Searching for 2 and 3 year post-ops

November 26, 2000

This is a copy of my previous post. I didn't get any responses, so perhaps

it did not get through.

Hello All.....I have been mostly " lurking " since joining the mailing list. I

am a pre-op hopeful, who is considering surgery with either Dr. Rutledge or

with Dr. Gagner at Mt. Sinai in New York. At this point, I am leaning toward

Dr. R., but I have also heard very positive things about Dr. Gagner. My PCP

is supportive of the surgery with either, but her preferance is for me to go

to Mt. Sinai which is closer to my home in upstate New York. I am very

conflicted about which way to go. I have been e-mailing post-ops privately

for a while now, and I am so impressed with their progess and the degree to

which they are prepared going into this procedure. I am a medical social

worker by profession, and my work is very much focused on assisting people

who have difficult medical choices. Now I have my own difficult choice. I am

very much in accord with Dr. R.'s requirement for a

psychiatric/psychological evaluation, by the way. Anyone considering

elective surgery which entails significant permanent lifestyle changes needs

to be very carefully evaluated, to assess their capacity to deal with the

stress and challenges associated with those changes. (From what I have

observed on this site, I am confident that none of you have anything to fear

from this evaluation. You all seem very together and well-informed.) My PCP

has suggested that I try and speak also with post-ops who are " farther out "

from the procedure. I know that Dr. R. has been performing the MGB for only

about 3 years. It would be very helpful to me to have an opportunity to hear

from some of the 2 and 3 year post-ops. How do I go about doing this. Is

there a separate list for them? If so, how do I go about posting to it? I'm

sure you will all be hearing a lot more from me from now on. Thanks in

advance for your support. Goodluck to this week's troupe of dancers. And

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

Alice

________________________________________________________________________________\

_____

Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com

November 27, 2000

Esmonda,

Have you looked on the clos.net site where there are a list of post-ops and

their e-mails? You sound very together your own self. Does Mt. Sinai offer the

procedure laparoscopically? That was the big thing for me (I only had mine on

11/9). Not being cut open is so much easier on your body.

Good luck,

Sperb

>>> esmonda1@... 11/26/00 06:49PM >>>