Getting Surgery in Mexico

[BrownBobby]

29 minutes ago, Diapered Dave said:

When you had the surgery in Mexico, did you have to sign any forms acknowledging that you knew you would be diaper dependent afterwards? I would think the doctors would want to cover themselves from a lawsuit, if someone changed their mind afterwards.

How long did you leak freely after the surgery, before the urethral stricture began to form?

Sorry if it seems like a hundred questions, I just find the whole process quite interesting. And I think many others in this forum do too.

They definitely made sure to cover their bases, including making it clear that I understood what I was asking for and why.  I don't really have that much legal standing for recourse anyway, as a non-citizen of the country.  I'm beyond excited everyone was honest.

For a while, I leaked pretty freely.  It took about two weeks for the final clots to pass from surgery, and then another month or so before I noticed something wasn't quite right.  

 

19 minutes ago, Diapered Dave said:

There are several postings on FetLife where some people say they have made themselves incontinent just by wearing progressively larger catheters for LONG periods of time. ( Like several months or years.) Starting with a size like 16fr and going up to the max, 30fr. But apparently, it doesn't last forever.

If I didn't feel such a strong need to be wearing diapers, I'd have tried this method.  I'm still very much on Team "Try Other Things before Going for Surgery."  And as long as you keep using a cath about once a week to keep things stretched out, it seems to maintain itself pretty well. The irony that I'll be cathing myself for the future because of this stricture is not lost on me.

[Diapered Dave]

6 minutes ago, BrownBobby said:

The irony that I'll be cathing myself for the future because of this stricture is not lost on me.

So after your "Repair surgery" , you'll still have to cath periodically, to keep things open... Do you know what size cath you'll need, and how long you will have to keep it in each time? Wouldn't something like a Memokath stent work? 

[BrownBobby]

The bigger the better, but only for 10-15 minutes at a time.  Longer if I want to be especially thorough.

And a stent like Memokath is a possible longer-term solution...but you have to be extremely careful with those.  The risks aren't worth it compared to surgery - and that's saying something.

[superabsorbantpolymer]

How have you found the adjustment in your life? How open have you been with friends/family?

[Reddy]

I just landed in Mexico City!  Gotta get off the plane and get through customs (I think?).  I am so excited @BrownBobby is here!  What a great surprise when I landed.  I have another shorter flight to Guadalajara and then I'm supposed to get picked up by a driver.

[BrownBobby]

So, the two biggest things of my life so far, given that I've been in diapers for 10 years before surgery:
1) Every time I feel my diaper getting wetter and I didn't choose it, it's the best feeling in the world.
2) Everything else is just as stressful as it was before becoming incontinent.

I take no special effort to hide my diapers - I'm discreet, but I'm in diapers now.  No need to try to pretend like I'm not.  Most of my friends know, and some know it's because I chose to be.  My family often pretends to not notice my diapers - like I'd expect most people's family would.  

[Reddy]

2 hours ago, BrownBobby said:

So, the two biggest things of my life so far, given that I've been in diapers for 10 years before surgery:
1) Every time I feel my diaper getting wetter and I didn't choose it, it's the best feeling in the world.
2) Everything else is just as stressful as it was before becoming incontinent.

I take no special effort to hide my diapers - I'm discreet, but I'm in diapers now.  No need to try to pretend like I'm not.  Most of my friends know, and some know it's because I chose to be.  My family often pretends to not notice my diapers - like I'd expect most people's family would.  

That is so awesome.  I can't wait for that feeling to happen.

[Diapered Dave]

3 minutes ago, Reddy said:

That is so awesome.  I can't wait for that feeling to happen.

How's it going? Still in Mexico City? Or Guadalajara? Did you wet on the flight?

[Reddy]

1 minute ago, Diapered Dave said:

How's it going? Still in Mexico City? Or Guadalajara? Did you wet on the flight?

My only new airport update is that I missed my connecting flight because my first flight was kind of late and they were scheduled too close together, so I'm on the next flight two hours later. I took the chance to rest and buy some snacks. It's hard to tell what anything costs but I went for some beef jerky and they were marked as $35.50, I got three and with tax the total was $115.00 but it only charged my credit card $6.77. Their dollar sign means something else. Also going through immigration and security was hard because I had no idea what anybody was saying to me, so eventually the guy grabbed my body and pulled me to the side and did a pat down. He seemed satisfied. But then they searched my luggage, which I think also contributed to my delay.

I only wet a little on the flight but I think I leaked.  I have to pee now but I'm probably going to wait for my next flight to wet again.

[Diapered Dave]

Yes.... Their sign for Peso looks ALOT like our dollar sign. $  So it's confusing. Does your driver in Guadalajara know you're going to be late?

[Reddy]

Just now, Diapered Dave said:

Yes.... Their sign for Peso looks ALOT like our dollar sign. $  So it's confusing. Does your driver in Guadalajara know you're going to be late?

Yeah I didn't even realize it's a different symbol.  I don't know who my driver will be yet but I told Yuni my new arrival time and she said she will send me the driver info

[Diapered Dave]

From what Google says, the symbol $ is the same for a Mexican Peso and a U.S. Dollar. But a Peso is only worth about 6 cents U.S. 

[BrownBobby]

16 minutes ago, Reddy said:

Yeah I didn't even realize it's a different symbol.  I don't know who my driver will be yet but I told Yuni my new arrival time and she said she will send me the driver info

Get ready to do a lot of converting in your head - I survived by dividing every price by 20 - take off the last digit and halve what's left.  It's technically like 17.8 pesos to the dollar. But it helped me with quickly deciding if it was worth buying something.

Also, Google Translate is your friend. Download it now if you don't have it.  You'll even find others using it to help talk with you.

[Diapered Dave]

21 minutes ago, Reddy said:

 

I only wet a little on the flight but I think I leaked.  I have to pee now but I'm probably going to wait for my next flight to wet again.

That's happened to me a few times, while sitting in one spot for a long time. You don't even know you leaked until you get up and feel the wet spot on the back of your pants. That's why I usually wear plastic pants over my disposable diapers now days. An extra layer of protection.

[Don Incognito]

25 minutes ago, BrownBobby said:

Get ready to do a lot of converting in your head - I survived by dividing every price by 20 - take off the last digit and halve what's left.  It's technically like 17.8 pesos to the dollar. But it helped me with quickly deciding if it was worth buying something.

Also, Google Translate is your friend. Download it now if you don't have it.  You'll even find others using it to help talk with you.

Google can also be used for currency conversion.

[superabsorbantpolymer]

Maybe the surgery is only $25k pesos ( $1,463.10 USD)

[Diapered Dave]

2 minutes ago, superabsorbantpolymer said:

Maybe the surgery is only $25k pesos ( $1,463.10 USD)

That would be nice.... But here's the email they sent me:

Yes, we also specialize in incontinence procedures.

 Currently, this surgery costs $24,899 USD. This procedure can be done at our location in Guadalajara.

You can return home in about 10-12 days.

Sincerely, Paris (Patient coordinator - MTC

[TJ-DL]

Just jumping in to say I hope everything goes well! I've been lurking for a while and just wanted to share my support. There are lots of us positive supporters lurking in the background. 

[Reddy]

I made it from Mexico City to Guadalajara, and the driver found me at the airport.  He was so nice.  He came inside and stood at a specific spot and sent a photo of where he was, smiling.  Very easy to find.  Very pleasant drive.  I used google translate to tell him a few things.

For example: "Me desperté a las 3 de mañana así que estaré muy emocionado por la cama."

It's just always so great to be in a hotel room after a full day of traveling.  The only thing better of course is home.

I have tomorrow to myself, and then I get picked up early on Monday morning for my procedure.  I'm so ready.

3 hours ago, BrownBobby said:

Get ready to do a lot of converting in your head - I survived by dividing every price by 20 - take off the last digit and halve what's left.  It's technically like 17.8 pesos to the dollar. But it helped me with quickly deciding if it was worth buying something.

Also, Google Translate is your friend. Download it now if you don't have it.  You'll even find others using it to help talk with you.

This is a really helpful trick for the currency.  Thank you!  I got google translate and it helped me already with the driver and also at check in.

2 hours ago, TJ-DL said:

Just jumping in to say I hope everything goes well! I've been lurking for a while and just wanted to share my support. There are lots of us positive supporters lurking in the background. 

Thank you!  I appreciate that a lot 🙏  and I will keep you updated.  Only 36 hours until the operation.  😁

2 hours ago, Diapered Dave said:

That would be nice.... But here's the email they sent me:

Yes, we also specialize in incontinence procedures.

 Currently, this surgery costs $24,899 USD. This procedure can be done at our location in Guadalajara.

You can return home in about 10-12 days.

Sincerely, Paris (Patient coordinator - MTC

Yes, this is the situation and it is without a doubt the biggest splurge I've done for myself, like, ever.

[Diapered Dave]

It seems like just yesterday you were saying "Only 3 weeks!"

Are you excited to be this close to diaper dependence? 

How wet were you when you got to the hotel???

[Reddy]

Just now, Diapered Dave said:

It seems like just yesterday you were saying "Only 3 weeks!"

Are you excited to be this close to diaper dependence? 

How wet were you when you got to the hotel???

Yeah, time is so funny.  When you want it to pass, it's this immovable mountain.  And it actually does take a long time to pass.  But once it does, well, there you suddenly are.  I'm so excited that it's happening the day after tomorrow.  Yes, EXTREMELY excited.

Disappointingly I never got to the point of soaking my diaper.  I might soon but I think I've been mildly dehydrated.  I should have bought a bottle of water and drank it in Mexico City during my layover but didn't, and then when I got on the plane the little cup of agua I had was not enough, my mouth was actually so dry.  There are some bottles of water here in the room now and before I did have some at GDL airport so I'm ok but yeah, barely peed all day.

I think I'm going to go downstairs and look for a convenience store, a restaurant, and some free water before I go to sleep.  Which, as I told the driver, I'm very excited to do.

[Diapered Dave]

So is it diapers tomorrow, or your last day ever in underwear? Did you bring any plastic pants with you?

[Reddy]

Just boxers tomorrow.  Gotta conserve the diaper supply.  Although I'm hoping to make my way to walmart at some point to hopefully buy more diapers.  I never did bring plastic pants.  I might be sorry about that.

[superabsorbantpolymer]

If you want a fun outing, go to the closest farmacia and ask for pañal adultos (pronounced pan Al Ah Dull Tos)

[longislandguy]

How’s Guadalajara?  I’ve never been.