MBowman189
Tuesday January 18, 2011
Jan 18, 2011
Quick Update:
Well, I wasn’t going to update until after the appointment on January 28th, but there have been some things going on so I thought I’d just give a quick update.
Some of my OH Friends that have Kaiser as well suggested calling in to see if we can get in quicker, but even more important on my mind was to make sure there was nothing else that I could be doing, or needed to do. Well I called and they said there was nothing else I really needed to do before the appointment on the 28th, but they said I didn’t really have to do anything, but they highly recommended I sign up for the weekly pre-op surgery support group classes. I read that as being it could delay the process if I don’t so I started going every Wednesday night. I asked if there were any labs or procedures that they wanted done before the 28th, and they said no the doctor would order any additional ones at that time. I found out that Kaiser would be sending us to either Dr David Suh out of Crown Bariatric in Corona for RNY, and probably Dr. George Zorn, Eugene Rumsey, or Laurence Tanaka at Pacific Bariatric in San Diego if VSG, so I’ve been researching all I can find on these surgeons and clinics. So far I really feel comfortable with what I’ve read about Dr Suh, plus his office is only 10 miles away. What I don’t know is will he do VSG for Kaiser Patients. I don’t know why they would send people all the way to San Diego when his web page says he does VSG’s. I learned from another OH Friend yesterday that just recently had her surgery with Dr Suh it was a very good experience. She suggested that there were some additional steps I should be doing to expedite the process;
1. Contact Crown Bariatric and sign up for a MANDATORY 2-hour Bariatric Seminar, which we’re now scheduled for in Murrieta on January 24th.
2. Contact Crown Bariatric and sign up for a MANDATORY 2-hour Bariatric Pre-Op Education class, which we’re now scheduled for in Murrieta on February 3rd.
3. Contact Kaiser Preventive Medicine and sign up for a MANDATORY 2-hour Bariatric Post-Op Support Group class, which is held on the 2nd Thursday of each month at the Van Buren office in Riverside. We’re now scheduled for the next one on February 10rd.
I would like to thank all of my OH Friends that have provided me such excellent advice that I’m hoping will expedite us getting a surgery date.
Couple other things, after reading an earlier post (Seattle Maui) Brenda had mentioned her alien as being a hernia. I discovered I have an alien 
as well near my belly button which has been there for about 6 months or so (probably from pulling in that 150 lb Stripped Marlin), it hasn’t caused me any pain, and I never knew it was reason for alarm. We’ll I’ll be bringing it to my doctors attention, as it’ll need to be corrected during the surgery. Maybe it’ll be a good little alien, and get my surgery date expedited. 
I could only hope it would, and not delay the surgery instead. My weight is doing ok, holding its own for now, but hopefully will be able to drop another 5 or 10 lbs before surgery. I’m trying to put the finishing touches on my Vitamin research and make my final selection, and have really found some good advice on a couple of my OH Friends sites Pam Tremble (Pam T.), and Andrea U. Vitagarten, and of course the ASMBS Nutritional and Vitamin Guidelines. I’ve learned so much in studying these, and I just need to finalize the four chewable choices (Bariatric Advantage, Opurity, Celebrate, and Centrum) I’m leading towards and after reviewing each, add the additional Calcium Citrate, B12, and heme iron that might not be included.
Next update will be after our Preventive Maintenance Doctor appointment on January 28th.
Martin
