When it comes to surgery, elective or critical, more and
more people are opting to travel out of the country to have the procedure done
despite warnings. You may recall that Coretta Scott King died shortly after
arriving at a Mexican clinic back in 2006. Apparently she was seeking treatment
for advance ovarian cancer and a stroke she had suffered a few months
before. That clinic shut down within a
week of her passing. However, it seems
to me that you can just as likely encounter issues even if you have the
procedure done right here in the country. Remember Donda West, Kanye West’s
mom? She died back in 2007 after undergoing cosmetic surgery which included
liposuction, breast reduction, and a tummy tuck. Apparently she had heart
disease which may have contributed to her passing one day after the rigorous
procedure. It was also noted that she was alone the night before she died and
did not receive “good” after care. In either case, there was a lot of blame
going around. Some blamed the doctors and/or facility and yet others contribute
the death to "poor" after care. Most recently in Atlanta, two doctors (Nedra Dodds and Kevin McCowan) were
indicted by a Cobb County grand jury after two of their patients (April Jenkins and Erica Beaubrum) died in 2013 after undergoing liposuction procedure. No matter what the reason or underlying cause, it goes to show that fatality
can occur in or outside of the country.
Fatality may not always be the only negative end result.
Sometimes things can go horribly wrong and end in permanent scaring. These results
are known as “botched” procedures and they happen more often than you would
think. I know someone who decided to have some work done to correct the
negative effects childbearing had on her body.
Excited about the prospect of having her ‘pre-childbearing’ body back again she
saved and borrowed until she had enough to cover the cost. She did some research to find a doctor who
would do the procedure on her budget as she didn’t have a lot to spend. Unfortunately her research was apparently not
thorough enough as she settled on a doctor that, unbeknownst to her, was under
investigation by a local news station for malpractice a year before she chose
that doctor to do her procedure. The end
result was horrific. Not only did the procedure cause her physical scaring, it
also caused mental scaring as well as excruciating physical pain. Attempts to correct the problem never
materialized as the doctor’s office kept cancelling her appointment to have the
correction done. In frustration she opted to let it go, along with her dreams of
having the perfect body, which still haunts her.
Like “Jane” and so many others, their dream of having the perfect body
became a gamble which they soon realize escaped them as their procedure became
botched.
Until my exposure to Jane’s plight, I had no idea how wide
spread this epidemic had become. In fact, I recently became aware of a television
show that is dedicated to fixing just such mishaps. That’s great for those who
don’t mind having their face and personal business exposed. But what about
those who want anonymity? With the cost of the procedure costing a pretty penny
to begin with, no doubt fixing the botched job can be just as expensive if not
more so. Don’t get me wrong - it’s great to have the prospect of being selected
as a candidate on this tv show and having the tab picked up by the show’s
producers, but what if you don’t get selected? Then what? The answer is not
that simple as there may not be many options left. Which is why I recommend
that you do diligent research in the beginning to make sure you find a
reputable doctor and the proper aftercare to ensure you recover properly and
reduce the chances of a botched job to begin with. 
With that being said, I also know someone who did just that.
“Mindy” made it her business to research lots of doctors and their affiliated
hospitals. She looked at doctors and facilities both inside and outside the
country. The cost of the procedure was one of the defining factors in her
decision. Turns out for what she needed
done it would cost almost $15,000 if done in the state where she lives, but
only a fraction of that if she had it done in her native country – Dominican
Republic. Mindy discovered that the Dominican
Republic is home to one of the top rated hospital in the region - Hospital
Metropolitano de Santiago (HOMS) http://www.homshospital.com/. So she
had the procedure done there and a year later she is still very happy with the
results.
Wikipedia list HOMS as “the largest hospital in the
Dominican Republic and one of the most modern hospitals in Latin America and
the Caribbean, with 300 doctor’s offices, 400 beds, 16 operating rooms, a
hotel, and other specialized units.” HOMS not only take care of the health and
wellbeing of its citizens, but also allows foreigners to have the opportunity
to receive high quality health care at low prices in what is called
"health tourism". HOMS has an investment of more than $80 million
US dollars. With doctors who are the top performers in their field, so you can
have your pick of any one of them regardless of the nature of your need, i.e.
cardiologist/heart surgeons, neurologist/nerve surgeons, orthopedists/spinal
surgeons, breast augmentation/plastic surgeons, etc. From prenatal and
neonatal care, to robotic surgery and endocrinology – the doctor’s at HOMS are
making their mark and breaking new grounds in the medical field. It is no small
wonder that they are the first choice for many when the decision to travel
outside the country for medical purposes arises.
As with any country that depends on tourism for its
survival, the professionalism and hospitality of the people of the Dominican
Republic is impeccable. Both the doctors and their staff go out of their way to
ensure their patients receive the best care humanly possible.
With so many
capable doctors your toughest decision may just be choosing a doctor. Since plastic
surgery has become the single most popular surgery most people are traveling
out of the country for, I suggest you look at HOMS in the Dominican Republic. I
also highly recommend Dr. Aridio Antonio Collado Cruz as he came highly
recommended by Mindy who used him for her procedure. Not only is he attentive
and easy on the eyes, but his bedside manners is impeccable. With convenient offices located both inside
and outside HOMS, Dr. Collado is very accessible, but more importantly his English
is on point. As an innovator in his
field, Dr. Collado takes pride in his work and it shows. In reviewing his website http://www.aridiocollado.com and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/draridiocollado/, it is easy to see why so many women put their trust in him
to restore their body to near perfection if not perfection itself. 
Regardless of whether or not what you need to have done is
elective or critical, or which doctor you choose, aftercare is the single most
important part of the recovery process. As a part of the policy and procedures
that governs how doctors’ do business in the Dominican Republic, patients are
required to spend at least one 24-hour period in the hospital for constant
supervision/observation after their operation. This ensures that the patient
has access to emergency care should the need arise, i.e., complications from
surgery, etc. The patient is placed in a private room and is assigned a nurse
who literally stays by the patient’s bedside all night long. Her only job is to monitor the patient’s
vitals, make sure the patient is comfortable, and ensure all the patient’s
needs are met. This also provides the patient with some companionship
especially if she traveled from the mainland and may not have a family member
or friend with her.
Since most people who travel to Santiago for medical
purposes don’t have any family on the island, recovery houses are a major necessity
on the island, thus a booming business. One recovery house that stands out from
the rest is owned and operated by nurse Ginna Sarria Martos and her husband Hugo who
turned their two-story home into a recovery house. Born and raised in Columbia,
Ginna and Hugo moved to Santiago about 10 years ago. They both have a working knowledge
of the medical field and knows the island like the back of their hands. That
knowledge, coupled with their love of people in general, allows them to be
effective caregivers. What sets this recovery house apart from the others is
the “family” like feel that exudes from Ginna and her staff. The care and
attention that they exhibit is like no other. From the time they pick you up at
the airport until the time they drop you back off at the airport, every
interaction with the patient is one of care and concern. 
Located just outside the city limits of
Santiago in Licey Al Medio, Santiago, this beautiful two-story recovery home is
nestled in a very quiet, safe, gated neighborhood. The yard is populated with
local fruit trees and flowering plants. A typical stay at the recovery house
runs roughly about $500 per week. That’s way less than what local hotels charge and does not include any of the following, which comes standard at the recover
house: round-trip transportation to and from the airport, transportation to and
from hospital and follow-up doctor visits, private air-conditioned room and
bath, three meals and two snacks per day, Wi-Fi access, 24-hour nurse care, maid
and laundry service. 
As an added optional
service Ginna offers personal massages on the premises for an additional cost of
about $35 per session. Ginna’s knowledge of the human body and her skills as a
masseuse allows her to apply pressure in just the right places for optimum pain
and stress relief thus promoting relaxation and aid in the acceleration of the healing
process. I can think of no better way to relax while you recover. It's like a recovery vacation.
By now you may be able to ascertain that it’s just as easy to
suffer adverse effects from going under the knife right here in the country as it
is if you traveled out of the country. Regardless of where you decide to have
your procedure done, the most important thing to remember is: 1) do your
research first because you have choices; 2) find a reputable doctor and
facility that meets your needs; 3) ask questions and take recommendations into
consideration from others who had a successful experience no matter where they
decided to have their procedure done; 4) once you choose a doctor to do your procedure be sure to share any medical conditions you may have regardless of how insignificant you may think it may be; 5) be sure to eat well, drink lots of water and get plenty of rest before and after your procedure; and finally 6) make sure you have a good “after
care” regiment in place. Follow your doctor's instructions and be good to yourself. After all is
said and done no matter where you have the procedure done, you are ultimately
responsible for the success of your procedure.
A good diet (iron and vitamin C enriched), exercise, and
overall good mental health are key elements to your recovery and continued
success. Just don’t be held hostage thinking you can only have success in the
United States. There are literally thousands of reputable doctors in other
countries who are saving and changing lives of everyday people without
reservations or issues. Truth is, you stand a better chance of surviving if you
do the research regardless of where you go. I’m just saying – I got issues.
What about you?)i(
Contact Information:
Dr. Aridio Collado (809) 697-2510*
Ginna P.
Sarria Martos (809) 905-7706*
*Both can be reached via WhatsApp on your smart phone
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The views and opinions shared here are by the Author
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