Brazilian Butt Lift: Stories

I am 20 yrs old and 5 ft even. I just had a beautiful baby boy 6 months ago. After delivery and initial baby weight fell off, I weighed about 145 and was very unhappy with my weight gain and body image. After strict dieting and exercise, I am now proud to say, I am back to my pre-baby weight of 125! Yay! Unfortunately, I lost my curvaceous bottom. I had such a cute figure before and now I really miss filling out my jeans and dresses. I have quit working out and dieting to preserve the last bit of my belly fat for the procedure. I am so excited. All of you guys on RealSelf.Com ebcouraged me to make the final decision to go ahead after months of consideration. You are all also the reason why I chose the Doctor that I did. Thank you so much, I consider this online community a Family.

DOES ANYONE WANT TO SWITCH DATES FOR DR. SALAMA? I HAVE AUGUST 23RD & I WOULD LIKE IT MUCH, MUCH SOONER!! PLZ HELP!!!

Anybody going to Dr. Salama Late Aug/Early Sept? I would be interested in researching group rates.

Unfortunately, I am reconsidering Dr. Salama due to first available appointment late August. I really cannot wait this long due to my new business opening June/July and I do not want to leave it someone else's hands. Anyone know any great Doctors that having similar results and pricing as Dr. S?

OMG!!!!!! Dr. Salama's office staff are freaking AMAZING!!!! When I originally called about a week ago, they were booking out to late August. After I stressed the fact that Aug/Sept would not work, Nancy did everything she could to make this happen sooner. She told me that she felt so bad because she had called me about an April 20th cancellation, and before I could decide, another coordinator had already booked the date. She said she went home every night thinking about me. I even spoke to Nomi yesterday when I called Dr. S' office because Nancy had already went home for the night, and she even said call back first thing in the morning and she would work on it for me. Every single day Nancy called and emailed me giving me an update, even if it wasn't good news. She is so presitant and leaves me with such a good feeling about the whole procedure. Again, she is nothing short of amazing and I am so grateful and blessed to have had her in my corner. Most office staff would have given up after first glance at the booked schedule. The fact that she didnt, definitely shows that she truely cares.

So....I switched dates...Again. My original date was August, then June 7th, and now May 16!!, Which is only 11 days away. I am not nervous...yet. I probably wont be until they're wheeling me in for surgery. I still have not booked my flight or place to stay. I decided to rent a 1 bedroom condo or apartment with a full kitchen and living room. My friend, who is 7 months pregnant is coming with me and I want us both to be comfortable. We can stock the fridge and relax in a nice clean enviornment. If you are looking for a legit, nice rental,
check out these sites: (usually $500-$700/week) I am going to try to negotiate the price down to $350-$400 all inclusive (including cleaning fee). It's definitely worth the try :)
tripadvisor.com
vrbo.com
craigslist.org (be careful of scams-if it sounds to good to be true, it is. if it looks dirty on the pics, it is dirty in person)
try googling miami, fl vacation rentals

definitely check out reviews of previous guest, the last thing you want to do is have to deal with bs or be uncomfortable after going through dramatic, life-changing surgery.

I have a bbl sister that is booked for June 4th, but wants a LATER date (either July/August)
I know 90% of us on here want sooner dates, so I hope this reaches you :) Let me know

On another note, I am concerned that I wont have enough fat to achieve the 1100-1300 ccs that I want. I really hope I do.

The last thing I'm worried about is my surgery. I'm so sad because I just dropped my son off to my Mother. I know he'll be taken care of just as good as when he's with me, but the thought of him looking for me & being sad, breaks my heart. For the last 7 months, I haven't went more than 8 hours without seeing him. I am so unprepared for my sx. I haven't bought my boppy pillow, I have no idea what I'm wearing the day of, huh. All I can do us think about my son :'( I'm really second guessing this because of him. But u know what, my decision is made, I have to put my game face on (smile) & get this over with. I am so grateful for my son's Father he is so supportive & encouraging. He never wanted me to get this done, he said I am perfect :) but at the same time, he never made me feel like I was making a stupid decision or being selfish. My parents & more than amazing also. I will try to keep u ladies posted. Please keep me in your prayers

My bbl sister that has a June 4th date and wants a later date and still needs to switch for July or Aug. please let me know ASAP so u guys can help eachother out. Thank u

Ok, I had my surgery at about 2:25 today, I arrived at 1:30. The surgical center is no where near glamorous. It's in an office building & they were doing renovations. Anyway. I went to sleep & woke up 5 min later (lol well that's what it felt like) I actually got done at about 6:30. I woke up shaking really bad like I was in shock. It stopped for the most part after a couple of min. I didnt like the fact that I woke up laying on my butt, it was painful. I rolled to my side & that was painful. Then they moved me to a chair, where again I sat on my butt in pain. Then I sat again as she wheeled me down to Larry. I sat about 30-45 min total as I waited that long for Larry (the driver) to pick me up. That cant be good for the fat survival, and like I said, it was painful. I was in pain the entire time after I woke up. Getting in & out of the car wasn't bad at all. As soon as I got home, my friend had my soup ready for me. By the way, I went to the surgical center alone because my caretaker who is my friend is 7 months pregnant and the waiting area is a pure joke, not even a tv. So I ate about half a can of soup even though I had no appetite. I took one perk (pain pill that the prescribe) & I've been walking ever since & 90% of the pain went away. I've drank 2 bottles of water since I've been back at my condo, & I still haven't pee'd and it's 3am. I also haven't been to sleep. I'm tired but I don't want to stiffen. Even a half hour of me sitting makes me very stiff. If I sleep, I'll wake myself up to walk & snack even if I'm not hungry (Reuben said eating a lot, walking & drinking lots of liquid is the key to quicker easier recovery-particularly Gatorade but I forgot to buy it-) I am sitting, im a bad girl lol. But I'm not applying any pressure. I just ate a chicken salad that I cooked, oh, and I made tacos earlier too, yes I've been in the kitchen cooking :) dont get me wrong ladies, I do have pain & discomfort & itching (even my vagina and butt hole-sorry) but it's not too bad at all. I am blessed to be feeling this well, considering please make sure u all continue to pray for. God is the #1 reason I am feeling so well so soon.

Ok. Pictures. I posted some today's he day of my surgery, which a lot of ladies on here don't do for whatever reason. I did it because I know how much u guys value pictures. But do not constantly ask me for pics. I don't have my laptop, so I had to do it on my friends table, which is extremely difficult & frustrating to use. The last thing I want to be is frustrated right now. It took iced an hour. And the ac in this condo isnt working correctly, so I've been sweating and irritated. It's been 80 degrees 75% of the time. I will post pics when I am able to do so, when it's convenient for me & I would love if u guys can respect that. Thank u. I'm am going to try to crawl in bed & get an hour of sleep after i empty my drains, walk a bit & try to force myself to pee& drink some water. Thank u for ur prayers. Please, please, please continue to pray for me.

CORRECTION: my bbl sister has a July 27th date & needs June. I'm sorry I had her confused with another sister who I helped find a switch date

Day 2. So, at about 3:30am this morning, I pee'd using a styrofoam cup with a hole cut in the bottom. Thank u to the person who recommended it, sorry that I don't remember which one of u lovely real self ladies it was that recommended it. Please take ur time when u pee, and take ur drains off and move the cords away from your pee hole. I've peed 3 times now and the second time I did not take my time to move the cords completely out of the way and I peed on myself. Make sure u Stand there and pee all that u can so u minimize that times u have to go. Ok, so after I peed & emptied my drains, I walked for about a half hour, took my pain meds, drank a bottle of water & climbed into bed and texted for about 20 min and closed my eyes and fell asleep. Getting into bed is very painful, period. I use my suitcase as a stepping stool & I do it without help. And it's painful finding a comfortable position, but once you're comfortable, you're fine. I stay in the same position the whole time. Getting in/out of bed & comfortable usually takes 2-3 min & you're in pain the whole time. I sleep with a pillow underneath my belly to minimize pain. I spent about 2.5 hours in bed and was sleep about 2 of the hours. I set my alarm for about 5:10 to get up and walk, but I ended up staying in bed and slept until about 6:30. I woke up extremely stiff and in pain. I walked right away for at least a half an hour, probably over an hour and ate a small cup of cereal and drank water during my walk. I took my perks (pain meds) at about 8, which was a half hour late. Then I came into bed, getting in was definitely just as painful and went straight to sleep for about an hour-1.5. It's really easy to lose track of time. I was woke up by my intense urge to pee. I didnt pee on my garment that time :) My drains haven't drained since about 4am. I called the office and they said it was ok. I am scheduled to go in at 1:30, & I will take more pics then. I can't stress enough ladies, eat, walk and drink even though u won't have an appetite. Walking should be your main focus. Of course your going to be in a bit of pain and discomfort, u just had surgery. Do not sleep for more than 2 hours. Take small cat naps or your body will stiffen, which is very painful. Don't change your daily routine unless the change includes walking more, eating more or drinking more. On a scale of 1-10 (10 most painful) my pain & discomfort is a 2. My tiredness is about a 3, which isn't too bad. Put this is God's hand and don't victimize yourself or feel sorry for yourself. Fight the pain back and win. Focus solely on getting better. I hope all of this helps. Please take my advice, I want everyone to have as good, if not a better recovery than me. Feel free to ask my any questions, except for more pics until I get home to my laptop. Like I said, I will post more pics today.

By the way, I am staying in a beautifully renovated condo across the street from Hollywood Beach. 5 min from the surgical center & 15 min from the office. The guy had it advertised on tripadvisor.com for 700-1,000/week. With a $350 or $500 security deposit (I don't remember exact amount) & $100 cleaning fee. I offered him $500 all inclusive and told him that was my budget. He initially said no, the best he could do is $700 all inclusive, keep in mind I'm staying 8 nights. In my initial email offer, I stressed that we are super clean, very quiet, there would be no smoking or drinking & no kids & pets. I told him I was coming for a cosmetic procedure so basically just to relax. After he declined my offer, and told me he could do it for $700, I told him that was out of my budget and for him to let me know if he doesn't find a tenant to fill the vacancy and that I hoped he would take a reduced rate for great tenants & to fill him vacancy then to leave his condo empty & no make any money for that week. And I wished him good luck. Make sure you're very nice & treat people how u would want to be treated & talked to. A week and a half later he told me he could accept my offer if I hadn't found a place! I was so happy & blessed!! During the week and a half I searched for a place four hours & hours every single day. I emailed about 30 different condos & apartments. I did very extensive research. I put the address in mapquest, check the "vibe score" on mapquest, which tells u it's popularity, walk ability, what kind of people are in the area, ect. On google maps you can even look at the exact address and "walk" through the neighborhood, giving u real life 360 tour. Make sure u use a reputable site such as tripadvisor.com ; homeaway.com & airbnb(they charge a fee on this one). Most importantly, make sure u read the reviews of past customers and look at the star rating which is determined by previous customers. I wouldn't recommend anything without a review. I am very picky & I seen some horro stories (roaches, dirty sheets, bed bugs, ect) the last thing I want any of u to be is uncomfortable, especially during this time. RESEARCH, research, research. I made my final decision on a place 3 days before my arrival, I don't recommend that, but take your time. Waiting as late as I did, 75% of the places I inquired on were booked. This place is a one bedroom with 2 flat screens, basic cable, wifi, beautiful kitchen full stove, oven all cooking & dining necessities, nice bathroom. Nice size balcony, pool, community washing machines, in unit dryer, lake in the backyard, beach across the street & very clean. Bit of trouble with the ac (make sure u get a place with ac!!!) the owner came to check on it yesterday and I will call him again today, later and I hve faith he will come back & get it taken care of. The bedroom & living room vents are barely working, only the hallway one, but luckily the bedroom has a ceiling fan that I run on high nonstop. The living room has a let out couch. My friend, who is 8 months pregnant, sleeps in the living room has not pulled out the couch, not even once she just sleeps on top of it. I really wish I would have known she didn't need a bed, I would have went with a less expensive place. I seen a one bedroom for $350 but it didn't have a sofa bed & that was a necessity when I was searching because I wanted her to be comfortable. I should have asked her before I assumed. I am very pleased with the location, quality of neighborhood & unit & the cleanliness. No bugs!! Which is very important to me. Hope this helps ladies.

Ok another update. Please read all of updates if you'd like. I really try to keep u guys update on everything! I hope this helps. All I ask for in return is for prayer. Thank u do much, that means a lot to me.

Sleeping- I sleep on my side. My tummy is too sore to fall asleep on it.

Underneath my eyes are bruised and a bit swollen from sleeping with my face buried in the pillow.

I take the perks (pain meds) every 4 hours even if I'm not in pain, I'm scared to go with out & I pray that I don't get addicted. The 3rd or 4th day, if I feel better, I gradually stop them completely.

Nausea - never had any

Depression -havent had any. Thank God, but I also haven't seen myself naked yet.

My first follow-up is at 1:30.

Drains-hurt when I bend to pee. They weren't draining from 4am-10:30 because my bags were no longer pinched. Must have inflated while I was sleep. Wish whoever answered the phone when I called earlier to voice my concern about the lack of drainage would have reminded me to make sure they were still pinched. Once I figured it out myself, I had to stand at the sink (easier to empty in the sink since its higher than the toilet) I drained one bag once and the other 4 times standing there for less than 2 min. Lot of blood.

Don't forget to pray for me. Thank u do much

My state of Mind...

I am not happy with the extra skin on my stomach. It's hideous. It looks so much worse than before I got it done. It looks completely deformed...but I see results already even with the swelling! With all that being said, I am no where near depressed. Thank God & thanks to all the ladies on real self who updated after there surgery. I wasn't expecting to love my results the very next day. I mentally prepared myself by constantly reading updates these last few months. I know it will only get better. That's y I try so hard to make sure I keep u ladies updated as much as possible. Please don't set your initial expectations too high. Brace yourself for the worse & pray for the best. Please continue to pray for me.

Changing my Garment: taking it off was more uncomfortable then painful. Nomi is as gentle as possible but of course it still painful. The good thing about it is it's pretty quick taking it was about 2 min. And putting it on about 5 min. Just think in your head, it's almost over, it's almost over. That really helps.

A positive attitude is key ladies. Once it's done, it's done. Just let ur body heal...on another note, I dread taking off this garment to shower & then put it back on. I just got done cooking quesadillas, eating, taking meds, and now I will walk, call & check up on my baby & then take a nap, get up & shower.

Your prayers are working ladies!! Thank u do much, please continue. I'm getting better & better. Using a chair slightly shorter than ur bed to kneel on then slide into bed reduces the pain of getting in and out. I love it! Take it half a day at time. It's getting better & better. I am about to eat, take my meds, walk & shower. Praying that putting the garment back on isn't that bad.

Day 3.
I showered last night.
Taking the garment off. & on was no fun.
My stomach & back are really sensitive to any touch while I'm naked.
It's a really weird, uncomfortable sensation. I sat my drains on the shower floor, I had to ask my friend to wash my back because I couldn't reach it. It felt great to be clean. Hopefully I'm up to showering again tonight.

I am in the car with the driver on my way to my first massage. Please, please pray for me. Of course I'll update u guys on the massage. By the way, I took 2 perks (pain meds) before I left for the massage. Nomi said I could :)

I woke up really stiff this morning. Probably because I slept 4 hours straight. Hopefully this massage loosens me up.

I've also been really tired lately. Lack of sleep is catching up with me

1st Massage-
I expected the worse, but prayed for the best.
The parts that I did not get lipo'd, such as my legs, calves and ankles (which is where she started)
Actually felt good. Then she goes to the back & she warns you that it's going to be painful. On a scale of 1-10 the back for me was a 5, only a few parts though. The whole massage does not hurt. U have sore spots & the more she massaged, the less it hurts. The breathing technique she tells u to use (in through nose, out of mouth) works. Try really hard not to think about the massage as your getting it done. Think about somethin pleasant or anything that occupies your mind. When she's done with the back, you roll over Onto your butt with the boppy pillow for support. My stomach massage hurted worse than the back. As you can see from the pics, I have a fold on my stomach and she massaged it over & over to smooth it out. Tender spots on your body burn. The massage therapist is very nice. The massage wasn't as bad as I expected & right after you feel a lot better, a lot less stiff & sore. The stomach was about a 7 for pain for me. Te massage takes about 45 min. I was in pain probably half the time. When she was done, she put foam and a board on top of my tank top, but underneath my garment to sculpt and tighten my stomach. I go meet with the Dr. Tomorrow at 11. I'm still up moving :) I'm cooking steak & baked potatoes right now

Day 4 update (counting day 1 as day of sx)

I went to see the Dr for the 1st time today. I forgot to ask how many ccs. Sorry ladies.
My stomach looks sooo much better after the massage and a day of wearing the board and foam.
I'll continue to wear the board until I feel like I don't need it anymore. The garment is getting easier to put back on.
The Dr. Came in the room for about 4 min. Looked at my drains and helped me put my garment back on. My body is very tired from not getting much sleep, but for the most part, I feel great. I took pics, but I'm debating whether or not to post them because u can clearly see all my tattoos. I may have to photoshop them when I get home. If I don't post these , I'll take some more discreet ones after I shower tonight

First Bowel Movement...
Today is Saturday, I had surgery on Wednesday.
I took a stool softener this morning & felt the urge after dinner, about 7pm. I got completely naked & prepared everything for my shower. I squatted, relieved myself (which was very easy, no real pushing) and used my pee pee cup to pee. Now the fun part, wiping. I used baby wipes and bending over made everything very easily accessible. It took 4 or 5 baby wipes to cleanse myself completely & then I showered immediately after.

I almost passed out in the shower. As I'm washing my body, I start sweating & getting really hot. I tried to pause & let it pass, didn't work. I started shaking & getting dizzy & light headed. I called for my friend to bring me some cold water. While she ran to get it, I turned off the water, drank the ice water & felt much better. I turned the water back on, cooler than before & finished showering. That was a scary experience for both my friend & I. Just remember to stay level headed in panic situations. Thanks for the prayers ladies, please continue & I will continue to update

My surgery was on wed.
Went to the office on thurs to change garment
Office on fri for massage
Office on sat to see Dr. For checkup
Office on Mon for 2nd massage
See Dr. On Tues to remove drains early
Bcuz I fly out first thing Wed morning.

Swelling-
I am swollen from my neck down (except arms)
It really doesn't bother me though.

Drains--are getting annoying. Sometimes I get a short burning sensation at the site of the drain.

Today was a blah day. I had no dr office visits. My friend and I went to Walmart, went out to eat at a nice waterfront restaurant, which was uncomfortable for me bcuz I knelt in a booth the whole time. My butt drain is really annoying. It's tugging on my skin even when Im not moving. I can't until they remove them tues. I haven't taken any of the perk (pain meds) all day and I only took them once yesterday. I'm not in pain, just stiff and uncomfortable. I had another bowel movement today and a shower directly after. This time, I drank ice water and ate a popscicle before I got in the shower so I wouldn't feel faint, and I didn't. The garment isn't as bad taking it off and putting it on, but u definitely need assistance. My neck & head hurts from constantly sitting & laying in uncomfortable positions. When u take the antibiotic, make sure u drink 8 oz of water like the instructions say. I'm looking forward to the removal of these drains :) please continue to keep me in your prayers. I really appreciate it

Hi. I'm getting a lot of inboxes & request for my vacation rental info, so here it is :)
I found it under 'Vaction Rentals' on www.tripadvisor.com
You can use the search box for 'Vacation Rentals' and search: "Hollywood Beach, Reno'd" exactly like that
And it's the only one that pops up. The owners name is Lorne & his cell is (954) 736-7056. He responds to calls or texts.
Good luck ladies

Just had my second massage and I feel soooo much better. It loosens your body up so much. Cecilia is amazing!! My body looks great after she's done. On a scale of 1-10 it was a 2 for pain. It was do much less painful than the first one. Ladies, this process is "mind over matter". Go in expecting the worse, but praying for the best. Brace yourself for the pain. You're getting liposuction and fat grafting, so expect this to be a painful process. It has not been as difficult for me because of prayer & faith and expectations. I had to wait an hour at the office just to get the massage, & now I'm waiting for the driver to come pick me up. But I'm not complaining because I'm in no rush just to get back to the condo & do the same thing I'm doin here, nothing. My daily discomforts right now are lack of sleep. I probably get 2 hours of sleep every night. Discomfort during sleep on a scale of 1-10 is a 9. Sleep is terrible. Another annoyance Is this board. I get my drains taken out tomorrow afternoon. Cecilia assured me that the drain removal does not hurt. I'll keep you ladies posted.

Okay....still at the OR just got my drains taken out. Where do I begin? The nurse, Monica (who's very rough, but nice) takes the drains out. I think Nomi might normally take them out. Monica wasn't necessarily rough taking the drains out, but she was rough putting my garment back on. She rushed & didn't have any regard for how sensitive my skin was. Nomi & the massage therapist took there time redressing me & now I appreciate it even more. Again, Monica is still very nice. You will first meet her when you go in for the actual surgery. Back to removing the drains. First she clips them with scissors and then she tells you to take a deep breath and couch out. The back drain wasn't that bad. It didnt hurt, it was just really uncomfortable for about 2 sec. Remember, these drains are shoved 3-6 in up your body with about 2" plastic ends that are about an inch thick. Now the front drain. Same procedure, deep breath in & couch out. I only couched once, then I yelled the remaining 10 seconds, while she pulled the drain. That hurted. But it's only 10 seconds of pain & it's over fast. Maybe if you follow her directions better than me, & actually couch (as hard as you can) then it would hurt as bad, or at all. Then she covers them with gauze & tape and said shower & change them tomorrow. Hopes this gives you some insight. Hope I didn't scare you, it's over really fast & it's really not that bad ladies :)

1100 CCs per cheek!!
I fly out at 5:45am (hopefully) I'm trying to change to that flight instead of my 12:00 flight. The airline said call 3 hours ahead of time to see if there's any availability on the flight & if so, I can change for $50. In ready to see my son!! :)
Please continue to pray for me ladies. Good luck to you all!

I told the Doc & nurse about my lack of sleep, & they said it was normal. Nurse said it would pass & to try Tylenol PM.

You ladies are so welcome for the updates. It was my pleasure. I went into as much detail as possible so that you wouldn't feel so blind & unaware. But please understand, every experience is different and you won't what yours will be like until you actually go through it yourself.

Considering Coming Alone?

Honestly, from my experience, I wouldn't recommend coming alone. But before I elaborate, I want to say that I very strongly believe that anything anyone else can do or handle, I can. There are women who go alone, & they would be able to give you a better idea of what it's like alone. For me, I needed help dressing and undressing if it was pants, but most definitely with my garment, which I take off every night to shower. My first shower, I needed my friend to wash my back and my second shower I almost fainted, so I needed my friend to bring me water and make sure I was ok. Almost passing out scared me, so it was nice havin her here for my other showers so I knew if something happened, I would be ok. On the other hand, the chances of you actually passing out are very slim. It's just nice having someone to keep you company. I was blessed not to go through any stage of depression or severe pain, but I would think it would be better to have someone go through it with you. My friend can't cook, so I did all the cooking, but maybe the person you bring will be able to cook for you :) you don't want them waiting on u hand and foot because you want to exercise your body. My suggestion, exhaust all of your options of bringing someone with u. I payed for the entire trip & expenses for my friend and I (which was really expensive) but her company & support was well worth it :) If you can't find someone, I would come alone & hire the nurse for however long you feel you need them & have a very positive "can-do" attitude and take this experience head on. Good luck ladies!

Sorry ladies, I've been M.I.A adjusting to my new body & trying to get back into the swing of things. I am going to try to be as in depth as possible (like i always am) on my journey home and since. I am 2 weeks and 5 days post op.

"Flight Home"
So, I booked my ticket on Priceline.com because it would be cheaper and I bid for the lowest price, so you dont know the flight info until they accept your pffer & automatically charge your card. When you bid, and most flights on the sight period, have connections. I had 4 flights that day because I had to stop & pick up my son. Big Mistake! If you can, get a nonstop flight, it will be well worth it. 2 flights may have been manageable by myself, but the extra 2 with my 8 month old son, was too much. Flight 1: Ugh. I had a middle seat. It is so uncomfortable having to sit on the boppy pillow between 2 people. There is not enough room & I hate invading people's personal space. I didnt want to bother the guy on the end to let me out to walk during the flight, so I sucked it up. I think this was an hour or two flight. And it was a full flight so I couldnt switch seats. I think I knelt facing backwards after they turned off the seatbelt sign. Ok. Second flight, this time before they started boarding, I showed the lady at the counter my doctor's note and asked her for an aisle (spell check) seat...she was so nice, she gave me a whole row to my self! Yay! I slept the whole flight. I noticed that if you ask, and they are able to accomodate you, they are more than happy to do so, but a lot of times, they cant, but they'll try. Definitely, ask ahead of time before you board for any switches. The next 2 flights with my son were really tough. I should have arranged for his dad to pick him up from my Mother's house...but I'm always trying to be superwoman lol. I wont even get into details about those flights because it's mostly negativity.

"Packing Tips"
-Pack light. You should be able to fit everything in a carry-on bag. Why pay to check it in & why wait for it to come off the cart to pick it up?
-Dont bother packing underwear or bras. You wont wear these for a couple months, especially while you are in Florida.
-Dresses, Dresses, Dresses. Long Dresses. The easiest & most comfortable.
-Leave room for your garment to take home.
-Dont bother packing any pajamas. You will most likely sleep in just your garment unless you like to be really warm when you sleep. But some nights you will get out of bed up to 10 times to pee. You wont want to undress yourself everytime for this. If you wear pajamas, I recommend dresses.
-Pack comfortable slip on shoes. Just one pair should be just fine.

"Life Back at Home"
Sleeping in my own bed was so much more comfortable. I slept like a baby the first night. When I got home, my 8 month old son was very clingy to me, and his dad was at work, which was hard. The first week or so, he was afraid of me leaving him again (even though he never cried because of separation from me while he was at my Mother's house). So carrying him around was kind of hard, and still is, especially since I cant bend all the way over because I am still wearing the cardboard. Luckily, the first night, my son & I were so exhausted, we went straight to sleep.

"Eating Habits/Weight"
I eat whatever I want, whenever I want. Pre-surgery, I never had a problem maintaining my weight. Once I worked to get where I wanted to be on the scale by dieting and exercising, it was easy for me to stay there without any more dieting or exercising. I think my pre-op weight was about 123 and now (even though I havent weighed myself in about a week) is probably 116-118. My intentions were to gain weight before the surgery so I would have more fat to take, but I actually ended up losing a couple of pounds by accident because I was sick with strep throat.

"Driving"
Ugh! What a pain in the a**!! LITERALLY. I use just the boppy pillow alone, I didnt like when I tried extra pillows or a towel for back support. It makes my butt hurt, even though my commute to work is only 10 min. one way. I only drive if i absolutely have to. I feel like my butt is melting away when I drive lol.

"Work"
Everyone is giving me so many compliments on how much weight I lost and how skinny I look. I still wear my maternity work pants (casual attire) to work & you cant tell as much in my work clothes. I told my job that I fractured my tailbone falling, which explains why I cant sit, & why I drive with the boppy pillow. & why I occassionally call off lol. That story seems to work just fine. I even have co-workers who say they can relate to me because they had the same injury. You can see the cardboard through my shirts, I told them I wear it to help my posture due to the injury. I either stand or kneel during meetings and at my computer desk, which is very uncomfortable.

"Nite Life"
I am only 21 and this past weekend I went out to a few bars/clubs in pants, a cute top and like 6" heels. I couldnt sit, of course, and I had my friend drive, but I had a great time.My body looked amazing! The amount of attention I get now, is embarrasing sometimes. I got tons of attention before I got the surgery, but now its ridiculous. Its bittersweet. By the way, I dont wear the cardboard or foam when I go out the house, except to work. I definitely wore the garment. Nomi said that I could start going out without the garment for a couple hours the third week.

"Self Confidence"
The first week back home, I didnt feel as confident. I was still recovering. I had no desire to get dressed and put clothes over this stupid garment or comb my hair try to look cute. Now my second week at home, I decided to get out the house and showcase my new nody! And oh my goodness! It felt so good! I feel like the total package now. I combed my hair lol. I got dressed and went out. People that know me and dont know about the surgery, seen me this weekend and didnt notice that I had any work done. Good or Bad? lol. Its a good thing. Before I had surgery I would wear clothes to trick people into believing that I had a really nice butt lol. but now, i dont have to trick them anymore, my body looks so amazing in clothes. A guy at the bar told me I have an hour glass figure and he wasnt lying.

"Lose of Volume & Body after Surgery"
I probably lose about 30-40% of my volume in my butt :( but its still really big. I m very short, so right now it is the perfect size (so everyone says) because it looks very natural. I hope I dont lose any more, or I'll start feeling like I wasted my money. I'd like it to look bigger when I am completely naked. Now my stomach & Back, I have no complaints. My back has no fat & neither does my stomach! Dr. Salama truly took everything. I cant wait to go bikini shopping! I havent had a bikini body since I was in middle school! I dont think my waist could have ever naturally gotten this flat. My stomach still has irregularities but they're not that noticeable.I have a tattoo on my stomach that has shrunk and I may need to get it covered up. I had stretch marks on my sides before surgery and they are still there, but they shurk drastically and are really tiny now. I am going to buy some Mederma to put on them. Also, my butt has softened up alot. It giggles when I walk :)

"Garment"
I got 2 medium garments when I was in florida and I really need to change to a small asap.

"Massages"
I am a bad girl. I havent got any massages since I've been home. The first 3 or 4 days back home, I needed one so bad. I had so much built up fluid in my stomach and my back. It was very swollen and very uncomfortable. I was mireable about that. I had a really hard time finding someone who sounded like they knew what they were doing. By the time I did, I didnt feel the need for a massage anymore. I still have a little bit of swelling on my sides (flanks) and back, but it's minimal. I had read that there is no true need for massages, but I'm not recommending whether or not to get them. That is your own decision. It definitely saved me a few hundred dollars lol

"Back Pain!!"
During my second and third week post op, I have been having back pain. On a scale of 1-10 its varies between a 4-7. I have no idea what its from. I am going to call the Dr.'s office today and ask is it normal. It's more sore. Probably from the standing and sleeping & driving in uncomfortable positions. I take extra strength tylenol when it gets unbareable. I still have some of the percocet left, but i havent taken any of that since like the 3rd day after surgery. My upper back has some numb spots, which is weird.

"Showering"
When I first got home, I still was getting dizzy and light headed during my shower so I made sure my son's father was there everytime to watch the baby and keep an eye on me. He helped me change my gauze and lotion and dress me. He's a great guy :)
The dizziness lasted about 2 weeks post op only during shower time. I dont know the reason behind it. Remember to breathe steadily during your shower. I shower everyday right after my bowel movement. Ladies, DO NOT go #2 with the garment on. Ewww. disgusting.

"Pants Shopping"
Nightmare. No jeans fit me right anymore. They will fit my butt, and not my waist. Too loose even for a belt.
Leggings/Jeggings (leggins that look like jeans) are going to be your best friend after surgery. They fit like a glove. I wear a 1/2 or 3/4 in jeggings

Ok ladies, I cant think of anything else right now. Sorry this update is so long. Let me know if you have any questions. I am about to upload some pics. I am going to upload them anyway, even though I dont want pics of my tattoos up revealing my identity. But its not like Im a celebrity lol. whats the worse that could happen. Good luck future bblers and happy healing.