The day after tomorrow I'll be having my top surgery with Dr. Megan Hassall in Sydney. It's all becoming real now - I have been quite reserved with my excitement up until now as I am a catastrophiser and think that something will go wrong and it won't happen. But it is - I just confirmed my time to be at the hospital and pre-op instructions and we are flying out tomorrow!
It occurs to me now that I am painfully ill-prepared. We have to pack tonight and I have a million lists to make!
I am also quite nervous (but "good" nervous) - considering this is only the second operation I've ever had in my life...wow.
I'll keep you informed in the results thread, I suppose :)
You getting drains in? Those are the worse part, especially since I had to have them in for a whole week!
Yeah, Alex, I'll be having drains. Is a week the normal amount of time to have them in for? Geez. I guess it just comes with the territory...but yowch.
5-8 Days. Since I had surgery on a monday and they were closed on the weekend I had to wait until the next monday. They didn't want them to be removed less than 5 days even though I was doing under the 30cc a day that was on the papers. Then they got inflamed and keep trying to eject themselves from my body but were stitched in my hairy armpits which they didn't shave in surgery. But only one was actually up in the hairs, other was lower.
They keep you in hospital in sydney or outpatient same day? Just don't take a baby wipe to the drain hole area as it has chemicals in it that causes it to puff up.
Good luck! I wouldn't worry about forgetting anything, because inevitably you probably will. It's easy enough to get the things you need if something is missing. :)
Good luck. Mine is the day after tomorrow too.
I hope the whole process goes great for you. Don't fret too much. Most of it is out of your control really anyways! Make sure to bring good distractions to entertain you in the week afterwards.
Quote from: Alexthecat on January 20, 2014, 05:26:51 PM
5-8 Days. Since I had surgery on a monday and they were closed on the weekend I had to wait until the next monday. They didn't want them to be removed less than 5 days even though I was doing under the 30cc a day that was on the papers. Then they got inflamed and keep trying to eject themselves from my body but were stitched in my hairy armpits which they didn't shave in surgery. But only one was actually up in the hairs, other was lower.
Ahh okay, that's good to know. Do you think it's worth shaving the armpits then?
Quote from: AlexthecatThey keep you in hospital in sydney or outpatient same day? Just don't take a baby wipe to the drain hole area as it has chemicals in it that causes it to puff up.
From what I've been told, I will be in hospital at least overnight and up to 4 days. So I suppose if there are any issues early on, they'll be able to address them promptly. I will remember that about the baby wipes!
Quote from: caleb. on January 20, 2014, 06:31:01 PM
Good luck! I wouldn't worry about forgetting anything, because inevitably you probably will. It's easy enough to get the things you need if something is missing. :)
Thanks, caleb :) You're right - at least we'll be in a pretty big city so most things will be readily accessible!
Quote from: Darrin Scott on January 20, 2014, 07:15:37 PM
Good luck. Mine is the day after tomorrow too.
Thank you and good luck to you, mate! I just realised that yours in on the 22nd and mine the 23rd, but forgot about the time difference between the US and Australia - which means technically we'll have it on the same day as I'm from the future :P
Quote from: spacerace on January 20, 2014, 08:21:01 PM
I hope the whole process goes great for you. Don't fret too much. Most of it is out of your control really anyways! Make sure to bring good distractions to entertain you in the week afterwards.
Thanks, spacerace :) I'll have my laptop so loaded up with games and movies!
How exciting for both you and Darrin!
Guys, it will be great. Nothing to worry about. When you wake up you will ->-bleeped-<- yourself that you have a flat chest! Even if you have pain, you will still smile, I swear!
I would definitely shave my armpits.
Kreuzfidel will you be getting the pedicle or the DI with Hassall or do you not know until you meet with her?
Good luck to you both!
Thanks heaps, Brett! I'll definitely be smiling - no amount of pain can keep from it :)
Alas, shaving is "the pits", but I'll definitely make sure I do it..
Quote from: Brett on January 20, 2014, 09:36:03 PMKreuzfidel will you be getting the pedicle or the DI with Hassall or do you not know until you meet with her?
I'm having DI with complete nipple graft as I don't care about sensation. I'm pretty small-chested, but excess skin is my big issue.
Good luck. I was nervous too. Guessing it is a normal thing. Funny thing, after I met Dr G, I calmed down. I have heard that's a common thing, that meeting the surgeon calms people down. Guessing they feel that the person is competent.
--Jay
Well, I am now in our serviced apartment room recovering from my surgery. I had surgery on Thursday (Wednesday for folks in the US) and today is Sunday here in Aus (Saturday for US).
I'll post more about it in the recovery thread, but overall it went well. I'm still very sore, but completely happy with my results so far.
I hope you have a speedy recovery.
Lovely thing about these surgeries: Most of us are eager to have them, and all we have to do is go to sleep and let someone else do all the work. When we wake up, we are new men/women.
Congrats on getting it done!
Congrats!
Too true, Arch! My wife's boss said to me that most people go away and feel like a changed person, but I really took the cake! lol
Thanks for the well wishes, everyone. Much appreciated - it's a monumentous achievement that's for sure ;D
Congrats kreuzfidel.
Take care and enjoy.
Big congrats, heal well and take it easy on belly laughs the next little while ;)
I can't say it isn't uncomfortable. But it wasn't very painful, for me anyway. Never touched the Vicodin (okay I may be an exception here-- and don't worry about taking it). But I am only 11 weeks out, and I almost don't remember the discomfort.
But give yourself a chance to heal.
--Jay
Thanks heaps, y'all :)
Quote from: aleon515 on January 26, 2014, 11:27:55 AM
I can't say it isn't uncomfortable. But it wasn't very painful, for me anyway. Never touched the Vicodin (okay I may be an exception here-- and don't worry about taking it). But I am only 11 weeks out, and I almost don't remember the discomfort.
But give yourself a chance to heal.
--Jay
I took it twice. I took it the first night because I wanted to make sure I didn't wake up with pain. I don't really remember why I took it the second time. I did take Tylenol a few times. It wasn't critical to do so, but I did.
The tape across the top of the chest was the worst! Jay, did you end up folding it into itself to get away from the itching? It was insane until I learned that this could be done. I didn't really want to touch it, so Leland did it for me. So, much relief from that!
Kreuzfidel, as an aside I am really glad you wrote a update/put up a pic in the recovery thread even though you have this one. I searched for a thread like that before my surgery (in lots of places on the web). I think it will be priceless to the person down the road who wants info on recovery. I hope new people keep adding to it and people continue to update as time goes on. I will post a 4 months update the end of this week.
Quote from: Brett on January 27, 2014, 09:24:13 AM
I took it twice. I took it the first night because I wanted to make sure I didn't wake up with pain. I don't really remember why I took it the second time. I did take Tylenol a few times. It wasn't critical to do so, but I did.
The tape across the top of the chest was the worst! Jay, did you end up folding it into itself to get away from the itching? It was insane until I learned that this could be done. I didn't really want to touch it, so Leland did it for me. So, much relief from that!
Kreuzfidel, as an aside I am really glad you wrote a update/put up a pic in the recovery thread even though you have this one...
For some reason I really lucked out on that score. The tape just wasn't there like I see in a lot of videos. I think it either had been folded or rolled already. No the thing driving me nuts, and there always seems to be something, was my right drain. It pulled sometimes and could really hurt.
Here here, re that thread. Excellent idea.
--Jay
At this stage, the itching for me is the bloody waterproof "skin" they've placed over the whole area. It's pretty smothering and really nutty, but at least I can have a shower.