Post Op

Well I survived!

Last Tuesday morning saw me hurtling through Chiswick with my new BFF Lesley, towards the West London Clinic. Unfortunately the wind had made getting around West London a bit difficult, so we were a bit late, but they were cool about it.

I checked in, handed over some emergency cash, and was shown to my room. It wasn't exactly the Ritz, but it was pretty damn comfy compared to an NHS place. The usual pre-op stuff was done, blood pressure taken, the sexy surgical stockings fitted, id-tag fitted on my wrist, etc etc.

Then they brought me the menu for dinner and breakfast. I was salivating as I ticked off the slow braised lamb with lemon and cous cous, with chocolate pudding to follow. I was praying that I'd be awake enough to eat it all!

I unpacked my bag, got into my gown, laid on the bed and promptly fell fast asleep! So much for being nervous before the op! 

Mr Stanek woke me up, he'd come to do that thing you always see them do when you watch the makeover shows on telly, he started drawing all over my upper body with a purple marker. It was all very exciting!

When he'd finished he told me they'd come for me in about an hour's time and said to just relax. I didn't need telling twice! I got back into the comfy bed and went back to sleep till the anaesthetist came in and woke me up to tell me how he was gonna knock me out!

At 2pm I was collected by his assistant and clutching one of the new outsize post-op bras, we walked down to the operating theatre. This seems to be the new trend both NHS and private - walking you to the theatre instead of taking you there on a wheely bed. 

I climbed onto a bed in the prep room, and they did that thing about how you feel a little scratch and then a bit sleepy. It worked exactly like that, then the next thing I was aware of was some voice saying "wakey, wakey Jo-Anne, you're in the Recovery Room".

The next few hours passed in a kinda blur, I opened my eyes and saw that I was back in my room, I opened em again to see the nurse injecting something into the shunt in my hand, again when my blood pressure was taken. Each time I was desperately trying to stay awake long enough to ask where my dinner was! 

I so rarely feel hungry, and I didn't feel hungry then but that lamb and cous cous was preying on my mind! I didn't get it tho.

I did get a lovely pot of tea and some digestive biscuits at about 7am tho...my god they were the most delicious tea and biscuits I've ever eaten! I had all kinds of bandages and tubes and drains attached to various parts of my upper body, but thankfully they didn't let me see too much of that. 

When the ones on my head were removed I was handed a mirror, and my goodness! What a shock! I was expecting to look like I'd been 10 rounds with Mike Tyson, but there was no bruising on my face at all! I was very swollen, but other than a few visible stitches round my ears and a bit of dried blood, there was very little sign that I'd had a face lift. 

Mr Stanek came to see me and told me that I'd been on the operating table for six hours, and that he was very happy with the way everything had gone. He also said that as I had someone to take care of me, there was no need to stay another night in the hospital and I could go later this morning. How fab!

One of the excellent nurses came along and talked me through the pain medication and the anti-biotics, then she helped me get dressed. I got a chance to check out my new titties as we put the Primark £4 sports bra on...wow! They are amazing! I've never had boobs this good! When they were this pert in the past they weren't this big and when they were this big they weren't this pert! I found out that the implants that he used are the smallest ones available, but they are the perfect size for my new body. The biggest thrill is that my nipples are now pointing at my chin rather than at my toes!!!

I got my check-out papers and my emergency cash stash back, Lesley arrived to collect me and by 11am we were on our way back to her fabulous home. 

No surgery is ever pleasant, but I have to say that the 24 hours I spent at the West London Clinic under the care of the amazing nurses and the wonderful Jan Stanek, were fantastic!

Thanks everyone.