We are going to be flying down to San Diego and hopping the boarder to go to TJ to get banded by Doctor Kuri (excellent doctor by the way). After 2-3 days there, the plan is to rent a car to go to Hollywood and then San Francisco....and leisurely just enjoy the coastline.

I know most would say to not do this (and do the trip before the surgery) but I'm wondering....(barring it would be a VERY relaxing trip) to do this. One of the reasons I'm exploring to do this is because...if there was complications (3 days after surgery) I'm still in California and we could easily go back to Tijuana.......rather flying from Chicago back to San Diego again.

I'm sure everything will be fine....but I'm always looking to prepare wisely and prepare for the "whatifs" in life.

Blessings all...let me know your thoughts?

While it would appear to be a great opportunity to see California, your reason for being here is the surgery. Driving through unknown areas is not stress free. San Francisco traffic is horrid at all hours, and navigating the area is far from easy. If you had a medical problem while enjoying the Redwood Forest north of San Francisco, you are a 10-12 hour drive to Tijuana. Quicker to fly from Chicago, yes?

Why not choose a nice hotel in the San Diego area to recuperate? The Hotel del Coronado is beautiful, right on the beach. Check out the Gas Lamp district downtown, lots of shopping and dining--your wife will need to eat, eventhough you won't. La Jolla ia beautiful, but pricey.

San Diego has plenty to do for a week. The zoo, the wild animal park, Sea World, the USS Midway, Seaport Village, Coronado, Balboa Park, Cabrillo National Monument. If you are up to a drive, there's a nice little mountain town called Julian, great day trip. On the weekend, there is a swapmeet if you are up for walking around.

If you can get out and sight see every hour or so I would say go for it....I had to go out of town the day after my surgery for work...it was not so bad, it helped me from just lying in bed all week, I think it sped up my recovery...watching my friends eat out was the hardest part, but I just made it a challenge...many restraints have broth bases for soup that a very tasty....I realize that I am the exception, most people would disagree....I know my Dr. Would not have been on board if he had known.....I also don't know if I would have called it relaxing.....

I am 6 days out and i could not have done it. I usually push myself way harder than the dr but this proceedure took it out of me. I had to nap often and I have felt pretty bad. A long car ride would sound like hell to me today. Make your plans very flexible with frequent naps as an option.

I know everyone recovers differently but i am 6 days post op too and there is no way I could handle that. The first few days after surgery were hell and the last thing I wanted to do was be up and about. Too much motion makes you queasy. Even a seatbelt is a little painful. It's important to be in a quiet place and keep your stress down. Why don't you stay at a nice hotel with a view, close to a hospital for a couple days? You may find that more relaxing.

Guessing I'm just different. I would/could have done it IF I was able to stop often and walk, and wasn't driving so I could lay my seat back and snooze. But rent a really nice heavy car, and no off roading. Not the time for a dune buggy.

No way I could have enjoyed a road trip much less been comfortable riding in a car. I didn't get really functional until day 5 after the surgery. I was in a lot of pain and discomfort. I realize everyone is different but you are pretty much recovering from a major surgical procedure. I will put it to you this way, my brother in another state was killed in a car accident right after my surgery. I did not go to the funeral. Firstly because I was not up to it and secondly when I called my doctor to ask about it, he said unless I could fly down he really didn't want me to go, professionally speaking, and even then he had some concerns. But he told me that his personal opinion was to do what I felt I could handle.

I actaully considered a Mexican band... but decided to stay local and the day after surgery my husband said to me... arent you glad you didnt go to Mexico... you would have been pretty uncomfortable tredging through the airport today!

Walk walk walk is what my Dr told me. So after sleeping the day after surgery I walked a path in my carpet.... LOL It did help to dispurse the gas... but I felt like crap! There is no way I would have been able to be in a car that long.

Every one is different.... but maybe staying local and enjoying the sights in San DIego might be another option to consider.

Good Luck!

Not to mention the discomfort a seat belt could cause rubbing for hours. A pillow between belly and belt might help. But for me, a passenger seat belt goes right over my port. I could not imagine 1000 miles of that rubbing.

I actaully considered a Mexican band... but decided to stay local and the day after surgery my husband said to me... arent you glad you didnt go to Mexico... you would have been pretty uncomfortable tredging through the airport today!

Walk walk walk is what my Dr told me. So after sleeping the day after surgery I walked a path in my carpet.... LOL It did help to dispurse the gas... but I felt like crap! There is no way I would have been able to be in a car that long.

Every one is different.... but maybe staying local and enjoying the sights in San DIego might be another option to consider.

Good Luck!

I'm thinking along these lines....a couple of days in Tijuana - 2 full nights stay AFTER surgery (leave on the 3rd day) then 2-3 days in San Diego...then fly home.

I think you've got a good plan, but I wouldn't limit yourself to that. I would say that by day 3- I felt pretty good, started to feel human again. I think that if you have flexible plans, then you should just do what you feel you are up to. I was able by day 4/5 do things for about 2-3 hours at a time, normally before feeling tired. If you have the ablity to do frequent stops, and bring something to cushion your body from the seat belt, and you can be flexible to change your plans depending upon how you feel, then I say go for it. I wouldn't really plan to do too much distance walking, like I wouldn't go to the zoo in SD or sea world, too much walking and standing around, plus the heat will zap be best out of anyone. To me, the hardest part of the vacation will be the menatal part. For me, vacation what a lot about what resturants we were going to try and eating out. Being less than a week post op, you will have to find other things to focus your thoughts on besides food, but allowing yourself to heal. I had a chance to go on a trip shortly after my surgery, decided not to. Turned out to be a good thing because I was having a hard time adjusting to learning how to eat differently after the LB and vacation would have been less enjoyable while going through that learning phase, at least for me. Bottom line, if you can plan to have what you need avialable, (types of food and lots of water), and your plans can flex with how you are feeling, I would say have fun!