Beware, Beware Beware, Baja Med Group - Tijuana, MX

Hello
Canadians need to know Medical Tourism isn't always the best option. This is my Story....

Back in March 2013 was my first contact with Baja Med Group based in Tijuana, Mexico.
Myself and a girlfriend talked about having breast lift and augmentation done and I had also wanted a Tummy tuck done. 

Of course I had priced it out in Alberta and 24 000.00 was out of the question. We had heard of medical tourism and my friend knew of someone who had gone to Baja Med Group and it was successful.
We met the Baja Med Group Dr. Serrano in Calgary Alberta during the Women's Show in March 2013. They were there to promote their company and let new possible patients meet past patients. We met and began communicating with Baja Med Group to see if they could assist us. We were in contact with their Alberta Rep Patti Elliot to make a deposit and get further information and in September 2013 my girlfriend and I flew to San Diego to be picked up with Baja Med Group representative who took us to Tijuana, Mexico for surgery.

We were in Mexico September 23-28th We had surgery all seemed to be good and returned home to Canada. I was home recovering and all seemed to be good. Then after a week I wasn't feeling great. Something wasn't right. October 15th 2013 I was rushed to the emergency. I developed a blood clot in my lower right lung and was in the hospital for a week. I was put on blood thinners And still on them today.

I contacted Dr. Serrano and they were more interested in putting the blame away from their team. The dr. At the hospital could not say 100 percent what caused the blood clot, but surgery flying and my age along with being on birth control all together made me more vulnerable. So as I am recovering, and dealing with the new complications and my incisions won't heal, and stay closed. Again back to the drs. And I have a Staph infection. I had two spots of my tummy incision that had opened to the size of a quarter on my left hip and the other a penny on my right side these were completely open to holes. With fluid coming from them. Then I also had a infection on the incisions on each breast. On a constant and continual basis I was sending pictures and emails to dr. Serrano showing all of these issues. I was told to continue cleaning. And covering with polysporin.

It is now November I am done my antibiotics for the Staph infections and the incision on my right breast won't heal. It won't close and there is fluid leaking/seaping from the open incision. This went on for over a week and then dr. Serrano said he would be in Red Deer November 4th 2013. At this point I was living in Kelowna BC. So I drove to Red Deer ABNovember 4th (7 hours) to see him. He looked the right breast and told me that is would be fine 95% positive it will heal with continuing to wash it and keep up with antibiotic spray and polysporin. At the time I did not know but it was actually an exposed implant. Trusting in what I was being told to do, I returned home and it didn't get better. I was never told by Baja Med Group this was such an issue, but know now. So a week laterNovember 12th, I was on my way back to Mexico to have the right implant removed and it replaced With a new one. This additional trip was all up to me to financially cover and it was not explained this way. Not until after I was down in Mexico. 

November 13th I had the surgery to remove and replace the implant. I returned home and I strictly rested. I had told and let dr. Serrano know that I had travel booked for November 21stand advised I could wait until after or even combine it with my trip to have the surgery done then. I was advised that it should be done sooner than later and as long as I rested for the week prior and had assistance travelling I would be fine. My son, daughter and husband all travelled with me and I rested and stayed in contact with dr. Serrano while away with updated emails and pictures as instructed. It is now December 3rd I go to my family dr. And have the stitches out and again sending updated pictures to dr. Serrano. Two days later the incision is not closed and it looks like there is a suture coming through skin. In two days the hole has gotten bigger and there is now a jelly like clear substance coming out of the hole in the skin and getting bigger everyday. 

We get in touch with Dr. Serrano on Thursday December 5th and December 6th. He informs us that I must have done high impact excercise to have caused this. I must be an IV drug users and on and on. Putting the blame on me completely. I will have to consult with my team to see what has happened, is Dr. Serrano's final comment. I also went to my family dr. And she advised I see a surgeon here to have it confirmed as she isn't 100% sure what was wrong. But something isn't right. 

Tuesday December 10th, I met with a local plastic surgeon and he informed me that the implant is exposed and has been ruptured. The implant has to be removed now. To my surprise I was ordered to the hospital immediately to have the implant removed. Within 4 hours of my meeting with the local surgeon, I was in surgery again. The implant was removed and confirmed it was ruptured and it actually still had a suture in the implant. 

It over a week later when dr. Serrano contacted me and wanted an update. I told dr. Serrano what had occurred and what the findings were and he was a week late in getting back to me. There was no reply.
I have now waited 5 months to have this corrected. May 7th, the local surgeon replaced the right Breast implant again, making it my fourth surgery. 

I have gone through hell and back since this all started last September. My family also. I understand there is always risks and sometime thing go wrong. But this was too much. Baja Med Group should take responsibility for their neglect and lack of professionalism with my case. This is not acceptable. They state nothing like this has ever happened. We have never had any issues with any cases. Then I guess I am the lucky one. I have pictures, emails, and text messages validating the information above. Including the surgeon pictures of the emergency implant removal showing the suture still in the implant. 

We have asked for compensation from Baja Med Group with no reply, with no sincere apology and definitely no claim of error on their part. Just fingers pointing back at me. I want people to know it isn't always an easy process. Things can go wrong easier than you think. People ask me if I would do it again. My answer. I am not sure. I am just glad right now I am finally getting better. It has been an extremely long nine months. Being sick, going through 4 surgeries, recovering from each and the mental stress on myself and those close to me. I am hopefully on the mend, fingers crossed no more surgery for a long time.