Salut! My name is Kenza Laoufir and I chose a diabetes concentration at the New Bedford Sodexo campus. After completing my foodservice rotation, as well as my beginners and intermediate clinical rotations at Beth Israel in Needham, it was time to change it up and get some experience in an outpatient setting. I had the opportunity to spend a week in the South Coast Diabetes Program, followed by a week in the South Coast Bariatric Surgery Program. It was interesting to see a diverse pool of patients, yet most came in with the same robust hope to get their health back. This was especially true with bariatric patients. Often they reach a point where not only are they unhappy with themselves physically, but they are also emotionally drained; additionally many have some comorbidities including diabetes, hypertension, and sleep apnea, so they need an effective intervention. The South Coast Bariatric program is a very long process for these patients, and I wanted to get exposure to as much of it as I could. This included observing an endoscopic sleeve gastrostomy.
Walking into Tobey Hospital’s bariatric surgery unit the morning of was both nerve-racking and very exhilarating. I could only imagine how the patients waiting to go into surgery felt. The operating room was uniquely calm while the team was setting up instruments and machinery. It was lively with excellent lighting and looked crisp clean. When the patient was finally wheeled in and transferred over to the operating table, I could not help but notice how vulnerable this specific patient looked, yet she maintained a beautiful smile. I knew this was her chance to turn things around, and she was ready for it. The surgery in and of itself was very simple and lasted only 35-40 minutes. The sleeve is essentially an extension of the esophagus created using a stapling device, and then two-thirds of the stomach is removed. I was surprised at the shear amount of tissue the surgeon had to move through before reaching the stomach. It was very fascinating to watch the procedure though. I held the portion of the stomach that had been removed in my hands, and it felt unexpectedly soft. When the team started making announcements of completion, I knew another successful surgery manifested. Now one can only hope that the patient is successful at their weight loss goals by managing behaviors, complying to diet recommendations, and taking their supplements. This is where our role as dietitians comes into play!
Walking into Tobey Hospital’s bariatric surgery unit the morning of was both nerve-racking and very exhilarating. I could only imagine how the patients waiting to go into surgery felt. The operating room was uniquely calm while the team was setting up instruments and machinery. It was lively with excellent lighting and looked crisp clean. When the patient was finally wheeled in and transferred over to the operating table, I could not help but notice how vulnerable this specific patient looked, yet she maintained a beautiful smile. I knew this was her chance to turn things around, and she was ready for it. The surgery in and of itself was very simple and lasted only 35-40 minutes. The sleeve is essentially an extension of the esophagus created using a stapling device, and then two-thirds of the stomach is removed. I was surprised at the shear amount of tissue the surgeon had to move through before reaching the stomach. It was very fascinating to watch the procedure though. I held the portion of the stomach that had been removed in my hands, and it felt unexpectedly soft. When the team started making announcements of completion, I knew another successful surgery manifested. Now one can only hope that the patient is successful at their weight loss goals by managing behaviors, complying to diet recommendations, and taking their supplements. This is where our role as dietitians comes into play!
