FFS with Facial Team - Wed April 6th 2016

[Paula1]

that is a great news. I am very happy for you 

Thanks honeybun xx

[Paula1]

First taste of winter here in the UK today 🇬🇧

Having been spoilt with balmy temperatures since April, there is an icy blast all the way from the Arctic.

In just over three weeks time, I will be heading south again to sunny Spain 🇪🇸 and can't wait.

Had my hair trimmed just over a week ago as it will not be cut for a while after the hair grafting is done.

Happy Halloween 🎃 👻 everybody.

Xxx

[Paula1]

Hi everyone,

In exactly two weeks time, I shall be in Marbella and really looking forward to being there again.

Can't wait to dine in one of my favourite restaurants in the Old Town called 'El Tanguito'.

See: https://m.facebook.com/tanguitomarbella/reviews

Happy memories of eating there with many patients who have previously gone to FT.

This time around the recovery will be far easier than last time I entered the operating theatre in HC Hospital, Marbella although hair grafting is always a lengthy business.

It's unbelievable that my first session of hair grafting performed by the wonderful Dr Paul Cotterill in Toronto, Canada was almost 14 years ago in December 2004, 10 months after my original FFS.

Then two more sessions with him, one in June 2005 and the last in July 2006, 12 years back.

It sure is scary how time goes by more quickly the older you get!!

My flight from London Heathrow is an early morning flight so will get to Malaga around lunchtime and FT have arranged for a taxi to take me to my hotel in Marbella.

Thank heavens this procedure is this side of Brexit because if we do leave the EU next March without a deal, traveling to Europe is going to be a much greater hassle for all Brits in more ways than one.

G'rrrrrrrrrrrr 😡😡

Have a good week folks .... 😀

[Paula1]

Wow, three more days time and I will be safely ensconced at my hotel in central Marbella.

The next day Monday, I have a morning meeting with Dr Alcaide who is performing the hair grafting prior to the surgery on Wednesday November 21st.

Had a pleasant surprise from Kendra who is going to be there for her 6 months checkup and at the same time as Stephanie who is having her surgery at the beginning of December.

We are going to meet up before I fly back home on Tuesday December 4th.

That will be fun and as I have a wonderful connection with the USA after my first FFS in 2004 and made some great friends over there, I am really looking forward to seeing them both.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Paula

[Kendra]

Wahoooo!!!!   Paula you're gonna do great! 
See you soon.

[Paula1]

Thanks Kendra,

I sincerely hope so.

You betcha, see you and Stephanie in sunny Marbella very soon.

Have a safe journey 'Across the Pond'

Hugs

Paula

[Paula1]

Morning everyone,

Well I am here in Marbella after a good night's sleep in my hotel.

My flight was an hour late leaving as it left Hanover in Germany an hour behind schedule.

However this gave me more time to enjoy a hearty breakfast in Heathrow's Terminal 5.

Facial Team's taxi was there to meet me at Malaga Airport and I remember the driver so well from 2016. I apologised that we were late arriving.

I'm going to have a decent breakfast downstairs and at 10.45am I'm being picked up by the taxi and taken to HC Hospital to see the hair grafting surgeon.

H'mmmm!!!  When did I have my first procedure?

I remember ... 1989. That's nearly 30 years ago ... 😱

It was dry and cold when I left the UK but it's raining and warmer here.

Rain is forecast for every day this week.

Back later to report after my meeting.

Have a good day folks.

Paula

[Paula1]

What a great meeting with Dr Meyer my hair grafting surgeon earlier.

She and I are both singing from the same hymn sheet.

As a result of the unsuccessful forehead surgery in London's Chelsea & Westminster in 2014, the surgeon used the original incision from my 2004 FFS in the USA which caused thinning in and around this part of my scalp.

Facial Team's incision in 2016 is further back.

I have enough donor hair still to reduce the thinning behind the hairline and in the crown which is awesome news. I may want to have a fringe/bangs in the future.

My surgery coordinator Silvana Ruiz and I went over the pre and post-op instructions thoroughly and I signed the necessary agreements etc.

I'm going back tomorrow for a Clexane injection an anticoagulant to prevent blood clots in the legs as I will be stationary for a few hours on the gurney and then surgery early Wednesday morning.

I really cannot wait now ... 😀

The first few days after surgery, I have arranged room service for breakfast and lunch, cos I don't want to put off the other residents appetite by being in the restaurant at the same time as them ... 😂

Also I just want to chill and rest in my room watching telly etc.

On the way back from my meeting I bought some milk, fruit and chocolate bars to snack on when I feel peckish especially in the evening.

I am treating this as a holiday too ... 😎

Anyway time for bed, it's 11.54pm here.

Nite all.

Xx

[reborn]

Good luck honey. I wish you a successful surgery.

[Kendra]

Hair's to great results tomorrow!

[steph2.0]

All the best with the procedure, Paula! Looking forward to meeting you in 12 days. I'll be on that table in 14 days...


Stephanie

[Paula1]

Good luck honey. I wish you a successful surgery.

Thanks sweetie pie.

Hugs

Paula

[Paula1]

Hair's to great results tomorrow!

Like it Kendra .... 😀 ... just hoping it's not too hairy an experience ... 😉😉

Thank you very much and see you soon ... 😎

Hugs

Paula

[Paula1]

All the best with the procedure, Paula! Looking forward to meeting you in 12 days. I'll be on that table in 14 days...


Stephanie

Hi Stephanie,

Thanks so much and really looking forward to meeting you and Kendra very soon ... 😎

I'll keep the table warm for you .... 😉😉

Hugs

Paula

[Paula1]

Hi everyone,

After my injection this morning, had a busy day sightseeing around Marbella.

I'm going to have a shower tonight and as instructed shampoo my hair in the morning.

Then I am hotel bound until next Tuesday when my hair is washed by the transplant team at the hospital.

Taxi picks me up at 8.00am and surgery commences at 9.00am.

Have checked the postoperative instructions again, have a couple of questions to ask when I arrive at HC Hospital.

Prepared a chart for my medications that I must take so had better have that shower and hit the decks as I have set the alarm for 6.15am and it's nearly midnight here.

Nite all

Paula

[Paula1]

Morning everybody,

Well it's day 3 here since my surgery on Wednesday (Day 1) and been busy since with my post operative care.

On Wednesday I was picked up by taxi at 8.15am and it was bucketing down with rain.

Arrived around 8.30am at HC Hospital to be met by Silvana my surgery coordinator.

I was shown my room where I changed into a theatre gown and anti embolism stockings. They are tough to put on!!

It was suggested that I kept my trousers on as I was going to be in there for the day and the necessary air conditioning will be on. They didn't want me to get cold.  🥶

Around 9.00am I was wheelchaired into the an anti room where the donor site at the rear and sides of my head were shaved prior to removing the strip containing the grafts.

Then I was wheelchaired into the Operating Theatre and given various meds including some to relax me. I normally have textbook blood pressure but it was a little high no doubt to anxiety.

I lay on my back in the chair/table which was better than before in Canada when I was on my tummy.

They started work at 9.30am and I don't remember much at all

At 2.30pm the technicians and Dr Meyer stopped for lunch and I was wheelchaired back to my room for a nice plate of fish with vegetables, an orange and yoghurt. As I hadn't eaten since the night before, I was really 😋 hungry.

Then it was back to the operating theatre at 3.30pm and we finished at 5.00pm, a long day for all concerned.

In total the procedure took 7 hours!!! Wow 😮

I went back to my room again by wheelchair and was given tea and something more to eat which I have forgotten.

Silvana then gave me the Saline Solution and Betadine Shampoo to use back at the hotel
plus Amoxicillin, Ibuprofen and Paracetamol tablets to use instead of the Ibuprofen if I needed a stronger painkiller. Fortunately I have a high pain threshold so I am OK pain wise.

I relaxed in my room for another 30 minutes and then changed back into my clothes and shoes.

The taxi took me back to my hotel around 6.30pm and room service brought me supper.

On Day 1, I was to only use the Saline Solution every 30 minutes on the grafts to keep them moist and prevent scabs forming which prevent the newly transplanted hair from growing.

I did fall asleep quite a lot during the evening and night due to the effects of the medications and long day so obviously spraying is not possible but all seems fine.

Day 2 to follow in a short while as I have some spraying to do.

[Paula1]

Oh yes,

Silvana also gave the following medications.

Omeprazole - Gastro-resistant capsules before breakfast and
Iraltone Aga Capsules - to strengthen the scalp and prevent hair loss to be taken with breakfast for the first six months.

[Paula1]

Doesn't time fly when you are having fun!!

It's Friday already, Day 3

From Day 2 (Thursday) onwards until Day 7 (next Tuesday - November 27th), apart from spraying the Saline Solution every 30 minutes, three times a day I also spray the Betadine Shampoo directly to the grafts using the dispenser but without massaging or touching the grafts. I am also allowed to shampoo the rest of my hair with the Betadine especially the donor area which is now feeling far more comfortable when sleeping on this part of my head at the back of my scalp. At all times you sleep on the back never the sides so as not to disturb the grafts.

I rinse the shampoo off using a small cup with lukewarm water, never the shower head despite at low pressure. Just have to cherish those grafts.

On Day 7 next Tuesday at 11.15am, I am being picked up again by taxi and taken to the hospital for hair washing by the transplant team at 11.30am and then the instructions change a little from Day 8, which I will tell you about next week.

This afternoon I am meeting up with Dr Simon who with Dr Capitan performed my remedial FFS in April 2016 and also seeing Dr Bellinga who remodelled my nose for a check up. Then they fly off to Australia for consultations.

So a busy day for them to say the least.

Have a great weekend folks

Paula

[Kendra]

Happy Friday!  Sounds like things are going exactly as planned. 

> Iraltone Aga Capsules - to strengthen the scalp and prevent hair loss to be taken with breakfast for the first six months.

When I had my transplants there I was given the same instructions with Iraltone Aga capsules and handed a 2 month supply.  It's a mixture of vitamins etc, over the counter but seems to be only available in Spain or that area of Europe.  I found none of the mail-order sources were very fast to ship, took 3 weeks for international delivery.  In hindsight I should have checked with a local pharmacy before I left town.

[Paula1]

Hi Kendra,

Thank you, touching wood all is going great ... 😀

I'll check into the Iraltone Aga capsules and if necessary buy some before going home.

It was lovely seeing Dr Simon and Bellinga again, they have done such magical work on me.

Dr Bellinga taking the cartilage from behind both ears to lengthen and reconstruct my former too piggy nose was exceedingly clever. Also Dr Simon and Dr Capitan's forehead work had been a treat. Thank heavens for their expertise which has made my life so wonderful again.

Silvana took more fotos of me for the records and I have copies too.

Dr Meyer also has prescribed three months supply of Deflazacort (Zamene) which is an anti inflammatory drug. They really look after you.

Better apply some more Betadine Shampoo before watching television this evening and also before I go to bed interspersed with the Saline Solution spraying.

I love the peacefulness of this part of Spain and don't want to go home.

Enjoy your weekend kiddo, soon we will be seeing each other which will be awesome.

Hugs

Paula xx

Happy Friday!  Sounds like things are going exactly as planned. 
When I had my transplants there I was given the same instructions with Iraltone Aga capsules and handed a 2 month supply.  It's a mixture of vitamins etc, over the counter but seems to be only available in Spain or that area of Europe.  I found none of the mail-order sources were very fast to ship, took 3 weeks for international delivery.  In hindsight I should have checked with a local pharmacy before I left town.