Important, Sleevers: Do the Right Thing

So I volunteered to be a contact for the sales rep that originally scheduled my surgery to refer prospective patients to who are exploring WLS. I've had the opportunity to chat with a few people who were in the same boat I was just two years ago. But a few weeks ago, I got a call from a lady who had gotten deep into planning bariatric surgery. I had questioned her and she was evasive at first, but then I flat-out asked her how many pounds she wanted to lose.

"Oh, around 30-40."

After collecting myself, I asked her why. She tearfully told me she was never happy with her thighs and that her cosmetic surgery she had to fix them was botched. She had already consulted a local surgeon here in the States, and all the obese people in the waiting room asked her how many months it had been since she was sleeved.

We all hope that healthcare professionals--no matter what country they reside in--will be ethical and forthright. But oftentimes the people booking these procedures for self-pay individuals are motivated by lucrative commissions and aren't wont to closely screen those who would have such a life-changing operation. In this vein, I urge all of you to volunteer as I did to be someone who can be called upon to provide advice down the road to someone who may just be starting this journey. In this specific case, this poor woman really seemed to have taken a wrong turn. Through being educated and part of a supportive community, you could potentially help someone avoid disaster by imparting what you've learned to them.

Amen!

You had me at "sales rep" - i was like a WHAT?

Sales...surgery...horrible combination. And this is exactly what you get...sad sad sad. 

It is sad, considering I formed a good rapport with this person before my surgery back in 2011. Going through one of these companies isn't the end of the world, so long as you educate yourself before you take the plunge. After doing my research, I knew the sleeve was right for me, and I haven't regretted it.