Well I must say...This is about what I expected minus the donor site pain...It by FAR is the most painful spot on my head. The top or implant site just itches a little here and there, but that can quickly be fixed with a cool little hydrating spray that was given to me in my package. But I get ahead of myself! I really want to give a play by play about how my whole day went with the Bosley people!
Rise and Shine
The day started VERY early for me as I live along the coast of North Carolina and the Bosley site was in Raleigh. Since I have a little dog the option of driving up and getting a hotel the night before was not an option. so the alarm was set at 4:15 and the snooze button was worn out by the time I rolled out of the bed :)
I hit the road by 5am for the 2 hour drive. My appointment was for 7am.
I was greeted by Carmen who is a lovely lady who welcomed me took me to a private room with a tv and some chairs to relax and fill out some paperwork. The hardest part of the paperwork was trying to figure out what I wanted for lunch! :)
I then went back and talked to Bill who is my counselor an reviewed my earlier visits paperwork, and proceeded to go get Dr. Phipps who came in and we discussed what all was going to be done during my procedure. I must say she is a delight. She answers every question thoroughly and effectively! When we all agreed about what was going to happen I went back to my room to relax and wait while they prepped my room. I only waited a total of 5 minutes till a nurse came and brought be back to my room.
I walked in and was introduced to the nurses that would be assisting me that day...I had a total of 4 nurses who would be there with me throughout the day. Holly was the head nurse who would keep giving me my feel good shots! :)
After explaining the whole day to me the gave me a book so that I could pick out the movies I wanted to watch...I picked out a couple... (Good selection of Testorone filled movies i must add ). The put a tray beside of you with remotes...some snack food, and all the drinks you want...I felt like a king for the day :)
The Fun Begins
Dr. Phipps came in and took some pictures from all angles of my head. Afterward she started drawing the new hair lines on my head...I must say...when they say that to be this kind of doctor requires an inner artist...I agree...she spent 7-10 minutes drawing and erasing...drawing and erasing...till she was happy that the new hair line would match up with my head and dimensions. She then gave me a mirror and we discussed the proposed hair line and agreed that it was going to be the best for my current line and head shape/structure...
Here is a pic of what the line would look line...unfortunately you can't see the line near the top/backside of my head but its there...
Here comes the Drugs
After all prep work was complete the started working on my donor area. They outlined the area that was going to be taken and then took some clippers and cut the hair that was going to be used... (Contrary to my earlier perceptions....They really don't want the hair...but just the follicles.)
After that they gave me a handful of drugs to take which included anti-inflammations, antibiotics etc...And of course when asked If I wanted a mild sedative I responded with a sounding YES...make it a double dose please!!! Then Holly gave me another relaxing sedative shot in my arm which took the final edge off of my nerves....
She then proceeded to give me shots throughout the back of my head. I must say that it wasnt as bad as I thought becuase the use a technique that uses a vibrating massager on your head that takes away from the initial shot.
At this point they started taking the donor area from the back of my head...I MUST say..this time is fairly fuzzy for me as I was in and out during this time. But I do remember trying to talk some...but couldnt recall at all what I said...or if it was even a coherent thought!
After this process was done all the nurses took to the room beside of my room (you can see everything going on in there by the way). Lined up in the room were microscopes that each nurse sat down at and proceeded to extract each hair follicle. I was surprised that when I asked if I could see what and how they did it, a nurse gladly took me in and showed me the process...amazing....
I then was brought my lunch and enjoyed some good food and started watching my first movie...Shawshank redemption...Awesome movie by the way!
The nurses were hard at work working shifts extracting my follicles into trays that had the number of follicles and the placement they were to go. After a period of time...I honestly can't say I was lost in my movie...They came back in and said that its time to start the placement of the follicles onto my head. Dr. Phipps at this point proceeded to make each and EVERY single hole that the follicles were to go into....I don't know what I thought but they actually create every single hole/site that each follicle is to go into....It was weird...you can hear the punctures inside your head...but of course...you feel nothing...(Side note here: with all the numbing agents given to your head...it actually feels like you have a football helmet on your head...a very strange an unique feeling...when I touch the side of my head it felt as if I was touching someone else's head!)
Here are some pics of what that process looks like:
Once the holes were complete the boring part began. I had a nurse on each side of me putting in each and every follicle. I must say I actually fell asleep and woke myself up snoring a few times...YES you heard me right...I actually fell asleep...you don't feel a thing...you just feel the squirts of saline water on your head every once in a while and that's it. After a few hours of this the worst part was that I started getting tired of sitting. My butt was actually getting sore...but they allowed me to get up and walk around and use the restroom during these periods...Side note:
There was another man in the next operating room getting a procedure done that day...and every time one of us went to the restroom the ensured that we could not see or pass by each other...at first I thought this strange...but i now realize it was a great idea...some men dont want ANYONE to know or see anything that has to do with this...so with that...kudos to Bosley for respecting and going out of the way for each persons privacy!
We're done??
The day ended with the final follicles being put in while a nurse sat down and went over all my instructions for the days to follow...here is a quick overview...
Showers: no direct streams of water to the head...you'll use a cup and a special shampoo to pour over your head...
Sleeping: you'll sleep with a bandage around your head and at a 45 degree angle. The bandage is to keep oozing from the donor area (if any) from getting on your pillows. ( FYI...they gave me a 3 night prescription of sleeping pills to aid in the weirdness of sleeping at 45 degrees coupled with the bandage on my head)
Pain meds: They also gave me a couple of prescriptions of pain meds for light and moderate style pains...
Antibiotics: The also give you a weeks supply of antibiotics you'll take twice a day along with a steriod to help aid as well.
Finally you'll have in your "kit" that you take home some hair hydrators and sprays to help in what I call the crusty's on your head...it actually helps me when my head starts itching...
Here is a pic on the way driving back home...Yes...I drove back home...I was TOTALLY fine by the time I left the office...I got an AWESOME grandpa high rise hat...that thank GOD no one I know seen me in...
Well I hope that has given you an broad overview of what you can expect the day you will have when decide to take on this life changing moment...
