Ok this is my detailed description of how the Poland Surgery was...
As AK said, i went over to his house on the Sunday evening the day before we left, we just chilled out, watched a movie and played on the Xbox, etc... and basically waited until it was time to go to the airport. We were at the airport for about 4.30am and had to check the luggage in due to some of the items that we were carrying (some cream, water, etc... wasnt allowed through check-in in the hand luggage).
We flew at around 6.35am and landed in Berlin at around 9.30am local time, where we managed to get the luggage back pretty quickly. We then went through to the entrance of the aiport at Berlin and there was the taxi driver, Richard, waiting for us, with the name card. He showed us to the car and we sat in the car whilst we waited for Richard to return with another passenger, HarryO from this forum, who was also going to the clinic.
The journey from the airport in Berlin to the actual clinic in Slubice is around 99 kilometres i remember seeing on a sign, it didnt seem that far really, Richard was a decent driver and the journey was pleasant. As you reach the German/Poland border you have to present your passports to the authorities that work there in order for you to be allowed entrance into Poland.
Once through the passport control area, then the clinic was only around a 2-3 minute journey into the small town of Slubice. Myself and AK went straight to the clinic and HarryO went to stay in the hotel for the day i believe. Once inside the clinic, myself and AK were shown to our room, a nice, clean room, with 2 single beds (1 at either side of the room) with a tv and a nice en-suite bathroom.
It wasnt long before we were both sat down and had samples of blood taken from our arms, the nurse came in and took the samples and then we were given the garments for the surgery, etc... Before we put the garments on, we both had individual consultations with both the surgeon (Dr Baranski and also Andreas). They both explained the proceedure and got us to sign the neccassary paperwork for the operations and then we paid the money for the operation, and that was that.
When i had got back to the room, AK had gone for his surgery so it was time for me to get ready for my surgery. I was soon called for by the nurses and went into the theatre where i saw AK in the recovery room, coming round from his operation, still a bit groggy as you can imagine. I was layed down on the bed they have (where they operate) and i was then given general anaesthetic and the next thing i remember was me waking up in the recovery room with a rather sore throat, obviously from where i had had a tube in during the operation.
I requested some water, which the nurse gave me and also i was checked upon every 2-3 mins by the nurse, as i was wearing a finger pulse monitor which i think measured the oxygen in your blood and also heart rate, etc... I was back in the room pretty quickly and was still quite sleepy so i was asleep and AK was asleep when i returned to the room too. We were given food later that evening, and we were checked upon by the nurses very frequently and asked how we felt, etc...
We were both very sleepy and the next day came around quite fast due to the amount of sleeping that we did. Early again on the next morning (Tuesday), we were both woken quite early for food and also then had our dressings changed. We both then were moved to a room upstairs as they had to keep the room we were currently in, for new patients arriving at the clinic. The room upstairs was very nice, and we just both chilled and watched tv and relaxed on the leather sofas upstairs.
We had dinner made for us whilst we were out having a look round Slubice, we went to the supermarket and did a little bit of shopping and when we returned, dinner was ready, chicken with potatoes was the menu with a few vegetables too. Was quite nice.
On the Wednesday, this was the day that we were going home and we werent actually getting picked up by Richard (the taxi driver) until around 6pm local time, so we had a lot of time on our hands. In the morning, Andreas came upstairs to see us and see how we were, etc... We both then went downstairs where we had the dressings changed and were also handed our sheets of paper with the descriptions of the operations, etc...
Whilst downstairs the dressings were changed by Andreas and the nurse and also we were given some information on how long to stay off for the gym, etc... and physical exercise. Andreas said around 3-4 weeks would be good for myself. The sheets that we were given stated the dates for the stitches to be removed, which have to be done by the GP back in England. I have the stitches out on the 13th of February.
Once that was over and done with we went for a walk into the German part of the border and had a look round the shops and AK got something to eat. I went to the local supermarket and bought a bottle of alcohol to take home for the parents and also bought some cigarettes for my sister and her boyfriend. We had plenty of time to pass so it was fine. Once back at the clinic we got our things ready and basically just relaxed watching tv until it was time to go downstairs and be picked up by Richard (the taxi driver) at 6pm.
The weather was quite bad when we were on the way back to the airport, but we arrived at the airport in Berlin at around 7.20pm and we didn't fly until around 9.55pm so we had plenty of time just to sit down and relax, before the flight home.
I hope that helps and gives a good insight into what the Poland Surgery is like.