AngelBaby

Sept 14th with Dr Ponce de Leon in Tijuana

it just depends on how many instruments they need in your belly at the same time.. each incision allows a port to be placed in it and they slide an instrument through each one

LOL I am SO right there with ya on not wanting to go into surgery looking like a hairy ugly nail girl hahaha I am an OR nurse and this is in NO way medical advice, just my experience. I have not had any patients that I know of in a LONG time come to the OR with those instructions... but I am sure it's prob based on the surgeons' comfort level. I would definitely check with Dr. Kelly. We shave people IN the operating room after they are under anesthesia all the time.. but we also immediately prep their skin right after and we use a combination of any or one of the following based on surgeon preference: betadine, chloraprep, hibiclens, rubbing alcohol. We do realllllllly like having a fingernail we can put a pulse-ox on so we can see how your oxygen saturation is throughout surgery, but I work in a major trauma center so we get people all the time rolling into emergency surgery after car accidents and gunshot wounds etc with fake nails on and there ARE other places to put that probe so again, just ask your surgeon's office and it's typically up to your anesthesiologist's comfort level as they will be the one monitoring that throughout surgery. Anyway that's just some info... and I hear Omar is super nice so I'm sure he won't mind you giving him a call! My advice is just follow whatever they recommend

WOW!!! amazing! you look great!

I quit smoking about 2 1/2 yrs ago using Chantix. it gave me CRAZY vivid dreams but I was fine and then one day about 3 weeks into it I woke up and thought "eh I don't really feel like smoking anymore". Seriously. It was crazy!! Also right about that time it started making me horribly depressed so right away I weaned off it.. but I credit Chantix for my quitting!! I also used quitnet.com, LOVE it. I still check in on that site and look forward to the emails they send out! As far as why they want you to quit.. a bunch of reasons but a couple of the big ones are smokers typically have much higher risk of blood clots and poor healing due to decreased circulation. Anyway I'm not a doctor and this is SO not medical advice but just my opinion.. quit before surgery You can dramatically decrease your chances of complications.

was just thinking it's easier to discuss religion or politics with people than it is to discuss WLS hahahahaha

thanks guys, you are SO right! I am doing this for me because it's a tool that's available and I want to be healthy. oh and YES I have judged myself MORE than enough all by myself!! it's crazy how hard we are on ourselves isn't it?!

Hi everyone, I just got home from a good friend's house and it was the first time I've got to see her and sit and chat since I decided I was definitely going ahead with surgery and got a surgery date.. I was hoping she would be excited for me but instead I got the "why don't you take that money and spend it on a personal trainer and a nutritionist instead? I can show you how to eat vegetarian and you can come work out with me whenever you want." She just doesn't get it and I was so disappointed.. I really shouldn't have expected her (or anyone for that matter) to be supportive and excited. But seriously, I can't believe that in this day and age there are still SO many people who just don't get it. She actually told me that she understands because once when she was younger after having kids she had to lose 30 lbs. LOL I guess I just needed to vent a bit because I'm so tired of people who tell me to "just diet". Like I've never done that Anyway, I've decided that all the important people that I wanted to know about my surgery now know about it and will be there for me to support me next month when I have surgery. I feel like I need supportive people in my life right now and so I'm SO grateful for all of you!! The rest, well maybe I'll tell them someday and maybe I won't. God it was so disappointing to have such a good friend be so judgemental about WLS though. *sigh* It reminded me to not have expectations of other people and to be grateful my family is so supportive!! Thanks for letting me vent.

I haven't gotten Dr. Ponce's specific diet but I know usually they range from 3-14 days liquids. Ugh. THAT is pretty much the only part of this surgery that's scaring me hahaha Actually I need to email them tomorrow and get that info...

yeah I plan on announcing it there too AFTER the fact LOL I have met a LOT of people (including a ton of nurses) who all went to Mexico for their surgery and between talking to them and watching all the youtube videos I was finally swayed.. will also keep it in mind for future plastic surgery should I need it and need to pay for it

wow!! sounds like you are doing great!! I am so glad to hear that your experience with Mexico has been so good, after all I've read I'm not nervous about that at all and I can't wait! congrats on getting sleeved!

me too!!! it's funny the closer I get the less nervous I am. I hope that doesn't change because right now I'd just freaking go down there tomorrow and do it if I could. LOL

awesome!!! I just sent you one, I'm Angel would LOVE to be a part of some support.. I work weird hours so I can't get to alot of the local support groups..

I can't remember if I asked you yet but what hospital will you be at? I'll be sleeved the same day in TJ at INT! yay us!!!

well I ended up changing to Dr Ponce at INT in Tijuana (longggggg story LOL) but same date! I can't wait!!!

omg I can SO relate and I'm so glad someone brought this up! I really am wondering how my life will be without my friend food. I LOVE good food. LOL THANK YOU all for your posts! I'm grateful to hear from those of you who felt this way and are now on the other side and doing well!

hi everyone!! so cool to find so many nurses!! My name is Angel and I am an RN in southern CA. I have been a nurse for 3 years.. the first couple years I worked in ICU an about 10 months ago I left critical care to work OR. So far I love it! I have a surgery date.. Sept 14th I will be sleeved! I am thrilled!! My health insurance will not cover WLS so I am self pay and going to Mexico. I have to a couple close friends at work and they are supportive.. and I told a couple others but left out the Mexico part LOL I got some weird looks when I told the first couple that I was going to Mexico which is understandable (a year ago you could have never convinced me I'd be doing this) but after tons of research I feel very comfortable with my decision. I was actually amazed at how many of my coworkers have had WLS!!

well there was a big mix up about prices and coordinators but I ended up choosing the one that *I* felt most comfortable with after talking to many people on here and another forum. I guess it's a very personal decision.. I needed a surgeon with an outstanding reputation and a decent price that I could afford. I also wanted to be sure that the surgery would be performed in a hospital and I wasn't keen on the idea of staying in a "recovery house". I'm sure they are wonderful too but it's probably the nurse in me that really wanted a hospital. Also I searched and searched all over the internet and couldn't find anything negative about the coordinator I eventually chose (Trish with Wls-for-betterlife). Basically I read that she always books everything just right, gives great attention to detail, and former patients told me she really took time to be sure they were ok and taken care of while in Mexico. Anyway, like I said I finally realized it's a personal choice and I am pretty sure they are all great surgeons. If you ask around on here it seems most people are partial to their surgeon as I am hoping I will be about mine after I'm done

I am SOOOO excited. Finally picked a doctor and got a date. Started taking Vitamins and Calcium citrate and B-12. Almost done detoxing off of my massive Diet Coke addiction and slooooooooooooowly weaning off coffee. LOL Also sent out for a whole bunch of samples of various Protein powders and bariatric supplements so that I'll have some around the house when I get back from Mexico to try. Now it's just a waiting game - 34 days until I get sleeved!!! Anyone else going to be at INT or at the Lucerna at that time? would LOVE to have a "sleeve buddy"!

Skyjack1 how are you doing since surgery? hope you enjoyed laying by the pool and sight seeing How are you feeling?

I'm September 14th!!! I can't wait! any sleeve brothers or sisters out there?

I am scheduled for surgery in September and my primary doctor just moved away so I'm having to get started with a new one anyway... my experience so far is that people are very judgmental when you say you are going to have WLS in Mexico so I am not telling them until AFTER I do it hahaha basically I'm due for routine labs this month anyway and then after I come back from surgery I will make another appt, update them, and see if they want more labs. LOL

omg I am SO right there with you!! trying to quit diet coke made me actually CRY this morning!!! LOL! can you believe that?! I'm already mourning the "loss" of my comfort foods.. but at the same time I can't wait to get started on my new healthier lifestyle..

omg folks so my doctor (and it seems most all of them) says NO diet coke, no carbonation, and no caffeine.. the doc I talked to recommends at least a year without after surgery. So here I am 5 weeks before surgery trying to quit coffee and diet coke.. can I just say ARRRRRGGGGGH. LOL I think I was displaying some homicidal tendencies yesterday hahaha I felt like I had PMS times 100 hahaha I went and bought a real caffeine-filled diet coke on my lunch break at work because I was afraid to speak for fear of what horrible things I might say to people LOL so instead of cold turkey I decided to decrease by one cup of coffee/ can of diet coke each day til I'm caffeine free. I also had to write a list of all the reasons I'm doing this as encouragement for myself it WILL be worth it...