October 7th with Dr. Aceves

[blondie1007 51]

My surgery date is October 8th. Anybody else going that week?

[Pod 0]

Hi, I'm a newbie, so hope this works!

My surgery date is the 5th October with Dr Acevez. My partner is also having surgery too, but I guess we will probably miss you by a few days. We are flying over from Scotland in the UK to get surgery, so hoping that the flights aren't going to kill us!!! (sorry, just noticed the bad-taste pun) I have to admit that it seems downright crazy to travel so far, but we want to be with a surgeon for whom these procedures are second nature - it's not very common in the UK yet.

Good luck! I hope it goes well for you! We'll send you some loving thoughts on the 8th!

[Mim 0]

Hi Blondie. My surgery date is October 3rd with Dr. Aceves, so I will be going home the day of your surgery. However, I will probably cross paths with Pod in the hallways, since your surgery is only two days after mine. I look foward to meeting both you and your partner!

[blondie1007 51]

Yay! I am so glad that somebody else on this site will be there the same week as me. It makes everything seem more realistic. About a year ago I would have never considered going to Mexico and having surgery, but after gaining all my weight back and then some, after having my band taken out a year ago, I said I had to do something cause my insurance company sure isnt. After alot of research I chose Dr. Aceves - he is the best for me.

Are you guys flying into San Diego?

POD - How did you hear about Dr. Aceves all the way in the UK? How long is your flight?

[Mim 0]

Hi Blondie,

Actually, I live in San Diego so that makes it easier for me. A year ago, I never would have considered surgery in Mexico either. Living near the border, I hear too many scary stories. However, I have friends who visit their families in Tijuana every weekend and they said the safety situation is much better than it was a couple of years ago. Plus, I've heard that Mexicali has a very quiet, peaceful border crossing. I'm going alone and am completely at ease with Dr. Aceves and his team. We'll be fine!

....still a month away......but getting closer.

[blondie1007 51]

Mim - I think we will be fine too. My mom is going with me. I told her she didnt have to that I felt fine to go by myself but she insisted. I wish we were going to be traveling as close as you. The flight causes anxiety too along with everything else.

I see that your band worked really well for you. You went from 241 to 135. That is very impressive. Did you have good restriction? Did you exercise? Mine was a lemon from day one. Tell me how you achieved your weight loss with the band.

[Pod 0]

Hi Blondie and Mim!

It's so cool to know that you will both be there around the same time we are. It strangely makes the whole thing feel a little more real!

I must admit I woke up with cold sweats last night worrying about how we would stick to the pre-op diet on the 14 hour journey. It's weird, the silly little things that preoccupy the mind. I'm probably just trying to distract myself from the reality of having surgery. Although I do feel that Dr Aceves is a really safe pair of hands, so I'm not really that worried.

Anyway, I feel better knowing that you guys will be there and that you have made the same decisions as I have!

Blondie: We only heard about Dr Aceves from this board, as so many people rate him so highly - He's not well known in the UK, or anything! When we researched VSG, and how little UK surgeons performed the procedure, we decided that we would rather travel to see an expert than go private here (UK surgeons also don't seem to put so much effort into pre-op checks or leak testing). We figured that the jet lag would be a small price to pay for added safety.