Re: Hunter and St. 's in NJ

[Guest guest]

Hi and everybody

I spoke with the other day....she sounds like she is doing fine physically...but I think she is not doing as well emotionally....obviously this is big time surgery and she needs to take care of herself, but I'm not sure how supportive her hubby and family are and she has 2 year old twins to care for....I told her I'm only 45 minutes away but I think it would do her good to hear from some of us....I'm not even pre op yet but I think she is feeling isolated...I suggested a support group that is out of St. 's University Hospital in NJ where we live...since I'm still looking about concerning doctors...I hope to go to a meeting to ask some questions....and I hope I can grab her to come....she is without a computer right now so that adds to the aloneness I think she is feeling...She seems like a really nice person...I think she would welcome the calls...I will give out her number only because she has posted it previously....It is .

Sorta on the subject but not....I was wondering if anybody here has heard of a Dr. Brolin out of St. s University Hospital....he does DS but only open and I have dealt with the hospital staff before as I had my son there and my daughter has been hospitalized with her asthma...I would appreciate any feedback on him....I'm not thrilled at having an open procedure but I would consider it if there was some positive feedback about the doctor and it is a big plus to have him and the hospital only 25 minutes away Also, the staff at the office was sooooooo nice....a great thing about this doctor so far is that when he sent me the paperwork to fill out...he included a list, with telephone number and names, of all the patients in the support group...I have yet to call but I will be doing so shortly...I just wanted to know if anybody out there has heard of him....thanks so much and despite the bickering that has been going on of late...I beg all the post-ops and all the experienced people to not leave...We who are still searching need you guys who have paved the way....nothing beats experience...

Cindy S

[Guest guest]

Hi Cindy,

I don't know anything about your doctor but I can speak to the issue

of open vs. lap. As a nurse this was something that I thought long

and hard about. The biggest benefit to having a lap procedure is

length of stay in the hospital. Much of the push to do procedures

such as this lap is that fact, the insurance companies and the

hospitals love the fact that you aren't sucking up a bed for a couple

of days longer. Your recovery time afterwards can also be shorter,

but this varies. When you read the list much of the recovery process

isn't so much dealing with the incision it's adjusting to eating and

staying hydrated. Also it has a lot to do with energy levels. Both of

these seem to varying depending on the person, not so much the

procedure and whether it was open or lap.

Now for why I chose to be open. When having a surgery of this

magnitude I want my surgeon to have the best possible field of vision

which to me, means an incision. I think that this reduces your risk

for leaks and other complications. I also don't want to be under

anesthesia any longer than I have to be and frequently lap takes

longer than open.

Those are my reasons, hope they help. Ultimately a few extra days in

the hospital or getting back to work a little sooner doesn't amount

to much compared to our days on this earth.

July 6th, open DS with Dr. Anthone

-I was wondering if anybody here has heard of

> a Dr. Brolin out of St. s University Hospital....he

does DS but

> only open and I have dealt with the hospital staff before as I had

my son

> there and my daughter has been hospitalized with her asthma...I

would

> appreciate any feedback on him....I'm not thrilled at having an

open

> procedure but I would consider it if there was some positive

feedback about

> the doctor and it is a big plus to have him and the hospital only

25 minutes

> away

[Guest guest]

thanks ...I could always use a professional view on this.

Cindy S

[Guest guest]

Best of Luck ....

Cindy S

[Guest guest]

,

I am glad I read your post. Dr. Herron said he has me

scheduled for a LAP possibly OPEN BPD/DS for August

1st and from what people have told me personally was

to lose the excess weight so he can do the LAP because

it is better. I thought the same thing you did

regarding the fact that I would like him to see the

" whole picture " . I have fears that he might miss

something just by using the little hole. Maybe I am

paranoid, but I want this to go as smoothly as

possible! I will keep you in my prayers and good luck

to you!

Sandy in DE

--- @... wrote:

> Hi Cindy,

>

> I don't know anything about your doctor but I can

> speak to the issue

> of open vs. lap. As a nurse this was something that

> I thought long

> and hard about. The biggest benefit to having a lap

> procedure is

> length of stay in the hospital. Much of the push to

> do procedures

> such as this lap is that fact, the insurance

> companies and the

> hospitals love the fact that you aren't sucking up a

> bed for a couple

> of days longer. Your recovery time afterwards can

> also be shorter,

> but this varies. When you read the list much of the

> recovery process

> isn't so much dealing with the incision it's

> adjusting to eating and

> staying hydrated. Also it has a lot to do with

> energy levels. Both of

> these seem to varying depending on the person, not

> so much the

> procedure and whether it was open or lap.

>

> Now for why I chose to be open. When having a

> surgery of this

> magnitude I want my surgeon to have the best

> possible field of vision

> which to me, means an incision. I think that this

> reduces your risk

> for leaks and other complications. I also don't want

> to be under

> anesthesia any longer than I have to be and

> frequently lap takes

> longer than open.

>

> Those are my reasons, hope they help. Ultimately a

> few extra days in

> the hospital or getting back to work a little sooner

> doesn't amount

> to much compared to our days on this earth.

>

>

> July 6th, open DS with Dr. Anthone

>

>

>

>

>

>

> -I was wondering if anybody here has heard of

> > a Dr. Brolin out of St. s University

> Hospital....he

> does DS but

> > only open and I have dealt with the hospital staff

> before as I had

> my son

> > there and my daughter has been hospitalized with

> her asthma...I

> would

> > appreciate any feedback on him....I'm not thrilled

> at having an

> open

> > procedure but I would consider it if there was

> some positive

> feedback about

> > the doctor and it is a big plus to have him and

> the hospital only

> 25 minutes

> > away

>

>

>

----------------------------------------------------------------------

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Sandy, I plan on having an uneventful surgery and post op

course.

Ultimately we have to do what feels best to us.

Good luck!

July 6th with Dr. Anthone, open DS

> ,

>

> I am glad I read your post. Dr. Herron said he has me

> scheduled for a LAP possibly OPEN BPD/DS for August

> 1st and from what people have told me personally was

> to lose the excess weight so he can do the LAP because

> it is better. I thought the same thing you did

> regarding the fact that I would like him to see the

> " whole picture " . I have fears that he might miss

> something just by using the little hole. Maybe I am

> paranoid, but I want this to go as smoothly as

> possible! I will keep you in my prayers and good luck

> to you!

>

[Guest guest]

Your welcome Cindy, you need to do the best thing for you. Don't

think that lap surgery means that you don't have any incisions, I

would estimate that the several incisions that are used during lap

surgery equal the length of a open DS incision, they are just smaller

and more of them.

July 6th - less than 48 hours until switch time!

> thanks ...I could always use a professional view on this.

>

> Cindy S