The Big Day - Liposuction of the Thighs

The Big Day fell on 11-Dec-2013. 11-12-13 interesting date eh? But I was definitely not feeling anything else but serious jitters.

There are several flights that fly to Medan from Singapore - Jetstar, Silkair, AirAsia. I booked myself on Jetstar which is not the best, but definitely the cheapest. Only paid like SGD50 including all taxes. This is one of the reasons why I picked Medan. Travel time is short and cost is cheap, its like taking a taxis!

But if you have more money to spend, its better to take Silkair, as you would have arrived Medan earlier (9am vs 12noon on Jetstar) and have more time for consultation etc.

Since having a liposuction isn't a very glamorous thing to publicise about, I've only told 2 girl friends about it. I flew to Medan alone, by myself. Very worried, very scared, very nervous in all honesty. Not because of anything, but more of the operation itself. As I have never done any operation before in all my life of 35 years, this was really the very first operation I'll be going through (except wisdom tooth extraction). 

People are usually saying Medan isn't safe, locals are against Chinese blah blah. But if you have traveled to anywhere in S.E.A, Medan is just like one of them - Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam. It's not a high class place, just simple, but also not drop dead dangerous. Travelers just have to be careful and be aware of whats happening around you, as you would be traveling to anywhere else in the world.

The new airport is a good 40km away from the clinic. Options for traveling are provided by Jennifer - you can travel via local taxis, or the train or pay SGD 22 for the car from Dr Arthur's clinic to pick you. I opted for the car, and so by the time I cleared immigration, I saw the driver carrying a sign with my name on it.

The driver cannot speak a lot of English, but he was polite and all smiley. The car was a SUV, big and comfy, time taken to get to the clinic was approximately 1.5 hours.

Dr Arthur's clinic is a 3 storey bungalow, very nice and modern.

There are gym studio/ dance studio, shared living room and kitchen, and rooms for other patients. The place is very spacious and clean. My room is without attached bathroom, as the bathroom is just immediately outside. So very very convenient.

Entrance of the clinic

The shared living room

My clean and nice bedroom

I was taken to my room where I put down my bags and stuff. One of the girls brought me a menu and I placed my order for lunch. After waiting around for a while, my lunch came and I finished it. A little while more, the nurse took me to consultation with Dr Arthur.

Meeting Dr Arthur for the first time, he speaks like any other Singaporean and is friendly and candid. Discussed about my thunder thighs and his approach to do a 360 degrees sculpturing instead of just inner outer thighs. Reason is because 360 sculpturing allows future weight loss to be more evenly seen on the thighs.

There were also 3 cannulas on his desk, where I almost fainted upon seeing. Seriously I would rather not see the equipment and think how they are going to go into my body. Too freaking scary! But Dr Arthur was explaining that by using cannulas 1-3mm in diameter leaves very small holes and would be hardly seen after recovery. Also, it is very tedious and time consuming process, which takes alot of experience and stamina. However, it is very safe too. I have allergies to all kind of pain killers, so I also asked many questions on the safety of such operation, to which Dr Arthur was very patient to reply and assure me.

After consultation, I was asked to go take a shower which was the only shower anyone would have for the next few days as the thighs would be all bandaged up. So be mindful to wash your hair and everywhere else really clean. I brought antiseptic wipes to use since no shower.

I was also given some pills and this horribly painful IV drip thingy inserted into my veins on my right hand. Seriously freaking painful! And I had to bear with this thing for one more day after the lipo too.

I was being brought to the waiting room beside the surgery room and told to wait. A nurse came to ask me to fill in some forms and do measurement of weight, height, BMI, also taking measurements of my thighs etc. While waiting, I could hear Buddhist music being played and was told the doctor was praying, which he usually does before operation. I am seriously glad! I too want the operation to be smooth and painless!

While waiting I have some time to take some photos of the operating room. I remember texting my girlfriend last min, this better be worth risking my life! haha..

Finally, Dr Arthur appeared! So he started videoing the process of drawing circles circles on my thighs, pinching my fatty bits and I felt so totally humiliated *boo. If I were slim, I wouldn't need to be here eh? *sobs* haha.. but this was the usual procedure that everyone who wants to do a lipo has to go through. 

A yellow liquid was plastered all over my thighs and I was told to lie down on the operating table. The last thing I remembered was turning to my left side and seeing the doctor with a big syringe and I told myself I didnt want to see anymore. Then kind of, I fainted immediately! Thats an exaggeration. More like the medicine has kicked in and I drifted in to a sleep, perhaps subconsciously telling myself "Go sleep! You dont want to know whats happening during the procedure!".

So I could say, I am fortunate I didnt really remember anything much during the entire process. Only remembered the doctor asking me to feel my left leg, when it was done. And also, a cannula going into my right leg and extreme pain before I told myself "ok you dont want to know" and went into unconsciousness again. 

This was how much fat thats been aspirated for my left thigh

A total of 3 Litres were aspirated. After the operation, my thighs were all bandaged up & half conscious, I was ushered back to my room, with the help of a nurse. She put on my 2XU tights too. Seriously I dont think I remember what I was feeling, except being glad I didnt die. hahahaa..

Ordered dinner and fell asleep. The next time I woke up was that dinner, the porridge I've ordered had arrived. Did not have any appetite, so just took a little of the porridge before drifting away to sleep again.

Dr Arthur stays in the room next to the kitchen in the same clinic. I roughly remembered he came to my room & asked if everything was ok, to which I've replied yeah. I didn't even throw up as many others have blogged. I just really want to sleep.