RE: Re: Responses

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 9/22/2000 3:11:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

pandapal66@... writes:

<< And I thank all of you who have promised to pray for

me.

Sincerely,

Gwen DeWitt

Dancing with The Doctor 9/27

>>

Good Luck Gwen!!!!!!! you'll be in my prayers!!!

Cathy Morrow in Lenoir, NC

BMI 42

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your post, Gloria. I am following you

by one week (10/04) and I feel I have done so

much research and feel this is the right choice

for me. But I also had moments of anxiety -

wondering whether my excitement about finding a

new life was making me not reflect fully on the

risks of this surgery and the possiblilty of a

failed procedure.

But as I have reflected on all that has been

posted here over the last few weeks, I do believe

that I have seriously considered the risks and

possible complications. And I think that is

exactly what Dr. R wants us to do. If we don't

understand just what the possibilities are, we

cannot make an informed decision about this

surgery. I will go forward as an informed

consumer, knowing the risks and benefits. It is my

decision to make, and I feel comfortable making it

after all of the research I have done about this

and other procedures.

Knowing about the complications helps us know what

to look for if we aren't feeling right after

surgery. And hearing Kathi's experience with the

other emergency room lets me know just how

important it is to have Dr. R involved if there is

a problem, to avoid mis-diagnosis by someone who

isn't familiar with the procedure.

So even though there are risks and many possible

complications, I am ready for my surgery and am

going into to it with my eyes wide open. Good

luck next week - to you and all your littermates.

- waiting in Chicago - MGB 10/04

RE: Responses

> I want to thank all of you who have responded to

my request for your

> thoughts and experiences. I did not want to stir

up all this again,

> but I needed some last minute reassurance that I

had left no stone

> unturned. I have been reading and re-reading my

manuel for months, i

> have talked to many, many patients of Dr. R's I

have researched the

> MGB on and off the web. I have gotten to know my

PCP better than I

> ever cared to, while spending a considerable

amount of time exploring

> all the online info and what he could find. And

when it all came

> together there was no bad side to it.( Nothing

any different than any

> other surgery I have had). So it never occured

to me to ask for the

> bad news until this all came up with and I

realized I had left

> a stone unturned. As I explained to someone

else, My heart knew

> exactly what I wanted and what I was going to

do, but for one weak

> moment I let my head get in the way.

> In the past 3 hours I have received over 40

responses privately, not

> to mention those openly and I now know I have

left no stone unturned

> and come Sunday Morning I am Durham bound. I

have the utmost respect

> for Dr Rutledge and trust him totally. As far as

his follow up care,

> I have had 4 surgeries and have never layed eyes

on my surgeon again

> after my surgery was over and I left the

hospital, Nor have I had one

> who put the responsability of staying in touch

with him in my ADULT

> hands.

> I thank all of you for your willingness to share

your experiences

> with me and your cander in doing so. I thank you

for your support

> during the time I have tried for insurance

approval, getting my

> packet ready, and your excitement for me when I

announced I had a

> date to dance. And I thank all of you who have

promised to pray for

> me.

> Sincerely,

> Gwen DeWitt

> Dancing with The Doctor 9/27

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I never took any of your posts as particularly

negative - I think they have been really

informative. I think it's important for us to

hear about all of it - the great successes, the

complications, the slow weight losses - the more I

know, the more prepared I will be. Thanks for

your postings, Kathi,

- waiting in Chicago

RE: Responses

> >

> >

> > > I want to thank all of you who have

responded to

> > my request for your

> > > thoughts and experiences. I did not want to

stir

> > up all this again,

> > > but I needed some last minute reassurance

that I

> > had left no stone

> > > unturned. I have been reading and re-reading

my

> > manuel for months, i

> > > have talked to many, many patients of Dr.

R's I

> > have researched the

> > > MGB on and off the web. I have gotten to

know my

> > PCP better than I

> > > ever cared to, while spending a considerable

> > amount of time exploring

> > > all the online info and what he could find.

And

> > when it all came

> > > together there was no bad side to

t.( Nothing

> > any different than any

> > > other surgery I have had). So it never

occured

> > to me to ask for the

> > > bad news until this all came up with

and I

> > realized I had left

> > > a stone unturned. As I explained to someone

> > else, My heart knew

> > > exactly what I wanted and what I was going

to

> > do, but for one weak

> > > moment I let my head get in the way.

> > > In the past 3 hours I have received over 40

> > responses privately, not

> > > to mention those openly and I now know I

have

> > left no stone unturned

> > > and come Sunday Morning I am Durham bound. I

> > have the utmost respect

> > > for Dr Rutledge and trust him totally. As

far as

> > his follow up care,

> > > I have had 4 surgeries and have never layed

eyes

> > on my surgeon again

> > > after my surgery was over and I left the

> > hospital, Nor have I had one

> > > who put the responsability of staying in

touch

> > with him in my ADULT

> > > hands.

> > > I thank all of you for your willingness to

share

> > your experiences

> > > with me and your cander in doing so. I thank

you

> > for your support

> > > during the time I have tried for insurance

> > approval, getting my

> > > packet ready, and your excitement for me

when I

> > announced I had a

> > > date to dance. And I thank all of you who

have

> > promised to pray for

> > > me.

> > > Sincerely,

> > > Gwen DeWitt

> > > Dancing with The Doctor 9/27

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

Kathi, (and others)

This might cheer you up a bit. I was a " slow loser " at my first month weigh

in. " Only " 23 lbs. down. I was concerned and dismayed because it seemed

others were posting 30+ losses for the same time period. At 3 months, I was

exactly average - 50 lbs. That cheered me up a bit, but as I've always been

an " above average " type of person, I was still only OK with it.

I am now 4 months post op, down 62 lbs, and I'm 4 lbs. " ahead " of the game.

That makes me thrilled!!!

Just so you know, if you're a slow loser in the beginning, maybe you didn't

have as much water weight as some, or maybe you had recently lost weight and

didn't have as much " cushion " . Whatever - it doesn't matter.

I can't say this applies to anyone but me, but I am so happy I had the guts

to go for it. Don't doubt this surgery until you've given it adequate time

to work. I doubted that it would work for me, and I posted about it. I'm

ever so happy to have to eat my words!!!

Thanks again Dr. R,

Amy.

_____________________________________________

Amy S. Poe

MGB 5/22/2000 *I made it!*

280/218/140

http://onhealth.com/women/in-depth/item/item,91744_1_1.asp

Re: Responses

Good for you! I do hope no one took any of my comments as

suggestions that they not have the surgery. I too looked at

everything, even a death, and made my own decision. At 7 weeks

postop, I feel it is far too early to make any determination as to

whether I made a good or bad decision. I wish I had lost more weight

at this point--but that doesn't mean that I regret what I have done.

And I do believe that Dr. R does want us to post freely--if you're

the kind of person (NOT saying YOU are!) that will think an infection

is the sign of a surgery done incorrectly, then you very probably

shouldn't have surgery! Dr R did nothing to cause my infection. I

just would have felt better if I had seen him more when I was in the

hospital!

You're right--we are all adults, and as such, we all form our own

opinions. You are wise to ask for as many opinions as you can get--

and to then sift through them and make your own decision.

Good luck to you--

Kathi

> Thanks for your post, Gloria. I am following you

> by one week (10/04) and I feel I have done so

> much research and feel this is the right choice

> for me. But I also had moments of anxiety -

> wondering whether my excitement about finding a

> new life was making me not reflect fully on the

> risks of this surgery and the possiblilty of a

> failed procedure.

>

> But as I have reflected on all that has been

> posted here over the last few weeks, I do believe

> that I have seriously considered the risks and

> possible complications. And I think that is

> exactly what Dr. R wants us to do. If we don't

> understand just what the possibilities are, we

> cannot make an informed decision about this

> surgery. I will go forward as an informed

> consumer, knowing the risks and benefits. It is my

> decision to make, and I feel comfortable making it

> after all of the research I have done about this

> and other procedures.

>

> Knowing about the complications helps us know what

> to look for if we aren't feeling right after

> surgery. And hearing Kathi's experience with the

> other emergency room lets me know just how

> important it is to have Dr. R involved if there is

> a problem, to avoid mis-diagnosis by someone who

> isn't familiar with the procedure.

>

> So even though there are risks and many possible

> complications, I am ready for my surgery and am

> going into to it with my eyes wide open. Good

> luck next week - to you and all your littermates.

>

>

> - waiting in Chicago - MGB 10/04

>

> RE: Responses

>

>

> > I want to thank all of you who have responded to

> my request for your

> > thoughts and experiences. I did not want to stir

> up all this again,

> > but I needed some last minute reassurance that I

> had left no stone

> > unturned. I have been reading and re-reading my

> manuel for months, i

> > have talked to many, many patients of Dr. R's I

> have researched the

> > MGB on and off the web. I have gotten to know my

> PCP better than I

> > ever cared to, while spending a considerable

> amount of time exploring

> > all the online info and what he could find. And

> when it all came

> > together there was no bad side to it.( Nothing

> any different than any

> > other surgery I have had). So it never occured

> to me to ask for the

> > bad news until this all came up with and I

> realized I had left

> > a stone unturned. As I explained to someone

> else, My heart knew

> > exactly what I wanted and what I was going to

> do, but for one weak

> > moment I let my head get in the way.

> > In the past 3 hours I have received over 40

> responses privately, not

> > to mention those openly and I now know I have

> left no stone unturned

> > and come Sunday Morning I am Durham bound. I

> have the utmost respect

> > for Dr Rutledge and trust him totally. As far as

> his follow up care,

> > I have had 4 surgeries and have never layed eyes

> on my surgeon again

> > after my surgery was over and I left the

> hospital, Nor have I had one

> > who put the responsability of staying in touch

> with him in my ADULT

> > hands.

> > I thank all of you for your willingness to share

> your experiences

> > with me and your cander in doing so. I thank you

> for your support

> > during the time I have tried for insurance

> approval, getting my

> > packet ready, and your excitement for me when I

> announced I had a

> > date to dance. And I thank all of you who have

> promised to pray for

> > me.

> > Sincerely,

> > Gwen DeWitt

> > Dancing with The Doctor 9/27

> >

> >

> >