Recommendations for Almanza's (and maybe other MX surgeons') patients
by
, 02-15-2012 at 07:56 PM (4149 Views)
My recommendations for items to pack are:
- if you are hypoglycemic, take a few mints to suck on prior to surgery. (it was okay'd by them for me to keep my sugar levels up until surgery.)
- Lip balm/chapstick (Nivea Kiss of Smoothness is my fav b/c it’s not waxy or greasy.)
- GasX Strips- NOT the pills
- A big safety pin- to attach your drain to your pants or gown
- A heating pad (I actually attached my safety pin to my heating pad for easy access.) Pack your heating pad where it can be easily accessed immediately after surgery.
- COMFY pants, shorts, or capris - a little looser than you think you will need. It was in the 70s and 80s when we were there the end of January.
- Shoes that are easy to slide on
- Warm socks (my feet are always cold now)
- Slippers to wear in the hospital
- Gauze/larger bandaids/tape, if you are staying at the hotel*
- Alcohol swabs (or lotion) to use to take the adhesive off your skin - Whatever tape that they use at the hospital has the best adhesive I have ever seen. It took me a over week to get it off but I didn't take one of these items. What ended up working for me was putting vitamin E lotion on my stomach and leaving it alone overnight. It just rubbed off in the shower the next morning.
- $20 (US) cash - if you want your leak test xray*
- Some people recommended "Depends", in case of accidents from the "gas" (I didn't need them.)
- Lomotil, in case you end up w/diarrhea (requires a Rx)
- Hibiclens to bathe w/before surgery and for the first week after
- Sippy cup – It will really help you to learn to drink post op.
- Stuff to make your "clear" liquids for the day before surgery and the day you go home (If you stay at the hotel, you will also need some for those 2 days. A $.70 pack of Maggi Chicken Bouillon is what I took.)
- Children's Chewable Tylenol (in case you get a headache)
- Children's Chewable Claratin, if you have allergies and need to take any allergy medicine
- If you are taking a guest and staying at the Ticuan, a $300 visa gift card should be more than enough for your 2 nights at the hotel (about $112 for both nights), some shopping, and your guest’s meals. That’s what we did and still had almost half of the money left on the card.*
* = For Almanza patients, sorry, I don't know about the other doctors.
Misc tips:
- For shopping, I highly recommend using either a visa gift card or credit card, instead of cash. This will give you a better exchange rate.
- If you go shopping in the tourist area, barter w/the shop clerks, it won’t insult them. Don’t accept the first price they tell you and don’t be afraid to walk away. They want the sale and will come after you. (We didn’t care for the first store we went into. Nothing really jumped out at us but we go to Mexico every year. Several of their silver items were marked “925” but, in Spanish, they were also marked “plated”. The store next door had a better selection and better prices.)
- If you stay at the hotel, go to the OXXO store on the corner and get some Nestle apple and/or grape juice in the little bottles w/a squirt top. You can reuse the bottles after you finish the juice for crystal light/propel zero or whatever you want to drink. Also, the Nestle Frizz Limon popsicles were a lifesaver!
Somethings that might benefit any sleeve patients:
- If you still have your gallbladder, ask your PCP about a Rx for ursodiol.
- Have some Pedialyte on hand for when you get home, just in case you start to get dehydrated post-op.