Mari


I know exactly how you feel, I was nervous too, but I am so glad I did it. The surgeon is the one who does all the facelifts on Pat Marino’s program. She interviewed tons of different doctors but for lots of reasons she settled on him. She will tell you all about that. I had no complications, but part of the reason I chose to do it in Mexico is that you are in a hospital with full staff and facilities rather than in a doctor’s office as an outpatient the way it is commonly done in the States. That way if anything does go wrong, you have the best situation for handling it. And from what I have learned the critical period is the first 24 hours. Usually if anything goes wrong it will be right away. I also asked Pat what if I am not happy about how it turns out, and she said Dr. B would welcome any patient back at no extra charge. I guess this never happens, she says the only complaint she has ever heard is that the results were on the conservative side. It has now been 3 months since my surgery and most people who notice a change think it is my hair. I really haven’t changed my hair, but people have complimented my “new hairdo” saying I look 20 years younger with my hair this way! (If you really want to throw people off, change your hair for real.)

Did Pat tell you I kept it a secret from my husband who was away for a month, and always was opposed adamantly to cosmetic surgery. He came back 2 and a half weeks after my surgery and didn’t notice it. However his eyesight is not so good. My experience was the bruising was almost gone by about two weeks, but my face was still a little tight and swollen, and people would notice something odd. If you want to do it without anybody realizing it stay away three weeks. I wish I had stayed longer because it turned out to be one of the best holidays I’ve ever had…I want to go back this year and spend more time there, it was so idyllic, so pleasant, so stimulating and so affordable! I finally told my husband and he was astonished. He really could not tell until he put on his eyeglasses and examined before and after photos. The results are very natural looking. I hated my wrinkly creepy neck and now I have the neck of a 25-year-old, smooth and young. But nobody remembers my old neck. They think I am wearing a new makeup or have a new haircut. Or they think because I recently sold my business that I am so relaxed and rid of tensions. It is really amazing. The fee I paid covered everything, even the pain pills and antibiotics he gave me to take after leaving the hospital, (I didn’t need the pain pills, but did take sleeping pills which he also gave me because it was hard to get really comfortable); he removed the stitches at the hotel. No extra charges for anything, but I did tip the driver of the car $10 for each transfer. He even arranged a driver to show up at 5:30 a.m. for the early plane from Leon back to Houston.

After spending time in Mexico I am convinced that the average Latin has an artistic gene, everyone is creative and tuned it to visual aesthetics. One day I noticed the shower curtain in the hotel was tied back with a rosette fashioned from a paper towel. Even the maids are creative and artistic, just for the joy of it. I could go on and on, but I think even if I could afford an expensive US surgeon, why do it any other way? I have seen so many scary facelifts in Aspen from women to whom price is no obstacle. You know that stretched wind-tunnel effect? I was afraid of that.

Feel free to ask me about anything else that comes to mind.

Good luck, Mari