39yo Mother of 1. In D.R Right Now!!! Mommy Makeover & Veneers - Dominican Republic

Like most people, I have trolled this site fir a year. Finally took the plunge bought my ticket and said fk it! Let's go. My first love was (always has been) Yily de Los santos. Her name alone commands respect. Then I flirted with the idea of Baez, Robles, and they seemed like the next level. But top tier were Yily, Duran, Cabral (yep I know he's had some tough times) anyway it was team yily all the way. Then Yvelise Bello snuck into view and I was loving her tt scars. Made me have 2nd thoughts on Yily. Contacted them all, got quotes , they were all close enough. Some docs do only 2 patients, some 6. Some natural look, some video vixen so the choice Is yours/mine. My biggest thing was getting rid of the back phat and having a great tt scar. Didn't really care about a monster booty. But since I'm here...... Might as well, no?
Anyway, didn't want to pay a deposit over the phone, wanted to meet face to face so I decided to also get my teeth done. That way if sx doesn't work, then I got a nicer smile as a result of my trip. Called Dr. Nova , his implant was $595 unlike my U.S dentist who was $2,495 so I was like: Sold! If I don't get anything else out of the trip, I get to visit a new country and have a procedure I would have had in the US anyway. So I bought it and landed YESTERDAY!! I must admit all through my flight I was thinking 'who else is on here for the same reason I am?' But the plane seemed full of Dominicans going on vacay or returning home. So my DR experience began in the plane. The old lady sitting next to me kept speaking to me in Spanish and emptying her purse onto my lap while she looked for her passport or pen, the old guy on the other side of my wanted to know where I was going, why, how come, by myself? Ju crazy? He asked looking bewildered. I said no I'm just touring DR on vacation. I don't know the address where I'm staying etc (which was partly true) I didn't have the recovery house address and I was a medical tourist. Anyway, I put my head down for the rest of the flight. When we landed, everyone clapped and cheered. We made it! It was about 1.30pm
Jose Burritto was waiting with my name on a sign and off we went into beautiful DR.
Jose's number I found on a few pages so I whatsapped him. He told me about chirlanas RH with hospital beds and run by junior doctors. The hospital beds won me over. So I said take me there. (Immigration form requires an address, I just wrote chirlanas recovery house. Zone colonial or something and that was good enough. But get the address to where you're going)
We get to the house, it's a 3 bed bungalow, chirlanas and get mom and some hot food is waiting for me. Chicken and plantain. Not bad at all.
Jose waits, I eat (2pm) because I tell him we need to see the dentist Dr. Pascal nova. 3pm we head out. He does an exam and I want veneers, an implant and replacement of my fillings. The whole thing cost $4475. 9 porcelain veneers, one implant, cleaning, the temporary tooth after the implant and replacement of about 8 fillings. I brought money so I said Leggo! And we started immediately. Lol. This is totally unlike me, I love to shop around etc but I figured one veneer in the US is $1000 so hey. Plus if u went to turkey or any European country, the flight and hotel evens it back up again so...... Live while you're alive! Was there till 8pm. I think I fell asleep during the cleaning and spacing down of my teeth. Painless blood free but will probably do a separate review.
Got home at 8.30 chirlanas and her mom took me out to eat pork chops and yuca. I wanted street food but they took me to a restaurant. It was nice but I wabt street food next time. They were so nice and excited and eager to please. You write a list of all you want and they go buy. Transportation is included in your rate $75 a night.
Anyway, Jose has arranged for me to see Yvelise Bello at 7am, so dinner over we chat some more and then I shower and sleep.
It's now the next day, I see dra. Bello today. I loved her tt scars, so will meet her this morning and see if I feel good about it. I had to have no food or water from 10pm yesterday and that works in the psyche because all I wabt now is to eat and drink. But if they hadn't given me those instructions, I know I wouldn't want anything. Now I know why girls get so anxious if their tests are delayed. Your mind starts to panic (if you're a foodie like me) counting the hours since you last ate or drank anything. Making everything exaggerated and difficult. I just keep reminding myself that I have the rest of my life to eat and drink, in fact the abundance of eating and drinking occasions is why I'm in need of this sx in the first place, so I can afford one delayed meal.
So here I am, awake at 5:30, Jose is coming at 6:45 to take me to bello. I'm the only one in the RH. I guess I don't mind it, there's a tv and wifi and I brought some audio books so I should be ok.
I think my 2 goals are to have a Hollywood smile and a JLo type body. Everything else is flexible. I think the smile is a big deal and I hope nova is a perfectionist. I have wanted my teeth different for decades.
Will update more soon.
Thanks ladies. Good luck and have fun.
Oh and as I took my pictures I thought, 'what are you doing? You look great! I would totally do you! Don't touch a thing. ' lol now you tell me. The whole time in the US I was thinking Ugh! Now I don't think I look so bad, 2 seconds before I go under the knife? Jitters I guess.

I was secretly laughing at people who would type long pages and it wipe off..... It just happened to me. So the summary is this:
1. Saw dra bello, she said no on the surgery, I have a heart condition. 'Go home, do it in the USA, die with friends and family around you, not here with us strangers.' (Word for word) she then refered me to a cardiology specialist, said she might do it if they agree that I don't have a high level of risk. But I would need and pay for a cardiologist in the room during surgery.
Then she charged me $500 for the tests. I paid though I didn't get it, others charge half that. But I was reeling from the news, so no time to argue. In my last review that wiped off. I talk a little about her manner. Not sure how I feel about her. She told me to strip, I did, she said 'you don't need this, go home, join a gym. You're beautiful. In 2 months you will be perfect.' Then she said, 'you don't need much, I can whip you up in minutes(well something to that effect. ) but why take the risk? If anything happens, they will say what was she thinking etc. so don't bother. You know I'm right. When your mind settles down you would know it's the right thing. Go home. Or so it there they have lots of equipment to save you' I wasn't sure if this was a reverse marketing technique..... I don't need the money, I do it because I care...so that the story will spread about her awesomeness or if she wanted me to beg for the surgery so that she would feel better about performing it. It just wasn't clear. With lots of hugs and kisses she waved me away. I feel like I caught her on a bad day. When she was feel off the cuff because she went back and forth about whether to do the surgery or not a couple of times. It was like, should I really buy this Chanel bag? Oh I don't know. I like it....but do I need it....? Hmmm should I shouldn't I.... Lol. So I kind of let her star in the show a little but and said nothing. I think what caught me off guard was the arbitrary pricing at the monologue. Anyway, I'm going to put my feelings aside. And see how tomorrow goes because she didn't give me the results from the other tests and kinda acted like we were done. So I will ask how the $500 gets distributed and for my results tomorrow. But the RH and Jose said its way too much. It's double other people's pricing. Even her assistant did a double take when she mentioned the price. After this she said 'I heard you're getting veneers? Come and see I'm building my dental part now' takes me to a room with a shiny new dentist chair and tools. 'Tell me how much you pay for everything' she grabs a pen and paper and starts to note the prices of my procedures. Then she says 'hmmm, not bad.' Then she was gone. So I wonder maybe if she's sick of operating herself and just wants to do the business end? I'm not saying she should have operated but she seemed very happy to send me away. With all the pleasantries (you're beautiful, you don't need this .... Etc)
2. Jose my savior for the day sprang into action when he heard I might not be having surgery (he literally took the news worse than I did) took me to the heart specialist and did a wonderful job translating and getting us seen in minutes. Cardio confirmed doctors suspicions advised I wear a 24hr monitor and return tomorrow. At the specialist, one of the best in town: eCG/EKG $65 24hr heart monitor $50. Take that obamascare ! Lol just kidding.
3. Jose drove to the dentist where I spent the most uncomfortable 7 hours drilling and escavating (I had lots of cavities and metal fillings to replace) ugh! Thank goodness for his dental assistant who was just soooo sensitive to my plight, she would frequently give me a hand squeeze and a reassuring pat on my shoulder. That girl is getting the tip jar for real. Dr nova is good but this was just not a good day for me :( couldn't wait to get the hell out. I had a few breaks in between the drills but I couldn't wait for it to be over. Curse all those makeover TV shows that make it seem like a cake walk. It wasn't pain but an utter nuisance. Locked jaw, 4 shots of anesthesia in each corner of my moth, numb lips, water up my nose etc. it's not the dentist's fault, i have it back home when I do a deep clean but it's 15mins usually. This was 1-7pm :(
4. By the time it was time to leave Jose was there and called the RH to make sure dinner was on the table when I arrived and it was. I was exhausted beyond reason. Had my dinner, talked with chirlana the owner for a while and headed to bed.
I'm the only one in the RH, so the peace is nice.

Tomorrow I have a long day ahead. Starting with the cariologist reading of my results, then dra. Bello to find out my other test results and why the $500 for test when others charge half that. Then the dentist for round 3 of my smile makeover Nwa. Nwa. Nwaaaa.

Dr. Nova you better hook me up or else!

So far RH people have been too sweet and Jose a life saver. If I get the smile I want and figure out what's happening with my heart (couldn't afford that in the USA) then I'm great. Big booty might have to wait a while....

Will update you tomorrow!

Buenos

I just thought I would update you guys on some of my 'ah hah moments'

1. Being in a foreign country (DR) specifically is not a bad option for your sx. What makes it challenging is that there is a language barrier, so sometimes it's like you're deaf and mute for the first time. It gets frustrating because people all around you are discussing your care and you have no idea what's going on. Now the exact same thing can happen in the states but because you understand what they are saying, it feels like you're being informed. But you might not necessarily be, (varies of course depending on the doctor) but doctors talk to one another and other staff all the time, in the us you just happen to understand everything and can chime in when needed. So when the doctors here talk to you in punchlines with no details, it feels like you're being short changed because after a discussion that seems like it went on for 15 minutes, someone turns to you and says 'ok let's go' and you're like: bish waaaa? Y'all just talked about my life for 15 mins and all you can give me is a monosyllable?' It gets a little frustrating and trust becomes an issue, do you trust the people talking to represent your needs your way? You would like the professional in charge to reassure you that nothing got lost in translation. So you get a little 'picky or dramatic' with the clarifications and double checking. But the same thing would happen in the states if you felt like the administrator or receptionist at a facility is half assed. So it's not a DR thing really.

2. [RS bleep] happens globally. What do I mean? Well today we were supposed to take off my holter to check my heart activity. The $50 gadget from yesterday (the one I could have gotten done over 10 years ago when I noticed my heart issue in Europe, but they deemed it too expensive and unnecessary.) that one. So the receptionist (at the specialist clinic) told me 24hrs which is 11am today. But it's a specialist facility for locals, so she didn't speak much English. So my husband for hire aka Jose the driver talked to the technician who said come between 8-9 so that we can process the results. But this was in Spanish in private. So I had 11, he had 8. So last night, when we were planning the day, he said 9, I thought he was doing the most because I had arranged to see the dentist at 8 so I said no 11. Dentist at 8. He tried to argue, I said the receptionist told me, so he said fine.
We are ready for the dentist at 8, he says 9 so that pushed us back an hour, his female dentist came in and see fit to work escavating (she's a professional the the nth degree!) had to tip her today she was that good. So by 11 she was done replacing my fillings. Then Dr. nova starts with his twaks and things. I just got a little irritated because I had been there 3 days in a row AND I'm supposed to go back tomorrow and it felt like he was making everything a production.
Luckily Jose arrived and I jumped out the chair 'gotta go doc, cardiologist waiting' so Dr. Nova bursts out laughing but Jose and I are dead serious because something about coming to the sample place for treatment with no end in sight gets on everyone's nerves (especially Jose lol! He's pissed because the teeth started off as a secondary matter, but has now become the headliner).

Anyway Dr. Nova says we have to come back in the afternoon for final measurements (for the 3rd time) I'm starting to lose confidence in him. Jose was trying to say it's because he's a perfectionist but I felt like I'm more accustomed to perfection and ease/smoothness/streamlining. Not fiddling with something over and over. My sisters got theirs done in 2 sessions.
He shaves like .1mm at a time to get you to the final .5mm or whatever. 'So that it's perfect' but I'm like some people can achieve that in one session.

Anyway, I start getting a little angsty. But no time to stew over it, we had the heart to worry about. So Jose is dashing across town to get us there on time, we get there and they are closed! They had a quiet day, so all the doctors left. The technician said you guys should have been here at 8! Omg, if Jose could have beaten my ass and dr. Nova's he would have looool. He was spitting mad. He told me I told you so at least 1000 times. I just smiled and kept quiet. I knew it was a simple case of miscommunication and lack of trust. I didn't trust that he was telling me 8 from the technician, I thought he was trying to get me in early so he could do his other appointments (which was also true) so I kinda felt like, I'm not going to make you rush me there to sit and wait from 8-11am because they said 24hrs to me. Didn't realize it was 24hrs give or take 3hrs.
So, no heart results for me till Monday.

At this point I'd given up on surgery being on this trip. I'm now rationalizing the trip to myself by saying 'oh well, at least I get this heart situation looked at for a price I can afford'

On our way home from the cardiologist, we stop and pick up some post op girls at cipla. One has been here a week trying to get her hero up. Another had a Cabral bbl. she could hardly walk. I was scared for the first time looking at her. She was bent over like a ball and was in so much pain. Yikes. Then the RH owner was with her. She's new, American and speaks Spanish and a yily doll. She had JUNK in her trunk and some for other trunks. Huuuuuuge ass. When she got in the car I had to tell her. I need a picture of that! We all laughed aside from the girl in a ball formation. She couldn't move a muscle.
We talked about procedures, surgeons, results. It was really exciting for me being the only on in my RH.
We got to her RH. Nice see views and 5 post op girls. Didn't get to see them but it seemed lively.
I guess I miss the company and stories from one another. So an RH with just you, not great with 20 not great. Something in the middle is fine....... I might move. I'm literally here by myself. Though if I had surgery they would probably be here more, owner lives next door.

3. I'm learning that mindset matters. I've had the same body and dentition for almost 40 years, if it were a building, it would need a remodel. So I need a remodel. That's helps me come to terms with the elective nature of this trauma I'm putting my body through with all the work I'm thinking of getting. On a building its essential to remodel after 40 years!!! Your plumbing, the light fittings everything so my teeth, waistline etc are all parts of this building I'm getting remodeled. And like. A building, some people doing the work will be better than others, something's might need to be redone (basically don't expect perfection) sometimes you run over budget, it's disruptive and inconvenient sometimes but it's all part of tHe process. When its all done, you enjoy your building for another decade or so and if you happen to have guests/tenants they can enjoy it more and value you more. Everybody wins. At least that's how I see it. If you choose to rent the building out, you can get a premium for all the work you've done. So any guy trying to holla at me better put his best foot forward cos I'm out here working on me. Knowwhatlmean?


4. So, what else am I learning? When you're here you have ALOT of time, bring a book, journal, all the thoughts you plan to think but havent had time to think them, you will need all of them here. I've had hours of sitting on the dentist's chair, me and my thoughts. I've been working on my mind, to follow the new body (if I get one) to remind myself of all the things I'm doing to look this way, so if a guy is stepping my way, he has to also invest in himself. So, I'm here in the mean time thinking about my coins, my career, my health, my eating habits etc just trying to figure out how the body and mind can both be banging! I love smart, sexy women who have their thing on lock!
Ok gotta go.

Oh Jose has wifi in his car!! So cool.

Update soon, off to the dentist.