Hi everyone, I'm so glad I found this site. I'm 2 weeks away from surgery & have been feeling a bit panicky lately & was so glad to read some of your posts to see that is completely normal. I've never had surgery before other than something minor so I don't know what to expect but I wasn't expecting to feel so emotional about the whole thing. I keep crying over nothing. lol. I have wanted a reduction for well over 20 years. I'm 45 & first went for a consult when I was 24. The waiting list at that time was 2 years long. but I waited. and waited. until I got a letter from the surgeons office telling me he was no longer doing surgery & I had to be referred to another surgeon. I was so angry until I found out that the poor man was on deaths door & passed away 2 weeks later. By the time I could get into to see another surgeon (very long wait lists here) I had gained a little weight & the surgeon (I won't name names here) was a total jerk!!! made me feel like a piece of meat and was very cold & told me to lose 40lb in 3 months & come back. I never went back. that was over 15 years ago. I had given up on it all to be honest. I figured this is who I am, 5'5 with size 40H boobs. But I still would have loved to have it done. My big problem now was paying for it. MSI (or provincial medial) will not pay unless your BMI is under 26 (or lower,I can't remember) and as a somewhat bigger girl all my life that was not happening. I was told the surgery would cost me close to 20 grand which I could never afford. so I gave up. Then this year, in january, a former co-worker called me to say she had a breast reduction at a private surgery clinic here in Halifax, The Landing surgerical center, by Dr. Bendor-Samuel. It cost her $7000, she went from a DD to a B and as a very atheltic girl feels amazing. so I thought whats the worst that could happen, I go for a consult & I"m out $100 if I decide against it. So I call, thinking i won't get an appointment for months, and the receptionist says I've had a cancellation for tomorrow!! Seriously!! I start to freak out a bit. but i go.Everyone is super nice & helpful, the place is beautiful and Dr. Bendor-Samuel is warm & open & informative. I understand why my friend spoke so highly of him. He didn't even kick me out when I started bawling for no reason. lol. I booked right then & there. May 22 was supposed to be my date but after the anesthesiologist looked at my file he wanted me to stay overnight & they had to move my date to May 30th instead. I was rather upset about having to stay overnight but like the doctors assistant told me, because i've never had surgery before & my reduction is going to be a large one its better for my health to stay & be monitored. Also I live alone & really don't have anyone to stay with me so I will have to take my 2 dogs & stay at my 64 yr old mothers for a couple of days. should be interesting for sure. lol. So I'll be going from a 40H (or maybe even a bit bigger) to a 40 c/d (he said big c small d type thing). it was funny, in his office when he started talkign about what size to go down to he said "we don't want to take so much off that you lose your feminitiy" which i read as we'll only go to a F or G. I start crying at that point & he says why are you crying? I say "If i'm gonna spend all this money I better be able to buy a freakin' bra at Walmart!!" He started laughing & says "I was thinking a big C or small D" and i say "oh that will be fine, sniff sniff" lol So ladies, any recommendations for post surgery bras? did you put anything on to reduce your scars, like creams, lotions etc? is 3 weeks off work enough? I work a desk job but its 12 hour shift work,days & nights. any advice would be greatly appreciated. thanks!!