And… That’s a Wrap!
September 18th, 2009
Today’s filming went exceptionally well. The medical correspondent, Dr. Archelle Georgiou, was easy to work with and her thoughtful questions led to informative answers, which viewers will appreciate. I have found that making the patient feel comfortable is paramount in maintaining a relaxed and calm atmosphere. There are also special precautions that need to take place to assure the integrity of the surgical space, so after specific safety instructions to the filming crew, we were ready to go. The cameraman was a quick to size up the surgery suite and decided on angles that he wanted to film during surgery. In reality, his work as a videographer will be the cornerstone of the segment. If you miss a shot, there is little chance of going back to capture that moment.
KMSP TV, our local Fox Network affiliate will air the piece we filmed today along with a live patient interview on Tuesday morning, September 22 during the 9:00 AM News broadcast. It will also be available on their website, www.myfoxtwincities.com/.
From my prospective as a surgeon, one of the most stressful elements of participating in a media production like this one, is the actual filming of the surgical procedure. Even though I have done this surgery hundreds of times and have had film crews in the operating room before, there can always be the unexpected. This aspect of medicine is what is both unpredictable and yet challenging. The bepharoplasty or eyelid surgery went well and I would expect my patient to have a great result. However, as with most cosmetic surgery procedures, her optimum results will take a full six months to realize. So tune in and you can be the judge!
Gina’s Blog: 2 Weeks After Surgery
August 11th, 2009
Training with Kettle Bells
So far, so good. I’m two and a half weeks into my recovery and I feel amazing! Actually, I feel too amazing. I really thought I’d feel crappy and sore for at least a few weeks, as I did with my previous surgery. Clearly, the breast reduction was less traumatic to my body than the liposuction. The next day after surgery, I woke up feeling great… tired, but feeling great. I am on a three-week restriction, or what I like to refer to it as a little “time out.â€
The first week I couldn’t raise my heart rate at all, period. That meant no cardio, no working out whatsoever. That sucked, I mean really sucked. But week two hasn’t been too bad, because I was allowed the addition of some forms of my cardio workouts, although I still can’t lift anything more than five pounds. I’ve been doing fast walking and some super light jogging because I tried to run and I felt some aching in my breast. I put a stop to that real quick. When I saw Dr. Bashioum at his office for my post-surgery exam, he said that I could increase my activity level slowly, as long as it did not cause any pain. I’ve also been doing some Kettle Bell exercises with a 5lb dumb bell… I have to keep the groove! I’m surprised and happy that I feel as great as I do but, on the flipside, because I feel so good; it’s making it really difficult for me to adhere to my restrictions. I was naughty only twice. The first offense was putting my 51.8-pound foster dog, Dexter, on his back for a time when he misbehaved.
Dexter
He’s definitely over my weight restriction I know, but it was just a spontaneous reaction. The second offense was my poor decision to go on the zip line at the playground with my 12 yr. old nephew. I was really disappointed in myself for giving in to my impatience. Sandy, Dr. Bashioum’s Patient Care Coordinator said I might have to be on “time out” longer now since I didn’t follow my recovery guidelines. If she said it to scare me into being rigid with the recovery guidelines, it worked! I definitely don’t want a longer restriction period, so I’m really trying to be good.
Gina with 2 Kettle Bells
I already notice a nice change and I know it will take at least 6 months to a year to see the full outcome. I can’t wait and I certainly don’t want to do anything to ruin my chances for a great result!
Check back to see if I can follow my own advice…
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