Hi Y'all!! (Did i do that right?)

I wanted to introduce myself...I'm a New Yorker who's in Nashville (actually Franklin) for a 4 month work assignment. I generally spend most of my time on OH on the VSG forum, but since now I'm in TN, I thought I'd poke my head in here and say hello!

Does anyone know of any support groups around here? I'm guessing Vanderbuilt has one, but is it open to people not in their program? I'd love to connect with people, especially as I'm nearing my 1 year surgiversary (and goal!!)

I know literally NO ONE in Nashville, so if there are meet-ups going on or anyone who has any tips for getting out there and meeting people, I'd love to hear them! This is my second week here, and I'm missing home and feeling a little lonely..I am not used to spending Saturday nights at home watching TV!

Any tips on where to check out some BBQ or music around these parts are welcome as well!

Maureen

Centennial has lots of support groups, all open except as noted.  When you're on the TN board, there usually is an ad for Centennial in the upper right portion of the screen, just click and go.  I live about 75 miles away and don't get there often.  However, I'm assuming you have or will get a map.  Keep checking this TN board for lunch and supper meetings.  I've been to one  and plan to attend more.  The lunch and supper bunch is a super fun and friendly group of people.  Ya just have to watch out for Scott if you're camera shy; he's always got it handy.

Hope you have a good time while you're here!

Thank you so much! I looked back at some old posts and saw the ones about some of the lunch and supper meetings. I'll definitely try and make it next time!

MM

Hello, missmaureen! I just moved here from Florida 14 months ago, so I'm no expert, but for music venues I would definitey check out a magazine called "Nashville Scene" or go to www.nashvillescene.com. The magazines are free and you can usually find them around town where ever you see real estate mags, newspapers, etc. You can definitely get one downtown just walking around. I like the downtown scene because they have everything from country (of course) to jazz, blues, R&B/Hip-Hop, Rock - you name it. Just peek your head in each bar/club as you walk down Broadway and 2nd Ave and Printer's Alley off of Commerce Street (it's all one big loop really). The Gulch is also popular for music venues. That is an area of downtown Nashville near the 600 block of 12 Ave S. Check the local paper, Nashville Tennessean, too. Unfortunately, I forget which day they run the section on local music venues and bands, but it's a good bet that it's the Wednesday or Thursday edition leading into the weekend. On the BBQ front, I have been to Jack's BBQ on Broadway downtown and thought it was really good. They have seating on the 2nd floor that looks down on Broadway if you like to people watch while you eat. In fact, several eateries downtown have that set up. The others posting in the TN forum may have additional suggestions for BBQ since I'm still a newbie here.

Continue to check in here as often as you can and look for postings on the monthly Lunch Bunch for the Nashville area. We just got together a couple of weeks ago in Brentwood and the next one should be coming up within a few weeks. There were a dozen of us (pre-op and post-op) that met at a restaurant and enjoyed meeting/discussing and just having fun shooting the breeze and sharing our experiences.

Also, Vanderbilt does have meetings monthly and I do not believe they are exclusive to Vanderbilt patients. The post-op support group meets the 4th Thursday of every month at 5:30p.m. at Vanderbilt Health One Hundred Oaks, Suite 22199, 719 Thompson Lane, Nashville, TN. When you pull into the parking lot of the facility, it looks like a mall. I think it was a full-scale mall at one time and Vanderbilt took over a large portion of the building. This is not where they have operations, per my understanding. All of that takes place at their downtown hospital. I believe they probably grew out of their space downtown at some point and use this additional facility for peripheral medical testing, follow-up appointments, seminars, etc. The dietitian there is Cynthia Conrath and her number is 615-322-2136. She can probably get more info for you.

Welcome to Nashville! Don't be surprised if you find yourself wanting to move here after the first visit. I did!

FYI - for shopping, you may also enjoy the Green Hills area of town. Pull it up on-line and you will see what's out there...

Thanks so much for your response! There does seem to be a lot of transplants around here...says a lot about the area that so many people choose to relocate.

MM

Hey there Miss Maureen!

Welcome to Nashville!  There are actually lots of folks that live here that aren't from here.  Hubs and I have  been here for about 3 years now.  love it.

Vandy support groups.  YES!!! they have one. well, a few actually.  Go ahead ask me how I know this???  *waits*  :)  lol

Hubs and I are the group leaders for the post-op support group. We meet the 4th Thursday of each month.   So that means this upcoming Thurs!  We usually go out to eat after the support group.  We'd love to see u there.  It starts at 5:30pm and is at the Hundred Oaks facility.  (Can't remember who posted it) ... but yes, they are right.  Vandy took over  the second floor of what used to be a mall.  It's pretty snazzy in there.  WLS clinic, heart clinic, pharmacy pre-op testing, labs,  bunch of stuff like that is there now.  It is so much more convenient than being at the hospital on the campus of Vanderbilt.  Not nearly as much confusion!   To get to Hundred Oaks,  just  take I-65N up to Armory drive.  It's right there  - a hop, skip, and a jump from where u are!


You know it's a funny thing about BBQ....Memphis is a great BBQ place... Nashville, not so much.  Yes there are a few places here that have some great stuff but Nashville really doesn't have a signature food.  It's really just a "meat and three" kinda place.   For us, it's about the ambiance that goes with the food.  You can find live music ANYWHERE here.  I agree, go find a copy of the Nashville Scene. You can find it in the lobby of just about any hotel.  It is fabulous.  Will give you all the info you want or didn't know you want.  

Come to support... I'll bring a couple of my favorite Nashville maps.  (I'm a hotel diva... work for Marriott... got lots of 'em) 

I will absolutely try to make it to the next meeting! I've heard a lot of great things about Vanderbuilt's program and I'd love to check it out myself.

Thanks for your response...hope to see you Thursday!

MM

Hi Maureen, you are welcome at any of the Centennial groups. I lead one in Franklin that meets at the Franklin public library the first Monday of each month at 6 PM. This link will take you to our calendar of events, including our support group meetings. Maybe we'll see you in February, we have a few sleeve patients at the Franklin group.

Thank you and welcome to Franklin!

Thanks! I will try to make it over there!

MM