Hey Ladies,

So, after arranging times off from work for both me and my bf, and scheduling other future appointments and getting things organised and out of the way, it's finally come to the time to schedule, which I did yday, I will be going to see Dr. Bart on aug the 26th to have the following:

-Forehead Recontouring with hairline lowering and brow lift
-Chin and jaw Recontouring
-Rhinoplasty (Some improvements to a previous rhino, suggested by me, not originally thought necessary by Dr, but he agreed he can make the improvements I'm looking for)
-Lipo under the chin

The surgery is scheduled to last 6 hrs, we have booked flights and rental car already yesterday and I have filled out the administrative form.

Next steps are:
-Anesthesiology form, which I will fill out with the help of my uncle today when I visit him as he is an RN.
-Book Lodging (ambassador suites seem ideal but my bf's parents are offering us their timeshare)
-Preop Tests:+Appointment at the GP for blood tests
                   +appointment at the Dentist for an Orthopantomogram of the lower jaw
-Complete payment.
-I don't need to book a nurse obviously since I will have my very own big and strong beefcake of a nurse with me for the whole stay.

I wanted to share the necessary things that need to be arranged after we booked my operation, as I believe some girls could use help in case they find it slightly overwhelming or they don't a Significant other to help them.

And of course , the 2 month wait, I'm sure will seem like a lifetime once I've had all the points in the to do list ticked off but for now I'm just excited that this will be happening for me and it is a reality.

Carly x

Yay!! I'm so happy for you, girl! And that's sweet of your boyfriend to be there for you during the entire process. Keep us updated!

Yes, do keep us updated Carly. I forgot to pay half the surgery costs two weeks before op so ended up in a mad rush - typical me! If you have any questions about my experience just let me know 

Thanks ladies for the good wishes, I will be updating you as I get the tests from GP and dentist lower jaw x-ray and my experience with those.

Alena, did you stay in Antwerp at all? I want to book the ambassador suites as recommended on Dr. Bart's 0, it seems the best value for money and appropriate with a kitchenette, I know you only had a trachea reduction so you probably stayed at a hotel if at all, but if you have any suggestions let me know Hun. Are you gonna be getting any more procedures done in the near future yet or are you letting personal things settle first. Hugs

Carly

Hey Carly, I stayed in Antwerp for 3 nights at the Tryp Wyndham which is just a hotel so I can't really help on the apartment/suite front. But let us know what you choose and if its any good for future reference. The other FFS surgery I'd like is forehead re-contouring which I'll consider in more detail after I've been on hormones for a year at least. I have my GP visit tomorrow to see if I can get my hormones on the NHS! My post-op consultation with Dr Bart is in September so I'll ask him about the degree of forehead re-contouring I need and cost, then we'll see what happens

Quote from: alena on June 23, 2014, 07:09:53 AM
Hey Carly, I stayed in Antwerp for 3 nights at the Tryp Wyndham which is just a hotel so I can't really help on the apartment/suite front. But let us know what you choose and if its any good for future reference. The other FFS surgery I'd like is forehead re-contouring which I'll consider in more detail after I've been on hormones for a year at least. I have my GP visit tomorrow to see if I can get my hormones on the NHS! My post-op consultation with Dr Bart is in September so I'll ask him about the degree of forehead re-contouring I need and cost, then we'll see what happens

I booked the ambassador suites (studio apartment)...
You should be able to get on bridging HRT Alena, a basic hormone therapy lightly monitored by your GP, while you are on a waiting list for a GIC Hun, they are allowed to provide the bridging HRT since last October I believe. Ask about it x

When in September are you going for your post op to Dr Bart's Hun?

Hugs
Carly

The ambassador suites is not too far from where we stayed, its in a decent area and fairly central. I really liked Antwerp and would love to go back - maybe for FFS! I might even stay at the same place if your experience there is good.

My post-op is on the 27th Sept in London. I spoke to the NHS GP assigned to me today and they do share-care after three months of hormones. So I'll have to go back to the private clinic tomorrow and get my hormones there for three months and then switch to NHS after that. I could have my first estrogen patch on tomorrow and hopefully a big pair of boobs and curcy hips the following week 

I have been wanting to move on to patches Alena, I'm still on oral estrogen... Let me know how you start feeling, I am also an open book on my experience with HRT, I am gonna discuss this moving on from oral as soon as I am at the GIC or next time I go see my GP (there's always something)

Anyway, I wanted to do an update:

Last week was very busy with appointments of all kinds, I have a little sickly cat so Friday was spent at the animal hospital, she's in surgery to have her little eye removed today .. She is my baby so I have been crying a lot for her but I am looking forward to her being well and getting her cute blinged out eye patches . I keep digressing...

So last week, I went to my GP and requested the blood tests for Dr. Bart, it is plain and easy he just ordered them and I will have them done when the nurse gets back from annual leave in a cpl weeks...

Then I went to dentist and requested the x-ray of the lower jaw, since my very local dentist doesn't have X-ray facilities they referred me to the closest branch within their company, which is basically only slightly further away but still very local, they asked me if it was for a private procedure, I said yes, so the other place called and got me seen right away and it only cost me £25.00, they give you the cd and you either take the cd to dr Bart or decode and email it a few days ahead so that's done.

I filled in the anaesthesia form with my uncle's help as he's an RN a few days before that, some of you may know most of the answers on this one and may need no help some of you might need it like me.

My bf booked the lodging for us last weekend and has been taken care of little things like getting apropriately sized travel luggage etc, he is the master of preparation and organisation so he helps and takes care of a lot that I might forget. We booked the Ambassador suites.

So that's that for now. I will let you gals know how I keep getting along as I'm hoping this is of help to someone...

It does help, thank you for sharing

Sorry to hear about your cat Carly, hope she gets better soon!

That's useful info you posted that I can refer to in future. I picked up my e patches today, it also happens to be my girlfriends birthday today, funny how things come together! I felt like slapping one on straight away, but will wait till I have one other thing sorted. Keep us posted on what you do

Hi girls!, seems we had some kind of blackout in the forums and it deleted some of the lasts posts, on one of my lasts posts I mention how I have changed my avatar to better show the issues i will be having taken care of with my face, notice the brow bossing and the dimpled Chin, Dr Bart will be tackling both of these issues, it's not a flattering picture but I think it's good that you can see what the problem areas are

Hi Carly, I can see the slight brow bossing and why you wish that removed, did Dr Bart say it was a simple case of burring down that area or will there be some reconstruction as well? Also did he give an indication to how much he can lower your hairline? I have a bit of a spam head and may consider that in the future as well 

Quote from: alena on July 17, 2014, 10:27:44 AM
Hi Carly, I can see the slight brow bossing and why you wish that removed, did Dr Bart say it was a simple case of burring down that area or will there be some reconstruction as well? Also did he give an indication to how much he can lower your hairline? I have a bit of a spam head and may consider that in the future as well 

Lol spam head?! Lol you're funny, yes, he said it most likely gonna be a type III reconstruction, which I'll be happy about, he said he'll definitely use some bone cement on top to get the forehead shape right also, which I'm glad. I rather get it all done right from the get go.

Are you thinking of maybe having the procedures done all at once when you decide or are you thinking to do it in steps like you did with the trachea shave Alena? I lost a little bit of weight lately and although very minimal I can actually find mine now I lost the weight when I touch my neck. I don't think I can see it tho, but I'm still about another 10/20lbs from my target weight and I'm wondering if it will show up, if that happens, I may just have to go back after this trip and get the trachea shave and maybe my ear lobes done or a lip lift or something (haha ok calm down Carly!), you know what I'll take pics and upload them on here for you gals to maybe either say yey or ney cause maybe I'm a little to excited over it all.

I'm just over a month from my surgery date now, it's actually going faster than I thought cause I've had all kinds going on, I took and passed my driving test and just received my full British licence yday! I'm so proud of myself cause damn that test is hard over here compared to what I did back in Fresno! Anyhow, once I see august on my calendar I think it may feel a little more upon me ... Pics of the simulation from dr Bart etc coming up soon.

C x

And as promised, now that I realized how to do the photo uploads, here is the profile simulation before and after Dr. Bart did for me at the initial consultation in London in May, he made it kind of quick and I believe he hasn't been doing this for long and not for everyone, but I think it helps to show what the problem areas are and what he intends to change, my profile really shows the issues with the bossing and the fatty double chin!

Its amazing how subtle changes can make such a difference. Your profile is feminine already and the brow bossing you have isn't major, but if Dr Bart can remove it you'll have a smoother flowing profile. I also think the hairline also makes a difference. Mine is similar to yours in the pic but I hope HRT fills the edges of my temples a bit. If not maybe hairline lowering and some transplants are in order for me. But all that is at least a year away for me, if I do go ahead I'd do it all in one go. I can't believe you're thinking of your ear lobes already!!! They're perfectly fine

Thing is my brow bossing may not look major but the reason for that is that the bridge of my nose meets my forehead further out rather than going in like most people, so it kind of gives the illusion that it isn't too bad, but it is bad, I am having the rhino too so it should all meet nicely once the forehead has been reconstructed, well the earlobe comment was kind of an "in case I have to go back for any extra procedures I may as well just do some other stuff simply cause once you're under it's not as expensive than individual stuff but if I don't need any more procedures I won't, just that I have been dieting and losing weight and I keep wondering if somehow an Adam's apple will appear, which it hasn't, but I don't know like I said maybe I just am paranoid a little and I won't have to have any more.

Quote from: alena on July 18, 2014, 07:36:27 AM
Its amazing how subtle changes can make such a difference. Your profile is feminine already and the brow bossing you have isn't major, but if Dr Bart can remove it you'll have a smoother flowing profile. I also think the hairline also makes a difference. Mine is similar to yours in the pic but I hope HRT fills the edges of my temples a bit. If not maybe hairline lowering and some transplants are in order for me. But all that is at least a year away for me, if I do go ahead I'd do it all in one go. I can't believe you're thinking of your ear lobes already!!! They're perfectly fine

Well, in my case my face really rounded out after HRT, so much so I got that double chin and all so it may well fill in the hollows in your temples. If not I think that's something that is included in forehead work should you end up having more work done   I think the hairline lowering in the corners should help me greatly... I used to have soft whispy bangs (fringe) for a couple of years to hide the square edges of my hairline and disguise the bossing, now I've been growing them out I feel slightly self conscious about my forehead, but I'm doing it all cause I rather see how I look after surgery before doing all my usual beauty regime in regards to my hair, notice how long my roots are too, I usually have a light golden brown color done with a half head of highlights which I have also delayed for after surgery, I wanna see and take a look at what may fit better in regards to cut and color,

Carly

So happy for you.
I am still doing consultations ,I have one with Dr Bart on the 28 of July.
What was it that made you decide on going with Dr Bart?
Kristine

I really like the results of his before and afters, I think he's an aggressive FFS surgeon, and the consultation was on point for me, if anything the only surprise was that he only thought I needed less procedures than I expected he would say. Which only led me to think, hey! This guy actually won't even suggest more procedures than what he thinks you need, he doesn't see you as a money making machine. He is definitely in demand, I like that the examples of his work include many women of all walks of life and races and with very different bone structures, he actually touched and measured my face dimensions at the consultation, didn't sugar coat what definitely needed doing yet did take his time to tell me how feminine the rest was. Him and his wife make a good team too ( his website is her creation and she is thoroughly and actively helping him out at the consultations) , and I like that, my Man and I are very much a team like that. He's very proud and capable of doing type III forehead reconstruction, and as my forehead is one of my concerns, I wanted a Dr who was capable of tackling the forehead that way and who does it often (not only in a -when it's absolutely necessary only - basis .lastly, I think his prices are competitive also. Just right for me.
Good luck on your consultation Hun, come on back and let us know how that goes for ya! Do you have more consultations coming up? Or are you close to deciding ?

Carly x

Carly,

Is the only preop radiograph required an orthopantanogram?  If it is, I'm curious, as there are other full skull views that would be more helpful giving you information about the sinus position.  It's unlikely the bone over the frontal sinus is going to be thick enough just for burring down, but on the off chance...

I can understand the orthopantanogram for nerve location given what's on your list.

(In all honesty, I'd be thinking cone beam tomography or CT, but I'm assuming you live in the US and you're paying out of pocket for these things so surgeons minimise the number of films)

I just have a high level of curiosity, so if you don't have info, it's fine.

Reading your posts, you've done your research, made your decisions about what to have done, so no regrets ok? 

Looking forward to you sharing your results, should be good.

Luna

Quote from: luna nyan on July 22, 2014, 05:32:18 AM
Carly,

Is the only preop radiograph required an orthopantanogram?  If it is, I'm curious, as there are other full skull views that would be more helpful giving you information about the sinus position.  It's unlikely the bone over the frontal sinus is going to be thick enough just for burring down, but on the off chance...

I can understand the orthopantanogram for nerve location given what's on your list.

(In all honesty, I'd be thinking cone beam tomography or CT, but I'm assuming you live in the US and you're paying out of pocket for these things so surgeons minimise the number of films)

I just have a high level of curiosity, so if you don't have info, it's fine.

Reading your posts, you've done your research, made your decisions about what to have done, so no regrets ok? 

Looking forward to you sharing your results, should be good.

Luna

Hey Luna!

Yah the Orthopantomogram is mainly for nerve location to minimise risk of nerve damage... And it is the only one for preop along with the blood tests, interesting that u mention that, as I have had X-rays done in the past. I remember one from maybe a year plus ago that was on profile and you could see my sinus, I looked at it some months back when I started learning about FFS,and I remember it wasn't terribly thin as some of the ones you see out there but nonetheless still nowhere near thick enough like to get away with doing a burring, what Dr. Bart does  if you have an in person consultation is touch your forehead well and look at it and he had an idea right away that it was gonna be a type III I mean. Most cases if your sinus sticks out a certain amount it really makes no difference how thick the frontal bone of the sinus is, it simply won't be enough... He said, it will be a type III for you.

I'm living in the UK now, and even here I paid for the lower jaw Orthopantomogram out of pocket, the only thing I think I'm getting away without paying for is the blood tests. Of course I have my slight nervy moments when I just pray that it will all be ok and without complications and praying that the surgeon will be aggressive enough.0, but in general I'm pretty confident in Dr Bart's abilities when it comes to foreheads for the very reason you mentioned, I did my research, I think the foreheads he does tend to be very well done , I also found only one or 2 of his before and afters of a person who's bridge of the nose starts out away from the face like mine, and her after is very promising to me the one I am rememberigg as we speak (lol).

And i will def be showing some properly done before and afters so stay tuned, a month down, one more to go !

Carly x