After much consideration I had decided to go with ready for a change, Dr Fernando Garcia. So I arrived in Tijuana monday morning feb 25 by myself, 50 mins early which meant I had to wait for samuel my driver, I was ok with that because I was tired wanted to make a few phone calls and decompress. When Samuel came he was friendly and very nice took my luggage abd we were off. I had arranged to change my surgery from tues to Monday, I just wanted it done and felt as if i would back out. So alma was kind enough to make it happen. Samuel took me straight to the hospital, where Rosie met me, Melissa was unavailable but would be around in a bit. They got me checked in and I have to admit I was extremely nervous. I registered, had my blood drawn and was put in my room. That process didnt take more then an hour.I changed into my hospital gown and the nurse Louise came in, he did an ekg and tried twice to do my IV but couldn't get it, in between Dr. Almanza, Dr. Velazco and Dr. Padilla all came to visit. They were all very nice and very friendly. My room was pretty big by the way, the first room they put me, when I came back from surgery I had been moved to another room, I didnt like that but oh well. So after all my pretesting and meeting the docs it was time to wait. Which I was a nervous wreck but the OR was tied up so they gave me stuff to relax me, that made me tired and very loopy. Finally, at 7:30pm in came Dr Garcia to meet me, he was so very very nice and explained everything. At that point he told me my surgery was in 8 minutes. He left and they came in with a wheel chair, off to OR, this is where it got weird and I got nervous just a bit, they bring you to the entrance of the O.R. And you walk from the wheelchair to where they operate on you. So up on the table I went and the oxygen mask went on and the last thing I remember was a nurse holding my hand and telling me it would be ok, I was out. The next thing I remember was waking up nauseated trying to throw up but nothing, that quickly went away and I slept until 3 am. Woke up got out of bed and I started walking. Walked for 10 mins was way to tired to do anymore. So went back to bed and slept til 6:30 which at that point got up and walked some more. Nurse came in at 9 and got me up and going, disconnected my IV and told me to get a shower. I did and I felt great, I probably did too much because by 3 pm Dr garcia came up and made me get back into bed because I was flushed and I guess I looked a bit tore up. The flushing was from the meds and I had the heat to high in my room. So they turned my heat off and back into bed with me. In came Dr Luna who was askig me a bunch of questions about how I felt, I honestly wasnt feeling good at all, had pressure in my chest and horrible heartburn. They had given me 3 dixie cups earlier to drink and that was my issue according to Dr Luna, I need to drink at a 90 degree angle for 2months or I would always have that pressure in my chest and the heartburn. He gave me few more tips about meds and told me to rest. So I did sleep on and off, walked a few times, slept, walked slept, so on so fourth. Woke up yesterday morning got my shower, they removed my IV and drain, which by the way is no big deal and doesn't hurt. Was visited one last time by my docs and up came Melissa and I was out, on my way to the Marriott. Here I sit in my beautiful room, I will be visited today by Dr luna and Rosie to remove my staples. The only issue I have is my phone in my room wont work, I cant dial out which I will remedy in a bit. I also got to meet Sweettea and iwilliams. Lovely, lovely ladies! So far so good and I'm finally on the other side!!! Yeah me!!

Awesome. Thanks for sharing. I leave in 5 day. Dr.Garcia is my doctor too. He sounds great. Keep us posted. Glad u had such a great experience.

Great story!

I'm so happy you had such a non-eventful surgery. I bet you wish they knocked you out before going into the ER... it's kind of like making you walk to the firing squad.

Glad to hear you're doing we'll. it seems to be a common theme with them having trouble starting IVs why is that? At this point I pretty much accept that will be part of the experience

It's probably because we're not allowed to drink all day and by the time they are ready to stick, we're pretty dehydrated. Any time I know I have to give blood, I try to chug a few large cups of water as soon as I get up and ever since I started that, I haven't had an issue.

Ahh that makes sense, thanks jay

I think the fact that we are over weight (can be hard to feel for a good place to stick) and combine that with being dehydrated a bit due to not being able to drink fluids before surgery leads to the difficulty with drawing blood and placing iv's. So thankful they can do it while under for those of us that have shy veins! lol

Tessies,

Those hospital rooms can become very hot. It's a challenge to figure out the right setting on the heater. I'm so happy to hear that you are doing well. I remember the sharp pains that used to come when I drank something...but now (surgery was one week ago today), those pains are a distant memory. It just gets better and better every day!

Tessies' date='

Those hospital rooms can become very hot. It's a challenge to figure out the right setting on the heater. I'm so happy to hear that you are doing well. I remember the sharp pains that used to come when I drank something...but now (surgery was one week ago today), those pains are a distant memory. It just gets better and better every day![/quote']

I'm so relieved to hear that. I have to force myself to drink because of them. It feels like weird gas pain/pressure. How long before you felt normal with drinking? This has kinda gotten my spirits down. I guess this is the regret phase everyone spoke of. If not for that I wouldn't have a complaint.

I had surgery on Thursday night...I think it was Tuesday or Wednesday night when I took some drinks and realized: no pain! Today it is really easy for me to drink...even taking a pill is normal. BTW, I am taking a PPI (proton pump inhibitor) twice a day. Good luck...you won't even believe how much better you will feel in a week!

Welcome to the losers bench

Well I have had minimal pain, barely any actually.Dr luna came and took my staples out and told me incisions are almost healed thats including my drain site, thank you Armywife!!! I followed her guidelines. Since surgery I have managed at least 8 dixiecups of gatorade and apple juice, 2 large bottles of water and 2 gatorades! Im getting probably 40-45 oz right now but will keep working to my 64oz, im constantly sipping. Felt so great Ichanged my flight and im leaving this morning. Ifeel I will heal better at home! For those wondering I would purchase Dr Alvarez book about the sleeve I am following his diet to a T. Plus I read it on the way here which killed some time. Last night I was able to sleep on my right and left side....yeah!!!!! Also the room has a scale in it and I did NOT weigh myself after surgery, Dr luna told me to wait 2 weeks and he promised I would be down 20lbs. Thanks everyone for the encouraging words and congrats. I havent been hungry since Monday morning, I havent even felt head hunger. It onward and upwards from here :-)

Well I have had minimal pain' date=' barely any actually.Dr luna came and took my staples out and told me incisions are almost healed thats including my drain site, thank you Armywife!!! I followed her guidelines. Since surgery I have managed at least 8 dixiecups of gatorade and apple juice, 2 large bottles of Water and 2 gatorades! Im getting probably 40-45 oz right now but will keep working to my 64oz, im constantly sipping. Felt so great Ichanged my flight and im leaving this morning. Ifeel I will heal better at home! For those wondering I would purchase Dr Alvarez book about the sleeve I am following his diet to a T. Plus I read it on the way here which killed some time. Last night I was able to sleep on my right and left side....yeah!!!!! Also the room has a scale in it and I did NOT weigh myself after surgery, Dr luna told me to wait 2 weeks and he promised I would be down 20lbs. Thanks everyone for the encouraging words and congrats. I havent been hungry since Monday morning, I havent even felt head hunger. It onward and upwards from here :-)[/quote']

Thanks for sharing your experience. Happy u r not experiencing head hungry..that's what I'm afraid of. Can't wait for u to tell us when u hit the 20lbs loss!!

Sent from my iPhone using VST

Tessies...

Thank you do much for posted such a detailed report. BTW, it's really common even in the US in an elective surgery to have you walk into the OR, but you were probably still kinda loopy and it felt weird.

Can you please tell me how long it was before surgery that you stopped drinking Water since you didn't get done until 7:30pm? Also, what did they give you for post op pain?

Glad to hear you are doing well!

Deborah

Tessies...

Thank you do much for posted such a detailed report. BTW' date=' it's really common even in the US in an elective surgery to have you walk into the OR, but you were probably still kinda loopy and it felt weird.

Can you please tell me how long it was before surgery that you stopped drinking Water since you didn't get done until 7:30pm? Also, what did they give you for post op pain?

Glad to hear you are doing well!

Deborah

[/quote']

8 hrs prior I stopped drinking water. I think it's called toral??? They never use morphine or codine. I have had 6 surgeries in 7 years and never walked into the OR. So it was definitely strange for me.

After much consideration I had decided to go with ready for a change, Dr Fernando Garcia. So I arrived in Tijuana monday morning feb 25 by myself, 50 mins early which meant I had to wait for samuel my driver, I was ok with that because I was tired wanted to make a few phone calls and decompress. When Samuel came he was friendly and very nice took my luggage abd we were off. I had arranged to change my surgery from tues to Monday, I just wanted it done and felt as if i would back out. So alma was kind enough to make it happen. Samuel took me straight to the hospital, where Rosie met me, Melissa was unavailable but would be around in a bit. They got me checked in and I have to admit I was extremely nervous. I registered, had my blood drawn and was put in my room. That process didnt take more then an hour.I changed into my hospital gown and the nurse Louise came in, he did an ekg and tried twice to do my IV but couldn't get it, in between Dr. Almanza, Dr. Velazco and Dr. Padilla all came to visit. They were all very nice and very friendly. My room was pretty big by the way, the first room they put me, when I came back from surgery I had been moved to another room, I didnt like that but oh well. So after all my pretesting and meeting the docs it was time to wait. Which I was a nervous wreck but the OR was tied up so they gave me stuff to relax me, that made me tired and very loopy. Finally, at 7:30pm in came Dr Garcia to meet me, he was so very very nice and explained everything. At that point he told me my surgery was in 8 minutes. He left and they came in with a wheel chair, off to OR, this is where it got weird and I got nervous just a bit, they bring you to the entrance of the O.R. And you walk from the wheelchair to where they operate on you. So up on the table I went and the oxygen mask went on and the last thing I remember was a nurse holding my hand and telling me it would be ok, I was out. The next thing I remember was waking up nauseated trying to throw up but nothing, that quickly went away and I slept until 3 am. Woke up got out of bed and I started walking. Walked for 10 mins was way to tired to do anymore. So went back to bed and slept til 6:30 which at that point got up and walked some more. Nurse came in at 9 and got me up and going, disconnected my IV and told me to get a shower. I did and I felt great, I probably did too much because by 3 pm Dr garcia came up and made me get back into bed because I was flushed and I guess I looked a bit tore up. The flushing was from the meds and I had the heat to high in my room. So they turned my heat off and back into bed with me. In came Dr Luna who was askig me a bunch of questions about how I felt, I honestly wasnt feeling good at all, had pressure in my chest and horrible heartburn. They had given me 3 dixie cups earlier to drink and that was my issue according to Dr Luna, I need to drink at a 90 degree angle for 2months or I would always have that pressure in my chest and the heartburn. He gave me few more tips about meds and told me to rest. So I did sleep on and off, walked a few times, slept, walked slept, so on so fourth. Woke up yesterday morning got my shower, they removed my IV and drain, which by the way is no big deal and doesn't hurt. Was visited one last time by my docs and up came Melissa and I was out, on my way to the Marriott. Here I sit in my beautiful room, I will be visited today by Dr luna and Rosie to remove my staples. The only issue I have is my phone in my room wont work, I cant dial out which I will remedy in a bit. I also got to meet Sweettea and iwilliams. Lovely, lovely ladies! So far so good and I'm finally on the other side!!! Yeah me!!

Yay! Congrats!! And thanks for sharing your experience.

~Kat