My surgery was scheduled for tomorrow, 10/15. I made arrangements with work, travel, recuperation, etc. bought the stuff I am supposed to eat in the days/weeks following the surgery + checked into the hotel where I will be staying for at least one week after surgery to recuperate, etc. (not to mention Optifast for 2 weeks). So this morning I get a call from my doctor's office. They wanted to change the location of my surgery from Trinity Medical Center - a hospital - to a "surgery center" a few minutes away from the hospital. Why, I asked. Because my doctor (Frank Veninga in Carrollton, TX) is having a conflict with the hospital over a patient care issue and therefore wants to move the surgeries from the Trinity Medical Center to the surgery center. I want my procedure done in a hospital. So then doctor's assistant said that I could have it done in the hospital if I want to wait until first week in November. (How that makes sense with the whole doctor-hospital conflict re: patient care, I don't understand.) So I asked about two more weeks of Optifast and she said "Oh, we could not ask you to do that because you've been on it two weeks and that would not be fair." And I said "Forget fair, I want to do what is medically necessary so do I need to do Optifast two weeks before the new date because it is required medically?" And she said no and that all you really need to do to shrink the liver is to follow Optifast for two days prior to the surgery!!!! The rest of the time (other 12 days) is to get a jump start on weight loss so before/after the surgery when the patient will feel like she has already accomplished something.

I am so bummed about so many things. Yes, the surgery date, but also the fact that my doctor would want me to go to a surgical center when one of the main reasons I selected him was because he does his surgeries at a hospital. Also, the fact that they waited less then 24 hours before the scheduled surgery to spring this on me. (After I traveled 300 miles to Dallas, after I checked into hotel and moved in enough stuff to live for a while, after 2 weeks of Optifast, after I scheduled a service to deliver me to/escort me in and return me from the hospital and escort me to my hotel room and the morning of my pre-op meeting at the hospital!!!)

So now I am down on the whole surgery. I am having so many doubts. And that makes me thing that I should not go into such a life altering procedure if I have these doubts. And then the superstitious part of me thinks that these are "signs" that I should not have the surgery.

I am very confused and stressed and that makes me want my comfort food. So far I've downed 2 of the optifast shakes this morning. My stomach is not hungry. My head wants a huge chicken cesar salad.

Any thoughts?

Any regrets?

Any suggestions?

Thank you!

I am soooo very sorry this happened! Since I was self-pay - I have a few dates and a couple of cancellations, because of financing - but never got as far as you... so I am TRULY Sorry.

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I agree,

you have come so far and have prepared so much - why not just do it? I went to a surgical center before going where I went. If they would have taken my financing - I so would have preferred going there. As a matter of fact, I talked with so many surgical centers and they were just on the ball! They knew what you needed and were ready and prepared.

I really, really like my surgeon and his office staff works just like a surgical center; however, his surgerys are done at a local hospital. I've forwarded them a nice long message. Cause those folks at that hospital were absolutely incentive to my lapband needs. When I arrived at 5:30am for my 8:30am procedure, there were approximately 15+ other folks there for other stuff and after having waited to be almost LAST to have my name called.. there were at least 20+ folks in there - a madhouse of folks for all sorts of stuff. When I arrived on the floor, the care was just not there. My husband took care of me. In the middle of the night I had an excellent, well-seasoned nurse. The next morning - I was totally unsatsfied with the care again. None of the other nurses knew what I could/couldn't have (I learned more of that while on this site) and was telling them!

Personally, I truly believe the surgical centers are professionals in the needs of a lapband patient. And most everyone I called and/or visited, a co-worker or two at each place had been banded!

Good Luck with your decision, either way.

I just wanted to say something. You keep saying that you want to be somewhere where they're equiped for things that could go wrong...the surgery center that I go to has just about everything they would need if something went wrong. If your surgeon was concerned with you having problems because of your health he/she would tell you that it needs to be done at a hospital. Did you at least go and visit the surgery center? Or tell your surgeon how you feel about the switch? Try talking with him/her so that they know your feelings...that may help you make your decision as well...

I work in a Surgery Center, and sure wish I could have my surgery there rather than in the hospital....... I don't want to stay overnight where I won't be comfortable. I much prefer being in my bed in my house wearing what I want and not having to deal with staff not answering call lights, etc. (To say nothing about infectious diseases that folks tend to get in hospitals!) I do, however, understand your frustration with not being notified sooner. Hang in there, and it will all work out. Good luck to you!