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Surgeon Testimonial

Robert G. Martindale, M.D., Ph.D.


12/02/05
I recently emailed Dr. Martindale to see how he's doing. He was so nice as always. This man is amazing. I can't even imagine someone so thoughtful and passionate about a field like this, but he his truly devoted to helping those people like myself who have lost all hope of living anymore. I just hope he know's what a difference he's made in so many people's lives.




4/15/2005
I went to see Dr. Martindale for the last time before he leaves for his new job in Oregon. I will miss him so much. I gave him a heart shaped box filled with Hersey kisses. I told him at this point I had lost 250 pounds. I had counted out the kisses and give him one for each pound I had lost. This man is amazing. He's been such an inspiration in all that he does for other. He took on my case when no one else would do it and for that I can't thank him enough. He's saved my life and my husbands. I can't ever repay someone for doing something so special for me. Dr. Martindale will be grately missed at MCG. What a shame to lose such a special surgeon.



2/16/2004

I will have to tell you. I've been to now going on my fourth surgeon. Up to this point I was not 100% impressed with the ones that I had gone to. There was something about each one of them that held me back from wanting them to do surgery. I feel extremely BLESSED to have Dr. Martindale as my soon to be surgeon. This man is HIGHLY educated in this field. When we came in to meet me he was very friendly and kind. I felt like he was concerned about me. You could tell from the way that he talked about this that it was a passion for him to help people. He gave time for me to ask questions and did so very wonderfully. He made me feel very good knowing he deals with many patients that are over 500 pounds and has a true concern for those super obese. There are NOT many in this field that will even do surgery on someone these sizes, yet he takes the chance and helps us. What a man! Just to tell you some pluses. He takes the gallbladder out during surgery, he said it only take 3 minutes while your there. I said what about insurance, he said he doesn't charge them for it. He's done over 500 bariatric surgeries dealing with mostly high risk patients. He said to keep in mind he also does other surgeries such as hernia repairs, and other gastrointestinal surgeries, as well as be a professor, and he goes to other countries donating his time to help the less fortunate. He's done maybe 50 patients under 500 pounds the rest where over 500 pounds. He said the average BMI is 60, whereas most are around 45. I felt a huge relief that he's so experienced with high weights. The highest weight he did was over 900 pounds. I asked him about deaths. He has not had a patient die on the OR table. He has however lost 7 patients and he went into full details of each one, he said that patients had died anywhere between 8weeks to a year for various reason. He's only had 3 leaks. I asked him about certain patients and he remembered each one of them. That said a lot. Anyway I spent an hour and a half with him. He also knows and understands about my lymphedema. He felt that I would lose a good bit of weight from therapy. I could tell how he spoke that this was a passion. He said he does this surgery to save people's lives and give them life back. I fell in love with him. While he was talking to me I could see a glow around him. It was the most amazing experience, when we left I KNEW it was right and had major relief. I fully trust him and would put my life in his hands.



8-18-2003
I orginally went to Dr. Gooden in Augusta. He said that he didn't have an OR table big enough for me. Dr. Goodens staff was fine, I just wish someone there would have asked prior about my weight instead of waisting my time and the surgeons time. I was disappointed. This is just my opinion I would not recommend some to go to this surgeon. I was not impressed with his office or how his program was set up for the obese. I am now going to see Dr Burrowes in Atlanta on the 29th of October.



10-7-2003
I went to a Siminar for Dr. Duncan. I will say that I was quite impressed with this man. He is very smart, and had great dry humor! I would recommend him to anyone. His program is very well set up and he took the time after the siminar to talk with me personally. He only now does the Lap RNY. He does however have associates that do the open percedure too. I sent my packet to them and I'm suppose to go see him on November 20th. Provided I pick him to do the surgery.



10-29-2003
Dr. Burrowes was a very informative, and smart man. The longer I sat and spoke to him the more I understood that he does this surgery for the soul reason to give someone their life back. His office was very nice. You can park on the 3rd level in the parking garage and go across the cross walk into the office building. Take the elevators to the 5th floor. It's not very far to walk. His office had chair with and with out arms. As a very comfortable couch. His staff was very kind and took their time with me. Once I got in the office I didn't wait to long. I was then taken back to get weighed and also they take your picture with some measurements. They had no problems with my husband accompanying me back there. We then watched a couple of videos. Dr. Burrowes is a huge fan of the Fobi pouch, which was designed by a surgeon in California (Mathias A. L. Fobi). (http://www.cstobesity.com) I knew going in that he was liked this percedure over the others. If you want to have that done you will have to pay out of pocket $4500. I told him that I could not get the funding for that and would prefer just the RNY without the Fobi. He had NO PROBLEM doing that. Infact he does SIX percedures. RNY, VBG, LAP-BAND, D/S DUODENAL SWITCH, and FOBI POUCH. He said that most insurance will only pay or allow the VBG and RNY. Any other would be out of pocket expense involved. My overall view of Dr. Burrowes was very impressed. He's definately on the HIGH end of the scale. His death rate is very low and he had done over 1000 of this surgery. He took the time to answer all my questions. He doesn't want an answer that day. He told me again all the risks involved. I got a very thick aftercare booklet that explained what I will be able to eat, things to expect, a long list of potential problems that can be resolved by the patient to cut down on calls to his office. It listed ideas for meals. I was extremely impressed. It also described what to expect 1-4 days. I guess what I most impressed about is how he does the percedure. He does it open with an incision of 2-3 inches long!! I know that he is a very skilled surgeon and feel this will be the one for me.



11-20-2003
Well, I decided to go see Dr. Duncan today. Just wanted to feel him out too. I was very disappointed. I knew before I went that he doesn't want you to gain weight, but he wants you to do that for 90 days supervised BEFORE he will do surgery. I understand him wanting to shink the liver, but when I've been trying to diet since May this made me somewhat upset. I've been doing all I can. Not to meantion I was told on the phone that Dr. Duncan would be there. NOPE! He had an associate take a look at all of us. I was told one on one and I'm very upset that I went 150 miles to not ever see the surgeon. Total waste of my time. The staff is friendly, but people need to be told before hand the truth.


Amy Williams's Journey

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Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.
It's been a very hard time all my life. It started from the day I was in 1st grade. I was always a tall child. I was picked on from then until the day I graduated high school. The kids were so cruel and it was very hard for me to get thru somethings. I wanted to kill my self. I was not happy with my self. I didn't seem to have many friends. The friends that I did have they are not around anymore. Most of then have not even attempted to talk to me. It had been very hard to deal with no friends. I didn't start feeling better about my self until I met my husband. He was the best thing that has ever happened to me.
Latest Surgery Support Comments

  • Comment by Sharon Johnson on 10/16/07 12:19 pm
    HI Amy-All I can say is wow. I have been overweight all of my life and I started this journey almost a year ago. I didn't see your first episode on MTV but I have been reading your posts for the past 5 months since I have been a member of OH. You and Kenneth are such great people, I wish you nothing happiness and good health. Sincerely, Sharon Johnson
  • Comment by karaoke Nadine on 10/13/07 9:25 pm
    Hey Amy....just checked out the updated MTV video. You and Kenneth look awesome and I still can't tell you enough what an inspiration you both are. I also wanted to say a Happy belated Birthday to you. Hope you had a great one!!! Sending you lots of Love, Nadine!
Click here for the surgery support page
THE JOURNEY TO THE NEW ME!
This is the story of my life's journey of winning the battle against Obesity!

Double Whammy
posted on 3/8/10 4:22 pm

My goodness.  Where do I begin?  The past several months feel like a whirl wind. In fact the past several years have felt like a whirl wind.  I feel like I have been just floating around existing and not really living.  You think that after surgery you will just immediately be able to put your focus on yourself, but that is not the case.  Both of my parents over the years became very sick.  My dad had battled cancer since 2000 when they removed a huge mass.  It went into somewhat remission if you can call it that in 2004, then returning in 2006.  He had a bowel obstruction and things just went downhill from there.  All along he was searching all over for someone, anyone to get him a "life saving surgery".  It never happened, but we all got more time with him and I feel furtunate that we had several more years, some people only get months, weeks to live with cancer.  My mom then developed uterine cancer.  She was unable to have a hysterectomy because of her heart condition.  She had congestive heart failure and a pulmonary embolism in 1998.  She never fully recovered and for years was unable to walk because she had approximately 25% of her heart function.  She lived it and overcame.  She was able to get around the house and out in the public with the use of a power scooter.  I am extremely proud of have had the parents I did.  They were inspirations to me.  Even after such trials in their lives they always managed to live life.  They enjoyed going to the YMCA when they were both able and would dance around in the swimming pool.  That was the only way my mom was able to walk (well float) and feel like she was able to walk.  They were magical together.  This year would have been 35 years of marriage.  When I was born they gave me the middle name "love" because they told me i was conceived in love.  What a blessing to know that you were wanted and planned. 
My mom the last few months was struggling very hard to not lose her leg because of PAD (pulmonary artery diesease).  This is such a deadly condition and you think that people who experience amputations are mainly diabetic.  I was so wrong.  The older a person gets and the problems you have had over the years with circulation can contribute to this condition.  Her right foot (toes) started to turn black and before we knew it she was losing the skin layers and it quickly went into gangrene.  They did an amputation below knee and after several weeks in ICU the infections would not let up, even after so many strong antibotics.  She also lost the love of her life (my dad) during all of this and they say people who love each other so much just struggle living without them.  My grandparents were good examples as well, married almost 65 years and died within 10 months of each other.  I never imagined my mom would leave so soon, but I know she is in a much better place and once again with my dad.  She passed away on February 23rd.  Just a few short weeks after my dad.



This photo was taken in 2005, 7 months after my surgery.  My mom did not like to take photos, so this is one of the few I have of us together.

Since all of this went down with losing both my parents.  I decided to stop working full time for the bariatric program I was working for.  I am going to go back to school full time to finish my degree.  I am extremely close to finishing it and then have an externship to complete.  I managed in the midst of all this to not put myself first because I was so focused on my parents as a caregiver.  They say that people who are caregivers do not lookout for themselves and I have realized I was doing this.  I have since had a great release of stress in making these decisions and I am grateful I decided to put myself first.  I have a high GPA that I have maintained and want to continue to maintain until graduation.  I am on the president's list and I made a promise to my dad that I would finish my school.  One of the last moments we had together he told me how proud he was of all I had accomplished and the people I have helped over the years.  He wanted me to go good things.  He wanted me to finish school and continue to work in the medical field.  Where the journey goes from here, I do not know.... but I know my parents will be smiling down on whatever I decided to do.  I miss them both dearly. 


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