Procedure – Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy
Surgeon – Dr. Hector J Perez Corzo
Location – Cancun Mexico
Facilitator – Alma
In December of 2010 I went to Lexington, SC to a well know bariatric center and started the process of getting more information on Weight Loss Sugary. When I got there I stepped on the scales because it had been a few years since I was weighed and really did not have any idea how much I had weighed until that day. When I stepped on the scales and saw that I was 428lbs my head fell in shame. How could I weight this much is what I kept thinking to myself. They ran a few tests and I finally got to meat with the Dr. I told him I was interested in bypass and he stated that I would be a great candidate for VSG. I went there with the intentions of getting information on having bypass and after the consult I was all for having VSG surgery. Within 2 weeks I got word that my insurance would not cover the surgery and was denied, not once but twice not only for the VSG but also for bypass surgery as well.
Fast forward 9 months, frustrated, depressed and weighing more than ever I went to my regular Dr. in September 2011, because I was having some medical issues and did not know what was wrong with me. I was diagnosed with type two diabetes my blood sugar was 470 and my A1C was a 17, I had high cholesterol, high blood pressure and I was not 100% sure what I weighed at the time because no one had scales around here that could weigh me, I told them my last known weight of 428lbs.
My paint size was a 64 and I was wearing 5xl and 6xl shirts, but they were getting tight, if I had to guess I would say I was close to 450-475lbs. I had no quality of life I was going through the motions of day-to-day life.
This was my wake up call to get my life back. I started eating right and walking everyday. I started watching YouTube videos on people who had VSG surgery and the process of VSG and what it initialed. I started loosing weight and my diabetes was under control with two types of medication, a high blood pressure medication and high cholesterol medication. And things were looking better weight came off slow. But I needed something else to help me control the amount of food that I could eat, Being the fat kid my whole life I turned to food because food did not judge me. This is what led me to weight 428+ lbs.
One day while doing some research on medical tourism I came across ready4achange.com and filled out some information online and within 24 hours, I had received an email from Alma with all her contact info and that she would be calling me shortly. We spoke on the phone several times and answered all my questions; I was somewhat leery about going to Mexico for surgery because I had never had any type of surgery before. The Day I arrived in Cancun Mexico I was greeted at the airport by a car service and was brought to the Westin Laguna Mar hotel, which was a 5 star resort. I’m in the Hotel business and was really impressed. Dr. Perez called me that night to check on me and to go over a few things and said he would see me in the morning. The morning of surgery the driver was downstairs in the lobby of the hotel ready to take me to the hospital. I filled out all necessary paper work and was taken back to get ready for surgery, The next thing I remember is waking up and them telling me that everything went well and that they would be getting me up to my room shortly.
Over the Two days I noticed how clean Amerimed hospital was and that is was a quite room that was spacious and had a sofa in the room for the person that traveled with me, who was allowed to stay in the room with me for the two days I was there.
I will never forget March 2, 2012 this was the day I got my life back! Thanks to Hector J Perez Corzo & Alma with ready4achange.com. I am more active now then I have ever been in my life. I have lost a total of 208lbs and my weight ranges from 220-240 and I am now 2 years out from surgery. I no longer take medications for diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure my A1C is 4.75 and I am no longer considered a diabetic. I am thankful that I got a second chance at life and a tool to help me stay on the right path to health. \
Since surgery I have done a YouTube video every Friday to document my weight loss journey and to hopefully help someone that was like me that starting doing research on the surgery and having surgery in Mexico.
https://www.youtube.com/user/CoreyJCook
https://www.facebook.com/CoreyJCook
I cant Thank You all enough for everything you have done for me.
Corey J. Cook