Dr. Ramos Kelly, Tijuana, MX
I'm going to document my experience for surgery and afterwards.
It started when I flew to San Diego, CA on 07/19/12. My dad met me at the aiport and I let the patient advocate Omar know that we were ready to be picked up and about 10 minutes later the van showed up and picked us up.
We were then driven to San Ysidro and the driver informes us that we neded to pick up liquids for the post op she took us to Kmart and I bout some low sugar apple juice, chicken broth, and Vitamin Water Zero, also some V8 Fruit Splash diet. I bought excessively but I didn't quite grasp what the driver was saying as her english was a bit limited but we managed.
We were then driven to Florence Hospital in Tijuana Mexico. The hospital was nice and the staff were helpful and courteous. We had a room and there was a bed for me and my dad. They gave me some tea and apple juice and jello for lunch and dinner. I tried to explain that I didn't like jello but they didn't uinderstand. I was scheduled for surgery the next day o I was getting settled in. The patient advocate came in that evening and took my dad out to dinner and made sure we were comfortable.
I was told I needed to be showered by 6:30 as that was when the nurses would be in to put my IV in the next morning. So I was up on Friday and showered and the nurse brought in my stylish hospital gown for me to put on. Then she tried to get my IV in. There were two nurses to start but then 2 more were brought in. My veins are difficult in the best of cir****tances but I hadn't had any liquid since 7pm the night before so they were not cooperating. After 4 tries on one arm and 4 tries on the other they left and said they would come back. The lab tech came in and took my blood quickly and painlessly. Another nurse came in a bit later. She didn't speak english but she was efficient and on the second try the IV was in. Whew!
At around 9am the cardiologist came in and did my EKG. Made sure everything was good and ready. He gave me a list of questions to answer and then remarked that other than being obese that I was in excellent health. :-)
At 10:30 they came in and said we were ready. They loaded me on the gurney and took me into surgery. I got onto the table and they strapped my arms down and my legs and then put on these booties that squeeze your feet to keep the blood going. I commented that "these are nice I need some of these booties for home" and that was my last thought. I was out.
An hour and 15 minutes later I was waking up in my room. I was hot and felt like I couldn't breathe. They had 3 blankets on me and the oxygen mask was making me claustrophobic so I was hyperventilating. My Dad made them take off the blankets and replace the mask with the tube up my nose and I calmed down and was better. I slept on and off for a few hours but then got up to go to the beathroom and I felt ok.
For the remainder of the day I was given ice to chew on but nothing to drink. I got up a couple of times to walk the halls. I took my gas ex strips as the nurse told me but I never felt pain or bloating. My stomach did these little flip flop things like a slinky. but it wasnt painful, just weird. I had a total of five incicions. 4 midline and 1 between my breasts just at my bra line. All meds, the PPI, pain meds, and antibiotic were all given through my IV port.
Saturday July 21, I walked 15 minutes every hour and went through 4 cups of ice. I took my gas ex, walked, chewed, peed lol. I shared my gas ex with another patient who had forgotten his. There were 4 of us that had surgery on the same day so we were all walking the halls and "racing" :-).
Still there was no pain and the nurses came in to check our vitals every shift change and administer our meds. I asked everyone else how they felt and they too felt good.
Sunday we were discharge and the dreaded IV was removed. YAY!
Off we went to get our leak test done.
We went to another facilitty and went to get the leak test done. I was taken to stand in front of this machine then gulped down some nasty tasting liquid and My pictures were taken of my little sleeve buddy and a video made of my swallow test. I was given pictures of my stomach and swallow test to take home as well as my chest x-ray.
After we all passed the leak test we were driven to the Lucerna Hotel and checked into very nice rooms. Two queen size beds, cable, wifi, very clean and nice. They had a pool and a unique fountain on the back patio. The environment was safe and secure. My dad walked around a bit and got food. I used the coffee pot to heat up my chicken broth. By this time Dr. Kelly had advised us to drink as much as possible and it was easy to do so. I could drink normally and had no swallowing issues. I just burped like a frat boy at a beer drinking contest. lol
Sunday my dad and I walked around the hotel and I drank my borth and we got exercise. Then slept SOOOOO well. No nurses coming in and soft comfy beds. I was concerned because I can't sleep on my back but Dr. Kelly had all of the incisions on the left side and I'm a right side sleeper so I was good. I did steal one of my dad's pillows :-) I did get up to go pee a million times or so it felt that way. But I just figured i was getting rid of the IV fluids.
Monday we got up at 8 and Omar the patient advocate came by with Dr. Kelly and a young lady who gave the female patients(me included) a pedicure (I have blue toes!). Dr. Kelly made sure that we were ok and asked if we needed anything. He made sure to sit and chat with us and was very concerned about out well being. Then afterwards we were taken shopping on revolution street. My dad and I bought Armadillo skin wallets and I got a carved obsidian knife. Then we went to the pharmacy where we picked up some meds. Then we walked to the mexican cultural center and then over to a spice and grocery market where my dad bought some Alum crystal for 60 cents and I got a 1/4 pound of spirulina for $4.50 Way cheap. I use it to color my soap that I make. It makes a pure green color and it's expensive here. So we walked a bit more and then headed back to the car and went to the hotel. Dad and I went down by the pool and walked around. I drank a 6 pack of vitamin water. :-)
Later that night Omar took us to a restaurant that made a lovely broth. I bought him dinner as thanks. Then the next day Dr. Kelly came by to wish us well and we loaded up at 10am to head back to San Diego. My dad and I were dropped off at the airport at 11am and we got through security just fine. And then later that day I was home. YAY!
Dr. Ramos Kelly made sure to come by and talk to us every day and make sure we were ok. The nurses at Florence were very nice and put up with us crazy non spanish speaking gringos. lol The hospital was fairly clean. My dad commented that he noticed that the main rooms seemed to be clean but around the edges of the floor it wasn't as clean. Also in my shower there was mold under the caulking and that concerned him some. He did mention this to Omar before we left but even though my dad was against me going to Mexico he had to agree that everything went well and they did have enough staff on hand. They also made sure to have an english speaking nurse or doctor on staff at all times.
Overall my experience has been great. I have only had a couple episodes in the hospital where I got nauseated to the point where my dad said I looked green. Those passed with more ice chewing. I would recommend Dr. Ramos Kelly to anyone that wanted to pay their own way. He's a good surgeon. He put a 36 bougie in me but he oversews the staple line so it's tight. He's friendly and caring and I had more pain stubbing my toe in the bathroom than I had during this whole process.
Right now I'm a little over a month out from surgery and down 51 pounds.
It started when I flew to San Diego, CA on 07/19/12. My dad met me at the aiport and I let the patient advocate Omar know that we were ready to be picked up and about 10 minutes later the van showed up and picked us up.
We were then driven to San Ysidro and the driver informes us that we neded to pick up liquids for the post op she took us to Kmart and I bout some low sugar apple juice, chicken broth, and Vitamin Water Zero, also some V8 Fruit Splash diet. I bought excessively but I didn't quite grasp what the driver was saying as her english was a bit limited but we managed.
We were then driven to Florence Hospital in Tijuana Mexico. The hospital was nice and the staff were helpful and courteous. We had a room and there was a bed for me and my dad. They gave me some tea and apple juice and jello for lunch and dinner. I tried to explain that I didn't like jello but they didn't uinderstand. I was scheduled for surgery the next day o I was getting settled in. The patient advocate came in that evening and took my dad out to dinner and made sure we were comfortable.
I was told I needed to be showered by 6:30 as that was when the nurses would be in to put my IV in the next morning. So I was up on Friday and showered and the nurse brought in my stylish hospital gown for me to put on. Then she tried to get my IV in. There were two nurses to start but then 2 more were brought in. My veins are difficult in the best of cir****tances but I hadn't had any liquid since 7pm the night before so they were not cooperating. After 4 tries on one arm and 4 tries on the other they left and said they would come back. The lab tech came in and took my blood quickly and painlessly. Another nurse came in a bit later. She didn't speak english but she was efficient and on the second try the IV was in. Whew!
At around 9am the cardiologist came in and did my EKG. Made sure everything was good and ready. He gave me a list of questions to answer and then remarked that other than being obese that I was in excellent health. :-)
At 10:30 they came in and said we were ready. They loaded me on the gurney and took me into surgery. I got onto the table and they strapped my arms down and my legs and then put on these booties that squeeze your feet to keep the blood going. I commented that "these are nice I need some of these booties for home" and that was my last thought. I was out.
An hour and 15 minutes later I was waking up in my room. I was hot and felt like I couldn't breathe. They had 3 blankets on me and the oxygen mask was making me claustrophobic so I was hyperventilating. My Dad made them take off the blankets and replace the mask with the tube up my nose and I calmed down and was better. I slept on and off for a few hours but then got up to go to the beathroom and I felt ok.
For the remainder of the day I was given ice to chew on but nothing to drink. I got up a couple of times to walk the halls. I took my gas ex strips as the nurse told me but I never felt pain or bloating. My stomach did these little flip flop things like a slinky. but it wasnt painful, just weird. I had a total of five incicions. 4 midline and 1 between my breasts just at my bra line. All meds, the PPI, pain meds, and antibiotic were all given through my IV port.
Saturday July 21, I walked 15 minutes every hour and went through 4 cups of ice. I took my gas ex, walked, chewed, peed lol. I shared my gas ex with another patient who had forgotten his. There were 4 of us that had surgery on the same day so we were all walking the halls and "racing" :-).
Still there was no pain and the nurses came in to check our vitals every shift change and administer our meds. I asked everyone else how they felt and they too felt good.
Sunday we were discharge and the dreaded IV was removed. YAY!
Off we went to get our leak test done.
We went to another facilitty and went to get the leak test done. I was taken to stand in front of this machine then gulped down some nasty tasting liquid and My pictures were taken of my little sleeve buddy and a video made of my swallow test. I was given pictures of my stomach and swallow test to take home as well as my chest x-ray.
After we all passed the leak test we were driven to the Lucerna Hotel and checked into very nice rooms. Two queen size beds, cable, wifi, very clean and nice. They had a pool and a unique fountain on the back patio. The environment was safe and secure. My dad walked around a bit and got food. I used the coffee pot to heat up my chicken broth. By this time Dr. Kelly had advised us to drink as much as possible and it was easy to do so. I could drink normally and had no swallowing issues. I just burped like a frat boy at a beer drinking contest. lol
Sunday my dad and I walked around the hotel and I drank my borth and we got exercise. Then slept SOOOOO well. No nurses coming in and soft comfy beds. I was concerned because I can't sleep on my back but Dr. Kelly had all of the incisions on the left side and I'm a right side sleeper so I was good. I did steal one of my dad's pillows :-) I did get up to go pee a million times or so it felt that way. But I just figured i was getting rid of the IV fluids.
Monday we got up at 8 and Omar the patient advocate came by with Dr. Kelly and a young lady who gave the female patients(me included) a pedicure (I have blue toes!). Dr. Kelly made sure that we were ok and asked if we needed anything. He made sure to sit and chat with us and was very concerned about out well being. Then afterwards we were taken shopping on revolution street. My dad and I bought Armadillo skin wallets and I got a carved obsidian knife. Then we went to the pharmacy where we picked up some meds. Then we walked to the mexican cultural center and then over to a spice and grocery market where my dad bought some Alum crystal for 60 cents and I got a 1/4 pound of spirulina for $4.50 Way cheap. I use it to color my soap that I make. It makes a pure green color and it's expensive here. So we walked a bit more and then headed back to the car and went to the hotel. Dad and I went down by the pool and walked around. I drank a 6 pack of vitamin water. :-)
Later that night Omar took us to a restaurant that made a lovely broth. I bought him dinner as thanks. Then the next day Dr. Kelly came by to wish us well and we loaded up at 10am to head back to San Diego. My dad and I were dropped off at the airport at 11am and we got through security just fine. And then later that day I was home. YAY!
Dr. Ramos Kelly made sure to come by and talk to us every day and make sure we were ok. The nurses at Florence were very nice and put up with us crazy non spanish speaking gringos. lol The hospital was fairly clean. My dad commented that he noticed that the main rooms seemed to be clean but around the edges of the floor it wasn't as clean. Also in my shower there was mold under the caulking and that concerned him some. He did mention this to Omar before we left but even though my dad was against me going to Mexico he had to agree that everything went well and they did have enough staff on hand. They also made sure to have an english speaking nurse or doctor on staff at all times.
Overall my experience has been great. I have only had a couple episodes in the hospital where I got nauseated to the point where my dad said I looked green. Those passed with more ice chewing. I would recommend Dr. Ramos Kelly to anyone that wanted to pay their own way. He's a good surgeon. He put a 36 bougie in me but he oversews the staple line so it's tight. He's friendly and caring and I had more pain stubbing my toe in the bathroom than I had during this whole process.
Right now I'm a little over a month out from surgery and down 51 pounds.
08/20/12: -40 09/20/12: -21 10/20/12: -13 11/20/12: -5 12/20/12: -13 01/20/13: -10 02/20/13:-8 03/20/13: ?
That is the most amazing post I have read on these forums. Even though my Dr is different and I am going to Juarez and not TJ, I feel very much at ease just having read your post.
I also notice that we are about the same weight and just being a month or so out and down 51lbs is AMAZING! I can not wait, 2 and a half weeks to go for me! Did your doctor have you on a pre-op diet? What did it consist of?
I also notice that we are about the same weight and just being a month or so out and down 51lbs is AMAZING! I can not wait, 2 and a half weeks to go for me! Did your doctor have you on a pre-op diet? What did it consist of?
Thanks for the post! Do you mind me asking what the total amount you paid for your surgery was? Were there any fees you had to pay upon arrival that you had not anticipated? Did you have to pay the additional fee because your BMI was over 49? Thanks again for posting, I look forward to visiting Dr. Kelly as soon as I am financially able.
If you are interested you can speak to Omar the patient coordinator at (619)395-5347. Dr. Kelly will also speak with you personally if you have any questions and he does a phone consult with you beforehand.
08/20/12: -40 09/20/12: -21 10/20/12: -13 11/20/12: -5 12/20/12: -13 01/20/13: -10 02/20/13:-8 03/20/13: ?
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