• Name: Christine Mazili-Bonin
• Age: 59
• Surgery: Gastric Sleeve
• Surgery date: September 5th, 2016
• Testimonial date: January 26th, 2017
• Surgeon: Dr. Mario Almanza

I had not always been heavy, but in early 2014 my husband was diagnosed with melanoma (skin cancer). This affected both our lives greatly. He went from being an active, vibrant man to someone always sick from either radiation, surgery or chemotherapy. While he was losing weight, I was gaining, going from 150 lbs to eventually 207 lbs (I am 5'3"). My husband lost the battle with cancer in August 2015. After several months, I told myself to pull myself together and lose the weight, but simply could not. For every day of 'dieting', I had 3 days of binging and drinking wine. By June of 2016, (pic #1), I was at my highest ever weight of 210 lbs. My daughter and I had come to San Diego for my stepson's wedding, I was horribly embarrassed, as my husband's family had never before seen me this heavy.

After the wedding, I began to research bariatric surgery. A friend who had sleeve surgery highly recommended it over other types. I chose the Weight Loss Agents in Tijuana, Mexico due to the cost ( approximately 25% of comparable surgery in the United States), the description of the doctors and facilities, the testimonials, and because airfare was relatively cheap to San Diego where I would be picked up and returned.

The surgery performed by Dr Almanza at a surgical center went smoothly. I spent one night at the hospital, then 2 nights at a very nice hotel with other bariatric patients from the U.S and Canada. The hotel was staffed 24 hours with a nurse to check on a patient's progress and administer medications. All aspects of the patient's surgery and recovery were handled very professionally.

Post surgery, I have had no complications or unpleasant side effects and went back to work after a week. I take vitamins daily (multi, B12, Biotin, Calcium), eat tiny meals, and exercise 3 to 5 times a week. My stomach always tells me when I'm full, and only occassionally, on holidays, do I miss the ability to eat larger meals. For me, it is a small price to pay for looking and feeling so much better. One extra bonus: I have lost the desire to drink. At Christmas time, I tried a glass of wine and found it disgusting.