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  • Name: Stuart Hensley
  • Age: 51
  • Surgery: Gastric Sleeve and Gallbladder Removal Add On
  • Surgery date: November 4th, 2019
  • Testimonial date: November 26th, 2019
  • Surgeon: Dr. Mario Almanza
I researched for over a year reading everything I could, interviewing acquaintances and even looked into having the surgery in the states. In the end my cheapness got the better of me and I chose Mexico. My wife thank goodness for her and her willingness to not let me go it alone. We flew into San Diego and was met by our shuttle driver who spoke little to no English herded into a van full of patients and drove to the hospital in Mexico. On arrival we weren't met by anyone and we set in a lobby for some time before we were met by someone in scubs calling us one by one to step into another room for blood work and a cardiology test by an older gentleman. No one spoke English. Once that was done Doctor Almanza and another person showed and spoke some English and some Spanish and we posed for a picture. After they left one of the other patients asked me so are going to do it today? I said I'm scheduled for tomorrow? He said ya we all are but because the are extra booked tomorrow they are asking if you want to do it today and get an extra day of recovery.
We were then moved to another floor and asked to put on a gown, several times different people came by in scrubs asking the same questions "your here for bariatric sleeve?" And I would add and also my gallbladder removal. Then a nurse who spoke no English spoke into his phone translating it to jumbled English asked the same thing my wife and I both had to read it and both responded and also the gallbladder. Yes the nurse nodded. Needless to say I was the last to go in out of the Group and it was 11pm. I was walked to the elevator and taken to another floor where the surgery's are done. Handed off to another nurse who argued with the two girls that brought me, and even though I don't speak Spanish I could tell he wasn't thrilled there was one more to do before he was done. I was set on a gurnee next to a lady that had just came out with only a curtain between us she moaned loudly and cried then snored then moaned. Then junior physician came out of one of the 2 surgery rooms with an are full of medical tools and threw them in a huge wash basin. At this point I was ready to run I had seen this trailer play for many horror films. I sucked it up and closed my eyes, in a few moments the surgeon showed from room 2 and asked if I was ready? I said yes and he walked me into room 1, they had me lie down on a small cross of a table and tied.my arms down. The anesthesiologist spoke to me for a sec, the first English I had herd besides my wife and arrival in Mexico. He put in an IV and I was out.
Woke up later early AM and was back in my room. I don't remember but my wife said I stood and moved to the bed with the nurses assistance. The next couple of days were the same lots of IV, no idea what it was but assume it was antibiotics and fluids. I had 2 drains one from my stomach and the other from where the gallbladder was removed. I did a lot of walking as it was the only thing that aleved the air bubbles that hurt. Sipping water hurt and made air bubbles that had to be worked out. Day 3 they did a leak test no leak on ultrasound.
Night of day 4 they came and took the tubes out, this not only hurt like hell but the thought of pulling that RIP cord out of my gut still makes me queasy. My wife was given a bag and told you take home with you.
Day 5, we were packed and in the lobby I was having a numbness in my right leg from hip to knee I seen the leak test doctor walking around and stopped him and asked him about it he had me pull off my Sock checked blood settling and said it's not a problem. Shuttle came and 10 of us with luggage packed in, we were stuck at boarded for 2 hrs and my right leg is almost dead now and I have a cramp in my left leg. Thankfully we made it across and to the San Diego airport. Then I broke out into high fever, sweating and chills. We had a 4 hour layover. As I was freaking out my wife said they gave us a bag, in the bag was medication all in Spanish I googled the names and dosages it was pain killer and antibiotics I doubled the antibiotics and took both. And was able to get on the plane fever calmed as we hit Phoenix and we made it to a hotel. Woke the next morning and drove home. I seemed to be fine acclimating to my new situation and diet and the weight was coming off. Start of week 3 I started having stomach pains day 2 of stomach cramps got so bad I couldn't walk, stand or sleep. We went to emergency as the symptoms I read were leaking from the gastric sleeve. 12 hours and a ct scan later they let me know I had a blood clot and that it was in my main artery that feeds all intestines. They opted not to do surgery because of the risk and put me on blood thinners and pain meds, the also let me know it was from my gastric surgery and that the surgeon must have hit the artery causing the bruise and subsequent clot, also was told that the clot I have is less than 1% of happening. I have just made it home now and we are settling in to my new reality of blood thinners for the next several months.
I don't blame anyone but myself for the situation I'm in, at any point pre surgery I could have bailed out but didn't all I'm saying is this is forever and irreversible,
please be sure and be safe .
    * This is an actual testimonial, however, your results may vary. For more information, please read our Testimonial Disclaimer and Risks of Surgery.
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