DEAR ABBY: I’m 42, and the mother of three children. I love my kids, but after many years of wanting to do something about my “mommy belly,” I decided to have a tummy tuck.
As a woman of color, my preference was for a sculpted, curvy shape. For aesthetic reasons, I liked the work being done in a certain foreign country. That it was cheaper there was an added plus. After months of researching, I settled on a board-certified doctor. I was told that he and the clinic had a “zero percent infection rate.”
Two weeks after I returned home, things quickly went bad. Fluid drained from my tummy tuck and belly button incisions. A local plastic surgeon sent me immediately to an emergency room.
At the ER, my fever was 102 and I was admitted to the hospital, where I was diagnosed with mycobacterium abscessus infection. I was hospitalized for 11 days and had surgery to manually clear the infection from my abdomen.
Two months after my elective surgery, I cannot stand up straight due to the pain. The experience has been awful, and it’s still far from over. I’m still on IV antibiotics, have daily nursing visits, multiple visits to the ER and have had multiple surgeries.
I won’t be able to work for three to six months, and my medical bills are over $100,000. The side effects of the meds I’m on are nausea, diarrhea, lack of appetite and drowsiness.
When I contacted the doctor who did my surgery, he denied that I got it from him. He offered to repair any cosmetic damage, but I’d be crazy to go back there for additional procedures. He’s in no way accountable, and the system over there promotes that. As an American, I have no recourse. I’m just stuck here suffering. – LESSON LEARNED
DEAR LESSON LEARNED: Wow. I’m very sorry you learned all this the hard way. I hope your experience will alert readers to the fact that there’s risk involved when considering surgery in countries where the regulation of hospitals and surgical facilities may not be up to American standards.
DEAR ABBY: For the first time, I am hosting my nephew and his family for Thanksgiving. I abhor texting and any electronic amusements that deter face-to-face family communication. I need to know the best way to explain – before they arrive – that it is not allowed in my home. – HOSTESS WITH RULES IN NORTH CAROLINA
DEAR HOSTESS WITH RULES: Transmit your message the old-fashioned way. Call and tell them your wishes so they’ll have plenty of time to make other plans if they feel unable to comply with your “house rules.” It will also give you enough time to invite other guests in the event that your nephew and his family are so addicted to their electronics that they can’t comfortably abide by your wishes.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.