GAmom's play by play with pictures..Including stomach..Be warned LOL

[KickRocks 163]

Hey everyone! I decided to create another post about my surgery so I can go in full details. However let me first DISCLOSE THAT I PAID FOR MY SURGERY AND I DON’T WORK WITH MY SURGEON by recommending patients or him.. I GAIN NOTHING! HOWEVER I DID MAKE DR. ILLAN PATIENTS A PRIVATE Facebook GROUP BEFORE I EVEN 100% Decided to go to him! Anyways since I felt the need to disclose that and get that out of the way…

Let’s get in details… We flew in Wednesday afternoon and were picked up as soon as we arrived at 5:09 PM. Our Driver took us straight to Omar. (WE ALL LOVE OMAR) We met him outside the hospital and he got our stuff and took us to his truck. He was so excited to meet us just like we were him. He was also ready to take us to dinner. We was very tired and I will be honest food well broth was the last thing on our minds.. LOL But we didn’t want to be rude and decline going, So we went. We were both so tired that we couldn’t really eat the broth. I will say it was different. It was the broth with the cherry and pineapple. Some people LOVE IT and others don’t. I didn’t feel either way I just wanted my Water LOL. After dinner we headed back to "Florence Hospital" where we got checked in for the night. We both agreed that the hospital was very nice..

Here are a few pictures I took…

The staff was awesome! I am sure our nurses will never forget me and Jessica that is for sure. We are both out going and talkative so they seemed to be very comfortable with us. (I am sure they thought we were nuts at times lol). Jessica and I were in separate rooms but of course we were ALWAYS TOGETHER. We was back and forth, if the nurse couldn’t find us in our room they knew we was in the other room, so they would come in there to give us our meds, and take vitals together.

I had requested to have surgery first on the 7^th since I was leaving a day earlier than Jessica. I was scheduled at Noon. They started getting me ready and hooked up to IV at 6AM (Just like I was told the night before) I was also in surgery around the scheduled time also. Surgery went great! The funny thing is the Dr. and staff said the first thing out of my mouth when I came to was “HOW WAS MY LIVER”!! I was sooooooooooo worried about my liver because I did awful during pre-op and we only had to do pre-op a week LOL!! However he says my liver was very tiny and it made surgery so much easier so that is great! Then the 2^nd thing I said was “MY THROAT HURTS!” I remember that. My throat was soooo sore. I don’t remember being put back in my room. I do remember waking up and Omar sitting in the chair and the first thing I ask was how Jessica was? She was already out of surgery but she was in pain. So I made him go check on her! LOL CAN YOU TELL I LOVE THIS GIRL! I remember the tightness I had in my chest. It wasn’t pain but it was uncomfortable! They said it was gas. Omar told me to take a Gas X strip and it HELPED! I also used my heating pad on my back shoulders and it helped a lot. Jessica says she came in to see me after I was put in my room. I don’t remember that at all. She also said I was getting upset about my throat LOL and something else..But she tried to calm me down but then they made her leave to go do her surgery haha. So that whole afternoon after surgery is a blur. That night I was better and feeling great so I walked to see Jessica. She was in tons of pain and was throwing up. She also had her gallbladder out so we are thinking that is why she was in pain. I was feeling great just some gas. Omar also gave us a picture of our stomach.. Here is mine..

The next morning 3/8: I was still feeling great! It just was uncomfortable when I ate my ice chips or laid flat down. I had taken a shower and put back the hospital gown as requested by the nurse. The DR. Came in and check on me and said everything looked great! He has the best bed side manner of any DR. I have ever been to. Plus he is a HOTTIE to say the least! The rest of day we just chilled. Omar told us to be up and ready to go at 9am the next morning for our leak test.

3/9… I was up and ready! I felt great! You couldn’t tell me I just had surgery if I didn’t know. I took my shower, put my make up on and had all my things packed. Then Jessica came in my room and she chilled in my bed while I was in the chair. She still wasn’t 100% but better. The Dr and Omar came in at 9 and happy to see how well I was doing. He took Jessica’s drain out while there. I didn’t have a drain thankfully!! After she got her drain out she felt great!! So we were ready to go. Omar told us to wait while he took our bags and pulled to the front. Well we thought we would just meet him outside so we just walked out of the hospital. LOL when he came back he was like y’all were supposed to wait!! They have to bring you out in a wheelchair. We were like but we are able to walk!! He just laughed and went in to give the hospital our slips letting them know we are officially discharged.

We then went for our swallow test! That had to be the worst part of the whole thing. (People look at me crazy when I say this but for me it’s the truth LOL) That is the nastiest stuff ever! They all seemed to find me funny for some odd reason when doing my test! They wanted me to drink that junk in one gulp. GROSS I couldn’t do it. Then I had it in my mouth and couldn’t swallow. I DON’T know why I held it in my mouth. It just made it worse LOL but then I swallowed but since I didn’t take it in one gulp I had another sip!! UCKKK so anyways I had no leaks YAY but I had a lot of gas bubbles. Then it was Jessica’s turn she did ok. Omar told her not to do like I did haha..She took hers all in one gulp but she hated it also. I can’t explain the taste. She says cleaner but umm I have never tasted cleaner so I don’t know.

After that we were off to the Dietitian’s office. She went over what to eat and what not. She also took our measurements and told us what our “goal weight” should be. Her goal weights seem to be higher than what the US dr’s say but hey I will take it. Plus she said I was “thick” and Jessica was tall so that was also taken in consideration. After that we went to the hotel to get checked in. We also met up with the other patient and his wife. We both loved them they are an older couple and just a breath of fresh air. Here are a few pictures of the hotel… ( we had private rooms but we decided to change it to just one room, it would have just been a waste LOL)

We then all went for lunch. THAT BROTH WAS AMAZING!! I have never liked broth but this was LOVELY! However I couldn’t eat a lot of it YAY! After we left our full shopping day started! Omar is a champ! He took us everywhere. He also explained what certain things were and their meanings. We were all getting tired and we knew Omar needed to go check in at the hospital so we told him we were ready. He gets in no rush that’s for sure. He is so pleasant. However the other patient and his wife needed to eat dinner. I and Jessica Didn’t want anything to eat plus we had our broth from lunch in our room and Omar bought us Jello and tons of drinks so we were good. So he brought us back to our room before taking them to dinner. He told me he would be back at 8am with Dr Illan and I needed to be ready to walk out at 9 am to go to the airport. However we found out our air didn’t work!! Oh that was not going to cut it lol so the office staff moved us to another room. After getting settled in that room we were ready to just go to bed! I think we had lights out at 9:30 needless to say we both slept very well that night.

3/10 Time changed last night. I had told my husband to call me at 8 AM My Time well he called me 8am HIS TIME EST! I couldn’t get back to sleep. So I just got up and started getting ready. Jessica got up with me and we chatted as always. We are never out of words it seems LOL. We also tried text Omar that we changed rooms but our phones didn’t seem to text good there. So a little after 8 our room phone is ringing! It’s Omar LOL he was like I didn’t know yall changed rooms! I have been beating on the other door with my hands full of water HAHA! He was like I am coming your way now. Him and the Dr Came and made sure I was ok to leave. He also explained that they are just an email and phone call away if I needed them. I hugged them both. I am embarrassed to admit I had tears in my eyes! It felt like I was leaving my best friends. I can’t say enough about either of them. I know deep in my heart they were the perfect ones for ME! I am 1000% happy with the care and service. Let me add I didn’t go to him because his price was lower. I was almost about to pay 5,550 so money was never the issue here. Plus my INSURANCE COVERS IT. I JUST DIDN’T WANT TO WAIT ANY LONGER and appeal! (I knew insurance would approve after my appeal because the issue was just missing info I HAD) Plus I felt the connection when I talked to them both for the first time.

Anyways, The Dr Left and Omar told me he would be back in 20 mins. to get my bags. He came and got my bags and we had a private convo. OMAR IS THE BEST HANDS DOWN! Then I noticed the other patient and the driver was waiting for ME! So I am like OH NO I GOTTA GO! I hugged him and was LIKE I WILL CALL YOU! ( I TALK WAY TO MUCH) LOL, so we are leaving the hotel I can’t find my iPhone! I am freaking out! OH NO TURN AROUND I say. I left my phone. The driver stops and turns then ask is it a IPhone? I say yes, He is like you had it in your hands LOL OMG IT WAS ON THE SEAT! I say OK LETS GET OUT OF HERE so we are on our way. We talk the whole way. The couple with me is like myself. “Never meets a stranger”. The line to the boarder was CRAZYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! Thankfully we were in the medical Line so we didn’t wait at all! They had their passports and I didn’t. I was scared the whole time. I just knew they were going to make me the exception LOL. However that was not the case. They ask us the reason there and if we had alcohol and a list of other stuff. Which we didn’t, so we were on our way. We didn’t even get out of the truck and they didn’t even look in our bags.

Now that I am home I feel normal. I have been talking to a lot of people in my private messages and I tell them if I didn’t see my stomach I wouldn’t think I had surgery! I have had no restrictions with drinking. I can drink normally so I am having no issue getting water in. My issue is broth. I don’t do well with the warm stuff! Why would that be?

* I WILL BE ADDING ALL PICTURES IN MY GALLERY SO CHECK THEM OUT LATER*

[Ms.AntiBand 2,984]

You stayed in the same hotel we did.. It's awesome and better than many hotels in the states. It reads as if your experience is exactly like mine. I didn't have any pain or issues. Different docs and Cordinator, but same remarkable experience! I loved my whole time and definitely loved the days filled with shopping and sight seeing.. That was the best!

MX is a great place for great care.. I'll be going back for sure.

My daughter and I are going back just for visiting .. Made some wonderful friends while there.

So glad you had the same

[PdxMan 4,292]

WOW! What an awesome post. Thanks for taking the time and sharing your experience.

[KatInFL 216]

Thank you so much for the pics of the hospital and hotel!!

You crack me up.

I can't wait to get there, now.

~Kat

[KickRocks 163]

You stayed in the same hotel we did.. It's awesome and better than many hotels in the states. It reads as if your experience is exactly like mine. I didn't have any pain or issues. Different docs and Cordinator' date=' but same remarkable experience! I loved my whole time and definitely loved the days filled with shopping and sight seeing.. That was the best!

MX is a great place for great care.. I'll be going back for sure.

My daughter and I are going back just for visiting .. Made some wonderful friends while there.

So glad you had the same[/quote']

I agree! I was very shocked how much better the care was compared to the states. We also plan to go back. I might be going back sooner cause now my husband wants to get the sleeve lol..

[KickRocks 163]

Thank you so much for the pics of the hospital and hotel!!

You crack me up.

I can't wait to get there' date=' now.

~Kat[/quote']

Lol me either! I can't wait to hear all about your trip!! I will say though they don't give pain meds like the hospitals do here lol! Jessica had to keep asking and make them understand she really needed them before the pain came really bad pain. I only had pain meds right after surgery. I didn't need any.

[Kristina J. 581]

What an awesome post. I love how detailed it was and including pics was awesome!!! I am using a different surgeon, hospital and hotel, lol but love hearing about sleever's MX experiences, whoever they went to!

However let me first DISCLOSE THAT I PAID FOR MY SURGERY AND I DON’T WORK WITH MY SURGEON by recommending patients or him.. I GAIN NOTHING! HOWEVER I DID MAKE Dr. Illan PATIENTS A PRIVATE Facebook GROUP BEFORE I EVEN 100% Decided to go to him! Anyways since I felt the need to disclose that and get that out of the way…

Also, just wanted to say that I sincerely hope I didn't upset you with my post in the other thread about "asking if people work for the surgeon." I honestly wasn't talking about you, but the actually the other poster who was attacking what you said who DOES work for a surgeon lol!!!

After my surgery in India in 2006 I was a patient advisor for my coordinating company for a few months but was never compensated at all. Only wanted to help people feel more comfortable with Medical Tourism. So I 100% understand your motivations in creating a FB page to keep in touch with other patients and to share experiences. I don't think that makes you biased at all, just a very happy customer!!! I'm so so sorry if anything I said made you feel like you had to defend yourself before sharing your experience!!

I'm so glad you shared. It makes me feel even more comfortable and excited for my turn in May! Can't wait to watch your progress!! Congratulations!!

[HoosierGirl 780]

Great pics and so glad you had a smooth surgery! And your advise about not working for the surgeon was awesome...you just never know.

[Losin4good 685]

Your pictures bring back memories from 7 months ago and I agree with you, Omar is awesome! I still keep in touch with him.

[KickRocks 163]

Also' date=' just wanted to say that I sincerely hope I didn't upset you with my post in the other thread about "asking if people work for the surgeon." I honestly wasn't talking about you, but the actually the other poster who was attacking what you said who DOES work for a surgeon lol!!!

[/quote']

Lol oh no!! Trust me I know it wasn't meant for me. I have changed Dr's to much to promote any. I was not even 1000% sure till I bought my plane tickets 14 days before my date haha. But some people have ask me if I do work for mine and I wanted to make it clear I didn't..

[KatInFL 216]

Lol me either! I can't wait to hear all about your trip!! I will say though they don't give pain meds like the hospitals do here lol! Jessica had to keep asking and make them understand she really needed them before the pain came really bad pain. I only had pain meds right after surgery. I didn't need any.

I'm so hopeful that I'm like you and just have the gas pain. Since I've had several laprascopic surgeries before, I'm hoping that makes it a little easier, too. And my gallbladder is long gone, so no worries there!

~Kat

[Kristina J. 581]

Lol oh no!! Trust me I know it wasn't meant for me. I have changed Dr's to much to promote any. I was not even 1000% sure till I bought my plane tickets 14 days before my date haha. But some people have ask me if I do work for mine and I wanted to make it clear I didn't..

Oh good!! Lol I just wanted to make sure you knew that I did not mean you at all! Haha but since I didn't quote her when I said it I was worried you might have added that thinking I was talking about you!! Haha I'm so self centered!!!

I do think its a good idea to include it though and it avoids someone feeling awkward asking. It's a big business and we need to be careful who we get advice from sometimes, cause you never know!! thanks again for sharing. Awesome details!! (And clearly I can appreciate a person who loves to talk!!) hahahaha

[Kristina J. 581]

I'm so hopeful that I'm like you and just have the gas pain. Since I've had several laprascopic surgeries before' date=' I'm hoping that makes it a little easier, too. And my gallbladder is long gone, so no worries there!

~Kat[/quote']

I hope the same thing Kat. I've had quite a few abdominal surgeries and have had my gallbladder removed too... Hoping all that makes me a little more familiar with the sensations and will make it a little easier for me!! Maybe wishful thinking lol but I'm right there with you!

[cindysc 108]

Thanks so much for taking the time to give such a detailed description . I hope I do as well as you. As far as the other crap from the other thread. In totally see where you were coming from. Dont worry about that bull. You are way better than that plus you gotta concentrate on getting thin. LOSER!!!!!! Lol

[AmandaRaeLeo 2,145]

Awesome sharing! The pics and the play by play are wonderful. So happy all went well.

Amanda Rae