58 Year Old, Mum of 3, Having Full Face and Neck Lift - Phuket, Thailand.

Thank you all for reading my post and showing your support. Tonight I'm just going to tell what happened today and then try and answer specific questions in the next few days.

Collected from our hotel at 7.45 this morning and driven to PIAC where we were met by Joyce and Joe (I found Joyce by chance while researching surgery in Thailand. I assumed she worked at PIAC for the surgeons there. She doesn't, she's her own boss and must get commission from PIAC and other clinics - but the cost to me/you is the same. She has been brilliant throughout my constant questions, she is Thai but her written English is absolutely spot on, and both her and Joe are lovely, friendly people. They are in their early 30s and very kind and respectful. Her contact is ******@******.com and I highly recommend her if you do what we've done and book your own flights and hotel).

So... I saw Dr Veerawat. He's a quietly spoken , respectful, gentle man in his 50s. He looked at my face carefully, having only seen photos before, and suggested I should consider upper and lower eyelid surgery too. I thought my eyes were fine but he demonstrated, with a paperclip(!) what the results would look like and OMG! I'm now having eyelid surgery too.

He explained everything that will happen tomorrow, including a drip, drains on either side of my face and a catheter. The op will take six to seven hours which I was surprised at and because of this, and the fact that I'm 58, he said I will probably be placed in ICU for the first night, not for anything ominous, just so I can be constantly monitored because I will have been knocked out for such a long time. He explained about the risks: skin dying (necrosis), nerve damage and bleeding but said the chances are extremely slim. However, in view of my age, he will do a less harsh, more gentle 'refreshing' facelift, as opposed to a full-on attempt to wind the clock back 20 years procedure. I'm absolutely reassured by this, because I don't want to look 'different', just refreshed and less haggard.

As a result of the eye surgery, the cost has gone up by $2000, so the total price is just under $10,00AUD. I was a bit shocked at the price, but the eye surgery takes over two hours on its own and is extremely complex. He said it was entirely my decision and I could have it done at a later stage, in a year or two. I decided to go for it now.

After that I was sent for a blood test, chest X-ray and ECG (as was my daughter, apart from the ECG) and that was that.

We'll be collected tomorrow at 6.30am. Sadie's op is scheduled for 8.00 and mine at 9.30/10. I'll be in for two days and Sadie is staying with me for an extra night, then, all being well, we'll be brought back to our hotel on Thursday.

I'm feeling a little bit nervous, but nothing serious and not particularly looking forward to the next few days. Oh well, it will all be worth it, I hope. xoxoxox