Hi Stoongal,

I've been thinking of you and wondering how you got along. Did you make a post that tells all about your trip and such? I've been looking and didn't find one.

Curious minds want to know!

Nancy

Not in detail yet, just got home yesterday, and today has been

on the phone lots with friends and loved ones, met my brother from Edmonton up at his motel, he is in town for a bridge tournament, then went to Walmart to buy some more clear juices, cat food, and bread for hubby.

Since home been on the phone with my sister and just now back online.

I wrote copious notes, pages actually, so am wondering how to pare it down as to not make it boring or repetative from other posts I have already done last night.

Thank Nancy, when I wrap my head around the being brief, I will post in this thread, how is that?

Check later on tonight maybe.

Stoongal,

Glad you are home and doing well! I can't wait to hear about your trip and surgery.

Stoongal,

Glad you are home and doing well! I can't wait to hear about your trip and surgery.

Thanks appreciate the interest.

Well here goes, hope to be as brief yet informative as I know how.

The flight: 2 stages, huge wait at Saskatoon airport and much more in Denver but went smooth (I always set off the metal alarms with the prosthestics in my knees) coming back - huge wait in SanDiego and one hour plus in Denver. Crowded full aircraft! Cold back home here! Brrr...

The Recovery House: newish, spotless, smallish, 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 2 story home in a gated community - felt very safe and secure there.

The Staff: drivers, doctors, patient liason, caretaking staff, nurses, all - gracious, warm and generous with their hugs. True Mexican hospitallity prevailed.

The Medical Center: smaller than expected, but it is a shared facility, so I understood all that once there. Our rooms were good sized though, with TV, Stereo and airconditioning all controlled with remotes. In the hallway was a phone for us to use freely to call family - I made real good use of it!:love: I don't own a cell phone and this was on them!

Everything was clean, not new or real modern, a real no frills atmosphere.

No health spa here!

The Procedure and Operation: lots of forms to fill out, blood samples first, sent out to a lab. Weight recorded. Blood pressure taken and recorded, mine was 120 over 80 (great for me) A cardiologist came and did a thorough check over as I have a heart murmur, did his EKG and then came the gown pressure stockings and IV line set up.

wait my turn, in came the whole staff to be introduced to me in my room, including the owner, the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, (sp?) the assistant Dr, the surgery nurse, the aftercare nurse, and even Dr. A's wife.

We talked at length - pictues were taken with the surgeon - then much laughter and congeniality and showing off of muscles - that kind of thing- made me feel special and oh so relaxed.

Shortly after noon hour, my turn for the operation.

the room looked like a tiny operating room with equipment and all and was filled with those necessary to be there. They positioned me, placed my arms, gave me the injection, and that was all I saw of it!

Woke back in my room. Had vitals taken etc. Felt no pain, needed sips of Water but only to swish and spit out, even got up to use the bathroom. and then to call my children.

Slept a few hrs after that.

Lots of walking with the other two sleeve patients that evening, and we visited back and forth.

Next day: Dr Lopez dropped by to see me (anesthesiologist) and a bit later along came Dr. Amanza who congratulated me for being the oldest sleeve patient and for setting a brand new record - only 35 minutes for my operation! Why? No bleeding, real empty stomach etc. a clean visual field and nothing to hinder the actual procedure, he did my stitches too. so again felt very special. Even Ivan the accountant came to see me!

Earlier had showered, had dressings changed, and more vitals taken, took me off separate pain intervenous, gave me antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and pain control through the main intervenous line (had 2 before)then I changed into my own gown and lounging robe.

More visits ensued from the other two patients and we did many parades pushing our iv poles around

Meantime our rooms got cleaned and beds changed and remade and everything spotless and neat.

So I read, did crossword puzzles (about 10 of them at least)

Finally! Bliss, Ice chips to suck on and actually swallow! Heavenly!

Next Day:

up early, bandages changed and drank blue stuff. for leak test #2 (1st done in surgery) Blood pressure taken etc, then I packed my bag as we were to get Xrays done (3rd test for any leaks) We got them done and were to keep them to take home with us. Driven back to the recovery house. Lots of visits from Dr. Betencourt - food choice intructions given and meds distributed to take home with us. Relaxed on the sun on the patio, all of us took siesta naps! much sucking on popsicles, sipping water gaterade whatever, had the run of the place. Tao kept us in clean towels and cooked and cleaned until late afternoon. lots of staff dropped by to nosh and nibble and visit. Made lots of phone calls! again on the house!

Next day:

More of the same grazing, playing board games, phoning, visiting, napping and going on a three hour outing to Casino, stores, and to the beach on the ocean.

Enough of my chronicles! Hope this helps anyone considering this surgery and this facility! In the near future it will be Jerusalem Hospital in a new facilty, more modern and sophisticated according to the owner. Ready in about 2 months.

"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending"

:thumbup:

Thanks for posting Stoongal. You sound like you were feeling pretty good if you were out on a 3 hour tour!

Did you have much pain? It seems as if day 3 is the worst and you would have been in the recovery house.

So 2 nights in hospital and 2 more at recovery house? Did you travel alone? If not - where did the person who went with you stay?

I'm a real detail person and I ask lots of questions (drives my family crazy as you can imagine!).

Glad to hear you are doing well. I bet your family was really happy to see you arrive back home - safe & sound, in one piece....well missing a piece.....you know what I mean!!:thumbup:

Nancy

Thanks Stoongal!

Thanks for posting Stoongal. You sound like you were feeling pretty good if you were out on a 3 hour tour!

Did you have much pain? It seems as if day 3 is the worst and you would have been in the recovery house.

So 2 nights in hospital and 2 more at recovery house? Did you travel alone? If not - where did the person who went with you stay?

I'm a real detail person and I ask lots of questions (drives my family crazy as you can imagine!).

Glad to hear you are doing well. I bet your family was really happy to see you arrive back home - safe & sound, in one piece....well missing a piece.....you know what I mean!!

Nancy

Hi Nancy,

I did travel alone, yes, but I have such an active husband I couldn't see him sitting around watching me sleep and him doing nothing! Besides on our pensions, we simply couldn't afford to have him or anyone else come with me.

I honestly can say Nancy, I felt no pain whatsoever! felt some tenderness when I rolled on my left side inadvertantly, learned quickly to sleep on my back or right side with something tucked under my tummy for support. I suppose it was the pain meds they had us on, who knows, but mostly I was very comfortable.

Yes two full days in the hospital night before and two days afterwarss idn the recovery house. For pics check out superppp's album he just posted.

As for family, well I had talked to them so much from Mexico they were not too worried anymore! :001_unsure:

Hope that answers your questions.

Cheers,

Donna

:scared0:

Welcome Back Canuck!!!:thumbup:

You go girl. We old broads need to stick together.

You go girl. We old broads need to stick together.

:lol0: - thank you! So right! we have the wisdom of our long life, I am certainly going to enjoy this whole process!!

Have my sister and my daughter on this forum now, they plan to have the sleeve in January!

Yeah!!

Thanks Stoongal!

You're welcome Millie,

realize I forgot to mention that we had our pouches and drain removed on our last day there, mine was particularly uncomfortable coming out, they think the drain tube may have been caught betwen my liver and new stomach - . Anyway, to me that was the worst of the whole experience!

So glad it didn't take too long!

Glad you are home and doing well. I am getting all sorts of flack from people worried about the "dangers of American tourists being kidnapped and held for ransom" and I am starting to get annoyed at people's anxiety.

I agree with you..... I felt the drain removal was the worst of my experience too!

Ditto that on the drain removal. I think my hubby agreed too, he said they just kept pulling and pulling and he didn't think it was ever going to end!

To me it felt as though I was being tickled from the inside.

stoongal, thanks for the details. congrats on your return. So glad your family has accepted your change. I cannot get my husband on board with this yet. So, I have not made an appt yet. I have a best friend in toon town, would love to have her meet you and the other toon girl. Maybe if she wants to do this we could do it together. Thne my husband would lighten up. (?) So many more issues than just the right Dr. or place to choose. I am so glad you had such a good experience, it helps me.

keep posting progress reports. you can email me direct at carolyn24seven@aol.com.