I have been researching my decision and have been in contact with BeLite, I have made plans to go to Juarez Mexico to have the gastric sleeve done. I am so nervous about going in though texas right there. im hearing more and more scary stories. Then ill read a story from a person on here about how wonderful their experience was. Should i change my plans or go with it? Is there still alot of bad things happening there? Also i have been talking to my cordinator and she is so sweet. Her name is Ishi. i have asked her about the crime and she tells me that there is crime there but that i will not be anywhere near where the crime happens. Dont get me wrong i do trust her but the self protecting side of me says "she wouldnt say, yes there is alot of scary things and you might wanna say good bye to your family and friends cause you might not come back..." lol i dont think many people would go. ANY help or advice would be great!

It is just the Texas border, from what I have read. California seems to be safe. I live in Texas too, and right now, I'm not going to consider TEXAS/MEXICO border. I'm going to San Diego. That is just my preference.... Perhaps the border will calm down in a few months, but the Texas news is not very favorable for Mexico right now. Perhaps it is centered more around El Paso, than Brownsville... but be sure and check it out thoroughly.

The violence in Juarez is primarily between two drug cartels competing for turf. One controls drug trafficking near Tijuana and the other farther south than Juarez(don't remember the state). Also young women who have come from the interior to work in maquiladoras have been preyed upon. I would go there for surgery as I think their pickup system is safe. But there is akways risk traveling in any foreign country. Each person needs to decide if they can tolerate that risk.

thank you guys so much for all of your input. i am going to go there because it feels like the right decision for me. Good luck to all of you! i havnt heard much of the bad guys grabbing people out of vehicles and thats the only place i plan on being if im not in the hospital. thanks again guys!

Kerry I think you've made a good decision ...the bottom line is you want to make sure your surgery is perform right I haven't heard anything bad about Dr Rod I have spoken to several people and they have nothin but gd things to say about him and star medica ...so with that being said gd luck to u and I wish u well on the looser bench ....

The hospital is the reason I chose Juarez as well. Take your own pillow. They give you a little one. I would also take bandaids. They do not use little things that cost extra. They will just tell you to hold cotton on it. I will forwarn you the first day is not good. Their pain medicine was not strong enough for me but after the first day I was no longer in pain. The other girl with me said the same thing. By the secon day we were walking the halls together and sitting in the cafe visiting. Good luck hope you recover as well and fast as we have. I still talk to her and we are about the same place in our journey. Down 40 lbs in 2 months. I stalled after 1 week and lost nothing for 5-6 weeks. So don't freak out if you stall pretty quick but it will come off. I have no problems with fluids and never did. I was drinking gulps at the hospital and never gotten sick. I went and had blood work done at 6 weeks and everything was great. You will love Miguel he is one of the nurses. Once again good luck and will see you on the losers bench.

From the pictures, the hospital in Juarez does look like a lot nicer than INT in Tijuana which is where I went last weekend to have the surgery with Dr. Rod. The rooms were small and cramped and definitely in need of some upgrades, but it was full service and adequate for my needs. I had band aids on my incisions and drain area and they had me hold cotton for about 10 seconds against the spot where they drew blood to help clot it. They used cotton and surgical/medical tape to help clot the area where the IV was placed in my hand. Other than that, I didn't need band aids anywhere else. I also had full size pillows although the foam mattress on the bed left something to be desired. I would have preferred a nice, new hospital, but was okay going to INT because although the hospital needs some upgrades, the operating room is state of the art so I was able to get over the rest. And my husband loved being able to get out of the hospital and walk around outside and not worry about his safety which was a big plus.

http://www.borderlandbeat.com/2011/01/wounded-man-slain-at-clinic-in-juarez.html

Just do some research............... I asked someone today and he wouldn't go anywhere near Mexico, but he said Tijuana is "safer" then any of the other options.