Day 0 - Transplant Day

When I got to the surgical office that morning, everyone on the staff was waiting on me and chipper. The entire staff was soooooooooo friendly and upbeat. I cannot tell you how much that means to me. It calmed my nerves and anxiety. Five people comprised the team so I'll number them to help you keep track. Assistant 1, administered the moderate sedation. She seemed to be the expert in that area. She asked lots of questions and made sure I had nothing to eat or drink since midnight. I had not. I religiously followed their directions. I went to the bathroom and peed in the cup - yeah I was not pregnant. Full steam ahead. Assistant 1 confirmed my weight and gave me 2.5 pills. They were valium and ambien. Things were foggy after that. I don't remember getting a drip stuck in my wrist or the doctor (Dr. Samuel Lam) removing the donor area/hair. I don't remember him numbing my head either except for a few pricks new my ears. Surprisingly, I experience NO PAIN. That was on of my fears. Whatever they do/use works beautifully. I do remember laughing a few times but most of seemed like a few minutes turned out to be hours. I took the pills around 8am and I recall looking a clock in the room and it being 12 noon.

Next was lunch. I had requested beef in my pre-op appointment and was served something similar to beef stroganoff, with cole slaw. It was delectable! For dessert they offered a chery tart, which I declined in lieu of chocolate covered and wafers. I had apple juice to drink and cold water. It was my first meal for the day so I was so I devoured most everything. Dr. Lam video taped and took pictures throughout the procedure. I'll post some. The transplant assistant, Emina, gave me vicodin and then later a zanax (sp?). Everything was wonderful after that! :-) Assistants 2 and 3 were sitting at a nearby table most of the morning and afternoon looking under large lighted manifying type devices. I assume they were preparing my hairs for transplantation. Emina offered me a movie. I watched "Failure to Launch" on a small flat screen tv while she input the hairs. There was no pain or discomfort. I was so comfortable and at ease. I don't remember seeing the whole movie as I went to sleep. When I woke she was still implanting and I had a tremendous urge to pee. So they stopped everything let me handle my biz and back I came. Then she gave me the zanax and put in "Under the Tuscan Sun." I dozed in and out movie watching again. Never quite going to sleep, but still never feeling any pain. HALLELUJAH! She sprayed my head quite a bit, keeping the area clean for implanting. Towards the end Assistant 3 helped a bit and Dr. Lam popped in from time to time checking on the placement and progress. It made me feel good to hear some good comments through my grogginess.

My husband arrived early. When I came out he was drinking coffee and had made friends with the staff and Dr. Lam's mother who runs a spa in the same building.

We didn't get home until after 7pm and I was still groggy and a little nauseated. My husband propped up 4 pillows for me so I did not lay flat. One instruction was to sleep at a 45° angle making sure to cover the pillow with a dark towel. They warned there might be blood or oozing from the donor area. I was also told to take a pain killer before going to sleep. My head and the top of my ears were entirely numb. I did not sleep in a scarf or anything since Emina siad that it might rub the grafts right out of their place while I sleep.