For those of you who traveled.....

[Txagq8]

I haven’t ruled out having this done by the urological surgeon at Baylor Scott and White in Texas.

But since I’ve been reading all these posts on here I’ve warmed to the idea of getting it done elsewhere.
I
I’ve got a shit pot load of Southwest Rapid Rewards credit and a Austin-BWI nonstop round trip is too easy, so I’m leaning towards Kramer if I do go out of network.

They accept my insurance.

So, can anyone fill In the blanks of what to expect if you go to Dr Kramer for a consult on a Monday and end up having surgery on Tuesday? When can you fly home? How are the nearby hotels? What’s the outpatient surgical center like? You know, everything you ever wanted to know about being a Kramer traveling implant patient but were afraid to ask.

I’ve spojen with some folks at his office, but first person info is always better.

[zandro]

Sent you a pm

[newbie443]

I went to him before he moved so this may be different now. I was sent information on Hotels with discounts near the hospital with information on public transportation from the airport. And the hospital had a free shuttle service after surgery back to the Hotel.

So this is how it went for me. I flew out a day early in case of bad weather delays as my surgery was the end of March when this is not uncommon. Back then he was on a Tuesday office visit, Wednesday surgery, Friday post op visit, Saturday cleared to fly home. And there was bad weather and snow on Wednesday.

I meet him for the first time on Tuesday actually early as they called to move up the appointment due to the snow forecast. He did a brief examination and I advised him that I would like either a Titan or LGX but would leave the choice to him. He almost cut me off saying LGX. Everything was in walking distance including some attractions I planed to visit but due to rain I just purchased a very cheap poncho and purchased supplies for my hotel stay. The Hotel did not have room service to order meals but did had a refrigerator and micro wave. On your shopping list should be bags of dry beans or peas and zip lock bags. They go into the freezer in the refrigerator. Baltimore has some very good sea restaurants but due to weather I skipped that but did have some seafood in the hotel restaurant the night before. Wednesday my surgery noon and I walked to the hospital a bit earlier than my scheduled check in time. I was alone so I was a bit different in that I had an over night stay. I was put in a room and iv started. Doc Kramer came in and the 2 anesthesiologist's. Then the surgical nurse came in. She waited a while for the anesthesiologist to return but left saying for me to tell the anesthesiologist if she had not returned by the time they arrived she would be waiting in surgery for us. When he returned I gave him the message and he waited a bit pulling a large syringe out of his pocket several times while waking around the room. Then he took the syringe and attached it to the iv port and emptied it and removed it. Then he started to wheel my bed out of the room and said I might feel the effects of the medicine. And as he push the bed through the door I felt the warm flush run over me and told him I did feel it. That was a bit after noon and the last thing I remember until I was in surgery and a mask was on my face and I was on my back looking up. The mask was not properly on my face and I saw the 2 anesthesiologist's looking down on me a one said to breath. I smiled and he fix the mask and I was out again. Next thing I remember is being wheeled through the doorway to recovery and Dr. Kramer was there. As we went into the recovery ward I saw the time on the clock was after 3pm. So 3 hours had past since I was wheeled out of my room. Dr. Kramer waited nervously while the nurse was doing her stuff and I really felt the effects of the anesthesia. I told her that it had hit me hard. I then noticed the anesthesiologist's in the room and they looked shocked. Then I had the strongest sensation to vomit I can ever remember. But I somehow did not. A short time later the nurse said I might feel that and I told her I already did and it passed. Dr. Kramer then gave me my AMS packet and I asked what size implant he had used. He said he could not remember but thought 21cm and 1 or 2 cm rte. He left and a short time later I was moved back to another room where I spent the night. The nurse saw a slight rise in my temp and gave me a plastic breathing thing and by morning my temp was down. Doctor Kramer's resident and very attractive women came in and removed my catheter. Doctor Kramer came in later and order pain meds for me. That night I had very little pain and only asked for Tylenol prior to getting ready to leave. I was permitted to get out of bed and pee in the bathroom. I got dressed and when my wheel chair arrived I was wheeled down to the hospital pharmacy for my pain medication. Then a shuttle took me to my hotel. I had very little pain and did not use any of my prescription pain meds. As per discharge instructions I removed the mummy wrap and wore the jock strap I was in when I woke after surgery. I used the frozen bags of dried beans as cold packs. I had very little selling and bruising. I had food and 4x4's along with a tube of Bactine ointment Dr. Kramer had given me for wound care. The only time I left my room is when Dr. Kramer's office called about missing paperwork. I dressed and walked down to the front desk to have it faxed to the office. On Friday Dr. Kramer called me and asked my Hotel room number. He arrived a short time later and did a short examination and made sure I could locate the deflate button on the pump. The cards in my AMS packet did not have stickers on them and again I questioned Dr. Kramer for my device information. He contacted the AMS rep that was at my surgery and obtained the paper work from surgery with the stickers and e-mailed them to me. Then he left and that was the last time I saw him. Saturday I was cleared to fly home but I had arranged to stay until Monday. Saturday I did take one of my prescription pain meds to see how it made me feel. I have trouble with most prescription pain meds making me sick. I did not feel much of any effects at all from the one. I did leave my room to eat a meal in the hotel restaurant. Monday morning I was feeling a bit more discomfort than I had in the days after surgery making me realize that staying the extra 2 days was not the best choice. I took one prescription pain pill in the morning with little or no effect. Due to being alone and weight lifting restrictions in my discharge instructions I used a cab to get back to the airport. When I booked my flight I had arranged for assistance at the airport but was unable to find how to get that so I just asked a another passenger who was checking in to lift my bag onto the scale for me. The flight out to my lay over was uncomfortable but bearable. At my lay over I took another prescription pain pill. The second and final leg of my flight was longer and was more uncomfortable than the first. By the time I made it to my house that evening the prescription pain meds finally kicked in and I felt like I could run a marathon but I was sweating like I was in a sauna. That was the last of them I took. Ended up throwing them out some months later.

That is what I remember. If you make the trip with another adult you may have an earlier surgery time (morning) and will be discharged that afternoon/evening with the catheter. And you will be instructed to remove the cath the next morning. The removal by Dr. Kramer's resident was no problem for me and I could have done it myself.

As I said he is at a new location now so thing may be different.

Take care and best of luck.

[Black57]

Dr. Kramer did my Surgery 9-24-19. I drove 500 miles, met with Dr. Kramer on the 23rd and had surgery on the 24th. Surgery center was fist class as well as Dr. Kramer. Stayed at The Hotel at The Arundel Preserve in Hanover about 10 minutes from the surgery center, hotel was excellent. Took the catheter out the next morning, Dr. Kramer came later that day to check on me and then came a 2nd time on Thursday to check on me again and show me the pump and deflate button. Had no real pain just discomfort only needed Aleve. Dr. Kramer gave me his cell phone number said to call or text any time if I had any questions. I was cleared to leave on Friday and made the 500 mile drive home no problem. Once home around 3 weeks post opp I had a few questions about cycling the implant sent a text to Dr. Kramer on two different occasions and got an answer in a few minutes the first time, that was on a week end the other time was during the week and got an answer the next day. Eight weeks post opp every thing is great was implanted with an AMS 700 CX erection is great, flaccid hardly notice it, pump is low and placed behind my right testicle hardly noticeable. I cant say enough about my experience with Dr. Kramer and the level of care he provides, very personable down to earth guy.

[Black57]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdkQpl ... JGQ/videos

If you have any questions about his skills watch some of his videos, they really helped me make my choice

[krh9999]

I have scheduled surgery with Dr. Kramer Dec. 17th, so will be flying in from Los Angeles on the 15th so we can have a consultation on the 16th.

I am staying at a friends place in Chevy Chase which is about 30 minutes away from BWI. Hopefully that won't be too far to travel on day I get out of surgery.

I've met a few guys with implants. One of the guys from here had his done by Dr. Kramer. I think the result was extremely good.

I'm a little nervous, so we will see...