srs82781

That's a photo from 2008 and this was me on Friday. I am around 280 pounds at 6'0 tall - not sure how low I'm going but I'd like to get to around 220 and then address the extra skin. I feel great, and for the first time in a very long time I feel like I look great! Just thought I'd share!

I love this post!!!!! Congrats!

I love this post!!!!! Congrats!

Hey guys... Im ok and now on the other side!!
My only things after surgery was a little nausea for 1 day which had a little bloody dry heaving which is normal and totally gone by day 2, can throw you for a minute since it is not normal body function. Just hold a pillow over your tummy while throwing up and keep bathroom garbage can next to your bed and get it over with.... Once the IV meds stopped, the dry heaving did too.
Two out of the norm things have thrown me for a loop:
I have small veins and being stuck alot to keep an IV in me has been a pain in the butt my whole life, i currently have no iv for Fluid so I am on my own to keep fluid down because the IV did not work out but that was how my other surgeries in the past have gone too. So in a way I got lucky and did not need the IV for more than a day or so post op yet I had to start being hydrated all on my own faster, but its no problem and like teaching a baby to walk, baby steps.
Then, when my anesthesiologist was keeping something down my throat during surgery, i apparently bit down on it hard and chipped my wisdom tooth, my fault, not his, purely an accident....!
The dentist here at Mi hospital is not good at removing them, i let her try and decided not a good idea... at all, in fact she did more damage, I was not told by my doctors to go to her I found her by simply walking by , and she acted like " no big deal".
We it was a big deal and I didn't realize it nor did I realize how way over her head it truly was and she wanted $80.00 for making a simple chip go into my jaw and I declined to pay because after letting her "examine it", I knew she really screwed up and had made it worse, the worse pain of the whole trip, even over my major surgery. You could see the look on her face that she knows she screwed up after but all she cared about was 80.00 and I flat out told her that " I now have to go to an oral surgeon to fix what you did on top of the crack!!"
So I told my doctor about it and he made a call and told me immediately I would be going to the best dentist ever ...so today I will see an oral surgeon to fix it.... I cannot recommend the dentist at Mi Hospital at all, she had me in pain , but the oral surgeon the next day the doctor sent me to was amazing with such a gorgeous office, I can get you his name if anyone wants it, I would go to him over and over. He fixed the issue with no pain and I feel great now! He also told me the dentist at Mi Hospital, who is NOT affiliated with any of the Drs, just happens to have her office there, did not do a good job at all and he would not recommend her work at all! ( the oral surgeon was seriously good, spoke perfect English and took the job over like a rock star )
With all that going on, I forgot I even had gastric sleeve surgery... Very little pain at all With the sleeve after I left the hospital, just minor gas and other tiny twinges here and there.. Walking helped!
Today I move to the Marriott... Will keep you updated!

Hey guys....
I just wanted to say hello and let you know that I am down in Tijuana, Mexico at Dr. Garcias/Mi hospital and my surgery is in about an hour!! Dr. Garcia has come in and spoke with me he is fantastic!! Everyone from Samuel the driver to the nurses and staff so far have been great, The facility is spotless and they use universal precautions and I am very impressed that far!! I will keep you guys updated and post as many pictures as I can so those who have not been yet can get an idea Of what to expect when they come here!!
I have already met several others who have already sleeved and they are doing great!! They are Walking the halls....
So, its finally my turn... Wow... Here we go!! Wish me luck and I'll keep you updated....
To be continued!!

Just got back to my room surgery went well. Besides some gas pains in my chest I feel ok yay for dr Garcia and his amazing team

I totally agree with the above statement! I originally planned on staying in the US and ended up in Mexico. The doctor I chose here in the states, a center of excellence, did not use a drain, and does not perform a single leak test because he is so confident in his work.
I'm glad I made the choice I did, I had great care in Mexico, a drain, 3 leak tests and an extra night in the hospital to recoup. I would have been miserable being sent home the day after surgery.
Confidence can also be arrogance and will catch up with people one day.

I totally agree with the above statement! I originally planned on staying in the US and ended up in Mexico. The doctor I chose here in the states, a center of excellence, did not use a drain, and does not perform a single leak test because he is so confident in his work.
I'm glad I made the choice I did, I had great care in Mexico, a drain, 3 leak tests and an extra night in the hospital to recoup. I would have been miserable being sent home the day after surgery.
Confidence can also be arrogance and will catch up with people one day.

I totally agree with the above statement! I originally planned on staying in the US and ended up in Mexico. The doctor I chose here in the states, a center of excellence, did not use a drain, and does not perform a single leak test because he is so confident in his work.
I'm glad I made the choice I did, I had great care in Mexico, a drain, 3 leak tests and an extra night in the hospital to recoup. I would have been miserable being sent home the day after surgery.
Confidence can also be arrogance and will catch up with people one day.

I agree about the whole people seeing us naked but there where about 15 staff members between the two OR's at Hospital MI, hate to say it but I'm sure a lot of people saw us all naked the day of surgery. It's a hospital and I'm sure it didn't phase any of them. I also agree waiting does suck, but I never had an issue with not knowing time frames and my coordinators were in my room to check on me every day, even in the hotel. I'm sorry to hear some people have this experience but I truly think those are few and far between, and although the diarrhea may suck! A lot of people in the hospital with me were so constipated and jealous of any of us thy could poop! Lol I also expected some funky colored pee with the crazy blue liquid we had to drink, although it was a little disturbing

I totally agree with the above statement! I originally planned on staying in the US and ended up in Mexico. The doctor I chose here in the states, a center of excellence, did not use a drain, and does not perform a single leak test because he is so confident in his work.
I'm glad I made the choice I did, I had great care in Mexico, a drain, 3 leak tests and an extra night in the hospital to recoup. I would have been miserable being sent home the day after surgery.
Confidence can also be arrogance and will catch up with people one day.

I totally agree with the above statement! I originally planned on staying in the US and ended up in Mexico. The doctor I chose here in the states, a center of excellence, did not use a drain, and does not perform a single leak test because he is so confident in his work.
I'm glad I made the choice I did, I had great care in Mexico, a drain, 3 leak tests and an extra night in the hospital to recoup. I would have been miserable being sent home the day after surgery.
Confidence can also be arrogance and will catch up with people one day.

I agree about the whole people seeing us naked but there where about 15 staff members between the two OR's at Hospital MI, hate to say it but I'm sure a lot of people saw us all naked the day of surgery. It's a hospital and I'm sure it didn't phase any of them. I also agree waiting does suck, but I never had an issue with not knowing time frames and my coordinators were in my room to check on me every day, even in the hotel. I'm sorry to hear some people have this experience but I truly think those are few and far between, and although the diarrhea may suck! A lot of people in the hospital with me were so constipated and jealous of any of us thy could poop! Lol I also expected some funky colored pee with the crazy blue liquid we had to drink, although it was a little disturbing

I totally agree with the above statement! I originally planned on staying in the US and ended up in Mexico. The doctor I chose here in the states, a center of excellence, did not use a drain, and does not perform a single leak test because he is so confident in his work.
I'm glad I made the choice I did, I had great care in Mexico, a drain, 3 leak tests and an extra night in the hospital to recoup. I would have been miserable being sent home the day after surgery.
Confidence can also be arrogance and will catch up with people one day.

I totally agree with the above statement! I originally planned on staying in the US and ended up in Mexico. The doctor I chose here in the states, a center of excellence, did not use a drain, and does not perform a single leak test because he is so confident in his work.
I'm glad I made the choice I did, I had great care in Mexico, a drain, 3 leak tests and an extra night in the hospital to recoup. I would have been miserable being sent home the day after surgery.
Confidence can also be arrogance and will catch up with people one day.

My girl friends and I joke around and call it rhino rash since it looks like rhino skin! Lol.... I'm still in the process of waiting for a date for surgery but my friend who had gastric surgery swears by palmers tummy butter for pregnant bellies or even straight cocoa butter. She puts it on at night with her pj pants.... But you're not alone even when I was thinner in high school at a size six, I always had rubbing thighs with that issue. Good luck!

I just got back this past Friday, had my surgery with Dr Garcia on Monday the 18th. It was a great experience. The Marriott was lovely and the whole r4ac staff and hospital staff were great. I had 3 leak tests, one during surgery and two the following day. They stitch the incisions from the inside with dissolving stitches then externally they use a few staples. My drain was removed by a nurse the day I left hospital. And then the day I left the hotel dr Luna came to remove the staples. Rosie was always around to check on me at the hotel. I only stayed one night at hotel post op since I had to get home soon, but had no problems traveling. I'm so glad with the decision I made! Good luck

So excited for you! I just got back on Friday. Dr Garcia and the staff at Mi hospital were so great. And the Marriott was lovely. Good luck and keep us posted.

So excited for you! I just got back on Friday. Dr Garcia and the staff at Mi hospital were so great. And the Marriott was lovely. Good luck and keep us posted.

As a former cast member of disney and local annual pass holder now I say you should go to a guest relations representative an talk to management there. They accommodate all food issues and any other special needs. I really think you need to state your case to them and have someone there give you something stating the fact that you cannot eat, you are there to spend time with your family in a "family" environment. They cannot expect you to miss out and should most definitely not make you pay to sit there. I've encountered a guest on a feeding tube and they didn't have to pay to sit at a character meal with their family.

As a former cast member of disney and local annual pass holder now I say you should go to a guest relations representative an talk to management there. They accommodate all food issues and any other special needs. I really think you need to state your case to them and have someone there give you something stating the fact that you cannot eat, you are there to spend time with your family in a "family" environment. They cannot expect you to miss out and should most definitely not make you pay to sit there. I've encountered a guest on a feeding tube and they didn't have to pay to sit at a character meal with their family.

On on day 3 of pre-op! Surgery 18th. I can see how it starts to get better, the 1st two days were really hard and I started to doubt myself. I think I opened the pantry and fridge every 15mins. And I drank broth like crazy.... Today it definitely seems to have gotten better, especially when I stepped on the scale and saw 3lbs gone.... Amazing what happens when you cut carbs and cleanse the system! Good luck everyone, we can do this!

On on day 3 of pre-op! Surgery 18th. I can see how it starts to get better, the 1st two days were really hard and I started to doubt myself. I think I opened the pantry and fridge every 15mins. And I drank broth like crazy.... Today it definitely seems to have gotten better, especially when I stepped on the scale and saw 3lbs gone.... Amazing what happens when you cut carbs and cleanse the system! Good luck everyone, we can do this!

Hi there! I may see you in passing...
arrive in San Diego Sunday, Feb. 17th
Surgery at OCC in Tijuana Monday, Feb. 18th
Hanging at the Marriott until Thursday, Feb. 21st
Home on Thurs, 21st
My daughter is traveling with me. It's coming up fast, isnt it!