crystalintville

Hey cuz, glad everything went great! It's a wonderful experience! I checked on you with Omar a few times (once at 6am PST, oops!) and he replied in less than 5 minutes every time. I don't think he does sleep, lol.

I'm 6 1/2 weeks out and have ate chicken, ground turkey, ground beef, bacon, lunchmeat, shrimp, Wendy's chili, grilled veggies, raw peeled fruit, peeled & seeded cucumbers w/ vinegar, scrambled egg, cheeses, skim milk, juices, jerky, protein bars, almonds, peanut butter, & spices with no issues. Chicken & egg sits on my stomach much longer and I feel the restriction sooner. I still can't eat more than 3/4th of a 1 egg omelet. I'm not trying bread, rice, potatoes or sweets, so not sure how I handle those. Protein drinks are the only thing that make me feel sick like having to lay down after drinking one.

I'm glad you had a great experience! My surgery was 6 weeks ago with Dr. Kelly. I had a great experience and healed up well. Omar rocks. He seriously needs a fan page, lol.

I read somewhere before surgery take 1 cup soft cooked veggies, 1 flavored laughing cow cheese wedge, 1 cup low sodium chicken broth and puree or immersion blend. Carrot, cauliflower,...

I'm 5 weeks out and have been eating almonds. If you've ate other solid food ok, try a couple and chew the check out of them.

Yesterday was my one month surgerversary. I'm stalling, up & down, lost between 41-43 depending on the day including pre-op. My official loss since surgery was 15.8 lbs. I can eat about anything now with no issues, getting my water in is the hard part. I can't stomach protein shakes though, so I drink plain ole skim milk in the place of them. I get about 48-59 grams of protein in daily with 3 meals, 1 snack, and skim milk. My blog is losethisbelly.blogspot.com with pics.

I went to Dr Kelly on 5/25 and he was great. My blog is losethisbelly.blogspot.com for more details.

I had surgery with Dr Kelly and can pm you pics if you want. I have 5- 4 across my middle and one below my bra line. They are healing better than my gallbladder incisions but in different places. Gallbladder- right side, Tummy- middle to left side.

I went to Dr Kelly and had surgery on May 25th. I went alone and had surgery the same day I arrived. I didn't show ID to get into Mexico and I crossed back into the US with a certified birth certificate and drivers liscense with a small lecture. I've posted some experience on here but my blog is losethisbelly.blogspot.com . You never feel like you are alone there. I email & text Omar all the time and he responds quickly. Great experience!

It sounds like ya'll had an awesome experience! Dr Kelly is great!

Pam, your wish is granted! Phoenix, I used lendingclub.com . With my interest rate, my payments are $202/mo for 3 years.

My loan is 45% funded so far in just 5 days so I'm getting closer to make the big decision! I want the surgery done this month because June-Sept is my busy season at work and I can't get off and I don't want to wait til fall. My loan after fees is a little over $5700. Direct flight to and from Charlotte, NC is $509 which I can put on a credit card if needed. I'm getting my birth certificate and applying for a passcard this week. Money is also an important factor in my decision. I'm doing this alone and getting so much flack for going to Mexico. I've told everyone that it's not if I go, it's when and with what doctor. My first choice is Kelly. I've read tons of positive things about him on 3 message boards. As of yesterday I was 304lbs (5'5") which with a bmi over 49 surgery is $500 more. I wouldn't want to book unless I lost those 10+lbs because $6K is out of my budget. His assistant Omar is really friendly. I like the idea of no drain, b/c I've had one before and they hurt coming out. His pre-op diet is 2 weeks. My next choice is Ponce de Leon. I haven't read as many reviews, but all have been positive. His cost is a flat $5,500. Trish said it can be done at INT or Florence Hospital and if I choose INT I get a video of the procedure and the hotel is the same as Kelly. Lastly, I'm considering Almanza. He has the highest count of surgeries, but the negatives are waiting to have surgery done with highest bmi, in a clinic instead of a hospital, and the loudness/crowding of the recovery house. Including the hotel, San Diego hotel, and flight in my calculations, it would be almost $5300 which is under budget. I've emailed back and forth with Linda and Larry called me yesterday. His pre-op diet is 10 days low carb, no sugar, high protein, 5 days 2 protien shakes & 1 meal a day, and 14 days of liquids. Given the choice of the three above, which would you choose?

I hear ya on salad cravings, I'm on day 18 since surgery and I'm craving cucumbers & vinegar so bad it's ridiculous. I've drank pickle juice twice. I'm picking tomatoes and cucumbers out of my garden daily... I'm going to make some refrigerator and canned dill pickles once I can eat them. Do I need to cut out the cucumber seeds?

I've lost about 43 lbs and am still in the same size everything. I was wearing 24/26, they still fit though looser. I have a whole closet of 22's ready to wear. I've lost from my face, chin, neck, lower arm, and lower butt. Totally weird!

sandyd, surgery went great, no pain, no drain! After the first 24 hrs I felt good. I've lost 15.2 lbs since surgery and 40.2 lbs inc the preop diet. I had 5 incisions which are healing well. I have an unfinished blog here for more details: losethisbelly.blogspot.com .

Trish and Omar used to work together, so probably why similar forms (and yes the pre-op diet is killer) . Omar is a great coordinator/bff/bodyguard while you are there and Dr Kelly is a wonderful doctor. Omar can get Dr Kelly on the phone with any questions you have. Both are truly nice people. I just got back Wednesday and am doing great!

I arrived at the San Diego airport by myself and was picked up by Cece, who was dropping off another patient. She drove me by the San Diego harbor to take pics before we headed to Tj. We crossed the border quickly and headed to florence Hospital. As soon as I got there, Omar and Dr. Kelly were outside and greeted me. I got to meet Sherry & Thomas who were on their was for the swallow tests then hotel. I was quickly checked in then shown to my room. I was given a gown to change into then weighed, measured, x-rayed, EKG'd, IV'ed in my right hand, then asked questions about my health. When it came time for surgery, I got to move on 4 different beds. They strap down your hands & feet and the anethiesiolisit (sp?) introduced himself and I koncked out before I could ask someone to itch my nose. When I woke up, I was moved to the beds since I was too tired. I was taken back to my room and stats checked and I was given oxygen. I was given meds for nasea but threw up, dry heaved a few times throughout the night. I would walk two laps down the hall, feel the gas coming up my chest, go back to the room, burp/throw up blood stuff then I felt better. I was able to get up and pee on my own maybe an hour after surgery. Dr. Kelly, Omar, and Cece checked on me last night. The surgery went well and my lover looked good. I asked someone to call my mama for me so she could tell everyone I was ok since I didn't feel like getting on facebook. Later last night I got a cup of ice chips and have to chew them around in my mouth then spit them out. I slept off and on last night. I felt hot and asked for a fan, which I quickly recieved. A nurse was checking on me very frequently. This morning I felt much better, though slightly sore and I've felt sick at times, right in my chest area. I don't feel any pain whatsoever. I've kept the lights off, cut hispanic TBS on for background noise, and have tried to nap most off the day, hoping to sleep the nasea away. Dr, Kelly and Omar have stopped in here today. I've got up and walked two laps and used the spirometer everytime I get up. I think I've done very well. I got to meet the other Sherry and her hubby before she went to get her test & go to the hotel. I got to take a shower this morning. It is a huge walk-in with a chair. Whatever they mop with made my room smell awesome. I will update once I get my swallow test and check in the hotel.

The nausea stopped right around the 24 hr point. I tried to walk two laps everytime my vitals were checked but I was tired and slept most of the afternoon away. Sunday morning, Dr. Kelly came by and checked me out then Cecy took me around noon for my swallow test. That facility is very nice, though the roads are quite bumpy on the way there. Thank goodness I still have cushion on my backside lol. The drink is disgusting, like aspirin Water, but it goes quickly and I brought sugar free mints for afterwards. Dr. Kelly recorded the test and Omar emailed it to me. My tummy looks so widdle on the video. They also gave me xray to take home. It takes like 10 minutes total. Cecy took me to the grocery store to get some cold beverages and my meds. The grocery store had the most gorgeous mangoes I wish I could take home and was sooo clean and colorful. Once I got to the hotel, Omar and Dr. Kelly came up to go over my diet and Cecy made me some rice water. I'd never tried rice water, but it has a nice cinnamon flavor. Omar went to get the other two couples then came back to get me. I took a big gatorade and headed to the bull fight with another couple. It was $20 for premium seats and $1 for a cushion (concrete seats). The food they brought by looked delicious, dried meat, fruit platters, but I sipped my gatorade. It was very...authentic. Beautiful bulls and horses. We stayed a little over an hour. Omar picked us up and we all went shopping at Avenida Revolución. You have to haggle for prices, but I yard sale every weekend so this is totally up my alley. I spent $33 on 3 luchador masks and some maracas. We stopped at Caesar's Restaurant which is the birthplace of the Caesar salad. It is made tableside with ground anchovies, dijon mustard, oil?, garlic, worchesterchire sauce, egg yolk, pepper, parm cheese & croutons. It looked really good. We then went out to eat at a mexican restaurant that has the.best.chicken.broth.ever. I don't remember the name of the place but I've never had broth that good, full of cilantro goodness. I chewed a tiny bite of rice with it. It was my first meal since Thursday night (3 days). I sipped too fast as about 5 minutes after I finished eating I felt way over full. You know how when you eat like a jumbo cheeseburger and fries then feel ugh? I felt that way after drinking 1/2 a cup of pineapple juice and maybe 3/4 cup broth. I kinda couldn't believe it until it happened to me. We got back to the hotel around 9pm. I showered, changed my bandages, took my meds, went on the balcony to check out the city at night, then online way too late. I got up this morning around 5am and had a drinkable yogurt. Omar brought me some thin oatmeal Cecy made me around 8am. I'm sipping on it very slowly. I'm chilling in the room this morning watching HBO. I have no nausea or pain. I get a free broth and popsicle from the hotel daily so I'll be checking that out later today. So far I've had a great experience in Tj. You don't get this kind of personal service in the US. Good luck Reese! It was nice meeting you yesterday. I'm sure you'll do great! Thanks thinmymind, I had a lot of fun yesterday.

Sharon, I get to go to a bull fight tomorrow! Thanks Mina. Cathy, thanks & you'll do great here. You'll be here sooner than you think

I just had surgery yesterday with Dr. Kelly and I have no pain and 24 hr of nausea then I feel good now. They were super nice here and $5500 plus airfare.

Too funny, I'm ready for the same thing!

Good luck!

Candyman, the 3 days of yogurt sounds good! NJSharon, I am excited about meeting Dr. Kelly, Cece, and Omar, two days to go! I hope I get a view like your room, gorgeous! My pre-op diet is a little different. I've been on mushies since the day I set my surgery date and clear broth, jello, juice, and water for my last 3 days. I've lost 25 lbs on it this month .

1 head cauliflower 1/4 c. skim milk Hidden Ranch dry ranch powder (like for making dip) to taste pepper 1 pk Swanson flavor boost Chop & wash cauliflower. Boil Water with 1 pk swanson flavor boost and cook cauliflower until tender. Drain and put back into pot on low to cook out moisture and add skim, ranch powder, and pepper. I used the back of a big spoon which got it kinda mashed but my immersion blender made it very smooth like mashed potatoes. I didn't know if it would taste good without the added fat (cheese, butter) but they were freakin' awesome. It was my last meal since I have 3 days of liquid before my big day. Enjoy!

Swanson flavor boost are tear packets of chicken stock and located near the chicken broth at my grocery store. I bought it to add to water for chicken broth (ew) but it's good mixed in with veggies to give them some flavor.