2 days to go
We fly early tomorrow, just taken the kids to the in-laws for a week and dogs to my sister’s.
Feeling really prepared, mainly due to my obsessive organisation and calls from Laura going through our itinerary.
1 day to go
Nice early 2am alarm clock. Felt like I slept well considering I felt like a kid on Christmas eve. We took to the road at 3am to arrive at Stansted parking just past 4, waited 10mins for a transfer bus to the airport entrance. We’d pre-checked in online so only needed to scan our printed boarding passes and get bags scanned.
Currently sitting in departures with a coffee and finishing some uni work (even hearing from Laura at 6.30am was told off and told to relax!) I will when the big sleep comes, I can’t wait.
Arriving
Landed in Prague and was really surprised how smooth it was to get through the airport (security wise), we was greeted by David whom had my name on a board and shook my hand and insisted taking my bags to the transfer vehicle a lovely land rover with very much 
appreciated comfortable seats, perfect after a flight, oh and a decent mix of British music tracks were put on by David for our journey.
As we got closer to Brno we both said wow look at those nice buildings, then our driver hit the indicator, it was the SurGal clinic! I didn’t know what to expect walking into the building but it was very luxurious, our driver took us to the main desk where we were greeted by a friendly nurse who showed us to my room and explained to me what test were going to be performed today and tomorrow morning.
Meeting the nurse
The nurse asked to see any medications I was on and made a note on my records. Then came the paperwork! Lots of it!, however I was pleased to see the detail of information being taken. We were starving by this point after a long day and the nurse kindly offered us some bread, cheese and coffees to tie us over until dinner.
My husband left to check into the Hotel de Arte for the evening, I unpacked my case and got into my pyjamas to settle for the night. However, my mind had other plans! I was so excited that there was no way I was going to be sleeping anytime soon, so I watched a film on my tablet, dimmed the lights and eventually managed to sleep afterwards.
Surgery day:
Laura was not lying when she said they get you up nice and early on operation day, 5.30 am! where bloods and urine were taken along with my blood pressure. A little later I then when to make the 
payment for surgery and see their in-house GP that went through all my paperwork thoroughly and confirmed my blood and urine tests were ok.
Meeting the surgeon and anesthetist
When I got back to my room, the anesthetist came to introduce himself and discuss general anesthesia, shortly followed by the surgeon Mr Novak, who drew on my stomach and answered any questions I had.
I asked if liposuction would be done during the procedure and he informed me that due to the large operation he would not advise and to wait until I was fully recovered if I felt the need to have any done. I was happy with his response, thinking about the bigger picture and the recovery of his patient first.
Preparing
Then before I knew it, my legs were bandaged tightly and I was asked to change into a hospital gown and was wheeled down to theatre on a bed. I did not feel nervous as they gave me some relaxant medication before we set off. Once in the theatre, I was then hooked up to the anesthetic and the room started spinning, I could hear the anesthetist said night-night.
Waking up
I woke up in the recovery room shivering and shaking a bit, but was told that’s normal. I was then returned to my room where my husband was waiting. The surgery was 3 hours long. I had slept most of the early afternoon.
In the evening, I was encouraged to use the toilet, however, this took several attempts due to the general anesthetic and a reduced blood pressure making me dizzy and sick. By the 3rd request I was offered a bed pan, but no stage fright kicked in! The word catheter came out from the nurse’s mouth, surprisingly I soon successfully managed to get up and visit the toilet before bed 😊
Post op day 1
I was a little apprehensive to get up again after yesterday’s failed attempts but after a lovely continental breakfast I had lots of energy. The pain I would describe was similar to a mild period pain, the deep vein thrombosis injections hurt more lol! The physio came to see me this morning and got me doing leg and bottom exercises then we went for a walk.
I was so pleased with myself that I managed it. Lunch and tea were equally delicious and I had calls from Laura twice today and my husband spoke with her the night before when I wasn’t feeling up to it (aka sleeping).
Hopefully tomorrow my drains come out when the surgeon comes to visit and have dressings changed before going to the hotel. Met some lovely people, Vendy and Veronika and my nurses, all lovely.
Post op day 2
Awoke to another gorgeous breakfast, today was discharge day and I felt fantastic! My husband arrived 
shortly after breakfast and we were instructed that a surgeon would be around early this afternoon to change my dressings and remove my drains.
Dr Ivan arrived with a nurse to inspect and change dressings, my husband said it was looking really good, I didn’t want to look just yet, but was happy with the surgeon and my husband’s reaction.
Removal of the drains was a weird sensation but I was relieved they were out and I no longer had to lug the reservoirs around with me. Whilst the dressings were off the nurse took an after picture and we were both instructed how to change the dressings for when we would need to do them in 2 days time after my first shower.
They then helped to get me into the compression garment, which was nice and supportive. Shortly after Vendy arrived with a bag of goodies, my dressings and iodine ointment along with antibiotics, pain medication and DVT syringes.
Vendy explained how and when to administer all medications and appropriate disposal of syringes etc. I was given a discharge summary that also explained at what intervals to take the medications. Vendy also explained there would be no hassles at the airport travelling with the dvt syringes.
Right, now operation human was underway as my first outing since arriving at the clinic, I spritz my hair with some dry shampoo and donned a maxi dress and sunglasses. We were greeted in the entrance by a familiar face, our driver from the airport David had come to drive us to the hotel.
In the hotel, I returned to pyjama-mode and set up the bed with the extra pillows my husband had requested, it was lovely with the window open and nosing out to the street. I was not impressed with the selection of mini bottles in plain view!!
We had a giggle channel hopping but eventually found MTV where we watched back to back cribs for an hour. My husband popped out to get something for tea and some supplies for the next few days. I slept very well.
Post op day 4
Getting slight cabin fever today and have turned into a bit of a grump! I was ready to go home. I also had a headache the past 2 day, I think my blood pressure had dropped again and maybe not taking on as much water as needed in the heat. Laura contacted the clinic for me and we popped down for a check-up.
I wanted to walk there, it didn’t look far (and isn’t) however, in the heat and my tiny slow pace it felt like miles. When we reached the clinic, I was checked over and all was ok and was advised to up my fluid uptake. Vendy very kindly insisted she drive us the short distance back to the hotel. I felt reassured to be checked out before tomorrow’s journey home.
Today was also shower day 😊 and dressing change! I loved having a shower and my husband had found his calling as my dressing change nurse. That night I kept hydrated and laid flat in the bed, not propped up like I had been and that really helped me to feel better.
Post op day 5
Today was going home day, I couldn’t wait to see the kids and dogs at home. The hotel kindly let us keep the room a little longer to allow me to be able to lay down and rest before our journey.
David our driver came to collect us from the hotel at 3pm and took our bags etc. We were flying back to Stansted via Brno airport this time.
Brno airport is a very small airport, but has a café and some shops, where we managed to get our fridge magnet (that we get from every destination we’ve visited), we didn’t have too long to wait and the scanning of bags process was fine and I wasn’t asked to explain the deep vein thrombosis syringes either!
Once up in the air I wasn’t too uncomfortable, however I wish I had brought my neck pillow with me for some added comfort. We ate on the plane to save time so we could leave the airport promptly at Stansted.
We didn’t arrange any airport assistance services, as we had read that there are help telephones around the airport where we could call and request a wheelchair. There wasn’t far to walk luckily, but my gingerly bent over walking pace alerted a member of staff who offered us a wheel chair.
We zoomed past all the walkers to the border control desks where again we were spotted by a member of staff who ushered us through a priority lane. It was the quickest exit out of an airport wed ever experienced. Eventually back to our car we only had a 45min journey home. I slept on our recliner sofa that night as I was unsure of climbing the stairs just yet.
Days 6+ Post op
Well sleeping down stairs didn’t last long as being there for most of the day I wanted a change for the night and set myself up in bed with pillows to elevate my legs and I slept all the way through! The best 
kind of recovery consisted largely of movie sofa snuggles with my boys!
My tummy area had felt numb until about day 8 when I started to feel the muscles whilst sneezing and sitting too quickly, it was a bit painful but more like a feeling of extreme butterflies’ sensation.
Around day 10 I could feel the wound starting to heal well and I felt the need to itch my incisions (I didn’t) I ended up lightly tapping the area to relieve the urge.
2 weeks post op and the dressings were off completely and incisions looking really neat and healed over. 3 weeks post op, all scabbing has fallen off, I still have 2 stitches on my hip that haven’t completely dissolved yet and are to be removed at my Drs surgery this week.
On the outside everything is healing nicely, my swelling goes up and down but I am so pleased with my new shape already. I must remind myself that I still have a potential 3 weeks before all internal stitches etc are fully healed and not to give into to work requests for my return (physical demanding job) and stick to my own recovery plan to ensure the best results.
Karlie’s Transformation
Before Surgery After Surgery
