StrangelyNormal

It's surgery day peeps!!!! On our way to the hospital now. Good luck and best wishes to all of my sleeve twins!!!!

I will second Cissie's comments!! I was sleeved by Dr Kelly on Thursday. I was nauseous the first night and up till about noon the next day, but once it passed, it was gone. Yesterday I had one small set back related to some gnarly menstrual cramps (I have fibroids and bad cramps and had to stop my BC pills for surgery so I knew my cramps would be bad) but Dr Kelly came to my hotel to check on me immediately! And then Cecy came and gave me two awesome pain injections and some lorazepam so I could rest. I slept for about 3 hours and woke up a new person! Today has been fantastic!
I've had zero problems getting in my liquids, and I'm thrilled about that! I feel wonderful today and I'm learning to appreciate that "displacement" burp when you drink that helps you clear gas. LOL. Also trying to listen to that hiccup even though I'm on clears for now, cause I know that when I add shakes next week that'll help me not overeat.
My husband is with me and we've had broth from several local restaurants, including a shrimp albondegas today that was DIVINE!!! I've been sipping broth while he enjoys the fabulous food around here! And yes the one Cissie mentioned is fab!!!!
My experience has been very good overall, and Dr Kelly is just top notch. I don't care who taught him, I don't care what coordinators have to say about him... That is one gentle, kind man. All of us here this week (there has been an overlap of 9 of us, he only tries to do 3 in a day) feel the same way! We are all leaving with smiles on our faces.
Dr Kelly is working on an awesome website that is gonna make it a lot easier for people to find him. I'm so happy for him!
I'll write more when I get home tomorrow, but for now I want to enjoy my last afternoon at this wonderful Hotel Lucerna! Gorgeous.
Good luck everybody!!!!

I'm worried about mine it's 3 week pre op diet 3 weeks of just Protein Shakes the last time I was on a all liquid diet was 39 years ago and I'm 40 now! I know it's going to be hard but I'm ready to give it my best shot.

July 19 with the amazing Dr Gonzalez

...I'll be a Sleeved Sistah. As I am preparing this evening (washing clothes, visiting my mom to tell her I love her--in case I don't make it, packing...), it feels surreal. What if this is the last time I'll see my mother? This is really REAL. This is IT.
I followed my 2-week preop to the best of my ability. I tried my best. I cheated too. I gave myself the excuse to after I got sick from the sugar-free (yet chemical-filled) pudding. But overall, I did better than I expected and have thus far lost abt 10 lbs. These last 3 days of clear liquid, having nothing but Water, tea, broth (repeat), have been the toughest. I've gone through a range of emotions from hunger to anger to despair. But I made it.
And as I end this preop journey and prepare to begin another, I feel...surreal. I know without a doubt that without this surgery I'd most likely never lose this weight. So I am thankful for it. But if I'm honest, I still wish there was another way. I wish my current life was set up to support the weight loss I need. But it isn't. I wish I had the courage to change it without surgery. But I don't. That's the God's honest truth.
And so, here I am. Ready to change, but full of fear too. Full of what if's. One thing I know for sure, though, is that this surgery is my leap of faith. I believe I was meant to be MORE than who I am and how I am right now. And I'm willing to face death in order to truly live.
Is this will be my end, then so be it. But perhaps it will be my beginning. Perhaps my rebirth. Whatever awaits me on the other side of this surgery, know that I was here. And I tried, really tried to live my life with meaning, passion and purpose.
Sorry, I just need to speak my truth to the universe...and any of you who've bothered to read this far.
Love.

Yeah,I actually changed from the hospital to have mine at MAR surgery center. I WA reading those posts and I swear I had such anxiety it gave me diarrhea. Tmi, but it's true. I'm not going back there and reading any more complications. I'm coming from Oklahoma and it just seems so far away if I had any of that stuff go wrong. I'm gonna do myself a favor n not go to that forum. Scared me lol

Yeah,I actually changed from the hospital to have mine at MAR surgery center. I WA reading those posts and I swear I had such anxiety it gave me diarrhea. Tmi, but it's true. I'm not going back there and reading any more complications. I'm coming from Oklahoma and it just seems so far away if I had any of that stuff go wrong. I'm gonna do myself a favor n not go to that forum. Scared me lol

I was sleeved yesterday. I am doing really good according to the doctor. I have a drain, no pain, slight discomfort in my stomach but overall not bad!
Thanks to this sight I was well prepared. I followed the pre op instructions completely. I was dreaming about being chased by a milkshake and fries jumping over the moon... Lol the temptation did not win. I'm in Tijuana and all is well.
The staff is nice. The facility clean and the doctors are always checking in on you.
Well off to get more rest. I will report back later.

You are braver than you believe,stronger than you seem,and smarter than you think.- A. A. Milne (Winnie-The-Pooh)
You are so smart to be making this commitment to a healthier life, You are brave for traveling so far out of your comfort zone to make this change. And you are strong enough to come out of surgery with flying colors and take your 1st steps as the new you

July 23rd.... It can't come soon enough

We went over his "basic" stuff, and answered my questions...and then we would have to do it again because hubby had been out of the country unexpectedly the first time. It is OK, however ti gave me time to think of things I would have asked the first time, but did not because I didn;t think of them till I had my first set of answers.
One thing I did have was a good Bariatric Coordinator, and email, and she would answer my questions over and over again sometimes...

Omg....especially the part about being smothered by your boobs. I swear it is like that for me in every single way but the boob smothering is my #1. I dread lying down for bed every single night BC of that

Being short of breath
Sweating…all of the time
Constantly self-conscious
Worrying about eating in front of others
Being squished in an airplane, Angel Game, Concerts, etc.
Worrying about fitting in rides at Disneyland
Obsessing about food
Physical pain; arms, shoulders, back, knees, etc.
Going to the restroom more easily
Wearing flats or ugly shoes because high heels are exhausting
Missing out on life
Comparing myself to every other woman
Feeling lazy or tired all of the time
Not being able to keep up
Shopping at fat-kid stores
Not fitting into CLOTHES!
Hating my reflection in the mirror when I am naked, I literally cringe and look away
Jiggly arms
My legs rubbing together, holy rash
Tugging at my clothes to hide the bells rolls
Laying on the bed to button pants and then being in pain all day from sucking it in
Bathing suits!
People thinking “she has a great personality”….there’s more under there!
Faking happiness
Getting my hair as big as possible to off-set my double chins
Not ever being in “the mood”
Being the fat kid in the family
Dreading people’s reaction when they are next to me on a plane
Knocking over things because my ass has a mind of its own
Long showers and needing a nap after them
Sitting on my husband’s lap
Not afraid to squish my husband
Getting my back fat played like a wash board
Children asking if I can even be tickled through all of that fat
Looking at the “skinny’ clothes in my closet….loathe
Having to return an outfit because the person thought I was a much smaller size
Knowing that stepping on the scale means I’ll be eating a **** ton of ice cream and in a deep depression that night
Pretending I know about nutrition when my doctors lecture
Thinking if I just lost the weight, I’d be able to tackle the world
Society assuming I am a lazy pig
Not chasing my dreams of performing because the anxiety of being on display is crippling
Being too big to zipline in Maui
Being too big to horseback ride in Maui
Being too out of breath to hike down to the blow hole
Wearing tights and just dying to rip them off at the end of the day
Never wearing shorts
Wearing dresses to hide my figure
Online dating and picture a great picture of my face, getting to the date only panicked because I know they will be disappointed with the rest of me
Having to buy a circus tent to use as a bra
My husband saying I have sleep apnea
Being the one who would rather take the picture then be in the picture
Breaking a glass table from sitting on it
Not wrapping my arms around my husband
Being able to balance, I swear my stomach throws me off balance
Shopping in the maternity section when your coworkers pregnant sister has the same dress
My cankles!
Wide shoes
Anything stretchy
Someone asking where I got that cute shirt and lying because I don’t want to tell them a fat kid store
BBW- I HATE the acronym for “big beautiful woman!”
Never cutting my hair so it can hide my face and back fat
Being the big bride
Not crossing my legs…..because I can’t
Sitting and using my belly as a table
Doing everything I can to avoid bending over because let’s face it, it’s freakin’ hard to get back up
Feeling miserably ill after eating too much
Realizing I am more likely to miscarry when pregnant
PCOS
Wanting a baby so badly, but worried about the high risk pregnancy
Stretch marks
Feeling my stomach sitting on my lap when I sit down (my fanny pack)
Ditching my high school reunion because I didn’t want to be the girl who gained 100 lbs. in 10 years
My boobs crowding my throat
My wedding ring never coming off because it keeps getting tighter
Not being able to see my feet
Not being able to give myself a pedicure without sweating and being short of breath!

Well thank you- but that is just a cleverly angled picture! Something I've mastered over 20 years. I can't wait to actually not worry about the angle of a camera or not just getting "my face"! I wish you all the best Wednesday and will be thinking positive thoughts for all! Keep up your posts!

In pre op forum there it's a "sticky" that has a really great list and people have added on to it. That would be a great place to start

4500 dr almanza. Never felt more safe or cared for. If you want/need the hospital setting, choose another surgeon. It's not th united states, if it were you'd be paying 20 grand.i had surgery march 23, 2012 and at 8 weeks post op lost 50 lbs and I am looking great. So while some of you are taking 80 years to make your decisions based on he said/she said, I am owning my life! Best wishes!

Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to update everyone on how things are going , I am officially sleeved as of saturday June 2nd and today im feeling pretty great my experience here at the hospital has been great I have zero complaints it has truely been the best hospital experience by far I had my third leak test today and it went great my sleeve looks perfect I have so much to say about my experience that I will def. share once im home but to anyone considering Dr Aceves I can assure you that you will love it and you will def. not regret it for a second

Yes, thank u very much

The drain is how I got my post-op (8 days) leak test before it was removed. My doctor almost always uses a drain. I've never heard of a patient he didn't use a drain for, but there may be 1 or 2.

My doc said he does them for all of his patients because it can be a first sign of a leak rather than getting horrible sick and procrastinating on calling or going to the doc. I asked for a whole bunch in case one doesn't work. haha

Well I know what I asked and I know what Louise said. What you doubt is of no consequence to me other than you may as well be calling me a liar. Six of one, half a dozen of another.
I'm doing a video log on YouTube so I guess I'll be showing whether or not the firm I've chosen to go through is up to par. My sister had a fantastic experience in Mexico and I'm expecting no less. Good luck on your continued weight loss

Not only did I spend months, not Weeks, stalking this site before I became a member, I also directly messaged no less than 10 of each Drs past patients BC I wanted 1st hand answers to my questions. Then I flat out asked Almanza's coordinator,I believe her name is Louise, who confirmed every single thing I just posted. So I guess Ur right. I don't know 1st hand. And I won't either BC those situations are not something I want to deal with. ME, personally. I'm thankful and happy that you were ok with it and had an amazing experience. Kudos to u. So many people say "well what do u expect for that kinda money"or "what do u expect your going to Mexico"... What I expect is the same or better care and situations that I'd have in the USA. No less.

I didn't go with Almanza for several reasons. He practices in a small office in a strip mall. His recovery house, which is overcrowded, had a robbery. I don't care of the thief was working for him and got fired or not. If it was an inside job it shows what type of person he hires to care for his wards. The staff at the recovery house are always cooking and hardly speak English. And God forbid someone say a negative word about him or Dr Kelly on this site or you get jumped all over. I don't care what caused the death of one of Dr Kelly's patient. I want a Dr with a 0% mortality rate who can practice in more than one hospital of he so chooses. Ur not gonna get that in either of those Drs. And it really pisses me off that some of the negative comments are removed from this site. A person should hear the good, the bad and the ugly in other to make an informed decision. Now let's see how many people I just angered by stating the facts

Not only did I spend months, not Weeks, stalking this site before I became a member, I also directly messaged no less than 10 of each Drs past patients BC I wanted 1st hand answers to my questions. Then I flat out asked Almanza's coordinator,I believe her name is Louise, who confirmed every single thing I just posted. So I guess Ur right. I don't know 1st hand. And I won't either BC those situations are not something I want to deal with. ME, personally. I'm thankful and happy that you were ok with it and had an amazing experience. Kudos to u. So many people say "well what do u expect for that kinda money"or "what do u expect your going to Mexico"... What I expect is the same or better care and situations that I'd have in the USA. No less.

I didn't go with Almanza for several reasons. He practices in a small office in a strip mall. His recovery house, which is overcrowded, had a robbery. I don't care of the thief was working for him and got fired or not. If it was an inside job it shows what type of person he hires to care for his wards. The staff at the recovery house are always cooking and hardly speak English. And God forbid someone say a negative word about him or Dr Kelly on this site or you get jumped all over. I don't care what caused the death of one of Dr Kelly's patient. I want a Dr with a 0% mortality rate who can practice in more than one hospital of he so chooses. Ur not gonna get that in either of those Drs. And it really pisses me off that some of the negative comments are removed from this site. A person should hear the good, the bad and the ugly in other to make an informed decision. Now let's see how many people I just angered by stating the facts