Deevah's Diatribe

[lexusgirl14 1]

lexusgirl14 - It's so nice to meet you!!! I have been looking for someone who is with Kaiser DC that I could share my journey with. I thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Cantor, but the wait that long. I am not a patient person by nature (just this 6 month wait has been pure TORTURE) and if I can get a surgeon just as skilled as Dr. Cantor in a shorter time, I have to go with the shorter time.

I attended Dr. Salameh's informational session and have studied him online and through talking to some of his patients. I am confident that Dr. Salameh is a better choice for me and I like the Virginia Hospital Center (the Arlington, VA hospital that has the new contract) campus better than Holy Cross.

Where are you located? I wasn't familiar with the hospital or Virginia, but I was able to find the hospital with no problem (and I get lost trying to find my way out of a paper bag ). Not that I'm trying to change your mind, but, just in case you're not completely sold on Dr. Cantor...

At any rate, please keep me posted on your journey. Let me know when you get your approval, a date, and all of the other pertinent parts of your journey and I'll do the same. So glad to meet you!!

Hi Deevah,

Thanks for the quick reply. It's so good to know someone with Kaiser in the DC Metro Area that is going through the process also! I live in Clinton, MD not far from the Capital Beltway I-495.

I know the location of the hospital and it has changed names over the years. After reading your message, I looked at about ten patient reviews which were very good for the hospital and one that was very negative. I did not know of Dr. Salameh but see that he has excellent creditials and over a decade of experience with wls. My nutritionist didn't know anything about the new hospital except that Kaiser had entered into contract with it for wls and left GWU Hospital . I would assume that the bottom line was money.

Do tell me more about your converstions with Dr. Salameh's patients? I have a vacation planned for the 3rd week in July with family members and hope to have the surgery after that time. That's why the delay with Dr. Cantor fits into my schedule. However, do you think I'm too optimistic about surgery in August or September?

Lexusgirl 14

[Deevah 3]

So, I found out today that Kaiser postponed the 3/15 meeting so that is why I haven't heard from them. The meeting was postponed for tomorrow, so I hope to hear from them by week's end. I am so ready for the next chapter of this process. Until then, I'm trying to keep the faith. My nutritionist attempted to make me feel better by letting me know that I was well within the criteria for surgery. So, I'm back to waiting...and hoping...

Until next post,

Deevah

[meggiep 57]

Keepng you in my thoughts!

[Deevah 3]

I GOT IT I GOT IT I GOT IT!!!!! My referral was approved and on my KP website today! I'm so excited I can scream! YEAH BABY!!! On my way to a thinner me!! Thanks for all of the prayers and support. Talk to you later.

Deevah

[InProgress 3]

Yay! I'm SO excited for you!!!

[Beadingnurse 116]

I GOT IT I GOT IT I GOT IT!!!!! My referral was approved and on my KP website today! I'm so excited I can scream! YEAH BABY!!! On my way to a thinner me!! Thanks for all of the prayers and support. Talk to you later.

Deevah

Oh Deevah I am so happy for you!! I read about all of your trials at work today while eating my lunch (my daily activity) and I was eager to get home to hear if you had heard anything yet and you did!! :cheer2: Congratulations! Let us know when your get your date scheduled!

[Deevah 3]

Here's another update: I HAVE MY PRE-OP CONSULT TODAY @ 2PM!!! Just got the call from the doctor's office! Super excited, scared and nervous (because all of my information and questions are at HOME and I don't have time to go back before the appointment). Just thought I'd update. Thank you everyone for all of the support.

[InProgress 3]

Keep us posted. Don't worry about your stuff. I know you're like me and have it all memorized anyway. Good luck!

[Deevah 3]

Just wanted to stop by and update. I've been in a holding pattern since my initial consult appoitment. My doctor has a 6-8 month waiting period for my insurance and I'm at month 3. This really sucks! I am not the most patient person in the world, and my weight has fluctuated with my impatience. I finally started to get back on track a few weeks ago and have lost somewhere close to 7 pounds. I've started a version of a liquid diet (2 Protein Shakes and 1 low carb meal a day) to aid in my weight loss. I'm trying to stay motivated as I wait until my name comes up on the surgery list...

[lostalongtheway 5]

I wish you the best of luck on your weight loss journey!

[Deevah 3]

UUUrrrggghhhh!!!!!!!!!!!! :frusty: OK, patience is NOT a virtue I possess!! Apparently, the July dates have already started to be given out and I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A CALL!! :censored: I am so not good at waiting. I suck at waiting actually. I'm trying to hold on and keep hope alive, but, I'm so ready to go that I want to cry!! Part of it is that, as of right now, I am not scared and want to get my surgery over with before fear can take hold. The more I read, the more I feel fear trying to creep in. I have a very vivid imagination and it is taking all of my energy to keep my mind focused away from the fear factor of this surgery. I am losing ground on that front, however, and now, I just want to cry! I am so tired of being on the waiting side of this. The Bariatric Coordinator at the hospital where I am having my surgery always says "You didn't get this way overnight", so you should be able to wait to get the surgery (or something to this effect) and every time she says this I want to HIT HER!!! :angry: OK, forgive my ranting, I'm just extremely frustrated and want my surgery! :frusty:

[kellyw74 258]

Hi Deevah!

I just wanted to let you know that I started my journey with WLS last September 2010. I was diagnosed with diabetes and high blood pressure in the spring of 2010 and that just was not going to work for me! I have several family member with type 2 diabetes, including my mother and I see the effects first hand this disease can do. I WAS NOT going to let that happen to me.

I know waiting is frustrating, but just know that this is truely a gift from GOD and that it took me 6 months to go thru the program with Kaiser here in California. Yes, it seemed like a lifetime, but it WAS SO WORTH IT!! You are worth it and you will get there, just be paitent and it will all work out!

Best of luck to you!

Kelly

[virtygirl 11]

Hi Deevah (& Lexusgirl),

Just wanted to check in and say that I can so relate to this process. I live in Bowie, MD and I have been at the process with Kaiser mid-Atlantic since June of 2010. I too attended the sessions at Holy Cross with Dr. Cantor. I also really liked his no nonsense approach, however, his waiting list, as already stated by Deevah, was incredibly long. Interestingly enough my approval was supposed to go to the board on 3/15 as well and was delayed, but I didn't know the meeting had been postponed. We actually received our approval during the same week.

I am seeing Dr. von Rueden who is affiliated with St. Agnes in Baltimore. After following my surgeon's process for the past couple of months, I have finally received my surgery date of August 2. I too, was hoping for a July date, but alas it was not to be.

So happy to meet fellow Marylanders, going through the process around the same time as I am.

Virtygirl

[Deevah 3]

So.....I GOT MY DATE!!! FINALLY!!!! I will be sleeved on August 31st and I am...scared, ready and anxious all rolled into one! I am supposed to start my pre-op diet on 8/17, but I'm going to start 8/15 with a fellow Dr. Cantor patient who will be sleeved a few days before me (hey Ms E!! :wave: ). I will update after my physical appointment which is some time next month. I am so excited to FINALLY be on my way! A new me is just around the corner! ttyl

Deevah :woot:

[SKCUNNINGHAM 298]

Congratulations! I am happy for you to have your surgery date. I had a thought to help you pass the time since you will be impatiently waiting for your date. One thing you could do sometime in this interim before surgery is to organize your closet into sizes. I didn't do that before surgery and it would have helped. You will be changing sizes rapidly, and it is easier to have the different sizes easily accessible when you need them. I had clothes stashed all over my house and in storage - and by the time I found some things - I had already shrunk past the size they were - so they went to the donation pile.

Good luck!