Wow I had quite the experience yesterday. I was in my local emergency ward with throat closed up so tight I couldn't swallow my spit (strep throat, nothing to do with the band) But the larger sized nurse started asking my about recent surgeries etc. I told her about the band. She looked at me in disgust and said I was too small to have that done, and that SHE would certainly not pay thousands for dollars for the procedure. I mumbled something about her not knowing my family history and my weight history of the 50 up 50 down pattern. She was right in my face about it. She was of course obese and her attitude was almost disdainful, like I could not claim the privilege of being fat enough to get the band. This was my first really negative response to telling someone. It surprised me coming from a health professional. I have come to the conclusion that I don't care. what she thinks. Only we can decide what is best for us.

Oh My Gosh!!! I am so angry after reading your post. First, that there is still such a stigma attached to WLS and second that it came from a nurse! I'm in nursing school and from day one they teach you how to care for a patient, not judge them. As a nurse you don't have to agree with the patient's choice or even like it personally, but you never, ever get in their face about it. That causes distrust in the medical system and you might not be so willing to share your problems and/or concerns next time. How horrible!! It's people like her that give nurses a bad name. I hope you know that all nurses are not like that. She was completely unprofessional and out of line. I'm sorry you had that experience and I hope you feel better soon!!

Last semester I did my clinical at a hospital that advertises as "bariatric friendly". One week I had a patient who was banded. She was completely honest about her band and it was in her chart. She did not get an unfill before coming into the hospital. This poor lady had the worst time getting something she could eat. There was nothing on the menu that was really "band friendly" and she had some other restrictions as well. I discussed this with her nurse and did what I could to bring her things she could have, but two days later, she still hadn't eaten much of anything. I was so mad that a hospital that does WLS and has programs for WLS patients couldn't even feed a banded patient. So shameful!! In my final eval at the end of the semester, I ripped them a new one on paper. I don't know if it will do any good or not, but it sure made me feel better. :frown:

Wow how rude. I would've told her that it's none of her business and given her my best bitch look and then I would've told the doctor I don't appreciate her opinion. She's just a miserable person trapped because she doesn't want to do anything about her situation.

I was so mad that a hospital that does WLS and has programs for WLS patients couldn't even feed a banded patient. So shameful!! In my final eval at the end of the semester, I ripped them a new one on paper. I don't know if it will do any good or not, but it sure made me feel better. :frown:

Dang.. Makes me look forward to my local hospital. They've actually dedicated a wing for WLS patients: single rooms (except a couple reserved for couples going through surgery together), suitable furnishings. I can't speak on the food yet, but I'm expecting it to be appropriate.

But as for this idea of "priviledge" obesity.. in what sense is it any sort of honor?

I'd have been hard-pressed to not call that nurse a fat cow to her face. It would have been ironic and cruel, but sometimes people need to get slapped into doing the right thing.

Dang.. Makes me look forward to my local hospital. They've actually dedicated a wing for WLS patients: single rooms (except a couple reserved for couples going through surgery together), suitable furnishings. I can't speak on the food yet, but I'm expecting it to be appropriate.

But as for this idea of "priviledge" obesity.. in what sense is it any sort of honor?

I'd have been hard-pressed to not call that nurse a fat cow to her face. It would have been ironic and cruel, but sometimes people need to get slapped into doing the right thing.

Wow, your local hospital sounds great. Let us know how it is. When are you being banded?

Wow, your local hospital sounds great. Let us know how it is. When are you being banded?

This would be Overlake Hospital in Bellevue, WA. Group Health has a facility on the same campus, and uses it for their bariatric program.

My surgery's 30 June. I just had my pre-op visit/Q&A/exam with the surgeon (Bock), who says it'll probably work out well for me (which is good, since I already paid for the required nutritional support program). I've already met the other requirements, including the weight loss so, as he puts it, anything I take off between now and then is gravy (an amusing way to put it -- I don't know if that was intended).

This is why I don't tell anyone that does not need to know about my band. People are too quick to draw opinions without knowing all your personal history. It is a big decision to get the band and it sounds like she was jealous. She was unprofessional and her supervisor needed to know this so she will know how to conduct herself in the future.

If I were you I would go back to that hospital and report that nurse. She had absolutely no right saying the things she did, what you said was right, she doesn't know your family history and honestly the way she reacted I'm suprised she works there. If I had a nurse say anything like to me I would report them to the director/board of the hospital. Extremely unprofessional.

This would be Overlake Hospital in Bellevue, WA. Group Health has a facility on the same campus, and uses it for their bariatric program.

My surgery's 30 June. I just had my pre-op visit/Q&A/exam with the surgeon (Bock), who says it'll probably work out well for me (which is good, since I already paid for the required nutritional support program). I've already met the other requirements, including the weight loss so, as he puts it, anything I take off between now and then is gravy (an amusing way to put it -- I don't know if that was intended).

LOL, yeah gravy! Sounds like you are ready to go. Good luck!!