liebaby
I started on this journey 2 years ago. I originally planned to have the lap-band and for some reason, once I was actually ready to meet the surgeon, I decided that I would try "one more time" to lose my excess weight on my own. Four months later, I fell off the wagon, yet again. At this point I'd done a lot more research on the band and realized it wasn't ever going to work for me, it required willpower and restraint that I just don't have. So I started researching again.
I briefly considered the DS but eventually settled on the MGB. The MGB is reversible and revisable and I thought that would be the best option for me. Neither the DS or MGB are available in Canada and so travelling out of country for the surgery was never a big concern however cost was as I was paying for my procedure myself.
Then came the really big hurdle... I had to convince my husband! He's a wonderful, supportive man but I knew he would absolutely hate the idea of me having surgery let alone travelling alone to have it regardless of how independent and self-sufficient I am. And he did, especially when I broke the news that I'd decided to go to Mexico to have the procedure. He is ultimately a reasonable man and so he did eventually support my decision after researching the hospital and surgeon himself.
Even more surprisingly (to me anyway) so did my local Dr!
I chose to go to Jerusalem Hospital and Dr. Almanza-Reyes in Tijuana. And 18 days later after following the absolutely awful pre-op (liver-shrinking) diet to a "T" and losing 17lbs I arrived at the store-front hospital. However, just before I was to have surgery, Dr. Almanza wanted to speak to me about my choice of the MGB. He really felt that I was not going to lose all the weight I need to and that the DS was the best option for me. And so I took a huge leap of faith and went with the surgeon's advice and I was PETRIFIED because I hadn't done enough research other than to know what the surgery entailed.
I came through the surgery and recovery very well other than being nauseous. The only complaint I have is that on my last day after having stayed an extra night to ensure I could fly home in the same day the hospital driver was 35 minutes late and caused me to miss my flight check-in at the San Diego Airport at 11:15am. My coordinator who had been absolutely awesome up to the point that I actually needed her was unable to do anything to help me and became angry when I insisted that the hospital could not actually ditch a surgical patient at the airport. ACTUALLY THEY CAN AND DID. Andres Betancourt, owner of the hospital, absolutely refused to acknowledge any fault on the driver's part and refused to pay to re-book my flights. He began to lie about anything he could possibly think of including the time we left the recovery house, despite the fact that I had exact times because I'd been frantically texting my husband when the driver didn't show at 8am and nagging the recovery house staff about the driver's arrival.
I was hysterical, I was already exhausted and sore and everything had gone so smoothly and I just wanted to go home. My husband, my hero, stepped in at this point to make the changes that needed to be made and because I wouldn't be able to get home in one day, ensured that at least I got back to Canada that day. (Kudos to American Eagle flights, when my husband explained the situation, they were amazing!)
So I'm safely at home, returned to work, recovering and absorbing every ounce of knowledge I can about the duodenal switch, which I have come to understand is an excellent tool to have when pursuing a healthly and longer life!
