Speedbump

I am lucky to be in Louisiana. Enjoyed a few boiled shrimp this weekend. Craving oysters but not sure how my stomach will handle on the half shell; may need to get the charbroiled. So far the only red meat I've had has been very thinly sliced and a few bites are good enough. chicken is the pits though - just too dense & dry to get down. Got a case of slime from a bite & ew.... There are so many ways to have seafood - you will find something to satisfy you.

I was sleeved by Dr Aceves in August. Not sure about the Newsweek listings as it seems many surgeons use the reference sort of like being in the top 100 high school seniors or those lists. I can confirm that he is a Procter because I was introduced to the five additional surgeons that would be observing my procedure and follow up. Quite an entourage for room visits. Highly recommend him and totally worth it for me.

Dr Aceves is $8750. 1 night at the hotel pre-op and 3 nights in a clean modern hospital included.

You should call the patient coordinators for some of the mexican surgeons. Some of them will work out a payment plan with a modest downpayment. I used Dr. aceves and he does stuff like that sometimes.

I was a serious Diet Coke junkie pre-op. I have had one sip of my wifes Diet coke since surgery, and it was not all that I remembered. I used to hate drinking just plain water, but now I cannot get enough of it. Funny how the sleeve changes everything.

Im in Baton Rouge and if you watch the weather for us right now, all I have to do is walk outside and open my mouth.....it will fill up with Water rather quickly. Hurricane Isaac will do all the work. Look how many people Hurricane Katrina "Hydrated"....

Yep...Dr Campos kept running me back across the hall. Moony has has this crazy Idea that I need to take my wife back to San Diego for a marriage renewal and second honeymoon. I told her that I was game for the second honeymoon, but i would not be interested in getting married again. Fool me once, Shame on me. Fool me twice........

August 20 Sleever here also. I have done pretty good all week, but today, I just dont want to drink anymore. Im having trouble pushing the liquids Also, are any of the August 20 sleevers still having pain up high? I also had a Hiatal Hernia fixed at the same time, so I am not sure which is causing the pain.

I schedules just 10 days prior for my surgery. It was $8750 complete with everything but airfare. I would recommend him to anyone with no hesitation. I was just sleeved on Aug 20.

For me, it was the family vacation pictures from this years trip to the Smoky Mtns. We rented a pontoon boat pulling a tube. The pictures made me look like I was just huge, and in reality I was/am We also went whitewater rafting twice, and those pictures proved to me that I was the biggest person on the river. I got home from the trip and weighed in on my bathroom scale and it said I was 338lbs. The next week, I was at a customer location and I stepped on the freight scale and it said 372lbs. I knew then that my scale at home had maxd out.....and that I had to do something. I had VSG on Aug 20, 2012

OBTB I can drink small sips with no problem so far, I just had a 8oz glass of gatorade over the past half hour, now Im working on the apple juice. You will definatly know when you hit full, it is a little painful, Ive been burping after almost every sip. Not the bear growls im used to, but little bursts. They took my IV out today and then I headed straight for the shower. That was a real turning point for me, getting clean and shaved, and in my own PJ;s.

Hi All We got picked up at the hotel at 7 sharp. Ramon brought us to the hospital and he ushered us to our rooms. I changed into my Hospital Gown and the parade of doctors and anesthesiologist etc came through. I met Dr Aceves and he seem like such a genuine guy, he informed me that there would be 5 additional doctors in the OR to observe. At first I was a little put-off by it, abut then I thought "I am never gonna see any of these people again, so what. The anesthisis came in and explained how he would put me under. They use an epdural and general anesthesis. They sedated me to the point that I did not even remember getting the Epidural. The next thing I knew I was in recovery. They would not let me out of recovery until I could move my legs. So I started with a toe, then a foot and then the other toe and so on. I wanted that oxegen mask off my face, so I was working it as much as I could. I have been very itchy ever since surgery. They brought me to my room and I dont remember too much of the next cuple hours, I can remember mostly after 3pm. My wife called and was very upset that Yolanda had not called as promised, and then she told me that I had a Hiatal Hernia repaired also. They kept asking if I had urinated yet and I was still dead down there. it took until 2am to start urinating, but then every half hour I had to go again. My bladder normalized this morning. At around 7am, the newbies showed up (met Moonrisen) and we did our blue dye leak test. I passed and so I got the tray with tea, cranberry juice and apple juice. I am working on the tea right now. Good so far: I speak no spanish but have been able to communicate fine with everyone. Dr Campos and Dr Aceves are great and I have seen them both 3 times so far (along with the 5 other doctors).The hospital is clean, and always being cleaned. So Far a well oiled machine. Not So Good: We had night staff that were either cutting up loudly or completely asleep. I had to go in the hall to wake the nurse after 20 minutes of my drip machine beeping, she was out cold.

Hi All I did not get to see a California sunset, but I did go to the beach early this morning. I took a few moments with my feet in the Water to speak to God, and hopefully he is listening. I have had an issue with the fact that I am permanently altering this body that he (GOD) made.I have no tatoos or piercings , I am healthy except for my weight, I dont want to push my luck. Oddly enough, I felt his presence on that beach. I recieved no reassurance, but also recieved no doubt that what I was doing was the right thing. I returned my rental car and caught the shuttle back to the airport at 9:30am and the driver (Ramon) was already there. We waited on my 2 sleevemates, one showed up and the other one did not. We got in the van and headed towards Mexico. It took about 2 hours and we were at the Hospital. The hospital is small compared to most US hospials, but have no doubt it is a real working hospital. Yulonda (Nina's mother) was waiting and quickly took us both through 4 tests. We gave urine and blood, did a chest Xray and an EKG. To show Gods sense of humor here....I pulled off my shirt for the EKG and Yulonda and the young (very attractive too) nurse started laughing and went out the door (just what a fat guy fears the most right....). A minute later the nurse comes back in with some shaving cream and a razor, apparently my chest was too hairy to stick the EKG thingies to.So now I have a spot about the size of a raquet ball shaved in the center of my chest. It looks like my third nipple now as I have hickies where the suction cups were!!! We met with Dr Campos for about 30 minutes, then Yolanda came in and gave us final instructions, and we paid our fee. We were allowed to have a last supper and up to 2 last drinks (I had no drinks). She gave us an antibiotic and a sleeping pill to be taken no later than 10pm. Ramon then drove us to Hotel Lucerna and checked us in around 3pm. The hotel is very nice, has 2 pools and 3 resaturants. The rooms are on par with an older Crowne Plaza, with full tile bathroom. I went for a swim for a couple hours and then to dinner. This process runs like a well oiled machine so far.....lets hope it goes that way tomorrow.

Well..... I didnt make it, my flight got delayed in Houston and I missed the beach sunset. I hope that this is not how the whole trip is gonna go....

Thanks Fiza I fly in at 4:45 pm. I hope I can get to my hotel, Check in, then change into my swimsuit and go to the beach. I want to see that California sunset. I hope I make it in time.

Thanks GirlFriday I ended up pricelining the Doubletree in Rancho Bernardo for $80. It is a good way from the airport, but I have never been to California, so I rented a car and I am gonna look around a little bit.

GNC Pro Performance AMP, it is not a clear Protein drink. It comes in 5 flavors. I dont think we can use this in Clear liquids phase, but it is fine for full liquids. I am starting my Vitamin regimen today also. My family and another family all went out for a steak dinner last night. I decided to tell our friends about the surgery, and it was a mistake. I got that akward look, and they kept saying "why in Mexico". I should have kept my mouth shut. I have told noone else, family or friends, because I did not want to hear the reaction about something that they know nothing about.

I have not gotten the Isopure yet, but I will before I leave. I am using the GNC brand (cheaper) Protein drink this week, and will switch to the Isopure next week post-op. I travel alot for my job and it sounded easier to just go liquid for the week than try to get high protein low carb options on the road. I also did not want to be post-op and just starting protein. I am really worried abou being ablet getting 70 grams of protein a day in post-op. I am fling in at 5pm on Saturday, and I am looking for a decent cheap room in SD for that night, I just do not know anything about SD to know what is safe and what is not. I found a Hilton Garden Inn for $109 but it is 25 miles from the airport and it is $60 round trip for airport transfer. I may just go on priceline and take a chance. I am travelling alone, so I guess it does not really matter.

Hi Moonrisen I am from Baton Rouge. I am having to fly in on Saturday the 18th because there are no inbound flights to San diego that would get me there by 11am. I will have to stay in SD that night and I am looking for affordable accomodations. I am excited, and scared, but I am at peace with this decision. Life is much easier at a healthy weight, I know because I have been there several times. I am 43 years old and I have a goal of attaining a stable healthy weight by my 45th birthday. My pre-op diet is high Protein and low carbs. The hardest part will be kicking the diet coke addiction. I will start Vitamins and Protein shakes this whole next week, I might as well get use to it now. You will for sure see me, I will probably be the only male patient. Look for the guy in the brown Charlie Brown great pumpkin pajama pants.

I am scheduled for August 20th, with Dr Aceves. I start my pre-op diet tomorrow. I am a pretty high BMI also (48.8), but I have dona all my research and I believe I am in good hands.