When I first walked into Dr. Careaga’s office, my idea was to shop around and gather competitive quotes in order to make my decision on who would be performing my procedure. Once I met with the doctor he explained the procedure in detail and answered all of my questions. During his consultation, he demonstrated patience and knowledge. I then went on to meet with Mrs. Lourdes Careaga, the director of operations who went over the cost and finance options. The warm welcome I received throughout my entire consultation made me feel so much at ease that I immediately decided I was not going to waste my time in shopping around and I signed the contract right then and there! I was beyond excited to have my surgery. I was literally counting down the days. On the day of my surgery, as I’m getting ready to go into the operating room, the doctor comes in and tells me that my sugar levels were very high and that he unfortunately could not perform the surgery until they had been regulated. I experienced complete devastation as I’m sue you can relate to anxiously awaiting something so badly, being so close to it and not getting it! This was a major step back for me since I had to go and see an endocrinologist, get on medication and begin to monitor my sugar levels very closely. Dr. Careaga advised that it would take at least 3 months to get my levels to where they needed to be in order to perform the surgery. The emotional support that I received from both Dr. Careaga and Lourdes throughout this time was remarkable. They would check in on me once a week to see how I was doing both physically and emotionally. This in itself was priceless for me. Although this has no relation to my surgery, I remember being at happy hour in the Gables one evening and receiving a message from Lourdes (clearly past office hours) to see how I was doing. I shared this with my friends and they were in awe at her attention to detail! I am incredibly proud to say that with determination and a strong mindset, I regulated my sugar levels within a month and was able to have my procedure. I could not be any happier. Dr. Careaga has demonstrated his professionalism in many ways. He is very meticulous and this is imperative when having any type of procedure done. His office staff is amazing and I will begin with Lourdes, which happens to be his wife, the support that she extended to me was unbelievable. She was always available to answer any questions or concerns I may have had. Lisandra, the surgical assistance was patient, very accommodating and understanding. Patty, the office manager, always has a smile on her face and is very efficient. Andrea who assists the doctor in consultations and handles the labs was very nice and also accommodating. Annette who takes extremely good care of you in the recovery room (this for me was crucial, as you want someone that treats you well and nurtures you during this time) was outstanding. Jenny, the therapist that does the lymphatic massages, is amazing! She is soft spoken, walks you through the massages and provides suggestions and advice on what to do and not to do after your procedure. I am extremely satisfied with Dr. Careaga’s office. I have authorized Lourdes to give my name and number to any patient that wishes to hear my story in full detail and wants or needs additional reassurance.
