Pearls

One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster.....

Well, I'm not so sure about the world being my oyster after a stay in Bangkok but I am definitely happy with the pearls I got! Now that my top half is better proportioned with the rest of me I am hoping to have a better placement in my next competition (yet to be determined)

Bangkok Makeovers -  what an amazing experience more than I ever imagined! Rachel and her staff, and Dr P and the hospital W.O.W. WOW!  That's all I can say.  When I finally made the decision that I was going to finally do this I looked at Dr's here in Okinawa, I looked at Dr's in Albuquerque (in the States) and then I heard of Bangkok Makeovers and well it came down to the almighty dollar and what I could save.  Now many may think Bangkok?  you get what you pay for...or Bangkok?  Are you sure it's safe?  Yes, these questions and more went through my head as well but I talked to a couple other women who had gone there and they were happy and healthy so I decided I would save myself the 2+K and book my trip! Yes, I saved over $2,000.00 US cashola!  And that is to include my food, stay and shopping!  Let me tell you about the experience and how I spent my money:

I contacted Bangkok makeovers back in April and decided on a date that would work best for me.  Jenni was amazing, she got back to me with the quotes for the procedures I was looking into and answered all my questions quickly and efficiently with out ever seeming unprofessional - one extra check on the bonus side.  She organized my stay with Rachel, my consult and surgery with Dr Preeyaphas as well as notified me of additional information that I would need for travel (i.e. the address to fill out on the immigration form).  All the medical forms were filled out and photos forwarded  so I paid my booking fee $300AU which came out to be about $325.00 US. 

I then purchased my flight from Okinawa to Bangkok and that was just under $840.00 - total thus far $1,165.  Jenni forwarded all my information necessary along with a confirmation sheet for me addressing the pick up from the airport to the appointments and departure information.  I was very excited to know that this was finally going to happen.  So, the 15th comes along and I get on a plane headed to a country I've never been and I can't be more excited!  I arrive in Bangkok Airport and proceed to exit 3 as instructed to meet Bert who is standing there with an iPad that has my name on it.  He takes my luggage from me and we proceed to the parking lot.  We walk up to this van and it helps to make me realize even more so that I have made the right decision.  The van is still cool from the air earlier, he opens the door for me and I get in to one of leather seats he then tells me that I can recline the seat back if I would like...this thing is a real recliner, the feet go up and the back reclines!  As we depart from the airport we chat a bit and then he phones Rachel for me to receive instructions for the following day.  She advises me to shower as normal, but not to put on any make up, lotion or deodorant and I am to meet her downstairs at 6:30am some more small talk and I am set.  We arrive at the Condominiums and Bert takes me upstairs to the 2 bedroom Condo on the 8th floor.  There is another client in there from Australia; Tani - she has had her surgery a few days before and will actually be leaving on Friday so we think that we not see each other much which was a bit of a bummer as we totally hit it off - she is getting her stitches removed in the morning so we do get to spend some time together. 

So it's Thursday morning, I didn't sleep too well as I am so excited to be here and finally get this party started!  I shower and go downstairs to meet with Rachel we ride to the hospital and I can't believe the driving!  I knew from the night before that there were no lanes marked on the city streets but I had no idea how crazy it really was...I seriously only saw two street lights the entire time I was there....there is no speed limit and it seems that everyone just does what they please - yet it still seems to work.  They have motorcycle taxi's that I swear are swerving in and out of traffic and I guarantee if I had been on one of them I would have been terrified I would have fallen off...but there all all the Thai women sitting sideways and just filing nails or texting or just holding their lunch in their laps..Crazy!  But that's off point....so we pull up to the hospital and it is Valet Parking...we walk in and the hospital is immaculate, so bright and airy and everyone is in these lavender uniforms and not a hair out of place on a single person.  Rachel takes me up to the admissions desk for me to get the initial paperwork filled out, they take a copy of my passport and then they take a photo of me...turns out this photo goes on every single piece of paper I will see from here on out including my admissions bracelet! 

We then walk back to the surgery clinic where we once again are greeted by nurses in lavender.  One of the nurses calls me back to have my blood pressure, temperature and weight taken and then no sooner do I go back to the waiting room, Dr P is ready for me to go into the consult room.  Now Dr. P is what I had pictured in my head (yes, I had seen photos of him before but you know what I mean)  he's this little Tai man and boy is he a riot!  I get into the room and he asks me to hop up on the table and take off my shirt he and Rachel along with the nurse start pulling out different shapes and sizes of implants and give me a bra to put on so that I can try them all.  I already knew that I was going to go with the high profile and I was sure that I was going to have nothing less than 500cc's as well.  We try on a few and Dr. P tells me I think you should go 385, that be a good size for you....nope, I want big, 500.  He looks again at me and then says yes, I can do 500 no problem.  He then has me take off their bra and he holds the moderate profile up to my chest so that he can draw the circles that he will be using as a reference when in the operating room...before this he is lifting my nipple and pulling on the tissue to ensure that he will be able to fit the implant in...he tells me that we will definitely need to go under the muscle as if we were to go over the tissue is thin and you would see the implant...I tell him that's what happens when you have 5 pregnancies and your boobs stretch and shrink back :)  We really are laughing and having a great time in the consult, it was not at all nerve raking or was I ever nervous or anxious.  So, he starts to draw on me and he says - you have no crease...excuse me?  You have no crease how am I going to know where to cut?  Well of course I don't have a crease, that's why I'm here, you're going to give me one ;)  He says he's never seen this before and he continues to draw the circle...he removes the implant from my chest and I look down...Hey hose lines are all the way on my rib cage I don't want my boobs there....of course they have to be there that's where they go to be centered on the nipple....OK, they will not really be there because I am getting the high profile and they go out not around, no problems.  Rachel was with me the entire time in there and she too is laughing with us.  It was a perfect environment to have this done.  So, all that is done, I am marked up and ready to move to x-ray and continue with the processing.  I say goodbye to Rachel and she assures me that she will see me tomorrow, I say goodbye to Tani and I head over to the X-Ray department.  Have I mentioned how nice everyone is?  I get into the X-ray department and they have me take a seat to alert the tech...I barely have a moment to sit and they call me back to change and then go in straight away for the x-ray.  (So not the care I have grown accustomed to in the military!) Once out of X-ray I am escorted up to the Lab area where they will draw my blood and continue with the rest of the processing. 

I once again am asked to have a seat and once again barely sit back in the chair and they pull me back for the blood work to be done.  The nurse if very nice, she seats me in a leather chair and asks me a couple questions with regard to past surgeries, allergies etc. and then she tells me that the cashier will be up shortly to collect my deposit....she already has the hep lock in and I am ready to continue from here.  I go back into the lobby of the Lab area ans the Anesthesiologist comes in.  Again a cute Tai woman who sits next to me to ask the questions she then tells me she'll see me in the operating room and I am then met by the cashier who takes my credit card and processes the charge for 90,000 baht  ($2,994.00 US) I am then taken up to the recover suite...and a suite it is!  Two rooms, one with a little kitchen area, TV, table, couch and balcony and the second which has the bed and another couch and TV (if you go to the website, there is a video in the testimonials page of Rachel and it shows the room)  Again I am met by two nurses and Madam how are you here is your room allow us to help you change, here is the safe for your belongings and we will take you down from here to the operating area.  The courtesy and respect these staff memebers were showing were just amazing!  I felt like royalty at times and this is just the beginning! 

I am escorted down to the operating room and am once again asked to come into a small room to place on a different scrub top for the procedure.  I take off my glasses which they place in a locker and am whisked down to the operating room.  I put on my head covering and hop onto the table, Dr P is in there along with a couple nurses and the anesthesiologist...some small talk and then I am told that I will feel a bit of cold as the medication goes into my iv....next thing I know I am waking up in recovery and I swear no sooner do I open my eyes there is a nurse above me...madam how are you feeling?  are you in pain we can get you some pain medication before taking you up to your room.  I tell he I think I'm OK, a little sore but alright.  I am wheeled in the bed up to the recovery room and am moved from one bed to the next by 4 nurses - that is a little painful but of course it would be I just had my chest moved all over and filled to capacity!  I have two nurses that will be with me for the night, they get me settled and give me some water to help clear my throat - warning this will be warm water...I was not expecting it.  I am told that I will be on a liquid only diet for a bit (OH I forgot while I was in the suite earlier getting my items settled, they had me pick out my breakfast and lunch for the following day....YUMMY menu items is all I can say!)  They place the tray right next to me (i can't reach very far at this point) and have the nurse call button on my stomach in the event I need them - I am told to call them for anything, including going to the bathroom...they ask if Madam would like a sleeping pill and I politely decline I should be OK.  They leave and I snooze a bit.  I wake up to them coming in to take my blood pressure and temperature and then doze off again, I wake up just a few moments later and press the buzzer...I swear the nurse mush have been at my door waiting because there was absolutely no time from me buzzing her to her being in the room!  I ask her to assit me to the bathroom - not realizing that she was going to stand in the room with me...ya, I can't do anything a little stage fright!  So I tell her sorry I guess I don't have to go after all and we head back to the bed, she offers me some more juice and water and I ask her for the sleeping pill after all, she gives me that along with some pain medication and I doze back off.  I am awoken again to have the blood pressure and temperature taken once more and am offered a sandwich - I take a couple bites but my throat is still dry and I am really not too hungry - she leaves it for a bit though for me to have...I then attempt the bathroom trip again - thankfully this time it is a different nurse and she turns on the water in the faucet, and stands outside the door...though I can see her hand through the frosted glass I am able to finally empty my bladder.  Feeling much better, I climb back into bed and doze back off till the morning when Dr. P comes into look at me.  He removes my bandages, looks at the implants and the me and says you look good.  Thank you, I am feeling pretty good too.  He then has me fill out a couple more forms and we say goodbye, breakfast is brought in shortly there after and it is served in the adjoining room.  I get up and go to eat and then am encouraged to walk around the halls of the floor.  I start walking around the floor and come up to the very back side and there is this amazing room with leather couches, a flat screen TV, magazines and the such...this is the waiting room for family of those in surgery - WOW!  I get back to my room and lie down for a bit again.  Rachel then comes in to check on me she had just dropped some other gals off for their surgery and since no one was going back with her she poked in to see how I was....being as I had already been up and walking around and Dr P had given me my release papers she asked if I would like to go back to the condo - You bet!  No reason for you to come back if I am good to go already.  She assured me that she wouldn't mind coming back but I really was feeling great and there was no reason for me to stay.  She lets the nurses know and they come in to help me dress back into my street clothes, I gather my belongings and the final cashier comes up to help close out my bill.  I give them the receipt of my 'deosit' then have to pay for the medication (which is presented to me in this amazing bag with the registration cards to my new Mentor implants) the medication I pay for in Thai Baht 500 the equivalent of $15.00 US...Total cost so far, surgery, booking, flight, hospital stay $4,174.00. 

I get back to the condo and Tani is surprised to see me.....most clients do not get back to the condo till later afternoon approx. 3pm.  Yes, I was feeling good so Rachel brought me back early, no reason for her to have to go back to the hospital when I had already been up and wandering the halls ;)  - She was headed out to shop a bit and so after just a bit of a chat I had the condo to myself, I settled in and put in a movie.  Tani came back that afternoon to quickly pack and head out for her flight back home to Australia.  Rachel had a staff member Sam come up to see how I was dong and order my dinner to be delivered.  She and another staff member Om (sp?) came up to meet see how I was doing and verify that I was doing well....my dinner had not been delivered yet so they also checked on that.  They brought up my new bra and we removed the bandages -I was very anxious and excited to see the twins!  I was still very swollen and so they really didn't look too hot but OMG I actually have a chest!  We chatted for a bit - they both were very easy to talk to - and then when my food was delivered they left me to eat. Later that evening I was able to meet my new roommate Michelle who also happened to be from Australia...again she and I hit it off fairly well so I was thankful!  Saturday came and I went downstairs to have my hair washed and styled...150 baht about $5.00 US!  Again they spoke English so I was with out a problem to get the service.  As I was finishing Om was just headed to Rachel's and she asked me what I was planning on doing for the day...I wanted to go shopping.  She said she would get care for her daughter then meet me at 10:30 to go out.  I met her downstairs and in the cab we hopped to go to Platinum Shopping Center.  What an experience!  The shopping was amazing, before I realized it it had been over 5 hours and I had spent over 5000 baht (less than $200.00) but had all these bags!  Which of course I was not allowed to carry...Om did it all, she carried all my bags, bartered with the sales clerks and had the patience to continue to keep up with me. I would tell her what I was looking for and she would lead me right to it.  It was great...cost to hire her for the day 700 baht...about 22.00!!  I then ventured out on my own on Sunday Union Mall was with in walking distance of the Condos - again another 5+ hours and I was beat....headed back to the condo and Michelle was back!  YAY...she was feeling great, we decided to go down for dinner at the restaurant below and made arrangements to have Om take us shopping again on Monday!  I shopped so much that I had to purchase another suitcase to fit everything!  Shopping, food and Om cost me $685.00...

Tuesday I went back to the hospital to have my stitches removed...again a simple and fairly painless procedure...it hurt just to lie down and get back up...the tugging of the single strand was nothing at all.  Dr. P was very happy with how everything looked, he assured me the swelling would be gone in a couple weeks and that I could be back full force lifting in the gym in 5 more weeks...I was set!  So back to the condos and visit with Rachel and Om again, square up my room and have the arrangements for my return to the airport the next morning...my stay with Rachel was 13000 Baht or $406.00 US I meet the taxi at 3:45 the next morning to head to the airport for my return flight.  One suitcase additional, and 5 pounds heavier with a couple of pearls on my chest....I am Happy and really could not have asked for a better experience at an amazing cost!  Total dollar spent $5,265.00!  A savings of over $2,000.00 and an experience to last a lifetime not to mention an amazing story to tell along with the best souvenirs a woman could ask for!  A very special THANK YOU to Rachel and her entire staff at Bangkok Makeover and to Dr P and the staff at the Bangkok Hospital!

I'm just about two weeks post surgery, I feel great, have been back in the gym doing light weights and cardio, the bruising is about gone, the swelling is considerably less and I am excited with my new set of pearls!

Me and Om - your personal shopper for hire ;)

Today's Quote of the Post:
"I am a believer in enhancing." Lara Flynn Boyle

My life has been enhanced by the changes I and my family have made this past year...this is just one more that gives me that happy feeling....What enhancements have you made to make yourself happy - I know you have even if it has been small....keep with it the time and work does pay off!

Hugs!