Re: Richmond Program - I am a Pre-OP

[Guest guest]

,

Where do you live? Are you geographically closest to Richmond? If not, I'd say you have a really good chance of being reassigned anywhere but Pacific Bariatrics. You can always talk to Nadia or Gitty in SSF, and ask them for a transfer. I would assume that you can choose your Kaiser facility for surgery, just as you can choose to have a PCP in any city and at any Kaiser you want. You just gotta be firm.

Let us know how it goes. And don't lose hope! You've come this far already -- keep going.

Honestly, I don't know that Richmond deserves the bad rap it's getting for ALL the patients who've had surgery there. I admit they've had more than their share of problems, but did anyone on this list have surgery there and have a good experience? If so, speak up! ;-)

Laurie W.

Richmond Program - I am a Pre-OP

I am relatively new to this board and am happy to say that I have found a wonderfully supportive environment here with aterrific bunch of caring and knowledgeable people. For that I am grateful. I was recently approved and am scheduled for Orientationin March and at first I was ecstatic but now, after reading many negative posts about the Richmond program, I am feeling nervous,depressed and apprehensive about placing myself in their hands. I havenot even met any of the people associated with that program but I already have a predisposed feeling of animosity and anger towards them. I am mostly upset with my PCP who took 1 1/2 years to submitthe referral as I feel if he would have understood the procedure better and had more empathy towards my plight of obesity I would havealso been assigned to SSF or PB. Because of my anxiety I am reaching for those "comfort" foods and am over doing it. It is only making me feel worse. So, I reach out to you, the great people on this board,and ask for any words of encouragement or advise to help me calm myfears. I also wonder if anyone has ever been successful in asking for a reassignment to another location such as from Richmond to SSF?Thank you all just for being you! susan

[Guest guest]

Hello :

I had my surgery at Richmond, and I just want to say that medically

speaking, they are VERY skilled. I have just a tiny 4.5 inch scar (I

had open RNY), and my recovery has been uneventful. Chalk it up to

good luck, but I also followed the guidelines to the tee.

Emotionally speaking, however, I needed to find support elsewhere,

and that's OK with me. My surgeon Dr. Fischer did make me feel like

I was not losing weight fast enough, but he was never mean, and he

was still very supportive. His skills as a surgeon are top notch.

He gave me hope that my life could be better than it was. He was

right about so many things.

My original case manager was Steve. He is great. I wish he could

have remained my case manager. was new at the time I was going

through the orientation process, but she tried her best to help me.

Sometimes I think that the staff at Richmond is overworked. Too

little staff, too many patients. The fault there lies with Kaiser

management, not the Richmond staff.

I will always hold Dr. Fisher, Steve, and the Richmond team in

the highest esteem because through their hands, my life was given

back to me. They gave me some great advice and great words of

encouragement too.

The BIG thing about the support groups at Richmond that bothered me

was the overwhelming negativity of some of the patients. That

coupled with unstructured support group leadership made those early

meetings difficult for me. BUT... I have to say that going to the

meetings was part of the process, and I DID learn something each and

every time.

You know, it all depends on your perspective. I try to make the best

out of a difficult situation. Sometimes it works for me. Other

times I need to seek a different solution. Now, however, the

different solution for me is finding alternate support, not stuffing

down my negative feeling with a bunch of food. I even find support

by watching Dr. Phil.

This journey is not easy, but it's the best one I've ever taken.

Keep in mind that my experience comes from a time when the Richmond

program was still in its infancy. And it's still a new program.

The great thing about Kaiser and the Bay Area in general is that

there is support everywhere.

Give the Richmond program a chance. Follow the program to the

letter. Get your surgery, then spread your wings and find support

where you feel comfortable.

Whatever you do, don't isolate yourself. Isolation is what harms us

morbidly obese people. Finding support has been one of the keys to

my success. Take the positive where you can get it, and don't sweat

the small stuff. (I know that that is easier said than done... and

I've had my episodes of impatience, too.)

You know, everything about this journey, taken as a whole, has been

of value to me. I wish you the best of luck with your journey.

Gemello DiGiovanni

Kaiser Richmond

06/03/03

-126 lbs

--- " " <crzqn2004@y...> wrote (***edited post***):

> I am relatively new to this board and am happy to say that I

> have found a wonderfully supportive environment here with a...

> ...I also wonder if anyone has ever been successful in asking

> for a reassignment to another location such as from Richmond to SSF?

> Thank you all just for being you! susan

[Guest guest]

--- Hi Im . I had my open RNY on August 19,2003 and have lost

120 pounds all together. I had my surgery with Dr Fisher in Richmond

and have had nothing but positive experiences!!! The only negativity

I had was from other patients that told me if I didnt lose X pounds

by a certain time the doctors would make me feel like a failure. But

the opposite was true...when I hit a plateau Dr Fisher and Dr Baggs

talked me through it. Both have been very supportive and encouraging.

Any feelings of being a failure were my own insecurities and my own

beating myself up. For example, last appointment with Dr Fisher, I

wanted to be at 199 but was 200.6.........I FELT LIKE I FAILED.But Dr

Fisher said I was right on track with where I was supposed to be and

that Im doing everything right, I have a good attitude except that I

need to stop obsessing. I left that appointment elated and feeling

very good about my progress. I have received nothing but positive

treatment at Richmond....not one negative experience at all.

I think that we all support each other in here. Eleanor has been a

tremendous support person to me especially when I was beating myself

up. But we also need to remember that everyone is different, each

case is different and experiences with surgeons therefore different.

I worry when we begin to scare pre ops and poisioning the well so to

speak( setting them up to expect negativity). Im not down playing the

feelings of those who have experienced negativity...but each person

needs to deal with it personally and not transfer that to pre ops. I

dont mean to offend anyone, each person has a right to their valid

feelings and experiences.

In gastric-bypass-support-kaiser-patients , "

" <crzqn2004@y...> wrote:

> I am relatively new to this board and am happy to say that I

> have found a wonderfully supportive environment here with a

> terrific bunch of caring and knowledgeable people. For that I am

> grateful. I was recently approved and am scheduled for Orientation

> in March and at first I was ecstatic but now, after reading many

> negative posts about the Richmond program, I am feeling nervous,

> depressed and apprehensive about placing myself in their hands. I

have

> not even met any of the people associated with that program but I

> already have a predisposed feeling of animosity and anger towards

> them. I am mostly upset with my PCP who took 1 1/2 years to submit

> the referral as I feel if he would have understood the procedure

> better and had more empathy towards my plight of obesity I would

have

> also been assigned to SSF or PB. Because of my anxiety I am

reaching

> for those " comfort " foods and am over doing it. It is only making

me

> feel worse. So, I reach out to you, the great people on this

board,

> and ask for any words of encouragement or advise to help me calm my

> fears. I also wonder if anyone has ever been successful in asking

> for a reassignment to another location such as from Richmond to SSF?

> Thank you all just for being you! susan

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

I had my open RNY on September 16, 2003 at Kaiser Richmond. Dr. Fisher, Chief of Surgery, was my assigned physician. However, Dr. Baggs, who was new to the program at that time, performed my surgery. Dr. Fisher was booked three weeks out after I had lost my 10%; Dr. Baggs was available and I was ready; therefore, I elected to have him perform my surgery. I liked both doctors. Dr. Baggs is a little more personable. I have seen Dr. Fisher and Dr. Baggs for my follow-up appointments, both have been very encouraging to me and made helpful suggestions. I admit I followed the program as best I could and have gone from 260 to 177 lbs in 5 months. I have my six-month follow-up with Dr. Fisher late in March. I am 66 years old with arthritic knees that need replacing - my mobility is limited and I use a walker. I can only do water exercises in a therapudic pool, and I am very pleased with my success at losing the weight. Both doctors were also pleased. I would not hesitate to choose either surgeon. Most of the staff were also very helpful and encouraging - but, very busy!

Good luck! Ellen

Richmond Program - I am a Pre-OP

I am relatively new to this board and am happy to say that I have found a wonderfully supportive environment here with aterrific bunch of caring and knowledgeable people. For that I am grateful. I was recently approved and am scheduled for Orientationin March and at first I was ecstatic but now, after reading many negative posts about the Richmond program, I am feeling nervous,depressed and apprehensive about placing myself in their hands. I havenot even met any of the people associated with that program but I already have a predisposed feeling of animosity and anger towards them. I am mostly upset with my PCP who took 1 1/2 years to submitthe referral as I feel if he would have understood the procedure better and had more empathy towards my plight of obesity I would havealso been assigned to SSF or PB. Because of my anxiety I am reaching for those "comfort" foods and am over doing it. It is only making me feel worse. So, I reach out to you, the great people on this board,and ask for any words of encouragement or advise to help me calm myfears. I also wonder if anyone has ever been successful in asking for a reassignment to another location such as from Richmond to SSF?Thank you all just for being you! susan