HELP!!!

APPT WITH SURGEON WENT GREAT...POSTED ALL THE INFO ABOUT THE VISIT ON MY PROFILE. we had ultrasounds today, set up with pulmonary doctor, but here's the problem, the last appointment we need to set up is with a cardiologist....but no one around here will see me or my husband because dr. tyson our surgeon wants a complete work up, including a chemical stress test, and there is no cardiac table that will hold over 350. jeff is 374 and i am 461. has anyone our size had a successful cardiology workup... is there anyone out there who can advise. the surgeons operate on folks up to 500 pounds, so i thought for sure there would be accomodations and this is a big snag and a big disappointment. any info would be appreciated. we are willing to go anywhere...apparently brandy the surgeon's nurse has called all around pensacola, brewton, etc. again, we will go anywhere to get the cardiology workup... i feel a little stressed. i have prayed about it and feel confident we will find somewhere to have these tests, and they are necessary because we would rather be safe than sorry, and we are thankfully both on disability and able to where where needed. so i believe our prayers will be answered. but it's a just a minor setback and a bit discouraging. thanks to everyone who has been so helpful thus far. i couldn't have made it without you guys. i have also discovered in all of this that you have to be your own advocate. you have to follow up after everyone, gently and kindly, but firmly... everyone is just so busy - the doctor's nurses have to work on referrals as well as see patients with the doctors, so i know it's a busy job. so be your own advocate. and of anyone knows where we can get cardiology workups done with a table that can accomodate our sizes...we would really appreciate it. [email protected]

Try calling the med schools at Florida State (Tallahassee) and University of Florida (Gainesville). I don't know much about Florida State, but UF has a wonderful learning hospital attached to it (SHANDS at UF) and although I know you won't really relish being some med student's science experiment, they may welcome an opportunity to stretch their horizons a little. When my Dh was a student at UF we used to go to Shands all the time because they charged reasonable out of pocket rates for the students and wrote off a lot of student debt. Good Luck - I hope you find a facility closer to you that is adequately equipped to handle folks of your stature in a safe manner.