Dr. Gonzalez Support Thread

[KikiVal315 4]

lol sunshine

its a cable company, which i hate! >_<

i used directv then moved to a complex

that did not allow 'dishes' on the roof,

so we had to use time warner<-nothing but

problems. we have a house now, so i'm back

to my darling directv... which will come in

handy in after my surgery!!!!

that reminds me, did all of you even want to

sit up and watch tv, read a book, or where you

in PAIN that you didn't want to do anything, just

lay in bed:confused:

[omlagirl 0]

Please note that information stated below is MY experience and MY opinions:

My bags are packed and on my way to the airport; my ticket in one hand, and Protein drink in the other. As I’m waiting in the 45-minute security line I realize I have forgotten to bring Laura’s cell phone number with me. There’s no way I can look for it now in this line. I’m just going to have to wait until I get to my gate and rummage through my bag. Once at my gate, I found that I had the toll free number and dialed it. Dr. V. answered.

He knew who I was, asked if I was at the airport and if I was nervous. Yes and YES I said, but actually I was calling for Laura’s cell number in case there was an issue at the San Diego airport. He gave it to me and said Laura’s in the office and would I like to speak to her. Sure, I guess. Laura got on the phone and asked the same questions: are you at the airport? Are you nervous? Yes and YES. This is when Laura informs me that she will not be the one picking me up but someone else would. Now I was prepared for this because another patient of Dr. G’s had told me the same thing happened to her. They would still meet me at the same area, baggage claim information desk, and would be holding a sign with my name on it. OK. I land in San Diego. I think the flight arrived late. I get off the plane and there is a small baggage claim area but no information booth.

I see no one holding a sign with my name on it. All right, don’t panic. I’ll find the information booth like Laura said. I walk a little further and there is the booth. Still no one was holding a sign with my name on it. What do I do? Go back to the 1st baggage claim and take another look, or stay here? I ask the lady at the booth if this is the only information booth at baggage claim. She says yes for this terminal. Fine, I’m staying here. 5 minutes pass. 10 minutes pass. At this point I text message my husband “no ones here”. I do this not to make him worry more (I’m traveling alone), but because whenever I state a fact like that to my husband I usually get proven wrong. Such as I’ve lost my purse and then once I say that to him I turn around and it’s right behind me. Sure enough the trick has worked again. I see two gentlemen coming from the 1st baggage claim area I passed holding a sign with my name on it.

I jump up from my seat and say Hi, it’s me. They acknowledge me and point in the direction I need to go. Ok, the same lady that told me don’t be surprised if Laura doesn’t pick you up also said the guy that picked her up spoke no English. We head out to the parking lot and I’m thinking “OMG I’m heading into a vehicle with two men I don’t know and aren’t speaking to me.” So instead of panicking I decide to try and talk to them. I say “Muy Frio Aqui” meaning (it’s cold here.) One of the gentlemen looks at me and says in perfect English “You speak Spanish?” “Un Poquito” meaning a little I say. “Ah” he says and then begins speaking to me in English. I guess I broke the ice. He explains that we have to go to another terminal and pickup someone else. This was good news to me. I won’t have to be alone. We go to the other terminal and they both get out of the van and leave me there for 30 minutes waiting. I actually didn’t mind, I was text messaging some of my friends and I thought when would I ever be sitting in a strangers van on a Friday afternoon in the middle of the San Diego airport again?

When the gentlemen did return they brought no one with them. I was disappointed. Alone again I thought. Oh well, it’s off to TJ. The van ride down wasn’t that bad. Crossing the border was nothing and Idid not have to get out of the van at all. Now driving in TJ was a completely different experience. Let’s just say that I would never be able to drive in that town and leave it at that. We arrived at the hotel and Laura was there at the front door waiting for me. She greeted me with a hug and a kiss, which made me feel very welcomed. Instead of checking in right then, Laura wanted me to meet Dr. Gonzalez. She showed me the way to the clinic and instructed me that this is how I would be getting there the next morning. Now this is one of the reasons I chose to go with Dr. Gonzalez. The hotel and the clinic are connected. The hotel is the north tower and the clinic is in the south tower. All I had to do was walk to the clinic the next morning and it was all inside the same buildings. This was a relief. I did not want to have to be transported back and forth from hotel to clinic. Anyway, we arrived at the clinic and Dr. Gonzalez and Dr. Valenzuela were waiting there to greet me. Once again, I received a warm welcoming.

Dr. V stepped out of the office while Dr. G showed me a power point presentation of the surgery, asked if I had any questions and then weighed me. All in all this was about a 15 minute meeting. When that was finished both Doctors left the clinic with me, we shared an elevator down to the lobby and then Dr. V escorted me back to the hotel part of the building. He asked if I had any more questions and I did have one. “I’m starving, can I eat tonight.” He pointed out a couple of restaurants in the building and one outside and said I could have a meal. He left me at registration and told me he’d see me at the clinic at 8 am tomorrow. Checking into the hotel was no problem everyone spoke English. I arrived at my room, opened the door and tried turning on the lights. No lights. Here is an important thing to remember. You must insert your room key card into a slot on the wall in order for any power to work in your room. I figured this out the hard way. The room was very nice. It was clean, bathroom was clean, had a big bed and the TV worked. First thing I did was order room service. Not much to choose from on the menu but after a week of liquids I wasn’t very picky and chose the Hamburger, Fries and a bottle of Water. It was actually very good for a last meal or I was just happy to eat solids.

I settled into my room and Laura gave me a call around 7pm just to check up on me and to remind me that I shouldn’t eat or drink anything past 10 pm; not even Water. Good thing she called to remind me because that was the first time I had heard anything about it. I watch a little TV, text messaged friends and I’m off to bed. Next morning, I shower, get dressed and arrive at the clinic at 8am. I am surprised to find the waiting room with six or seven other people already there. I’m handed some paperwork to fill out. Dr. V. arrives and greets me, asks if I’ve been taken care of and tells me they are going to take pictures of me in a few minutes. My name gets called and I go to have my before pictures taken. The first few are with your clothes on and then they take a few with the paper underwear and bra. It took me a minute to figure out exactly how the paper bra gets worn, but I’m sure you’ll figure it out. After that was done I went back to the waiting room and Laura came in. She sat and talks to me for a minute and this is the point where I gave her the cashier’s check for payment.

I highly suggest paying by this method because you do not incur the exchange rate fees you would if you are paying by credit card. Laura then escorted me out of the waiting room to the part of the clinic where my room would be. Apparently they are in the midst of a remodel, more about that later. My room was nice. Bed, TV, lounge chair and own bathroom with a shower. One wall of the room was all glass windows, which overlooked a beautiful golf course. This was nice except the bathroom also had this glass window and there was no curtain, shade, anything. Now granted we are on the 17th floor. I highly doubt anyone could see. Laura introduced my nurse to me and she hurriedly put a hospital gown, stockings, booties and a cap on my bed and told me take everything off and to get changed. Laura gave me a hug and said she would see me later. OK, if you’ve never put surgical stockings on before it can be quite an experience. They are very tight and yes the hole at the foot does go over your big toe. Another nurse comes in and introduces herself. She inserts the IV into my wrist. It stung for a moment and the entire time the nurse kept saying “Sorry.” Ok, I’m changed, my IV is in and now I’m waiting and waiting and waiting.

Nobody came by to give me a time estimate or anything. I turn on the TV. Now this would have been a good time to have a portable DVD player. The TV did not get good reception at all. There were a couple of channels that came in but nothing to watch on those. I read a magazine they have in the room. Finally the Doctor who does the EKG comes in the room. He introduces himself. Sorry I don’t remember his name, and takes the machine out of his brief case. He begins to untangle all cords and set the machine up. I couldn’t help but laugh to myself as he was doing this. I’ve never had an EKG done but I imagine in the states it would have been a little bit different. You would be wheeled into a room with a big machine hooked up to you and they would charge you and arm and a leg. Not a simple as one doctor pulling a machine out of his brief case. It took him about 5 minutes to set up. He hooked me to it and turned it on. A piece of paper came out of the machine that he looked at, stuck it in is pocket and said all’s well. That was that. Now it was back to the waiting game. I still hadn’t heard from anyone as to when I would be going into surgery? I called my husband to complain and guess what? The trick worked again. The nurse was opening my door asking me if I was ready to go. OK, here we go.

I walked down the hallway to the surgery room. I lied on the table. Dr. G came in and conversed for a moment and then I remember seeing Dr. V. I saw someone putting something into my IV and poof I was out. No count backwards, nothing. The next thing I remember was me moving from the surgery table to a table to be wheeled back to my room. I don’t remember being wheeled back but next thing I know they were having me move from that table into the bed in my room. Now unfortunately I have no idea on the time frame that this all happened in but I must have been asleep for a couple of hours I think. When I awoke I remember I was freezing. I didn’t feel like I could move much so I tried to find a call button for a nurse. Nothing. I called out, “Hello, Hello” in a week and mutter voice. This went on for a few minutes. I reached for my cell phone and called my husband. Told him I was alive and trying to get someone’s attention. Unfortunately the trick didn’t work this time. My husband later told me that I was still sounding out of it when I called him telling him that I hurt. I don’t remember that part. After I would guess 10 minutes of calling out a nurse did arrive. She got me a blanket and showed me how to get into touch with her by picking up the telephone and dialing 113 if I needed anything else. This was a piece of information that might have been important to give out before surgery. None the less, I was glad to have it. So over the next few hours I was in and out of sleep. A nurse would come in a check on me, give me a shot of something in my IV and I would fall back to sleep again. Around 5, I think, is when I actually started feeling awake. I heard some people in the hallway talking. If I remember correctly Dr. V and Laura came by to check on me. After they left I got up to venture out on my first walk. The nurse helped me get out of bed and put my underwear back on. With IV in tow I headed down the hallway, turned around and headed back to my room to the safety of my bed. The first walk was kind of tough. I got that cold sweaty light head feeling and I thought I might pass out. So it was back to bed for me. I also started taking the gas x strips I had brought with me. I wasn’t feeling gassy but just in case I wanted to be ahead of the game. The nurse brought me some water and that I really wanted. I tried the walk again around 7pm and it went much better that time. I even stopped and spoke with the women next door.

Shortly after that I heard her getting sick and I felt so bad for her and hoped that wouldn’t happen to me. Around 9 Dr. G came by to check on me. He had the nurse give me some sleeping pills and I watched a little TV while I tried going to sleep. I slept ok for a while but then around 3 a.m. I woke up not in pain but just uncomfortable. So I got up and went for a walk, IV still in tow. The nurse heard me coming down the hallway and asked if I needed anything. I said no but she gave me another shot of something in my IV anyway. I went back to bed but didn’t really get much sleep. At 6:30 am Sunday morning the nurse was at my bedside taking my IV out of my arm. She asked if I wanted a shower and I said no so she suggested I get dressed. OK, as I’m in the bathroom getting dressed she is pulling the sheets of my bed and getting my room cleaned. My room is cleaned, bed made, I’m dressed with no IV and now I wait. I lie back down on the bed thinking maybe I’ll try and catch some sleep while I wait. No way was that going to happen. By 7am the construction crew was banging away on the other half of the hallway that they were still remodeling.

Finally around 9:30am Dr. V and Laura show up to discharge me. Dr. V goes over the discharge instruction sheet and asks if I have any further questions. He also asks how my stay was and was there anything that could have been better. I took this opportunity to tell him about my calling out for a nurse after I awoke from surgery. He and Laura both agreed that maybe they need to get the nurse call buttons. I was very impressed that he listened. Laura and I head down to the pharmacy to get my prescription filled but it was closed. She informs me that the driver that is taking me back to the airport would stop by one on the way out of town. The driver arrives and Laura and I say our goodbyes. The driver takes me to a pharmacy that is completely outdoors. I ask the lady working there what they do when it rains and she looks at me and laughs telling me how cold she was right then. The driver then informs me that we can go across the border using the usual route which on a Sunday could take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours or we could go to a different border crossing that wasn’t as crowded. The thing about the shorter border crossing was I would have to get out and walk about ½ block carrying my bag.

He wanted it to be my choice and to make sure I was ok to walk. Sure, its shorter lets do that one. We arrive and he helps me out of the van. He tells me to go through customs and then meet him on the other side at the bank. OK. It was about a 10-minute line to get into customs. I showed them my ID and they asked what I was doing in Mexico. I told them I went there for surgery and he said that he was sorry I had to do that. It was about a block to the bank and there were a lot of people they’re waiting for their rides. By this time I was starting to feel fatigued. After about 20 minutes of sitting on my bag my driver showed up. He helped me back into the van and we were on our way to the airport. Now this was good getting across the border so quickly but now it meant that I was going to have to wait at the airport for 5 hours for my flight. We arrived at the airport at 11:15 am and my flight wasn’t until 4:50pm. The driver helped me out of the van and said goodbye. I made it through security, went to the gate and found they had a flight leaving at 12 pm. The problem was that it was full but they would put me on standby. If they would be able to get me on I would have to pay an additional fee. I did not care at this point. I was feeling tired and I just wanted to get home. I found a seat and guess what I did? Called my husband to complain. The next thing I know my name is being called, I’m paying the extra fee, and I’m boarding the plane. Gosh, I sure do love that trick!

:clap2:

[Newblew 0]

Omlagirl, thank you thank you for all of the details of your experience! You have definitely made the path a little smoother for all of the future Dr. G patients. I only wish that you could have had all of this info before you went!!

I'm really glad to hear both the good and the bad. Knowledge is power! Now I won't let myself get completely freaked out when I have to get into a van with two strangers who may or may not speak English and travel into a foreign country alone....ummm ok maybe I will still be freaked out but I'll just keep telling myself that Omlagirl, Blue eyed Kitty, Christine, NM Sunshine, Lapbandit, Judy and anyone else that I might have forgotten did it and lived to tell the tale:)

Omla, how long was your flight? Was it difficult? I am also flying out the day after surgery instead of staying an extra night in the hotel. I know that I will be champing at the bit to get home.

I'm going to have to remember that complaining to my husband bit. It seems to work wonders!

[omlagirl 0]

Something I forgot to mention is that I never meet with the nutristionist. As I was getting ready to leave on Sunday. I brought that to Dr. V's attention stating that I brought my food journals but nobody has asked to see them. He took them and was glad to see that I was keeping track on a website called fitday.com. He also suggested that I take a look at a website called the daily plate. Dr. V explained that the nutristionist was busy that weekend and was unable to come to the clinic. He would have her try and get in touch with me once I got home. So, there you have it. I did look at the daily plate website and I like that one better.

Newblew

I live in Las Vegas so my flight was only an hour. Not bad but croweded flight. I guess it will always be that way in and out of Vegas.

I orginally thought I would go back to TJ for fills but now I'm not to sure. The timing issue with getting over the border and booking a flight. You just don't know how long it will take to cross and I hate sitting at the airport. I had to pay a lot of money to get on that earlier flight on Sunday. At that point I didn't care I wanted to get home but I can't afford that to happen everytime. I think there is a fill center here in Vegas that I may look into.

[NM Sunshine 1]

KIKI

The pain was nothing. You need to avoid lifting and overdoing it. Other than that things are almost normal. I had to go to Albuquerque the day after I got home, 260. Had to go to court and walked a lot to get there. I did fine. I just found that the bumping of the long ride bothered me some.

OMLAGIRL

Your story is fascinating reading. Mine was different because Laura picked me up and took me back to airport. She may be having a tough time doing that nowdays, she has 4 or5 children. Also my surgery was done in hospital Angeles rather than at clinic. They have outdoor pharmacies and resturants because it almost never rains there. They get at most 2" a year.

That is the same type of ekg machine that they have at my PCP's in USA.

How R U feeling now?

[KikiVal315 4]

omla-thank you very much for sharing your story. i'm actually writting this down in my journal. great tips to remember.

sunshine- once i feel better and go home, i'm hoping the only bumps we'll go through are the ones in t.j., after that it SHOULD be a smooth ride home...2 hours if not a little less...hopfully there's no traffic so we should be able to 'fly' back home to l.a.

[NM Sunshine 1]

KikiVal

A 2 hour ride should be easy.

I had to fly from San Diego to Tuscon. Then ride 3 hours to house. Next day was a 5 hour drive to ABQ. and 5 hours back. It was good to get home and rest.

Isn't it wild how TJ has those 'round abouts' like Europe. I'd go nuts navigating them but they say once you learn how it is easy and you don't have to stop for stop signs.

[css95 0]

I to went to Dr. Gonzalez, I was in the same room as

OMLAGIRL. I speak Spanish, so that helped. But my DH was along and he speaks very little spanish and he got by.

I had a very pleasent experience, and have gone back for a couple of fills. They alway see me without any problem.

They say to be there at 11:00am Dr. is there waiting to give me a fill.

Very, Very nice people

[christine yng 0]

OMLA: Thanks for the play by play and we're all glad everything turned out great. Let us know how you do with your first two weeks post surgery. That was the toughest period for me. Dr. V told you about Calorie Counter, Diet Tracking, food Journal, Nutrition Facts at The Daily Plate , it's a very good site. I use it and it sure helps, I like it better than the other one.

NM sunshine you're right! Those traffic circles are scary at first. A huge intersection with no clear lanes it just feels wrong but I guess the locals have it down pretty good. A little European flavor to it.

[NM Sunshine 1]

OMLA: Thanks for the play by play and we're all glad everything turned out great. Let us know how you do with your first two weeks post surgery. That was the toughest period for me. Dr. V told you about Calorie Counter, Diet Tracking, food Journal, Nutrition Facts at The Daily Plate , it's a very good site. I use it and it sure helps, I like it better than the other one.

NM sunshine you're right! Those traffic circles are scary at first. A huge intersection with no clear lanes it just feels wrong but I guess the locals have it down pretty good. A little European flavor to it.

It's amazing to see how smoothly all those lanes of traffic flowed. It flowed much smoother than our interstates, and much nicer than the red/green stop lights and stop signs. I'm an artist so I love the giant center sculptors. Did you notice the really big one of Abraham Lincoln?

And the Native American?:cool:

[jimmyjoe 0]

I went into both FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal and Calorie Counter, Diet Tracking, food Journal, Nutrition Facts at The Daily Plate , they are great. I signed up on both I'll just see which one I like more.

css95: when you go back for the fills how far in advance do you need to set up appointment or can you just walk in?

[Newblew 0]

Did any of you have fake nails? If so, did you remove them before surgery? I was going to take off my nail polish but I hate taking off the nails unless I have to. I'll write to Laura if no one knows, but I figured it was worth a shot.

Only three more days until I start pre-op! I'm stocking up and getting so excited!!

[NM Sunshine 1]

jimmyjoe, I'd think you need to make sure the doc will be around for fills. His Surgery is usually in the mornings. Write Dr. V and see if when you want to come in will work out.

PASSPORTS

I think we need one to enter usa from Mexico after the first of 2008. Anyone know?

[NM Sunshine 1]

NEWBLEW

Don't think you would have to remove the nails. But, I don't know for sure.

[jessiel55 0]

newblew

I've heard that for other types of surgeries you do need to at least remove the nail polish something to do with the oxygen level measuring :phone:, I’m not a nurse , but would suggest to remove nail polish at least in any case.

=

Does any one know if there’s any Nextel signal in Tijuana ?