stoongal

Thanks for posting Stoongal. You sound like you were feeling pretty good if you were out on a 3 hour tour!

Did you have much pain? It seems as if day 3 is the worst and you would have been in the recovery house.

So 2 nights in hospital and 2 more at recovery house? Did you travel alone? If not - where did the person who went with you stay?

I'm a real detail person and I ask lots of questions (drives my family crazy as you can imagine!).

Glad to hear you are doing well. I bet your family was really happy to see you arrive back home - safe & sound, in one piece....well missing a piece.....you know what I mean!!

Nancy

Hi Nancy,

I did travel alone, yes, but I have such an active husband I couldn't see him sitting around watching me sleep and him doing nothing! Besides on our pensions, we simply couldn't afford to have him or anyone else come with me.

I honestly can say Nancy, I felt no pain whatsoever! felt some tenderness when I rolled on my left side inadvertantly, learned quickly to sleep on my back or right side with something tucked under my tummy for support. I suppose it was the pain meds they had us on, who knows, but mostly I was very comfortable.

Yes two full days in the hospital night before and two days afterwarss idn the recovery house. For pics check out superppp's album he just posted.

As for family, well I had talked to them so much from Mexico they were not too worried anymore! :001_unsure:

Hope that answers your questions.

Cheers,

Donna

:scared0:

First thing we have to do is find a universal symbol of what it all means to everyone, a flower, a star, something life changing. Something with "Sisters" but not sleeve. OR better yet,a BUTTERFLY, the ulitmate "transformation" from a catipillar to a butterfly !!!! Or Dragonfly, something free, light, and carefree. I'm up for any ideas ya'll can throw at me !!! Personally I love the butterfly idea...I need feed back :thumbup: bring it on !!! My research is about to begin....

Another thought for a symbol, could be a bluebird soaring upwards thrusting towards the sun, a "bluebird of happiness" as surely happiness will be one of our main rewards for the weight loss!

at the Cosmo Civic Center. Let me know if you need a ride, happy to take you!

Stoongal,

Glad you are home and doing well! I can't wait to hear about your trip and surgery.

Thanks appreciate the interest.

Well here goes, hope to be as brief yet informative as I know how.

The flight: 2 stages, huge wait at Saskatoon airport and much more in Denver but went smooth (I always set off the metal alarms with the prosthestics in my knees) coming back - huge wait in SanDiego and one hour plus in Denver. Crowded full aircraft! Cold back home here! Brrr...

The Recovery House: newish, spotless, smallish, 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 2 story home in a gated community - felt very safe and secure there.

The Staff: drivers, doctors, patient liason, caretaking staff, nurses, all - gracious, warm and generous with their hugs. True Mexican hospitallity prevailed.

The Medical Center: smaller than expected, but it is a shared facility, so I understood all that once there. Our rooms were good sized though, with TV, Stereo and airconditioning all controlled with remotes. In the hallway was a phone for us to use freely to call family - I made real good use of it!:love: I don't own a cell phone and this was on them!

Everything was clean, not new or real modern, a real no frills atmosphere.

No health spa here!

The Procedure and Operation: lots of forms to fill out, blood samples first, sent out to a lab. Weight recorded. Blood pressure taken and recorded, mine was 120 over 80 (great for me) A cardiologist came and did a thorough check over as I have a heart murmur, did his EKG and then came the gown pressure stockings and IV line set up.

wait my turn, in came the whole staff to be introduced to me in my room, including the owner, the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, (sp?) the assistant Dr, the surgery nurse, the aftercare nurse, and even Dr. A's wife.

We talked at length - pictues were taken with the surgeon - then much laughter and congeniality and showing off of muscles - that kind of thing- made me feel special and oh so relaxed.

Shortly after noon hour, my turn for the operation.

the room looked like a tiny operating room with equipment and all and was filled with those necessary to be there. They positioned me, placed my arms, gave me the injection, and that was all I saw of it!

Woke back in my room. Had vitals taken etc. Felt no pain, needed sips of Water but only to swish and spit out, even got up to use the bathroom. and then to call my children.

Slept a few hrs after that.

Lots of walking with the other two sleeve patients that evening, and we visited back and forth.

Next day: Dr Lopez dropped by to see me (anesthesiologist) and a bit later along came Dr. Amanza who congratulated me for being the oldest sleeve patient and for setting a brand new record - only 35 minutes for my operation! Why? No bleeding, real empty stomach etc. a clean visual field and nothing to hinder the actual procedure, he did my stitches too. so again felt very special. Even Ivan the accountant came to see me!

Earlier had showered, had dressings changed, and more vitals taken, took me off separate pain intervenous, gave me antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and pain control through the main intervenous line (had 2 before)then I changed into my own gown and lounging robe.

More visits ensued from the other two patients and we did many parades pushing our iv poles around

Meantime our rooms got cleaned and beds changed and remade and everything spotless and neat.

So I read, did crossword puzzles (about 10 of them at least)

Finally! Bliss, Ice chips to suck on and actually swallow! Heavenly!

Next Day:

up early, bandages changed and drank blue stuff. for leak test #2 (1st done in surgery) Blood pressure taken etc, then I packed my bag as we were to get Xrays done (3rd test for any leaks) We got them done and were to keep them to take home with us. Driven back to the recovery house. Lots of visits from Dr. Betencourt - food choice intructions given and meds distributed to take home with us. Relaxed on the sun on the patio, all of us took siesta naps! much sucking on popsicles, sipping Water gaterade whatever, had the run of the place. Tao kept us in clean towels and cooked and cleaned until late afternoon. lots of staff dropped by to nosh and nibble and visit. Made lots of phone calls! again on the house!

Next day:

More of the same grazing, playing board games, phoning, visiting, napping and going on a three hour outing to Casino, stores, and to the beach on the ocean.

Enough of my chronicles! Hope this helps anyone considering this surgery and this facility! In the near future it will be Jerusalem Hospital in a new facilty, more modern and sophisticated according to the owner. Ready in about 2 months.

"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending"

:thumbup:

Hi everyone - I got my sleeve on Sept 28th and had a pretty easy time considering! I experienced some heavy nausea right after surgery but saw the other two sleevers up and walking so got my ass out of bed to do some laps. Some pain that meds took care of right away. I had a weird reaction to the anesthetic - chest and face turned bright red and hot for a day - looked like a bad sunburn - it went away over the next two days but I sure looked odd. I feel really good now - no pain, incisions almost healed, just need that extra nap to get me through the day (still can't lie fully on my stomach yet). No hunger - just keep sipping my broth, tea, juice and eating Jello - I am so glad I had it done!:love:

I am so happy for you, and that you are home safe and sound. I am glad for BOTH of us sister sleevers!

Tonight I had homemade chicken broth, oh was it ever good! for dessert, (I am still sipping on it) am having Welsh's light grape juice with a bit of Water added to it, delicious!

I, too, noticed my face was red in the hospital, but then I have a touch of rosacea which really shows up after even a small glass of wine. So sensitive that way I guess.

Anyway, hope you will be able to attend the upcoming support group that will start first Wed of November. The more, the merrier, we are getting a nice little group going here in Toon town! They are talking of doing a clothing exchange. Worth checking out!

Welcome home!

Cheers,

Donna

:thumbup:

And if money is an issue for you like it was for me, you can have the same procedure done just across the border in Tijuana with Dr. Almaraz for $5000. He also does the three leak tests and keeps you in the hospital for 2 days and in the recovery house for another 2 days. He is A1 in my books and I hear his abilites are compared to a very famous doctor in Mexico, dr. Ponce de leon.< /p>

The risk of any complications are so low and why not check it out at 1 866 806 4286.

And no I am not paid for saying any of this, but have just had a successful sleeve operation there Monday, and one other gentleman was a revision from lapband to sleeve and he did extremely well also.

Worth a look-see.

Some of my fav's after The Notebook, are Nights in Rodanthe, Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember, (those are based on Nicolas Sparks books!)

then I also love musicals, including any by Judy Garland, classics like Amadeus, Immortal Beloved, Chicago, Dream Girls, West Side Story, High Society, An American In Paris,

then there's The Bucket List, Seabiscuit, The Natural, I am Sam, Field of Dreams, Driving Miss Daisy, Magnolia, Green Fried Tomatoes, Schindler's List, March of the Penguins, Planet Earth series, any old Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn movies,

Breakfast at Tiffany's, Oceans Eleven, and here is a list of the top 10 courtroom drama movies ever!

1. To Kill a Mockingbird (1963)
   
2. 12 Angry Men (1957)
   
3. Kramer VS. Kramer (1979)
   
4. The Verdict (1982)
   
5. A Few Good Men (1992)
   
6. Witness for the Prosecution (1958)
   
7. Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
   
8. In Cold Blood (1967)
   
9. A Cry in the Dark (1988)
   
10. Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)
    

OK, that will have to do for my tired old memory bank.

Hope this helps with your friend!

I and at least two others from Saskatoon are here as members.

I didn't even try to get thru our system, just went straight to Mexico,

had the surgery Monday and home now and feeling like it was the best decision I ever made.

My cost?

$100 for the passport, $5000 for the surgery and airfare, $28 for comprehensive travellers medical coverage, and that was about it. Have had to take out a $5000 line of credit at my bank but worth every penny!

Not in detail yet, just got home yesterday, and today has been

on the phone lots with friends and loved ones, met my brother from Edmonton up at his motel, he is in town for a bridge tournament, then went to Walmart to buy some more clear juices, cat food, and bread for hubby.

Since home been on the phone with my sister and just now back online.

I wrote copious notes, pages actually, so am wondering how to pare it down as to not make it boring or repetative from other posts I have already done last night.

Thank Nancy, when I wrap my head around the being brief, I will post in this thread, how is that?

Check later on tonight maybe.

We are going to start doing that here in Saskatoon.

Our support groups will start the first Wed in November,

and will be open for anyone who has had sleeve weight loss surgery, and we plan on doing a clothes exchange at those meetings.

so we will need to clean out our closets just before the Nov meeting, I hope I will have some to take, (no, need positive thinking here) I KNOW I will have some to take along with me.

Welcome to our community, you will find all kinds of peoples experiences here.

Great that you have chosen the sleeve. I didn't need the gas X, heating pad, enzymes, just liquids and I am now just home from my sleeve. But who knows if you will or now.

I can't believe how good I feel!

I did have a drain up until yesterday morning, no catheter, and had the 32 bougie. I have an Xray of my new tummy - it looks like an almost half moon shaped pouch. Most interesting.

Expect nothing but the best in this experience, I know I did, and that is exactly what I got!

Once again,

Welcome and enjoy the whole procedure, the freedom of the results are amazing!

How are you guys doing? Please fill us in on anything your willing to share on your recovery, the first week or two are the experiences I am most interested in hearing about. How is your recovery?

I am only four days out of my surgical sleeve operation (28th)and just arrived home this afternoon.

I am doing fantastic! Sipping away on Isopure for a change, as apple juice and Water, popsicles, runny yogurt, and cream Soups have been my meals for the past two days. But two ounces at a time, giggle!

Seems very little but am so happy with that amount.

It is so true what everyone says, no hunger or desire to eat!

What freedom!

Looking forward to weight loss and exercising and all of that but too new right now to worry about any of that.

Abdomen is still swollen and ports feeling itchy but other than that all is good!

Will keep you updated!

Cheers,

Donna

No wonder I am the only one in this category, turns out I am the oldest sleeve patient - period!

Also set a new record! My sleeve only took Dr. Almanza 35 minutes from start to finish!

Everything went so smoothly, no bleeding, no problems whatsoever!

I am feeling truly blessed!

Just got home to Canada today, had a nap and now feel raring to go!

So will check in on the other forums and see what I missed!

Thank you so much, Nancy.

Just starting to pack now, keep changing my mind about what will fit me real loosely after the surgery, in case the abdomen swells even more than mine already is!!

So been trying on and trying on, but think I for sure have it figured out now.

Talk to you when I get back if not sooner.

Cheers,

Donna

Marilyn,

Can save you lots of money if you buy thru this number:

1 403 329 1380

each plastic container is 16 oz, and costs $10 Canadian , buy by the case and they ship for only $10 Cdn.

Mine last anywhere from 4 - 6- months that way, as I use them 5X a week. Our dollar is about .90 yours, I believe, in that vicinity anyway. They are very fresh and keep beautifully

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

Donna

You'll make up for the lack of sleep in the days following surgery, not too much else to do! Lots of little naps throughout. I am taking a good book, some crossword puzzles and sudoku puzzles with me, and I understand that there is a Vonage phone in my room for my use and I will call all my relatives and friends that know about the surgery and allay their fears!

Thanks Oregon Rose,

looking so forward to the experience. Crazy, huh?

Cheers,

Donna

Hi,

I can so relate, but not jeans, I am the wrong generation for those, but I have a cute duster that I kept from when I was much much smaller (don't ask me why) that I will be so happy to fit into at some future date, even some really nice shoes that I bought that are a bit too small, but will likely fit somewhere down the road.

I will be delighted to sit behind my husband on our Suzuki Cavalcade motorcycle and not feel like a mountain behind him, and know that he doesn't have the extra weight to hold up at stops and when parking. He is in his 70's as well, and leg strength not

what it used to be. Most of all, after my health reasons of course, I want him to be proud of my looks again like he was when I was a fairly normal weight, and have him show me that again. ~sigh~

My surgery is Monday, you too?

A HUGE welcome, JudyX3---

Love your story, brought tears to my eyes as I, and so many of us, relate to your experiences with the extra 100 lbs. We will indeed be sleeve sisters, all of us, and support each other in any way we can.

We are grateful to those who have gone before us to give us the advice we ask for as they understand what we are going through.

Anyway, thanks you for sharing your story, and keep them coming (your posts that is)

Donna:001_cool:

donna! i hope your surgery went well today!! i really look forward to hearing all about your experience and how you are doing!

Surgery is scheduled for Monday, but indeed will keep you posted. I am positive everything will go as planned!

Thanks for caring!

Donna :thumbup:

OMG! That is so terrific! 45 lbs! Gosh you must be proud of that!

Keep up the good work, watch out for evil stalls and we will watch that ticker slide down, down and more down!

Well, I fly south on Sunday, have been on fluids for a couple of days now, trying out various Protein and Meal Replacement drinks, and surprisingly not getting hungry like I thought I would!

Even though I know it is rough at the start, I really am looking forward to life after the sleeve! Could I possibly ever get to be svelte? heehee. Tickles me to think of it.

Does it ever come off much below the waist, the older lady spare tire thing?

How are the rest of you seniors fending, getting some good shape back yet?

What a lot of clothes sorting I am going to have to do! Up here, we have a definite winter wardrobe, long sleeves, warmer fabrics, cardigans, fleece things and warm outerwear. This time I can get rid of the 1 and 2X's for good, the Xlarges and size 20s will soon be a thing of the past. Can hardly wait. May have to dust off the camera and start selling on eBay again. Got rid of my career clothing that way. Lots of demand for inexpensive plus size wear there.

Well chime in anyone,

I will be back home here in a week's time.

Cheers,

Donna

If you liked the Noebook, check out Nights in Rodanthe starring Diane Ladd and Richard Gere...if you have seen that I have many more fav's I can share with you.

Haven't been sleeved yet (Mon, 28th) but when I had my knee replacements last year, I LOVED the fact they covered me with HEATED cotton blankets while being wheeled in and out of the surgical theater.

And all the back rubs, hand massages, and bless them for letting me have a catheter through out, as I know I would have wet the bed otherwise!

Please chime in with your fav's.

:001_smile:

I bought two cotton jersey long night gowns with sleeves because I was afraid of elastic around my waist after surgery. Boy was I glad I did.

My lowest incision near my waist hurt the worst and is still very tender.

I also brought a dress and slip. I wore it home from the hospital, to my post-op doctor's appointment, and on my flight home. There is no way I would have wanted elastic anywhere near my waist. Be sure to wear below the waist panties.

If you don't have a dress, just buy something cheap or wear supper, super lose pants.

The bra was never an issue for me.

Great advice! I always wear gowns for sleeping anyway, so that checked good - I do have stretch fabric panties that fit below the waist - so good there too.

I found a black stretch fabric skirt I had put away years ago, (I don't do skirts as a rule) and the elastic is totally shot around the waist so it is shaped like a big tube. I may have to pin it to the bottom of my bra to keep it from sailing off me while walking but I fill it up pretty good sitting.

Decided to wear that with a loose top - I'll have someone take a pic of me in it going home. teehee. Just can't justify spending more money on a dress so big that I will never wear again. (yes I know - I am a cheapie. Goes with the territory of being this old and brought up partly thru the depression yrs.)

Thanks again for sharing what worked for you!! Much appreciated, and thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. I am grateful to you all!

Cheers,

Donna:001_cool: