Amber Hutchins

Stats Story Photos
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State

Texas

Surgery Date 11/07/09
Sterilized  
lengths L 6 R 4
Preg 1

It's a boy!
2/10/12

Preg 2  
Preg 3  
HSG  
Age

 

 

Welcome Baby

My beautiful TR baby was born 2/10/2012 Thank you Dr.s Perez, Levi and Diaz!


Nov 2009

I'm going to try to get a testimonial to you now, so that I don't forget details, plus I'm stuck just sitting around, so I might as well be productive. :)

I'm Amber Hutchins and I had my surgery November 7, 2009.

I had my tubal ligation at 23. I was already opened up after having had an emergency c-section when the decision was made, and I was unhappy about it from the moment I arrived home from the hospital. Over 7 years later, divorced and remarried, my husband and I decided to try to have a child together.

My husband, Abe, and I live in Houston, TX, about 6 hours drive from McAllen, so we chose to drive to McAllen, put our car in long term parking at the airport and take the shuttle to Rio Bravo. We probably could have driven ourselves across the border, but the shuttle was a nice service and we weren't unhappy we made the decision to use it. It was one less thing to have to while nervous before surgery, and while sore afterwards.

We packed extremely light. A change of clothes and something to sleep in for my husband, a pair of sweatpants and baggy tanks for me. We went in November and the high in Rio Bravo was over 80, so it stays pretty warm there. Don't forget to take shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrush, a washrag, and something to hold your hair back. You shouldn't need much else. maybe a good book, but if you are like me, you will probably be too sleepy to read much of it. I took my camera, but left it in the car at the airport on accident. You can't wear jewelry during surgery, so the only thing I took with me was my wedding ring, which my husband wore on his pinkie during surgery.

We arrived at the hospital around 6:30 pm on a Friday night, and were scheduled for surgery early the next morning. The hospital is older, but the room was very nice, much larger than rooms in American hospitals, in fact, my husband commented it was very similar to the hotel room we had when visit the Greek islands. So, really, not a bad room AT ALL. What everyone says about it being clean is true. My room was mopped with sanitizer 3 or 4 times during my 24 hour stay. Dr. Levi came in about an hour after we arrived and spoke with us for awhile and said he would start me on IV about 6 am and I would go in to surgery about 8.

I mentioned I hadn't eaten most of the day, and he suggested a place to go eat within walking distance. They took American dollars, but gave us change in pesos (which we brought home to show the kids) They had really good tacos, for those that like Mexican food, and the walk took us past some very nice houses. The hospital is in a pretty nice part of town.

The next morning they came in and started my IV and after a few hours, took me in a wheelchair in to surgery. I remember being placed and swabbed for the epidural, but after that I don't remember much, except for a few bits of conversation here and there. At the end my anesthesia began to wear off (my husband says I was in surgery for about 2 hours) and they had to put me to sleep, but I have to say that my body never handles drugs well, and other than being very tired the first 12 hours I didn't have a hard time dealing with it at all.

My husband watched the entire surgery over the Doctor's shoulders. (All three Dr.s were there, Perez, Levi and Diaz) We didn't take pictures, but he said it was cool and you could tell from the way they used their instruments that they had a lot of experience. I heard them tell him after my tubes were back together it looked like they had never been cut, and he agreed.

Like I said before, for about the first 12 hours I was very sleepy, but by the time I was fully awake my epidural had worn off and I felt pretty good. I never had to ask for pain meds in the hospital, and haven't felt like more than Tylenol was needed. I'm a little more sore today (I am right at 48 hours since surgery at this writing) but nothing that can't be tolerated. They left my catheter, IV and epidural in for almost 24 hours, removing it around 5 am the morning after surgery. I never needed more epidural medication, though is was available to me.

My right tube is just short of 4 cm and Dr. Levi said I could get pregnant with that tube, but that it would take longer because it's so short. The left tube is 6 cm and he said it looked perfect, and that if I don't get pregnant we have to blame it on my husband. :) He told me to remember that now I am like I was before I ever had my tubes tied, so I would always have to worry about getting pregnant from now on. No matter what are in God's plans for our future, I am thrilled to know I am whole again.

I didn't really have a horrible language barrier at any time. I only know a few words of Spanish, but I didn't have a hard time getting what I needed from the nursing staff, and unlike in American hospitals I saw the Dr.s 5 or 6 times over the course of my stay, and they can all speak English very well.

We were told no intercourse for 15 days (really I am not supposed to do much of anything for 15 days) and then to use protection for an additional 6 weeks before we can start TTC.

I am really glad my husband and I chose to travel to Rio Bravo and put this surgery in the care of the good doctors there. The entire experience was really good, I have no complaints.
 

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July