"PRE-OP:
Dr. Denham was informative and straight-forward but a little quick. I am pre-op so I will let you know more when I get to a better position as I've only seen him once (and once at a seminar).
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Post-OP:
Dr. Denham did my surgery but Dr. Frantzides is my follow-up care surgeon as of Feb 2005. In my opinion: if you have a choice, Dr. Frantzides should be the one you go to (they both work in the same network/hospitals).
Dr. Denham did not meet my expectations.
Directly Post-Op:
I was not given a perscription for Gall Bladder medication when released from the hospital. It was perscribed after my first follow-up since I was complaining of pain near where the GB is located (and the old stomach). Karen called and gave me the perscription and stated I was supposed to be on it since coming home from the hospital. However, the perscription I did get from the hospital was for a medicine I was allergic to (for pain). In my opinion, this was the surgeon's responsibility to make sure any required medications were perscribed and that medications perscribed were accurate.
Post-Op ongoing:
In my experience with Dr. Denham, he did not take my post-op pain seriously. His attitude was that I was not having a WLS-related complication and went so far as to tell my PCP (according to what she told me) not to treat me as if I was having a WLS-related health issue.
Karen, the bariatric coordinator, was excellent in her care and was the one who diagnosed me and provided a treatment. I have an ulcer in my old stomach. Dr. Denham stated that he feels I do not have an ulcer since he 'cured that' when he did my surgery. I had GERD pre-op and I kept stating it felt like my GERD.
Dr. Frantzides is confident, but he treats you as an intelligent person and with kindness, excellence, sincerity and he (or Dr. Zeni) is prompt in returning your calls. I cannot say the same for Dr. Denham.
Doctor Staff- my experiences:
At Dr. Frantzides, Jerri, is excellent. At Dr. Denham, Debbi, is average-poor care (does not call back or call back in a timely manner, does not call in tests until a week after they were requested, etc.).
The nursing staff at both surgeons are excellent. Karen is great and she's the bariatric coordinator for ENH so she works with all the WLS surgeons via this hospital."
"I assumed by reading other posts about this hospital that it would have an excellent staff and have it's own 'bariatric' section. NOPE.
Instead I was treated by a resident doctor (his first day on staff) and student nurses- even though I SPECIFICALLY stated to several employees that I wanted no students working on me. The resident doctor was not aware of my type of surgery, he counter-acted what MY SURGEON said to me and discharged me due to my insurance approval rather than what MY SURGEON stated (not until I pass gas).
The beds, visiting chairs and recliners are not meant for overweight people. I was put into a standard surgery section and when asked about why I wasn't put in the bariactric section they said they didn't have one! I felt like a damn practice doll for the nurses! The nurses took FOREVER to answer a page; then to come when paged. I usually had to page at least twice- for having so many 'student's' working on me (I had about 3!) I did not get a good response time. Average was about an hour after first page.
I HIGHLY SUGGEST that if you want an EXPERIENCED staff, do not choose this hospital. If you don't mind giving your body over for education, than please feel free to use this hospital.
Re: Visitors: I specifically requested/informed to Karen, the bariatric coordinator of this hospital, several weeks before my surgery and to my 6AM nurse that my mother and brother would be staying with me. They said OK but did nothing to prepare for it! I was told (after waiting 3 hours for a room that wasn't prepared for me) when I got to my room that they had to 'order' a cot and it was unlikely they would get one (I got to my room at 4:30PM after having surgery at 7:30AM). After I threw a big hissy fit, they miraculously brought a cot for my mom. This was only after I kept pestering everyone over and over again for this item. This was at 9:15PM. Prior to getting the cot brought in was that it wouldn't be ready until 11PM or not at all. As my mom was preparing to leave for her 2 HOUR DRIVE home they brought a cot in. My brother slept on the recliner.
I also requested (in writing no less!) that I have a binder for surgery. Did I get one- not until I bitched about it!
I was as pleasant to the staff as I could be because it wasn't there fault that they did not meet my assumptions / expectations. I am so pissed that I made my family drive an additional HOUR to go to this hospital rather than Glenbrook. But we had all assumed that this was supposed to be the better of the two. WRONG. If you have any sense- go to GLENBROOK."
