The operation day

I woke up really early today- the big day! Feeling a huge mix of excitement and apprehension and am really glad to have my mum drive me to the hospital. I was really pleased to find that everyone at the West London Clinic was really nice; not just polite, but genuinely interested in what I had to say. Dai Davis came in to have a chat with me a little time before the operation and checked that I was feeling positive about the whole thing. Shortly afterwards the anesthetist’s assistant came to fetch me. We went down to the hospital part of the building with him reassuring me and joking around all the way. They explained what was going to happen and then anaesthetized me.

The next thing I remember was waking up and feeling a bit sick but knowing that I had gone through with it and that I finally had the figure I had always wanted.

I was taken back up to my own private room until I felt ready to leave. I was supposed to lie down for quite a while as the anesthetic makes you a bit faint and dizzy but I flouted the rules a bit and managed to make it over to a mirror, which seemed at the time to be one of the best moments of my life. My chest felt a bit tight but it didn’t really hurt at all on the first day, partly due to the morphine but mostly the excitement! The nurses were very attentive offering me food and drinks and checking that I felt ok and the surgeons came in a little while later to see how I was doing. The operation took about 45 minutes and I checked out of the hospital about 5 hours later.

Watch the interview with Gail where she talks about her experience in this the first of 3 episodes.

Bit of practical advice here for the journey home- It takes a while to get used to having boobs that move over bumps and roundabouts so make sure you find a slow driver and a car with a good suspension!

Leading up to the operation

Leading up to the surgery I remember feeling incredibly excited. I particularly enjoyed buying sports bras several sizes too big. I got a bra fitted in my original size a few weeks before the surgery and the sympathetic look of the shop assistant absolutely confirmed in my mind that there was no way I was going to back out! I remember feeling nervous the night before. I wasn't worried about any complications but I was quite scared about having the anaesthetic. I got myself through though by just remembering that last bra fitting and thinking about lying on a beach in a few months time.

My decision to have breast augmentation

Breast augmentation was something I had considered even whilst at school. I remember discussing it when I was quite young and deciding that if I still felt that I wanted to do it when I had completed university, I would take the plunge. After I finished university, I planned to go travelling for several months. The thought of week after week in bikinis made my decision quite easy really! I did some research into the sort of improvements surgery can make and then looked at recovery times and cost. I decided that any nervousness and reservations I had was far outweighed by the prospect of having the figure I had always wanted so I went about finding a surgeon.

I attended consultations with a number of surgeons including some of the largest plastic surgery companies. My aim wasn't really to firm up my decision but rather to vet the surgeons! When I went to Plastic Surgery Partners and met with Dai Davis, I found what I had been looking for. Dai was sitting there in a whacky tie, and was really warm and friendly. He seemed genuinely interested in me rather than just rattling off spiel, which I had found at some other companies. The nurses I met were also incredibly friendly rather than just polite, which made the whole thing fun and exciting rather than daunting.

I think the major selling point for me was Dai's experience. He was clearly eminent in the field and I was very impressed with the fact that he is able to perform all sorts of complex plastic surgery, not just straight forward breast augmentations. I felt that Dai was the Rolls Royce of surgeons! He spoke with me at length about the different types of implants and the various ways he could insert them, making it clear exactly what sort of result I could expect to get. He insisted I spent two weeks making sure I wanted to have the operation but I knew as soon as I met him that I wanted him to do it. He filled me with confidence.

In my next post I will tell you how I felt leading up to the operation.