MCM13

We are having surgery with Dr Alvarez on September. I'm curious to know about the drinking Water situation. Do they give you bottled water? Ice chips made from purified water? I don't want to get sick from contaminated water. I know Mexico has been one of the places they tell travelers not to drink the water.

Hey fellow shorties! I'm gonna post a question that's probably OT but you're the ones that would know best!

I'm having trouble shopping for pants. I am short (5'1" and some change) with a super short inseam (29" for heels) and a longer torso.

What is UP with the rise on pants and jeans nowadays? Seriously - if I buy petite/short/x-short pants I find they have this teeny rise and while I'm not too concerned about muffin top' date=' it's just not flattering AT ALL. I feel like everything gives me a mommy pooch.

Anyway, any recommends for great brands that fit short gals? I can alter things and I've had to do that in the past (even for short inseams I usually have to hem) but the cost of that adds up over time.

Just wondering what you guys do. I love that I can wear smaller pants but for goodness' sake I want them to be flattering. It means diddly-squat to wear small clothes if they don't look right!

So maybe a brand that makes higher rises without looking like something fresh out of the eighties? No tiny Jordache pockets, acid wash or pegged pants, thank you. I don't care if my fifteen year old stepdaughter thinks it's cool...I know better.

~Cheri[/quote']

I've been ordering from Eddie Bauer catalogue. They have jeans for different shapes and also petites, plus, & plus petites.

Ask for a scopolamine patch when you talk to the anesthesiologist. Get it on early so it has time to start working and they will also probably give you zofran as well. They have a good "cocktail" of meds that seem to work well for the nausea/vomiting patients I've had.

I'm at a stall again but I took some after pics in the same outfit from 7 weeks ago and well just because the scale doesn't say so I can tell in these pictures! Love my sleeve! <3

Congrats on the big changes! Look how defined your waist is now. You look great. I can't wait to get my sleeve.

Hello, my name is Melanie. I'm originally from Columbus, Ohio now living in PA. I've been a nurse for 13 years; all but 2 of those in the OR. I worked postpartum/high risk antepartum also. I'm currently working in the OR & decided to go to Mexico for surgery because I don't want to deal with the comments from the petty/gossiping people I work with. I'm getting sleeved on September 30 by Dr Alvarez & I'm taking 4 weeks off work. I wanted to get this surgery done before the end of the year because I'm applying to grad school and hoping to start in January term. I'll be working towards my degree for Women's Health NP.

It's nice to have the support of so many nurses. I look forward to following your journeys.

You look awesome and you don't even notice loose skin in your picture. Thanks for posting. It really is inspirational.

Good luck to you Mojaleski. I too am a September sleeved & can't wait.

You look fantastic. Thanks for sharing your journey.

I know what you mean.. for the most part.. the nurses I work with at the hospital have been very supportive of my surgery..and some have inquired themselves into surgery for them.. but.. at my morning job.. most are very happy for me and tell me how great I look.. but there is one nurse there.. Im sure she means well.. she is over weight and chooses to do it naturally.. (lose wt). but it seems like she always has to tell me when she sees me that she will not have surgery to lose wt.. (not like ive asked to have surgery either) she always says.. least I didnt have surgery to lose weight. welll.. really? guess what.. Im down 94lbs..and you are what.. hmmmm 3mo and down.. 5lbs? really? well good for you. Im happy for you.. why cant you be happy for me? cuz you are way Jealous of how I look now.. fabulous.. thats what every one says.. and she looks? well lets face it.. 5lbs is not much.. she looks the same. I just smile and say good job.. way to go and keep it up.. and smile. LOL YaY us losers LOL.. keep it up.. .we ROCK!!

I wish there was a "double like" button. This is so funny. I'm a nurse in the OR & was inspired to get this done by a nurse I work with--she's doing amazing! I told a handful of people at work that I was going to get it done. Wish I had not. However, my fiancé and I have decided to go to Mexico to have it done as his insurance doesn't cover bariatrics; mine does. I was worried about coworkers seeing me naked, getting a catheter and having people talk about me behind my back. This is the most caddy place I've ever worked.

I'm willing to self-pay to avoid these issues. I'm taking a month off of work so some might remember that I mentioned the surgery months ago & put 2&2 together, but nothing I can do about that.

There's always been surgeons who comment on how fat a patient is, but one evening I went to a room to get another nurse out to go home, and mentioned that the RN who had the sleeve hadn't eaten dinner yet. The surgeon made fun of her and said "well she can only eat a teeny tiny bit" in his snide voice. I snapped back at him and said "at least she's doing something about it". He tried to back pedal. Too late ass!!! Glad I'm going to Mexico.

I received an email from Susan that said the hotel shuttle will pick us up and take us to the La Quinta Inn by the airport (we are coming in a day earlier than required because flights were cheaper). The next day Rosie will pick us up and take us to the Holiday Inn at Eagles Pass. Just relax all Sunday (I think it's about a two hour ride from one hotel to the other). Then Monday morning Rosie will pick us up at the HI and take us over the border to the hospital for pre-testing & have surgery after that on Monday.

I'm in Altoona-Johnstown area and getting sleeved 9/30/13.

Thanks Amanda

We are getting sleeved on Sept 30...have 3 months to wait. Ugh!! I emailed Susan tonight so I'll see what she says.

Good luck to you. Do you have to do a pre-op diet? I have to do 2 weeks liquid diet and my fiance has to do 30 days; I'll end up doing the 30 days with him. At least that will give me a head start on losing.

My fiance and I are being sleeved on Sept 30. I like the idea of us being at the same stage together. I think it will be a huge support for each of us.

Congrats to all the couples. I look forward to following your progress.

Hello Dr Alvarez patients,

I wanted to find out which hotel you were taken to when you arrived in San Antonio. My mother is going with us and we want to get her a room of her own & we're going a day early so we need to book an extra day for ourselves as well.

Do we go to Holiday Inn Express in Eagles Pass upon arrival?

After discharge, do we go to La Quinta by the San Antonio airport?

Having my surgery in September in Mexico

Who will be doing your surgery?

I've chosen Dr. Alvarez as my Surgeon.... hope it was a good decision. Surgery is scheduled for August 1' date=' 2013.[/quote']

We are going to him too. We're scheduled 9/30. I'll follow your progress.

My fiancé and I are scheduled Sept 30 with Dr Alvarez. Can't wait!!

Most of my problem with American providers is with the attitude of the surgeon & the staff

In Mexico' date=' any little discomfort is taken seriously, examined, and addressed. Quite the opposite in American hospitals.

In Mexico they want to identify any possible issue before it becomes a problem, whereas whereas American facilities have repeatedly written off complaints as patients just being whiners.

And when there is a problem, American doctors first response seems to be to avoid litigation, whereas in Mexico the first response is to serve the patient.

I don't really blame the surgeons for this as much as I do society. They are practicing medicine in an environment that is continually seeking an opportunity to rake them over the coals. Whereas in Mexico a patients recourse is to ruin the surgeons future career, but it won't be to the financial benefit of the patient.[/quote']

I couldn't agree with you more. I'm an OR nurse and I've chosen to have my surgery in Mexico because I feel the surgeon I chose has lots more experience than the surgeons at the hospital where I work. The hospital staff ( doctors, nurses, & every other health care provider) are so busy trying to complete mandatory paperwork, follow ridiculous governmental rules that we don't get to care for our patients the way we should or want to. I think most hospitals have some sort of motto that says "patients first" or some variation thereof, however, it all really boils down to the money.

I'm very comfortable with my decision to go to Mexico and I have insurance that covers the sleeve.

We drove to Eagle Pass and the hotel was a Holiday Inn Express. It was nice' date=' clean and comfortable. It was anything super fancy but I don't know if they have anything super fancy in Eagle Pass but it is a quick ride to his office and the hospital. We spent one night in Eagle Pass, Rosie picks you up pretty early the next morning. As far as the hospital you are there the day of your surgery, the entire next day and night and you get discharged the morning of the third day. The hospital was going through a major renovation when I was there which was May 10th. They had a couple of rooms finished and they looked to be nice. I was in an older room but it was fine. There was a pull out couch for the boyfriend to sleep. The hospital itself looked to be a little older than the new fancy hospitals in the states. But I felt entirely comfortable and very well taken care of. I would say with Dr. Alvarez's staff that is there for you 24 hours a day, I felt I got better one on one care than you get in the states. I would go back for surgery with him and his team in a heartbeat.[/quote']

I'm so glad to read this. My fiancé & I just confirmed today for surgery with Dr Alvarez on Sept 30. We're very excited, but nervous as well. I'm glad everything went well for you and look forward to following your progress. What pre-op diet did you have to do? My fiancé has to do a 30 day liquid diet & lose 25 lbs before surgery. I only have to do 14 days, but will do the 30 days with him.

I certainly can relate to most of the items on the lists. I have a long list too.

I can't wait:

1. To not have to look around to see if I'm the fattest person in the room

2. To cross my legs

3. To buy a bra with only one or two rows of hooks

4. To kayak without my butt being "wall-to-wall" in the kayak---so uncomfortable

5. To fly somewhere/anywhere without worrying about the seat size or being able to use the seatbelt

6. To ride my bike again & actually go on a long planned ride

7. To ride the motorcycle with my fiancé without people staring because we are so big

8. To wear a cute or sexy bathing suit

9. To shop in any store for clothes--can't even imagine the shopaholic I will become. It's been almost 25 years since I've shopped in a "regular" store.

10. To run a 5k

11. To not get winded doing regular daily activities

12. To paint my own toenails

13. To advance my career because I'm no longer filled with self-doubt

14. To wear knee high boots

15. To dance in public without being self conscious

My fiancé & I are going through this process together and I can't wait for us to get healthy, get married, & start our new life together.

They see one they've seen them all!!!.I work health care and trust me if you are worried about that us as health care professionals think nothing of it' date=' not like your gonna see them again thats what I tell myself when i go through the TSA LMAO..I could care less if they see me naked...ha I feel bad for them ...lol but no really in all honestly usually they want you completely naked underneath your gown and just like that guy said up there ^^ anesthesia will take care of any modesty issues lol![/quote']

I wish I didn't have to see the OR staff again, but unfortunately I work with them. This is the one time I regret being an OR nurse. I think I'm going to request that my catheter be put in while I'm in the anesthesia holding area. Being fat and naked in front of co-workers---one of my worst fears!! I tell myself that it'll all be worth it though.