Thanks so much for even posting on here. To me - there is never TMI. Are you saying you worked with a nutritionist at the center and then found another one when you returned home ? My insurance doesn't cover this, and I've been told I may be SOL when I return. What has your experience been with that ? Also, I'm a bit freaked out having to walk through customs at the border, down a block and up a hill. Right now, I don't know if I'll be by myself or not. Do you think you could have handled being by yourself at the hotel ? Well - thanks and hope to hear from you.

I have traveled a lot on my own including out of the US and have done fine. To answer your questions the nutritionist I speak of are those at the center. They are available to you anytime as well as Dr. So. Dr. So will even give you his home phone number. So I would not worry about a nutritionist once you get home. I have not felt the need for one here as I get a fairly fast response from them. I did make sure that I checked in with my primary care physician to get him on board with my routine and what was going on with me.

Personally I think you can do the "customs walk". Customs is not scarey. They will ask you why you were there and I said surgery. They then asked if I had meds and I said yes and they asked muscle relaxers and I said no and they sent me on my way. I kept the meds in my purse along with the signed prescription the OCC gives you just in case I needed it to show customs.

Like I mentioned I have extremely bad knees and a bad hip which requires me to walk with a cane and if at home a walker. Handling my suitcase would have been a chore. Plus not getting any exercise I was quite winded with the walk as I am not used to doing anything but generally car to destination and vice versa. I would pack light. You don't need a bunch of items. Hotel has a hair dryer and toiletries. You are not going anywhere except airport-clinic-hotel-clinic-airport. Have a case with wheels.

If you have any disabilities then when you book your airfare ask for gait assistance. Once I checked in they had someone immediately show with a wheelchair and wheeled me to and helped me through security and wheeled me to my gait. Also when I transferred there was a chair waiting for me at the plane door and took me to my next gait. That helped me A LOT!!

As far as the hotel they treat you like royalty. Everyone is aware you are from the clinic and they seem to go out of their way to accomodate. WHen you call for room service they are there immediately. I have read a lot of others that actually feel well enough and strong enough to browse the beautiful gardens there. As with all door men, bell hops etc I always made sure to tip them at least 2 US dollars each time for their help.

You will do fine. Any more questions feel free to ask.

Debra

PS It was't a "hill" but a gradual incline but with bad knees and a hip it might as well been a mountain. lol

Just double checking. When you get picked up, you have to walk across the border, you don't stay in the vehicle? On the way back do you have to walk across as well?

After we were picked up at the airport I got to stay in the van while my husband took our luggage through the building with the other occupants of the van and their luggage. The customs officers checked me out that I was not feeling well as well as having a cane. We sat at the curb in the van and I could see them literally just walk from one end to the other and it didn't take but a few minutes.

However leaving Mexico was different. There are two different border crossings. I can not remember off hand the name of the one we went through. It seemed we went a bit further south. At it we were separated and there was a wall or divider between us and the hook up point was approximately one block away. Hope this answers your question.