In Mexico For Surgery With Dr. Garcia

[Kyle Varner 4]

Well, I'm home in Puerto Rico and resting and recovering comfortably. I'm glad I'm a single guy with relatively few responsibilities, because right now, while I'm only in very minimal pain, I just want to lay in bed and watch TV. But I am very happy that my recovery is going as planned.

So, as promised, here is a more detailed account of my experience!

The hotel shuttle took me promptly at 7AM to the hospital, where I checked in, got settled in my room, and met two lovely nurses who took care of me for the day. The started my IV, and took an EKG. The machine they used for the EKG was a relic. I'd actually never seen one of these (only heard stories about what a pain they are), with big metal electrodes that you attach with gel. This isn't a standard of care issue, as the machine still produces accurate tracings from all the leads. I looked at the EKG and verified that the tracings were exactly what I expected them to be. I then met with an internist, who took my history, ordered some labs, and then she told me about her personal experience with the gastric sleeve that she had done two years ago. She said it was the best decision of her life, and I truly believe that my decision to get the gastric sleeve ranks among the best decisions in my life.

I should note here, that all of these conversations were in Spanish. I'm not sure how well they spoke English because I never tried to speak English to them. The internist, I think, speaks fluent Engish, and so does Dr. Garcia and the Anaesthesiaologist. So after I was cleared for surgery, Dr Garcia came in and we talked about the procedure, asked any questions I had, and then he explained everything in English to my mother who was with me (and didn't speak Spanish).

The Anesthesiologist came in and immediately started speaking to me in English. Dr Garcia told me that he specializes in cardiac cases, doing anesthesiologist for heart transplants and such, and that he chose this anesthesioloist because frequently people who are morbidly obese have cardopulmonary issues that make their anaesthesia more complicated and he wants to be fully equipped with everything.

Once that was done, they took me in a wheel chair to the OR, set me up on the table, and I made small talk with the anesthesiologist about the drugs he was giving me. Next thing I know, I woke up. I was in pretty servere pain and nauseus, and they immediately gave me a shot of burpenorphine and zofran, and I felt better within a few minutes. I vomited a clot of blood, and was immediately reassured that this is normal. I needed to urinate and the nurses helped me do that while I was still in the recovery bed. It would have been embarassing but I as still pretty out of it and just glad for the help.

After a couple of hours where I mostly slept, they transferred me to my room. My mother had been updated about my progress and immediately I started walking, first around the room and then around the ward. The walking really helped, and every time I complained of pain the nurses gave me what was necessary to keep me comfortable.

The next day, I was feeling way better and went for the first leak test. It was really cool because I got to watch the flouroscope in real time. No leaks! yay! The second leak test, a few hours later, was the methylene blue, which was nasty but hey, none of it came into the drain so I passed the second leak test and was cleared to start liquids. Apple juice, ice chips, and gatorade. I worked on that as best I could and slept quite a bit. I should mention that Dr. Garcia came by to check on my regularly, way more than surgeons I have worked with personally checked on their patient.

The next day I was discharged to a hotel, to recover a bit more before my flight. Prior to leaving, Dr. Garcia talked to me for a long time, answered all of my questions and gave me a big hug. It was a successful surgery and recovery, and I could tell he was happy for me and proud of his good work. And, ladie's and gentlemen: it was great work in a great facility!

I had top class nursing attention the whole time I was there. Experienced physicians, fully facilities and everything made the whole process go very smoothly, and I feel like they have really give me a great gift of a new life. I feel so strongly about this that I won't hesitate for a moment to recommend my own patients and family to them. This is a top notch, world-class center of excellence with great people.

If you are worried about the language barrier, I think you will still be fine because all of the doctors can communicate with you in English. The coordinator provides a sheet that you can print off with common phrases that you might need to communicate with a nurse who doesn't understand you. Obviously, being able to speak in Spanish will make things easier, but don't let the language barrier or stereotypes about Mexico be what gets in the way of making this life changing decision.

I think a lot you agree that growing up as the fat kid was a special kind of hell. At least for me, I carried on a lot of those scars into adulthood, and I think I immersed myself in my studies and work to such a degree that I hardly have a life outside of medicine. I'm working now on getting therapy to leave that baggage behind and get a new, happier life, and I know without a doubt that this was the right first step for me, and that Dr. Garcia was the right surgeon for me.

On another note, in the hotel I met several patients who had gone to another Doctor (I won't name him because I'm about to say negative things about him, and its not fair to spread third hand information that is damaging to someone--you have to be 100% sure of all the accuracy in order to do that). But this girl was discharged and went to a hotel while still being unable to tolerate oral intake. She was getting dehydrate, vomiting a lot and in a lot of pain. This is a cardinal rule of any hospital medicine: if a patient isn't tolerating oral intake you can't discharge them home because they will get dehydrate and come right back to the Emergency Room. So the lesson here, is when you are choosing a surgeon, ask about the aftercare, and when they discharge patients. Patients should not be discharged until they are stable and tolerating oral liquids. There are great operations in Tijuana, and I think there are sketchy ones too. I'm very glad I was lucky enough to find Dr. Garcia, because he and his operation was top notch, great, with the quality you would expect from a pricey US Center of Excellence.

If anyone has any more questions, please feel free to ask me. This community has been great for me when I was researching and planning my surgery, and I'm happy to give back the information that I can!

Best wishes to you all for success and happiness!

[KellyL 173]

Congrats on being sleeved and recovering comfortably. I'm glad you had a great experience with your surgeon and everything went well.

[momofthree 14]

You are a man of integrity. Thank you for the beautifully written

Testimonial!!!!! I appreciate it. I'm up very soon to be sleeved by

Doc Garcia. Wish you the best with your studies and with YOU

Loving you healthy.

[5DogMa 62]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing your experience.

We also share your great experience with Dr. Garcia and the Hospital MI Doctor. We are recommending them to anyone who asks us about having this surgery in Mexico.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

[Britt_Bearpaw 3]

^{Thank you for sharing, that means so much to me. You write quite beautifully, and I appreciate all the details. I wish you well on your journey}

[rahnava 30]

My experience was almost the same as yours. I giggled when I read about the EKG machine, but truthfully it did give an accurate reading and It didn't have the leads that we have in the states that leave the sticky residue on your skin. They took the time to clean off the gel when it was dont. Nevertheless the blue "clips" they put on your ankles and wrists are weird, but like I said, it gave the same accurate results.

Thanks for giving another accurate testimony of how great Dr. Garcia and his staff are. I couldn't have said it better myself. Hope all is well.

I don't know what kind of anesthesia they gave me but I am just starting to get the feeling back in certain "unmentionable" parts of my body. lol