My head hurt midday. I feel pretty good though.
Nothing really new to report.
Stitches out tommorow.

Head felt great sleeping.  No discomfort.  Feel like I'm ready to get sutures out and get back to life.
Still kind of self conscious about image.  Not even close to 100 percent when it comes to blood pressure elevation.  Need to calm down a lot and just relax so as to stop head pain. Told it lasts 1-2 months.
All in all, good.

I bought my first rogaine set today.  I wasn't sure when it would permittable to use it since it's only been a week and a half since the surgery.  Based on my readings, when the scabs fall off or two weeks, whenever is more comfortable for us.
From:
http://www.baldtruthtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2956

Same posting mentioned hair shcok and dormant phases of follicular growth.
Hope this doesn't happen to me.
I ordered the propecia.
Between the two, in about a year, I should amazing thick hair.
Less pain today, although still tingly.

Feeling good today.
Scabs largely gone.
Head mostly didn't hurt unless I was in a stressful situation or high blood pressure situation.
Not complaining.
Going to venture out into public today with the wife for the first time without regard to hairline.
See how it goes. Still have sutures.  Scheduled for Wednesday to have them removed.
Here's a shot of head for future progresses sake.

Here's a few shots of todays head status.

Scabs are falling off and short stubbly hair is transplanted hair. (that will fall off soon and regrow in time)

Hydrogen Peroxide as a head cleaner

I was contemplating using hydrogen peroxide to clean my head.
After quick searching, it's a huge no no.

http://www.drshapiroshairinstitute.com/faq/hydrogen-peroxide-hair-grafts.php
This site blatantly says no.

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/resources/publications/follicular-transplantation/
This site gives more medical insight as to why, suggesting that it's toxicity is dangerous to the follicles.
It's application can be used on a gauze and gently dabbed to cleanse residual blood on scalp, but to avoid if possible.

Scrap that idea.

The sutures and the donor area feel less painful, fortunately for me.  I just received an email update from the company.  Pretty generic info came in it.
One thing they said was that the pain and sensation would or could last several months, to decrease physical activity and take oral pain medications.  I was thinking it would be quicker than that, but we'll see.
It's got to be blood pressure related, because stress seems to build up.

I'm rubbing at my scabs on my head like crazy and they're falling off.
My wife is yelling at me telling me not to do that.
I'm 7 days in and I think it's fine.
There's no bleeding and the scabs will have to come off sooner or later anyway.

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/143866-help-did-i-mess-up-my-hair-transplant-picking-scabs.html
Good forum postings about picking at the post op scabs.

Slept normal last night with no inflatable pillow.
My head still hurts from the stitches and still feels like pressure.
Similar to that of a bandage around my head.

Feeling good though.  My headwash this morning went well.  Felt good to more intensely scrub the wounds.
I'm realizing that my recovery time is going to take longer than 7 days.  The special medical shampoo says 3-4 weeks.  The forums suggest 1.5 to 2 months.  I just want my head to stop hurting and then I'll go from there.
It's not debilitating but it is exhausting.  I went to the grocery store at 7pm yesterday and want to fall asleep from fatigue.  I'm not used to be so lethargic and incapable.  We have 3 kids, i'm used to running around with energy.  It's frustrating to me to not be able to help my wife as much as I used to be able to.
I might still be a little blue from all this; can't tell if it's the drugs in my system winding down, the whole experience, or just genuine post trauma stress.
It'll be fine, I know this, but I want to get back to my life again.  Facebook, movies, good cooking, and my kids have really been my driving force so far in not feeling insane.
My wife keeps beckoning me to stop doing so much, but it's hard not to.

Started to notice some grafts falling out.  No blood.  Just looks like a hair with a piece of skin on it.
It's normal supposedly.
http://www.regrowhair.com/hair-transplant-surgery/post-operative-concerns/shedding-grafts/

Here's a picture of my head.

Just called my the office and asked.
I'm excited, I officially don't need to use the inflatable pillow anymore!  So excited.
Not much of a post, but very good news for my ability to sleep.

Rough nights sleep.
I haven't had coffee in days.  Haven't wanted it or needed it.  Today I had some and remembered why I like it so much.  Feels good.
Yesterday was my first full day of no vicodin.  Felt good, although at various points my head throbbed a little bit.  The spots on my head have red scabs on them, normal. My headwash this morning feels great.
My inflatable pillow gave me a very hard nights sleep.  Woke up a little tired today.
I've been distracting myself to keep positive but apparently, there's a little something called the post op blues.
I've linked an article I found on a great forum for hair restoration.

http://www.baldtruthtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2860

It's not written by a doctor, just a consultant, but it's on point with pre op and post op sentiment.

Anyway here's a picture of the front of my head at this point.

So, my hair wash yesterday was better than I hoped for.  It didn't hurt as much.
My whole head still itches and really bending down and trying to exert myself does hurt my head still.
I am using the spray still and that feels good, I'm almost done with antibiotics and prednisone.
I slept a little better last night but still sucked due to back and neck discomfort.
My head feels like I have a bandage on it still.  It feels constricted.
I keep feeling it to see if I have my bandana on me.
I ventured out to the grocery store today and a few people looked at me weird.
I feel weak right now.  I'm in good spirits today though. Starting to feel a little better about the whole thing.

Couldn't sleep again last night.
So uncomfortable.
At this point my head is so itchy and I can't stand it.  Just want to scratch at it a lot.
The stitches still hurt and are also so itchy.
I need to scrub my head but can't.
The spray and the gel make my head feel better but make my head pasty and itchy.
At this point, I want a hot shower and to engulf my head in warm water, but will have to settle for a gentle rinse in the sink.

Done with the head wraps for now though.  That's a good thing.
Napped already today and enjoyed it, found a more comfortable way to sleep.
Surrounded by pillows did well for me.
Will keep posted.

2 Days after Surgery

Today I took more pills, kept pain killer in me, and slept a lot.
I tried to lapse the painkiller and it just felt randomly painful.  Not yet.  Doctor said 3-4 days it would stop.
Washed hair with help today.
Sprayed lots of spray on my head and applied wraps throughout day.
Sleep is difficult.  Not pleasant.  My neck and back hurts from the pillow that I have to use.
Indigestion is often from the medicine.
Wife got a good look at the scar on my head and was horrified, she nearly cried.
Blood dried on head looks gross, but must come off in own time.
Friends are kind that know.  Kids are less scared, wife is more in disbelief that this has occurred.
Realizing that my abilities with the kids and the house are limited.
As much as I want to do things when I try my head throbs.
Need to stop lifting and stop moving fast.
Sleep is my best friend.
I sleep so much in the day that it's hard to sleep at night.
When i get cold shivers, my head hurts.
Want this process to be over so I can exert myself physically.

Day after Surgery

They give you a bottle of special spray to mist on your head that supposed to be applied every half hour.
At first I didn't think that would be possible.  Then I realize that you'll want to apply it sooner and more often.
It's soothing and stops the incessant itching and burning.
I'm also taking a steroid, Vicodin, and an antibiotic, all prescribed and dispensed at the site and given immediately at the end of the surgery.
You'll need to take the Vicodin.  The back of the head now contains stitches and hurts.
However you must eat before you take these pills.
The indigestion it gives me is terrible.
There's also these moistened towels that they give you to apply to your head to lock in moisture.
They are a pain in the butt to put on and you're supposed to seal them on by using plastic wrap tied around your head.
3 times a day they are to be applied.
I went back and they washed my hair with me to show me how to do it.  They make it look so easy.
Basically, softly rinse with warm water the entire scalp.  Then gently blot gauze with shampoo and dab the entire scalp with it.  Then finger massage gently the non surgical areas and then rinse all gently.
Then dab dry with gauze again and apply antibiotic-non scarring cream they give to the stitches.
This process was difficult to do by yourself.  You'll need help and I reccommend to be on the vicodin when you do it.

The pain is still present and sleep was hard last night.
I have to sleep on a special inflatable pillow that prevents my sensitive areas from touching the bed or anything else.
I also have to sleep at a 45 degree angle to make sure that they anesthesia drains anywhere but to my face.

Eating normal.  Peeing a lot.
Can't get stressed out, it hurts the head.
Can't let blood pressure get high.
No heavy lifting, no exercise, no sex, no masturbation, no nothing.
Wife is very accommodating and kids are freaked out still.
A little depressed over how tiresome and tedious the post op care is.

Day of Surgery

Day of surgery.
I arrive at 7:30am.
Staff is friendly and as we already had the financials buttoned up, we walked into a waiting room where they gave me a lunch selection for later.

Then they had me take off my button up shirt and put on a gown.
They gave me 20 mg of Valium because I was intensely nervous.
They told me the process would consist of removing follicles from the back of my head, the donor region, and placing them in the target balding areas.
I didn't really deeply examine the depth of what that meant.
I laid face down on the chair and they buzzed a small spot.
They gave me 2 dozen injections of a local anesthetic so it wouldn't hurt.
Then the doctor sliced into the back of my shaved head and removed a section of skin containing my hair grafts.  It felt awkward, not painful at all.  It sounded like cutting carpet with a razor blade.
I didn't enjoy the anxiety I still felt at this time.

Then the doctor began to slice into my forehead, almost annoyingly, around 1200 times.
Then in the back of my head around 1400 times.
As he sliced, it started to hurt, he stopped, then the needles for anesthesia began.
He continued.
As he did this, 3 techs began dissecting my grafts to place the follicles  into my head.
I like to think of them as separating seeds to bury in the garden of my forehead.
They had to painstakingly insert with forceps, each follicle into my head.
From roughly 9am until 6pm, barely stopping for lunch and a bathroom break, they persisted putting exactly 2616 follicles into my head.
It's a tender process that is irritating.  It doesn't hurt so much as sting.
Keep in mind, I'm on Valium, ibuprofen, and have lots of anesthesia at this time.
The staff were very friendly and warm.  The doctor was delightful but did not have the bulk of the tasks to perform. His job was quick and he left the task to the techs who deliberated over my head all day.
I was accommodated often with juice and crackers, cable and DVDs that were accessible the whole time.
They couldn't have been nicer.
I dozed in and out of consciousness throughout the time.
When it was over, they dressed me and instructed me how to take care of it and what medicines that I'd need to take.
I was delirious, but they offered me, a standard offering, a complimentary hair wash the next day and told me that Everything was clearly marked in their black bag that they went over.
To my chagrin, I didn't have to drive home alone.  Wife and children had surprised me and taken me home.
I'd recommend that to anyone else who may do this.

Pre Surgery Thoughts

Going in for surgery was nerve wrecking.
Prep was to not drink alcohol.
No exercise so as to not stimulate my blood pressure.
No coffee day of.
Wear a button up shirt.
I could barely sleep.
Thoughts in the days leading up were what will my coworkers think, what will my family think.
Is this the most narcissistic thing I've ever done and is this worth it financially?
My panic had several bouts in my mind, but overall I calmed myself.
I tried researching it further but the web fills your head with skepticism.
I relented and just put it out of my mind.

Today I met with the sales rep/ senior consultant who gave me my informative introduction to hair transplants or hair restorations.  He told me about the before and after, how long it would take, the steps necessary to make sure it would succeed.  It took forever to hear about it and ask the simple questions.
Then ultimately the cost came up.
I was classified as a norwood 3.  Which is the receding hairline in the front and the crown.
It was suggested that I get somewhere between 1600 and 2600 hair grafts.
The pricing starts at around $8 per graft down to $5 per graft if you buy so many...  example 1000 grafts is $8 per graft, 1500 is $6.50  per graft, and 2200 or more at $5.00 per graft.  The more you buy, the more you save, less you spend.  They offered 0 percent small term plans and had it all charted out.

Out of respect for the company and the doctors, I won't discuss pricing and my example too specifically.  I will say that anything that has a cost can be negotiated, maybe not successfully, but at least you can ask.

The salesman was pushy, but educated.  I wouldn't hang out with him casually, but I would hire him to sell for me. He wasn't just a salesman, he was also a former client, so they showed me his photos.  They also took my pictures.

I made payment and booked it for the 12th at 7:30am - one week away.  Let the anxiety begin.
It's a little impulsive on my part, but it's unconsciously something I want and need.  This is the time to do it.
Imagine waiting til i'm 50 and going 20 additional years this way when I could have made the change.
Plus, if it takes 6 months to really cultivate and flourish inside my scalp, then I want it now so that my 30th birth year doesn't rock my psyche.

Anyway, the process, whether the details are known or not, is obvious in the name.  It's a hair transplant.  All anyone really wants to know is two things; will it work and the cost.

After he basically showed me photos of success, the money fell into place and what more was there to do but to succumb to my want and do it.

I will admit it's lavishly much more than I thought it was going to cost.
I apprehensively went in thinking it was going to cost $3,000.
That miserly sum wouldn't buy what I need.

My surgeons name is Dr. Eugene Rodillo and he's a great guy.
Here's his bio from their site:
http://www.bosleymedicalorlando.com/physicians_Dr-Eugene-Rodillo.php