Enough Already

October 31, 2008

, I want to thank you being brave enough to share your experience. I am going down Monday to be sleeved and I am glad that I am better prepared for what MIGHT happen. I hope that my experience is as wonderful as some of the others that were posted.

I am not nervous about going down. This is a dream come true for me and I cannot wait to have this done and to start the beginning of my new life.Thanks to all who post for sharing your questions and experiences with all of us who read them.

Keep me in your thoughts and prayers for my upcoming tripThanksOn Fri, Oct 31, 2008 at 9:41 AM, Krogman <sakrogman@...> wrote:

People are saying that I have a bad attitude, but I don't understand

how my stating facts about my trip transfer to me having a bad attitude.

- How does Ernesto driving 90 while passing someone with oncoming

traffic transfer to me as having a bad attitude? This didn't happen

once, but happened for my entire trip down and back.

- How does the fact the hotel smelled like smoke and gave us both

headaches a problem with my attitude? I couldn't change it, I was

just stating a fact.

- How does the fact that the nurse wasn't wearing gloves while taking

my blood mean that I have a bad attitude? I was just making a

statement of what I noticed and then get attacked and called a liar on

here.

- I never said anything about sharps containers. I said I didn't see

any toxic wastebaskets for blood - meaning all of my blood covered

items went directly into my trash...and why does this fact mean I have

a bad attitude?

- Yeah, I felt like crap for 3 days, but you can ask others that were

there I was always friendly and most of the time had a smile on my

face...how is this a bad attitude?

I never even said I had a bad experience. Maybe the people reading

what I went through in their owns minds would have labeled it a 'bad'

experience, but I said nothing of the sort. I was just tell 'my

experience'.

I've been emailed by people who agreed with almost everything I wrote,

so I know I'm not the only one here. Everyone else is just afraid of

what people will say, and figure it's not worth the effort. The

feeling is, if you don't have anything but perfection to say, don't

say anything at all...or else.

All in all, I'm glad I went and I'm very happy to now be sleeved.

>

> I just had surgery with Dr. Aceves one week ago today. I was sleeved

> on the 22nd. I honestly don't know why people on the boards write

> that it's such a great experience.. .it's a HARD few days! Everything

> they write is pretty accurate as far as the schedule:

>

> - You fly into San Diego.

>

> - Ernesto picks you up and then drives like a mad-man to Mexicali,

> he'll actually drive you right to the hospital.

>

> - You then go inside and be seated and given a clear vial/cup to pee

> in. Once you come out of the bathroom, holding your yellowish filled

> cup (and everyone else being right there to see it), will take

> it from you and you're on to step 2.

>

> - Step 2 is them taking blood samples. The lady that took my blood

> had no gloves on and had a big syringe that she stuck my left hand

> and filled up. Then took that and filled 3 smaller vials. Although

> she did a great job with only sticking me once to get my blood, it

> was a quite different than the US with the lack of gloves and

> treating blood like toxic waste. I didn't see any of the 'red toxic

> wastebaskets' you see here in the US to discard stuff with blood in

> or on it.

>

> - After having your blood drawn, you'll be taken to get weighed, have

> an x-ray and an ekg- Then you all get together and meet in a room

> with Yolanda and she gives you some paperwork to fill out later that

> night and you fork over the money. Yolanda is fantastic.

>

> - After you're done there, Ernesto takes you on a wild 'stop-and-go

> filled' ride through the streets of Mexico to the hotel.

>

> - You'll have some time to relax at the hotel. There's several

> places to eat that are all part of the hotel. The hotel is actually

> really nice on the outside, but our room smelled horribly like smoke

> and instantly give my wife and I headaches. We tried to explain it

> to the staff and to get them to spray something in there to make it

> better...Not sure what they sprayed, but it was worse than the smoke-

> smell. We decided to get out of there and get something to eat! You

> can eat anything that night.

>

> - At 7:40 that night Dr. Campos came and met with all of us in a

> conference room at the hotel. He talked about the procedures a

> little and answered a few questions. Lasted about 40 minutes. He

> seemed like he was ready to leave, and kind of cut our questions

> short...but later my wife and I assumed he wanted to get to bed for a

> long next day.

>

> - 7 am the next day Ernesto will pick you up and take you to the

> hospital and taken to a room.

>

> - Then Dr. Aceves (this is the first time I saw him) will meet with

> everyone in 1 room and talk about what's going to happen. There were

> 3 sleeves and a band when I was there. He wouldn't tell us the order

> or who was going first, you just have to go back to your room and

> wait for them to come get you. Well, we knew the band was going

> first, but he wouldn't tell us the order of the sleeves.- Then they

> wheel you off . . . and . . . then you wake up in the recovery room.

>

> - I was very out of it - had a VERY hard time keeping my eyes open.

>

> - The rest of the day was pretty rough on me. I had pretty much non-

> stop dry heaves, and once I threw up a bunch of blood. It was a

> really bad experience. My wife called in a nurse when I puked all

> the blood and she said 'it's normal'. Dumped it out, rinsed it in

> our sink and put the container on a shelf up above the toilet. We

> weren't given a new one (and the sink where it was rinsed was the

> sink we were using for brushing our teeth, washing our hands, etc.

> Didn't seem very sanitary - but I'm used to the GOOD 'OL USA!

>

> - After more dry heaves and passing in and out of consciousness I

> think the day finally ended.

>

> - time to recover.

>

> I had my sleeve done on the 22nd and left the hospital on the 25th.

> On the 24th, I was NOT looking forward to Ernesto and his driving

> techniques driving me back to the airport the next day. I really

> didn't feel well enough to do it. After surgery on the 22nd, and all

> through the 24th, were really hard days for me.

>

> I went to sleep on the 24th about 8:40 and woke up about 3:30 am

> ready to get the heck back into the States. I took a shower (at

> about 3:45) and turned on the tv afterwards. I guess I didn't give

> much thought to my wife trying to sleep, I was ready to start the

> day! I actually felt pretty good the 25th and made the 11 hour trip

> back to my house with no problems.

>

> While in the hospital, we were pretty much left alone (Dr's didn't

> come check on us like they did with everyone else writing comments).

> After my surgery, I only saw Dr. Aceves 3 times, and 2 of those times

> were in 'passing' while I was out trying to walk around. Dr. Campos

> came in my room maybe once a day, and a couple times the day before

> we were to leave. I think there was another Dr. who stopped in once

> or twice. NOTHING like the 4-5 times per day other people are

> saying.

>

> I felt I had a lot of questions on what was going on with my stomach

> post-op, but when trying to ask the questions, said it was normal and

> I'll have to figure it out...GREAT, THANKS!

>

> Other times when asking questions to the Dr.'s, I felt they didn't

> really understand my question and were quick to answer with

> a 'standard' response and get the heck outta my room.

>

> The 2nd night around 8pm I was brushed off by a couple staff

> members. After being able to get the start of a bowel movement out,

> but it being 'stuck' because I was unable to push ... couldn't push

> because my stomach hurt way too much (from surgery and from dry-

> heaving so much). I asked for some stool softener so I could get it

> out. They didn't know what that was, so they were going to check

> into it with someone else. Then came back and said it was just gas,

> and it's normal. REAL NICE..... I THINK I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON

> WITH MY BODY. I REALLY felt brushed off and upset with the

> situation. I went to sleep, but got up at 11pm and was finally able

> to get it out. And no, it wasn't gas....

>

> The language barrier pretty much SUCKS....just know that going into

> it. Or, if you know fluent Spanish, more power to you - you'll be

> fine.

>

> Yes, they clean the floors a lot. Smells horrible and stinks up your

> room several times a day.

>

> Whether I'd do it again in Mexicali or not, I don't know. I think

> Dr. Aceves is pretty knowledgeable and skilled at what he does, but I

> assume there are other Dr.'s with the same competance/experien ce.

>

> My wife would say there's NO WAY she'd want to do it again in

> Mexicali. I'm just trying to give you the most information I can on

> how everything went and let you make your own decision on it.

>

> As for the surgery itself, I'm glad I'm through with it and am

> looking forward to getting my life back as a thinner person.

>

October 31, 2008

I read your original note and did not see you as having a bad attitude. I saw you as a very observant person. Your experience was different from mine and I appreciate your input. Thank you for having the courage to put it out there and continue in the discussion. Lois

From: Krogman <sakrogman@...>Subject: Re: Enough already Date: Friday, October 31, 2008, 6:41 AM

People are saying that I have a bad attitude, but I don't understandhow my stating facts about my trip transfer to me having a bad attitude. - How does Ernesto driving 90 while passing someone with oncomingtraffic transfer to me as having a bad attitude? This didn't happenonce, but happened for my entire trip down and back. - How does the fact the hotel smelled like smoke and gave us bothheadaches a problem with my attitude? I couldn't change it, I wasjust stating a fact.- How does the fact that the nurse wasn't wearing gloves while takingmy blood mean that I have a bad attitude? I was just making astatement of what I noticed and then get attacked and called a liar onhere.- I never said anything about sharps containers. I said I didn't seeany toxic wastebaskets for blood - meaning all of my blood covereditems went directly into my trash...and why does this fact mean I havea

bad attitude?- Yeah, I felt like crap for 3 days, but you can ask others that werethere I was always friendly and most of the time had a smile on myface...how is this a bad attitude?I never even said I had a bad experience. Maybe the people readingwhat I went through in their owns minds would have labeled it a 'bad'experience, but I said nothing of the sort. I was just tell 'myexperience'.I've been emailed by people who agreed with almost everything I wrote,so I know I'm not the only one here. Everyone else is just afraid ofwhat people will say, and figure it's not worth the effort. Thefeeling is, if you don't have anything but perfection to say, don'tsay anything at all...or else.All in all, I'm glad I went and I'm very happy to now be sleeved.> > I just had surgery with Dr. Aceves one week ago today. I was sleeved > on the 22nd. I honestly don't know why people on the boards write > that it's such a great experience.. .it's a HARD few days! Everything > they write is pretty accurate as far as the schedule: > > - You fly into San Diego.> > - Ernesto picks you up and then drives like a mad-man to Mexicali, > he'll actually drive you right to the hospital.> > - You then go inside and be seated and given a clear vial/cup to pee > in. Once you come out of the bathroom, holding your yellowish filled > cup (and everyone else being right there to see it), will take > it from you and you're on to step 2.> > - Step 2 is them taking blood samples. The lady that took my blood > had no gloves

on and had a big syringe that she stuck my left hand > and filled up. Then took that and filled 3 smaller vials. Although > she did a great job with only sticking me once to get my blood, it > was a quite different than the US with the lack of gloves and > treating blood like toxic waste. I didn't see any of the 'red toxic > wastebaskets' you see here in the US to discard stuff with blood in > or on it.> > - After having your blood drawn, you'll be taken to get weighed, have > an x-ray and an ekg- Then you all get together and meet in a room > with Yolanda and she gives you some paperwork to fill out later that > night and you fork over the money. Yolanda is fantastic.> > - After you're done there, Ernesto takes you on a wild 'stop-and-go > filled' ride through the streets of Mexico to the hotel. > > - You'll have some time to relax at the

hotel. There's several > places to eat that are all part of the hotel. The hotel is actually > really nice on the outside, but our room smelled horribly like smoke > and instantly give my wife and I headaches. We tried to explain it > to the staff and to get them to spray something in there to make it > better...Not sure what they sprayed, but it was worse than the smoke-> smell. We decided to get out of there and get something to eat! You > can eat anything that night.> > - At 7:40 that night Dr. Campos came and met with all of us in a > conference room at the hotel. He talked about the procedures a > little and answered a few questions. Lasted about 40 minutes. He > seemed like he was ready to leave, and kind of cut our questions > short...but later my wife and I assumed he wanted to get to bed for a > long next day.> > - 7 am the next day

Ernesto will pick you up and take you to the > hospital and taken to a room.> > - Then Dr. Aceves (this is the first time I saw him) will meet with > everyone in 1 room and talk about what's going to happen. There were > 3 sleeves and a band when I was there. He wouldn't tell us the order > or who was going first, you just have to go back to your room and > wait for them to come get you. Well, we knew the band was going > first, but he wouldn't tell us the order of the sleeves.- Then they > wheel you off . . . and . . . then you wake up in the recovery room.> > - I was very out of it - had a VERY hard time keeping my eyes open. > > - The rest of the day was pretty rough on me. I had pretty much non-> stop dry heaves, and once I threw up a bunch of blood. It was a > really bad experience. My wife called in a nurse when I puked all > the blood

and she said 'it's normal'. Dumped it out, rinsed it in > our sink and put the container on a shelf up above the toilet. We > weren't given a new one (and the sink where it was rinsed was the > sink we were using for brushing our teeth, washing our hands, etc. > Didn't seem very sanitary - but I'm used to the GOOD 'OL USA!> > - After more dry heaves and passing in and out of consciousness I > think the day finally ended.> > - time to recover. > > I had my sleeve done on the 22nd and left the hospital on the 25th. > On the 24th, I was NOT looking forward to Ernesto and his driving > techniques driving me back to the airport the next day. I really > didn't feel well enough to do it. After surgery on the 22nd, and all > through the 24th, were really hard days for me. > > I went to sleep on the 24th about 8:40 and woke up about 3:30 am

> ready to get the heck back into the States. I took a shower (at > about 3:45) and turned on the tv afterwards. I guess I didn't give > much thought to my wife trying to sleep, I was ready to start the > day! I actually felt pretty good the 25th and made the 11 hour trip > back to my house with no problems. > > While in the hospital, we were pretty much left alone (Dr's didn't > come check on us like they did with everyone else writing comments). > After my surgery, I only saw Dr. Aceves 3 times, and 2 of those times > were in 'passing' while I was out trying to walk around. Dr. Campos > came in my room maybe once a day, and a couple times the day before > we were to leave. I think there was another Dr. who stopped in once > or twice. NOTHING like the 4-5 times per day other people are > saying. > > I felt I had a lot of questions on what was

going on with my stomach > post-op, but when trying to ask the questions, said it was normal and > I'll have to figure it out...GREAT, THANKS! > > Other times when asking questions to the Dr.'s, I felt they didn't > really understand my question and were quick to answer with > a 'standard' response and get the heck outta my room. > > The 2nd night around 8pm I was brushed off by a couple staff > members. After being able to get the start of a bowel movement out, > but it being 'stuck' because I was unable to push ... couldn't push > because my stomach hurt way too much (from surgery and from dry-> heaving so much). I asked for some stool softener so I could get it > out. They didn't know what that was, so they were going to check > into it with someone else. Then came back and said it was just gas, > and it's normal. REAL NICE..... I THINK I KNOW

WHAT'S GOING ON > WITH MY BODY. I REALLY felt brushed off and upset with the > situation. I went to sleep, but got up at 11pm and was finally able > to get it out. And no, it wasn't gas.... > > The language barrier pretty much SUCKS....just know that going into > it. Or, if you know fluent Spanish, more power to you - you'll be > fine. > > Yes, they clean the floors a lot. Smells horrible and stinks up your > room several times a day. > > Whether I'd do it again in Mexicali or not, I don't know. I think > Dr. Aceves is pretty knowledgeable and skilled at what he does, but I > assume there are other Dr.'s with the same competance/experien ce. > > My wife would say there's NO WAY she'd want to do it again in > Mexicali. I'm just trying to give you the most information I can on > how everything went and let you make your own

decision on it. > > As for the surgery itself, I'm glad I'm through with it and am > looking forward to getting my life back as a thinner person.>

October 31, 2008

Well Easy!!!! if you are so used to the USA and you loved it why did you go to have it done in Mexico???????

Let me just say normally people get out what they put in??? believe me if you are looking for something wrong you will find it even in Heaven does it make any sense?

I was there and I had a GREAT!!! time all around yes you are in pain but they were so nice and helpfull that make it all better and I went there all by myself....

From: Krogman <sakrogman@...>Subject: Re: Enough already Date: Friday, October 31, 2008, 9:41 AM