Re: Hello! Just got my approval!

[Guest guest]

Hi Amy-

I am also from the Sacramento area and has my surgery through SSF.

I was accepted by SSF in November but had to wait until February for

my first appt there. After that, it actually went rather fast. My

appts were set up out of order for some reason, so I met with Beth

the nutritionist before I had my official orientation appointment.

I asked her if she could document my official starting weight so I

could get started losing and she agreed. Usually, your weight at

their orientation is taken as your starting weight. By the time I

had my first appt. with Dr. Stiles on April 20th she told me I had

lost all that was needed (even though I had never had an official

amount assigned) and " fast-tracked " me.

They require you attend some pre-surgery orientations & support

groups. Some of the meetings are up here but the " fast track " ones

are only in SSF at this time. You are also supposed to maintain a

food/water/exercise log and a daily journal.

I had my surgery on May 25 and only stayed one night in the

hospital. My husband & I went down the day before and I did the

blood work that they require be done in SSF lab. We stayed at a

hotel right next door for about $50 and walked across the parking

lot for my 6:30 am surgery. Dr. Umbach was my surgeon and I have

recovered well. I had five small incisions and was back to doing

aquacize after two weeks (with his approval).

The process seemed like it took forever from the point my primary

care physician first referred me last summer but I realize now that

there was really a lot of mental housecleaning that I needed to do,

so it worked out well.

It is my understanding that they are revising some of their appt.

requirements and support classes so your experience may be different

than mine. Also, they did not require a psych evaluation like some

of the other centers do. I know that they used to but my impression

was they didn't have the necessary staff available.

Good luck!

Sherri

Starting weight (2-17-05): 320.5

Weight one week before surgery (5-17-05): 287.5

Weight on 6-30-05: 255

>

> > Just wondering if anyone lives in the Sacramento

> > area and has had oe

> > is having surgery in South San Francisco Kaiser? I

> > just got a call

> > today that I was approved. Now what and how long?

> > Thanks, Amy