sl
BHR Clinic Patient Advisor
Once you are sure that surgery is the right choice for you, and are confident you have found right clinic, you can then make the necessary preparations.
A deposit is usually paid, and the terms and conditions of any payment should be transparent. Some clinics will have a no refund policy, so ensure to clarify the situation before making any transaction.
Most clinics will provide you with a booking document or other documentation regarding pre-operational instructions, deposits, travelling, hotel, required blood tests etc. The information provided will also include things you must do, and things you must additionally should avoid.
The avoidance list will generally be issues like coming off any medication or vitamins that will thin the blood or cause excessive bleeding. Alcohol, smoking, caffeine, Minoxidil, vitamin E are examples of substances that will need to be ceased for a period of time, both pre and possibly post surgery. The clinic should however be approached if anything is not clear. Usage of drugs, recreational or otherwise should also be declared to the clinic, as they can severely affect blood coagulation, and is a reason why clear and open communication is essential from the start.
For the do list, there may be certain scalp exercises to perform, (more common for Strip surgery) in order to improve scalp laxity. A blood test before surgery is good medical practice, and will check for conditions such as HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and the status of coagulation etc.
Apart from the above medical pre-requisites, there are also practical issues, hints and tips that may be of benefit, This is where the experience of the clinic advisor will really help, by offering advice on simple things from travel arrangements, to the type of clothes to wear and accessories to bring to aid you in your treatment. Some examples of this would be bringing a shirt to wear post-surgery to avoid overhead activity of putting on t-shirts, sunglasses to hide facial swelling, an ice pack to treat the swelling itself, and a travel pillow to help sleep with the head elevated. Also, Aloe Vera and vitamin E oils/sprays to apply to the scalp post-surgery, and head-wear such as a baseball cap or bandana would also be useful. This is not an exhaustive list, but rather some examples of advice that will be helpful to the patient.
For during and post-surgery entertainment then DVDs could also be considered. It is important however to travel as lightly as possible so as to avoid lifting heavy bags post-surgery, especially if a Strip surgery has been performed.
Travelling is also a factor to consider, sitting by a window seat may be better than an aisle seat with less chance of an elbow from a passing passenger, or returning first class may be a preferred option in terms of protecting your investment and ensuring more space and less chance of having your head hit or bumped by other passengers near by. Personal choice but something I try to do after surgery if not before and have paid less than the standard price on Eurostar for this due to how ticket allocation worked.
Booking ample time off work, hotel and indeed travel arrangements should be done as soon as possible and not left to the last minute. If travelling from afar then many would prefer to arrive at the destination two days prior to surgery in order to acclimatise to the new surroundings, find out where local shops are, or simply to allow for possible travel delays, and still safely arrive in time for the surgery.
Simple things like changing currency, buying travel adapters etc should also not be left to the last minute. Like anything in life, poor preparation gives poor performance, so the better prepared the smoother things should be upon arrival and for post surgery.
Being mentally prepared is also an advantage. This is by no means easy and no one is without a certain degree of anxiety. Ensure to raise with the clinic any concerns you have that cause any extra stress or nervousness. Sometimes a simple call to the clinic/advisor can put your mind at rest and try to prepare as much as possible as to eliminate rushing and last minute stress.
Upon arrival to the clinic, you should be made to feel as welcomed and relaxed as is possible. The confidence of the doctor and medical team should also be transmitted to the patient. Ideally there should be someone available to speak your language fluently, and be able to translate throughout the day if need be. Any lack of communication will inevitably cause stress, especially if the patient feels he/she cannot express him/herself.
There will usually be consent forms to sign, these should be read and understood before signing and is a good time to raise any last concerns. Failing to sign the forms would forfeit the surgery, so it is important to clear up any issues at this stage.
Effective communication throughout is key, and even more so post-surgery, as the patient goes through the final stages of concern, such as getting home safely, healing in time for work duties, and possible anxiety about future growth. An experienced advisor will be pro-active and answer many such worries even before they are voiced, while also seeking to have very frequent post operative communication with the patient, solicited or otherwise.
For the patient it will all be a new experience of wearing bandanas, keeping out of the social arena, and following strict post-operative guidelines. The world will seem very different for a few weeks and even loneliness or post op blues can set in. The advisor however, should have ample knowledge and ideally even personal experience of all of the above, and so be able to give timely and comforting advice.
Additional hints and tips may also be given at this stage, such as what foods to eat, vitamins to take etc, along with anything that will give the patient a head start in healing. As the saying goes Every little helps!
A deposit is usually paid, and the terms and conditions of any payment should be transparent. Some clinics will have a no refund policy, so ensure to clarify the situation before making any transaction.
Most clinics will provide you with a booking document or other documentation regarding pre-operational instructions, deposits, travelling, hotel, required blood tests etc. The information provided will also include things you must do, and things you must additionally should avoid.
The avoidance list will generally be issues like coming off any medication or vitamins that will thin the blood or cause excessive bleeding. Alcohol, smoking, caffeine, Minoxidil, vitamin E are examples of substances that will need to be ceased for a period of time, both pre and possibly post surgery. The clinic should however be approached if anything is not clear. Usage of drugs, recreational or otherwise should also be declared to the clinic, as they can severely affect blood coagulation, and is a reason why clear and open communication is essential from the start.
For the do list, there may be certain scalp exercises to perform, (more common for Strip surgery) in order to improve scalp laxity. A blood test before surgery is good medical practice, and will check for conditions such as HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and the status of coagulation etc.
Apart from the above medical pre-requisites, there are also practical issues, hints and tips that may be of benefit, This is where the experience of the clinic advisor will really help, by offering advice on simple things from travel arrangements, to the type of clothes to wear and accessories to bring to aid you in your treatment. Some examples of this would be bringing a shirt to wear post-surgery to avoid overhead activity of putting on t-shirts, sunglasses to hide facial swelling, an ice pack to treat the swelling itself, and a travel pillow to help sleep with the head elevated. Also, Aloe Vera and vitamin E oils/sprays to apply to the scalp post-surgery, and head-wear such as a baseball cap or bandana would also be useful. This is not an exhaustive list, but rather some examples of advice that will be helpful to the patient.
For during and post-surgery entertainment then DVDs could also be considered. It is important however to travel as lightly as possible so as to avoid lifting heavy bags post-surgery, especially if a Strip surgery has been performed.
Travelling is also a factor to consider, sitting by a window seat may be better than an aisle seat with less chance of an elbow from a passing passenger, or returning first class may be a preferred option in terms of protecting your investment and ensuring more space and less chance of having your head hit or bumped by other passengers near by. Personal choice but something I try to do after surgery if not before and have paid less than the standard price on Eurostar for this due to how ticket allocation worked.
Booking ample time off work, hotel and indeed travel arrangements should be done as soon as possible and not left to the last minute. If travelling from afar then many would prefer to arrive at the destination two days prior to surgery in order to acclimatise to the new surroundings, find out where local shops are, or simply to allow for possible travel delays, and still safely arrive in time for the surgery.
Simple things like changing currency, buying travel adapters etc should also not be left to the last minute. Like anything in life, poor preparation gives poor performance, so the better prepared the smoother things should be upon arrival and for post surgery.
Being mentally prepared is also an advantage. This is by no means easy and no one is without a certain degree of anxiety. Ensure to raise with the clinic any concerns you have that cause any extra stress or nervousness. Sometimes a simple call to the clinic/advisor can put your mind at rest and try to prepare as much as possible as to eliminate rushing and last minute stress.
Upon arrival to the clinic, you should be made to feel as welcomed and relaxed as is possible. The confidence of the doctor and medical team should also be transmitted to the patient. Ideally there should be someone available to speak your language fluently, and be able to translate throughout the day if need be. Any lack of communication will inevitably cause stress, especially if the patient feels he/she cannot express him/herself.
There will usually be consent forms to sign, these should be read and understood before signing and is a good time to raise any last concerns. Failing to sign the forms would forfeit the surgery, so it is important to clear up any issues at this stage.
Effective communication throughout is key, and even more so post-surgery, as the patient goes through the final stages of concern, such as getting home safely, healing in time for work duties, and possible anxiety about future growth. An experienced advisor will be pro-active and answer many such worries even before they are voiced, while also seeking to have very frequent post operative communication with the patient, solicited or otherwise.
For the patient it will all be a new experience of wearing bandanas, keeping out of the social arena, and following strict post-operative guidelines. The world will seem very different for a few weeks and even loneliness or post op blues can set in. The advisor however, should have ample knowledge and ideally even personal experience of all of the above, and so be able to give timely and comforting advice.
Additional hints and tips may also be given at this stage, such as what foods to eat, vitamins to take etc, along with anything that will give the patient a head start in healing. As the saying goes Every little helps!
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