So after lurking here for a while I finally went ahead and booked a consultation and then op with
Dr. Karidis. Just thought I'd write up a little story/review thingy. Forgive me if the order in which the nurses/staff coming into my room before the op is incorrect as I was a little nervous!
Bit of back story. I'm in my early 20s and have suffered since my early teens. Currently I'm 5'10 tall and weigh around 9 stones. I've always been pretty skinny and have never had a big frame so although it was there it was pretty hard to notice with a teeshirt on. Its always had a negative effect on my confidence and stopped me living my life like I wanted so I decided to save and get this sorted once and for all.
Traveled to London on the Wednesday lunchtime with the girlfriend by train in preparation for the early start Thursday. We had booked a few nights in a hotel so I could get this done and have a few days away together
We arrived and checked in to the hotel mid afternoon, dropped our bags off and spent the rest of the day sight seeing and grabbing a bite to eat. As the admission time was 7 a.m we headed back to the hotel early to get a shower and some sleep.
We woke up at 6 a.m the next morning and headed out to catch the tube to St Johns around 6.30 a.m. We arrived just before 7 a.m and checked in at the main reception. I was told I was first on the list for the day and was told to make my way up to the Francis Wing? where a nurse would be to show me to my room. We took the lift up to the wing (loudest lift buzzer noise ever?!?!) and found a nurse waiting who showed us to my room. She sat me down and gave me forms in while she went away to get a heater because she said it was too cold in the room (I was fine mind). She came back with a little heater and proceeded to blast me with hot air while she asked some questions about my diet and general health. She went away again and brought back the gowns and then measured my legs for the stockings, then brought some of those. By this time I was melting
I had to get my girlfriend to turn he heater off! She then took my blood pressure and took me outside to weigh me. 57 kilos which was about 9 stones. Another nurse appeared and who asked some more questions and fitted a I.D tag around my wrist.
Next person to enter was a little lady with a set of food cards. She asked me to fill in what I like for lunch, dinner and tea and leave it on the floor outside. I informed her I wouldn't be there for all those meals but she simply said it didn't matter and to fill them in anyway, which I did. Next up was the Anesthetist who came and introduced himself. He explained that I was the first of the day and I would be heading down around 8 a.m. He was calm and asked if I had any questions or concerns, which I didn't. Just before 8
Dr. Karidis arrived and took some snaps of my chest while reassuring me that everything was going to be O.K and he would be able to make me flat. Around 8 the nurse appeared again and after saying a last goodbye to my girlfriend, headed on down to theater.
I was led into a freezing cold room with a nurse who told me to jump onto the bed. She had these white shoes on with bright orange pink and blue flowers so had a bit craic on with her about them and found out she was from Hungary. She was very friendly which put me at ease. The anesthetist from earlier appeared and put the valve thing in my arm to administer the drugs. He said the first he was giving me was going to make me feel drunk. It went in but I felt nothing. The next was going to help me feel less nauseous when I came round but again nothing. I was thinking... what the hells happening here? Bare in mind that there was no real gap between the drugs, about 10 seconds tops.
Next thing I know I can hear a generator and not cold anymore. Couldn't really move and couldn't open my eyes. I can remember feeling happy because Hatem Ben Arfa had signed for Newcastle and I could hear people talking about their hours. Got my eyes open after a few minutes of trying and I was in a room with some nurses. Looked at the clock, it was 9.15 a.m. All completed lying with a compression vest on, so i guess those drugs did work
I turned to the nurse and asked how long I had been there which she said 15 minutes or so. I asked if Hatem Ben Arfa had really signed for the Toon and she just gave me a funny look lol. There was a machine pumping hot air under the blanket on top of me which I assume was the generator noise from earlier.
I was then wheeled back to my room where my girlfriend was waiting. I was in no real pain and had no sickness. We sat and watched Jezza and Deal or No Deal with a bit of Sky Sports News when the breaks were on
. The nurse kept coming in and taking my blood pressure every so often and the morning passed really quickly. We tried having a bit craic on with her but although she was pleasant enough she was pretty boring... I had something to eat around 12.30 and watched some more T.V. As time passed the compression vest kept riding up and it just didn't feel tight enough.
Dr. Karidis' nurse Chantelle came around in the afternoon to see how I was doing and I let her know and she had a look. This is the first time I had looked at it and found that my vest had been padded with a loads of gauze patches. I assume to keep it tight against my chest. She checked the size and it was a small. I asked for a children's size but she said it was the smallest they did haha. She left and said she would be back later and would see if there was anything they could do.
The boring nurse that had been taking my blood pressure came back after a while and asked if Chantelle had been to which I said she had and that she was going to check back later. The next thing I know Chantelle is back saying that a nurse had called saying that I wanted to leave a.s.a.p??? My girlfriend and I were like eh? we never said that we wanted to leave! Anyway Chantelle said they had nothing smaller for me to wear and recommended a sports base layer for a little more support. She went away and brought some more gauze patches and padding for my compression vest along with some plasters and my medication. She went through what I needed to do for the next few weeks and said I was free to go when I felt like it. We left around 5 p.m and caught the tube back to the hotel.
Friday night I took all the dressings off and replaced them with waterproofs and had a shower like instructed. It was difficult but we managed. There was no real pain but I did have a burning sensation on my left side which went away after 5 minutes or so. The bruising was starting to come out and my chest was a little black and blue but no real swelling to mention. After looking in the mirror I could immediately tell. It was like looking at a whole different person! We padded me back up and put the vest back on. Sleeping upright was a little uncomfortable and I kept waking up every hour or so. As of today I still don't have any real pain but my movement is a little restricted.
All in all I'm very very happy with the results but I know there is still a long way to go. I can't recommend
Dr. Karidis enough. From the start he and his staff have been excellent. The only thing I could possibly complain about were some of the nursing staff at the hospital. I know that they are nothing to do with
Dr. Karidis but I just felt that a few were a little dull and had no real personality. It's not that they weren't friendly or nice, they were, just a little dull. Maybe its a north/south thing, maybe it's not, but going in to that theater room and having that Hungarian nurse there really helped with the nerves and made me feel a lot more comfortable.
I'm trying to get some before and after pics up so people can have a look but if anyone has any questions or anything just ask away.
Topic: Surgery complete Thursday 5/8/10 Alex Karidis (Read 2364 times)
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