Follow My Major Repair

[topccat29]

I am disappointed to say that due to a complete travel nightmare I was unable to make it to Brussels. The airlines changed gates 3 times, postponed the departure about 10 times, changed the plane twice and then needed to get an okay on some parts they used from another plane on the one I was suppose to be flying which was not very comforting. They cancelled the flight somewhere around midnight and by the time I walked away from the ticket counter it was 12 hours later.

They did offer me a flight the next day which was almost twice as long with a stopover in New Jersey bringing me into Brussels sometime around 8:00 AM the day of my procedure. By the time I got in touch with BHR I was worn down and to say the least a little stressed. But I made that appointment and would have just kept waiting for that next flight. BHR felt that for my well being I should in fact not take that next flight as it just was not in my best interest and that I could reschedule. All I can say they are a clinic that cares about their patients.

Just like everyone else I try and balance the cost of the procedure with travel, hotel, and time off from work. I thought I could save a few dollars by taking United Airlines over Brussels Air which I used before. Big mistake on my part and in hindsight I didn €™t put too much thought into it. How the United Airlines employees handled the whole situation can only be described and amateurish and very unprofessional. But I also have completely forgotten how those same employees have been treated over the years by those in management as I know a few that work for the company. That treatment is reflected in how they represent their company which I would best describe as careless. I bring this up because for those that think it doesn €™t it matter which I have seen stated on the forums concerning clinics you are completely wrong.

I will reschedule and I can keep waiting as I €™m in no hurry. Things are very good right now without further procedures. It dawned on me as I sat at O €™Hare airport which is very brightly lit with dozens of skylights a hair transplant patient €™s nightmare. I remember how uncomfortable I felt sitting there before leaving for my first procedure. Well that unpleasant feeling was no longer there as I was able to sit and converse with those around me and be very relaxed. Spoke to one lady from San Antonio for well over an hour and it was a nice feeling being comfortable in my own skin which is exactly what I was trying to achieve.

Will update my thread when I have rescheduled.

 

[sl]

Hi Topcat

Sorry for hassle you have had and all of the stress it must have brought you. As you say a nighmare scenario.

For sure you were missed by all but as for re-scheduling then no problem we will look forward to having you a little later on.

Hope you can get some rest in the coming days and know we are here for you when you want.

 

[Sparky]

Sorry to hear about this, I hope you are able to get over there soon to continue your repair journey.

 

[topccat29]

Thank you SL

Sparky you should send me an e-mail as nutrition is so involved. It's not what you are eating but what you are not eating along with what you should and should not be doing.

Something as simple as wearing sunglasses which blocks UV light to the eye preventing the pineal gland from secreting melatonin later on in the evening which is needed for you body to produce serotonin so that you feel happy as opposed to being depressed along with preventing you from reaching for those cheap carbs is only one strategy of which there are probably several hundred.

It's always best to just make some small changes over time and build on that.

Does your training raise cortisol levels or does it raise testosterone and growth hormone, big difference.I could go on and on but will stop here.

 

[topccat29]

Sparky I PM'd you my e-mail address. I would be curious in knowing what you consider healthy eating is as everyone's views are slightly different.

 

[Bigmac]

Sorry to hear about all this hassle and you having to cancel your surgery, its reassuring though that BHR were very understanding and will re scedule your appointment.

 

[topccat29]

BM , BHR was very understanding and I will reschedule probably sometime in November. It never even occurred to me that this could happen. The weather was perfect and Chicago is United €™s Hub. How could it be that this was the only plane available and that parts needed to be taken off of another, none of it made any sense. The departure was changed a total of 11 times and originally the plane coming in was just running late. I kept thinking to myself okay I €™m still a day early and I kept working out my arrival time in my head so I wasn €™t worried until midnight rolled around and I heard those around me talking about cancellation, then it hit me. I couldn €™t believe it was actually happening. They didn €™t mention the plane needed a part until the last half hour I now believe that they were lying for what reason I do not know. I say this because at first they told us the plane needed to be cleaned then it was taking longer than usual blah, blah, blah a different excuse each hour.

 

[Bigmac]

It does sound as though they were making excuses, as you say, a huge airline surely has other planes they can use in such scenarios.

Hopefully your next booking will go smoothly.

 

[topccat29]

I have not bothered to mention this in the past but I had an area towards the back of the crown that was scabbed up and never healed from the hairlift procedure I had long ago. I also know several hairlift patients who have experienced the same thing and it was always a concern for them as well as myself. I mean something that doesn €™t not heal and its 10 years later does become worrisome. But ever since I had my first FUE procedure that scab has completely disappeared. I €™m not sure why but it is probably something important to post.

 

[Sparky]

Thats pretty incredible, bet you're pleased about that

 

[topccat29]

Yes it €™s something that you just try not to think about and I never even considered going to see a doctor about it. Nobody ever told me the more invasive the procedure the more likely necrosis can develop. That sounds like it would be something important to tell the patient.

 

[Sparky]

Im sure they told you almost nothing about how dangerous those procedures were.

 

[topccat29]

You are absolutely right I knew nothing and I wasn €™t savvy enough to ask. I think many prospective ht patients face this same issue even today they just don €™t know what questions to ask.

I recently viewed a thread where there appeared to be some necrosis from a fairly large procedure. I €™m not sure if it is true but the poster has not updated and that is always a good clue. I don €™t understand why patients are still willing to take the risk of these mega sessions. It €™s so foolish when with a little patience you can avoid a tremendous amount of risk.

In all honesty I would be embarrassed to be in this business and brag about performing a 10,000 graft procedure on someone or something similar. It €™s like saying I was willing to play Russian roulette with 3 chambers loaded only the gun was pointed at the patient €™s head and not my own, not much to brag about even if I do hit an empty chamber.

 

[Levrais]

Hi Topcat,
How's it going? Im wondering if you rebooked yet?

 

[topccat29]

Hi Levrais thank you for asking. I €™m scheduled for Nov 5 and this time I will arrive 2 days early just in case. I read a few weeks back where some United Airlines customers were stuck in China for almost a week the customers at one point started to beat up the airline employees €¦ €¦.lol €¦ €¦..so I guess it does happen.

I can €™t believe it €™s been 2 years since my last procedure but I €™m patient and not in any hurry. So far the improvement has been huge and the hair becomes less of an issue.

 

[Levrais]

It is hard to believe that its been 2 years. Going 2 days early is probably a good idea. Im thinking o f doing the same thing next time as well.

 

[topccat29]

Hello everyone I €™m just updating my thread before leaving for Brussels. My 3rd procedure is scheduled for Monday Nov. 5 2012 and it has been 2 years since my last procedure. I would honestly have to say I am very content with the progress I have achieved with the help of Dr. Bisanga and everyone at BHR. If I stopped right now it would be good enough for me as I can easily get on with my day not having to deal with trying to style a few strands of hair. But I also like to take everything to the limit in whatever I do so I will continue as far as my depleted head donor along with limited beard and chest hair will take me.

I believe Dr. Bisanga €™s work to be some of the best in the world but not only that I sincerely like him as a person which is probably more important for me than many others addressing their situations. I do tend to pick up on the smallest of things and I do remember reading a post from close to 10 years ago where I said to myself this is a good guy and my experience has proved that to be true. Anyone that thinks this doesn €™t matter in this business I pity you but wish you the best as no one deserves to be treated poorly or disfigured.

My experience with HT over the years has been a blessing in many ways as I am much more aware. Most especially I have stayed far away from doctors and outside of the HT procedures I have not been to a doctor in over 28 years. As a group I have found most of them to be self absorbed, arrogant with egos that are in constant need of feeding and I €™m being very nice here. This makes it very difficult when asking questions as most do not like to be questioned and would rather you just shut up and listen to them, trust me bad idea.

I will be turning 50 in a couple of weeks and I must say I have never felt better and been happier in my life. Maybe some of those that are consumed with only money at the expense of others should take note here as it has also been my experience that they are usually unhappy people and eventually pay the price for their ways. Greed for more and more money is hardly a worthy goal but it still seems to be prevalent in the ht industry.

Don €™t let my posting style deceive you in regards to how happy I am in my own personal life. I am just too old and don €™t have time to waste with bullshit so I like to tell like I see it no one needs to read it or agree with it, just look at the showcase results if that is what pleases you. If what I have to say helps someone great as that makes me feel like I have done some good and doing good makes me happy. If someone in the industry doesn €™t like what I have to say than too bad as how much money you make is not important to me.

I have posted some photos below taken within the last 7 days both before and after using no concealer than what it looked like with concealer before and after along with pictures of my chest and beard donor areas as they appear today after having 529 fue extracted from a very small area around the chin due to my lack of having a very heavy beard along with 216 chest fue. The scalp donor has been 961 fue mostly from the lateral humps.

I believe the small procedures with small hand tools have resulted in both superior yield and healing. I also believe nutrition is paramount in the healing process and I follow specific protocols that have been tested through my own hands on experience throughout the years in which I believe I have separated what is truth from what is fallacy no different than what I have had to do with hair transplantation. I do not believe there is an adjuvant therapy that even compares to nutrition in the healing process regardless of what some of these bloated windbag doctors out there seem to be promoting at any given time, just take a real good look at the source. Don €™t fall into the trap of complying because some clown is wearing a white coat.

I have also found that there are many on the forums that have never had a procedure in their life but they somehow feel they are in a position to advise others. I suggest finding out who these people are through phone conversations or in person meetings before taking their advice.

I have shaved the chest area down to a 1 guard. It €™s mostly gray but I will take whatever I can get.

I will update upon my return. Looking forward to taking a couple hundred punches to the face.

 

[sl]

Hi TC

Thanks for updating and have a safe trip to Brussels, hope no problems with the flight.

I know the staff and the doc will be looking forward to seeing you again.

 

[Modenese]

Topcat

I don't know where to start. I'm appalled at your situation but so, so pleased for you that you are making positive progress.

The position you are in now is way, way better than you were.

Take care and good luck

 

[Dazzster26]

Hi TC

All the very best with your next procedure with BHR and thanks for your write up safe trip

Cheers

Dazzster