As I write this I am 5 months out from my plastic surgery and feeling the confidence that was once lost to me. I love that Dr. Q has called me occasionally (even across countries) to check in and see how I’m doing.

Let me just start out by saying a BIG THANK YOU to Dr. Quiroz and his staff.  I recently sent in some after pictures to Dr. Q just to show him the results and follow up. When I did that I had a chance to compare the photo’s to my before pics. It’s awesome. I look in the mirror everyday and am consistently amazed that it is me looking back.

In October 2008 I topped the scales at almost 350 lbs. With my height only being 5’2” you can imagine I was a pretty big girl. There comes a time in everybody’s life that they have to decide to live life or just watch it go by. I’m a parent of a now 18 year old girl and foster parent to 4 more teenagers and work a full time job. I’m a busy person and being that big, the energy to just do my day to day tasks was becoming more and more difficult. I had to make a decision. And for me that was gastric bypass.

I had tried diets and pills and exercise and it just seemed that every time I lost a little weight I would gain more. Time for me to get off of the roller coaster ride.  I had my gastric bypass surgery in Toronto (near my home) on October 15, 2008 and I was on my way.  A little over a year later, I’d lost almost half my body weight. You would think that after that much weight loss I’d be happy and on track in life. However, I had so much excess skin that it made life so very difficult. I had to tuck it in my pants. I couldn’t find pants to fit in the waist, they were all too big because I needed them bigger in the lower abdomen because of the hanging skin. It started to feel hopeless when I went to a local plastic surgeon and found out the cost of a lower body lift.

I was part of an online support group and there were a lot of people who had massive weight losses. I watched a couple of the other girls post pictures and talk about their experiences in TJ. There was once a time when I would have run the other way from surgery anywhere other than my home country (Canada). But curiosity got the best of me and I started to research. I found Dr. Quiroz and did my internet research. I found people who had surgery done by Dr. Q and talked to them about their results. I checked with every resource I could find and slowly but surely got the nerve to do an online consultation, still not quite sure.

In October 2008 I topped the scales at almost 350 lbs. With my height only being 5’2” you can imagine I was a pretty big girl.

I sent the pictures of myself and Dr. Q called me the next day. He was completely honest about what kind of results I could expect, straight forward with me and listened to what I wanted for myself and was able to give me realistic expectations. After talking to Dr. Q, I spent some time comparing costs and reviewing my options. Dr. Quiroz’s staff recommended a place to stay while I was in TJ and I hunted around too. I finally settled on one that was known to a couple friends and invited my dad along. I was still a little nervous so I wanted someone with me.

The plan was made. I headed down to Mexico (Dr. Q suggested I be prepared to stay for at least 10 days) I decided to stay for 14. Dr. Q’s staff picked me up at the airport and took me directly to his office, where my ride to my aftercare facility was able to pick me up. Dr. Q was so easygoing and frank in his discussion with me. I have a health issue which means I cannot have certain medications that may be given during surgery so I was extra nervous. He called the anaesthesiologist and spoke to him, reviewed everything and was able to ease my concerns very quickly.

Dr. Q’s staff was very friendly and always ready to offer assistance or answer any questions I had. My surgery was the following day. I had a lower body lift, and breast lift with augmentation, in addition he did some liposuction in my arms.

Today, I can wear Size 8 jeans…(Pre- plastics I wore a size 12-14)…WOOT WOOT..I never in my adult life have been in single digits.

Today, I can wear Size 8 jeans…(Pre- plastics I wore a size 12-14)…WOOT WOOT..I never in my adult life have been in single digits. My confidence is boosted, I feel good about going shopping and being able to buy almost anything I want and have it FIT. Its amazing.

As I write this I am 5 months out from my plastic surgery and feeling the confidence that was once lost to me. I love that Dr. Q has called me occasionally (even across countries) to check in and see how I’m doing. He has made it very clear that distance does not mean I am not his patient and I feel the support from him and his team.

Was I nervous going to TJ- Heck Yes,  but for any other reason than media hype. No. I was prepared to turn around and lose any deposit I had already made but was put so at ease there the worry quickly faded.