What Can I bring?
Yep - hubby and I went down last May - from Newfoundland to Peurto Vallarta - overnighted in Newark both ways. Hubby had VSG with Dr. Joya. We had both liquid protein drinks and some powdered stuff in our suitcases - no problems. Just remember the liquid restriction for CARRY ON. So put any liquid stuff in your checked bag. Not sure where you are planing on going - but I would expect it wouldn't be too hard to get some protein drinks/powder once you got down there. Good luck~
Mary
I have posted lots on this forum about our Mexico experience - and about tips and things to bring etc. Here is a copy and paste from one of my posts -
We were down in May - hubby had VSG with Dr. Joya. The hotel is AMAZING. There is a mini fridge in each room. As for a kettle - I just rinsed out the coffee maker really well - and ran water through that to have broth. I did bring packets of broth, Carnation Instant Breakfast etc. They place bottled water in your room everyday - and if you need more you can call the butler. But - given that you would probably tip him - I went out to the corner pharmacy and got bottled water cheap, also picked up some milk, juice and yogurt there. Right across from the pharmacy is a liquor store. Down the street within walking distance if you are well is a shopping mall and I THINK there is a cinema in there. There is a WalMart on the main drag - I didn't go - but a girl I met down there took a cab and went down. If you turn right when you leave the little street the hotel is on - there is an ATM a little way down - actually there was two - and we walked about 10-15mins to a store called MEGA. It is a large dept store - everything from deli foods to clothes. I picked up things like crackers and cheese, some nuts etc - for me to eat while staying in the hospital with hubby. I used BOTH my debit card and credit card down there with no issues. As someone else said - a stack of US 1$ bills for tipping goes a long way. Local taxis prefer to be paid in Pesos - so that's why we hit the ATM. The taxi to the hospital, back to the hotel, and to the airport were at our expense. So make sure you have pesos for that. I think it was 60Pesos to get tot he hospital and 90pesos to get to the airport. There is a shopping plaza across the street from the hospital - there are 2 ATM's over there - as well as a currency exchange counter. A McDonalds is there - a few small coffee shops, a Subway - and more that I didn't explore. I went over twice - once to get some $$, and another time I picked up a McPollo (McChicken) to eat. When someone is staying in the room with you in the hospital - there is a list on the bedside table of menu items available from the catering service and the times it's available and price. They bring it right to your room. I used the service both mornings for coffee x 2. I drove them nuts I think. I did have one meal through them - a fish fillett with rice and veggies - not sure what type of fi**** was but it was awesome. Enough for two meals for me. The nurses will bring bottled water, ice and juice. One thing I noticed was that they had no facecloths/washcloths at the hospital. So throw a few in your suitcase if you use them. I took WAAAY too much stuff to the hospital - I was encouraged to just take an overnight bag for us and they would leave the rest at the hotel locked up. But the am of surgery I wasn't up to going through and sorting through stuff - so I just took it all. We didn't take GasX - luckily Ivan had no issues with this. He was nauseated and urging the night of the surgery - but they gave him something for it and it settled right down. Hubby had no pain to speak of - but the nurses gave regular pain meds for the first day and 1/2 - without hubby asking. I guess it's their routine. The nurses were great and provided me with a pillow/blanket to make my bed up and also for towels etc when I wanted to shower. The hospital rooms are spacious and I thought I would never be able to sleep there - but I did. As I said - the hotel is amazing - even though they should be aware that you are a patient before your surgery and require broth etc - I found I had to make it clear that hubby was a patient of Dr. Joya's and required special dietary items. When I wanted something brought up via room service - I called the butler to put in the order for me - as I found if I called room service directly - there was usually a language barrier and the order got messed up. Which they promptly fixed - but I found going through the butler was easier. If you venture out on the beach - be prepared for beach vendors. They can be pretty persistant. I though it was great because I did want to get a few souveniers and stuff. But some people find it very annoying. If you stay off the beach and just lounge by the pool areas - no problem. It will be warm - but we found there was always a breeze of the water and of course ac in the room. For your care of small incision following surgery - I took down some normal saline cleaning solution, small gauze squares and small adhesive bandaids - a bit bigger than regular bandaids. They don't give you anything like that once you are discharged from hospital.
We met up with a lady from Saskatchewan while we were there. We had actually touched based on this forum before we went down. She travelled alone - no issues. We are still in touch. She had RNY and has done well. We chose Dr. Joya because I know of quite a few others people who have gone to him - one of them my best friends daughter - and all have had amazing and trouble free experiences. Apart from some nausea immediately after getting back from the OR - which the nurses promptly gave him medication for - hubby had no complaints. Had some discomfort - but no pain. I'm an ER nurse so I watched everything with an eagle eye. And I really don't see how things could have went any better.
I packed WAAAAY too much stuff - but then we were on the move from NL to Newark to Mexico and the same on the way back - we were away from home for 11 days total. And I tend to overpack all the time anyway.
Where are you heading to Mexico from? and When? If you have any other questions - fire away!
Good luck and take care!
Mary
Just looked at your question again 0 hubby only had to do the pre-op diet for 5 days - as his BMI was not as high as some. He HATED it. But did it just the same. It left him feeling a bit weak I think. 5 days of that was enough. No complications at all. He has lost 50lbs+ - could have lost a lot more - but he really didn't need to lose any more than 70lbs anyway. He wore his excess weight around his middle and that had shrunken considerably - which has all but taken care of his chronic back pain - one of the main reasons for his having surgery. He plans to still slowly lose another bit of weight. Post - op - the nurses give regular pain medication in your IV whether you need it or not. I thought that was kind of strange - but looking back - it kept Hubby pain free and able to be up and walking the halls frequently. After we got back to the hotel - he was prescribed Toradol for pain - don't think he took it ore than 3 or 4 times.
Mary
