"My VSG surgery was June 24,2008. My first impression of Dr. Alvarez was good. He shook my hand, smiling, warm welcome. He was a great mixture of caring and professional. My impression of him did change over time. I could tell that Dr. A. loves what he does. Always asking how I felt and he took the time to listen if my answer got lengthy and cofusing. It is a difficult time when I was feeling confused and wondering what the heck I had just done, and I was feeling things in my body that I had never felt before. I have had doctors ask me questions and I could tell they were half listening or worse yet not even looking at me when I answered. Dr. A truly has his patients best interest at heart. He never made me feel like I was silly with my questions. His staff was wonderful too! They were very knowledgable about nutrition as well as general health questions about the procedure I had just had. They were not only caring for me during surgery, they were treating me like a friend. Dr. A and his staff prepared me with all the medicine and directions I would need for my after care. They had prepared a personlize box complete with all the medicine I would need, and it came with a sit down instruction class with Dr. A and his staff, I have known exacally what to do at home, it has been so reasuring! Dr A. did a great job making me aware of the \"not so fun\" details of the surgery. Risks are not easy to hear when you are looking surgery straight in the face, however Dr. A. and his staff had a way of giving the good and bad in way that is not upsetting but informative about the details you cannot ignore. I cannot give Dr. Alvarez a high enough rating.....he was excellent! I have made the comment to my family that Dr. Alvarez had never been obease,has probably never worried about if the chair at his childs choir concert will hold him...however he is the one who is changing lives of people who do have this worry everyday. He his truly making miricales happen in the lives of people who thought there was not hope for their life altering obesity. Just the squeez of my hand or the pat on the back is what takes Dr. Alvarez up and beyond the call of duty, him and his staff care about each patient and each life they have in their hands. He will always be my hero!! "
