Post-op Surprises

This afternoon I sent an e-mail to CosMed with photos attached. After only half an hour - on a Saturday - Dr. Quiroz called me from the clinic to discuss my concerns and the procedures. It was a very encouraging talk, and as has been mentioned in other reviews, his English is perfect. The next step is for him to put together an estimate and send it to me, with information about logistics, exams, etc. Since I live on an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean (the Azores) I'm planning to stay in Tijuana for three weeks so all the sutures and drains can be removed and healing begins/swelling goes down. I'll probably stay in the States for a week after that so friends and family in Texas can see the "new me." The plan is to fly over in mid-March. Closer to that, I'll post "before" photos.

It's a gorgeous Saturday morning on the island after several days of gray, wind, rain. The temperature is climbing into the upper 60s and sunlight is making white houses and their red tile roofs sparkle like diamonds in a showcase.
I can't make enough complimentary statements about how professional CosMed's process is. Last week I got several documents, including one for before, after, what to expect, for each procedure I plan and the estimate. $3,500 for the tummy tuck; $3,500 for the breast lift, $3,500 for face/neck lift; $500 for all lipo (!), $1,000 for surgical facility, $100 for meds after the surgery (I'm going to take my own pain meds to heed the comment made by another CosMed patient), and $800 for the anesthesiologist. Also, the compression garments are included. And a bonus surprise: the package includes a complementary massage the day before the surgery, which is set for 21 February (yikes - only a month from now!!!)
Paulina, the Patient Coordinator, also did a thorough job of answering my questions (perfect English). Since I'm not in the States to get pre-surgery tests from my regular doctor, I can have everything done there: HIV test, blood work, x-rays, and electrocardiogram.
Yesterday I received my surgery and recovery schedule from Paulina at CosMed (Tijuana, Mexico). Her e-mail started: "OKAY! Take notes." This heightened my excitement as I realized how point-of-no-return the next steps seem: get leave approved (4 weeks!); buy the plane tickets (!); reserve the recovery boutique for the first ten days after surgery (this is because I'm going by myself - I'll stay in the clinic the first night, which is included in the cost); and reserve the hotel (Tijuana Marriott, about $500, close to a mall and restaurants) for the next five days. I'll fly into the San Diego airport and someone from CosMed will pick me up for the drive to Tijuana. By the way, I researched safety in Tijuana (which has become more problematic over the years) and decided I'm not worried about going there since my stay will be limited to the clinic and hotel and I'll have transportation everywhere I go.