Surgery + Tijuana

[DixyChixy1966]

Hi, I am getting my band on Aug. 19th and am super excited but also very nervous.

I am coming down with my mum - neither of us has traveled before so that in itself is really freaking me out lol. Apart from stressing out about squeezing into a 17" plane seat (I have lost 37 pounds so far in preparation for this) on a 50 passenger plane...I am nervous about the whole Tijuana thing. I was hoping some of you here could help me wrap my head around all of this and give me some piece of mind! There are a few things in particular that I am a bit stressed about...

We are staying at the Lucerna, I have read mixed reviews about this hotel - does anyone have any comments or things I should know?

I understand there are 2 types of taxis in Tijuana, the yellow ones are expensive and the Libre ones are cheaper...is it safe to take the Libre ones? What are the tipping standards? Do you negotiate prices before getting in? Any comments on this would be appreciated!!!

Being the typical women that mum and I are...we naturally want to do some shopping...has anyone gone to the Plaza Rio? I would think English would be somewhat common being so close to the boarder...again, any comments or suggestions are much appreciated.

I keep reading about Revolucion Avenue - some love it and others say it is awful...you get harassed alot....is this something two women with NO travel experience or bartering experience should check out? My mum is older and I want to make sure she has a good time too. I am interested in checking it out but then I get rather intimidated and want to avoid it....since this is our one and only trip anywhere I hate to sit at the hotel the whole time (we will be down for 4 days not including our days in and out).

Mum is wondering how much $$ she should bring for food each day.

As for the surgery, how long do the pre-ops take? I am doing mine the day before.

Is there a shuttle on surgery day to take my mum back to the hotel?

I have only had one surgery and it was MANY years ago...my biggest worry is the pain killers, I have so many allergies (codiene, toradol, percocet...), the only thing substantial I have taken without any reaction is morphine - what kind of pain killers are provided?

Sorry for rambling on so much - I really hope I hear back from anyone that can offer up some piece of mind to me before I am boarding this tiny plane lol

Jenny

52 days to band land!!

[AngieB]

Hi, I am getting my band on Aug. 19th and am super excited but also very nervous.

I am coming down with my mum - neither of us has traveled before so that in itself is really freaking me out lol. Apart from stressing out about squeezing into a 17" plane seat (I have lost 37 pounds so far in preparation for this) on a 50 passenger plane...I am nervous about the whole Tijuana thing. I was hoping some of you here could help me wrap my head around all of this and give me some piece of mind! There are a few things in particular that I am a bit stressed about...

We are staying at the Lucerna, I have read mixed reviews about this hotel - does anyone have any comments or things I should know?

I understand there are 2 types of taxis in Tijuana, the yellow ones are expensive and the Libre ones are cheaper...is it safe to take the Libre ones? What are the tipping standards? Do you negotiate prices before getting in? Any comments on this would be appreciated!!!

Being the typical women that mum and I are...we naturally want to do some shopping...has anyone gone to the Plaza Rio? I would think English would be somewhat common being so close to the boarder...again, any comments or suggestions are much appreciated.

I keep reading about Revolucion Avenue - some love it and others say it is awful...you get harassed alot....is this something two women with NO travel experience or bartering experience should check out? My mum is older and I want to make sure she has a good time too. I am interested in checking it out but then I get rather intimidated and want to avoid it....since this is our one and only trip anywhere I hate to sit at the hotel the whole time (we will be down for 4 days not including our days in and out).

Mum is wondering how much $$ she should bring for food each day.

As for the surgery, how long do the pre-ops take? I am doing mine the day before.

Is there a shuttle on surgery day to take my mum back to the hotel?

I have only had one surgery and it was MANY years ago...my biggest worry is the pain killers, I have so many allergies (codiene, toradol, percocet...), the only thing substantial I have taken without any reaction is morphine - what kind of pain killers are provided?

Sorry for rambling on so much - I really hope I hear back from anyone that can offer up some piece of mind to me before I am boarding this tiny plane lol

Jenny

52 days to band land!!

Howdy Jenny! I am a traveler, so this was not to big of deal for me. My mom went with me too. She is well traveled also. We stayed at the Marriott and it was very nice. If you have any concerns about your stay, switch to the Marriott. You will be pleased.

The plane ride does stink for us larger people. Where are you flying in from? I have a 5-6 hour flight. 1 connection.

We took a cab from the Marriott down to Rev Ave. and made arrangements for the same driver to pick us back up. He was great, spoke limited english, but took us to an off the beat Mexican rest for the people who could eat, to eat. We had no problem with the taxi's and really they were very affordable. I recommend you and your mum to go shopping. Rev Ave is an total tourist place. We had a great time. Serveral of us who got banded the day before went down together. I think we spent 4 hours shopping. It was fun. I will say that a few of the "sales men" did pester us. Non of us were bothered by it really. It's what they do. Just keep telling them NO and walk on down the way

I took a few hundred down with me. I didn't need to eat and I stayed one less day than you are. I spent my cash shopping! English is common, but you will find many who do not speak english.

Hope you have a great time!

[jhawkchick75]

Congrats on your decision! Here are a few thoughts from me, but please remember everyone is different.

Traveling is not bad at all! We went down a day early and stayed in San Diego and the driver picked us up from our hotel in SD and took us straight to the OCC. I travel a bit, but not a ton and we were fine.

The trip back did stink as I had lots of gas and was in a bit more pain than others note. But again try to walk in the airport and wherever you can. Was with several other folks to cross back over the border and it was quick and easy. No problems at all.

I hated Revolution Ave. If I would have went before surgery it would have been fine, but I was bloated and sore and crabby and the people followed me up and down the street bugging me to buy stuff. One guy even followed my mom to the ATM while she got money which freaked me out a bit. I finally had to get rude and tell them their sunglasses were ugly so they would leave me alone!

Also, use cash as much as you can. At one of the stores they apparently wrote down my mom's CC # because she ended up later with purchases she did not make down there and had to cancel her card.

Besides being annoyed on the Avenue, my experiences in TJ were all great. I never felt unsafe, but also used good judgement and watched my surroundings. Had a great experience at Lucerna and would highly recommend it. Surprisingly the chicken broth there is pretty good and you can get a massage.

Best of luck! It will be here before you know it!

[DixyChixy1966]

Thanks Angie & Shelby for your words of encouragement - I sure need them right now!

I was originally scheduled to get my band last September but had to postpone it due to some stomach issues - I am soooo happy my turn is finally in sight!

I am in a small city in southern Alberta but it is only about a 3.5 hour flight to San Diego from what I understand. So much to think about before going down, I am also leaving my kids for the first time and although they are more than capable (and old enough at 17 and 19), it is certainly a lot of "stepping out of my comfort zone" doing this all!

You look fantastic Shelby! I can't wait to see some tangable results! I have lost 37 pounds in preparation for this adventure but have hit a plateau already...why is it we can maintain the weight when we don't want to and yet when we need to we can't???lol

I look forward to joining the banded life and learning from you all. Thanks so much for taking the time to respond to me, I really appreciate it!

Jenny :-h

[Red]

I'm so glad that this topic has come up for those of us soon to be banded at the OCC! Oh happy day! My husband and I discussed everything tonight and he is leary on all kinds of levels, but will support me on getting banded. I am going to arrange a date with OCC tomorrow. I can't tell you how excited I am!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I too have some questions for those of you that have already gone through this. Regarding the pre-op stuff mentioned on this site.....what is it? Are you sent a package with information, or do they call you and tell you all about what you are to do before your surgery date? Can anyone explain kind of what occurs once you arrange your surgery date?

Thanks!

Red

[VancouverGurl]

Hi, I am getting my band on Aug. 19th and am super excited but also very nervous.

I am coming down with my mum - neither of us has traveled before so that in itself is really freaking me out lol. Apart from stressing out about squeezing into a 17" plane seat (I have lost 37 pounds so far in preparation for this) on a 50 passenger plane...I am nervous about the whole Tijuana thing. I was hoping some of you here could help me wrap my head around all of this and give me some piece of mind! There are a few things in particular that I am a bit stressed about...

We are staying at the Lucerna, I have read mixed reviews about this hotel - does anyone have any comments or things I should know?

I understand there are 2 types of taxis in Tijuana, the yellow ones are expensive and the Libre ones are cheaper...is it safe to take the Libre ones? What are the tipping standards? Do you negotiate prices before getting in? Any comments on this would be appreciated!!!

Being the typical women that mum and I are...we naturally want to do some shopping...has anyone gone to the Plaza Rio? I would think English would be somewhat common being so close to the boarder...again, any comments or suggestions are much appreciated.

I keep reading about Revolucion Avenue - some love it and others say it is awful...you get harassed alot....is this something two women with NO travel experience or bartering experience should check out? My mum is older and I want to make sure she has a good time too. I am interested in checking it out but then I get rather intimidated and want to avoid it....since this is our one and only trip anywhere I hate to sit at the hotel the whole time (we will be down for 4 days not including our days in and out).

Mum is wondering how much $$ she should bring for food each day.

As for the surgery, how long do the pre-ops take? I am doing mine the day before.

Is there a shuttle on surgery day to take my mum back to the hotel?

I have only had one surgery and it was MANY years ago...my biggest worry is the pain killers, I have so many allergies (codiene, toradol, percocet...), the only thing substantial I have taken without any reaction is morphine - what kind of pain killers are provided?

Sorry for rambling on so much - I really hope I hear back from anyone that can offer up some piece of mind to me before I am boarding this tiny plane lol

Jenny

52 days to band land!!

First of all I have to tell you "dont worry" tijuana isnt that bad; no one dies at the border and you dont see people dealing drugs LOL

As for teh taxis, the hotel ur staying at has personal taxis that drop you off where ever you want and then you let them know a specific time to pick you up! so its really safe. I wouldnt take the other cabs just because they try to rip you off most times!!

The plaza Rio is really nice but hardly anyone speaks english but their stores are quite modern they have this one big department store like the "bay"- I dunno if you guys have that in the states but we do in canada.

For food, a meal at my hotel restaurant (Mariotte) was about $9 US

O and ur preops take like 15 minutes!!

OK I hope that helps

[AnneBlythe]

Hi Jenny and Red,

Just wanted to let you know that I live part-time in TJ and that you have a friend there if ever you need me. I am so happy for you that you are taking action to get healthy.

I got banded in January of 2006 weighing 312lbs and had lost 65 lbs. I have gained back 15 lbs. I have been at this weight for about 3 months now. I had felt like such a failure but now thanks to this forum I have hope once again!!! After reading so many wonderful things about Dr. Ortiz I am going to go see him as soon as he has an opening available. No more feeling guilty and disappointed.

As for TJ it is not as bad as it seems. Yes there are a lot of problems with drugs and arms but those affected are those that are involved in it. I have never had a problem after traveling there frequently for the last 8 years and living there for the past 2.

Travel Tips:

Exchange your dollars for pesos. There are a lot of currency exchange shops (Casa de Cambio) all over TJ and in San Ysidro. San Ysidro is the border town on the U.S. side. I have found that you can get more pesos for your dollar in San Ysidro. For tourist merchants may try to sell you something for $100 pesos and then say that they'll take $10 dollars for it. That means that they are selling it to you for $130 pesos based on the current exchange rate of $13 pesos to $1 dollar. Trust me you will be able to add up the savings.

Jewelry - don't pay anything more for 'silver' jewelry than you would for any costume jewelry. Although some pieces are stamped .925 they are not real. It is really hit and miss with the jewelry. Some of the pieces I've bought were real so hopefully that will be your lot as well.

Plaza Rio - Its a regular outdoor mall. I highly recommend the candy shop called "Dulces de Mexico." They have some pretty exotic, high-quality candy. They also have regular sweets if you're not so adventerous. The food court is not good at all. The movie theatre is pretty cool if you go to the VIP part. They have nice comfy leather seats.

CECUT - is the governmental cultural and arts center of tijuana. It has an imax theatre in a dome shape that is really worth checking out. It always has interesting art exhibits from artists all over the world. Its located very near Plaza Rio.

http://www.cecut.gob.mx/en/history.php

Avenida Revulocion - Be prepared for persistent salespeople. If you don't want to buy anything from them you must firmly tell them no and walk away ignoring them. It will probably be against your nature to do this but it is the only way.

Taxis - Use your PESOS... taxi drivers always pull a fast one on tourist with dollars!!! Negotiate before hand and tell them that you will check with some other taxi driver for a better rate... they'll come down on the rate.

[jhawkchick75]

I'm so glad that this topic has come up for those of us soon to be banded at the OCC! Oh happy day! My husband and I discussed everything tonight and he is leary on all kinds of levels, but will support me on getting banded. I am going to arrange a date with OCC tomorrow. I can't tell you how excited I am!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I too have some questions for those of you that have already gone through this. Regarding the pre-op stuff mentioned on this site.....what is it? Are you sent a package with information, or do they call you and tell you all about what you are to do before your surgery date? Can anyone explain kind of what occurs once you arrange your surgery date?

Thanks!

Red

Wow....I remember that day soooo very well when I set my date! It felt so good but freaked me out too. Congrats and make sure and tell us when it is!

As far as pre-op, depending on how much you have to lose Dr. Miranda will put you on a specific diet, but for most of us it was a protein shake for lunch and breakfast and then a sensible dinner - weight watchers or lean cuisine meal or a small portion of meat and veggies. I thought it would really suck but it wasn't that bad. By then your surgery date is so close (I went on mine 2 weeks out) that you are really pumped and motivated. Although I did feel the need to do the "farewell tour" of all my favorite places. Really funny though b/c I can still eat at most of them so it was really pointless to do that. If I could go back I wouldn't have done that.

Once you arrange your date they will send you an email that has a whole packet of info in it that you fill out and send to them as well as a bunch of info for you. I reached out and contacted Dr. Miranda myself early on so I could mentally prep myself for what to expect and she responded right back. I started to wean myself off stuff like pop early so it wouldn't be as bad.

Congrats again!

[jhawkchick75]

Thanks Angie & Shelby for your words of encouragement - I sure need them right now!

I was originally scheduled to get my band last September but had to postpone it due to some stomach issues - I am soooo happy my turn is finally in sight!

I am in a small city in southern Alberta but it is only about a 3.5 hour flight to San Diego from what I understand. So much to think about before going down, I am also leaving my kids for the first time and although they are more than capable (and old enough at 17 and 19), it is certainly a lot of "stepping out of my comfort zone" doing this all!

You look fantastic Shelby! I can't wait to see some tangable results! I have lost 37 pounds in preparation for this adventure but have hit a plateau already...why is it we can maintain the weight when we don't want to and yet when we need to we can't???lol

I look forward to joining the banded life and learning from you all. Thanks so much for taking the time to respond to me, I really appreciate it!

Jenny :-h

Thanks so much! I am very happy with my results thus far but have a bit to go. I'm at the weight I was at 16, but think I can get off about 15-20 more. The only reason I remember that was my weight at 16 is b/c I have never changed my weight on my drivers license! At least now i'm not lying on it! Now is the time where i'm at a plateau as well, but it's because I really need to start toning and working out very hard to get to where I need to be. The band is not a fix all and it's time for me to really crack down! I've been eating pretty well and working out, but need to take it up a notch.

Anytime you have questions or concerns just ask! I soooo remember being in your shoes! Just passed my 8 month last week - wow, I totally missed it woops just realized that just now!

[Red]

Shelby,

Thank you! I've received that packet, filled it all out, and faxed it back. I'm driving down from Yucaipa to San Ysidro on Monday, July 20th and will have my pre-ops that day; surgery on the 21st. Carolyn from OCC said I would be there until Friday the 24th, but I think it must be Thursday. I don't think anyone's spent a whole 5 days there, from what I read.

Tomorrow I'm going to the Post Office to try to get an expedited passport mucho fasto and will hope I can get it within 3 weeks. That would not rock my world if I ended up having to postpone my surgery due to lack of passport. (

Anyway, whew....things are on the move and boy am I ready!!!!!!!!!

[bigbear]

I was banded in March 09. We drove to the border and parked. Met the OCC van at the parking lot and they whisked us to the Marriott. The broth at the Marriott was very good and they have juices in the lobby every morning. My wife thought the food, you know stuff you need teeth for, was very good and our whole bill at the Marriott was $40.00 u.s. The OCC van picked us up at 7:00 am U.S. time so we were very early as during daylight savings time they do not change. By 2:00 that afternoon they took us back to the Marriott. The next morning, since everything was going ok they picked us up and took us back to our car. If you fly to San Diego they will pick you up at the airport. No Worrys. All very courteous, polite and wanting to help at every turn.

I know TJ sounds scary on the news but remember they are after viewers so a splinter is a major event.

[leahwebster]

This is what I noticed about Tj also, although a little pushy everyone REALLY wanted to help. I was always with a bilangual person and Found the work ethic there to be a breath of fresh air. I think the media makes TJ sound bad but it is really not. Ofcourse I went there for medical pourposes and was not looking for trouble. then again if you want to find trouble just go to LA. lol

[DixyChixy1966]

First of all I have to tell you "dont worry" tijuana isnt that bad; no one dies at the border and you dont see people dealing drugs LOL

As for teh taxis, the hotel ur staying at has personal taxis that drop you off where ever you want and then you let them know a specific time to pick you up! so its really safe. I wouldnt take the other cabs just because they try to rip you off most times!!

The plaza Rio is really nice but hardly anyone speaks english but their stores are quite modern they have this one big department store like the "bay"- I dunno if you guys have that in the states but we do in canada.

For food, a meal at my hotel restaurant (Mariotte) was about $9 US

O and ur preops take like 15 minutes!!

OK I hope that helps

Awesome, thanks for that info! I live in southern Alberta, nice to know there is another Canuck on here!

So the Lucerna has its own taxis? That is great...do you negotiate a price before getting in? What about tipping?

Wasn't sure if the Plaza Rio was worth checking out...because mum and I are such travel virgins we were feeling "safer" in the mall than on Revolucion! lol

Thanks for filling me in

[DixyChixy1966]

Hi Jenny and Red,

Just wanted to let you know that I live part-time in TJ and that you have a friend there if ever you need me. I am so happy for you that you are taking action to get healthy.

I got banded in January of 2006 weighing 312lbs and had lost 65 lbs. I have gained back 15 lbs. I have been at this weight for about 3 months now. I had felt like such a failure but now thanks to this forum I have hope once again!!! After reading so many wonderful things about Dr. Ortiz I am going to go see him as soon as he has an opening available. No more feeling guilty and disappointed.

As for TJ it is not as bad as it seems. Yes there are a lot of problems with drugs and arms but those affected are those that are involved in it. I have never had a problem after traveling there frequently for the last 8 years and living there for the past 2.

Travel Tips:

Exchange your dollars for pesos. There are a lot of currency exchange shops (Casa de Cambio) all over TJ and in San Ysidro. San Ysidro is the border town on the U.S. side. I have found that you can get more pesos for your dollar in San Ysidro. For tourist merchants may try to sell you something for $100 pesos and then say that they'll take $10 dollars for it. That means that they are selling it to you for $130 pesos based on the current exchange rate of $13 pesos to $1 dollar. Trust me you will be able to add up the savings.

Jewelry - don't pay anything more for 'silver' jewelry than you would for any costume jewelry. Although some pieces are stamped .925 they are not real. It is really hit and miss with the jewelry. Some of the pieces I've bought were real so hopefully that will be your lot as well.

Plaza Rio - Its a regular outdoor mall. I highly recommend the candy shop called "Dulces de Mexico." They have some pretty exotic, high-quality candy. They also have regular sweets if you're not so adventerous. The food court is not good at all. The movie theatre is pretty cool if you go to the VIP part. They have nice comfy leather seats.

CECUT - is the governmental cultural and arts center of tijuana. It has an imax theatre in a dome shape that is really worth checking out. It always has interesting art exhibits from artists all over the world. Its located very near Plaza Rio.

http://www.cecut.gob.mx/en/history.php

Avenida Revulocion - Be prepared for persistent salespeople. If you don't want to buy anything from them you must firmly tell them no and walk away ignoring them. It will probably be against your nature to do this but it is the only way.

Taxis - Use your PESOS... taxi drivers always pull a fast one on tourist with dollars!!! Negotiate before hand and tell them that you will check with some other taxi driver for a better rate... they'll come down on the rate.

Wow, this is great information and thanks for the offer - that is really nice of you!

I have been told to change my Canadian dollars to American dollars but sounds like I should be using Pesos...do I need any American money? How many pesos should I be getting??? One more thing to fret about! lol

To shop on Revulocion you recommend Pesos I gather...again, how many roughly for a few hours of shopping (not big ticket shoppers, just basic), I really appreciate some guidance with this as we were thinking American money all this time!

Jenny

[LisaLaw]

Hi, I am getting my band on Aug. 19th and am super excited but also very nervous.

I am coming down with my mum - neither of us has traveled before so that in itself is really freaking me out lol. Apart from stressing out about squeezing into a 17" plane seat (I have lost 37 pounds so far in preparation for this) on a 50 passenger plane...I am nervous about the whole Tijuana thing. I was hoping some of you here could help me wrap my head around all of this and give me some piece of mind! There are a few things in particular that I am a bit stressed about...

We are staying at the Lucerna, I have read mixed reviews about this hotel - does anyone have any comments or things I should know?

I understand there are 2 types of taxis in Tijuana, the yellow ones are expensive and the Libre ones are cheaper...is it safe to take the Libre ones? What are the tipping standards? Do you negotiate prices before getting in? Any comments on this would be appreciated!!!

Being the typical women that mum and I are...we naturally want to do some shopping...has anyone gone to the Plaza Rio? I would think English would be somewhat common being so close to the boarder...again, any comments or suggestions are much appreciated.

I keep reading about Revolucion Avenue - some love it and others say it is awful...you get harassed alot....is this something two women with NO travel experience or bartering experience should check out? My mum is older and I want to make sure she has a good time too. I am interested in checking it out but then I get rather intimidated and want to avoid it....since this is our one and only trip anywhere I hate to sit at the hotel the whole time (we will be down for 4 days not including our days in and out).

Mum is wondering how much $$ she should bring for food each day.

As for the surgery, how long do the pre-ops take? I am doing mine the day before.

Is there a shuttle on surgery day to take my mum back to the hotel?

I have only had one surgery and it was MANY years ago...my biggest worry is the pain killers, I have so many allergies (codiene, toradol, percocet...), the only thing substantial I have taken without any reaction is morphine - what kind of pain killers are provided?

Sorry for rambling on so much - I really hope I hear back from anyone that can offer up some piece of mind to me before I am boarding this tiny plane lol

Jenny

52 days to band land!!

1. Do not be afraid of TJ! It is a city just like any other. Take a deep breath and embrace the experience. I absolutely loved the Lucerna and will stay there when I get my TT. They are very attentive, great pool, free internet AND one of their waiters also has the band and he will keep an eagle eye over you about how quickly you eat your broth. They also had the best bowl of chicken broth I have ever had. I was surprised at how different TJ looks than any other city I have been to.

2. They have taxis waiting for you outside the Lucerna. Be sure to bring a couple of business cards with you so that if you do not speak any spanish, you can show the driver the card after your shopping

I did this when I went to China and it was a lifesaver

3. Plaza Rio is just like any mall...you will not get any great deals. You must go to Revolucion Avenue and bring lots of U.S. dollars - 1's, 5's and 10's

I ran out of money (I brought $150 US cash and my CC card - which only one vendor would take) and still wish I had bought a necklace I missed out on. Revolucion Ave is awesome and it is very tourist friendly.

4. My aunt and I walked three blocks west of the hotel to a great mexican restaurant - big yellow building. The food was amazing! It is very inexpensive to eat and the portions are enormous

5. I did my pre-op the morning of my surgery...maybe took an hour. Just and FYI - most people who do their pre-op the DAY before surgery end up having their surgery that same day. I preferred to wait so I could eat some of the best mexican food my tummy could fathom. Kind of like the last supper...LOL

6. Shuttle - YES! they provide all that

7. I did not need many pain killers, BUT everyone is different. I was very sore around my port which was uncomfortable. Some people are in alot of pain afterwards, but they are usually the same people Dr. O has to fix their hernias...which many overweight people do not realize they had.

8. I had such a fantastic experience and only wish I had done the surgery years ago. You are going to the best Dr. in the world for this surgery. deep breath and enjoy the ride.

[coppercorrie]

I was banded in Tijuana on March 15, 2008 and now celebrate it like it was a new birthdate. My surgeon was Dr. Lopez Corvala. I went to Tijuana alone and was so pleasantly surprised at how the staff cared for me. I was picked up at the parking facility on the US side of the border (I had driven in from Tucson) and my feet never touched the ground until we were at the hospital. The driver, the hopital security guard, and the cashiering staff all spoke English pretty well. The exray tech and the phlebotomist tried but did about as well as I do with my Spanish. My pre-op was so fast I couldn't believe it - nothing happens that fast in the US. I had warned the team that I had a sever hiatal hernia that they would have to deal with so I was scheduled last so I got to see how each patient was treated in the pre-op room. Again it was so different from the US; the cardiologist talked to me at length and by the way all of my MDs spoke beautiful English. The nursing staff in the hospital try very hard to learn and will ask you to teach them but many don't have enough English to communicate with you. Try to get the Spanish "cheat sheet" thats in the Post Op packet before you go. I was given this sheet the day after the surgery at a mandatory meeting and it would have been very helpful if I had already memorized it before I got there. I have difficulty with IVs even in the states and ran into some trouble with mine there and didn't know how to communicate with the nurse. It was no big deal but it would have been nice to have had a few key phrases memorized.

I was so very fortunate to have 3 terrific people being banded with me that day, two of them Canadians and they sort of adopted me.

I didn't do any shopping prior to my surgery but did do a little with my new Canadian friends after. You want to take it kind of easy and listen to your body. You don't want to over do and be wore out for your plane ride. As for the Lucerna I found it to be comfortable. I'm sure it was posh in its hey day and maybe has lost a little luster but it was comfortable, quiet and very close. Oh and the soup was awesome.

I went back to tijuana for fills a couple of times, once with my husband and once alone. The sales people are persistant but not dangerous. The city and border police know how important tourists' dollars are and they keep a tight reign on things. As for the price/quality issue that is hard to say. Its Mexico so if you get swindled a couple of dollars it is sort of part of the experience. Just don't buy high dollar items. I bought some blouses that I absolutely love and my husband got some Tequila that is "the best he's ever had" so you can make good purchases there.

I hope you have a wonderful visit and a safe and successful surgery.

Corrie - Tucson, AZ

[DixyChixy1966]

Wow, this is so awesome hearing from you all!!! Thank you so much, you have definitely put my mind at ease!!!

I have another question, a couple of people have told me to get hep A & B shots and also start an anti-diarreah medicine before coming down...is this something I need to do? My sister has been to Mexico a couple of times and never did this and my g/f that had that band at OCC last July never did....what is everyone's opinion on this? I am supposed to go Friday morning to my doctor so any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

[DixyChixy1966]

Thanks so much for all of this great information - you have all definitely built my confidence up and I am not as stressed as I was!

I want to ask you all your opinion on something else - some people are telling me that mum and I should get hep A & B shots and also get a prescription for Dukoral (?) to help prevent us from getting a bad tummy and the trots....did any of you do this? My g/f that was just banded at OCC didn't do any of this so I am kind of torn on the subject. These shots are not covered by health insurance nor is the medicine and they are all very expensive so I don't want to jump into this if you all don't think it is necessary...I have to go to the doctor the day after tomorrow so any advice I can get would be awesome.

Thanks again for all of this great information!

Jenny

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This is why I LOVE this forum. Everyone is so helpful and just so wonderful. I am driving 2 hours to the border alone, and back alone. I'm not worried. I'm not scared. I have had so much great input from everyone that I just can't wait to go and get it done. I hope I meet some of you there! My hubby was so funny today. He said the real reason I'm doing this is so I can get from the 13's to the 12's in drag racing! #-o