"It's hard to put into words how I feel about Dr. Alvarez and his team. Instead of repeating my posts on how great I think this man is or the numerous gushing reviews, let me give you the:rnrn\"Top 10 Reasons Why I Would Recommend Dr. Alvarez\"rnrn1. His experience and very low complication rate - This is the number one thing I think should be considered when picking a physician. While a pleasant beside manner is nice, I could care less as long as the doc knows exactly what he is doing. As of this writing (4/09), he has done close to 900 VSG's. Surgery, no matter what kind is an art and you do not want to chance your well-being on someone who is still on the learning curve. When I read posts about people with complications, I always look at who did their surgery and how much experience the doc had. It is usually a relative newbie to the surgery. You want a doc who has seen and done it all. Dr. A is definitely one who has. Another physician was having surgery with Dr. A the same day as me. Knowing a doc could afford anyone, I asked her why she would come to Dr. A. She looked at me and said Dr. A is world-renowned. rnrn2. Cost - As a self-pay, you need to find a balance between the quality of physician and cost. With Dr. A, you get best of both worlds.rnrn3. Safety - I put this in the list not so much because it was a concern of mine, but because I've seen several posts about the safety in Mexico right now. These are isolated incidences that the media has negligently blown into too big a story. That said, Piedras Negras has never had a kidnapping. I went to dinner the night before the surgery in town and never felt unsafe. My sleeve-sister's husband walked around, went to restaurants, etc. while we were in the hospital and felt completely safe. The hospital is about 2-3 blocks from the border. Even if someone wanted to kidnap you, there is really no chance to do it. NPR recently did a story about the kidnappings and interviewed the mayors of Eagle Pass (the US bordertown where you will spend the night) and Piedras Negras. Check it out at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102390087. Also, the hospital is about a 40 bed hospital (which is very small) and private. Because of this, there is not a lot of people in there or people coming and going. Once you're in the hospital, you are secluded. Please don't let safety be a concern.rnrn4. His Staff - Everyone from Rosie, the driver, all the way to the anesthesiologist are wonderful. They are kind, knowledgeable and caring. I couldn't have asked for more. One person who I don't think gets enough credit is his assistant surgeon Dr. Rosales. He is every bit as great as Dr. A. He works with one anesthesiologist. So it is the same team doing each surgery and you definitely get the A-team.rnrn5. Access to physician and responsiveness - Lots of posts on how many times a day he rounds, so I won't repeat that. What I've really enjoyed and been impressed by is how quickly he responds to my emails - sometimes within minutes and no more than an hour. Because of my odd journey, I've kept in touch with him for months. I had a tummy tuck in the US a few years ago and let me tell you, there was no way I was going to get that doc's email! I find it comforting to know I can get in touch with Dr. A anytime I need to and he will respond.rnrn6. Cleanliness - The hospital is old, but clean. From what I was told, Dr. A paid for the equipment in the OR so that he has the best. The rooms are private. Some have another bed for family members. It reminds me of a military or VA hospital. I've got pics of a room in my profile, if you'd like to see them.rnrn7. Internet connectivity - Okay, this one might not be important to you, but it was to me. There is wireless in the hospital. While Dr. A's rooms have a PC in them, I highly recommend bringing your laptop so that you can surf from your bed.rnrn8. Character - Dr. A is a good man. He made the right decision to abort my first attempt at VSG and refunded half the $. He has prayed with me and for me (as has Dr. Rosales). I believe he truly wants to make a difference in people's lives.rnrn9. Trust - I completely trust him. I've had surgery with him twice. My husband also had a VSG with him. We are both extremely happy. If my niece is willing, I'd like to send her to him sometime too. That is how much value and trust Dr. A and his team.rnrn10. Personable - This one wasn't as important to me, but it is to some. Dr. A is an extrovert. He is very friendly and down to earth. I work in healthcare and have met many physicians. I would rank him in the top 5 nicest docs I've met.rnrnHonestly, the only negative thing I could say about my experience is that the anesthesiologist hit something in my throat when tubing me for the first surgery and made it hurt for a few days and then it was fine. I subsequently learned I had a large thyroid nodule, so he could have hit that. Not sure. I had my thyroid removed before the second surgery and had no problems with that surgery. My husband didn't have any problems with his surgery either.rnrnIf you have any questions/concerns, feel free to email me! Blessings, Patty"
