My rings were stolen during day surgery -- please read this before choosing this hospital…read more
I had day surgery at this private hospital in Guadalajara. During pre-op, while fully alert and getting an IV, I was asked to remove my rings -- including a wedding set as well as a valuable ring. I placed them in the bedside table in full view of at least one nurse. I was told there was a safe available, but no one insisted I use it -- and I had no reason to think my belongings weren't secure in a private room under medical care.
After the procedure and recovery, I left later that same day -- still groggy from anesthesia, helped into a wheelchair by a porter. It wasn't until I got home that I realized the rings were gone.
When I contacted the hospital, the response from the hospital's patient care department was dismissive. They said they asked the two nurses, who denied seeing the rings. That was it. No broader investigation. No accountability. And I was later told the rings were never even charted -- despite staff witnessing me place them there.
This was not a misunderstanding. This was theft. It takes a particular kind of person to steal from a sedated, vulnerable patient -- and I doubt this was the first or last time. When there are no consequences beyond saying "I didn't see it," what's to stop it from happening again?
The hospital looks modern and polished, but their security protocols and patient protections failed badly. If you're considering surgery here -- especially as a foreigner -- know that your valuables, even deeply personal ones, may not be safe. I left feeling violated and deeply unsettled. I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone.