July 10, 2012 - All Day Information Session

Jul 12, 2012

I was excited to finally attend the all day info session at the George Dumont Hospital.  I was told that it was from 8 am - 4/4:30 pm but it actually didn't start until 8:30 am. You register the same way you did at the first consult and then Monique (sp?) the nurse takes you all to a small meeting room (next to the waiting room when you first register).  There were four others besides myself, one male, one sleever who was getting the by-pass. Having someone who already had the sleeve was helpful. She has been successful with the sleeve but is moving onto the next step for her, the by-pass.

The nurse and dietitian distributed handouts (PowerPoint 3-page Notes format). Monique gave an overview of the surgeries, the causes of obesity, the pros and cons of surgery, what happens the day of surgery, outlines visits expected prior to surgery, pre-op testing, reviewed complications related to obesity and surgery, and discussed plastic surgery realities post surgery.

She stressed that we should consider getting healthy habits in place before the psych visit and making small changes to our diet (at the least).  She noted that surgery will take place approximately 2 - 3 months after the psych visit. The psychologist resident explained later that her wait time now is approximately 3 months. So I'm expecting to have surgery in December as the best case scenario.

Rhnette (sp?) the dietitian explained the reasons for avoiding concentrated sugars and high fat foods (dumping syndrome for by-pass patients), that surgery will allow us to lose weight and maintain but only if we change our habits and make healthy choices. She explained why some people regain their weight, went over the pre-op diet and the products we can use at that time. The products are designed for bariatric patients and the shakes / bars are approximately $190 for the two week supply - 4 servings daily. They are ordered using a credit card but there is a Plan B (Boost?) for those who don't have a credit card. She went over the reason for the pre-op liquid diet (shrinking the liver as it has to be lifted out of the way during surgery), what to expect the first couple of days after surgery and the reason for the post-surgery diet (to let the sutures heal and wait for the swelling to subside).  She explained that you should NEVER drink carbonated drinks after the surgery as it expands your sleeve, leaving little room for food, plus there's no nutritional value to it. A multi-vitamin, B-12, Calcium, and iron supplements will have to be taken daily for the rest of our lives to ensure we're not vitamin deficit. This and a protein rich diet will help cut back on hair loss post-surgery. Those who smoke, will have to quit 3 weeks pre-op.

We then broke for lunch (on-site in the cafeteria or there's a canteen that serves sandwiches, sweets and a few meals, with tables and chairs in the lobby) and resumed with Julie, the psychologist resident.  She went over why we should be clear on our motives for surgery as these will help us succeed long term. She talked about the emotions linked to eating, the importance of sleep and exercise, developing healthy habits, ways to maintain positive changes, our self image / esteem, and social relationships.

Nancy, the physiotherapist wasn't available but did supply a handout. It notes that an initial evaluation of our general condition will be assessed at 6 - 8 weeks post-op.  The physiotherapist, psychologist, dietitian, and nurse are all available to patients for as long as they need their services post-op (as long as it's related to the surgery) which was nice to hear / know.

The day ended with a visit from a patient who was sleeved in September. She was initially 380 lbs but was down to 330lbs by surgery (I think I have those numbers right). She is now under 200 lbs........in 10 months!  She was a fabulous speaker and her experience was invaluable. She explained what worked well for her and what didn't. The emotions she went through, she had a lot of anger for a period, she noted that she has exercised very little to date, that she has a lot of loose skin but that she feels amazing. She noted that she's done well because she's stuck with the post op diet (high protein, vegetables, fruits). She has a friend who's also had the surgery but hasn't done as well because of her food choices (she still eats poutine).  She no longer takes medications and has vast amounts of energy.  She noted that her husband has lost a lot of weight because of the healthier meals being prepared. She had such a positive, happy energy, it was the perfect way to end the session.

Although a full day, I'm really glad to have it behind me, and over and done with in one day.  I'm glad I took a lot of notes as
I know I wouldn't have retained it (ie, I thought the psychologist said surgery would be 2- 3 weeks after her visit but looking at my notes, it 's 2 - 3 months, which is quite a difference!).

My next step is to wait for an appointment with the psychologist. She makes her own appointments, so the nurse, dietitian, etc, have no access / knowledge of Julie's schedule and shouldn't be called for info.  I'm expecting the appointment to take place in October.

0 Comments