Four days out and feeling great!
I had a VSG on Tuesday with Dr. Wilhelmy from Amater Hospital in Mexicali. I just cannot say enough good things about the entire team. I flew into San Diego airport and was met by Ernesto my driver who showed me his before photos! Then we met with two other patients and headed to the hospital. A few tests and then off to the hotel. We were told by the very capable (re:adorable) Dr. Campos to eat absolutely anything we wanted that night as long as we finished the last bite by ten pm. The hospital puts you up in a lovely hotel night before the surgery and all of us chose to eat together. I think we all planned to really have a feast, but nobody really did. I had terrific tortilla soup with fresh avocado, cheese, chips and bread and a Cesar salad.....
The next morning Ernesto picked us up at 6:30 and we checked into the hospital. We each had a private room, lovely with flat screen tv, couch and recliner (so that your companion can share the room if you like).. One at a time each member of the team, surgeon, doctor, anesthesiologist, etc came in one at a time to explain exactly what was going to happen. Each person was kind and answered all of my questions.
Then I headed for surgery. I was the last for the day and returned to my room about five pm. By seven I was up and walking the halls. Took photos for friends back home to reassure them and then went back to bed. I slept off and on throughout the night and each time I woke I wandered the halls. The hospital is small and intimate and the staff is very friendly even at three in the morning....
the next day my IV was removed and I started on vitamin water and apple juice. Small slips but I finished everything. Walked more.....had my first leak test which consisted of drinking a blue fluid and then drs checking throughout the day to make sure that nothing was spilling outside of my stomach by looking at my pouch which was attached to a drain that sat just outside my stomach area.
By Thursday I graduated to chicken broth which was delicious! By now I was losing interest in food and to be honest the thought of eating something was not appealing.... I was taken to the ultrasound room and a barium test was performed during which Dr Campos showed me my new stomach size and how it worked...
Everything went well and so I just wandered and rested and walked around the block in my pjs a couple of times and packed everything up. I was surprised at the level of emotion I had begun to feel. Every time a staff member stopped by to say good bye I felt like I might burst into tears. I am typically not a person to have strong feelings like that, so to have it happening about people I had only known three days just felt very strange.
Friday morning we all headed out with Ernesto for the airport. He had noticed me taking lots of photos along the way so he began pointing out special places along the way and telling me stories about the land surrounding the hospital.
Today is my first full day home. I have taken it easy and plan to be kind to myself this weekend before I return to work. I have been given a gift of a new life and I do not take this lightly. I am going to do exactly as the Drs have ordered and make the most of this opportunity.
Living life to the fullest from this moment on!
Laura 
HW 330 SW 278 CW 270 GW 140
