Note – before I went to TJ I contacted some people who’d been there before me. Shelley Goe has graciously allowed me to share her email to me - Tania

 

Finally – answers to some of your questions.

 

How to pay – I took a cashiers check made payable to him for the full amount and gave it to him right away so I didn’t have to carry it around anymore.

 

Hotels – I saw in your post to Bandsters that you were making hotel reservations so you probably have this already figured out. But here’s a thought… if you husband is “willing” he could stay with you in the hospital. It is very common and accepted in Mexico for people to do that. I had a “private” room – one bed, but there was a roll away cot in the closet for this purpose. On the form I filled out for the hospital, there was a even a question asking who had come with me and their relationship to me. My mother-in-law lives in San Diego and took me across the border. She did not stay with me however (nor did I want her too – LOL – long story). It would save the expense of the hotel and eliminate the transportation issue for your husband. When I was there, I did spend one more night in Tijuana at the Country Club Hotel. It was very nice, but not right around the corner from the hospital. If you think you might want to do this, speak to Dr. K about it.

 

Hospital stay – I went in the evening before surgery, had surgery first thing the next morning and spent that night there. Checked out around noon the following day and spent that night at the hotel. Stopped by Dr. K’s office the next morning so he could check out my incisions and flew home that afternoon. So two nights in the hospital for me. I imagine you will do the same, although it is feasible that you could get out same day. My surgery was longer than most because I WAS so big. OOOooo that felt good to say was instead of is! I am (still am) very thick through the middle – a real barrel body so there was lots to get through in order to get the surgery done so I was under the general for like 3 hours. Anyway, because of all that it took me longer to get on my feet than most. How long after your surgery do you fly back home?

 

Food or fasting beforehand – I went out with my MIL in San Diego and had a very yummy lunch the day before my surgery – one more “last” meal and all that. Complete with bread pudding for dessert. I think I had French onion soup and a big sandwich (knowing bread might be an issue post-op as it is for many) Then I didn’t eat the rest of the day. When Dr. Kuri took me to the hospital he asked if I had eaten dinner and I said no – so he had them bring me some soup and jello and tea. I kept insisting that I didn’t need anything – but they did it anyway. So of course, I ate it.

 

Pre-op procedures – they drew blood in the lab on the first floor of his office building the day before surgery – that was it. I had no co-morbids to speak of except joint pain so there wasn’t really anything to check out. They don’t do the huge battery of pre-op work that is done here in the US. After checking into the hospital, an internal medicine doctor came and asked me a bunch of questions. Early the next morning the anesthesiology came and asked his questions. Both spoke reasonably good English and they seemed to ask all the right questions. Before surgery they had me shower with anti-bacterial soap. I felt very comfortable with it all. Post-op – I did a barium swallow before I checked out of the hospital so they could see the positioning of the band. That was it.

 

I had a great experience with my surgery and Dr. Kuri. He quotes you a true “package deal”. You aren’t charged piece by piece for every pill and needle and tube and gauze strip they use in the hospital. Out of what you give him, he takes care of the hospital charges and the anesthesiology and radiology there. The only other expenses I had related to the surgery while there was $20 or $30 for the 2 prescriptions I took back with me. One for Keflex and the other for Dolac (pain). I took 2 of the 10 Dolac. One each the first two nights out of the hospital to ensure that I would sleep well.

 

I think I was maybe the third person on the eGroups list to go to Dr. Kuri and it was mostly an economic decision for me. He was cheaper than Dr. Rumbaut. Plus, it’s cheaper to fly to SD and cross to TJ than to fly to Monterrey. And I return for fills so it all adds up fast. Also having my MIL there in SD made my husband feel better about the whole thing – he really did not want me to do this at all. I knew that two RNs from Washington (Frances Orth and her friend Laurie – you’ll see Frances on the list from time to time) were going down for surgery a couple weeks ahead of me. Frances was the first I knew to have surgery there so I was anxious to hear about their impressions and experiences. I figured I could always back out and reschedule with Rumbaut if they gave it the “thumbs down” when they returned.

 

This is the message I received from Frances right after she returned home from Tijuana:

 

 

Dr. Kuri is wonderful very gracious and kind. His office and hospital are in old part of Mexico. His office is very nice inside. When crossing border into Mexico. Be prepared awful sewer smell. This city has 2 million people and is dirty and smog is awful they have a lot of older make cars. Once you get to Dr. office or Hotel all is well. Is your husband still apprehensive about conditions? I can say for the amount of antibiotics I received in hospital I won't get an infection. The Hospital is very small only 16 beds total. The hospital is run by the Franciscan Sisters. The hospital is in a very old building - no air-conditioning. The beds are very clean, sheets smelled wonderful. The walls are freshly painted. The floors are made of tile and the grout is black so always wear shoes because your feet will get black. The nurses are very nice. They speak Spanish only. I know a lot of Spanish because we have a lot of farm workers here that I treat in hospital. Please know that I was very apprehensive at first about hospital because it is small and bathrooms smelt bad. But you must know that the sewers in Tijuana are old and the smell comes right from the drains and also the water is not real clean so take good antibacterial soap and bottled water is provided at the hotel. I think I had one glass of tea made with the local water and I had no ill effects. The nurses are clean and use alcohol on cotton balls whenever you get a shot, they do not use gloves, except, when in surgery. I can assure you that all the equipment in the hospital was sufficient. I am a very high-risk patient, I have High blood pressure, multiple drug allergies, and 1 life threatening reaction to anesthesia in the past. I had no complications in this little hospital in Tijuana. But please prepare your husband for the smells and poor environment. These people make only 100 to 200 dollars a week in wages if that gives you an idea. If I as a nurse in a very upscale hospital in the US would agree to surgery, I think that should indicate that I felt ok about the whole thing. Yes I was scared, Yes I worried for myself and my dear friend. But I can not live another day being Fat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bottom line I received good care, surgery went smoothly and recovery is going great I have lost 12 pounds in just 5 days. I can't eat much but feel full when I do, I take vitamins and meds (all crushed) I also exercise 20-30 minutes a day usually a nice walk at this point. My husband is a great strength and very helpful. Rubbed my back in the hospital when it hurt from the gas that dissipates through the skin after the surgery. This is very common reaction to laparoscopic procedures due to the CO2 that they use to view inside the abdomen easier. Another thing, do not bring travelers cheques nobody will accept them. You must take cash or credit card. We did not lose anything in motel, there are security guards there and at the hospital. We felt very safe!! Well I have to go I have to get a shower and walk in. Write back I will answer all questions honestly!! Frances

 

 

Frances’ opinion carried A LOT of weight (LOL, pun intended) with me, her being a nurse and all. I felt like I was getting an in-between-the-lines caution from her to keep an open mind and not worry about the hospital when I got there. When I asked her about that after my return she wrote:

 

So glad to here all is well with you, I think about you every day, and I hope you know as I do that you made the right decision. Yes I was trying to choose my words very carefully about the hospital. I was afraid to scare anybody off, especially since everything went so well for me and my friend Laura. I didn't know what to say about the hospital other than what I told you. OH ya, LOL about the EKG machine!!! Did you get little suction cup hickeys, I had 5 of them around my left boob, my friend and I laughed and joked about that for about a week!! Still ROTHFLMAO, if you don't know what that means I will send you answer?? But in all honesty I have been a nurse for 20 years and they still used that type of EKG in small offices in US until about 10 years ago. I saw the EKG when finished and it was same as last one I had at the Cardiologist... Frances

 

The hospital IS a real trip. It is not the new and modern facility you hear Dr. Rumbaut’s patients speak about. It is in an old building and not far from Dr. Kuri’s office. Now there are old buildings here and there and everywhere in Tijuana that are pretty nasty looking, but this building is in good condition, just old. It really took me back in time to our local hospital as it was about 30 years ago before remodeling and building additions. It is a very small hospital, I think 16 beds. It is not air-conditioned. But the temperature was quite comfortable to me. There is very little air conditioning in Tijuana (the Country Club Hotel has it though). It’s cooler because it is coastal and has lots of breezes. Windows were open and it was not stuffy. The chairs that are there for visitors in your room are like hard plastic chairs from the 60s that you might pick up at a yard sale here. The hospital bed was electric but it was not new and shiny. That’s the way things are everywhere there, not just the hospital. They don’t have this obsession with new and shiny there. If it still works, you don’t replace it. They give you an EKG in the hospital. It is an old antique looking piece of equipment, but it did the trick. Frances and Laura really got a kick out of it. I understand a little Spanish (lived in Houston for 15 years so had a lot of exposure there to the Hispanic community) and didn’t find the language barrier a problem. There were a couple of nurses who could get out a few words of English – and we used hand motions to get the rest accomplished. I knew the word for pain was “dolor”. Wanted to be sure I could express that to them. Also knew the word for bathroom.

 

Okay, I’ll stop carrying on about the hospital conditions. I’m just very glad that Frances prepared me for it – we are so spoiled by all the frills here in America. I would hate to see someone go down there unprepared and expecting more. Going through surgery is stressful enough. And I know, at least for me, that going into it confidently and relaxed helped a lot with my quick recovery. I normally am a quick healer and bounce back quickly from sickness, childbirth, etc. This was true with my banding as well. I think that all of us can probably predict with reasonable accuracy how our recovery will go based on past experiences. By 5 days post op I was probably 95%. I began walking daily at 3 days post op. The only thing that bothered me beyond that time was tenderness at my port incision. This is really the most invasive part of the surgery and it takes the longest to heal. I sleep on my left side most of the time so I noticed it most then. But that was gone in short order too.

 

A few other things that I noticed while I was there. Not once in the whole time did I see a multi-part form. Paperwork was very minimal. Dr. Kuri asked a number of questions at his office before we went to the hospital and he filled out his own form there, rather than giving me a form to fill out. When we got to the hospital, there was no admissions desk. He took me down the hall, opened the door to a room and said “here, we can use this room”. Then he went and got a form for me to fill out for them, which was totally in Spanish. But it was all basic questions that I could muddle through and were pretty obvious. Name, address. Name of person accompanying you. Name of your doctor. A couple of other questions that I couldn’t make out so I left them blank and no one cared. There was a TV in the room but I never watched it. The day after my surgery, Dr. K turned it on so I could watch his infomercial that he has on the local TV there. Every stick I’ve had with a needle in Mexico has been great. I always end up with several attempts and bruises afterward, but not there. I couldn’t even tell I had had an IV in my arm and usually this is ugly for days and days. You might want to take some juice with you – 100% juice – not junk juice if you are staying over a night after your surgery. Then you won’t have to pick some up there. Juice and water is all you get for a day or two.

 

I wrestled with what to tell people about my Tijuana experience when I returned. I don’t want to gloss it over and make it seem like a piece of cake. It was more of an adventure than anything. I was very relaxed the whole time and never afraid. I’m a Christian and I took God along with me and let him take care of things. It worked out well for me. I’m known by my friends to be a bit of a rebel and renegade. I prefer to call it adventurous and pioneering. Traveling to Tijuana for your surgery is not something I would recommend for the more shy, timid, anxious people among us. For them, perhaps the extra money is well spent on the trip to Monterrey or in the trials. For me, I’m glad the money is still in the bank. Tijuana is no resort city – but then neither is Monterrey. I’ve enjoyed my trips there and spending a little time with fellow Bandsters is great!

 

Again, I’m sorry it took me so long to respond to your questions. Counting down the days until surgery is an anxious time and being armed with as much info as possible can help ease that anxiety. If there is anything else I can do to help you, please let me know.

 

Shelley