Author Topic: Planning on Surgery  (Read 16212 times)

Offline Poland2012

  • Silver Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 129
Before; front.

Offline Poland2012

  • Silver Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 129
Before; right side.

Offline Poland2012

  • Silver Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 129
Before; left side.

Offline Poland2012

  • Silver Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 129
Before; close up.

Offline zack42

  • Silver Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 109
Good luck and I'm sure it'll go well for you.

Let us know when it's all done - they'll look after you well in the surgery.

Offline Poland2012

  • Silver Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 129
I just got back from having my blood tests. Jeremy called my room at 7:45 to tell me that a taxi would be waiting for me in half an hour. The taxi took me to a little clinic where I met Jeremy. The nurse was pleasant and everything seemed very streamlined; we walked in, Jeremy handed the receptionist some papers, and they immediately took 5-6 phials of blood. Jeremy will be collecting me at 2:30, first for a scan and then for the operation. Apparently there are two operations this afternoon, one of which is a revision. Jeremy said that they had only one revision this year from nearly 90, so the stats seem pretty good. I had a quick walk around the area while I was waiting for the taxi, and there are plenty of grocery stores and pharmacies, so I won't have to go far to get what I need. I've got a couple of hours to get some food, then another three and a half to kill. I've not had any pre-operation nerves, but have felt a little awkward not being able to speak the language and suspecting that everyone knows why I'm here. Doesn't really matter though, as I'm never going to see any of these people again.
« Last Edit: December 03, 2012, 03:55:00 AM by Poland2012 »

Offline zack42

  • Silver Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 109
The wait before the surgery isn't easy but it'll all be over before you know it and you'll be waking up in a few hours without any gyne.

I was surprised at how few people spoke English but didn't find language much of a problem on the whole.

If you read this in time, make sure the first time you try to get up after the op, you sit on the side of the bed for a bit first.  I was a bit light-headed/dizzy at first and you don't want to do any damage.

Good luck, not that you'll need it.

Offline Poland2012

  • Silver Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 129
Just finished surgery 5 minutes ago. They put me in my room, and the other guy is getting surgery. I feel perfectly lucid. The nurse just made me lie down as I wanted to sit up. Going to read until he's done.

Offline zack42

  • Silver Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 109
Well done - I presume everything went to plan?

You'll get to see the results in the morning!

Offline Poland2012

  • Silver Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 129
Apparently all went well. Kataryzna only came in to tell me that the glands were large, then she was off to perform the revision. I'll do a proper post later as this is from ny phone.

Offline zack42

  • Silver Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 109
Good to hear it.

Drink plenty of fluids to keep that swelling down.

Offline Poland2012

  • Silver Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 129
It's five in the morning and I've just woken up. Kataryzna came in late last night to tell me that as my left side was so large and tethered there was damage to the blood supply under that nipple. She's only had two cases of necrosis and both were partial, so hopefully no big deal. My chest is filled with fluid and air bubbles, so I'm looking forward to getting the proper drains in.

Offline zack42

  • Silver Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 109
I'm sure it'll be alright.  Katarzyna should be in this morning to check you over.

Let us know how it goes.

Offline Poland2012

  • Silver Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 129
Back at the hotel now and feeling pleased with myself. Later I might try and coalesce all these individual posts into a longer narrative, but for the moment I'll just write what I can remember.

Jeremy took us to have our ultrasounds, and we were scanned in turn. I looked at the screen and couldn't make any sense of what I was seeing, but the operator made some marks on my chest. We then went to the clinic, and I was amazed by how small the place was, as it seems to be in a residential block of flats, and I think they converted an apartment into a surgery. I met Kataryzna and we went to discuss the operation. She's nothing like I had expected, and  is incredible forward about the nature and risks of the operation. We discussed the range of complications, the history of the clinic and how she planned to perform the surgery. We looked at the blood tests which were fine; my testosterone is about 520, which is good, although my glucose was a little high. I signed the papers, was given a gown, changed and was taken into the operation theater. The anaesthetist had a bit of trouble finding a vein, but eventually got the needle in. It's  bit of a blur after that, but I clearly remember her telling me as I was going to sleep that she was giving me the same stuff that Michael Jackson was taking. I pointed out that he was dead, and she said that was because it was administered by a cardiologist. The next thing I remember is waking up to people bandaging and binding my chest. People say that it feels instantaneous, but I clearly remember being aware that time had passed, but looking back on the sleep, I can't remember anything about it; I think that it may only be instantaneous in retrospect. I was wheeled through to the recovery room, and the other guy went it.  I asked to see the glands, but Kataryzna said that I wouldn't remember. I immediately made a post from my phone, then read for the next 45 minutes.


I had my operation at about 5:30, and it went on until until about 7:15. The other guy went in for his revision and was done by 8:00. I was lucid from the moment I woke up, but it felt like I had woken up still drunk after a big night. We had ham and cheese open-sandwiches for dinner, spent a few hours talking and watched a couple of movies. I had full mobility, and was able to get out of bed and set up the laptop without any trouble. I think the nurse was concerned that we were getting reckless, and made us lie flat on our backs. I went to sleep at about 11:00, although the nurse came by every couple of hours to fiddle with my drains and give us painkillers. When I woke up after a few hours sleep, everything was pretty sore and I had to move much more gingerly. My chest had filled with fluid and air. If I tap it, it makes a hollow, guttural sound and I can hear the fluid sloshing about. The closest sound I can think of is a hot water bottle being shaken. It's gone down a lot, but is still there, and the skin is stretched thin across it.

The nurse woke us at 9:00 with breakfast - a yoghurt drink, three more of the sandwiches and a cup of tea. We ate breakfast and watched Alan Partridge until 11:30 when Kataryzna arrived. I was first to be rebandaged, and lay down on the operating table. The most painful thing was having the bandages peeled off, so there really isn't anything to worry about, but I'm glad that I shaved myself beforehand. As there was no bruising and the drains had nothing coming out of them, Kataryzna decided to remove them, and I was relieved that I didn't have to spend the next day with them hanging about. The drain of the left hand side smarted slightly as it came out, but I didn't even feel the one on the right come out. Kataryzna massaged out a little blood and that was it.

When I finally got to see my chest it was completely flat, if a little mushy. The left nipple is fine, just slightly dusky. I was a little hunched forward because of the soreness, but I could still see the new contours of my chest and was extremely pleased. It hasn't sunk in yet, but none of this has properly. Kataryzna was also extremely pleased and completely immodest (I'm more than happy to give her that, she did a phenomenal job). She took photos and then showed me the glands. They were massive, especially the one on the left which had been tethered to a lot of the skin and had grown all around my chest. She showed me my photos; it was 10cm by 8cm, and very thick. I packed my things and we were given prescriptions to fill at the chemist next door. I received a massive amount of gauze and a number of other things which came to 170. There were two cabs waiting for us outside the pharmacy, so I headed back to the Ibis, received a 24 hour pass to the wifi, and fell into bed.

At this point, I've got full mobility and just feel quite sore. I've got my first check up tomorrow, and am supposed to spend the day in bed. It's been less than 24 hours, so we'll see how the healing goes. I'm just grateful that there was someone there who'd been through it all before; it was very helpful to have someone to talk to who knew exactly was was happening, and could give me some idea of exactly what to expect.
« Last Edit: December 04, 2012, 10:00:18 AM by Poland2012 »

Offline zack42

  • Silver Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 109
Good stuff and thanks for the report.  Very similar to my experience.  Today and tomorrow will be the worst in terms of being uncomfortable but it gets better every day from now.

You might find yourself waking up with a bad back the first few nights but that goes completely after a little while too.

Good luck with the recovery and keep us updated - glad you're pleased with the results.  Katarzyna really is a great surgeon isn't she.


 

SMFPacks CMS 1.0.3 © 2024