Crossing The Border!

[SoReady219 51]

I applied for my passport and it took exactly 3 weeks to get it in the mail.. I have also heard many people say they went back n forth across the border with just a DL and birth certificate but I didn't want to take a chance LOL

and yep I'm the one having surgery next Friday the 14th in TJ with Dr Ponce! can't WAIT!! SoReady219 and I are gonna be at the hotel at the same time so we're gonna have a sip-a-thon hahaha

There u are girlie!!! Its gettin close! I got my txtn plan all taken care of last nite! Tks for lettin me kno-that was one thing that NEVER crossed my mind!

[AngelBaby 153]

yeah no prob!! I had just thought of it too. I guess AT&T offers a plan also for like $5 for the month for calls but all you get is a 'discounted' rate of 59 cents/min LOL I added it too just in case I need to make an emergency call but I'm pretty sure I've seen people posting that either the hospital or the hotel has an 800 number we can use to call the US if we need to.. but don't quote me on that hahaha I've got my gas-x strips, heating pad, Kindle and charger, my favorite pillow, and believe it or not I don't own a robe so I looked online this week and found one at walmart.com that is $16 and comes in plus sizes.. should be here Monday. Just wanna make sure I'm not flashing my rear at people when I'm walking the halls LOL

[AngelBaby 153]

That sounds like a plan lol

I think it might be pretty close

[SoReady219 51]

yeah no prob!! I had just thought of it too. I guess AT&T offers a plan also for like 5 for the month for calls but all you get is a 'discounted' rate of 59 cents/min LOL I added it too just in case I need to make an emergency call but I'm pretty sure I've seen people posting that either the hospital or the hotel has an 800 number we can use to call the US if we need to.. but don't quote me on that hahaha I've got my gas-x strips' date=' heating pad, Kindle and charger, my favorite pillow, and believe it or not I don't own a robe so I looked online this week and found one at walmart.com that is 16 and comes in plus sizes.. should be here Monday. Just wanna make sure I'm not flashing my rear at people when I'm walking the halls LOL[/quote']

AHHHH-a robe! Yet another item I need to get!! I think I can get away with just a carryon...my facilitator says, but what about all the shoppin ur gonna do post op?! Lol how optimistic!! I hope I feel that well

[amykins 202]

I didn't need a robe. I put my own nightgown on as soon as I could get up and wore it to walk around it. I was in Mexicali and I was pretty warm in just that. I actually asked for a fan in my room cause it seemed so warm to me. If you will have a drain, I suggest 2 nightgowns. The night my drain was removed, my bandage got filled with the gunk and it went everywhere. I had to change. So glad I had brought another one.

[SoReady219 51]

I didn't need a robe. I put my own nightgown on as soon as I could get up and wore it to walk around it. I was in Mexicali and I was pretty warm in just that. I actually asked for a fan in my room cause it seemed so warm to me. If you will have a drain' date=' I suggest 2 nightgowns. The night my drain was removed, my bandage got filled with the gunk and it went everywhere. I had to change. So glad I had brought another one.[/quote']

Idk if I'll have one-(drain) I just assumed everyone did...

[saritawillslim 11]

Hey everybody im sara live in dallas im scheduled to have my sergury on sept 26th in calexico mexicali ,but I cant find anybody to acompany me to mexico I was wondering is it neccesary for me to take someone I would realy hate to cancel since my heart is set on this . Are yalls facilitors makeing it a must ?

[livinglifejohnson 3]

@sarita I too am traveling alone... I will be sleeved in Tijuana on the same day as you and I was told there I did not have to bring anyone with me so I am stepping out on faith and doing it alone. Wish we were going to the same place we could have been support for each other. Everything will be fine

[saritawillslim 11]

Omg that is a relief I dnt want to keep stressing about haveing someone to go with me... Itll just be a little nervewrecking for my fam to send me out alone im 21 n they still see me as a bby lol .... And yes that would have bn wonderfull to go on this trip together where would u b heading out from?

[livinglifejohnson 3]

Detroit MI

[Heller2u 11]

Hi all, I was sleeved October 14, 2011 by Dr. Kelly and went by myself! I joke with my sisters (who both went to dr. Ponce de leon in June 2012) about my travels alone...at one point while I was riding in the back of a white van with 2 drivers (who both barely spoke english), I thought to myself..."WHAT AM I DOING?!? THE ONLY THING PREVENTING THIS FROM BECOMING A POSSIBLE KIDNAPPING IS THAT I DONT HAVE DUCT TAPE OVER MY MOUTH ! lol In all seriousness, I was absolutely fine by myself. I was well cared for by the drivers before and after surgery, while in the hospital and even at the Lucerna after my surgery. I even did a little souvenir shopping the day before I came home...the moral to this story is this is the best thing you could do for yourself. I started this journey at 294 and I'm at 206 now, just a few pounds away from "one"derland. I don't regret my decision one bit and I don't feel deprived from anything at all. Good luck to all of you and god speed!

[saritawillslim 11]

Yeah with the price I was told id pay compared to the price I was givn here I sometimes wonder if its a scam should I go alone wat if I get kidnapped lol with all this stuff u here on the news but thats jus my mind playing tricks on me.... I jus cant wait my date gets closer and closer every day!!

[Sleevesister1 3]

update- passport will be here Monday! My sister expedited hers before mine and she still has no status, weird but I'm sure she'll have it in time since they processed mine same day I had it expedited. Starting this liquid thing tomorrow, super scared I'm not going to be able to follow through. I've seen a couple posts of people saying things they took with them and used and didn't use. I don't plan on taking much with me bc I don't want to deal with baggage claim yada yada and since I'm really not going to "vacation" and will prob be in hospital gown most the time I figured I would take only 2 outfits other than the one I arrive in. Ideas of things anyone needed and wish they would have brought?

[Heller2u 11]

Something you may or may not think about is bullion cubes, that was a life saver. In the airport on the way home, I had head hunger because of the sights & smells, but not much (if anything) there I could eat. I asked the staff at starbucks for hot Water, which I thought for sure they'd charge me for and they were very generous and gave it for free. plopped in a couple of cubes & it hit the spot (in total I took 10 and came home with 2 maybe). It was also nice at the hotel because I didn't always feel like eating on their schedules kindof at odd times. I could heat Water in the coffee pot & make my own broth.

Something I wish I had was just plain old bandaids for my sutures. My coordinator gave me gauze & tape but it would've been much easier with reg ol' bandaids. I turned my cell phone off because I didn't have an international data plan, but I did take my netbook computer & was able to get on fb to communicate with those back home.

Clothing wise, I too was afraid of lifting my suitcase or even having to check baggage. I wore the same outfit there & home. In between, I had a couple of different short outfits & lots (prob 3 or 4) pjs & lots of undies. If I think of anything else, I'll be sure to post.

[The Real Tijuana 1]

By now I hope you've been convinced that you don't need a passport to cross at San Ysidro. For complete details, you can read http://realtijuana.blogspot.com/2010/07/do-i-need-passport-to-visit-baja.html

The blog also has a lot of advice on getting around without a car (since that's how most first-time visitors like to show up). Parking on the U.S. side costs $7 or more per day; a lot of people come down on the trolley. When you walk into Tijuana, the Customs official doesn't even ask to see your ID.

Most plastic surgeons in Tijuana will send a driver or a taxi to pick up their patients from either side of the border, take them to the doctor's office, and make sure they're settled into their hotel. As someone mentioned already, clinics' drivers don't always speak a lot of English but that doesn't mean they're kidnappers. (Believe it or not, the crime rate here is very low.) Most taxi drivers, on the other hand, do speak a fair amount of English.