I had always hated the shape of my nose. The tip of my nose was what I referred to as being bulbous but not quite in the league of Karl Malden or Gerard Depardieu. Towards the end of June this year, I decided that I had to do something about my nose. I had been on hormone treatment since December last year and I had been living full-time since June 2001, of course the nose was all wrong and really did not belong to Carol. I had just come to the end my first year at University and would not start my second year until the end of September. I am doing a BMedSci Degree in Health and Human Sciences and I think it is the research skills and some knowledge of where to search that helped in my quest for a nose job (rhinoplasty).
I started my search in magazines and eventually the internet. I had also been inspired by the article in Gem News Vol 45 that Persia West wrote about her cosmetic surgery in Belgium. I spoke to or e-mailed many cosmetic surgery clinics around Britain giving them details of what I required for the new shape of my nose. I was always up front with every one I contacted in respect of who I was and what treatment I was receiving, the latter is very important when arranging cosmetic surgery. I received many replies and they all came back with an all-inclusive price of between £3,000-3,500. All-inclusive means, initial consultation anaesthetist, surgeon, surgery, room and aftercare.
It was at the beginning of July when I started to look what was available abroad. I had just received my first passport as Carol; in fact, this was my first passport ever. I had arranged a 4-day trip to Paris starting Friday Sept 13th (what a day to have your first ever flight, good job I am not superstitious). I was now hoping that if I could arrange surgery it would be after I came back from Paris and before starting back at University. I was on the internet finding out what was available in Europe and even South Africa. However, it was mainly around Holland, Belgium, France and Spain that I concentrated my search and again I sent of many e-mails and informing them of what I wanted and being honest about who I am. Not all of them replied, but I did get a decent response. Some gave better information than others and a few even sent brochures. It was then that I realised how much cheaper it is for cosmetic surgery in these countries, just as Persia had mentioned in her article. This difference in cost varied between half and two-thirds of what I had been quoted by clinics in Britain. I also came across some agencies that organised escorted trips abroad for cosmetic surgery taking several people at one time. However, this was not what I wanted and I believed that I could keep the cost down by organising everything myself.
It was about the second week in July that I came across Aesthetic-Services Prague. I e-mailed them with their on-line form. In this form they asked what type of aesthetic surgery you required, details about yourself any relevant medical history. Aesthetic Services turned out to be an agency that placed you with a surgeon that meets the needs of what you require. The agency is run by a Herbert Pedron and his wife and they responded to my e-mail within a few days with all the details I needed. Mr Pedron even contacted me by phone to help clear up any questions that I had. They recommended that I see Dr Tomas Dolezal who specialised in surgical nose refinements. They also told me about all the techniques and length of stay, days when operations were performed this being more relevant for patients travelling long distances so flights could be organised by patients. Mr Pedron also informed me he could arrange hotel accommodation for the night prior to going into the clinic. This obviously would be an extra cost and like many European countries you pay by room not person, this is an advantage if someone accompanies you. The cost for my nose surgery would be 1800 euros (about £1,200) paid directly to the surgeon and 80 euros deposit paid to Mr Pedron. Mr Pedron emphasised that standards were very high and the relative cheapness of surgery was purely down to the economic situation in the CzechRepublic.
After I found Dr Dolezal's own website and it was good to see a photo of him and the fact that I had come across several lists recommending cosmetic surgeons around Europe containing his name, that I decided to go ahead. I had to send Mr Pedron 80 euros and after he received it he confirmed my date for surgery and he wanted to know if I wanted Dr Dolezal to do the pre-op blood tests and medical. I said yes to this and they got back to me with Wednesday September 18th for the operation. However, I would need to be in Prague on the 17th for a consultation with Dr Dolezal at his office in the city centre at 5 pm. Mr Pedron organised a hotel for the Tuesday night which would cost me 2,000 Koruna (about £40 for a twin room and breakfast). This was going to be a quick turn around for I would not get back from Paris until 10 pm on the 16th, which by the way I thoroughly enjoyed, especially being called Madame all the time. With everything organised in Prague I now needed to arrange my flights. I needed to fly out on morning of the 17th of Sept and come back on the afternoon of Friday the20th. I searched on the internet and BmiBaby out of East Midlands met my needs. By booking 5 weeks prior to my journey, it cost me incredibly only £55 return. I was to fly out at 10 am on Tuesday and return from Prague at 1-50 pm on the Friday.
Meanwhile I informed my doctor, Kevan Wylie, at the Porterbrook clinic about what I was intending to do. He did voice his concerns, which I respected, but as long as the surgical team in Prague had my relevant treatment details, it would be fine. I had to ask Dr Dolezal if I needed to stop my hormone treatment prior to surgery and he e-mailed me to say no and that they would be giving me injections to prevent blood clots.
I arrived at Prague airport at about 1-15 pm on the Tuesday, the airport is about 30 minutes taxi journey from the city ( about £12 fare ). I arrived at my hotel Pension Albastr around 2-30. The hotel was only 10 minutes walk from Dr Dolezal's office at Palace Chicago on Narodni trida in the city centre. Although I am a very confident person and had been to Paris on my own, on arrival at the hotel I felt very lonely and I must admit I shed a tear or two. The hotel was only 200 metres from Wencelas Square a beautiful part of this old city and after an hour or so there I soon regained my composure. However, I would recommend that anyone who feels the need to have someone accompany them do so. I met Dr Dolezal at his office, my first reaction was what a lovely man his photo did not do him justice. He asked what I required from him and after he examined my nose, he said that nothing needed doing bone wise. He said he would remove the extensive cartilage that I had in the tip of my nose. He also explained that the ideal age for rhinoplasty is between 18-35 and after this age we start to lose elasticity in the skin. He told me to be at the Clinic Anny in Lucni a suburb of Prague at 8 am on Wednesday. On arrival I would see Dr Jungwirthova and she would do the blood tests and these would go to their own labs. She would also do a full physical and if every thing was fine the operation was scheduled for 3 pm Wednesday. Dr Dolezal also explained that I would stay at the clinic until Friday lunchtime and go direct to the airport from there. He also explained that during the operation, I would have nasal tampons inserted in each nostril and a cast put over my nose, these would be removed on Friday prior to departure. He would use dissolving stitches except for one long stitch in the septum, which could be removed 7 days after the operation. I had previously arranged this with my health centre back home. I then handed over 1,800 euros in cash; he had requested payment this way. On arriving back at the hotel I informed the concierge I would only be staying the one night and she arranged a taxi for 7-30 the next morning.
On arrival at the clinic on the Wednesday everything went as Dr Dolezal said it would. Dr Jungwirthova and the nurses treated me with respect and showed me kindness and consideration. Everything was explained again and I was shown to my private room with en-suite bathroom, television and private phone. The only problem was language. The nurse assigned to me spoke no English but a little German, which I also do. However, another patient knew a little English so we got by and the nurse on nights spoke a little English. Nethertheless, it is amazing, how you manage to make people understand by using signs. 3pm soon came round and of to theatre I went. It was smaller than I expected but looked to be of a high standard with all the hi-tech equipment. Anyway it was not long before I was out for the count. I came around at what I thought was 5-30pm, but I was in and out of consciousness and it must have been 7pm before I could fully understand anything. I had to go to the toilet and I sneaked a look in the mirror, wish I had not. With the cast and dressing taped over my nose and covering my top lip, I looked like Hannibal Lector, because it was blood stained. I knew I was okay my sense of humour was still intact. I had to concentrate breathing through my mouth and resist the urge to sneeze because of these nasal tampons stuck up each nostril.
Dr Dolezal came to se me early on Thursday and explained what how the operation had gone. He explained that he had removed most of the cartilage leaving enough to support the tip of my nose. He had also found that I had a large amount of soft tissue and had removed quite a bit, but he had left what was needed to insure I had a good blood supply to the tip because I did not want to finish up with the tip of my nose looking like that of a certain pop star. He had also managed to give my nose a better contour. I could not wait to get the dressing off. On Friday, they removed the nasal tampons this was a little painful but I was relieved they were out. Dr Dolezal removed the cast and taped my nose for support. This tape would be removed in 10 days and I was instructed on how to clean my nostrils. This was to be done two or three times a day for the next month. I would have to boil water and then put in the fridge for later use. If I had any problems, I had to e-mail Dr Dolezal for advice about aftercare. It was then I had another good look in the mirror and saw that I had two lovely black eyes. I must also say that the food in the clinic was quite nice and there was always enough.
I was glad to get home on the Friday evening although I did not enjoy driving back up the M1 on a Friday afternoon. It was good to get back to see my friends. However, that first weekend home was terrible. I think it was the reaction to being on intravenous anti-biotics whilst in the clinic. I might as well have taken my bed into the bathroom the amount of time I spent there for the next 4 days, but I will not go into that. The stitch in my septum was taken out 7 days after the operation and I returned to University on 30th of September and the taping came off on October 1st. The nose was still swollen and I had been told that it would take 6-8 weeks for the swelling to subside. Nethertheless, all my friends and staff at the Porterbrook remarked that my nose job had made a big difference. Here I am now, early November and swelling gone down, still a little numbness in the tip. I am glad I went to Prague and believe that I would not have had any better result from a clinic in this country. If anyone feels that cosmetic surgery will help them, then look into it carefully but in the end it is a personal decision and take it from me the finished article if done correctly, is worth it.
Copyright 2005-10 Carol Robson BMedSci (Hons) FRSA [All Rights Reserved]
