> I am Not a God
> by Gail Bennett
> This is my second visit to Thailand for a surgical process. The original
> visit occurred in June 1998 when I flew to Phuket for sex reassignment
> surgery.
>
> I have enormous respect for the calibre of Thai plastic surgeons, and for
> the graciousness of Thai people. In 2004 I stayed in Bangkok, with a dual
> purpose for the visit. One to have a rest and take a vacation, and the
other
> being to have a hair transplant.
>
> In 2003 when I was living in Brisbane I consulted a doctor who undertook
> hair transplants and was told I needed 600 grafts. In Bangkok I was told
I
> required 2500. I am pleased I chose Bangkok, because the results,
following
> the transplant, are wonderful. For me, having the hair transplant has
been
> as important as having SRS many moons ago. It is not an easy surgical
> process, and it took longer than SRS.
>
> I arrived in Bangkok on a balmy Friday night and was driven to my hotel in
a
> Mercedes-Benz. The limousine and the hotel had been arranged by the
surgeon,
> Dr Pichet. It was about midnight when I arrived at the hotel, and I just
> wanted to get to bed. The hotel suite was gorgeous and the bed was a
delight
> to sleep in. Next morning I went the hospital where Dr Pichet performs
most
> of his surgical procedures, and where I knew an Australian girl was
> recovering from SRS. Shortly after arriving there, Dr Pichet arrived and
> we were introduced to each other.
>
> A short time later I went to the hospital’s admission area to undertake
> some medical formalities, prior to my hair transplant the following day.
> Unless otherwise requested, Dr Pichet’s Western patients are accommodated
> in a private room at the hospital. The standard of service by the nursing
> staff at the hospital is pleasing, but during much of Dr Pichet’s
surgery,
> he is accompanied by his own personal nursing staff, who must be applauded
> for their talent and dedication.
>
> I arrived at the hospital on the Sunday morning about 9.00am. About 9.30
> the procedure started, with the first of many anaesthetic injections.
> Initially the concentration for the injections is in the donor area. Dr
> Pichet removed a portion of hair at the rear of the head, which is not
> vulnerable to the evils of testosterone. It took Dr Pichet about 90
minutes
> to remove the donor area and to complete the sutures. For the entire 90
> minutes I was lying on my stomach, which is not the most comfortable of
> positions. About 11.10am I was advised I could lie on my back. What a
> relief, I thought! Many hours of having a sore backside were, however,
> about to beseige me!
>
> Periodically I asked for a pause in the procedure, so I could stand or
take
> a toilet break. About 1.30pm we took a break for lunch. At 4.30pm I
> realised I could not endure the procedure much further, and I saw Dr
Pichet
> and told him I wanted to stop and he agreed. Dr Pichet undertakes the
> surgical process with the donor area, but after the sutures are in place,
it
> is his nursing staff that completes the process. Dr Pichet, however,
> continually appears to inspect the outcome. By 4.40pm I had received 2400
> grafts and despite the horrible appearance of my scalp, I was most
impressed
> with what I saw.
>
> I left the hospital with my head in a bandage, and headed back to my hotel
> room. That night I was expecting to endure a high element of pain, but I
was
> surprised that there was none.
>
> Dr Pichet’s staff provided sufficient painkillers and anti-biotics for mu
> entire recovery period. At the time of writing this article, it is a week
> after the procedure, and if I have lost any of the new grafts, the loss
has
> been minimal, and the result is wonderful. Every morning Dr Pichet sends a
> driver to take all of his patients residing at the hotel to his practice
for
> a checkup.
>
> After the checkup, sometimes his staff are available to accompany you on
> shopping excursions, or on tourist jaunts. The level of service provided
by
> Dr Pichet and his staff is superb. In my case, they even helped me
negotiate
> a cheaper cost for a new digital video camera.
>
> It is disappointing to hear some of patients of Dr Pichet complain about
the
> Thai food. Heavens above, what did they expect? Meat pies and tomato
sauce?
>
> As a devotee of hot and spicy Thai food I am in my element. I often wonder
> how many people come to the surgeons of Thailand expecting a miracle
> transformation in their lives.
>
> In the case of SRS candidates, they may realise that SRS was not really
the
> miracle they had expected, but as Dr Pichet says, ‘I am not a God’.
>
> No matter the procedure, miracles can never be guaranteed, but I am more
> than happy, and in the months to come I look forward to a new head of hair
> that I can truly call my own.

> Dear Doctor Pichet,
> All is well back here. One of the best decisions
> was to actually choose you as my surgeon. I am pleased with the results so
> far. All of your staff went the extra step to show genuine concern for me
> and I did end up having a good time, even though most could not tell. Please
> convey my heartfelt regards to Mrs Mao, who has treated me with so much care
> beyond what her duties demand. She is a very warm and friendly woman who has
> made my stay very fulfilling by easing my anxiety and worries. Fearing I
> would fall sick, she was overloading me with plenty of medical supplies. I
> never had the chance to thank her properly enough.
> I also want to apologise for the sudden scare that day with my asthma
> attack, which appararently got everyone anxious and worried. I feel bad over
> that. Thanks for helping me to stay calm on my way to the hospital. Overall,
> the stay was satisfying nonetheless.You are such a nice man. I may consider
> returning in the near future to call upon your services again. Until then,
> stay happy and healthy.
>> Your sincerely,
> Cyrus from Singapore

> I am writing to you to express my sincerest and lifelong thanks for the
> help, understanding, patience, professionalism and courtesy extended to me
> by you and your staff during my SRS surgery in Bangkok. The level of care
> extended to me surpassed anything that one could expect or recieve in
> western medicine. The surgical expertise shown during my operation and
post
> operative care is without question at least at the level of the best that
> could have been obtained in the west this has been verified upon
inspection
> by surgeons here in Ireland. I send my sincerest thanks to your staff
> especially Mrs Mao who all treated me as a friend and took such excellent
> care of me. I had spent a lifetime feeling depressed and unhappy and
wishing
> for my dream of becoming the woman that I always knew I should be to come
> true. As you know to do this I had extensive surgery involving SRS, breast
> augmentation (705cc implants which gave me a 42C cup size), Full facial
> surgery including face lift, liposuction to arms and neck and to my tummy
> area this surgery should have been the most painfull and frightening
> experience of my life but thanks to you and your staff even though it did
> involve pain "what operation doesnt" it was made the most plesant and
> memorable time in my life and I really do thank you for that. I hope you
> would use this letter as a testimonial because I would totally recommend
and
> encourage anyone who is contemplating SRS that they should use your most
> excellent and rare services that are so badly needed by so many
Transexuals.
>
> Sincerest Thanks,
> Sandra Molloy (John )