The light at the end of the tunnel

Editor's Note: This entry is backdated from my old website I had back in 2002.

Since it's been almost a year since I last wrote here, I thought I would bring y'all up to date on things in my life. As I sit here, nursing my nose, I'm now thinking about my next goal. I've started planning for SRS. I chosen to go with Dr. Suporn Watanyusakul in Chonburi, Thailand. Many people have had several comments about my choice. Some have criticized, others have expressed fascination, while others were simply indifferent. Dr. Suporn is not that well knowm, I guess, but I'll tell you how and why I made my decision.

I had narrowed it down, originally, to either Dr. Toby Meltzer in Oregon or Dr. Eugene Schrang in Wisconsin. Both are highly respected doctors but for me Dr. Meltzer was on top because of his reputation, his consistency with results, and his commitment to keeping up with new technology and procedures. The cost: a paltry $16,000.00 for the surgery alone.

I was talking with my primary care physician here in Orlando, Dr. Robert Faber, about my choice and has asked me if I had considered Thailand. I told them that I was aware of Dr. Preecha there and his work. But while I was saying that, he started shaking his head and said, "Dr. Suporn." He then began telling me about a patient of his that had seen Dr. Suporn.

She related the tale about how professional their staff was and also about how well they took care of her afterwards. She then showed him the results. According to Dr. Faber, they were absolutely amazing. So this gave me the bug to look into him a little closer.

Dr. Suporn Watanyusakul

Born November 20, 1960

Medical Training (MD) 1979 - 1985 Chiangmai University

General Surgery Training 1985 - 1990 Chonburi Hospital (Certified in 1990)

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Traning 1990 - 1992 Chulalongkorn University Bangkok Thailand (Certified in 1992)

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Practice at Chonburi Hospital, Aikchol Hospital and his own Private Clinic 1992 to present.

Member of the Royal College Surgeons of Thailand

Member of the Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons of Thailand

Member of the Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons of Thailand

Member of the International Confederation for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery

Has performed over 350 primary cases of SRS for patients from multiple countries including the U.S.A.

Aikchol Hospital

First private hospital in the Chonburi Province

6 fully-equipped operation rooms with advanced medical and scientific equipment

Clinics in all branches of medicine and facilities in all major areas of surgery

Specialists in cosmetic, plastic and sex-reassignment surgery

Fleet of stand-by ambulances to pick-up patients from anywhere in Thailand

ISO 9002 certification

You can read more about his procedure and the hospital at his web site. After taking all of this in, I began to realize that my prejudice about American doctors vs. Non-American doctors was totally unfounded. He's thorough, his staff is friendly, helpful and available 24/7, there are just too many things to list here, really.

And the cost? $6,200.00 for the surgery, $1,400.00 for the flight, and $400.00 for the hotel (3 weeks). Grand total: $8,000.00. Half of what Dr. Meltzer charges. For me, it's a no-brainer. I can afford Dr. Meltzer if I want to. But after seeing Dr. Suporn's work and reputation... and the testimonials of those he has worked on... I've made my choice. So, sometime next year, the next science project begins!

Love,
Jenna