Joe & Nicola Pederson

February 2004

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Tubal ligation 

Apr 1, 1996

Tubal reversal

Feb 21, 2004

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Pregnancy #1

It's a Girl! 3/11/05

Pregnancy #2

edd 10/24/06

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7 cm both sides

February 2006

We wanted to share that we're expecting our second TR baby!!  I am 6 weeks along. This baby is due October 24, 2006. Our first TR baby was born March 11, 2005.  We went to Dr Perez February 21st, 2004 and ended up with 7 cms both sides.

We feel so blessed with these babies that these wonderful doctors helped give us!

 Nicola and Joseph Pedersen
 

July 2004

We are excited to tell you that baby Pedersen is on it's way!  Thank you so much Dr Perez and Dr Levi for all the great work and kindness!!! Dr Levi said that he expected to hear pg news in three months and so here you go Dr Levi!  Our EDD is March 10, 2005.   TR 2-21-04 (7 cm both sides) got pg June 2004

This is the testimony of the Pedersen family that includes; Nicola (29), Joseph (30), Nevin (10), and Storm (7). I had my TL the day after my daughter Storm was born which was 4-1-96, and had my Tubal Reversal with Dr. Perez 2-21-04 about 8 pm.

I found a few things helpful that I want to share first that might make your journey a little easier.

When it comes to the planes, on the way back make sure you tell them you just had abdominal surgery, get the wheelchair request on your itinerary, ask for the seats directly behind first class which are usually seats 7A-E (they even moved a couple people so we could have those seats) cause those seats are less walking distance and have a lil more room, and don't forget to request PRE-boarding too (this way it's easier for them to get you down in the wheelchair and nobody's bumping you) cause sometimes those ramps are long. Also I found ice packs very helpful for the pain.

We got our tickets through -hotwire.com- because it was definitely the cheapest route for buying the airline tickets.  We paid $480 for two round trip tickets from Atlanta GA to McAllen TX that was with American Airlines and we got them one week before leaving. We arrived at the airport at 5 am and planned to arrive in McAllen about noon but that didn't go as planned because the first plane we boarded that took off ended up landing soon after take off due to engine failure so then we had to wait for room on another available flight. We did end up getting there about 3:30pm, so we still didn't end up getting there real late.

Aimee was there awaiting our arrival and asked if we wanted to go to the hospital first. We didn't have a problem with that at all so off we went. We went right through the border without stopping, besides to pay the $1.75 to cross. It was great having someone take us who knew exactly where to go, could talk to the nurses, translate, and let us know who else was at the hospital and who had just been there, but other than that, I could not recommend their service to someone else.

Dr Levi came within a few minutes to the nurses desk. He said that we could go shopping and when we returned we'd do surgery that night instead of the following morning as planned. I wanted to go shopping first because I didn't think I'd enjoy it as much after surgery. We left our things there and Aimee stopped by Jenell's room on the way out the door and so I got to meet her and her husband Chris then. It was nice being able to meet another family and to put a face with a name off the group. I believe Aimee took us to Nuevo Progresso , instead of Reynosa. Aimee said that there was more outside vendors and stores there and we figured she'd know more then us about that. We got our kids Mexican blankets and t-shirts. We thought the Mexican blankets were something the kids could always keep for years and years of remembrance of our trip and got the t-shirts for them to wear, especially to school where they had already told their friends and teachers all about our trip with much excitement.

We got back to the hospital about 7 pm which they told me right away to get undressed completely, including all jewelry and we'd get everything going. On my way back to my room from asking a question before putting on my gown I met a gal in room #3 but don't remember her name cause she had called out to me as I passed by but couldn't stay since everyone was waiting on me. Very shortly after getting my gown on Dr Levi came in and started my IV which was a lil painful but was only one poke and usually everyone has a hard time getting my veins the first try and sometimes the second. A nurse came in and wheeled me down the hall to right outside the OR. where Dr Levi then introduced me to the rest of the doctors and nurses, although I couldn't really tell who anyone was since I didn't have my glasses on, but they looked as though they were all waiting on me to get there. I like the fact that he told me who everyone was so it wasn't like a bunch of total strangers working on me like it normally is.  I remember getting on the operating table and having Dr Moreno tell me to get in the fetal position and that's pretty much it (I don't remember them putting the epidural in, the catheter, shaving or nothing). I remember asking somewhere near the end what my lengths were and if I had any cysts, but don't remember the answer just the fact that someone did say something. Joe was holding my hand the entire time but said he couldn't stand to watch the person he loved getting her insides cut open, so he concentrated more on me then the actual surgery.

I remember saying before or after the surgery that Joe hadn't had dinner yet since I couldn't eat earlier but Dr Levi told me not to worry that he'd make sure that Joe ate cause they'd go out to dinner. I really was amazed and quite grateful on how friendly Dr Levi was, he was really personable the whole time we were there in the hospital!! I recall getting taken back to my bed and the guys leaving for dinner and that's about it for awhile. The nurses came in and out every couple hours to take vitals and give me more pain medication through my epidural. About noon Sunday they took my epidural, catheter and IV out, and I was very glad to get it all out. They don't like you leaving the hospital before being able to get around good enough for a shower, so I tried sitting up as much as possible but did feel queasy at first (probably due to the medicines still wearing off). I did get into the shower later Sunday evening and stayed one more night since I had originally planned on staying Sunday night before the surprise of getting my TR done early and didn't have anywhere to go. Dr Levi also likes you to walk around a bit before getting discharged so before Joe woke up Monday morning probably about 6am, I started walking up and down the halls. Dr Levi caught me and asked how much I had walked and he said "keep it up, you need to do more :)" but I told him that Joe and I were going outside as soon as I woke him up. So about 8am I woke up Joe and we walked around the block that the hospital was on, then we came back and Joe packed everything up cause the plan was that we were leaving at 10 am at the same time as Jenell and Chris with Aimee. We went shopping one more time for Chris and Jenell cause they hadn't gone yet. We got our future baby a blanket which we only found fitting to get there in Mexico where everything happened. Shopping after surgery was OK but I really enjoyed it more before surgery. After getting into McAllen Aimee dropped Joe and I off first at the Holiday Inn Express (by the airport) before taking Jenell and Chris to catch their plane. I don't think we would've stayed at that hotel if we would've known what a headache it was especially for paying $74 for one night. Our TV didn't work right, we had massive ants in our room, when they moved us to another room where we ended up with a toilet that squeled and ran every ten minutes all night, and then finding out the airport shuttle had very limited hours and that was the main reason why we chose there was for the shuttle.

The next morning we found out our connecting flight was canceled so we had to do more waiting in the airport for another flight. We were very glad to get home and start looking forward to the fact that I'm a whole woman again and will be hoping to conceive after our 3 month healing period. I ended up with at least a 90% chance of conceiving with 7 cm's on both sides. We paid $2090 for surgery. We paid a lil more cause I had two cysts on the right and one cyst on the left that was removed. Besides the air delays and the unsatisfactory hotel experience we were very happy with our decision of going to Dr Perez, Dr Levi and staff !! We couldn't have been happier with what they did for us and how they did it!! Since Dr Levi told us that he reads all the testimonies here, we wanted to make sure we Thanked you all so much Dr Perez, Dr Levi, and staff and we will keep you all updated on when we conceive!!

Nicola Pedersen

These are the words that my hubby, Joe wrote down to add to my testimony :

Although our trip got off to a rocky start (the first plane had to turn around due to engine failure), I am excited to be back home knowing that in a few short months we will be expecting our first baby together! The doctors in Rio Bravo may not carry themselves the same way American doctors do (stiff and impersonal), they do however give you a warm, comfortable feeling and a very confident impression. One could not ask for better physicians to perform this procedure. Their faith and their hearts were and are in the right place. The Lord guided their hands and the results are outstanding.

When we arrived at 4 pm, we were greeted by Dr Levi and his staff. He offered to perform the surgery that evening after we returned from shopping instead of Sunday morning as scheduled. We got our kids their own Mexican blankets and t-shirts as well as other souvenirs. We almost forgot to get something, while we were shopping, for the new baby we will be having soon, but Nici remembered seeing a really beautiful baby blanket which only seemed fitting for our baby's first present to be from the place it was made possible for us to conceive.

Immediately after we returned, about 7 pm, we were shown our room (our stuff had already been transferred there), Nicola got changed into her gown and we were off to the OR.. Every other time Nicola had an epidural it was administered with a considerable amount of pain and discomfort. Nicola was glad to learn that Dr Levi & Dr Perez prefer to administer an injection to take the edge off prior to the epidural, so this was the first of 5 epidurals in her life that was virtually painless. Initially we were going to chronicle the procedure through pictures, but I could not bear it, I chose instead to take just a couple here and there. Except for when I took pictures, I sat next to my wife and held her hand during the whole procedure. She was in and out, but conscious enough to answer questions about comfort and concerns. She was a trooper! The doctors and nurses were focused yet jovial the whole time. If only I knew Spanish because whatever they were saying during the TR was very funny.

During the TR Nici asked me to ask the doctors how things looked, and Dr Perez said she was ovulating! He also said to us that there were 3 cysts, 2 on the right and 1 on the left. Later they informed us that they burned them off rather than cut them out for fear of scar tissue building on her ovaries. When I told her they were finishing up the TR she asked how long her tubes were and Dr Perez happily said 7 cm each! His following words were "You'll be pregnant soon!" After Dr Levi closed up the incision, they returned her to her room where she went right to sleep.

Meanwhile Dr Levi offered to take us (myself and Chris Chow, Janell's husband) to a local restaurant for dinner. Jenell had her surgery Saturday morning and was still recovering. We enjoyed some good conversation during dinner and I got some great insight into why Dr Levi and Dr Perez do what they do. I feel very blessed to know that they are solely concerned with helping people 1st and foremost. By charging less for TR's, they can help more people. They are truly a Godsend.

I admire and appreciate that my wife, Nicola, was willing to undergo this painful procedure so that we may bring a child into this world with our love. I am glad that we made the trip and will continue to recommend them to others. We were treated very well and did not want for anything.

The staff were very nice, courteous and helpful. The language barrier not withstanding, we were able to still communicate with a little patience and translation help, along with hand signals. We both appreciate what Dr Perez, Dr Levi, and staff have done for us and thank them from the bottom of our hearts.

~Joseph Pedersen (Nicola's husband, TR 2-21-04)