My experience in Tijuana, Mexico (VERY long post)

[Diane22 44]

October 2013

Sleeved at Mi hospital with Dr. Lopez through A lighter Me ($4750)

Day 1 - travel to Mexico (Ottawa-Washington-San Diego-Tijuana)

My companion and I arrived at the San Diego airport around 3:15 pm. Once we were outside we called our driver Abraham from A lighter me on his cell. He knows the airport extremely well. We told him the number of the nearest pick up station from us and he came to us. I was glad that my companion was wearing an orange top. It helped us stand out from the others around us making it easier for Abraham to identify us. He already had 2 passengers with him. Once we picked up two other passengers, we headed for the hospital. Crossing the border into Mexico was almost a joke. It was nothing like back home. We simply went in a lane, slowly driving forward past the customs agent standing on the side. They did not even stop us to ask questions. And that was it, we were in Mexico! Be prepared for an interesting driving experience! The driving in Mexico is kind of crazy. People just drive where they want on the road. Abraham, whose English is very good, told us to close our eyes if we were too nervous. He is extremely personable and really cares about giving A Lighter Me's clients a pleasant experience. Abraham's wife was sleeved about 5 months ago and is doing great. He showed us pictures. We first went to the Mi hospital where we filled out forms, got weighed, take our pulse and did blood tests and an EKG. It is a small hospital, only 4 stories high. I was happy to see they have Wifi at the hospital with free access for everyone. You also get a safe in your room and a TV. There are 2 places to eat at the Mi hospital. There is a coffee shop on the 1st floor and the hospital cafeteria on the 4th floor. I know people who ate at both places. Everyone said the food was really good. Once all 3 future sleevers were done, all 6 of us left for the Marriott. The Marriott Hotel is quite nice. My room was very spacious. There are restaurants walking distance from the Marriott Hotel, as well as a store like the 7 eleven. There is a bar fridge in the hotel room and a safe. You can also request a room with a microwave. You also get free wifi and TV. Most of the TV channels however are Spanish. So bring something to occupy yourself. It was a long day. I was glad to go to bed. The bed was sooooo comfortable!

Day 2 - day of surgery

My companion had Breakfast at the Marriot. She was very impressed with their brunch. Lots of selection and great food. It is served until noon. Since I was only being picked up by our driver at 2 pm and I was fasting, I slept in as long as I could (until noon). Eduardo, another driver, picked us up right on time to go to the hospital. I got a room within 20 minutes once we arrived.I met with the generalist doctor who told me about the results of my previous day's tests. He listened to my heart and lungs and I was cleared for surgery. I also met with the anesthesiologist Doctor Garcia and Doctor Lopez individually prior to the surgery. I was given the opportunity to ask as many questions as I wanted. I was also told what to expect. This was very much appreciated. The nurse, who also had been sleeved two months prior, also put in my iv and helped me to put on my compression socks to help prevent blood clots. My companion was very impressed with this as they do not do this back home. I had my surgery at 5 pm. About two hours after surgery, I was back in my room. Within a couple of hours after that I was up walking around. Everyone at the hospital (nurses and doctors) told me how important walking is to prevent pain from the anesthesia. It was a bit hard getting in and out of bed after surgery, but it was manageable. I was also given ice chips to sip on. This was very appreciated as my mouth was dry from the surgery. The beds at the hospital are very comfortable. They also gave me something to help me sleep that night. So, I had a pretty good first night at the hospital.

Day 3 - day after surgery - leak test

The nurse gave me this blue liquid to drink. The liquid would show up in my drain if I had a leak. Nothing. Good news! My companion went to the coffee shop on the 1st floor for Breakfast. She was very pleased with her meal. I took a shower before my leak test. The nurse then came by to change my bandages. The leak test was nothing like what I was expecting. It literally took about 3 minutes. They give you liquid. You take one sip and you can see the liquid going down in your body from the machine. In all I probably took 3 separate sips for the attendant to watch if any was leaking each time I took a sip. Again all good. Great news! I had heard so many horror stories about the taste that I was expecting something really bad. It is not something that I would order as a drink in a restaurant, but it was not that bad. Just bitter. After the leak test was over, I walked around talking to other patient sleevers comparing notes. It was nice to chat with the other two who I had been picked up with on the first day. One of the girls was doing extremely well. The other was not so lucky. She had been throwing up most of the night as a result of the anesthesia. I felt really bad for her. But by the afternoon, she was doing much much better. All of the nurses were very pleasant many calling me honey, sweetie, etc. It was a nice atmosphere. They even greet each other with kisses during the shift change. They checked my pulse several times that day and took my temperature. They also emptied my drain 3 or 4 times. Most of the nurses only know some basic English. So a conversation with them is difficult. However, there are a few who are pretty fluent. I walked again several times. I still had no pain (other than when getting in and out of bed). The TV here has mostly Spanish channels. Bring something to occupy yourself when in the hospital. In the afternoon, they gave me Gatorade to start my liquid diet. It tasted so good after having fasted for so long (almost 2 days - 10 pm the night before the surgery until today 1:45 pm). Janese, my patient coordinator, came by in the evening to introduce herself. It was so nice to meet her in person. The driver Abraham also came by to say hi.

Day 4 - first day at hotel - shopping and ice cream day

Abraham picked up a small group of new sleevers at the hospital around 12:30 to go back to the hotel. When I got to the hotel, my companion was in the lobby talking with this woman who was a doctor from the U.S. She had been sleeved in TJ a few years ago and was back to accompany her sister in law who was having the same procedure done. When I got back to my room, I had a shower and a nap. Abraham came back to the hotel around 3:00 pm to bring a group of 9 (all sleevers and their companion) to go shopping. It was a fun experience to be with a bigger group and meet new people to compare stories and have a few laughs. I also though it was very clever of A Ligther Me to bring their customers shopping to ensure they get the walking they need! I did not do much shopping. I mostly went for the sightseeing, which I enjoyed tremendously. After shopping, Abraham took everyone for some ice cream. He also stopped at a store for a few of us to get Gatorade, Jello and other items. I was given a paper copy of the results of my blood and EKG tests and a CD showing my leak test. I was also provided with a care package to go back home with (liquid antacid (aka Malox), antibiotics, pain killers (to take if needed), gauss, chap stick and little travel pack). I thought that it was very thoughtful of A Lighter me to do so. A nice personal touch on their part. I emailed my husband to ask him to buy me some Malox since I knew I could not bring it accross security at the airport (I only had a carry on) and would need some when I got back home. Everyone raves about the broth at hotel. For me, it seemed to be different depending on the day. I thought it was just ok.

Day 5 - second day at hotel - when drain comes out

Dr. Sanchez came by my room and removed my drain in the morning. Coming out, it felt like a light pinch. Not painful, just weird. I was soooo glad it was out. I emailed my coordinator Janese for a doctor's note to get time off work. I received the document by email a few hours later. My that woman is efficient! That evening, Abraham called to let me know what time he would be picking us up tomorrow to go back home the next morning.

Day 6 - flight back home

My companion and I were lucky. We were the only ones picked up to go back to the airport at 10:30 that morning. The earlier group had left at 8:30. Our very own private chauffeur! Going accross the border to the U.S. was a different experience than when entering TJ. There were hundreds of cars lined up at the border (yikes). However, A Lighter Me had a medical pass for me. Abraham showed the pass to the border officer who then let us through the express lane. We were the only one in this lane! We by passed ALL of those cars. The next stop was the customs officer. We gave him our passports, he asked me if I had anything to declare. I said no. And that was it. We were on our way. In about 5-10 minutes we were in the U.S. Again ! I am not certain how long it took to get the the San Diego Airport (25 minutes?). We also got slowed down a bit because of an accident. It is mostly highway driving so the trip is pretty short. At the airport, the walk from the check-in counter, through security to our gate was very short since there are not many airlines to go back to Canada. I therefore did not need any assistance to board the plane at the San Diego airport. But, because it is such a long distance to travel in Toronto, I asked the airline for assistance. I had not booked ahead. We therefore had to wait a bit. If you are travelling through a large busy airport, you definitely would do well to pre-book for assistance right away when making your travel plans. I was SOOOO glad I listened to A Lighter Me and packed light! It made the trip back home so much easier. I gave both Eduardo and Abraham a tip.

What you will need to bring

- a little bit of cash (I brought just enough for tips and to buy other things like Gatorade, etc. Make certain you have small denominations for those smaller tips)

- house coat (came in handy when I had to walk around with that hospital gown...)

- a safety pin (to secure my drain)

- medical dressing and medical tape (if you don't need it travelling, you will definitely need some for when you get back home for the incision where the drain)

- slippers/shoes with hard sole and that are easy to put on/take off to walk around the hospital

- hot pad (in case you have pain in your shoulders due to the anesthesia)

- OXO bouillon (came in VERY handy for the trip back home)

- Gas X strips

- a small container to put a little liquid antacid if travelling by plane for more than 12 hours to take your meds while travelling

Final thoughts

I expected my surgery to go well and it did. What I did not expect though was meeting great people, laughing and making friends while I was there because of the extra outings that A Lighter Me organizes for its customers. I have been home one week now without complications or pain and feel good (20 lbs lost so far). I would not hesitate to do this again. It was a great experience. I should have done this a long time ago. Now the fun part starts, loosing the weight!

Hope this post has been helpful.

[920amy 409]

So great to see another review from a fellow Mexico sleever that used ALighterMe and Dr. Lopez. I'm glad you had a great time! Welcome to the losers bench! I had my surgery on 11/03/12, I'm almost a year out and couldn't be happier! Good luck to you on this journey!

[Ree 215]

I read that whole thing!! I'm glad to hear you had a great experience, good luck on your journey to better health!

[ChihuahuaMom 23]

Thank you for posting this! It's coming up for me. I am going through MBC but Dr. Lopez will be my surgeon. I haven't heard about the ice cream trip with MBC but I know they do take you out shopping.

[dkandsm 48]

Great experience!

For future reference for those traveling to Mexico for surgery, you can bring the liquid Maalox back through airport security. One of the TSA agents will check the liquid with a small test strip to make sure it's legit.

[Phillygal64 10]

Thanks for PosThank you for posting! I will be at MiDoctor with Dr. Elias Ortiz on 11/22, I can't wait, I am super excited to join the losers bench. I also think Janese is awesome!

[scarbedazzles 74]

My mexico experience was much the same. I went with Dr Rodriguez and Beliteweight.com and the hospital stay for me was two days. I went home the third day. No hotel or shopping for me because I wanted to go on home. I flew through SanDiego and had assistance as well it was wonderful....no waiting in the lines. lol..... I highly recommend the Mexico route for those who can do it. I really think I had a better experience than US surgeries. They are working HARD to gain a reputation. With the internet.... it would take no time to ruin a Dr from anywhere much less Mexico....never understood those people who don't understand this. These Dr's are fighting an uphill battle but they are making a difference.

[Georgiagirl27 17]

Thank you so much for that very informative post! I am considering surgery with "A Lighter Me" and I actually spoke to them today before I read your post. After reading all of your information, I feel like I know exactly what to expect. Good luck on your weight loss journey.

[debwin 6]

Thank you for your post!!! my surgery id Dec 4 and you made my chose much easyer Thanks for the inform . I chose A lighter me and dr Ortiz counting down the days!!!

[Susysleever 265]

Thanks for PosThank you for posting! I will be at MiDoctor with Dr. Elias Ortiz on 11/22, I can't wait, I am super excited to join the losers bench. I also think Janese is awesome!

How did it go?

[Holly Martin 79 12]

Note: this is a long post too, but it is a good back up to yours and gives more info to follow sleevers nervous about a trip to Mexico.

Well my story hasn't started yet. I am fat 5'4" 248lbs. But I will say I just returned from Tiajuana, Mexico with my mother-in-law, she had the gasteric sleeve. She is 60yrs old and was high risk she was 270lb 5'4" and had a recent heart surgery. I am a nurse and when she told me she was going to Tiajuana for wls I about fainted. I was thinking oh no you aren't not after all the heart stuff you had recently. She stated she knew the risks and was going period. I went with her, wondering if i should have clarified her end of life plans. But we arrived in San Diego Samuel Sr. picked us up we didn't wait and were not thinking we were "stuck" at the airport probably less than 5-10mins from landing we were picked up. He was friendly and took us to a very nice hotel. The beds were fantastic with 5 pillows each. The resturant is a 5 star I am sure and a little pricey. It doesn't matter if you are having surgery because your broth and popicles are free. The popicles are weird like frozen mango juice. I tasted hers and neither one of us cared for them. The next day we were driven to the hospital which is attached to a high end old folks home. The hotel is a block or two away from the beach, I walked there, also there is a resturant on the way that is FABULOUS!!! Remember I was the guest I could eat and I did! The hospital was clean and staff did have some English limitations, but if they could not understand they would grab someone that did. Drawbacks is that often I didn't know what medication was being given at what time, probably not unlike US hospitals but me being an RN I wanted to know. They gave my mom-in-law Ceftin daily and then a prescription for it to take home. Tramadol is the pain med they use and one of the girls getting it done the same day as her did not tolerate the med and once she stopped it she wasn't sick. Day 1 she rated pain about 1-2/10 day 2 was her "rough" day and pain was more like a 7/10 but remember she is 60 yrs old the younger the patient usually the faster they bounce back. The doctors were very good about spending time talking to their patients. Garcia and Luna were the mds that dealt with my mom-in-law and Luna was in the room every day for 10 or more minutes discussing the surgery, medications, what to expect and really being there for us to ask questions. They gave lovenox injections like you would in a US hospital, they provided compression hose which is what US hospitals recommend to prevent blood clots, and a inspriometer (a thing you suck in a lot of air and shows you progress to prevent pneumonia) what a US hospital would do. We just got back yesterday May 1, 2013. I already filled out paperwork to go back in a year to get it done. I never felt like I was in danger the streets are busy my biggest threat would be getting hit by a car vs any other issue. I walked to Walmart from the hotel it was about 1-2 miles up hill, coming back was easy it was all down hill. bring boullion cubes, Protein powder and waterproof bandaids or tegaderm if you can to save you from having to just eating at the resturant. Only point of dislike was when we were discharged from the hospital apparently that weekend there was a conference at the hotel, a major soccer game and some festival and the hotel was completely booked and we had to wait for a room to open up and as tired as my mom-in-law was thankfully we had been buddy buddy with two other ladies having the surgery the same day and we were abe to stay in their room for the few hours we waited. The day we left we we taken to the airport by Samuel Jr. and had no issues. I recommend pack super light because at the hospital you can wear the gowns the whole stay and keep your clothes clean so you really just need 3 outfits. Bring plenty of underwear if you have any diarrhea and maybe a pad or two to prevent any accidents.

Note that was in May 2013, and my mother-in-law has gone from 3x to a size large and is breathing better and has no regrets. Her complication was only acid reflux which she had prior to the surgery it was uncomfortable for several months but it has gotten much better. She was able to carry her Maalox stuff back on the plane but it was tested prior to boarding which only took a few extra mins and it was nice to have it for the flight. I recommend to not have any checked bags because you have to lug that stuff back when you go back and you are recovering from surgery PACK LIGHT! I hope this helps any one concerned. I am probably going to go myself this spring or summer, message me if you want to be buddies.

[danielb 24]

From Montreal to Mexico to get sleeved. Great experience !! Was a little worried with the horror stories you hear about Mexico but it wasn't bad, except the driving. Biggest shock was that I went past Canadian customs AND San Diego airport AND Mexico border with a bag of white Protein Powder. I should have brought something else and made some cash! Haha

[sleeve15 9]

October 2013

Sleeved at Mi hospital with Dr. Lopez through A lighter Me ($4750)

Day 1 - travel to Mexico (Ottawa-Washington-San Diego-Tijuana)

My companion and I arrived at the San Diego airport around 3:15 pm. Once we were outside we called our driver Abraham from A lighter me on his cell. He knows the airport extremely well. We told him the number of the nearest pick up station from us and he came to us. I was glad that my companion was wearing an orange top. It helped us stand out from the others around us making it easier for Abraham to identify us. He already had 2 passengers with him. Once we picked up two other passengers, we headed for the hospital. Crossing the border into Mexico was almost a joke. It was nothing like back home. We simply went in a lane, slowly driving forward past the customs agent standing on the side. They did not even stop us to ask questions. And that was it, we were in Mexico! Be prepared for an interesting driving experience! The driving in Mexico is kind of crazy. People just drive where they want on the road. Abraham, whose English is very good, told us to close our eyes if we were too nervous. He is extremely personable and really cares about giving A Lighter Me's clients a pleasant experience. Abraham's wife was sleeved about 5 months ago and is doing great. He showed us pictures. We first went to the Mi hospital where we filled out forms, got weighed, take our pulse and did blood tests and an EKG. It is a small hospital, only 4 stories high. I was happy to see they have Wifi at the hospital with free access for everyone. You also get a safe in your room and a TV. There are 2 places to eat at the Mi hospital. There is a coffee shop on the 1st floor and the hospital cafeteria on the 4th floor. I know people who ate at both places. Everyone said the food was really good. Once all 3 future sleevers were done, all 6 of us left for the Marriott. The Marriott Hotel is quite nice. My room was very spacious. There are restaurants walking distance from the Marriott Hotel, as well as a store like the 7 eleven. There is a bar fridge in the hotel room and a safe. You can also request a room with a microwave. You also get free wifi and TV. Most of the TV channels however are Spanish. So bring something to occupy yourself. It was a long day. I was glad to go to bed. The bed was sooooo comfortable!

Day 2 - day of surgery

My companion had Breakfast at the Marriot. She was very impressed with their brunch. Lots of selection and great food. It is served until noon. Since I was only being picked up by our driver at 2 pm and I was fasting, I slept in as long as I could (until noon). Eduardo, another driver, picked us up right on time to go to the hospital. I got a room within 20 minutes once we arrived.I met with the generalist doctor who told me about the results of my previous day's tests. He listened to my heart and lungs and I was cleared for surgery. I also met with the anesthesiologist Doctor Garcia and Doctor Lopez individually prior to the surgery. I was given the opportunity to ask as many questions as I wanted. I was also told what to expect. This was very much appreciated. The nurse, who also had been sleeved two months prior, also put in my iv and helped me to put on my compression socks to help prevent blood clots. My companion was very impressed with this as they do not do this back home. I had my surgery at 5 pm. About two hours after surgery, I was back in my room. Within a couple of hours after that I was up walking around. Everyone at the hospital (nurses and doctors) told me how important walking is to prevent pain from the anesthesia. It was a bit hard getting in and out of bed after surgery, but it was manageable. I was also given ice chips to sip on. This was very appreciated as my mouth was dry from the surgery. The beds at the hospital are very comfortable. They also gave me something to help me sleep that night. So, I had a pretty good first night at the hospital.

Day 3 - day after surgery - leak test

The nurse gave me this blue liquid to drink. The liquid would show up in my drain if I had a leak. Nothing. Good news! My companion went to the coffee shop on the 1st floor for breakfast. She was very pleased with her meal. I took a shower before my leak test. The nurse then came by to change my bandages. The leak test was nothing like what I was expecting. It literally took about 3 minutes. They give you liquid. You take one sip and you can see the liquid going down in your body from the machine. In all I probably took 3 separate sips for the attendant to watch if any was leaking each time I took a sip. Again all good. Great news! I had heard so many horror stories about the taste that I was expecting something really bad. It is not something that I would order as a drink in a restaurant, but it was not that bad. Just bitter. After the leak test was over, I walked around talking to other patient sleevers comparing notes. It was nice to chat with the other two who I had been picked up with on the first day. One of the girls was doing extremely well. The other was not so lucky. She had been throwing up most of the night as a result of the anesthesia. I felt really bad for her. But by the afternoon, she was doing much much better. All of the nurses were very pleasant many calling me honey, sweetie, etc. It was a nice atmosphere. They even greet each other with kisses during the shift change. They checked my pulse several times that day and took my temperature. They also emptied my drain 3 or 4 times. Most of the nurses only know some basic English. So a conversation with them is difficult. However, there are a few who are pretty fluent. I walked again several times. I still had no pain (other than when getting in and out of bed). The TV here has mostly Spanish channels. Bring something to occupy yourself when in the hospital. In the afternoon, they gave me Gatorade to start my liquid diet. It tasted so good after having fasted for so long (almost 2 days - 10 pm the night before the surgery until today 1:45 pm). Janese, my patient coordinator, came by in the evening to introduce herself. It was so nice to meet her in person. The driver Abraham also came by to say hi.

Day 4 - first day at hotel - shopping and ice cream day

Abraham picked up a small group of new sleevers at the hospital around 12:30 to go back to the hotel. When I got to the hotel, my companion was in the lobby talking with this woman who was a doctor from the U.S. She had been sleeved in TJ a few years ago and was back to accompany her sister in law who was having the same procedure done. When I got back to my room, I had a shower and a nap. Abraham came back to the hotel around 3:00 pm to bring a group of 9 (all sleevers and their companion) to go shopping. It was a fun experience to be with a bigger group and meet new people to compare stories and have a few laughs. I also though it was very clever of A Ligther Me to bring their customers shopping to ensure they get the walking they need! I did not do much shopping. I mostly went for the sightseeing, which I enjoyed tremendously. After shopping, Abraham took everyone for some ice cream. He also stopped at a store for a few of us to get Gatorade, Jello and other items. I was given a paper copy of the results of my blood and EKG tests and a CD showing my leak test. I was also provided with a care package to go back home with (liquid antacid (aka Malox), antibiotics, pain killers (to take if needed), gauss, chap stick and little travel pack). I thought that it was very thoughtful of A Lighter me to do so. A nice personal touch on their part. I emailed my husband to ask him to buy me some Malox since I knew I could not bring it accross security at the airport (I only had a carry on) and would need some when I got back home. Everyone raves about the broth at hotel. For me, it seemed to be different depending on the day. I thought it was just ok.

Day 5 - second day at hotel - when drain comes out

Dr. Sanchez came by my room and removed my drain in the morning. Coming out, it felt like a light pinch. Not painful, just weird. I was soooo glad it was out. I emailed my coordinator Janese for a doctor's note to get time off work. I received the document by email a few hours later. My that woman is efficient! That evening, Abraham called to let me know what time he would be picking us up tomorrow to go back home the next morning.

Day 6 - flight back home

My companion and I were lucky. We were the only ones picked up to go back to the airport at 10:30 that morning. The earlier group had left at 8:30. Our very own private chauffeur! Going accross the border to the U.S. was a different experience than when entering TJ. There were hundreds of cars lined up at the border (yikes). However, A Lighter Me had a medical pass for me. Abraham showed the pass to the border officer who then let us through the express lane. We were the only one in this lane! We by passed ALL of those cars. The next stop was the customs officer. We gave him our passports, he asked me if I had anything to declare. I said no. And that was it. We were on our way. In about 5-10 minutes we were in the U.S. Again ! I am not certain how long it took to get the the San Diego Airport (25 minutes?). We also got slowed down a bit because of an accident. It is mostly highway driving so the trip is pretty short. At the airport, the walk from the check-in counter, through security to our gate was very short since there are not many airlines to go back to Canada. I therefore did not need any assistance to board the plane at the San Diego airport. But, because it is such a long distance to travel in Toronto, I asked the airline for assistance. I had not booked ahead. We therefore had to wait a bit. If you are travelling through a large busy airport, you definitely would do well to pre-book for assistance right away when making your travel plans. I was SOOOO glad I listened to A Lighter Me and packed light! It made the trip back home so much easier. I gave both Eduardo and Abraham a tip.

What you will need to bring

- a little bit of cash (I brought just enough for tips and to buy other things like Gatorade, etc. Make certain you have small denominations for those smaller tips)

- house coat (came in handy when I had to walk around with that hospital gown...)

- a safety pin (to secure my drain)

- medical dressing and medical tape (if you don't need it travelling, you will definitely need some for when you get back home for the incision where the drain)

- slippers/shoes with hard sole and that are easy to put on/take off to walk around the hospital

- hot pad (in case you have pain in your shoulders due to the anesthesia)

- OXO bouillon (came in VERY handy for the trip back home)

- Gas X strips

- a small container to put a little liquid antacid if travelling by plane for more than 12 hours to take your meds while travelling

Final thoughts

I expected my surgery to go well and it did. What I did not expect though was meeting great people, laughing and making friends while I was there because of the extra outings that A Lighter Me organizes for its customers. I have been home one week now without complications or pain and feel good (20 lbs lost so far). I would not hesitate to do this again. It was a great experience. I should have done this a long time ago. Now the fun part starts, loosing the weight!

Hope this post has been helpful.

im glad I'm getting my surgery there too thank you for sharing your experience. To who and what would be the proper tipping?

[2/2015RN 37]

What is "a lighter me"?

[Granddaddy 45]

Greetings from Michael,

My story begins with research, research and more research. Like everyone I was a hound when it came to getting my gastric sleeve and wanted the best place so I checked all over the US and found out pretty quick I didn't have the time to jump through all the hoops since I was self paying. I contacted a friend who had a lap band done in Mexico with great success found out her doctor and hospital. I checked it all out had everything set to go there and something didn't set right with me. I looked again and came across Bariatric Pal Deals. I put in a request and got a call almost straight back from David Lopez. He told me he could get my surgery done at less than half the 8650.00 I was going to spend. He gave me the name of a doctor they use and hospital I researched it and it wasn't for me because I wasn't comfortable made my wife the same way. I talked to David again and he said they have other doctors and hospitals they use but it would cost more ( I thought here we go ) he gave me information on Dr. Zavalza and Hospital of the Oasis ( florence Health Systems ) and a price still less than half what I was going to pay. I researched the doctor and hospital and the only negative was the Oasis was an old hospital but being updated. I cancelled with the other company and went with all David had promised pick up at the airport in San Diego, Ca., ride to their condo, accompanied to the hospital with a translator, ride back to condo for recovery, ride to the airport to leave. What my wife and I got was so much more!!!! Robert picked us up at the airport on Sunday evening took us by a store to pick up a few thing we couldn't carry on the plane and then took us across the border to the condo. I thought it looked like a compound at first but that's where we met Juan ( aka Johnny ) he got us settled in and said if we needed anything he was right next door. My wife was hungry so we asked where we could walk to get something to eat for her Juan insisted that he go with us because some places he would need to translate we went for Chinese walk out short walk to stretch our legs and bring back to the condo. Just our luck we picked the coldest time ever in Tijuana to make this trip Dec. 28, 2014 and the rest of the week I don't think it ever got above 50 in the day and was low enough to snow yes snow in Tijuana. We settled in my surgery was scheduled for the afternoon of the 29th. Next morning my wife wanted coffee so we asked Juan and he walked with us and was the best ever tour guide since he grew up in this neighborhood along with David. We walked to Starbucks got my wife her coffee then continued to walk around the neighborhood with Juan showing us some of the best views. David and Juan took my wife and I to the hospital that afternoon for my blood work and medical history where I met Dr. Jose Luna he took all my information got everything cleared for the surgery. While I was doing all this David and Juan took my wife to a late lunch and when they got back I was almost ready for the surgery when I meet Dr. Zavalza and he comes in to see if we have any questions and let my wife know he was going to take good care of me. Put her right at ease. The whole staff at Oasis made us feel so comfortable that we told Juan we didn't need him to stay we where fine. After my surgery was complete Dr. Zavalza went and told my wife everything went as planned and I would be back from recovery soon. When I got back from recovery Dr. Luna was there to check on my vitals and get me up for a short walk around the room and make sure of my comfort. He stayed telling my wife until I was sleeping well he would not leave and ended up staying till 1 am when my blood pressure was down and I was sleeping. He came back the next morning after I had already been up walking the halls ( Big Key walk, walk, walk ) helps to get rid of the gas. The Hospital of the Oasis had to be the best choice ever because the have 3 nurses each shift and the do their hand off in the room with the patient all friendly and smiling. Wednesday we went back t the condo and again went for a walk with Juan to get stuff from the market that I needed to eat and drink. Thursday we ( Juan, my wife and I ) walked to Starbucks and continued to walk because I felt comfortable came back by the market and picked up dinner for my wife and Juan I wanted to say a little thanks to him he was such a great person. Later Thursday Dr. Luna came by to check my incisions and my lungs and got on me for doing to much. We sat and talked about the protocol he had put together about the next 6 months how to progress and what to eat and when and not to try and jump steps it doesn't work. After he left us not more than an hour later Dr. Zavalza came by the condo to check on us and go over his commitment to the next 2 years following my recovery and steps to make sure all this will be a success how we will Skype and keep in contact. I never had 2 doctors that cared so much to make themselves feel like family. I really was nervous at first going out of country to have surgery but would do it again in a heartbeat if I could be promised the kind of care I received with all these people I now call friends. I want to thank David, Juan, Robert, Dr. Luna, Dr. Zavalza, and the entire staff from the front desk to all the wonderful smiling nurses. Best group ever put together !!!!!!! We are back in Memphis, Tn. now and still doing great no pain. I don't gush over many things in life but I will over Drs. Zavalza and Luna and Hospital of the Oasis if you have the chance and are looking to find great people trust in prayers like we did because we got the best !! Much love for these folks.