Re: Kaiser Richmond

[Guest guest]

Francisco,

Be patient. They are just starting out in their surgery program. They don't start surgery until March. everything with this program takes time. For myself it took almost a year from the time that I started talking to my PCP until I finally got surgery.

Ramona

[Guest guest]

Francisco,

I do remember what it was like. At least you have people here that try to advise you as to what to do and who to call. When I was going through the process after my doctor did the referral. I had no numbers to call and had to wait patiently for 5 months before I got the letter just saying I was accepted into the program. Once I got the letter it was still 3 more months before I got the invitation to orientation. Then after I went to orientation my appointment to see the surgeon was canceled by some emergency and it took 2 more months before I finally got another appointment to see a surgeon. Then I was told that all the weight I had lost didn't count and still had to lose another 23 pounds. Since I hadn't gotten an appointment yet for surgery when I finally did get one it wasn't until March. All I did was be patient because I realized from the meeting that I was not the only person in competition for surgery. I just worked on my weight lose. I went to the meeting and let my presence be know that I was really making an effort. once I was within 10 pounds of my goal I got on the cancellation list and worked twice as hard to lose the weight. I was fortunate and got my surgery in January.

So trust me when i I say that I know frustration. Also I know that sometimes there just isn't much else you can do but wait. If you have called and left messages I don't know what else you can do other than be patient. I realize this really doesn't help very much but feel free to write me if you like.

Ramona

[Guest guest]

Ramona: I appreciate your response. However, non-responsiveness has

no excuse. I've been patient and courteous, but making someone wait

six weeks for a simple response--has my paperwork been misplaced?--is

not acceptable in my line of work; why should it be any more

acceptable with Kaiser?

Surely you can remember what it's like to be on the " other side " with

Kaiser hiding the Bariatric program from us fat folks like we don't

deserve to know about it. Sometimes they forget that they are

providing a SERVICE for which we PAY.

The run-around of unanswered phone calls has exhausted my patience.

I will continue to follow Pat's recommendation and advocate for

myself. If I don't, who will? And I don't expect to have this

surgery overnight. As it looks, I will surely wait longer

than " almost a year " as in your case. I'm not asking for the world;

I'm only asking for a simple call back.

> Francisco,

> Be patient. They are just starting out in their surgery program.

They don't

> start surgery until March. everything with this program takes time.

For

> myself it took almost a year from the time that I started talking

to my PCP

> until I finally got surgery.

> Ramona

[Guest guest]

Hi Francisco -

I know you said you've made numerous phone calls. Have you also sent

a dated letter? Just an idea - It might help to document the dates

you've tried contacting someone on paper in the form of a letter.

Maybe starting a dated paper trail to document your attempts will

help.

Angie

[Guest guest]

Hey Ramona:

Thanks for sharing your experience. Reading about yours and others'

experiences always helps me to keep things in perspective. It helps

me to remember that I'm not the only one who has had to wait. That's

the strength of this support group: those who have blazed the trail

helping others find their way.

I apologize if my last posting sounded angry. I was angry, but not

at you. I was venting my frustration and venting helped out a bit.

I just can't keep things bottled up inside. Thanks for being there

to listen and offer words of wisdom. It's amazing the comfort it

brings me to see the " gastric-bypass-support-kaiser-patients digest "

in my email inbox.

My patience (or lack thereof) has been rewarded. I finally got a

call back, three in fact. Steve Brook at Kaiser Richmond even

tracked me down at work to provide an answer. I'm impressed.

And I'm happy to say that my orientation will be on April 3rd! At my

last appointment with my pcp, she said, " You look so happy. You're

beaming. What's going on? " I told her, " For so many years, I've

tried to loose weight. For the first time in my life, I actually

have hope that something will finally work. I finally see the light

at the end of the tunnel. "

And what exactly is the light at the end of the tunnel? I believe it

is the love and support of people--be it in cyberspace or in the real

world--like all of you. Thanks for being part of my light.

Francisco,

I do remember what it was like. At least you have people here that

try to advise you as to what to do and who to call. When I was going

through the process after my doctor did the referral. I had no

numbers to call and had to wait patiently for 5 months before I got

the letter just saying I was accepted into the program...

[Guest guest]

Francisco, I am so happy for you that you are going to your orientation in April. That will be here before you know it. Since you are going to orientation that means you should be getting an appointment soon with the surgeon. Please keep me posted as to what is going on. I know it is human to want for everything to go really quickly but just have patience. What ever the doc tells you to lose do it and during the meeting ask questions and let your presence be known. that way they know that you are really serious about getting it done.

Ramona

[Guest guest]

Hi Valaire,

It's from Richmond Kaiser, I had my surgery on April 29th...I

don't know how they determine the order - I was third (I arrived @

Kaiser about 10am and was in surgery by about 1:30pm) I was told the

night before my surgery would be at noon and to arrive an hour

before... Since I live in Pittsburg I wanted to make sure there were

not any snags in getting there so that's why I got there so early. I

sat in the waiting room about an hour and then went into the pre-

surgery area which is actually the same area as the recovery

(segregated by a curtain)...Once in there the time flew to the moment

I walked down the hallway. I was extremely calm until they gave me

the medicine to calm my nerves which is a liquid medicine (then I

felt like I was going to crawl out of my skin for about 2 or 3

minutes, then I fell asleep for about 10 minutes...when I woke up I

felt a lil' loopy but very relaxed...I visited with my hubby then

they made him leave. Then the anthelogist came over and said he

wanted to run an EKG real quick (they originally did not do this

because I am under 40 but he wanted one done)...then I walked down

the hall with him to the operating room and they put warm blankets on

me and were talking and the next thing I knew I was waking up in

recovery...my surgery was 2 hours and 15 minutes...they removed my

gallbladder as well because of a huge stone....

I will be sending another post with lots of questions but I just

thought I'd give you a play by play of my experience. I hope Rick is

on duty in pre-surg/recovery when you are there...He is sooooooo

wonderful...If you have the pleasure you will see what I mean...I

left like he was a brother to me - he was so loving and compassionate

it truly felt like my own family member was there watching out for

me....Good luck to you...One week to go, right!

> Hey do any of the Kaiser Richmond folks know how the surgeon

decides

> who goes 1st, 2nd or 3rd on surgery day. Also, were you told the

> time at your pre-op appt. or did you have to wait to know the time

> of your surgery the night before? Peace, Valaire

[Guest guest]

,

Thanks so much for the info. How are you feeling? Are you the one with the husband and cute little boy at the meeting 5/15? Well, thanks again. Do you know why did the stuff they gave you to relax didn't work or at least not at 1st? Peace, Valarie

[Guest guest]

Thanks ,

I'm glad your are getting better. Yes, I'm nervous and I know I will need the happy drugs and freaked out a bit when I read your post, LOL. I'm fine now. Peace, Valarie

[Guest guest]

Yep, that's me...I'm doing good, getting stronger everyday...big

adjustment for me mentally more than physically...

Thank you for saying I have a cute little boy (I think so tooo but

you know I'm his mom)

I think the stuff made me feel so weird because I didn't have

anything else in my system not even water and it just made me feel

jerky in the muscles and my skin felt crawly but that only lasted a

couple of minutes and then I fell asleep...I didn't mean to make you

more nervous about it...it was just a weird feeling - and I thought

if I let you know and you experience the same thing you won't be

scared...luckily my hubby was sitting right there and I told him how

I felt and he just told me to take deep breaths and try to relax...I

must have because I fell asleep and awoke relaxed and refreshed even

though my husband says I was only asleep like 10 minutes...

You are going to do great!!! It was nice to see you on Thursday,

you were absolutely beeming....

> ,

> Thanks so much for the info. How are you feeling? Are you the one

with the

> husband and cute little boy at the meeting 5/15? Well, thanks

again. Do you

> know why did the stuff they gave you to relax didn't work or at

least not at

> 1st? Peace, Valarie

[Guest guest]

Hiya~

Well I think everyone grows impatient especially when it comes to this

surgery. I was approved June 15 got my authorization number about 6

weeks ago. PB also recieved all my labs, all my papers and my

authorization number about 3 weeks ago and still haven't heard back

yet. When I called they told me they should call by next week. But it

is a huge waiting game. When they say they haven't got your paperwork

yet from Marina that's true because she only send out paperwork 1 time

a month only. So that part I know is true. You know it's better they

tell you 3 months instead of No right? Or even telling you a month and

never hearing from anyone? That would drive me nuts personally!...LOL

You gotta take some bad with the good. They are so overloaded with

patients who want this just as bad as we all do, so it'll take time

but it will get here. I wish you the best of luck!!

> Hello again!

>

> I consider myself a bit of a " lurker " too, as I don't often post,

but I do read mostly every things that comes my way. I love all the

advice that is given out and shared, It has been helpful to even get

me to this point.

>

> Any repeat advice for kaiser patients that are assigned to go to

Richmond? It seems like the time frame that they give you is

excessive! I was told three months till my orientation, three months

to my Dr. visits and then possibly three or more months till surgery.

I was approved the middle of July or so, and I have called both

Marina and and they both tell me there is pretty much nothing

they can do for me to get this part of the process moving along.

@ Kaiser Richmond said they didn't even have my paperwork yet.

Is it really supposed to take that long? It has been almost a month,

and they don't even have my paperwork....something seems a bit fishy!

>

> I really have been trying to be very patient(I think I have issues

with waiting), but I started this in January, and I would like to know

something soon. Maybe have a date to look forward too. I don't care

if the date is far away... If I follow their time frame, I could be

waiting until March/April of next year.

>

> Somebody let me now if I just need to stay a little frustrated and

deal with it, or if I should give them a call again.

>

> Thanks for any thoughts!

>

> Jennalee