"The day of my surgery finally arrived on March 26, 2007. That morning Rosie, Dr. A’s cousin, picked me and another patient up from the Holiday Inn Express (in Eagle Pass, Tx) at 11:00 a.m. We drove about 10 minutes to Dr. A’s office in Piedras Negras, Mx. His office was quite nice and very professional – just as you would expect in an American doctor’s office. He greeted us with a huge smile and a hug. I was so happy to finally meet him: I immediately felt comfortable and safe with him as my surgeon. I had a private question and answer meeting with him. After the meeting, we took a short walk to the hospital as Dr. A’s office is just in front of the hospital entrance. Dr. A was kind enough to carry my luggage to my room. When we got to the hospital, everything was already taken care of… we just went straight to our rooms. It was great! I was given a hospital gown and told to change. Dr. A informed me that I would be the first to the OR as I was the youngest. He also told me that a lab technician would come to my room within a few minutes to take a blood sample. Once the lab results came back, I’d be ready for surgery! Sure enough, moments later I had my blood drawn. About ½ hour after I was off to the OR! While in the OR Dr. A did everything to make me more comfortable. He even had great music playing in the background. He talked and otherwise distracted me as the anesthesiologist inserted my IV. Once the IV was in place, Dr. A told me that a mask was going to be placed over my face. The next thing I remember was being wheeled back into my room. rnOver the course of the next two days, I was given superb care by Dr. A and the nursing staff. The nurses were like clockwork. I NEVER had to ask for pain medication because the nurses arrived before the pain would begin again. In addition to pain killers, I was also given blood thinners and antibiotics. Communication also was not an issue because I was given a sheet with basic requests; it also allowed me to practice my Spanish. Dr. A came to check on me 4 times each day. He was wonderful. Always kind, gentle, helpful, and never without a smile on his face. I never felt as though my treatment or care was somehow inadequate. Also, while the hospital itself is older, all modern equipment was available in the case an emergency occurred in the OR. Note too that Dr. A did an amazing job with the incisions. All are as tiny as possible and have healed beautifully.rnNote too that I have never encountered a Doctor that is as dedicated to his patients as Dr. A. If you call him, he will talk to you and answer any questions you have. If you email him, he will respond within hours. He takes special care to remove all or most of the stomach fundus so as to reduce future stretching. Further, he has a unique procedure where he uses three rows of staples and stitches between the staple lines. This technique eliminated the need for a drainage tube and has resulted in a ZERO percent leakage rate. In all honesty, I feel as though I received much better care and more attention than any patient in the U.S. My only complaint is that my hospital room was warm and I missed my own pillows. I suggest you bring a small fan and a pillow if you can fit them in your suitcase. If you are contemplating VSG I highly recommend Doctor Alvarez. After my experience even my mother, a registered nurse, is thinking about having the surgery with Dr. A!!!rn"
