First Consultation TOMORROW!

[34andReady]

Hi Everyone!

I am 34 and have my first consultation TOMORROW at 2:00pm and yes, I am nervous!

I am new to the board (aside from some intermittent trolling over the years) and VERY new to being able to openly discuss my condition.

What can I expect from my consultation tomorrow?

Anyhow, thanks for having me on the board.  I look forward to talking with everyone about various experiences.

- 34

[postiey]

good luck with the consultation! dont be nervous try writing out a list of things to ask the surgeon as u kinda forget when ur there. just think to urself the surgeon had seen so many cases of gyne its nothing to him!!

[34andReady]

Absolutely!

I have been working on a list of questions for a while now.  Questions about his experience, his preferred surgery method for my case, recovery time, pre-op requirements, potential risks, etc.

Part of me is looking foward to it.  I mean, I can't ever recall a time or place in my life where this condition will be the subject matter.  Obviously it's always been avoided and/or disguised.

[34andReady]

My consultation went GREAT!   I couldn't have been more comfortable talking about something that I have avoided for 20 years.  Even when I talk about it with my wife I am very non-specific and tend to use words like 'the situation' or 'someday I want to get things squared away'.

Anyway, as of this morning, I am BOOKED to 'square away' my 'situation' on February 22.  Dr. Bartlett out of Brookline MA will be responsible for erasing years of shame and dislike of my physique.  He has been mentioned several times on this board and by the web research I've done, comes highly acclaimed.  He's certainly on the higher end in terms of cost, but I don't think I was ever out to 'shop fee' until I got a quote that I wanted.

I'm not sure it's really hit me yet.  Maybe it will when I drive back to the doctor's office and write Dr. Bartlett a very large check.

Moving forward, I'd love to hear some stories about actual recovery time.  I have an optimistic goal of being able to go on my annual Myrtle Beach golf trip on March 24.  Yup, you read that right... only 4.5 weeks post-op.  We'll see.  I plan to have a candid discussion with Dr. Bartlett and will be fully ready to bail on my trip this year if I have to.  Obviously, this life-changing event takes priority.

Thanks again for having me on this board.  I look forward to sharing my nervousness with everyone!

- 34

[34andReady]

Just counting down the days, inside of 3 weeks now.  This morning, I mailed back my consent form to the doctor's office.  They mailed it to me, along with my prescriptions that I will need to have filled prior to the day of surgery.  The consent form included a 3-page written description of the procedure, the associated risks, and pre and post-op instructions.

- 34

[daewoo123]

I also had my consultation today, scheduled my surgery for March 23rd, and I cannot wait.  I wasn't really nervous to be honest with you, plus, the doctor made me feel really comfortable and he seemed really confident in what he was saying.

[34andReady]

I wasn't really nervous to be honest with you, plus, the doctor made me feel really comfortable and he seemed really confident in what he was saying.

I know exactly what you mean.  I felt extremely comfortable discussing my condition, the effects it's had on me, and my expectations and goals.  Obviously the doctor has heard stories like my a MILLION times.  Right away, I knew he was the guy to take care of me.  I ended up cancelling the 2 other scheduled consultations.  No need.

- 34

[pike09]

I had three consultations.  The first one I knew wasn't it.  The second was much more professional but the doc took too much in dicussing my comforts and tried a bit too hard to become my friend.  The final consul was it and I knew he was the doctor for me.  He came in, sat down and got right to the point.  I could tell he knew what he was doing and left all decisions to me after he told me what to expect.  The boldness and straight to the point attitude showed me confidence and thats how I made my final decision.

If the consultations are free of charge, take them up on it.  The first one I paid $100 and within the first 5 minutes I knew its not what I expected.  I would have gone with the second one had I not scheduled a third.

[postiey]

hey daewoo! are u in the uk?

[daewoo123]

hey daewoo! are u in the uk?

Nope, US.

[34andReady]

Well, tomorrow is the day!   That 3 weeks FLEW by.  I sure hope I can sleep tonight.  Not really liking this can't eat or drink tomorrow morning.  I don't really function well without coffee.

I'll be a new man in 12 hours!

- 34

[34andReady]

A quick check in...

5-hours POST-OP and feeling fine all things considered!

I'll see if I can provide some early observations regarding the surgery itself.  More to follow later tonight/tomorrow...

1. The most stressful part was being 30 minutes late!   Seriously.  I made a bad decision predicting traffic at a time that I am not used to commuting.  But they were so understanding.  It was not a big deal at all.  Part of me is glad it happened that way.  It left me NO time to sit in the doctor's office stressing about the procedure.  I showed up, walked directly into the changing room.  Within 5 minutes I had spoken to the doctor and the anesthesiologist.  They were so comforting.  5 minutes later I was shuffled into the 'OR'.

2. This is going to sound silly, but I can barely remember ANYTHING from that point on.  I remember getting up onto the table and some miscellaneous nonsense chatter with the nurses, doctor, and anesthesiologist.  I remember him putting in the IV and the little tubes in my nose.  The doctor shaved a bit of hair off my chest.  Ok, the last thing I can really remember is the anesthesiologist saying he was going to administer a series of things.  I don't remember any of those things or any effect they had on me.  I never felt a slow dizzy coming on.  Nothing.

3. And then I was awake and DONE.  It felt like maybe 30 seconds had passed.  The greatest thing about it was once I was awake I was hardly grogging or anything.  I kept saying I felt about 70% - 80%.  No pain at all.  Nothing.