Eliminating local weight-loss surgeries tough on patients GASTRIC BYPASS CHANGED WOMAN'S LIFE MAIL MISTAKE
Patients have reacted with a mix of emotions to the closing of Mary Washington Hospital's bariatric surgery program
Date published: 12/20/2008
BY JIM HALL
Patients of the weight-loss surgery program at Mary Washington Hospital were surprised, sad and angry when they learned that the program was closing.
Now they fear the unknown.
About 180 people were affected when the Fredericksburg hospital abruptly ended its bariatric surgery program. Dr. Victor Stelmack, the surgeon, and his staff of six people will close their office at the end of December.
Patients have been referred to the Bluepoint Surgical Group in Woodbridge, a former competitor.
"Now I have to meet a whole new group of people I have no history with," said Christine Watters.
Watters, a 40-year-old resident of Spotsylvania County, had bariatric surgery at Mary Washington last year. When she returned to the hospital this month for a follow-up, she learned that the program had been canceled.
Watters said she was surprised, then "a little weepy," and finally mad.
Sheri Mitchell, a 40-year-old Stafford County resident, said she decided to have the surgery after attending a forum last month hosted by Stelmack and his staff.
She said she got clearance from her insurance program for a lap-band procedure and was waiting for an appointment when the program folded.
"I was so upset," she said. "You really work yourself up to do this. It's a very big decision for many of us."
A third patient who asked not to be identified described the closing as "a very tough moment."
"And it has been ever since," she said.
About a third of the hospital's patients had already had surgery and were participating in the follow-up program.
One patient said she had "fill" procedures in Stelmack's office at six weeks, eight weeks and 12 weeks after her lap-band procedure. She said she expected to have at least one more fill.
During the fill procedure, saline is injected through an access port into the band to make it tighter around the stomach.
Two-thirds of the hospital's patients were preparing for their surgeries when the program ended. At least one patient was on a liquid diet as part of a two-week countdown to surgery.
Dr. Denis Halmi and his colleagues at the Bluepoint group have already seen several of the patients who had December surgery dates.
"Last week we did two surgeries, and this week we have five patients from Mary Washington," Halmi said Monday.
The Valpak envelope that arrived in some Fredericksburg-area homes this week has an advertisement that doesn't make much sense, given what has happened at Mary Washington Hospital.
The direct-mail offering included a flier for the hospital's weight-loss surgery program and invited potential patients to a pair of information sessions next month at the hospital.
Hospital officials decided earlier this month to close the weight-loss program at the end of December. They were too late to stop delivery of the ad. The forums have been cancelled.
--Jim Hall
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Date published: 12/20/2008
Most recent reader comments:
Dr. Stelmack how can help us?
(posted by
jaap_suyk
, Dec. 22, 2008 3:10 am)
Hello I would like to contact dr. Stelmack through one of his
patients. I have good proposal for him regards the future of
bariatric surgery. We want offer our cooperation to him. We are
good bariatric centre in India. How can let him know that we
want to contact him? Jaap Suyk (just google my name)
I am one of Dr. Stelmacks lap-band patients. I agree with Katie, they are an expert team and I am extremely sad to see them go. His entire team cares about your progress and it shows. Thank you Dr. Stelmack for helping me to change my life!! I will miss you!!!!!
*jaeshuan*
(posted by
Katie
, Dec. 20, 2008 11:56 am)
You are a narrow minded fool. People are not pefect and sometimes they need help in overcoming their problems. I'm sure there are things about yourself that are not perfect and that you wish not to be scrutinized over. Get over yourself. Lastly, I was the patient on the liquid diet when the program was closed; I'm am doing wonderful thanks to the expert care I received from the ENTIRE team; i am very thankful to all of them and I am so sorry to see them go.
Hey jaeshuan
(posted by
dmine45
, Dec. 20, 2008 11:07 am)
Hey jaeshuan, I have news for you. People do exercise and lose weight. My wife lost almost 90 pounds due to diet and exercise. She goes to the local YMCA (as do I). I see a number of people there who try to lose weight. Sorry if you have never been to a gym (or a gym that actually cares about people instead of just making money). So to answer your quote "I have yet to see any obese people who use diet and exercise" - I see it on a regular basis. Sorry if you're so narrow minded not to see it yourself.
you quoted "I have yet to see any obese people who use diet and exercise". do you go to the local Gym and hang out to find obese people and take a poll if there exercising ? and their dieting? or is this about people you know your friends that dont ? What's your education in weight control in this area or did you make a typo and need to re do it ? seems to me your ragging on obese people im surely hope your not ... that would be so horrible.
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