pnw218

How about a note from your doctor?? OK, elective to an extent, but do you have any related medical issues that could worsen if you wait?? And how much more weight will you gain?? Being in the medical field, one would expect people to be more supportive.

Do you lift at work? If not, call in sick the day of surgery and then get a doctor's note saying you need a week off. Your boss really doesn't need to know why you are off. I'm thinking there is a medical privacy law in this country ..... I would tell your boss, ok - I understand. I will wait until the fall to request the time off. And then get "sick" : )

I went back to work 4 days after surgery - but I am mainly at a desk unless I am out walking property.

Oregondaisy ~ LOL!! I totally get it!

Chancie ~ I think a big "thank you" would be a fine response. A gal this weekend told me that my britches were getting too baggy in the booty. I just smiled and laughed! She knows about my surgery and is one of the few skinny people who get it.

MidwestGirl ~ My assistant at work, who is only coming in one day a week right now, told me last Friday that she is seeing a change in me every week! One of the things she mentioned was that she could see my collarbones!

TexasT ~ I am having the same problem with my new anniversary ring! It is so loose! Not enough to fall off yet but very annoying. I may have to switch back to my original wedding set or wear one of my "fake" ones that I wear when traveling alone. Tough problem to have! :tongue_smilie:

Wannalise ~ congrats!!

Mini, Thin, Jeep and Pirate ~ It must have been one of those weekends! I went shopping in my old clothes also!! I found a couple of donate bags that hadn't been dropped off yet and found 3 pairs of size 10 pants! The 12's are just too loose as of last week.

I also tried on 2 summer outfits that I bought in 2007 for our summer trip to Europe, just knowing that they would fit after my Tummy Tuck and they never did. They are still a little snug but should fit very soon. I also have a few dresses and shirts that still have price tags on them :biggrin0: but they will fit soon too! And just in time for our summer cruise! yea!!

Non scale victories are amazing!

That is awesome news Mini! LOL

I have had a few sips and it is getting better. I was told that I can have popcorn now, which really surprised me, but I can't eat the popcorn without the pop!

my guidelines were much easier.......i was allowed soft food like eggs, meatloaf, etc at 3 weeks.

I really need to remember to make meatloaf! I just dump a bunch of salsa into the meat, mix it up and throw it in the oven. It is really nummy and would last a week! :tongue_smilie:

you are a real trooper! good for you!

in the end, it will be worth it. no pain, no gain - and this is the perfect example! : )

but then I have always been a rebel and rules are made to be broken. lol

good post Nikki!

that photo really brings it all to life! and you are right, Celebrate what you have accomplished.

your weight loss is amazing!! congrats!!

I am so sorry to hear that Rose! I realize it is all about profits, but they also have to be realistic when dealing with health issues. Do they really want you to gain all of your weight back and have a zillion health problems???? I remember when insurance would not cover the birth control pill. Seriously?? They were $20 a month back then and lots cheaper than a pregnancy!

I would also think that due to the complications, you would be able to appeal. Its not like you purposefully ate candy 24/7 and gained back the weight.

Big business amazes me. They often use very little common sense.

wow! According to that guideline, I was a very very bad girl! I would never have made it : (

I think the perfect word there tho is "guideline", not law. LOL

Hey Stcyt,

Well the biggest worry for your family is already over, you're already sleeved and you're alive! So, I think with my situation, my mom's biggest fear is *Mexico* and surviving surgery. I have told my daughter and my mom. I'm not telling anyone else. After I start losing and the questions start rolling in, I am going to be honest, but not go into detail. Just say, I had surgery. If they are struggling with weight, I will answer as many questions as they have so I can perhaps help them with their own WLS decision. Skinny Minnies, I'll keep the details to a bare minimum.

One of the main reasons I didn't tell anyone before the surgery is because I didn't want anyone to worry and I didn't want any negative comments. For most people, I waited until I was down about 20 pounds and had positive news to share. Also, they could see that I was upright and still breathing! LOL

In order for an insurance company to pay for plastic surgery it has to meet certain medical necessity criteria. If there are associated health issues, rashes refractory to treatment and the pannis is below the pubic area, back pain for breast reduction and a certain amount of tissue to be removed, they will pay. Just needs to be medically necessary and not cosmetic.

I know a couple of gals who's insurance paid for their breast surgery because of the amount of tissue removed. I think it was 500cc, but don't remember exactly. My sister has very large breasts and when she recovers from having her 2nd baby (six months ago at the age of 44 :tongue_smilie:) she will have a breast reduction. We have no doubt that her insurance will cover the surgery! LOL

I'm pre-sleeve but had a major breast reduction and extensive Lipo about three years ago. Then I gained 50 lbs in a year, and because they sucked out my belly fat, my arms inflated and I have horrific stretch marks.

I will have major bat wings when this is over. I actually had my former plastics in Costa Rica with a surgeon who is really famous for WLS "makeovers". It was a wonderful experience and I will certainly be going back there should I ever be able to afford the post-op plastics. Costa Rica is a world center for plastic surgery and the price is right!

I asked one of the Mexican docs I'm researching about lipo under my chin during my sleeve surgery and he quoted me an extra $1000 even though I'll already be under anesthesia and in an operating room--in CR that procedure was $600 all-inclusive.

If you're interested in plastics in Costa Rica or basically anywhere else, plasticsurgeryjourneys.com is a FANTASTIC research tool. I can't recommend them highly enough.

Awesome info! If you didn't post the website, I was gonna ask you!

I had my first breast lift in 1999. It was about $8k. I was very happy with the results. Unfortunately, I hit a huge depression streak and gained and lost weight like crazy for a few years. In 2007, I had another breast lift with a Tummy Tuck and a little lipo, mainly in the flank area. I did follow the surgeon's suggestion to add small implants to make the shape better and to encourage the lift to hold longer. I believe the implants were 220's and I did do silicone. It seems the earlier complications with them have been resolved and the chance of slippage is much less. My second surgery was close to $15k. My cup size has always remained the same. The inches around has fluctuated with weight loss and gain, primarily in the back area. The recovery from the lift was very easy. The first two days were lousy, seeing my new girls during the first shower was horrible. I was afraid that they would never heal. It was a ghastly sight with so many fresh wounds. They also were very swollen and I felt as tho I were nursing again! lol Within a week, all was good and I was back to work. There was little post op pain after the first few days, however you will sleep on your back for some time! :biggrin0:

I have been to Costa Rica on vacation and love it! I would never have thought about surgery there, but am glad to hear your positive experience and recommendation. That is one of the few places I have traveled in the world that I would consider moving to, if I ever left the Pacific Northwest.

I have also been to Columbia, which was mentioned earlier, and that scares the hell out of me! LOL However, I was only in Cartegena; it was very touristy and the locals were very aggressive. Maybe it would be better where the hospital or clinic is located :tongue_smilie:

My stomach has remained flat since my tummy tuck, even with the weight gain. I have just gotten thicker. I am hoping I won't have to get that redone. However, if needed, I would have the skin tightened but I would not have the muscles cut again. I don't think that would be necessary and the recovery sucks! LOL

So far the breasts are not shrinking in cup size at all. Darn it! The back is getting less fatty tho. If I truly get down to the 130's or 120's, I may need a breast reduction. I really don't want to look like I have a fake rack. lol

I would love to have a butt lift. Had no idea they even existed until several months ago. I just can not imagine what the recovery would be like tho. Do you lay on your stomach for weeks??

My greatest desire at this point is to fix the turkey neck. My maternal grandmother had it and so does my mom and sister. The part directly under the jaw is shrinking tho; so will see what happens down the road. I really don't have many wrinkles - for which I am very grateful. My eyes are a little droopy tho so would add that on to any surgery I had.

I also saw the results of one of Dr. Lara's cosmetic surgeries. A lady had a mini face lift with her sleeve surgery when I was having mine. She looked absolutely amazing and had very little bruising, even three days later. I thought Dr. A had done it but found out this past week that Dr. Lara will come it while you are sedated and do it.

If you can come up with the money, I would suggest making any improvements that you can. It may not make you happier in the big scheme of things, but it will give you more confidence. I think anyone who has struggled with weight and had WLS, deserves to enjoy the full enchilada. LOL

Besides, you can't take the money with you and your children can work hard to earn their own. I will not inherit a single penny from either of my parents and will still have a decent life doing most of the items on my bucket list :wink0:

Your first post is great! Look forward to following you!

Good luck to you!! Waking up after surgery is often not the most pleasant part, however you also won't remember much of it either because of the after effects of the anesthesia.

Love your bucket of protein! Sounds like somewhere I should go now! Would probably feed me for a week! : )

For traveling, I would also suggest the tuna packets if you can tolerate fish. I also bought those little Underwood ham and chicken spread cans. They are a pop top and don't have to be refrigerated until after you open them. If your hotel doesn't have a fridge, you could always just put them on ice in the ice bucket.

Just like PNW218, I only get the gurgling and burpies when i try new foods or food that won't agree with my tummy. . . otherwise there is nothing much. . . the soreness i really can't talk to you about much because this was my 18th major surgery so i've become somewhat "numb" to pain, i didn't really experience any pain with this surgery except for gas pain, but that is something that walking can take care of. . . good luck!

sheesh! 18 surgeries! I thought I had alot with 9! LOL Maybe that is why I have a high pain tolerance tho :tongue_smilie:

You are a pro and I am not surprised that this surgery was easy for you. I have had at least two that were much worse.

I don't always crave sweet but when I do, I have a little. It seems to go away quickly, and then I am craving ice Water to "clean" my mouth. LOL

Especially at the beginning, if I couldn't stomach a flavored tea, I would just add a packet of fake sugar to my hot Water. I always add a packet to my diet ice teas.

good grief breezy! totally ridiculous responses and I totally understand, sadly.

My 24 year old daughter has accused me of lying to her - not because she asked me what I was doing on my birthday and I didn't tell her, but because I didn't tell her before I went to Mexico and had surgery. Ya know, she doesn't tell me what she is doing every single day. Of course, she also thinks it was a crazy choice - both the surgery itself and going to Mexico. And even tho I am losing weight and getting healthier, she has not responded to a single one of my emails congratulating me or said anything positive when she has seen me in person. That lack of communication with her right now is the source of much of my stress and it is breaking my heart.

The rest of my family and friends has been mostly supportive, or at least to my face, LOL. We have chosen not to tell anyone in my husband's family, we don't see them often and I am really not very close to any of them, except one adopted niece. My mother in law - has dementia, has had her right leg amputated and is living in an assisted care facility. She really wouldn't grasp it.

I still stand by that I did what I needed to do. Hopefully someday your family will come around, as will mine.

I would guess just normal post-op soreness and it should be gone very soon. Good for you to be active!

For me at 2 months, the gurgling is pretty much limited to trying new foods. I do still burp like crazy sometimes when I get full.

Where are you sore? If you have moved wrong or lifted something heavy, that might increase any pain. I don't remember much soreness at all - so it couldn't have lasted very long. Overall, you should continue to feel better every day and I would guess any soreness would be gone in a few days. The only lasting pain I have ever had past a week, was from my Tummy Tuck surgery.

Good luck with your recovery!

pnw218, I'm curious... do you work for the doctor and/or clinic in question? No accusations or recriminations here, just wondering because hasn't it been said that you do?

I absolutely do not. I have said so before : ) Those who have insinuated that I do work there, are wrong. I paid 100% of my own expenses when I went down with Tiffany last week and was treated as the companion of anyone else who goes down there. Some of the staff did recognize me tho from two months ago, commented on how great I looked, and we casually chatted.

If someone asks me, I will tell them who I used as a coordinator and provide her contact info. She will pay a $25 referral fee but I told her from the beginning that I did not want even that from her. I was just happy to refer someone that I was happy to work with and responded quickly to my questions. And - I told her that right after I got back from my surgery - before the drama about this dr/clinic started up again. I would be happy to forward that email to you if you want to pm me with your email address.

There were a couple of services that didn't ever respond to my initial inquiries or responded a week afterwards. By then I had already made my plans. This trip, I was going to get some minor dental work done - just to further justify the trip, and the dental coordinator took almost 2 weeks to get back to me with a quote, even tho I had told her initially when I would be there. If anyone asks, I will gladly provide that info as well. When I finally received the price, I was already back in town. Guess they didn't need my money afterall. LOL

Thanks for asking BJean. I appreciate being able to answer that question.

Hey Conseccorp, Congrats on your surgery and weight loss so far!

The Cornell University diet guideline for vsg is my favorite, probably because it allowed me to move to soft mushy foods sooner : )

If you are craving sweets, then just choose something sugar free instead. sugar free pudding, sugar free drinks, there is even sugar free candy and light ice cream. It is likely a phase that you will pass soon. I even bought a container of frozen Sara Lee Cheesecake Bites. They are smaller than 1"x1/2". I will eat a couple when I need something sweet or to get rid of a certain taste after dinner. They add almost nothing to your food count. There are also those 100 calorie packs of Cookies, etc. Not sure if they are in the grocery stores in London. I don't remember ever seeing them in Europe but wasn't specifically looking either.

The mental has been much more difficult than the physical; you are not alone. After my first couple of weeks, I slowed down to about 2 pounds a week or so. Even with the slower loss, I am thrilled to be down over 30 pounds in two months. I certainly couldn't do it on my own.

Don't be too hard on yourself. Make a few gradual changes. You will get back on track : )

I am only 2 months out and can honestly say that I am not over the food obsession yet. The mental has been much more difficult than the physical for me. I am not doing any counseling yet but my primary doctor has suggested it, more so for handling stress but I am sure I can bring up this issue as well.

My advice would be: if you are craving something, have a couple of bites and move on. Your stomach will not allow you to eat a quantity that will do super damage. You may be over your calories or carbs for one day, but you get right back on it the next day.

I have decided that I can have an ounce or two of lemoncello liquor on Friday/Saturday nights, but will not drink any other nights unless it is a special occasion. On the weekends, I am also having a treat if I want one. Yesterday it was a few bites of a brownie with cream cheese frosting. Today it was part of a mocha freeze from costco. I am so sick of chocolate right now, I doubt I will have any more for quite a while.

As for the extra time, I really haven't had that much yet cause it takes so dang long to eat 2 ounces! I really wish I could spend 5 or 10 minutes eating and then move on to something more exciting. :smile1: You probably will need to find something fun or productive to do, instead of grazing in the kitchen like we used to.

I am so glad to hear your sister is supportive! My sister has been great, altho I didn't tell her until the night before I left for San Diego. She was concerned for my safety and well being, but certainly did not try to talk me out of it. My 24 yr old daughter, on the other hand, still thinks I am crazy. But then, she knows it all :sad0:!!

Good luck to you! It is a wonderful tool.

Um educationrulz...u start off saying ur not a rude person and say your sorry many times in ur post when u slam pnw218...r u kidding me? Your condescending and accusatory comments when she simply states her opinion is exactly what this forum is about! Come down off ur pedastal and join the human race sweetie...we're all supporters here! Def no need for ur hatefulness it's called tact! I read her posts as well as yours...she does say many times that there were some complications at the clinic and also states all surgeons have them! There is absolutely no problem with her supporting her doctor as well as everyone else supporting theirs! Some people on here feel that passionately about their doctors...good for them...opinions vary! We all can agree to disagree!

Thank you Bkind. I really appreciate the kind words. You said what I wanted to say but figured it wouldn't be properly understood and I would just be accused of another crime. Maybe coming from someone else will get the point across, but I'm not holding my breath : )

Thanks again. I know you and I are friends but don't agree on everything, so I am very thankful for your words. And you are so right - agree to disagree. It's how I have stayed married for over 17 years.

Here is my surgery review and is what I share with those who have sent me a private message, some are general requests, most are asking me specifically about using the clinic and doctor that I did. I have made small changes to the basic response based on what was asked of me. This is also the most recent version as I responded after I returned from surgery with TiffanyisMajor. I went with her at my own expense.

Please respect that this is a recounting of my personal experience and my opinions, and don't write any negative posts in this thread. I appreciate that others may have different opinions or experiences. There are plenty of other places for those to be posted or you can start your own thread. Thank you for understanding.

I totally understand about wanting to be healthy for your kids! We were blessed with our first grandchild last fall - a wonderful little girl. I have three children; a daughter 24 and a nursing student, a son 22 and a Black Hawk pilot, and a daughter 15, a high school student. I was also having depression, back and sleep apnea issues, and two of those drs had told me in the same week in January that I needed to lose at least 50 lbs. ugh. Like I hadn't already been trying to do that for years.

There is alot of drama sometimes on the board about drs and clinics. I personally think you would be fine going to any dr mentioned on the board. I unknowingly picked the dr that several people don't like for one reason or another. But I had made that decision before I got to this site and there wasn't any drama on the board at that time.

I am not sure why people dislike Almanza so much. It's like one person decided not to like him and then many jumped on the bus, even if they didn't have any personal knowledge or experience. And now, if anyone asks any questions publicly, they come out in groves. Many of the people who have used him now seem to be afraid to post anything positive for fear they will be attacked. Very strange.

This is the basic review I have been sharing lately when people ask. If it doesn't answer all of your questions, please let me know. I loved being back there this week. I think it is a great place with a wonderful, caring staff.

I truthfully did not see anything there that would scare me away. Since I decided to travel alone for my surgery at the last minute, my husband and I discussed my options. If I got there and was leary about anything, I could simply say that I changed my mind and go home.

I have had alot of experience with surgeries and other procedures. I have had worse service in the states. And even at some US locations, not everyone spoke fluent English! LOL

The driver picked us up at the San Diego airport. It is very hard to judge the travel time thru the border, so be patient. If you call to tell them that you are there at 7am, the driver will be there asap. They often have other patients they are bringing to the airport, so they really do want to be prompt : ) I think he was about 30 mins behind schedule, but I was with another gal from this site and another couple we met at the airport. The gal from this site and I even shared a hotel room the night before in San Diego. It was so great to have a "friend". When one of us needed cheering up, the other was right there. I will say that most of the patients at the clinic were very friendly. There were 2 other people that I bonded with and they also provided support. When planning your flight home, schedule it either late morning or early afternoon. There is often a shuttle to the airport around 6ish to pick up incoming patients at 7. There are a dozen or so rocking chairs in the ticketing/checkin area at the San Diego airport.

To me, the entire travel/language part of the trip was just part of the experience. I have been to several countries tho where I did not speak the language and they spoke little English, so it isn't something that freaks me out. I would have brought my little Spanish phrase book with me, but had just moved and couldn't find it. So I printed common Spanish phrases, both general and medical, from the internet. I don't think I ever used it. I know a few words and can count to ten - I actually needed the word seven at one point so that was handy! lol

The driver will take you to a little clinic for pre-op blood work. The dr there was very kind and skilled in the blood draw, and I don't like needles.

We went to the surgery clinic next. I really had to laugh as we were driving thru Tijuana (I have been there a few times before). We kept getting deeper into the heart of the city and when we finally stopped, we were in a little shopping center and the clinic was next to an Office Depot! I thought it was pretty funny! Going to Mexico for surgery and ending up there.

I used Melissa as my coordinator. Her website is jerusalem weightloss. I do refer people to her if they ask, however I do not accept any referral fees from her.

The clinic is small but adequate. It was clean, the staff was kind and caring, and they had the system down efficiently. There was also another dr who came by the clinic to review your medical history and run an EKG.

Again, this was my 9th surgery and I have had several other medical procedures. I believe I would have noticed if something was out of place. There was another gal from this site when I was there and she is a nurse. She brought a friend of hers who was also a nurse. He also spoke fluent Spanish.

Have you ever had surgery before? I think that is one reason I was comfortable with this decision to travel. I had a very good idea how I would react after surgery, what to expect and what my recovery would be like. Probably the best advice I can give you is to stay positive. If you are stressed before surgery, tell one of the doctors, nurses or Juanito (he speaks very good English and is the clinic's patient liaison). They gave me a dose of valium in my iv and I felt much better. My stress was the normal nervousness you might feel before a surgery and frustration with myself for not being able to do this on my own. You will walk from your room to the surgery suite. When you get into surgery, they will put you out very quickly. They roll you to recovery - and you may not remember that. You will also walk back to your room. You very likely will feel crappy when you wake up after surgery. Often I wake up in tears and in discomfort. I wasn't moody after this surgery and the only part that hurt was my chest/lungs. They will put a tube down your throat to keep your airway open and will also inflate you when they do the surgery and check for leaks. You may also have some nausea and gas. The gasx strips are amazing, especially as a "treat" until you can have ice or liquids.

Sign language works great if you have any issues : ) They know that you will have pain and nausea, and can often tell just by walking into the room that you need a dose in your iv. I also asked for an ice bag to place on my chest. At first they thought I meant ice chips - which you will not be allowed to have until the next day. You can buy a reusable, refillable ice bag at most drug stores. I travel with one due to back pain but didn't think to bring it with me on this trip.

The next day, they will take you to the recovery house (condo/townhouse style) and assign you to a room. Some are upstairs, some are downstairs. Overall, there are 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths. Truly, I liked the ones upstairs better because people would often gather in the living area downstairs and it gets noisy. The rooms are very nicely furnished. There are extra pillows and blankets if you need them. We kept our ceiling fan on low most of the time just to keep the air circulating since we often had the door closed. We also turned the tv on to a music channel. We left it on most of the time and it was very relaxing. There is a dvd player if you bring movies with you. The nurse at the house will give you injections for pain and nausea however these are not as often as in the hospital. If he/she tells you no, it isn't time yet, she isn't being mean, she is just following dr's orders. If you think you might need more, you can talk to Juanito or Dr. Brenda ahead of time or when they come by the house.

The nurse and other staff cook, clean and try to make your stay comfortable. They don't come up to your room tho every hour to check on you in the house. In the states, some people go home within hours of surgery. Most people are up and around, and they want you to walk as much as possible. We slept alot. We did take turns going down for Water and popcicles tho. I went down a few times just to visit with other patients/guests and change my view : ) The food that is prepared smells amazing. I would have loved just a bite! However, you will be limited to Soup broth. There is also Jello and yogurt in the fridge. When Dr. Brenda or Juanito visits, they will come up to your room if you aren't downstairs. You do need to be up and around tho.

There are two recovery houses across the driveway from each other. You can walk back and forth between the two if you want. Just depends on how social you want to be.

I also brought a heating pad with me. My body temperature was all over the place so it was very nice to have it when I was cold. I did bring my laptop however really didn't feel like using it. There is one at the house you can use. There is a phone in your clinic room and one at the house that you can use for free. You can also give the number to family and friends so they can call you. I packed very light and only brought one carryon. I wore the same outfit home that I wore there. I brought one pair of pjs, extra underwear and socks. A pair of flip flops and a pair of slippers with rubber soles. You may not be comfortable wearing a bra after surgery. I didn't even bring one : ) I brought a sports bra and a couple of tank tops to wear under my shirts. Even the sports bra was too tight. One of your incisions will likely be right under your bustline.

The driver will take you shopping if you are interested. Some people had never been to Mx, and couldn't wait to go shopping. It wasn't high on my list! lol I did ask for a quick stop at a pharmacy tho so I could stock up on a few medications. There are some that don't require an rx and/or cheaper than in the US.

Probably the worst thing that happens after surgery is the other leak test : ( You will, as a group, go back to the clinic to drink some very yucky purple liquid. I have had to drink nasty liquid potassium because I was so low, and this was as bad or worse. I plugged my nose and sipped it as fast as I could. Then you go to the radiology clinic for an xray. Melissa went with us because there was room in the car. The clinic was quite busy - it was a Saturday. Once inside the xray room, you will stand at the camera and then drink a thick liquid. It was kind of minty and wasn't as horrible. I drank as much as I could in one or two gulps, but didn't drink all of it. The tech will quickly take your xray and you can watch the liquid going down your throat and into your stomach. It is kinda cool. They can also see if any of the purple liquid has leaked from your stomach into your abdomen. Everyone in our group was just fine.

Fortunately for me, this was one of the last websites I came to and it was after I had already scheduled my surgery. The drama seems to have highs and lows, and it is currently at a high. Several people have gotten tired of those who slam doctors when they haven't experienced the clinic or hospital first hand. I searched back 6 months and a year ago, and it is the same bs recycled. There are lots of choices out there and just because one person picks Dr. X, doesn't mean it is the best or only choice. Again, I think you could use any doctor/clinic on this board and be happy.

The following two incidents strengthen my opinion of the dr. On my first visit for my surgery, there was an obese older man who was scheduled for surgery on Saturday. Dr. Almanza actually refused to do his surgery until he had additional visits with other doctors. Turns out that he had some kind of cancer (don't remember) and Dr wanted to make sure that he was healthy enough for the vsg surgery. To me, that increased my respect for him. If he was just in it for the money, he wouldn't have postponed the surgery. Apparently either the guy or his coordinator had not disclosed the info on his original patient history.

On the most recent trip with Tiffany, there was a gal and her husband there. Same thing. It was not disclosed to the dr ahead of time that she had a TIA (stroke) only 2 or 3 weeks before. She scheduled her surgery after the stroke and came down a week later. To me, she looked like death warmed over and could barely walk, and was using a walker. The dr flatly refused to do her surgery saying that in his opinion, she had a 100% chance of dying on the table. While they were disappointed and she wanted the dr to do the surgery even with the risk, her husband told me that he greatly respected the dr for his decision and honesty. The dr said they would revisit the possibility in six weeks or so. She said that her primary doc at home had approved, and even suggested the surgery, but she didn't have anything in writing.

I have had everything from tonsils and gall bladder to hysterectomy and cosmetic surgery. I think I figured out that 8 of my 9 surgeries have been in a clinic or day surgery center and only one in a hospital. I did deliver all three of my 9+ lb babies in hospitals tho and have had other procedures in hospitals. I feel like I am a decent judge of medical service and was happy with what I received.

Stuff does happen tho and it can anytime, anyplace to anyone. People get sedated at the dentist and sometimes die or have complications. Others go into well respected hospitals in the US and get the wrong procedure done or are misdiagnosed. We each have to weigh the pros and cons and the potential risks and make our own decision.

When I was at the clinic again this week, it was great to see the process from the other side. I am still very confident in their service. Their leak rate is less than the average posted risk rates on many medical sites - meaning those that discuss the surgery but are not promoting a specific hospital or clinic. There is a major hospital 10 minutes away; the same distance or even closer than clinics where I have had procedures at home.

As far as infections go, there is also always a risk of that or other complications. Tiffany's surgery was at the Vida Hospital - a location they were using while doing some remodeling to their main clinic. Both locations were very clean in my view. The hospital is much larger and fancier, but the clinic was just fine. I have paid good money for hotels in Europe and received a room so small I could hardly walk around the bed! LOL

My opinions on infections are: 1) entire hospitals in the US can have an outbreak of staph. 2) if an infection is not seen until a person gets home, how do we know that the person didn't get the infection either on the way home, in their own home or from lack of personal care? 3) it seems that some people are more susceptible to infections that others. There is always a risk, no matter where you go. I believe the infection rate at this location is also under the posted risk rates on medical sites. My primary dr inspected my incisions and removed my stitches, and said everything looked great. I have also traveled to the Sahara Desert in Africa and lived in a mud hut for a week. In my group of 7 Americans, I was the only one not to get sick. I may have a greater resistance than others.

I had very little pain overall and took no pain meds after my flight home which was three days after surgery. I went back to work the next day. I was tired and weak from having liquids only, but otherwise fine. I moved into soft mushy foods by the end of the first week, had no issues and it made me feel much better. The mental aspect of the surgery has been much harder than the physical for sure.

Please feel free to ask me anything. Nothing embarrasses me : ) And again, read over several clinic websites, talk to the coordinators and then make your decision. All of these clinics want you to be healthy and happy with your surgery; it does them no good if they aren't doing their job.

Good Luck with your research!

Congrats Carol!! You are doing amazing!

And you are much more strict than me! LOL Good for you. I have taken a much softer approach - the mental has definitely been harder for me than the physical. If I cut back anymore, I would likely be looney. ok, loonier : )

I average 500 calories, less than 40 carbs, 60 or so Protein. I am lousy in the Water department, but was before surgery also. I feel fine so my body must be used to it. LOL If I count the one or two shakes I have every day, then I am close to 64 oz tho.

Alcohol definitely hit me hard at first. I have had a couple of ounces of homemade lemoncello the past two nights, and it hasn't made me very loopy. It does have alot of sugar in it tho so will need to be a weekend treat : )

My first hard boiled egg was an experience as well! Even tho I took an hour to eat it! I have had some since tho as well as scrambled eggs and they have gone down just fine. Everytime I eat something new tho my stomach gurgles like crazy! Its actually pretty funny. Does it really keep track of post op foods???

Great post! Should be very useful to people considering surgery or recovering!