My name is Cindy Gerbers I
would like to share my story with you. All of
my life I have been over weight. I think I can
remember being thin 3 times in my life. I have
taken diet pills, joined weight watchers, and
been on all types of so called diets, only to
gain the weight back again. When it comes back
you always gain more. I can remember going
through high school being called names. We all
have different excuses for putting the weight
back on. Now in my 50’s I remember going to
the doctors, and they always want you to go on
the scale “I always… refused, never wanting
anyone to know how heavy I really was. I
remember my family doctor using the word
OBESE.
He talked to me about having bariatric
surgery.
I remember thinking you have to be 100 lbs
over weight before your insurance would cover
you. I needed another 20 pounds, and that
would be no problem, since I was good at that!
I was so embarrassed when I heard the Dr.
referred me as obese. (After all I just
thought I was fat and depressed.) But now it
was affecting my health. My doctor put me on
medication for high blood pressure,
cholesterol, and said I had type 2 diabetes. I
wanted to live along time to be able to enjoy
my grandchildren and grow old with my husband.
So I began
looking into having bariatric surgery, but
continued to run into problems with the
insurance company.
(So many rules, money, and time, and I wasn’t
guarantee the insurance would pay for my
surgery.) I looked up the cost for surgery
without insurance in my state, and I couldn’t
afford that either.
I began doing research on the internet on what
type of surgery to have… Lap band or the
Sleeve. After reading about the band, having a
foreign object in my body, and having the
expense of fill I decided to have the gastric
sleeve. With the sleeve there is no up keep.
My next challenge was to find the right
surgeon. After a long search I found Dr. Ramos
Kelly I read all of his credentials. His
coordinators
Explained the different surgeries and cost.
She had Dr. Kelly call me. I found Dr. Kelly
to be a very caring surgeon who explained
everything to me. I felt that he really cares
about his patients. (This is rare to find in
the states) At this time I booked my surgery.
I put it on 3 different credit cards.
My journey began Nov. 2, 2007 I arrived in San
Diego were I was met by Dr. Kelly’s drivers at
baggage claim area.
I traveled alone and felt very safe. I was
always with a staff member that worked for Dr.
Kelly. (Did I mention the fact that my
children were upset about me going to Tijuana
its terrible how we Americans think that all
of Tijuana) is dirty and poor. In every state
there is a poor part of town which doesn’t
mean we all live in that part of town.
I was escorted to the lab were my blood was
taken. From there I was taken to the hospital
. (It was very neat and very clean) I met Dr .
Kelly and had an x-ray taken met with the
cardiologist, had EKG, and met the
psychologist. Then it was time for surgery.
The next day I explained to Dr. Kelly that my
daughter was worried about me. He called her
on his cell phone and explained everything to
her and handed me his phone so I could talk to
my daughter.
I was in the hospital for 48 hrs, and it was
better than in the states.
I received excellent care from Dr. Kelly and
the nursing staff at the hospital.
I was given all medication that I would need
(Can you see the Doctor in the state giving
you all your medication before you go home and
not charging you for it?)
At this time Dr. Kelly’s team picked me up
from the hospital and took me to the Camino
hotel which is a **** hotel.
Monday morning I was picked up and taken to
the hospital for a swallow test, Then the
driver took me back to the airport.
Dr. Kelly has changed my life. As of this date
July 28, 2008
I have lost a total of 90 lbs.
I am NO longer taking medication. It’s not so
much about the outside appearance but about
the fat that was around my organs. That would
have affected my life spam.
I am very grateful for Dr. Kelly. Not only is
he a very skilled surgeon, but also a
compassionate Doctor.
