Orem: April 7^th @ 7pm, Timpanogos Regional Hospital, Women’s Center Classroom

Speaker: St. Mark’s Registered Dietitian

Topic: Introduction to spring and summer cooking

Note: Dr. Simper will speak in Orem in May.

Ogden: April 13^th @ 7pm, Ogden Regional Hospital, Oak Room

Speaker: Dr. Sherman Smith

Topic: Open Forum

Salt Lake City: April 14^th @ 6pm, St. Mark’s Hospital, Room G40C

Speaker: Dr. Rod McKinlay

Topic: Open Forum

Orem: March 3, 2010 @ 7pm

Timpanogos Regional Hospital, Women’s Center Classroom

Speaker: Dr. Scott Haupt, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Ogden: March 9, 2010 @ 7pm

Ogden Regional Hospital, Cedar Room

Speaker: Dr. Brian Brzowski, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Salt Lake City: March 10, 2010 @ 6pm

St. Mark’s Hospital, Room GC04

Speaker: Chuck Nuttall, LCSW

February 2010 Support Group Schedule

Orem: Wednesday, February 3, 2010 @ 7pm, Timpanogos Regional Hospital, Women’s Center Classroom, Speaker: Dr. Scott Haupt, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Ogden: Tuesday, February 9, 2010 @ 7pm, Ogden Regional Hospital, Oak Room, Speaker: Jessica Wolfinger, LCSW

Salt Lake City: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 @ 6pm, St. Mark’s Hospital, Room G04C (Across from Cafeteria), Speaker: Dr. Bryce Allred, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Q: Does calorie absorption increase years out from weight loss surgery, which is why some weight regain can occur?

A: Increased absorption years out from weight loss surgery….
 False.

Same absorption as when you first had surgery…. True.

Your stomach gets more efficient at emptying food into the small intestine years out from weight loss surgery…. True. (This is why you are able to eat more food at each sitting, but never more than 6-8 ounces/meal).

Topic: Emotional Strength

Orem: January 6 @ 7pm, Timpanogos Regional Hospital, Women’s Center Classroom
Speaker: Chuck Nuttall, LCSW

Ogden: January 12 @ 7pm, Pleasant Valley Branch Library (5568 Adams Ave, across from Ogden Regional Hospital), Boardroom
Speaker: Jessica Wolfinger, LCSW

Salt Lake City: January 13 @ 6pm, St. Mark’s Hospital, Room G04C
Speaker: Leslee Miller, LCSW

Please note the new location of Ogden’s support group. It will no longer be held at Ogden Regional Hospital, by popular vote.

Our 2009 support group year has come and gone and we would love your feedback! From speakers like plastic surgeons and licensed clinical social workers, to activities like Walk From Obesity, what did you enjoy most? What did you find most beneficial? What improvements would you make to our support group for 2010?

For December’s support group, attendance was not as desirable. Was it the busy holidays interfering with the schedule? Was it the weather? Was it the topic (Clothing Exchange)? Or was it all of the above? As we look to 2010 and new changes that can be made, your input is vital.

However, one idea was further solidified during support group this month: Support from peers is vital. Whether it’s 5, 20, or 40 patients in attendance, knowing that you can interact with others who know exactly what you are going through is of great importance. We so value the efforts made by our patients this month to come and feel the support of others and RMAP. We strongly encourage you to make a new resolution to make support group a constant in your life!

E-mail your responses to Meredith@rmapinc.com

Q. How do I resize my photo to make it fit on my online forum profile picture? 

A. Thanks to Susan, again, one of our patients, here is the answer: 

“Open your “Paint” program. Usually, that is found in the “Accessories” folder on the Start Menu (lower left corner of your screen).
Open your photo in the program.
On the top bar, click on the “Image” button.
Then select “Stretch/Skew”.
Change the horizontal AND vertical numbers to 50%. This will make your photo half as large as it was.
Then click on File and “SAVE AS”. Save your resized photo with a new name. Do NOT do a “Save” as this will permanently change your original photo.
Then try uploading your new, smaller photo. If it is still too big, repeat the above process, starting with your ORIGINAL photo, and try smaller percentages (maybe 40% or 30%) until you have a size that will upload. It all depends on how large your original photo is as to what percentage change is required to make it small enough for the website.”

Let’s celebrate Christmas in style. For December support group, we will be having a clothing exchange. Bring clothes that no longer fit and exchange with other bariatric patients!

Orem: December 2nd, 2009 @ 7pm, Timpanogos Regional Hospital, Women’s Center Classroom

Details: Dress festively and bring bariatric friendly food (i.e. meat/cheese/veggie trays)

Salt Lake City: December 9^th, 2009 @ 6pm, St. Mark’s Hospital, Room G04C

Details: Dress festively and bring bariatric friendly food (i.e. meat/cheese/veggie trays)

Ogden: December 8^th, 2009 @ 7pm, Ogden Regional Hospital, Oak Room

Details: As the group decided against food, bring your favorite holiday recipes to exchange. Dress festively.

Let’s make it a party!

The reason why Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians (RMAP) has been performing weight loss surgery for 30 years all comes down to one thing: Success seen in our patients. It is why the surgeries are becoming better recognized as necessary procedures throughout our world; it is what keeps our medical practice running; and it is why we love what we do at RMAP.

Success can be defined in many ways, and to different degrees, but the ultimate definition stems from HAPPINESS received. And the support groups in Orem, Ogden, and Salt Lake City all offered their HAPPINESS from personal success stories.

Our patients’ success:

• Fitting into clothes that haven’t seen the light of day since college. Or even fitting into size 14 of the little girl’s department!
• Running and playing with children, nephews, and nieces.
• Coming off of all diabetic, blood pressure, cholesterol, and sleep apnea (etc) medications/devices
• Flying on an airplane for the family’s annual vacation.
• Motivation to go to nursing school (Hooray for nurses! I am not biased or anything…)
• Seeing a 100 pound bag of potatoes during Idaho’s harvest and realizing that “bag” has been lost from the body.
• Being able to cross the legs when sitting, and not even think twice.
• Changing their family’s health: Teenage daughter losing 14 pounds simultaneously from healthier habits being established
• Has learned to love exercise. Yes, physical activity is now fun!

I cannot speak for all in attendance, but I certainly walked away from support group this month feeling buoyed and grateful for the opportunity to work with people who are changing their lives. Thank you for those who attended, for sharing a piece of yourself. It was rewarding and inspiring.

Many of you have come so far. And I look forward to seeing those same changes in patients to come. Enjoy this journey!

Meredith Mangum, RN