I have made the decision to forgo my insurance (united healthcare) and get sleeved by Dr. Kelly. I have been trying to get the insurance to approve me for going on three years now! I have a young family with 4 kids one beeing a disabled 3 year old. My husband wants to go with me but due to our daughters medical condition no one is comfortable watching her....and there is no way flying with her would be possible. I'm wondering if anyone else has drove down and how it worked out for them?

how far is the drive for you? It could be kinda fun... make a little trip out of it. I'd think you would need to walk around a lot.. so the drive back.. lots of stops and walks.

@sleevehopefull27, I'd recomnmend you drive to San Diego and then park somewhere. Then have Dr. Kelly's people come and pick you up. It would be easier in terms of getting across the border (more specifically, in coming back).

You can always just travel alone (I did) and leave the hubby and kids home. It might be a lot easier on everyone. I went by myself, and while I did get a little lonely while in the hospital, that all changed once I got to the hotel. Omar (the coordinator) and Cecy (Dr. Kelly's wife) kept me quite busy.

@joyv, hi neighbor!!

We live in Michigan so it would be like a 36 hr drive each way....the drive back is what I'm worried about! But I really want my husband to go with me! I also don't know how getting to the hospital ect would work because I know they normally pick people up in San diego.

CJ~ thanks for the ideas! If we were to drive we would only take the one kid...I would be out of my mind to take everyone! If I do fly it will be alone and I'm ok with that but I have a very caring husband and it would make him feel better to be there with me making sure I'm ok...

Having just gone through it, I don't think I'd want to drive for 36 hours after surgery. You'll have compression stockings, but still. It will become very uncomfortable after that first 8 hours, I bet. The last thing you want is to end up with a blood clot in your legs, so you'd have to stop probably every few hours. Which means getting back will take you more days than you'll want (at least 5).

My suggestion is not to do that. It's too much risk and discomfort. However, you can ask Dr, Kelly and see what he thinks. Perhaps he can give you blood thinners to take while you travel. ,I don't know. I'm just throwing out options.

Good luck!

I had my surgery with Dr. Kelly on May 14, 2012 and I went alone. My husband REALLY wanted to come, but couldn't get time off from work. I flew to San Diego on May 12 so I could get a couple of days of walking in before surgery (to avoid blood clots in my legs). It cost me 2 nights of hotel (on my own dime) in San Diego, but I was glad to pay it.

On surgery day, everything was a whirlwind! I was picked up around 11 am in San Diego by Dr. Kelly's wife Cecey and by 1:30 I was in surgery! After the surgery, I spent a lot of time sleeping, and walking the halls.

Honestly, I found it a relief that no one was there with me, as I would have been more concerned about making sure they were taken care of (entertained, accommodations, meals, etc.). This way, at least for a couple of days, I was able to just focus entirely on myself! I took a laptop with me and my husband and I spoke twice a day by Skype (there is free wi-fi in the hospital).

Once discharged, I was kept pretty busy with Cecey and Omar. We went shopping and sightseeing, to the beach. Dr. Kelly's daughter gave me a fantastic pedicure (very professional!). Again, there was free wi-fi in the hotel, so I stayed in touch with my husband, as well as my sister and a few other friends by Skype. I watched some TV, did some more sleeping and walked around the hotel (beautiful place with a lovely pool (too bad we can't swim after surgery!)).

If there's anyway you can assure both yourself and your family that you will be okay alone, you should consider going by yourself. It will allow you to totally concentrate on yourself (probably for the first time in a VERY long time). As soon as you are home again, you will be back to the demands of being a mom, a wife, etc. and as much as everyone will want to help you recover and heal, you really won't get the alone time you could have right after surgery.

Trust me on this.......it is quite decadent....and much appreciated once your return to your normal life!

Wow ... 36 hours ... the drive back would be brutal.

The reason I say this is my surgeon advised me, for the flight back, to walk around the plane cabin 15 minutes every 30 minutes to avoid blood clots. You'd be turning a 36 hour drive into a 54 hour drive ...

If you don't mind sharing ... what is the medical condition which would not allow you to fly with your daughter? I have friends whose young child cannot eat and has a tube into his stomach. Also gets shots every few hours. It is more difficult, for sure, but they set themselves up for success.

I'm sure your situation is different, but is there any way you could fly? Red-eye flight so your child would sleep, perhaps?

I am sorry I didn't have time to look at all of the responses.

Could someone go with you so you Hubby could stay home?

With gas prices as they are, flying might comperable...see if you can get skymiles donations from friends and co-workers...

Our daughter is missing part of her 13th chromosome. She has had a lot of medical problems but the issues that would be hard to work out is even though she is three she is unable to sit up on her own. She is still in a rear facing car seat, she has growth hormone issues so she is small too. She is also G tube fed...she is on the pump 23hrs a day. She also has medications that has to be kept cold. I don't know if it would be alowed on the plane to begin with. I haven't flown since I was 14 so I feel totaly out of touch with what you can and can't do on a plane!

I drove to San Diego. I live in Arizona so it was only a 4.5 hour drive for me.

We parked our car near the border and walked over and they picked us up at McDonald's. They drove us back to our car on the way home.

If I was to do it again, I would have taken the short flight to San Diego. The ride back was really uncomfortable. You feel EVERY bump in the road, sleeping is uncomfortable, etc.

I had an awesome recovery, I was back to driving, and normal activities 3 days out. The only thing I didn't do was lift my son for a couple of weeks.

Dr. Kelly and his staff are the BEST!!! You will love them! Good luck on your journey!

@sleevehopefull27, based on your daughter's condition, I think taking her is a bad idea. It would be better for everyone (your daughter and YOU) if your hubby stayed behind and you flew alone. Tell hubby to be reassured that you'll be in good hands.

I went alone, and while I was sleeping after surgery, Omar and Dr. Kelly called my sister (she was my next of kin on the forms I filled out), and they gave her an update to my condition. And when I woke up, Omar allowed me to call her every day.

Go alone. You will be fine. Or, if you have a relative other than your hubby, ask them to go with you. But taking a child in that condition, whether on a plane or drive sounds like it would be too much for her.

Our daughter is missing part of her 13th chromosome. She has had a lot of medical problems but the issues that would be hard to work out is even though she is three she is unable to sit up on her own. She is still in a rear facing car seat, she has growth hormone issues so she is small too. She is also G tube fed...she is on the pump 23hrs a day. She also has medications that has to be kept cold. I don't know if it would be alowed on the plane to begin with. I haven't flown since I was 14 so I feel totaly out of touch with what you can and can't do on a plane!

Well, you can take the car seat on the airplane and buckle it in. I'm guessing you already have the medipacks which allow for keeping the meds at temperature, otherwise, you would have the same issue driving. It would be even more so exasperated by the duration of the trip. Nothing a little dry ice couldn't handle. As far as the pump, seems it would be easier to deal with on the plane than in a car, so ...

Of course, you have to do what you feel is right. If it is absolutely impossible for your husband to stay home to care for your little one, I don't think traveling by plane is a big deal. Driving, IMO, would be FAR riskier for you AND your daughter. Airlines deal with far more complicated situations, for sure. Contact the airlines and explain your situation and needs. They will work with you, no problem. You will be the first board and allowed time to get everything in your area exactly as you need it before other passengers load.