"Can't beat free valet parking! The nurses were very helpful with my recovery and tracking down the army of doctors who needed to approve my release. The table for the upper GI only supports 300 pounds, so I had to stand for the exam both pre-op and post-op. I had a morphine pump after the surgery in ICU which was my best friend in the world. I hate being woken up at 3am to have my blood drawn. Couldn't they wait until 4am when my nightmares kicked in? All in all, I had no trouble with any of my care during my stay."
"<B>10/30/02</b>I met with Dr. Kane Sr. and he seems like a great person. I have also talked with other patients of his and all give him high marks. He has 30+ years of experience doing these kinds of surgery, so I am confident that he knows his stuff. He answered all of my questions and even drew (in pen) where my scar would be and how long it would be. Very interesting. His office requires attendence at a group support meeting before he will do the procedure. You also must have a follow-up appointment set before he allows you on the table. The only down side so far is that he will not do the RNY LAP because of my size. You need to be under 300 pounds to go lap. He did tell me though that you have less chance of blood clots with the open, so I guess I'll take that.<BR><BR>
<B><I>Due to University of Chicago dropping BCBS IL HMO on July 1, 2002, I have had to start over with a new doctor. Below are my comments on my previous doctor, Dr. Alverdy.</i></b><BR><BR>
I had my first meeting with Dr. Alverdy and I can see why everyone here has been so impressed with him. He was friendly and responsive to all my questions. Of course, after the battery of questions I had to answer, I forgot some of what I wanted to ask. Maybe next time. He did make me feel more confident about undergoing this surgery. I was a little worried about the pain and he put my mind at ease. It shouldn't be as bad as many other things I've been through. I think I started to giggle when he said with a straight face that I could get down to 200 pounds with a little work. 200 pounds!?!? I would feel lucky at 250. Apparently, he doesn't consider the surgery a success unless I drop 200 pounds in 18 months. Imagine that!<BR><BR>
I have had a number of doctors tell me and others that this is the man to see if you want this operation. Dr. Alverdy laughed when I told him he was pretty popular on the internet sites. I think he might check a couple out (Hello, Doctor!).<BR><BR>
So now I wait to see if his team approves me. Maybe I should explain that. He is part of a multidisiplinary team that evaluates each person who applies for the WLS. You also meet with a dietician and psychiatrist. All three of them then discuss your case and decide if you are a good candidate. They must be good because I hear that their success rate is in the high nineties. <BR><BR>
In short, I was looking for the best in the Chicago area and so far I have not been disappointed.<BR><BR>
<B>2/13/02</b> Quick addition: If you are going to through the process with Dr. Alverdy, I heard from a resident that he requires a sleep study before you can pick a date. This turned out to be true for me. I would suggest getting your doctor to send you before your appointment. The wait for the sleep clinic at U of C is over TWO MONTHS. Also ask to be put on their waiting list in case of a cancelation. The time you save will be your own!<BR><BR>
<B>6/4/02</b> Well, I have to change Doctors. My insurance company (BCBS IL HMO) will no longer be accepted at University of Chicago Hospitals. Time to start over. <BR><BR>Also, a quick side note: I have read things about how some people don't like Pat or think she is a bit caustic. I have to say that she has been incredibly helpful to me the entire time I was in the program and even more so now that I'm out. I would like to tell anyone who reads this after reading reviews about her to take them with a grain of salt. I won't say that people may not have had trouble with her but I do want to say that she has been wonderful and I'll miss all the help she gave me. Thanks Pat!"
