What happens after my Dr refers me to Ottawa???
A couple months after your doctor refers you, you'll get a letter in the mail with a date for your orientation. This is a group class explaining the process to you and you will decide then if you wish to proceed on your surgical journey (or join their non-surgery weight loss program). The letter will include several questionnaires you'll have to fill out and bring into the orientation class with you.
If you decide to proceed, you'll be another month or two before you're contacted again with an appointment date with the intake nurse. At this time you'll get blood requisitions in the mail to get your bloodwork done before your appt. The intake nurse will go over your BW results, take some vitals from you (BP, HR, current weight etc). She'll go over the questionnaires you filled out and left behind during your orientation and she'll determine what extra tests and services you'll need (ie., sleep test, psych appointment etc). At the end of that appointment if she feels everything is good to go, she'll recommend the next step, which will be meeting the behaviourist/nutritionist. Before you leave your appointment that day, you'll have your Beh/Nut appt booked, and you'll be sent home with more paperwork to fill out in preparation for you meeting with them.
At the Beh/Nut appt's you'll go over those papers, discuss challenges etc. If all goes well at those, you'll be recommended for the next step which is the surgery class. Again, this is a group class which I believe you'll talk about what to expect with the surgery and afterwards. Don't quote me on this though as I'm not at this stage yet. After that you meet with the surgeon, get your opti and wait to hear back from the hospital with your surgery date.
Hope that helps!
Referral (OWMC): January 12, 2015; Orientation: April 20, 2015; Intake Nurse: Jul 8, 2015; Beh/Nut: Oct 20, 2015. Beh2: Nov 23, 2015; Nut2: Dec 15, 2015; Pre-Sx Class: January 22, 2016; Surgeon Appt: February 8, 2016; Surgery: March 9, 2016.
