Photo By Jeanine Mezei | Dayna Dirkintis after she lost about 140 pounds since her bariatric surgery at Evans...... read more read more
In a quiet corner of Evans Army Community Hospital (EACH), a small team of medical professionals works diligently amongst dramatic before and after weight-loss photos of their patients.
These photos, just like the patients themselves, helped inspire their recent success in receiving a national accreditation thanks to their dedication to excellence and teamwork.Dr. Robert T. Wilcox, metabolic and bariatric surgery director at EACH, recently led the EACH Bariatric Surgical Center in earning accreditation as a comprehensive center under the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program, a joint program of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.
“I think every team member doing their job well has accredited to our success,” said Wilcox, the bariatrics program director since 2004 and surgeon contributing to 120 bariatric surgeries a year at EACH. “The bariatric team is a multidisciplinary team consisting of the Army Wellness Center, Nutrition Care, Behavioral Health, Clinical Pharmacy and Disease Management.”
The three-year accreditation helps set EACH apart as a military hospital committed not only to a high volume of successful bariatric surgeries, but also to a comprehensive program, which offers before and after surgery care for severely obese patients.
“Our program goal is to help you live a healthier, happier, longer, more productive life by helping you lose weight in the most reliable, long-term manner possible,” said Wilcox, also a retired Air Force surgeon who began working at EACH in 2001.
With the help of Julie Unruh, bariatric coordinator and nurse practitioner, Wilcox has been able to positively affect the lives of bariatric patients, which consists mainly of military Family members.
One of these bariatric patients is Dayna Dirkintis, a registered nurse and Army wife who decided to make the change after reaching the highest weight of her life in 2017.
It physically hurt to take her first steps in the morning and she soon hit a breaking point.
“I remember being on the phone with my best friend and telling her I didn’t want to lose everything I fought so hard to have — the husband of my dreams and the daughter of my life,” said Dirkintis, a lifelong athlete and yo-yo dieter who decided it was time to make a change. “I’ve tried every diet under the sun.”
Dirkintis met with her primary care provider shortly afterward to tell her she was interested in bariatric surgery and was given a referral for a consult with general surgery, which is how she came to meet Wilcox and his team.
“They have the kindest hearts,” Dirkintis said. “(Wilcox) makes you feel comfortable in your skin, no matter what size you are.”
Dirkintis went over her options with Wilcox and then prepared for the sleeve gastrectomy, aka gastric sleeve surgery. She was surprised at how supportive the staff was, and they made her feel at ease by going over her concerns beforehand.
“The whole team sets you up for success,” said Dirkintis, who has lost about 140 pounds since bariatric surgery at EACH. “If you take all the tools they give, all the classes, the support group, making sure you are on top of your nutrition — you can’t help but be successful.”
While each patient’s journey can vary, Unruh is here to provide support, guidance and assistance throughout the whole process, which can take four to six months to complete before surgery is performed.
Patients begin the process by consulting with their primary care provider about their interest in having bariatric surgery, which is either laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy or robotic gastric bypass at EACH. After receiving a referral from their provider, a patient begins the journey with Unruh by receiving a checklist of required visits to different specialty clinics.
“I enroll patients in the program, put in their referrals to get their checklist done and set up a consult with Dr. Wilcox,” said Unruh, who also assists Wilcox in the operating room during each surgery. She is bedside when patients wake up after surgery to provide support and help with their discharge following recovery.
The journey doesn’t end there, though. Having bariatric surgery is one of the first steps in the life-changing process associated with such drastic weight loss and the multidisciplinary team is here to assist after surgery, according to Wilcox.
“My patients go through a lot the first year because their bodies are changing so much, like with body image, but they come in to see us and I’m here to support,” said Unruh.
Achieving successful, sustainable weight loss is due to essentially a life makeover, which includes guided nutrition, exercise and overall well-being, Wilcox said. Potential patients who smoke or drink excessively are not ideal candidates since the risks of complications from surgery are higher.
“If you change your lifestyle and add exercise to your life after the surgery, you’ll have much better long-term results,” said Wilcox.
For Dirkintis, she not only transformed her body, but also improved her overall well-being and happiness.
“I feel like who I always was inside is finally showing on the outside,” said Dirkintis. “It saved my life.”
For more information about bariatric surgery at EACH, speak with your primary care provider or call the bariatric coordinator at 524-4166.
| Date Taken: | 04.26.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 04.30.2019 15:26 |
| Story ID: | 320102 |
| Location: | FORT CARSON, CO, US |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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