I'm home! I'm home! Oh, it's so good.... Well, I promised details and I won't sugar coat it but I want to start by saying: I have no pain (except for the first day...) and was up and walking within hours of surgery, have no nausea or reflux. I'm drinking 40+ oz of Water, some broth, and eating Jello with no problem. I have NO hunger. I've been walking 1/2 mile or more per day.... If I woke up with amnesia and someone told me I had major surgery on Thursday, I'd say, "Liar."

RECAP: I'm a self pay, Mexico patient. My story "sleeve" story started about six weeks ago when I begrudgingly attended a WL Seminar to hear about the 'band'. I went thinking maybe things had improved and maybe, just maybe it was time to reconsider getting the band. Then, the clouds parted and heavenly music played~~Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. Wow. Shiny. Must know more...

Fast forward to July 6. I fly out, San Diego bound with my dad in tow (resume includes lots of Mexico experience, big guy--big arms, street smart). I'm 43 and 19 years married with teens. So, there is no hang-up about hubby not being with me...he's just not the best choice for me because he cannot stand to not understand what's going on. Mexico is not conducive to making my baby a calm companion. No harm, no foul...he is happy to stay with the kids on this trip!

Before we hit the gate, Ricardo (our driver) is on the phone finding out if we are curbside yet. We agree to call as soon as we are...and sure enough, 2 minutes later we are safely ensconced in the silver Honda Civic, weaving our way toward the border. Ricardo speaks EXCELLENT English and is very knowledgable of the whole "sleeved in Mexico" process. He probably picks-up and delivers most of Dr. Kelly's patients...and he also runs for another. Anyway...all that to say that he is an excellent source of info, he's got the Doc's on speed dial, and is professional in that he calls ahead to confirm details with you. Good guy! As a side note, if you mention the theory that chewing gum is NOT allowed because it causes your stomach to make and release stomach juices/acids, he will have to pay me a royalty. So I appreciate your help there.

Arrive florence Clinic and are met by Trish as Ricardo delivers us to the reception area. The bldg. looks just as pictured on the exterior, the garden/courtyard is nice. I would liken the reception area to a 'nice' office or professional bldg. That changes as we are led to our room in the back corridor. The impression is less professional office and more motel. It's clean and you'll have everything you need, but really...it's like a motel room with surplus hospital furnishings.

I'm given yet another health history form by the head nurse, Jessica. She speaks very good English also. Trish is a bubbly joy, Dr. Kellly is quiet and trying to greet me and give instruction/answer questions, Jessica the head nurse is speaking rapid spanish to a trio of nurses, and things are frankly, CHAOS. Everything happening at once. I found it amusing that no one respects that the Dr. is speaking and everyone has their own agenda. It feels like I'm standing on some trading floor. Eventually Trish and Dr. Kelly leave...and I'm left filling out the health history form that Jessica was requiring.

There is some discussion about whether I will or will not have labs tonight, the people have gone...then they are there...then I am getting my IV so they can kill 2 birds with one stone. Take blood, get I.V. si? hahahha Let's just say that I am one of those that has to hydrate well before having blood drawn. So, as Maria (not so good English...Ok, virtually none) is trying to find a vein in my right hand, I'm suggesting she try my left as I am right handed and will need that hand for things. Important things, like wiping my butt? OK...I know that there is one or more of you out there that are worried about the 'bathroom logistics/gymnastics' of dealing with hygiene will having several incisions in your belly. Am I right?

Maria can't locate a vein by touch and understands enough of what I'm saying to move to the left hand. After about 10 minutes, she decides she needs to find someone 'to help' si? Si!

In about 2 minutes, Maria returns with 2 other nurses. Oh great, this one is NOT listening to my suggestion of 'left hand please' and Maria cutely tries to convey the same message. NOPE, guess the boss has arrived. She massages my hand for about 10 minutes and is pumping the 'ball' of my thumb. She's in. I have half a roll of tape now on my right hand holding this fragile accomplishment in place. Bathroom issues are now raging in my head as, gulp, I have also started my period that morning. OMG This is NOT going to be OK. Si? NADA!

-----I gotta take a break and go to bed. I'm tired after my trip today and need to take a shower! A loooooooooooooong shower followed by a looooooooooooong sleep in my own bed. I'll finish tomorrow.

So, glad it all went well and amusing! Thank you for your story. You are a wonderful story teller. You tickled my funny bone! Can't wait to watch your ticker fall!

Suzanna - you are an outstanding writer. I don't know what you do for a career, I hope it includes something that allows you to write. The world needs more people who can re-create an experience so viviidly, their readers wipe tears of laughter from their eyes.

Your attitude is wonderful - I think that will really serve you well on this life change you have signed up for. Best wishes as you progress with your sleeve and your weight loss journey.

If there is anything I can do to help you - I would be happy to.

PS. If you happen to be a published writer - I want to know! You have a new fan.

Thank you for the compliment! I have the priveledge of working with Special Ed teenagers in a junior high school as a paraeducator. It's very rewarding for them to start to take pleasure in story telling! I'm not published, though I have a background in public speaking and have given my testimony on TBN of the wonderful things God had done for me. My family has been encouraging me to write a book for years about my life which truly would read like a 'made for tv movie" but I really don't have anything important enough to say that should be contained in more than a few pages. lol Thanks again for the kind words. I do agree that a sense of humor serves us well, always! Best wishes to you also!!

I waited very patiently for you to finish before responding lol. I loved reading your experience, everyone is right. You have a real talent. Reading your experience has reminded me I kept a notepad of my experience as it was happening, but I have yet to post it. I think I am going to put mine in my "about me" section. But I have to proofread it prior to posting it, there's no telling how many typos and things in it. I am not the writer you are, so it won't be near as entertaining, but you can read and compare if you like. I noticed a lot of similarities and differences. We must of been in different areas of Florence Hospital, cause I didn't hear any noise from outside. And it may be because I was distracted by trying to gracefully transfer to the operating table without having a wardrobe malfunction, but I didn't even notice the windows in the OR hahaha!!!! Yay for reflective glass on the outside of the building, cuz I have no idea if the shades were closed when I was in there!! I was also busy noticing all the people in there and desperately looking for Dr Kelly in the crowd lol.

Congrats on being sleeved, I am very happy for you and glad you are home continuing with your recovery.

I cant agree with everyone more. Your writing skills are fantastic. I was able to visualize everything almost like I was right there with you! Thanks for sharing your talent and your experience with us!

So happy for you Sue, that it all went well. Great story.

I laughed out loud and had tears. Great story. If everyone would find the funny side to uncomfortable situations, there would be less unhappy people. Thanks for sharing and so glad that everything went so well.

Many blessings to you. Sandra

I enjoyed your story so much thank you for sharing :0)

SeattleSue,

So glad to hear you are back safe and sound and that your recovery was as miraculous as mine! I too had no nausea or very much pain (just felt sore like I had done a hundred ab crunches). I too was up walking right away and had no trouble getting Water, Jello, broth, etc. down. Yeah for us! We are on the losers bench.

Dawn

Dawn...I haven't felt my abs in years!! lol How are you doing?

Susan

I laughed out loud and had tears. Great story. If everyone would find the funny side to uncomfortable situations, there would be less unhappy people. Thanks for sharing and so glad that everything went so well.

Many blessings to you. Sandra

Thanks Sandra! Many blessings to you, I appreciate it. Susan

Great story!! Thank you for sharing your story, I really enjoyed it.

As I read your experience it took me back to when I was there a few months ago! Great stuff. I was also on my period and paranoid without the panties during the op and I remember desperately telling one of the OR nurses that I needed a pad, I needed a pad (they had fashioned one for me out of some sort of bedpad but it had gotten lost in one of the shifts from one trolley to another trolley to the OR table). She just kept saying "don't worry about it" and I don't know what happened, because when I woke up, I don't remember thinking about it again, so maybe it had stopped like yours. I really would love to return and taste some of the food and have more of the experience as a bystander.

I felt like I could plop you out and plop me in. Great story. Welome to the losers bench.

Sue - Keep updating! Those of us waiting in the wind are anxious to hear how you are doing! (Especially this Idaho gal).

Reb

Sue - Keep updating! Those of us waiting in the wind are anxious to hear how you are doing! (Especially this Idaho gal).

Reb

Well, thanks. I'm doing great...a little antsy to get some more food going on, but no complaints. Let's see...this is day 12 since I rebelliously stick to counting surgery day because I was done by 10 a.m. HAH, it's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Dr. Kelly encouraged walking, so I've been walking...no more than a mile per day on "organized walks" but that doesn't include errands, etc. Nor does it include the stairs in my house which is when I really feel fatigued.

Day 8 I added my first Protein shake in the a.m. Made the mistake of adding 1/2 tspn of instant coffee and practically got high. Then I crashed big time and needed a 90 minute nap in which I drooled all over myself and woke up on my tummy. hmmm

After a better showing on Day 9 with the protein, I felt confident in adding some other thicker liquids on day 10. No problems. Of course, everything I added was B-L-A-N-D. Cream of Wheat original...meh, no flavor. On Day 11, I got crazy and had some broth from the Red Beans & Rice with Andouille sausage I cooked for my family. OMG it was a flavor explosion in my mouth and my taste-buds sat up and say the Hallelujah Chorus! It was fantastic. I thought I might suffer some consequences, but 6 hours, 8 hours, next morning...NOPE! So, for lunch today I had some Trader Joe's Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup with a blob of ricotta. I just finished it and it was delish!!! I'm so happy. I estimate that I am able to eat 1/4 Cup of Cream of Wheat but about 1/2 Cup of runnier stuff (though my Wheat is runny).

I'm very pleased with where I'm at. I am consistently able to drink 40 oz. of Water (and at least 2 cups of that is Smart Water) per day. I also have some light juice if I need a pick-up and usually one sugar free beverage.

As of today, I am down 14.5 lbs since last Tuesday...tomorrow being a full week since I first weighed on my return home. So easily 15 pounds my first week. I'm sure it's a lot of fluids left over from my IV, but I can see the difference in that, one of my chins is almost gone. I'll take it!

A little weirdness; I took a lot of time on my hair yesterday before church... That's NOT me. Not EVER. I realized I was camoflauging and sort of using a smoke and mirror tactic to ward off the 'Hey we missed you, where did you go?" questions as well as the, "Hey, have you lost weight questions." I guess I'm still not prepared to answer those questions...even though I worked out 2 or 3 responses that weren't lieing.. "Oh, I took a quick trip with my dad...we went to San Diego and did some shopping in Tijuana" or "Thanks, I did a cleanse and have started a fairly strict regimen". Guess I'll keep those in my back pocket 'cus everyone loved my hair.

Thanks for asking Reb. I appreciate the interest!

Susan

I am so grateful that you have written all this.. my surgery is next week.. and i am feeling better about it.. thank you so much for being candid and sharing..

Ruby

Blast! My post must have been too long so it cut of the part where we were transported to the hotel.

Nothing much surgery related there. We stayed at the Lucerna and it was very nice...both restaurants had impressive menus and maybe one day I'll return and get to taste. My father said they had the BEST Breakfast buffet he's ever partaken of. He paid about $17 US dollars....

Lorenzo, the porter speaks extremely good English and was very gracious.

I was visited by Dr. Kelly who reviewed my Xray and geekily talked too much about his techniques which are modeled after the French. I'm just gonna say what I said to him. "There are some things a woman doesn't want to know, Dr. Kelly." I am so freaking modest, I had a hard time looking him in the eye.

Trish took us to Revolucion Street which is really an organized tourist trap. I loved it. I bartered and bought a couple souvenirs for my family and a beautiful pair of Louie Vitton knock-off sunglasses. lol

Our room overlooked the main round-about and thoroughfare out front of the hotel. I think it was more dynamic than a poolside accomodation because we were lucky enough to be in town during the weekend that Mexico won its 2nd World Championship in Soccer which was followed by lots of radical drivers, honking horns, hanging out of doors and windows...all flying huge Mexican flags. There was also a large international Marathon that's course ran right past our hotel. It was prime spectator seating!

Ricardo called on Sunday to arrange for departure times. Mondays are notoriously busy at the border as many people are returning to work, so we allowed 2 hours to cross and another 2 hours for security at the airport. Probably in large part to all the revelry and celebrations of the night before, we made it from the hotel to U.S. soil in 38 minutes.

San Diego airport is amazingly easy to navigate and in under 10 minutes, we had made it from the curb, through security and to our gate. Delighted, we were able to get seats on an earlier flight and arrived home 2 hours early!

I would do it all again in a heartbeat. I'm so grateful to be this side of the surgery...but it went absolutely smoothly and better, FAR better than I could have expected. Anyone thinking of doing this...if you have any questions that I didn't answer about something, please feel free to ask. I wish you all the best and am eager to move forward with my second chance!! God bless you all, Susan.