A different view

[La_madam 20]

I had my surgery with Dr Ortiz at the Oasis on April 6th 2004 ..I had a pulmonoligist and a cardiologist on hand during my surgery. I met personally with both of them pprior to my surgery. They both were in the operating room well atleast until I was knocked out after that I dont know..Oasis was not up to the standards of the American hospitals but they did have bottled Water everywhere in my room and is was very clean, the nurses were fabulous . Thanks for sharing your story with us Lori, I wish you all the best. I admire your attitude and courage.

[Alexandra 55]

Lori, thank you again for being so forthcoming about your experience. Your decision to never try again makes a whole lot of sense to me--I'm sure I would have made the same one. You sound like you've done some soul-searching through it all, and I'm sure you'll be successful at getting healthy again and staying that way.

Sue, what great information on hospitals! I agree, having the best facility possible can make a HUGE difference in outcome. And if I were traveling across the border--any border--for medical care I'd want it to be absolutely top of the line.

[GeezerSue 7]

Confession/caveat...Hospital Oasis is an "alternative cancer center." I am extremely, extremely, extremely skeptical of such businesses. I know others disagree with me, but I really feel that most of such places are just out to take advantage of desperate people. Snake oil and all. So, while the banding surgery is not part of the alternative cancer treatment thing, I just could not go there. To each his own, but I just could not. I don't doubt that it is clean and that good doctors go there. But the hosptial I chose was a teaching hospital associated with a medical school, cuz I'm a coward.

[SouthTX LapBand 0]

Hi all .... The reason I am dragging this old thread up to daylight again is because I wanted to speak of Dr. Jose Rodriguez, the private hospital he practices at and who he has for support in case of an emergency.

First of all, ONLY have your surgery scheduled there Monday - Friday. No Weekends. More than half of the building where the small 10-bed hospital is located consists of the clinics, upstairs & down, where the doctors have their offices. Among the doctors in practice in that building are cardiologists and two other laproscopic surgeons.

Dr. Rodriguez uses chiefly very safe hypnotic anesthesias and avoids the gases that cause frequent post-surgical nausea. But one of the side effects of the one of the meds is the patient having the SENSATION of being unable to catch their breath --- thus displaying hyperventilation & panicked efforts to breath. Usually the patient will have no memory of this (or anything else) that happens during after coming out of recovery as the amnesiac stage is still present.

However, the reason I bring this up is that it happened to me ---- and I have the isolated memories of Dr. Jose Rodriguez AND other doctors at my bedside. I remember because one of them said my name, catching my attention, and introduced himself -- a Dr. Garza -- very handsome, and I greeted him and shook his hand.

I also have the memories of the oxygen mask and finger clamp monitor on me ... and a sweet woman stroking my face and calming me.

I was never in any danger, but until he was CERTAIN of why my symptoms had suddenly developed, he had access to reinforcements in other surgeons.

[SouthTX LapBand 0]

PS: The fact that Dr. Garza WAS able to capture my attention stop the "attack" and get me engaged in "polite conversation" was what he needed to determine my condition.

These other physicians and surgeons, just down the hall, are available to check on patients if need be when Dr. Rodriguez is in surgery with another patient or not immediately available.