Mexico Recovery/Airplane Travel After Surgery

Thanks for the link to your YouTube chronicling your journey through VSG and plastics in Mexico.

Hi Kristin! Again it was so great meeting you and Joni last November. I'm getting ready to go back to Monterrey for my surgeries next week. A quick question: What size yoga pants to bring? The ones that fit now, are snug, or those that are big on me? I'm having the vertical thigh lift among other procedures. My thighs will eventually be smaller but wasn't sure what to do given that there's going to be swelling. Thanks for the info about the exact amount of tipping; I wasn't sure. Also, what types of gifts might Paty like? Best to you and Joni!

I wore loose dresses after my leg lift - even the idea of trying to pull on pants was a bad one!

I know Patti loves silver jewelry... she wears some beautiful, meaningful gift pieces! Joni lost SO MANY inches that her clothes were HUGE...The swelling seemed minimal compared to the inches lost, so I'd think snug now. Kimonos were VERY helpful and Maxi dresses. HAVE A WONDERFUL TRIP!

Definitely request wheelchair assistance. MTY isn't too big, but Houston, DFW, LAX... Just bring $$ for the assistant who pushes you through the terminal. My last trip was UBL only, and I didn't wait for wheelchair in MTY, luggage rolled. Used it in Houston and let them go after dropping me off. BIG MISTAKE. They changed my gate 3x. By the last time, I was more than tired. If they would have moved it again, I'd have had to ask for help.

1st time with the works, no way I could have managed any of the trip home w/o wheelchair. It was also a 3 pain pill trip for me almost 14 hours home.

I was in the clinic for 7 days, but the food was better back then and I had protein bars and they brought bottled water when asked. You should be able to walk to the HEB and get stuff after surgery. Ask one of the baggers to bring your purchases back to the hotel and tip them. There is hot food in the back of the HEB and the food court upstairs in the little mall by the theaters.

I'm pretty easy to please as long as I can get protein for my DS. With the compression garments and the swelling, it was like I'd just had my DS, very tiny tummy. A grande shrimp ****tail from Mr Fish was 3 meals for me. Boneless chicken wings from Applebees was 2+ meals.

You can get extra water from the maids if you ask and tip.

Pack as light as you can. I took a little netbook, which wasn't as heavy as my laptop. The flight attendants and other passengers helped lift my stuff and brought it down on all my flights. I did have my hat/sunglasses/chinstrap on with my 2 black eyes from my FL!

Make sure that when they pat you down, they don't pull out your drain (it's happened)! I had mine in a fanny pack and just unzipped and said I could pull it out for everyone to see.

Travel light - take crappy clothes and leave them- all those old 'big' soft clothes are great for recovery. Don't bring anything back. Just yourself to worry about it enough. OK maybe a protein bar or shakes.