outoftherain

Yep I believe they get paid like $1000 per surgery. I imagine they pay all the fees like airport pick ups and shopping trips etc. But it puts it in perspective knowing how much money they can make per surgery and the competition for booking surgeries. Dr Kelly sounds like a decent enough of a dr - has done a lot of surgeries. He made a lot of enemies when he went with his own private co ordinator instead of using all of the others. I can see why he did , when you think about the money he was paying out to them.

Dr Ponce's diet sort of sucks. Way too much sugar in the fruit and juices and not enough protein. I followed his stages ( basically you are free to pretty much try anything after day 30 if I remember right) in terms of puree and soft etc. But didn't follow the guide in terms of what to eat.

IT was . :-) it was such a good experience - can't wait to meet you too. I can't believe it is coming up so soon!

My sister is on June 14 as well! I went down 2 months ago ( april 3 ) and she came with me. I'm going with her now! YAY

I 'm so glad everything went well! I think I am going back with my sister in a month . She came with me 5 weeks ago and now I get to go with her! Can't wait to see the pictures and youtube from you guys! I couldn't explain the drain being removed . It's like getting a pap smear, you can't really explain the sensation - it's so different ... I didn't find it painful, just odd. It was a relief getting it out lol. I also couldn't believe how freaking long it was. I was also glad I had it because of the amount of Fluid that came out and the extra leak test.

Ohhhh I hope things are going good... thinking of you!

It's soooo close! ... I know it was a long day for me lol... I am glad I had surgery on the same day I got there. I was up at 330 am to catch my 6 am flight ( It was an international flight so they say to get there 2 hours before to go through customs) , caught had time to kill in Denver , then got into san diego around 1 pm .... then getting over the border, all the tests. I know I wouldn't have slept much the night before the surgery , so it was good to get it over with. I slept on and off, which I suspect I would have done during the day or night... The next day I felt good. Much easier to walk around and stuff.

That is awesome!

I went with dr ponce and loved it . I have some of my pics of int hospital and the hotel at www.photobucket.com/wlstijuana . I didn't like the drain but I found it a reassurance with the extra leak test. Trish was amazing ! I am biased but I really liked his experience. I wouldnt go with almanza , I've heard too many nasty things and I don't like the clinic idea. Dr Kelly is a good dr , you could try to negotiate the high BMi cost away.... Couldn't hurt to try if that is who you want and it is what is stopping you

I had my surgery around 5 or 6 pm and I was up to pee and walk a few hours later. I slept for a couple hours at a time, Couldn't really get comfortable much. My impression was that Dr Ponce starts a bit later in the day , but I could be wrong. I know he did a surgery right after mine .

Oh and yes I had a video of drinking the liquid for the leak test. As well as the blue dye to check for it in my drain.

I had a great experience with Dr Ponce. I think I would have gone crazy with another night in the hospital. getting out , shopping, sleeping in a comfortable bed ( sorry hospital beds are NOT comfortable) did a world of good for me. I had a great night sleep ( still somewhat sore) in the hotel lucerna in a nice double bed with lots of comfy pillows. Opening up the window and sitting on a the balcony ... sigh .. I actually wish I could be back there now! I feel like the hotel was clean and I had no open wounds. Sure hotels aren't as sterile as hospital but at the same time they don't have as many nasty germs floating around with all the sick people. If I had the surgery in my home town I would have went home the next day from the hospital ( assuming I was tolerating liquids)

I second the acid part. Make sure it isn't acid you are feeling.

I found the hospital and the whole experience amazing. Very little pain , mostly from the gas and walking around helped. I posted some pictures here if you anyone wants to see them...www.photobucket.com/wlstijuana... some from the hotel and shopping as well. My sister who came with me loved the food and took pictures of it too... lol...

as much as I hated the drain , I liked that I had one. I think it can help diagnose a leak, and it was good to have the excess blood drained out. For me , I was glad there was one more way to tell if there was a leak, I think a lot of times it is personal preference of the surgeon.

I went with Dr Ponce de leon and loved him,Trish was amazing too. She keeps in contact with you after as well. I had a really amazing experience - the hospital staff and drs and nurses were amazing! I am a nurse in winnipeg and found the hospital really nice. Very clean , The nurses answered the call bell within 20 seconds!! isn't that insane? Usually faster . They came in to empty waste baskets several times a day. My sister loved the cafeteria and went out with trish for a couple meals as well . I took a ton of pictures and put them up on a photobucket account ... you can see them here... www.photobucket.com/wlstijuana. you can see the hospital and some of our shopping and the hotel you stay at in Tijuana ( across from the hospital for the last night ) The price includes pretty much everything except your flight.

depends on the food. I can sip a Soup and hand and drink the whole thing. I think it is like 300 mls. Yogurt I can eat about 1/3 cup. I had 1 oz of chicken cooked in the crock pot with mushroom soup and a spoonful of mashed potatoes. I agree with you that food doesn't seem as important anymore I'm 3 weeks out tomorrow

I am post op day 5 and feeling great. I'm finding it tough to drink all my fluids but working on it, What I;m finding is my breath is really nasty. My boyfriend thought it smelled like moth balls. Even I notice it! It's nasty. I have been brushing often and using breath strips but it just sits on top of the odor. Is it something that will go away? Is it from the surgery itself? or the not eating or being in ketosis? any ideas?

I would mix a little spice in with it. Tomato juice as well but I was allowed that as well. I just found plain broth yucky. The best broth was at the mexican place my coordinator took me too.... had a little kick to it. not super spicy but oh , so flavourful. Could have been the week of no food before that though lol

I think my breath is getting better. My friend admitted last time we got together it was bad , but she didn't notice this time. I'm three weeks out and finding it's easier to eat a little more and drink more. ( still under 800 calories , usually 500 a day ) Don't know if it is my diet, my water, or my stomach healing , but I have hope I won't smell like moth balls out of my mouth soon lol.

At easter I described it as imagine you had 2 dinners in a row to go to . At the second you would look at the food and think it looked good but you wouldn't want to eat it. It feels oddly powerful at times. The hunger doesn't have to control me like it did before!

Hi everyone! I weighed myself today and I am down 23 lbs since the surgery ( some may have been the 3 day pre op diet ) I had my surgery on April 3. I now weigh 272 from 295 . YAY..... I feel great. Still off work for another week . I am walking around lots, and enjoying my time off. Still odd little pains here and there. But good. Getting all my protein and water is getting easier every day. Still get tired and like a nap everyday... but feel awesome.

I'm a April 3 too! lots of us here. I went to mexico. I've noticed a big difference in the last couple of days with being able to take more fluid at a time! things are going well. My drain site is still a wee bit open but all other incisions are good. I'm on myfitnesspall as outoftherain if anyone goes there.

I woke up drenched in sweat. I was so hot. I thought I peed myself , my gown was wet under me. I then realized that my hair was damp and it was sweat. I'm not usually a sweaty person. My sister and the nurse changed my gown and my sister blasted the a/c for me. I felt better after that. My sister took a video of me talking after and I appear dopey but ok. My bf says I was complaining less than I do when I have a minor cold lol.... Everyone that walked in to the hospital room shivered that night lol... my poor sister, who stayed there. My sister did have a breast reduction a couple months before and had the weird hot thing too... not sure if it is something in our family. I had my surgery in Mexico and they kept on top of the pain ... they used NSAIDS instead of narcotics though... I haven't needed any since post op day 3

good luck every one