- Name: Stacie
- Age: 49
- Surgery: Gastric Sleeve
- Surgery date: February 5th, 2016
- Testimonial date: March 8th, 2016
- Surgeon: Dr. Mario Almanza
I'm a month out and my stitches are almost healed and I'm doing very well with my eating (most of the time)! But the first two weeks were rough! Then ... don't forget after surgery they turn you loose and you have to go get on an airplane and fly home. So you will be tired! I took about a week off of work after I finally got home from my 4-5 hour flight and 4 hour car ride home. I was worn out.
BUT ... the experience in Mexico was great!
We got to the airport (Thursday), they picked us up and took us to a very nice motel where the staff was great and the motel was really nice and clean and I felt very comfortable!
The next morning (Friday) they picked us up and took us to the hospital. The facility was old and kind of funky (in a fun way) but very clean and again, the staff was great!! We met with a cardiologist who did an EKG, a nurse who did some blood work, the surgeon, Dr. Almanza and then passed our money to the administrative person. They took us up to our room and we were told to get on our gowns and I was immediately taken up to the operating room waiting area where I waited for a bit ... but not too horribly long. Once I was in the OR the anesthesiologist asked me if I had any allergies to meds and the next thing I know I was out! I have to say I was probably asked 5-6 times if I had any allergies to medicines.
I woke up a while later back in the room and had several nurses that were there just to take care of us. They brought us meds and helped us get comfortable. OH ... you need to bring a hotpad ... they didn't have them for us but you need a hotpad and an extension cord. They will help you get it set up and plugged in, but OH MY ... that was a great thing to have!
The next morning (Saturday) we woke up and got around a little and they took us to the motel. They told us to shower and take off our bandages and shortly after we got that done another doctor and a nurse showed up and they visited with us about what to expect next and re-bandaged the holes in our stomachs. There were two nurses on staff at the hotel that were pretty much at our beck and call. They told us to walk ... so we walked and walked around and around the motel. They had chicken broth for us in the restaurant which wasn't great ... but was what we needed. The nurses brought us apple juice and popsicles and the hotel staff brought us ice. They also left our pic line in so that they could come and give us anti-nausea, antibiotics, and pain meds.
The next day (Sunday) we got up and around and they had us drink this yucky purple stuff ... I have to say it was rough ... you had about a half an hour to drink it (there was about 4 oz) ... it was hard to get down - but you wanted to because you had a drain tube in your stomach still and if any of the drainage turned purple they would take you back to the hospital to check your stomach and make sure there were no holes. So ... you drink this purple stuff and then you go to an xray lab ... there they have you drink a couple ounces of a silver stuff and then they take a couple of xrays that you get to take home. That is the second seepage test - the nurses will explain it to you if you aren't sure how to interpret it! They don't want you going home and having any seepage problems. That afternoon when they were convinced that no purple was coming out of your stomach they took out your drain tube and gave you another iv of fluid. They gave us another dose of antibiotics, anti-nausea and pain meds and then took out the pic line.
While at the hospital they give you a package with meds in it ... antibiotics, pain meds (and a couple of other things I can't remember) ... those are for AFTER you leave the hotel.
So the last morning (Monday for me) we woke up, showered, took our medicine and got in the van for the trip back to the airport. It is an interesting experience working your way back through customs. I love to watch people so I enjoyed it ... but it did take a couple of hours. They dropped us at the airline we were flying at and a few hours later we were home.
I have received several texts and emails from the group asking if I had any questions, encouraging me to follow up with any concerns. I think they are very thorough and I really felt that they did care if we were okay and hope that we succeed. Of course, that's how they get more business. But ... that's okay! They did their job.
I must say I come from a small community and I was the 24th person that headed down from here to have this surgery done and I'm sure I won't be the last. I haven't heard of anyone who did as they were told having any issues. Push the water as best as you can, you don't want to be dehydrated. Walk ... follow all of the instructions that they give you and I think all will be well!!
GOOD LUCK!!!! I have lost 18.5 pounds since the day I started my liquid diet 3 days prior to the surgery ... so that will be 5 weeks tomorrow! I'm down from a size 18w pants to a loose 16 ... I'm almost 50 (in a few months)... I'm a girl ... I sit at a desk job ... needless to say I have NO metabolism. The pain of the surgery, the pain in the fanny of trying to figure out what to eat ... all of it is very worth it to me!!
OH!! One more thing ... I can eat about 1/4 cup of food at a time and you need to eat REALLY slow ... small bite in your mouth - chew it 25x or so - then swallow ... then sit for a bit ... if it doesn't hurt take bite #2. You can't be in a hurry!
* This is an actual testimonial, however, your results may vary. For more information, please read our Testimonial Disclaimer and Risks of Surgery.