Ok, so I feel like this is too good to be true. I've never been hospitalized or had surgery. I can't really say anything bad about Florence Hospital, I'm just glad to be outta there! I felt like a prisoner with no fresh air. I'm at the hotel Lucerna now. It's lovely. I have not experienced any pain, I feel like doing cartwheels right now. I only had nausea the night of my surgery, and a little incision pain. Of course I have a little pain if I bend down, but I seriously don't feel like I've had surgery. The only real pain I ever experienced is when I got my tattoo right over my right rib cage 2 years ago. This surgery was NOTHING compared to that. We checked in to the hotel after my leak test. Had a free popsicle. Then we walked around to the Starbucks and this pharmacy. There is a huge traffic circle in front of the hotel and they drive crazy over here, but we got across. I'm actually leaving a day early. I told Dr. Kelly I feel great, he said he's giving me the green light to travel back to MD tomorrow. I'm so excited to start my new life!!!!

No sugar coating needed for me! My "when" depends on finances. Hopefully within the next 6 months. I will be going alone and I'm ok with that! Keep me posted!!! Good luck!

Well we leave for surgery tomorrow. We have to travel over some mountains tomorrow afternoon and stay at my sister's and get up about 4am to got catch our flight to San Diego. Very excited!

Well we leave for surgery tomorrow. We have to travel over some mountains tomorrow afternoon and stay at my sister's and get up about 4am to got catch our flight to San Diego. Very excited!

Jeanie,

Safe travels! I will meet you in San Diego on Sunday. So looking forward to meeting you! I am getting so excited! Oh...and I am NOT enjoying the liquid diet at all even though I've lost 8 pounds. It is getting easier though.

Sent from my iPad using VST

And safe travels to you too! I'm starting to enjoy this chicken broth, Swanson in little packets. I just started a couple days ago, yum lots of Jello now in the next few days. lol See you there Michele.

Can't wait to hear how y'all are doing! Mines looking like end of August because of work!

I am back and feeling fantastic! It was a great experience and I am glad to be on the "losing side" now. I actually had the surgery done on Sunday ( with my other two "sleeve sisters") So, Monday was my first post-op day. I won't kid you, my first post op day was rough! I had a lot of gas and bouts of nausea. I couldn't lay down in the bed without being super uncomfortable. I asked for a recliner that I saw in another room be brought in and they did. That was much easier to sit in and be comfortable. I did A LOT of walking, and I am sure that is why on Tuesday I felt fabulous! It was a total turn around. I haven't even had any pain or pain medication since Monday.

Dr. Kelly and his staff are awesome! His wife Cece, Omar, and the doctor that assists him are equally outstanding folks! I felt so taken care of and pampered after surgery. Hotel Lucerna is beautiful and a wonderful place to recuperate. I am so thankful I chose Dr. Kelly to perform my VSG. I would highly recommend him to anyone who is researching going to Mexico. I am now 6 days post op and feel like I didn't even have surgery. My incisions are healing well, and the stomach bloating is going down daily. I have not weighed myself because I do not want to be a " slave to the scale" and will weigh once a week. I plan on doing weekly weigh-ins on Monday.

It was great to meet new friends as well. my sleeve sisters and I will certainly keep in touch and follow each others journey to better health!

Sent from my iPad using VST

I can't say enough about Dr. Kelly and his staff! I am NurseMichele's sleeve sister! lol Everything she said about the staff, well I say it too. Dr. Kelly surprised us with operating on us the day we got there instead of the next day. We thought that was great so we didn't need to stress another day.

Being a lapband revision I had a little tougher time than the other two (I was first also). It took 1.5 hours for me including the endoscopy I had to have before they started because of the lapband. They had a little problem with my stomach because of the lapband but they took care of it fine. I had a rough time coming out of the anastasia also and started to go into to shock but they brought me out quickly. My sister was there at that point and said she got worried because I was pastie white and shivering bad. She did a good job helping out when needed and I'm glad she was there right then. I had to have a drain tube for 2.5 days but that didn't bother me, I thought it would if I had to but it didn't. By day three I think I was caught up in heeling with the other two. Cece (Dr. Kelly's wife) and Omar, the coordinator, took us to Lucerna Hotel. Beautiful! And then they took us to lunch for a nice bowl of broth and then to the board walk on Tijuana beach and we all stuck our feet in the ocean. It wasn't that warm of a day though. A bad day on the beach is better than any good day at work though. Then they took us shopping and back to the hotel. We did a LOT of walking and all of us did good. The next day they gave us pedicures compliments of the Dr.! Cece gave us each a massage and plucked our eyebrows! lol My niece and I also chose to buy the manicure. Each day we felt a little better.

I'm not hungry much at all and just been drinking broth, juice and water as told. I have a little pain in the area where my tube was but it might be a gas pain from being operated on. Scale of 1 to 10 it's only a 2-3 and it is very seldom....good! Tender where the incissions were is about all.

We got home Friday night. The flight was 2.5 hours and then we drove 4 hours, a little tiring though but glad to be home. Today my niece and I went garage sale-ing and then to a Vintage Fair and walked around for 3 hours and then I visited my uncle for 1.5 hours and home to rest as I have to visit my aunt in another hour. I might go to bed a little earlier than my normal time. I do feel good though.

I would truly recommend Dr. Kelly and his staff. The other doctors were very nice too and obviously competent since we are all doing good.

Michele was so much fun to have around with my sister, niece and myself; we had a lot of fun together; she's a hoot! Nice to have a Sleeve Sister that you care about and want to keep in contact with. Good luck to you! We will all do good I'm sure.

That's my update with no sugar coating on it. I will post my progress also.

Good luck to all that have this done, I'm feeling it was a good choice for me.

Glad you didn't sugarcoat it JeanieG! Lol! I am becoming more and more confident of my decision! Thanks you guys! I love this app!!

I really appreciate the comments, too. My date is quickly approaching (June) and I go back and forth between really wanting this and thinking "what, am I crazy??" but hearing about good experiences makes me feel so much more at east.

Jeannie and Michele - is that you guys on the facebook page putting your feet into the Water??? Those pics are wonderful!

I'd also recommend you guys rate Dr. Kelly here on VST - Omar got his information updated so the coordinator group isn't claiming him on here any more and the "thumbs up" go to him now. Search under Surgeon at the top of the page and you'll find him and you can give him a thumbs up!!! It really does help the rest of us quite a bit!!!

Thank you for the Surgeon listing review. I gave mine but I didn't see a thumbs up spot?

I wish you all the luck in the world. I certainly have no regrets but this is a very personal decision. I hope you are happy with which ever you decision you make in June. It is a kind of a crazy thing to do actually but I couldn't do it any other way, I tried. Best of luck to you!

MGM: August will be here before you know it! Good luck and you'll be fine.

Nursemichele, did you have a drain tube too? That is one of the things I am nervous about, well maybe having it removed I guess is the bit making me nervous.

Did someone say they were getting their teeth whitened too? How did that go? Or was that someone else that hasn't been sleeved yet?

I am getting sleeved on May 10th with Dr Kelly & getting excited & nervous! Also plan to get my teeth whitened while I am there.

I was the only one with a drain tube, not Michele or Kristi. I only had to have one because my operation was more complicated removing my lapband and all. Trust me I'm a real big baby and the tube didn't hurt at all, I was totally surprised. Kristi got her teeth whitened there, the Zoom method and I got mine cleaned.

I don't even have anything scheduled yet and am super excited! Guess I'm crazy! Lol! I have my FAA approved liquids and makeup packed. My passport with my stuff. 3 loose maxi dresses. I cute maxi dress to wear on the way there. And just ordered a carrying luggage 2pc set from target website. Yeah...I'm excited!!!

I don't even have anything scheduled yet and am super excited! Guess I'm crazy! Lol! I have my FAA approved liquids and makeup packed. My passport with my stuff. 3 loose maxi dresses. I cute maxi dress to wear on the way there. And just ordered a carrying luggage 2pc set from target website. Yeah...I'm excited!!!

I'm the total opposite, I'm all scheduled and ready to go in June and all I've done to prepare is take time of of work...I'm such a slacker!