Mommy Makeover: Stories

Good Morning All,

So this morning is the day before Surgery and I am a bit nervous. On the computer I am looking at every last minute thing I can to reinforce my decision. My thoughts on this are all over the map. I'm excited and then I think why am I doing this at 51.. is this my mid life crisis? My wonderful husband says it's a late birthday gift for my 50th since I was then recovering from a hysterectomy. I'm hoping this recovery will be much better.

So many posts out here and so much support! And so many ladies that know a little more than me. I will say I have not listened to some details like how many cc's. I have been very trusting in the 2 pre op visits that the implants were well chosen with regards to the shape and size. I actually had so much fun in the office with the nurse and my husband helping me try out different sizes and shapes to decided what would fit me perfect. But I can't remember how many cc's was the final number. I'm petite and didn't want to look overly busty but yet I want boobs! I choose a high profile saline implant under the muscle. The high profile is meant to give me definition without having my breast overflowing into my armpits. Then there is that nasty pocket of fat under my bellybutton. So I had a little bit after children (3 pregnancies with last childbirth in 1986) but after my hysterectomy my abdomen looks the worst :(

I think I'm almost ready for tomorrow. No wine for the past couple of weeks :( I love my glass of red wine in the evening but I want to heal fast and have little bruising. Labs were all completed Friday. Back in July my Mammogram was all good and that is a good thing as my Mother died of breast CA in 1980. I had calcifications & a benig lump removed in 2006. I'm hoping that my big breast dimple from that surgery on my left side will not be so noticable with my new implants. So I'm a big baby and I'm having this done as a TUBA procedure. That's going through my belly button! I simply don't want more scares I've plenty of them already. Plus the recovery time for this is much less. We shall see :) I'll keep it all posted.

I'll post some pictures later today and then I'll get some post-op's up when things are looking a little better.

I'm more nervous about people seeing my new shape. I work 2 days a week, very part time and sometimes I will go 2 month before I cross paths with some of the girls. When I requested the time off I told no one what I am having done. I just want to get past all the swelling. I know when my sister had her implants (10 years ago) my niece told me that her first week she was enormous. She lives out of state so I seen her for the first time 3 months post op and it was not so extreme. I would be happy if I could hide for a month. So to anyone following my post wish me luck and a few prayer. To any of you looking at surgery soon good luck to you as well.

Hello ...

I thought I sent an update in the middle of the night when I simply was not able to sleep but it appears to not be here. I'm sure in my post anesthetic daze I didn't submit it right. My night was uncomfortable. Not painful just uncomfortable and sleepless. Tonight that should change as I now have a sleeping pill to take. My other big concern at the doctors today was how badly my arms hurt. This I didn't expect and don't recall much hearing about arm pain in the pre op teaching. Yesterday it was my arm pits and today it goes to my elbows. After my appointment I noticed I have bruising to my under arm area. Both outer sides of my breasts are bruised as well and Doctor gave me a homeopathic med to try called VitaMedica which is to help with bruising and swelling. I always bruise easy so it will be interesting to see if this helps. Still lots of drainage from my lipo sites but my abdomen is the flattest I've ever seen it. They told me to expect lots of swelling to start tomorrow in my tummy area. That's it for now... I get to take a fast shower this evening. At this point I want it to be three weeks from now ;)

Hello All,

Yesterday was my 2nd post-op visit. All went well. My bruising is now very minimal, my arm pain is completely gone but I do still have a little arm pit discomfort. My PS did my first breast implant massage, I was very scared walking in knowing that would be part of the plan but it was fine. My nurse at the office had me do ice packs before the massage as I was so anxious about it, she said that it helps a lot to ice first and well it was all good! I now have a few simply stretching and twisting exercise to do and of course I will continue to massage my abdomen. So far so good things are moving along nicely. I do have an area just around my belly button that looks a bit puggy, my PS said it's just a little fluid that will reabsorb. I asked my Husband what he thinks and he said so far our Doctor has been right on about everything he's told us so it will be ok. Hoping everyone reading is doing well, wether it be pre op jitters or post op euphoria!

Hello again it's me..

I need to update my post-op pictures soon.. My belly and breasts are looking so much better and I feel really good. I continue to have under arm discomfort but now have a few more simple stretching exercises to do. Today that area around my belly button that I was concerned with was address by Doctor, He took a look and feel and then aspirated 8 ml's of fluid off. He said I may need a little bit more off on Wednesday at my next check up. I've been good with tissue massage and wearing my compression garment but that stubborn little spot just hasn't reabsorbed like we hoped. It's gone now :) Today was the first morning I work up with no burning in my left breast too :) That was a nice feeling. I'm now only using extra strength Tylenol so things are improving fast! Next Friday I go back to work. Will I be ready? After the way I'm feeling today I think I will :) I'm still in awe of how great my body is looking and when I come on to the web site now I can't believe that I looked like the before pictures! WOW, I'm actually feel euphoria at times when I see my body and so to anyone reading, Yes, do it and yes, get better soon!

Post-op day 11 and I feel really good! Thought I would put up some new pictures and the stats that I didn't get posted when I joined the site that very nervous morning before surgery. Tomorrow I go back to my PS. Good thing is my abdomen swelling is really improving but my belly botton is still wearing a frown.. Have to turn that frown upside down!

Age 51
prep-op wt 115.8
height 5'2"
Implant, Saline,Allergan Natrelle, smooth high profile
right-450cc fill
left- 455cc fill
Before bra size full A small B depending on the bra and 34 or 36 depending on the bra.

Post.. have no idea what size I'll be there is still too much swelling but the goal is full C small D, again depends on the bra.
Wt this am 113.4 My goal wt has always been 112 to 115.

Hello Real Self World,

Back to the PS today. Good news, I will not be having any more aspirations in the lipo area. The belly tissue is a bit hard but I'll keep massaging the area that is what will do the trick. My waist is 1-1/2 inch less than it was going into surgery and I am still a little swollen so things are moving along very nice! My frown around my belly button is almost gone too :) I feel about 90% back to normal so it's all good. Hope everyone is doing well.

Hello All,
I can't believe it's been 1 full month since surgery. Honestly I thought I would feel better than this by now :( There have been a lot of up and down days. Overall, I've been up. Yesterday and today I've been a little down that I still have a lot of swelling in my breasts and my lipo area seems to look now the same as it did a week ago??? What's up with that? This week simply no improvement. Also my nipples have been so sensitive (at times burning) the past few days that I've actually gave in twice and took something stronger than an extra strength tylenol. I'm simply irritable and tired that I've reached a plateau to a state of the same or less.. I'm only feeling about 85% normal. Tuesday I'll see my PS, and can let him know that the Milk Thistle isn't doing much. So wonder what plan B will be? Hoping for a good weekend and that everyone here is getting better soon :)

Hello Real Self World,

Tomorrow I am 8 weeks post op :) One of the most amazing things to me is when I see my before pictures on my post. WOW... I have looked like that for years! So easy I forget as I'm already so used to seeing me now. I love the way my body looks :) Now I have to start saving for a lower face lift because my body looks so kick that I will need the face to go with it sometime in the next few years. I'm just starting to see those little changes at my jaw line. So am I happy, you bet-ya! I Love my flat abdomen and my "girls." I actually now see pictures in VC and think some of the "girls" look small and yet 2 months ago I would have died and gone to heaven to have hooter like that! I will get some new pictures out here soon. I still do have a little bit of dimpling of my tummy from the lipo suction. I've had multiple ultrasound treatments to my abdomen over the past month and all is really looking good. It's amazing that I don't have to try to "hold in my BELLY!" That when I look down I see this amazing flat tummy :) WOW! I'm completely back to all my pre op activities without any problems or any type of discomfort although I've yet to swing a golf club, but plan on doing that sometime in the next week :) I still wake up every morning and the first thing I do is to check if my girls are really there.. "yup there they are." The abdomen is just a big bonus that makes for the total package! Would I do this again... is a second!!! In fact I still have to wonder if I should have gone bigger. I think they are so perfect and wonder just how much will they shrink over the next year as I've heard repeatedly that the swelling takes a full year to go all the ways down. My husband is having a blast too he keeps buying me new things because as he says.. "everything looks good on you, it just deciding what I like the most and knowing you will ROCK IT!" He's always telling me when someone is "checking me out!" He's so sweet, he gets so excited, I can tell he's has something more going on that I can't explain. It makes him feel really good that I look the way I do.
I Hope your all are doing great! And to those thinking about doing it. Well, think about that Nike slogan and... " Just do it!" You will be so happy. I just can't believe it's only been 8 weeks. Yes, this is so worth it!

10 week post op visit this morning. My abdomen ultrasounds are dropping to every other week :) My PS told me that my breast pockets are well developed but my breasts are still "tight" He says no bra for 6 months. I have to admit I was getting excited about shopping for something really fun but it's not the end of the world to live in cami's for a few extra months. In the end I just want every thing to look really good. I'm putting up a few new pictures :)

Hello Real Self World,

Hoping the Christmas season finds everyone healthy, well and recovered or recovering just in time to enjoy the Holiday fun! So my left implant is still a little higher than my right. BTW that is the breast that had the deep muscle calcifications removed in 2006, so there maybe some old scare tissue preventing the progress I want to see. Good news is that I'm going every two weeks for muscle ultrasound which is all included in my office follow up visits at no additional charge :) I'm also continuing to take a smooth muscle relaxers and a week of prednisone. My office nurse Mary who does my ultrasounds say's even the most stubborn breast will drop within a year. So I'm sure it will be fine & the implant moves well in the pocket. Bottem line is that when I log into this site and see me before, I make sad face and think, wow I can't belived that was me all those years! I'm so happy with my post-op body and now going into fancy dress season for the parties ahead I'm having a blast looking and trying on fun fancy dresses :) It's awsome to have everything look so good on! On a side note I changed the total price of my surgery to reflect total costs including the little extra's like unpaid 20% and co pays for meds, labs, ect. It's all good and I'm very Happy that I've done this and have such a supportive Husband who was with me every step of the way. Good luck to all :)

Oh My.. it happened is all I can say. My left breast problem girl who felt a need to be higher than her right all along, simply decided to cause a new problem yesterday afternoon. While again massaging the implant still in hopes of having two perfectly placed implants, suddenly it felt like the implant took flight into my armpit! I called the office and they seen me in less than 45 minutes of this socking event and confirmed implant rupture. Good news I paid that extra 100.00 to Allergan for the super dupper coverage, so the entire cost is covered. Bad news, surgery on Thursday April 26th. I'm told this surgery will be very minor as the real work has already been done. The bonus is that Doctor will perfect the new pocket and I really will have perfect twin girls. Wish me luck!