SO here is the update on what all is going on with the band...
As I said on Friday my surgeon removed some of the fill and that helped things a whole heck of a lot. Which also meant the reflux was probably caused by there being too much restriction. He had wanted me to do the barium swallow on Friday but since I don't have insurance to do it there at there hospital would have been expensive so he scheduled it for his surgery center on Tuesday when he is there doing surgeries. He is quite the hands on surgeon. I have never seen an assistant or anyone else he not only sees me to chat with me when I go in for visits but he does the fills himself which, from everything I have learned about others who do this procedure, is not the normal way of things. So on Tuesday during my lunch (well it was a longer lunch about 2 1/2 hours) I drove to his center and in between surgeries he was there watching and teaching me as I did the swallow. Very cool thing to watch. Was relieved when at the very first before the swallow he identified the band and said it was in good position not slipped at all ( was a big sigh there) when I swallowed the barium and we watched it travel to the pouch and through the band discovered that there was a problem of sorts. the pouch had expanded but evidently in a way that was a good way if such a thing can be said for a bad thing happening. I guess what is was was that the expansion was in a direction that wasn't causing a band slippage...yet. Also it was in such a way that most of the time it can be fixed by non-surgical means. He removed all of my fill!!! which will allow the stomach to rest and the expansion of the pouch to drop back where it belongs. In 3 weeks or so I go back to see him and start getting the fill put back in again but until then I am restriction free. VERY SCARY!!! My goal the next three weeks is to not gain any weight back. If I manage to lose a few more pounds great but I am shooting for just not gaining any. When I go see him in 3 weeks I am going to question him a bit more on the whole thing because of the time restrictions ( real or imagined, I'll explain further in a bit) I just didn't ask for clarification on some things and so I am having a hard time explaining it here or to anyone who asks about it.
A bunch of really bad things could have happened if I hadn't been made aware of how bad my reflux was at night the main one being a band slippage which would have required a surgical fix. Plus if my plans to move had gone forward the way I was hoping they would I would have been NO WHERE near my surgeon to get this taken care of and had I been able to get back here for the surgery the required after care would been impossible to do with him which would have totally sucked big time!
As for the time restrictions real or imagined...I was very aware of the amount of time I was away from work so that was a real restriction wanted to get back asap so my kids would have their teacher and not some other person (granted the other teacher I work with was there but needed to leave at 3 and I wanted to be back LONG before that). Plus I knew he was between surgeries and had run 30 minutes late that day so didn't want to tie him up any longer than needed. Granted he is the one who set up the appointment for when it was and he didn't seem rushed or concerned, he was focused on me and what I needed not on who he was supposed to be doing surgery on next. BUT I was aware of his time and mine and frankly thought I understood until I tried explaining to someone else then I realised I didn't have a complete understanding of what pouch expansion was or if I do I am not confident in that understanding.
Now for the imagined time restriction... as I was called to go back at first she starts to say my name then starts to change her mind then says "oh come on back I'll take both of you back kill 2 birds with one stone" after she drops of the one lady she has me follow her and states something about we might have to have to go back to the waiting room if he's not ready points to a door with a window and says "wait right there and I will see if he is ready it is always so difficult when he schedules fills around your schedule on his surgery days" I was getting ready to respond that actually if this appointment had been around MY schedule it would have been at 7am or 6pm before or after work NOT in the middle of my work day but she opened the code locked door and went in. Ticked me off to no end! I mean number one even if it was true she had no right to say such a thing to a patient. She has no idea what the circumstances are and why I was even there to her I was there for a fill and it was an inconvenience for her and she thought for him but even if I was there for a routine fill and had set up myself to do it then obviously he thought it was a needed time for it and was willing to do it then and she needed to have kept her mouth shut and her opinions to herself. Number two, the thing is I didn't set up the appointment day or time he did. He wanted it around lunch to see my band at a normal restriction since I am tighter in the mornings. Also he set up for then and there because he cared enough to not wanted me to have to pay big bucks when I could go there and get it done for $50 I mean why should I be forced to pay big time $$$ for something he can arrange to get done for way less? Thirdly, I should not be made to feel like an intruder or unwanted patient because I am there with an appointment for something other than surgery. Big flipping deal she had to make sure he was ready for me she has to do that with all the patients to a degree. I mean granted with me I couldn't be taken back and left waiting in an exam room forever and have people getting me prepared for him to come in and do the surgery. Thing is I needed only him and the x-ray technician and only for like oh 10 minutes tops. and that did additional paperwork ( he needed me to sign a consent to treat form and since it was an x-ray state that I wasn't pregnant, nursing and or had tubal ligation) two barium swallow x-rays and the unfill.
I guess what it boils down to is the comment was uncalled for and RUDE. I am thinking about telling him about it cause it really did upset me and if she said it to me who else has she made uncalled for rude and uncaring comments too? what do you all think? Should I just forget it and play nice or should I tell him about it?
6 comments:
Okay, being a WLS person, I would have been upset also. I do not like how the receptionists treat people at my surgeons office--they do it EVERY time i am there. My surgeons office fired the nurse who was causing so many problems. She was fired in May because of her rudeness, laziness, and just not getting things done. The new nurse is awesome and shows compassion towards you. I love the physicians assistant there. I would definitely say something. It is not every joe shmoe that can do a fill/unfill and you need your surgeon just as much as the other people who have bands. Okay, granted she might have just been having a bad day and we are after all only human but she should not be taking it out on the patient. I guess what I am trying to say is do it--let the surgeon know so he can correct it-then let it go. Forgive and forget. Forgiving is the hardest thing in the world to do but to let it fester will hurt you. Make a decision as to what to do, stick to it, and then let it go.
hmmm.... I would have corrected her on the spot - I have reached a point in my life that I am no longer allowing people to be rude, nor think the untruth of me. She made an assumption - she needs to learn to keep them to herself or even better, not to make them. I'd let your surgeon know. She is in a position of power and he doesn't need her making people feel like crap when they come in. If she's having a bad day, tough - she can keep it to herself... her complaint goes with the territory - if she doesn't like it, she can find a much more mundane job. Like Dairy Queen - THAT'S predictable. *rolls eyes*
I would have corrected her but she went in a door and when she came and got me atthe other door there wasn't time. She opened the dorr in it was into the room I was to wait in for the doctor then she kept on walking. That is the ONLY reason she didn't get corrected on the spot. :)
Hi, dear!
Whenever a person retorts to a remark made, real or imaginery, we are not showing that we have a refined culture or manner than the other person. Jesus would not have done it, neither Confucius. A real lady, would have smiled and replied,
"I am sorry, if I have caused some misunderstanding. I am not clear about the procedure, could you please enlighten me with some understanding?" Right or wrong, you reveal your mannerism by your soft answer. Since you know the gospel better, exhibit by your pleasing cultur: "Sorry, for the miscommunication.Thank you for helping me but I don't quite understand it. I would appreciate your help ....."
In life, sometimes there is no real cut of right or wrong. But there is refinement in mannerism and attitude by the way we answer....softly and gently....
With love, Hs n Ks...
Anonymous Hi!
I woud contact the office manager and bring it to his/her attention. I would just make the comment that you weren't sure if she was having a bad day or not but regardless of the situation her comments were not appropriate since you were a patient and she did not know if you were there for a regular appointment or an emergency appointment. I would not tell the physician directly because most physicians don't like getting put in the middle of problems between staff and patients unless there is no other way around it. I know this because I worked as an administrator of a doctors office for several years.
I think I agree w/ stacy. You need to make sure if that is her way that other patients as well as you in the future on not effected by such a matter, but you want to make sure you tell the right person. Although w/ your surgeon that might be him directly. However, I don't agree w/ telling the person right then and there. I think you were blessed in not being able to say something. More often than not you say something you regret whether or not you admit it. And it is usually wasted on the person you are trying to correct. And can escalate into something nasty.
Well that's my thoughts. hugz, LMSS
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