Anyone From Sacramento?

[pandagirl 0]

ok...Got some news from the Dr. Front. The doctor postponed my surgery from the 12th to the 19th due to...jury duty. I was not a happy camper because it's added an extra trip for me, so in all I'll be driving about 1800 miles in June. A little bummed, but I can do this, so I just have to be patient...for another week.

Why so many miles?

[setagirl 0]

Hi, Sandy...

Do you guys have a website for your group? When and where do you meet?

[Diz 1]

Why so many miles Diz? It will be before surgery not after right? That would be too much time in the car right after a surgery.

Sorry for not replying back...I didn't get the notification. I live in a small town in the Sierra Foothills, past Auburn. To make the trip to South SF, it's over 300 miles roundtrip. Kaiser scheduled a lot of appointments and unfortunately only 2 were the same day. On the day after surgery, while driving home, we'll have to stop every hour so I can walk for 5-10 minutes to avoid blood clots. They've warned me about this. We'll also take the Durango because you can't feel the road bumps as bad. Crazy, what I'm willing to do to get my life under control, but I think it's worth it. Plus, like I said, I'm not a self-pay, so I'm pretty lucky. The admission for the surgery will be $100, and that's it.

[cella 0]

I have my preop appt tommorow at 9 am and I can't stop smiling. I was just wondering if anybody has went through s.a.l.s.a in roseville specifically Dr. Waldrep how many days,weeks was the surgery scheduled from your preop appt. I am really hoping to get banded in August. If he said come on in tomorrow I would be there no problem...:w00t:wishful thinking:lol:

[michelle88 0]

Cella-

Looks like you got your wish!! Congratulations!! It was 3 1/2 weeks from my pre-op till surgery. You are in good hands with the salsa team!!

[lsanderson 0]

Congratulations Cella!! I'm in Roseville but am going through Dr. Machado because Dr. Waldrep doesn't take my insurance but I've heard wonderful things about him.

[Lana24 10]

Dr. Machado rocks but her program fee is out of control. I was quoted almost 4000, she is worth it but that was too steep for me.

[ginarf 0]

Anyone else banded (or getting banded) at Kaiser Fremont from Sacramento?

I am dreading the drive for appts. after the surgery by myself. I thought if I could find someone to carpool with in the coming months etc, it would be fun, supportive, and save on gas! Maybe we could coordinate our appointment times so that it would be great for both of us.

Let me know anytime down the line if you are interested...

Thanks,

Gina

[JetBlue61215 0]

had lap bad surgery from a Dr in sacramento?:Bunny :Bunny

I am scheduled with Dr. Machado, and have heard mothing but great things!!! She is a wonderful person.

[JetBlue61215 0]

I am dropping a check for $2995 for the program fee...

[pandagirl 0]

I am dropping a check for $2995 for the program fee...

Program fee? Are you self pay?

[smilin_apple 0]

Anyone else banded (or getting banded) at Kaiser Fremont from Sacramento?

I am dreading the drive for appts. after the surgery by myself. I thought if I could find someone to carpool with in the coming months etc, it would be fun, supportive, and save on gas! Maybe we could coordinate our appointment times so that it would be great for both of us.

Let me know anytime down the line if you are interested...

Thanks,

Gina

Congrats Gina!

I too had my band done at Kaiser but mine was in South San Francisco. I had mine done 9 months ago. The drives are dreadful for me going there too...On two different months I had to drive out there 2 and 3 times in one month and that was just awful for me with the high gas prices and toll bridge fees both ways, but oh well! I am happy I did it and I have no regrets! By the way may I ask how long you went through the program? I was just curious because I know when I had mine done the surgery wait time was about 1 month after all the classes were done.

[ginarf 0]

It took a whole year for me! Wow! From what I have heard a year is average now. You are very lucky to have had everything go so quickly for you!

[ginarf 0]

I wish we could carpool. It is weird how they decide which program to send people too. We are both from Sac. at least we can be LB buddies!

How often are you needing fills? You are doing great I saw your ticker...Congratulations!

[smilin_apple 0]

Thanks for the encouragement... I don't feel like I am doing great :tongue_smilie:

By the way it took me almost one year through the whole program too...it was only a month from the time the surgeon decided that I had lost enough weight to be scheduled for the surgery!

I know it shows I have lost 79lbs but that is from the beginning, not just since surgery. My highest weight on my orientation day on November 14th, 2006 was 416lbs and on surgery day November 7th, 2007 I weighed 383lbs, so I had already lost 33lbs before surgery which means I have only lost 46lbs in 9 months.

I would have done better if I had not gained a total of 6lbs over two months when I had a terrible surgeon who made my band too tight and I had all the Fluid removed and had to start all over with fills for the next 3 months. This was 6 months into having the band too, so I was sooo close to my "sweet spot"!

Oh well I just thank God that I am finally back on track!

I think they were sending everyone to SSF from Sac but then they were being bombarded with over 200 new patients a month so they had to start moving them to different areas.

I get fills every 4 weeks on average. At first I was getting one every month on my Bandiversary...which is the 7th of each month and then in May I had to move my date since my surgeon was on vacation and that is when things went down hill temporarily.

So right now I go about the 1st of each month which works for me just depends on what day of the week it falls on.

I am hoping that after a few more months of all of us having to drive out of town they will finally get someone out in Sac at least once a month just to do fills!!!

I think I am close to my Sweet spot" so I am hoping my visits will taper off soon. They did say after the first 9 months to a year our follow ups become further between each visit.

Well enough rambling on for now, I wish you the best of luck!

Oh yeah... I was going to ask...How long is the drive for you to the Kaiser you are going to?

Take care!

Edited August 14, 2008 by smilin_apple
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