Kim B.
July 14, 2006
Weight-203 To date loss: 198 Pounds gone FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!
June 13, 3006
Weight-215 To date loss: 186 pounds gone forever!
May 13, 2006
Weight-222! To date loss: 179 Pounds gone forever!!
February 6, 2006
Gosh, where do I start! On January 9th, 2006 I began having stomach pains. I passed it off as "I ate something I should not have" and continued through the day and evening. The next morning I went to work and just could not take the pain anymore and decided to run to the Doctor to see if I had the flu or what was up. My Doctors office had dropped my insurance carrier in November and never notified me so I went to urgent care. At urgent care the Doctor told me that it was my ovaries and that I must have cysts on them. (I had also started my period on this day) She also said I should go in for a MRI to see what is going on with my ovaries. I told her this pain was not normal period pains and I did not think that to be the problem. She said that my urine sample also showed that I had a slight bladder infection and this could be why the pain was different. Upon leaving, the Nurse came in the room and asked how I was doing. I told her what the Doctor had said and told her I did not believe that to be the problem. She told me that I know me better than anyone else and if I feel it to be a bigger problem then I need to get myself to the emergency room. Best advice anyone has ever given me!
So I left urgent care and came home to make phone calls. I called my insurance company and explained what I needed to do and explained the new problem of not having a primary care physician. The nice lady on the other end of the phone called a MRI place and got me an appointment for 1:00 that afternoon! I arrive at the appointment only to discover that my Doctor had to order the Mri. I showed them the paperwork where the Urgent care Doctor told me to get one but that was not good enough. So home I went, in pain and sick and tired of the run around. About 8:00 that night I just could not take it anymore. I got up and took a shower and drove myself to the emergency room. Ohhhhhh what a NIGHTMARE that was! The emergency room was overcrowded and I did not get seen by a Doctor for over 10 hours! Here is a letter I sent to the Hospital in disgust of the care I received:
January 24, 2006
Maggie Mitchell, Manager of Patient Relations
Banner Baywood Hospital
6644 E. Baywood Avenue
Mesa, AZ 85206
RE: Kim B
To Whom It May Concern:
I was very ill on Tuesday, January 10th and brought myself to the emergency room at Banner Baywood at approximately 8:00 p.m. I had severe stomach pain that would not subside. Once I saw the intake nurse I asked for pain medication to help relieve the pain. She told me that she would check with the Doctor and let me know, I was then sent back to the waiting area to wait my turn. 3 hours sitting in pain with tears flowing down my face I walked back up to the nurse and asked her about pain medication and was told the Doctor needed to see me first. I was completely mortified that I had to sit even longer with this terrible pain.
Things are foggy to me at this point, I had been sitting in pain in an upright chair trying to sleep and forget about what I was going through. Finally, 10 (or more) hours after walking into the emergency room I was called in to be seen by a Doctor. A Cat scan was ordered and I was hooked up to an IV. I was given some pain meds, put in a wheel chair and pushed back out into the waiting room! I was mortified as I looked around and saw that there were many others in my situation! I was in and out due to being on pain meds with my purse and other possessions on my lap. I could have been robbed and no one would have known, not even me. I slept in the wheel chair the whole next day and was moved in and out of the exam rooms for different things. When placed in the waiting room my wheel chair was locked and I had an IV, I could not even get up if I wanted to. I was given a barf bag. When I threw up there was no one there to take the bag and there was no way for me to get out of my chair. I was told at some point that I was being admitted, but was continually put back out in the waiting room in a wheel chair. I remember looking at workers who were just standing around chit chatting wondering why they wouldn’t look at me, was it guilt? When I walked up to the desk not one of the workers would make eye contact with me, if they made eye contact they may have to stop what they were doing and actually assist someone. How could they sit around chit chatting with a room full of sick people? Why wasn’t someone assigned to sit in the waiting room and assist us? The waiting room was full!
Finally that afternoon I was given a bed in the hallway. By that night I was placed in the white zone and at 4:30 a.m. the 2nd day of my stay I was finally placed into a room. Would you want your mother to be treated in this manner? I cry for how I was treated and it makes me even sadder that there are elderly people who are currently being treated in the same manner. I am young I can take it, but an elderly person?
It was determined that I had a blockage in my intestines. I was kept in the hospital 2 additional days on pain medication and a liquid diet. On Friday the Surgeon told me that he wanted to feed me a meal to see how I tolerated it and send me home that night. How could he send me home? Nothing had been done!
For dinner I was given a hamburger and Jello. I was also given a blood transfusion at about the same time. I was released that night at 8:00 P.M. I knew that hamburger was a bad idea.
At home the pain returned and I began throwing up. I contacted a surgeon who had done surgery on me previously and he told me to get to the emergency room at Maryvale Hospital ASAP. A cat scan was done and it showed a blockage in my intestines. I had surgery on Monday January 16th, 3 days after being released from Banner Baywood. Does this disturb you? It does me.
Maryvale is a much older hospital than Banner, but let me tell I was treated with respect and dignity. I was not just another person sitting in their emergency room. I was given times of when I would be seen and if it did not happen they were there to assure me when my turn was coming up.
Something is terribly wrong with the system you have in place at Baywood. It needs to be evaluated and changes need to be made. Even though you have had a problem with being “full” there are other things that could be done to ensure the safety and comfort of your patients. The next time I am in need of medical assistance you can be assured that Banner Baywood will not be my first choice.
I am mortified, sadden, and terribly disappointed in your facility.
Kim B
As you see I ended up having a blockage in my intestines caused by scar tissue from my DS Surgery 4 years earlier. After I was released from the first hospital on Friday night I emailed Dr. Simpson Saturday morning and he told me to get to the hospital immediatly. I chose to go to Maryvale where I could be seen by him. (How many Doctors do you know who will return an email to you on a Saturday morning!?) I truly felt like I was finally in the "right" place. The doctor at the first hospital told me that if he had to operate he would have to tear down my gastric bypass (he seemed to be gastric bypass predjudice) I explained to him there was nothing to tear down but he could try!
In the hospital I learned that I was severly anemic and malnurished. I had to have 3 pints of blood in the hospital! This really took me by surprise. I had followed up with my PCP every 6 months for blood work. How did this slip by? I do have to admit that I was not taking my supplements as I should have, I really had it in my mind that I was eating enough, so who needed vitamins! WRONG! From today out I will follow up with Dr. Simpson and I will take my supplements DAILY.
After learning that I would have to have open surgery once again Dr. Simpson and I were talking about my dissapointment of not losing more weight, I still wanted to lose an additional 100 lbs. He suggested that I have the lap band put on since he had to go in and fix things anyways. So now I am not only a DSer, but a Lap Bander! Today it has been 3 weeks since surgery and all is going well. I have lost 15 pounds due to my lovely diet of only liquids for 3 weeks and have an appointment on March 2nd to hopefully get a fill in my band. I am really excited at the thought of finally making it to goal! Who knows!
June 26, 2003 I have now lost a total of 150 pounds. Most of you would be overly thrilled with the fact of losing 150 pounds, however I now weigh 250 pounds and according to the BMI chart I am still a candidate for bariatric surgery! UGHHHH It just does not come off with the ease it went on with. I feel the best I have in years. I enjoy life again and I can walk down the hallway with my head held high and actually look people in the face. I am clothes obsessed, thinking I need to buy everything and anything because I CAN! I no longer have to search for the biggest size on the rack and I no longer HAVE to catalog shop. Life is good!
February 4th, 2003 Down 130 Lbs! Go ME!
9/23 Lost 91 pounds total~!
6/12 Lost 45 pounds total!
Lost 8 lbs pre-surgery
5/15 374 -21 pounds
5/14/02
I came home on 5/10. My surgery went well and as I sit here today I am feeling wonderful. Funny, I only had surgery one week ago! I am very pleased with my hospital stay, the 7th floor nurses were the best! I couldn't have asked for nicer people to meet. Dr. Simpson gets a gold star in my book, he is a wonderful professional who takes pride in his work. Now comes the fun part....the weight loss! I go see Dr. Simpson on Wednesday, it will be interesting to see if I lose any, most dont during the first visit.
5/5/02
Welp, here I am. Tomorrow is the big day. I am sitting her nervous as all get out, but excited at the same time. I have to go to the pharmacy and pick up my bowel prep stuff and start it at 1:00. I am NOT looking forward to that part! LOL I just wanted to say thank you for all of the encouragment and support I have gotten from all my family and friends. I love you all!
4/26/01
I had a wonderful day with my kids today. I took off work earlier, and they had today off from school. We went to their favorite place to eat, Home Town Buffet! I was very good bye the way LOL Then we went to see the movie Scorpion King. After the movie we walked outside and it had been sprinkling, and there is was! A HUGE Rainbow! Is that a sign or what! LOL And Yes, I did make a wish :o)
4/26/01
Very emotional day for me yesterday. I spent the whole morning crying...I broke down and told my 9 year old son Taylor that I have a date. The whole time I have been going through this process he has told me he does not want me to go through with this surgery. Yesterday when I told him he said "But I like you the way you are" and then he said "It is all about what is on the inside, not what is on the outside" What a wonderful child I have nurtured. I am truly blessed. What a wonderful person he will grow up to be and I truly believe he has a special place in life, he is going to do something special. My older son Brian seems ok with everything, but is not really commenting. I am going to let the kids decide if they want to go to school the day of my surgery, or wait with their Dad and Grandma in the waiting room. Today I feel much stronger, but still can get tears going at the drop of a hat lol. I am lucky to have meet 2 new friends while going through this process, life is great isn't it! I fear that if I don't get over this fear of dying that I will not go into surgery with a healthy mind. I have been so excepting of anything and everything up until the point where they said I have a date.
I have a date! May 6th! Can you believe it!
4/23/02
I am APPROVED! It only took Pacificare 24 hours to approve! Mary at Dr.Simpsons office is trying to work me in during May. I am so excited to finally be on the golden road to this journey!
4/21/02
Last week I had my echocardiogram and my visit with a nutritionist. As of 4/19 everything is complete! I emailed Dr. Simpsons office to let them know I am ready to be submitted to insurance.
4/15/02
Psych evaluation went great! I am meeting lots of wonderful professionals who are learning about this surgery as I am, and I am receiving lots of support from them! Friday 4/12 I went to see a cardiologist. The office was beautiful! It was interesting to me in talking with the nurse who was hooking me up for the EKG and telling me how she put on 20 pounds and she couldn't stand herself. She was saying things that describe how I feel and she was only 20 lbs overweight! It makes me worried that I may never feel satisfied with myself. I have to go back to the cardiologist on 4/18 for an echocardiogram. Today I go see my primary care to see about my blood pressure. It has been 160/100 both of the times I visited the surgeons office (1 month apart) but it was 123/80 when I was just at the cardiologist. Hopefully all will be fine. I lost 8 lbs! All I need now is to meet with a nutritionist!
4/4/02
Today is my psych evaluation. Hopefully everything will work out fine. I caught myself in the mirror this morning and saw this huge woman looking back at me. How did I let myself get this big? How could I not have enough nerve to say enough is enough? I sat looking at myself wanting to lock myself away until my surgery, wondering how my husband could love someone as huge as me, how could he stand to touch me? How can I face the public seeing what I saw in that mirror? I am truly ashamed of myself and my lack of control. Today is a new day, today I will win this battle with my mind and soon I will win the battle with my body!
~~Today I am one step closer to achieving my goals and dreams. I always keep my eyes focused on success and prosperity.~~
3/9/02
I met with Dr.Simpson on the 5th. I really enjoy him and his staff. They are so kind and understanding. Dr. Simpson said I am a prime candidate for the surgery, and that I have my age going for me. I have to have a whole bunch of tests done, a sleep study, psych evaluation, blood work, meet with a nutritionist, etc. I am excited to get the ball rolling. I was very dissapointed that I weigh more than I thought. How could I let myself go like this? How could I not respect myself enough to see what I was doing to myself?
2/28/02
The wait, the wait, ohhh the wait! I can't take waiting anymore! My day is consumed with thoughts on the surgery. The "When I lose all this weight I can do this" and the "When I lose all this weight I can do that" I close my eyes and cannot imagine what I would even look like when I lose weight. I have been battling weight problems since I was a child. I was always told I was fat (but wasn't really) so I never had a good attitude about what I looked like anyway. I wonder if I really ever will be satisfied with my body. I am large boned, so I do not see me getting down to a skinny minnie like I have seen some do. But I would be very satisfied just feeling healthy again. Even as an overweight person I was always active and able to keep up. My weight did not start effecting my activities until a few years ago where I felt myself pushing but just couldn't keep up. I just wish I could close my eyes and wake up on my surgery day!
2/18/02 I think I have my insurance problems worked out. It seems that Dr. Simpson was not in my network area and all I had to do was move my network and I can continue the process with Dr. Simpson. They tried to pass me off to Dr. Juarez and I was not happy. That would have been the 3rd time they changed their minds on who should see me. I did all the research on Dr. Simpson, even going to one of his orientations. I feel comfortable with him and want to make the journey with him.
~Today is MY Day~
Today my thoughts are centered on expecting only the best and giving the best.
Today my mind and heart are open to new opportunities and I make the most out of every situation.
Today I will smile and act enthusiastically in everything I do. I will make every person I meet feel very important in and I will show them that I care.
Today my confidences is high and I am willing to step out and take a chance.
I speak freely to all those I meet. I know I have something valuable to contribute. I expect results today and my time is well invested.
Today I am one step closer to achieving my goals and dreams. I always keep my eyes focused on success and prosperity.
Today I will sow good seed so that I will reap my harvest of reward.
Today is MY Day!
~Author Unknown
2/16/02 On 2/12 I met with Dr. Simpson in a group orientation. I was very impressed with his office staff and then he impressed me more. You can tell they care about their patients. I received a phone call yesterday from my Primary care that I was approved for a consult which is scheduled for 3/5. The only problem is I had to move my insurance around a little so that Dr. Simpson was in my network area. I am hoping that he operates at St. Lukes (I know he said he used 2 hospitals, one being St. Jo's)I am having nervous thoughts about surgery. Funny, I was not nervous before. I am hearing of others not making it through and it worries me. I have several questions for Dr. Simpson and I cant wait to meet him again on March 5th!
2/6/02 I called Weight For Life today to bug em a little, and they informed me that Dr. Newhoff does not accept Pacificare! I about fell over. I filled out all of the paperwork, mailed it in duplicate and everything! I am just happy that I did not sit around for another month thinking that they were working on processing it all. I just wish everyone could get it all together to make this procedure easier~!
2/2/02 I have an appointment to meet the Dr on 4/12. I called the office yesterday to try and drag a closer date out of someone (begging and pleading) and they told me that if I get the paperwork complete and back to them they could possibly move my orientation date up. I want this surgery YESTERDAY!
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Hospital Reviews
Surgeon Info:
Surgeon: Terry Simpson, M.D. F.A.C.S.
2/06/02 I have an orientation with Dr. Simpson on February 12th! 2/16/02 I met with Dr. Simpson in a group orientation on 2/12. I was impressed with him as well as his office staff.
Insurer Info:
Pacificare, Commercial
Pacificare was awesome! My surgery was approved within 24 hours!
