don't even get me started. I got the call less than 24 hours befor my surgery!! It has turned my world upside down, and I am falling back into old food habits. Drowning my sorrows in bowls of ice cream. I have been calling everyday. When I spoke to Norreen, who has been very very helpful in the past, she told me she would be back today. So I called today and she is out sick... UGH I just want an answer. I understand that Dr. B had an emergency, but where's the back up plan?? I guess I should have asked about that, but I never thought this would happen. I hope to hear more and will let you know when I do. Have they called to postpone your surgery yet? Talk to you soon, Danielle

I sent an email to Diane, the office admin person. She actually responded to me. If you want to email her this is her address. [email protected] This is what she told me, the doctor was sent her schedule for this week and next. She is to call her staff tomorrow to advise them how to re-set these appointments. They say they can't do anything until they hear back from her. It's not definate that my date will be reschedled, but it sounds that way to me, when you hear words like "we'll try our best not to" you can be pretty sure your on the re-set list! She will be out all week! I can't imagine what a mess this is causing her office, but they need to understand this disrupts our lives as well. We can't plan anything, I would be even more upset if I were you. They won't be advising us of anything until sometime Thursday. Don't hold our breath! I'm totally disgusted as I'm sure you are. I can relate to the eating everything in sight. I was so mad this morning when I got on the scale and saw I had dropped the 10 llbs, I may have done it too soon! As usual it will be difficult to maintain. I hope we don't sound unreasonable but to wait so long to have this done, have all the tests, etc. we shouldn't have to be strung out like this. Besides changing doctor's, any other thoughts?????

Danielle, I was just reading that this stress has sent you back to your old habits drowing your sorrows in bowls of ice cream. I know it really sucks that you surgery was canceled. However; perhaps instead of drowning your sorrows in ice cream and undoing the good work you have already done you an take this additional time you have to develope some stronger vices that are not food associated. I only suggest that because as an emotional eater myself I know that first month after surgery was pure hell emotionally. I couldn't drink caffine, eat, or smoke (all my vices). I was miserable and with all the family coming in toward the holidays. Ugh! You know how stressful out of town family can be! As far as worrying about the 10% loss. I was supposed to lose 10% also, and I ended up gaining weight instead due to my stressing over things happening in my life at the time. Dr. B was upset at first, but after explaining to her what was happening in my life she understood. So I wouldn't stress out to much about the weight loss. Just do your best. Stressing about your weight loss will only make you want to eat more!

Hello to all of you. I've been following the info on Dr. B. I am not a Dr. B patient & I'm 2 1/2 yrs out. I can sense and feel all of your frustrations in your posts. However with that said, No one knows what has happened in her life. She may need time to recoup from what has happened. Don't lose faith in her and her office. To suggest that she do more surgeries is a rough call to make.Would you really want a fatigued/rushed Dr. working on you? I have heard lots of good things about Dr. B an I believe she has the best interest of all her patients in her heart. Her staff can only do what she asks of them they are taking the heat from a lot of people. All of us on this journey have traveled a rough road, this is just a bump. You all have been sucessful in getting approval for your surgeries and the chance at a new, longer, healthier life. Keep your eye on the finish line not the course. Paula 4/1/4 open rny 330/195/still at it!

Carole... and all other Dr. Blackstone patients that were affected by her family emergency... I understand you are all very fustrated and upset that either your appointments AND surgeries have been cancelled and the lack of communication from the office is upsetting, but you have to remember... SBC is a HUGE, HUGE, HUGE office and one surgeon. Yes, it sucks there is not a back up plan... but what is done is done. Too many hands in the bucket and tons of miscommunication happens and I think that is why people are not responding to emails or phone calls... there is probably one person delegated to handle this situation. I am sure the office is learning from this lesson. Dr. Blackstone is only one person and not invinsible (spell?) It may seem simple to add surgeries onto a day, but look at it this way... this is MAJOR surgery, would you really want to be surgery #5 when she maybe only does 3/day? I sure as hell wouldn't... surgery is exhausting on the surgeon and their staff. No way in hell would I want to be the last surgery of the day for an exhausted surgeon, especially if god forbid one surgery has complications and goes much longer than expected. I have been an advocate for Scottsdale Bariatric since i joined this site and continue to be... but sh*t happens and when it happens in our lives, our lives pretty much comes to a stop... so put yourself in a high-stress office and surgeon's shoes. I am sure this is not easy for anyone, especially Dr. Blackstone. She gets very emotional with her patients, she develops a personal connection with you and truly cares for you. So, I hope she is okay and so is her family. Give it time... this just happened on Thursday, let the office get on their feet and get on track. Take Care Everyone... See some of you at support groups! ~Nicole

Nicole - You are absolutely right and we definitely want Dr B and her family to be safe and sound. I think the thing that is completely driving us all nuts is the "we don't know what to do" confusion going on with the folks at the office. If they'd have told us that Dr B had to cancel appointments and surgeries last week and this week, and everyone is going to be bumped a week or a week and a half, yes, we'd be upset, but at least we'd know where we stood. The "unknown" is what always drives people crazy, ya know? We don't know when we're being rescheduled for our pre-op appts, don't know when we're being rescheduled for our surgeries, don't know when the office is going to know this info, don't know when the office is going to call us back, don't know when Dr B will be back/when her family will be ok, etc. Again, it's the "don't knows" that are killing us, in my humble opinion. Yeah, we'd still be frustrated, but we'd have a new goal to shoot for. Now, we "dont know" our whether we're coming or going.

Tiffany, you are exactly right. Is it too much to expect to have some communication. We're suppose to find out something tomorrow, that will be 1 week from my cancelled pre-op appt. I'm sorry I think that is unacceptable. Maybe some people feel they absolutely have to wait around for whatever her staff throws at them, I'm not one of those people. I'm a little more pro-active than that. That's not to say I will absolutely change doctor's but I want to know I have options out there. I do not feel the lap-band surgery is so complex that only "the best surgeon" can do it, and as far as the after care is concerned, we're talking about fills and a couple of appts. with the staff for followup. Again, I'm not convinced there is only one program. You can make any reasonable program work, in my case I will probably follow what my husband did, since it worked and need probably only a couple of fills. I may be over simplifying things, and I probably would feel different if I were having RNY, but as it is this is how I feel.

While I can see how frustrated you all are about having your surgery in limbo. I had to respond to your statement about Lap-band after care. I don't think its just about fills and staff follow up. It is about your overall program. I see to many band patients failing because they do not follow up with after care and diet advice. I dont think I would have been as successful if not for the program and my following the "rules". I chose the program I am on because of the after care. I could have chosen any surgeon but I had view the whole program. I think most of the surgeons in town are fantastic yet I found the office staff lacking and little or no organization within the group. I hope that this is all sorted out quickly and you are placed on the surgery schedule very soon. It sucks to be at the mercy of your surgeon. Good luck all and continue your support of one another. Jen

Where is your Dr. located? I live in Southeast Gilbert, almost into Queen Creek.