"As of June 2004 when I had my initial consultation with Dr. McDaniel, he said he had done over 500 gastric bypass surgeries and has a very low complication rate. He considered me extremely low-risk, so I felt quite safe about the whole thing. Though Dr. McDaniel seems very young, he is a very experienced bariatric surgeon. His entire practice is dedicated to bariatric surgery, so this is all he does. He's very competent and reassuring.
As for aftercare, Dr. McD and his partner Dr. Chang run a monthly support group meeting for all their patients--and they attend these meetings themselves. It's nice, but I would prefer a more interactive forum. They usually ask speakers to make presentations to the large group, which means that we don't have a chance to "meet-n-greet" or talk freely with other WLS patients. I want a chance to make new friends who understand life after WLS. Though the meetings are informative and useful, they don't meet this need for me."
"The nursing staff at Citizens Hospital was great. They put bariatric patients in the 6th floor "penthouse," which was built just a few years ago for maternity patients. Because it was never full, they decided to include bariatric patients up there as well. The rooms are large, private, and include a place for your spouse or helper to spend the night with you. The nurses were kind, knowledgeable, and quick to respond. It was very nice."
