Do you really want this?

[Guest guest]

I'll probably get censored off this list for posting this but I think

it's worth reading for those who are collecting information.

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Subj: Re: [gastricbypass] Wait until you find the right Doctor

Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2000 10:46:58 PM Eastern Daylight Time

From: GDF45@...

To: gastricbypass (AT) egroups (DOT) com

I went thru two Doctors before I found the right one. The first one

(In North Carolina) was rude to the people who attended his clinic.

When I checked in I was asked for 3500 dollars. I was thrilled. I

thought that I was just going to meet him but I had E-mailed three

times and not gotten an answer. I had asked to have the surgery on

the same week of the clinic. I had driven with a friend for 10 hours

in pouring rain. When I signed in and was asked for such a large

amount of money I thought that he had gotten my e-mails. I asked his

staff if I was down for surgery. I was told YES! I went to the

clinic and the doctor was rude from the start. Someone asked about

insurance and he said " do I look like an insurance agent? " He

then spent two hours defending himself against some women who had

taken a web site against him. I asked about diet coke and he said " I

give you a new chance atlife and you whine about not having a diet

coke. " We were all weighed in front of the others then we saw him

one by one for five minutes. I watched his surgery on tape and was

very impressed. I had E-mailed lots of his patients and they had

been thrilled with his results. During my five minutes I begged him

to do the surgery. I had done all of the paper work and jumped thru

all of the hoops that he required. Also, I was self pay so I did not

need insurance approval. He said that he would do the surgery if his

nurse could fit me in the schedule. She said that they could do it

on Friday. I was so thrilled that I could hardly contain myself.

The next day I went and paid the hospital 11,000 dollars. I called

and gave anestheology my credit card. I went to the Durham hospital

and registered. It was all done. I called my husband to fly in from

overseas and got my children squared away.

I called my elderly parents and my friends and told them that I had

been accepted. I had the hotel hold my room and my friends room for

10 more days.My last stop was to get pre-op and post-op drugs. When

the pharmacy handed me my drugs they were 628.00 At this point I said

I would go to the hotel and see if my drug card would (hopefully)

cover some of the cost. When I got to my room, my phone's light was

blinking. I thought that it was my DAD (for the 10th time). Much to

my shock, it was DR.Rutledge's nurse. All she said was " Dr. Rutledge

has decided not to do your surgery. Pack up and go

home. " I was in shock! I called and asked to speak to Barbara (the

nurse). At first she said that I did not have all my paper work

done. I told her that I had a copy of everything and asked if I

could bring the papers to the office.The she said " No " " The Doctor

does not like this rush rush. " I started to sob and said that I had

even gone by the pharmacy. I had everything finished. How could she

be so cruel.She told me to pack up. The Doctor never called. I left

Durham sobbing. I have never seen any one play such a cruel

and unprofessional game with peoples lives and feelings. When I got

back home, my best friends said to swallow my pride, redo all of the

paper work and call and apologize to the nurse. I did all of this

and was rudely told to reapply in five months. " Will he take me in

five months? " I asked. " I don't know, " she rudely answered. I

pathetically E-mailed the doctor and asked if it was possible to be

given a surgery date. He never replied. It chills me that I was so

desperate that I would have let such a cruel, cold hearted man cut on

me. He dismissed me as if I was Nothing. I will never know why. I

really do not think that there was a problem with me

personally.Something came up in his life and I was disposable. He

dismissed me without a second thought of the cost or affect that it

would have on my life. When I called for my money I was told that

there was a 250.00 fee for the clinic.This was the first that I had

heard this. Sorry that this is so long. In hind site' I know that

thing work out for the best.