The Mexican Rat-Squirrel?

After landing we managed to somehow be in the first wave of people off the plane, which turned out to be a humiliating mistake. When we exited the plane there was a wheelchair waiting for me. I got in and the ported proceeded to try and push me up the ramp. I say “try” because that is exactly what he did he tried and failed to push me up the ramp alone. He had to have someone else help him push me up the incline and the bumps in the ramp. The entire time this is going on and they are trying to get me up to the gate there is a whole plane load of people waiting to get off the plane. It was so embarrassing I wanted to disappear. They were not as helpful on this end as they were on the Canadian end of our journey. After getting me up the ramp they basically told Ally “here she is luggage claim is downstairs, good luck” and then took off for parts unknown.

This is where the plan sort of goes askew. The day before we left we got a called from the Specialized Bariatrics driver Victor. He said that we had to have a phone and lacking that to find one and call him when we arrived. Finding a pay phone at baggage claim we went to phone him and discovered that the phone wouldn’t accept Canadian quarters and we were fresh out of American change. So Ally set out on a quest to get some change for a dollar and after asking four or five people was on her way back to me when a man who over heard her asking someone offered her the change. Phoning the diver was an experience as well because we could barely understand him on the phone. After a lot of confusion we finally got out of him to meet at something called meeting point Raul? Not knowing what this meant we went outside to wait and noticed that there were signs with letter on them where people were getting picked up. We went to sign “R” and waited for the green van he said he would be driving.

Green van turned out to be code for Blue van, but other than that we were in the right spot and he arrived pretty quickly. He helped put our bags into the back and then proceeded to drive us across the border to our hotel. Now those of you with a more conservative driving style might have a little problem here as people tended to drive like the lanes were suggestions and signaling your lane change was giving up a much guarded secret. Victor was a talker so I left that part up to Ally who is the more social of the pair of us. Border security, the new lay out, and lane times were all topics of discussion and he even had advice on how to get back into the States after surgery. The drive to our hotel was pretty uneventful otherwise, and the most interesting part was when Ally claimed to have seen some kind of “Mexican Rat-Squirrel” beside the road, some kind of poor rat/squirrel cross-breed.

Once at the hotel he escorted us to the check-in desk and told us that we would be hearing from someone named Raul later in the day. We tipped him five dollars American, still not sure if this was the right amount, and he left.

Next up our first stay at the hotel.

XOXO, Evie & Ally

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Flying is definitely not our favorite thing to do and I tend to find it more stressful than Ally does. Before we left we made sure that our checked bags and carry-ons were in accordance with the airlines rules and regulations. This meant that our checked luggage had to be less than fifty pounds and our carry-ons couldn’t have any liquids over 100ml. We were lucky that with all of our clothes, chicken broth, and the sports drinks we only came to 47.2lbs.

It was decided when we were buying the tickets that on the way back from Mexico we were both going to need wheel chairs and porters to navigate thru the lines and waits at the airport. We also talked about it and reserved a wheel chair for me at the ticket counter for on the way there. I have back problems and am unable to stand or walk for long periods of time. If you are someone who needs a wheel chair be sure to notify the airline when you are buying the tickets or phone them any time before the flight and arrange for them to have one available, this allows them to make the necessary arrangements including porters, pre-boarding, and sometimes having you sit closer to the front of the plane. As for the seats themselves Ally and I both pitched in a bought an extra seat so that we wouldn't have to sit beside anyone and because I for sure wouldn’t have been able to keep my behind on just my own little seat cushion. When calling to buy the tickets Ally also told them I needed a seatbelt extender, this means they will have it already on my seat for me and I don’t have to embarrass myself by asking for one on the plane.

Three hours before our flight we arrived at the airport having always been told that you have to arrive that early for international flights. When we get up to the counter to check in and get our boarding passes we are told that we can't go thru security and customs (for some reasons they are having you go thru American customs on this side of the flight) until two hours before you flight. The counter agent asked if we would like to sit and get something to eat. At this point in our diet we are on all liquids and I hating the chicken broth, of course I would like to get something to eat…not that we can. After explaining the situation to the agent she arranged for our porter to escort us thru all the check points to our gate early…that is if the security agents would let us in. We were in luck and managed to breeze right thru. She leaves us after we dropped off our bags and Ally pushed me the rest of the way to our gate to wait for boarding.

While waiting ally texted to let people know that we got thru security alright. Ally and I have never really traveled before and were afraid of things getting stolen or lost. This being the case we are not bringing a cell phone, computer or other electronics. After much consideration we decided that one of us should bring their camera and because she wanted to be able to hear from us our mother lent us her old iPod as a means to contact her. For the iPod Ally found an app called “Text Now Plus” that was free and allowed us to use an internet connection on our iPod to text her cell phone. We both also whittled down our wallets to just the necessities, our photo id’s, and a credit card each placed into a RFID blocking wallet bought especially for this trip.

About half an hour before takeoff they started boarding the plane (pre-boarders first) and we were the first to board. Everyone was pretty quick to board and everything went off as scheduled. There were many empty seats this flight and some people switched so they were seating beside an empty one for more room. The seats had screens in the back allowing you to watch TV or rent a movie. Drinks and a snack (salty or sweet) were offered and they had a menu of things you could buy.

This flight was smooth and everything went well until we landed and it was time to deplane. We will save that story until next time.

XOXO, Evie & Ally

Notes

1.      Don’t forget to claim your chicken broth at customs. We also had our receipts from when we bought it with us just in case.

2.      If you want to watch the television on the plane remember to bring your headphones or you will have to purchase some. Our standard headphones fit; you can get an inexpensive pair at the dollar store.

Packing Up

Get ready for some consistent postings because we are back and while not recovered we are in a state to post. The surgery did not go as planned but we will get into that more in the postings to come. Right now we are going to start with packing.

For me packing is fun. I have OCD and I love making lists and organizing things. Three day before we were ready to go I was done packing my carry on, however our checked suit case was a little harder because Ally likes to procrastinate and leave everything to the last minute. Her to do list is a million miles long and she is running around like a chicken with her head cut off, meanwhile I am probably not helping because I just keep reminding her of everything that still needs to be done. Usually we are each responsible for our own bags but because we are sharing a suit case this time we agreed to pack everything by a certain time the night before. It did eventually get done.

This last month has had us on the internet looking for any ideas of what neither of us has thought to pack. We searched multiple websites and blogs, even posting the question in forums. Between the both of us we hadn’t missed much.

When you go with Bariatric Specialty their package includes a stay at the hotel the day before your surgery and two nights after your stay in the hospital. Those stays include two bottles of water a day, three cups of chicken broth, and a couple of popsicles. Ally and I were worried that we wouldn’t like the chicken broth and since it’s all we are allowed/can eat, we decided to take some boxes of chicken broth with us.

In the days before the flight we had been having problems making ourselves even have the chicken broth or drink anything and were worried that we were going to get dehydrated as well. This led to the decision to bring bottles of water and some sports drinks. So in total we brought two cartons of chicken broth, four sports drinks, and four bottles of water.

As for clothes we each had what we wore on the plane, three pairs of pajamas, a jacket, our under things and an extra outfit. We figured with the right pajama bottoms after the surgery when we were walking around we could just throw a jacket over the top and walk around like that. Since we were not brining a “companion” to travel with us we were worried about the weight of the luggage and how we were going to handle it.

I packed most of my clothes in my carry on along with, travel documents (and copies of them), copies of our emails with the coordinator, pens, paper, and a couple of books and magazines. Ally likes to have lots to do so she packed everything I did and more. She also included earphones, a pillow (which we highly recommend having for your stomach on the way back), and other goodies that she never got to.

Some things that we stress for you to include are, lip balm, a pillow, gauze and tape, slip on shoes, and some American one dollar bills for tipping.

Notes:

1.      If you are bringing chicken broth you are going to have to declare it at customs.

2.      Don’t pack any liquids in your carry on. There are limited amounts you can bring and it is just easier to put them in your checked luggage.

3.      Make copies of your passport and driver’s license to take with you and keep them in place separate from the originals. This covers you in case of theft.

Lots more to come.

 

XOXO, Evie & Ally