Ann in St Louis

I was sleeved in MX in December and am looking for a local support group or would be willing to host a local support group for this area! Anyone out the interested or know of any place nearby that has one?

Hey, everyone. Just had my VSG in Tijuana on December 20,2012. Not quite 2 weeks post-op. Doing great. Surgeon was Cabrera/Garcia and I was at the Doctor Mi hospital. Thought I would give you a few hints at making it a better place for you!
1. Bring your own Water. Lots of it! Our driver from the San Diego airport told us he would stop and have us buy some, but I guess forgot, so our coordinator sent us a few blocks over to this gas station/minimart where we picked up half a dozen bottles. (Watch the cars when crossing the street--like frogger, only you are the frog).
2. Bring someone with you at all possible. The emotional support is priceless, but it's also good to have someone run to get someone at night if you can't find the nurse (or Doc on call).
3. Bring earplugs. The first night we were there, at midnight the event house immediately next door serenaded us with ear-splitting Mexican fiesta music. Seriously, it's like a 120 piece Mexican cantina band was sitting bedside. It lasted til 3:00a.m. Mind you, we were offered a $150 discount to go to this hospital and I at that precise moment figured out why! Luckily our surgery was not until later that next morning, so it's not like I needed sleep or anything! At about 2a.m. I finally located the doc on call and he said "yes, they are out of control tonight". Later in my stay, after everyone I asked about it denied ever hearing this music, we were told that on occasion a late party was planned at the place and the music occurred OK, I can live with that...take the plugs just in case. It may have been an aberrant occasion, but better prepared, than not.
4. Bring Purell or other hand sanitizer and request the staff use it or wash their hands. Universal precautions were out the window at this hospital. What I realized is I researched the heck out of my doctor but neglected to research the staff. No handwashing was seen. No gloves were used to draw blood or start IV's. The nurse starting our IV's had a cold but wore no mask and would turn on occasion to sneeze into her armpit. YIKES!!!
5. Remember to request fluids when Clear liquids are OK. You take your own Water, but if you want Apple juice, broth or gatorade you have to ask and ask and ask. For our entire stay we received 1/2 small dixie cup of apple juice, 1/2 small dixie cup of gatorade and a styrofoam coffee cup of chicken broth. That was it. We finally gave up, resorted to water only then made it up at the hotel.
Anyway...like I said all is good. My sister developed a phlebitis above her IV site, but I had no complications at all and am 11 pounds down after 12 days. Good luck to everyone going down there!!!!
Ann