What Hospital??

Hi Indiana! I'm new here and really just starting out trying to learn what I can. I have an appointment to attend a informational seminar later this month. I'm in Yorktown, just outside Muncie. My appointment is at Ball Memorial's Bariatric Center in Muncie, which I believe is kind of new. In a lot of ways if this ends up happening I think it would be so much easier to do this close to home, but I am wondering if St. Vincent would be better? How do you go about finding out the quality of the surgeons and all that? It would be really difficult, I think, for my DH especially if I had the surgery done in Indy. He works there, but our kids would need to get dropped off and picked up from school here. Anyway, nice to "meet" you all. If anyone has had any experience at BMH, I'd love to hear about it. Thanks everyone! Kim :-)

Kim, I am sorry, I don't have any info to help with your decision of hospitals! I just wanted to welcome you to the boards and offer my best thoughts and wishes to you on your decision to have wls! It is an amzing journey! Good Luck to you, no matter what you choose! Feel free to keep posting and askinh questions, that is what we are all here for! Hope to hear from ya again, soon! Hugz Dawn

Kim.. Hard to choose a Dr or a Hospital around h ere because everyone of us loves our own!!! I think it is because the day we decided to do it it became the best day of our life.. and the Dr who performed the surgery became our link to life. But the people on this borad became my brothers and sisters in life and they will become yours too if you let them, Ask questions scan the board for answers and listen to your heart and your Dr. Types of surgeries discriptions are on the front page. Investigate!! Best wishes for a happy, safe wonderfully enlightening journey!! Linda

Kim, Welcome to the board! Also, congrats on your decision to start this wonderful and interesting journey. On the left side of your screen, there is a blue section. That section contains many links. Links include 'Bariatric Surgeons' and 'bariatric hospitals'. Go there and see if you can find out some information about the hospital/surgeon that you have in mind in Muncie. I personally love St. Vincent's bariatric unit but know nothing about Ball Memorial or the surgeons there. There may be wonderful surgeons there as well. Best of luck...and you are welcome to join us on here or for any activities we have! Sherri

Hey Kimberly - My surgery date is set for next Friday at St. Viccent's in Carmel. I chose that center because it is a "Center of Excellence". The hoops a hospital has to jump through to earn that distinction are large (if you'll pardon the pun!) To me, it isn't just a marketing ploy and bigger chairs. The staff are -- to a person -- polite, professional and friendly. When i went for my daylong battery of tests, I was nervous , but each nurse, orderly etc. introduced themselves with a smile, explained to me what they were going to do and asked me if I had questions. It did a lot to boost my confidence that I was a person to them, not a chart. See the difference? My surgeon is Dr. John Huse. He's sort of the father of bariatric surgery in Indy. He set up the program at St. Vinny's and had performed in excess of 4100 of these procedures over 26 years. I'm a guy and I wanted a man to operate on me. Two of my friends here in Terre Haute had Dr. Inman (a female) as their surgeon and she is, by all accounts, fantastic. So, good luck, and hope my "Shout Out" to St. Vincent's is of use. PasserPat GO COLTS!

Hi Kim, welcome to our board. You will meet some very caring people here. First of all I would want to know whatever surgeon you are considering in Muncie has had the experience in doing the kind of surgery you are planning to have. This surgery is very serious and you want someone who has a good track record and many successes under their belt. There very possibly may be someone in Muncie. I don't know. I live near Fr. Wayne. They have opened a Bariatric Surgery Center up at a hospital there, but I wanted someone who had a huge amount of experience. As it turned out, my spleen cracked during surgery and I needed 5 pints of blood. Dr. Margaret Inman also keeps her skills sharp by working in the trauma surgery area. I am very glad she was my surgeon. I felt like I was in good hands no matter what happened. Just do your homework. Good luck! Karen

Hey Karen I just wanted to say hi and tell you how glad I am to be reading your posts again! I am glad you are finally feeling good enough to sit and type! We miss ya when your gone! Blessings, Carmen

Ball is very new I think they have only done 5 or 6 surgeries, if it was me I think I would go somewhere that has more experience. I have been dealing with Dr. Huse at St. Vincent-Carmel. My father had the surgery done almost 2 years ago, @ St. Vincent.( Dr.Huse) and he is doing wonderful! As far as the distance, you have to look at the big factor, you will only be there a couple days at the most and I think peace of mind would be worth it. Is there anyone that can watch the children? Depending on the ages, can they go to the after school program? I know you dont know me, however I too live in Yorktown, my son goes to Pleasent View. Maybe I could help in some way. if you want you can email me @ [email protected].