SRS Abroad - when should I have somebody with me?

[byanyothername]

Hello!

I have booked my SRS in Thailand next year (I live in the U.K.) and my boyfriend wants to come and support me / look after me. I will be there for a month but he can only come for 2 weeks.

My question is, which part do people think would be the most useful for him to be with me?

Before and after surgery, or during recovery and on the difficult journey home?

I guess it's a personal decision but I'd love to hear anybody's practical advice here!

Thanks, Emily


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[AnonyMs]

Who are you seeing? I may have some useful links.

[Dena]

It would depend on the support provided by the surgeon but the time when you are in your hotel room after surgery is when you may need the most help. After surgery you are very weak and you will not want to venture out of your room. By a couple of weeks after surgery, you will have enough strength so you will be able to manage most of your needs without help.

That said, there are many stories of people making the trip by themselves, putting in a large stock of supplies before surgery and taking care of themselves the entire time. If the hotel has room service, you will only need to care for your personal needs and while it's exhausting, it's doable.

[Josephine8Alexandria]

Definitely AFTER surgery and with you on the way home.

Alexandria

[byanyothername]

Thanks all! AnonyMs, I'm seeing Chettawut in Bangkok. My boyfriend can only really spare 2 weeks out of his holiday allowance for this so I'm finding it so tough to decide which two weeks are best.

I guess the brave move would be to have him there after I get out of hospital and for the stage of recovery where I am not able to do anything for myself.

Unfortunately that would mean he isn't there to comfort me prior to surgery or with me on the flight home :-(


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[Toni]

Hi, I'm visiting Dr. Chettawut in Feb..  When are you going?  I had the same problem, my wife couldn't get off for the 30 days and someone needs to keep an eye on the ranch while I'm gone, so I'm doing this solo.  Not my preferred, but the way they do it I think I'll be able to handle it.  I've traveled abroad on my own for business many times so that's not the issue.  If I can get through the first week or so of healing I think I'll be OK.  They have some pretty nice hotels you can choose from, very convenient.  Toni 

[AnonyMs]

There's a ton of info about Dr Chettawut around. I imagine you've seen a lot of it, but here's a few

http://bambi.atspace.org/guide.html

My SRS with Dr Chettawut
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,199989.0.html

Solo GRS With Chet on 07/26/2016
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,212516.0.html

[Toni]

Thanks so much for the links, AnonyMs!  I had seen some of this before, but couldn't find them again.  Only a few months until I visit, but I see time evaporating and already a few butterflys hatching.  I will probably read these excellent posts about what to expect and how to prepare a dozen times before I go.  Thanks to the OP's.  Toni

[Denise]

This is only a guess, but you will not be able to life anything heavy (0.5 stones, 8 lbs, 4 kg).  So the trip home might be important to have help because, I don't know about you, my suitcase is closer to 3.5 stones, 50 lbs, 22kg.

Good luck
Denise

[Claire_Sydney]

I had surgery in Thailand earlier this year.

Definitely for me it was more important having someone there in the first part of recovery immediately after discharge from the hospital.

I lost a lot of blood, and was struggling to take care of myself. I couldn't really stand up for more than 10 minutes, got dizzy, ran out of breath standing still, and became disoriented easily. At one stage I walked into a wall. And I'm normally pretty fit, a distance runner. But my red blood cell count fell by nearly 25%.

I probably wouldn't have bothered
to eat or wash myself in the first four days out of hospital without a friend there.

Good luck.


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[byanyothername]

Thanks again all! I've decided to have somebody with me for the first two weeks, and am trying to convince my parents to come for the other 2 weeks x


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[AnonyMs]

There are one or two people in Thailand who provide support services if you really need it.