Follow Up for Questions about Mexico PS (LONG)

I am going to try to post all the answers about the Mexico plastic surgery from questions I receive so everyone can benefit. I am happy to share all information, perhaps that is one of the reasons God has us out here in CA....so all of us that get denied plastics can have an alternative. I never would have known about it if first, my hubby had not suggested overseas somewhere...yes, my hubby!!! And, I asked the question of someone from CA, and they told me about the website and I saw the "ad" for CosMed on the plastics board. Here is a hint....don't ask about Mexico or anywhere on the Plastics board as there is an American doctor, Dr. LaMonaco, who is from Houston, and stalks everyone and makes them feel terrible for going out of the USA.... He just irritates me, and if he has such a thriving practice, why is he online ALL THE TIME stalking patients?? I am quite sure an American Doctor would say no way....they don't have a clue, other than the bad reports they read or hear about like us. You should email CosMed and they will email back, usually his staff emails back and also he will email you and if you send him pics he will give you quotes over the internet. So, I really recommend going to www.plasticsurgeryjourneys.com and researching him there on the Forums, under Mexico. I just had to do this for me, and I know God led me to this guy, he is awesome!!! I know this will really help lots of people in SC who cannot afford the surgery or their insurance denies them. I know the response from some people, including MYSELF when I heard of people going to Tijuana for plastics....scary, but there are great doctors there, and this guy is the cream of the cream, and I can tell you for certain, having a medical background, that I would NEVER put my life in someone's hands if I was the least bit weary and my husband as well....we are not dummies and definitely have done our homework on the clinic and researched as best I can, and meeting with him in person, talking with patients...most important and looking into his credentials. SO, I am soooo excited and have no qualms at all about going to him. I think anyone who goes to him will be very happy and never regret it....and my doctor here at University of California, Irvine, is supportive and when I told her that he trained at UCI, and had done lots of training programs in the USA, she was supportive. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that everyone go to the www.plasticsurgeryjourneys.com to start, and I personally cannot go to another country like Brazil, or Costa Rica, because I want to stay "in country" as much as possible....and Tijuana is like being in America. If you go back and read all my old posts, and the ones about Mexico, you can see how I recommended to go to Baja Vicki, and use her to pick you up and take care of you esp. if you fly into San Diego, and then cross the border. She is now having Alex pick up people and take them across, he has a "fast pass" that allows people to bypass the normal hours long line to come back to the USA from Mexico, and when you have pain, you will want to have Alex take you back across. The hotel I will be using is the Lucerna, right across from the doctor's clinic. I meant to take pictures yesterday of the office and staff, but since it was my first time, and I was in a hurry and getting my bearings, I just didn't think of it. Duh, took it and took no pics. yes, there are some bad docs down there, but if your pcp will take care of you, you can return to the states, and have him/her take out your stitches and drains when its time...but since I now live so close, 1.5 hrs away, I can just zip on back down and have Alex pick me up and take me to have my post ops, but my pcp said she would do everything but the drains. Hope this helps, I am trying to post all of this info for everyone's benefit and have all the info for everyone, but please join the plasticsurgeryjourneys.com site so you can read all you want, and see pics. That is another thing, I saw soooo many pics yesterday in his office and he asked me so many times if I had questions or anything else, and was quite comfortable showing me anything I wanted. Take care, Deb

I am so glad you are able to have all this done. You are already so gorgeous, your boys will probaly have to ban their friends from meeting you! I will give you a few phrases that might help you in Mexico. (of course my spanish is Tex-Mex so they may laugh at you...) Hola! (hello) Adios (goodbye) Gracias (thank you) De nada (your welcome) Tengo mucho dolor en mi (I have alot of pain in my...) Estomago (stomach) Espalda (back) Brazo (arm) Pierna (leg) Cabeza (head) Necesito medicina (I need medicine) Tengo hambre (I'm hungry) Tengo sed (I'm thirsty) Hablas Ingles? (Do you speak English?) And the ever useful - especially if their answer to the previous question is no... Hay alguien aquie quien habla Ingles? (Is there someone here who speaks English?) and if all else fails, you can always go to here - http://translation2.paralink.com/ and get some more phrases translated to take along with you. They aren't perfectly translated, but whoever you are talking to will get the general idea. I can also teach you TONS of bad words and insults, but I'll keep those on a "on request" basis. Kathy

Okay, you wanna come with??? I would love, love a translator!! The good thing is that the nurses are American, and the girls there that are Mexican, speak perfect English, and even the doc, when they speak English, you can't tell they are not American!! No accent really at all!! The only one I had trouble with was my driver...but he knew where I was going, and for a 1/2 second, I thought, "I just got into this van with someone I don't know and I am by myself, and how do I know he is who he says he is??" LOL But, God was with me, and all was good!! Thanks, I mean Gracias!! Deb

Glad to hear it's all working out for you. As for Dr JLo, I hit another board where he posts a little more and he is actually very, very helpful. His before and after pictures are great as well. I believe he cautions against some of the surgery out of country because he's right across the border of Mexico in TX and has had to help repair some of the problems other people have had. That board also has a lot of people who have gone out of country who are complaining of major problems. I agree that it matters WHO you choose as not every doctor out of country is bad just like every doctor here is not good. Sounds like you've found one of the good ones. Good luck!