A Cutie With No Booty! - Dominican Republic

So I decided with years ago to have A BBL, but they were a pretty new procedure at the time (and fairly expensive). After a failed relationship and a baby, I started thinking it over again. I began a weight loss and after losing 30+ lbs, I began to get back my self confidence. But I realized my body and booty were not ever going to shape the way I wanted on my own no matter how many squat challenges I did. So I started doing my research again and came across RS. I cannot tell you how grateful I am for this site. Anywho, I am now researching doctors and have decided to go to DR. They have the best results, the happiest clientele, and the most affordable prices. But trying to decide between Dras. Yily, Duran, or Baez. I like them all...Yily has the best booties but I think the look I am going to for is more subtle and natural as I have seen in Baez and Durans work. I have requested quotes from all 3 and I received a response within an hour from Yily (I was shocked based on some reviews of her response time). Looks like with Yily would like $4500 for lipo to arms, flanks, stomach, back, and pits with BBL and TT. Amazing price and her email gave me a ton of information about pre/post op care, accommodations, medications, etc. I am sure it was a form email that picked out my keywords (I wrote it in Spanish) and it kinda freaks me a little but at least its up front pricing. I am going to wait to hear back from the others before picking one out. I am open to feedback about all 3 doctors or surgery in DR. Can't wait to become a doll!!!!!

It's so hard for me to find wish pics of a booty! I would like to still maintain some of my own shape, I am looking for a more natural and subtle transition and I am trying to remain realistic on my results. I have a ton of women (mostly smaller plus size models) whose shape I would like to mimic but how I view realistic may be different than others. Maybe you ladies can help? I found my best wish pics are ones I created of myself using a plastic surgery app. That way, I am able to see my own body in that shape. I have a short torso so it's hard for me to see what it would look like with a tummy tuck and lipo. I think I am going to post this to the doctors as well to see if the results are realistic. Ladies, please help! I would really appreciate constructive and positive opinions!!!

Ok dolls...
I have tried to calm down my obsession here but I can't. Since I finalized my decision to have the BBL and TT surgery and on this site researching and reading reviews, I have been OBSESSED and over the moon excited about getting my procedure(s) done and I don't even have a reply back from Duran yet. I have been scoping wish pics, reading reviews, doing a ton of research, and bothering my HR department trying to figure out how to get the best use of my vacation time since I will need to be away from work at least 10 days. I also showed my own altered pics to doctors in the forum and a couple of them already got back to me saying that my expectations were realistic.

In doing my research I found a bunch of ideas I have been writing down, pinning, etc and my head is whirling. I found a site on Facebook via Bella Vita's Facebook (I may use their services to get a hold of Duran, I already got sent the contract to sign) and it's a woman who sells everything you need post-op in a kit! How clever/convenient is that?! Her kits include everything from vitamins, wipes, Ensure, t-shirts, chux (puppy pads I call 'em), arnica oil, water pills, etc. I don't think I will need all of that though. I put together a list based on a few suggestions from posters and reviews and it is lllooonnnggg. So I am trying to narrow it down a bit. I also messaged a girl on Facebook who's profile picture looked a lot like Duran's work. Trying not to sound like a creeper, I made sure she had a procedure done first and she had. She actually did go to Duran and gave me a bunch of hints and tips all in a 10 min conversation. She's making me a list of absolute essentials and things I can leave at home. This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!

So, finding wish pics was starting to bother me. When I say I've been obsessed, I truly mean it. I have been looking at girls at work, people on the street, I even tried taking a picture of a girl at the Justin Timberlake concert on the sly (didn't work, my flash went off and I looked awkward). I went through pictures of plus size models and full figured girls on Pinterest and I finally narrowed it down. Before anyone asks, I am trying to get realistic and more natural procedures that closely match me. It would be insane for me to go from having no hips to have super wide hips for example. I like my thicker frame and if I was shaped the way I was going for, I would be perfectly happy with my body/weight. But I'm not and if there was ever a time to look the way you want, it would be now. I want to be all set and sexy for my 30th birthday and a new body would make the perfect gift to myself!

Now to get to the basics. I need to narrow down a time (I'm thinking fall, I am having my arms lipo'd and I will need a faja with sleeves) and pay Bella Vita so they can get me all confirmed with Duran and buy a plane ticket with my tax refund. Now I am not the richest of girls, so I did set up a crowd funding campaign for anyone who wants to donate. My mom and sister are not for the surgery at all, so I am trying to slide it through friends and onto their friends. It may be tacky to some but I am trying to save so if someone wants to donate then why not (if you want to donate, message me ;) Are there any future DR dolls that are going for procedures near Chicago? I think I'll need a buddy! Anyway, I suppose I should get off RS for now and get some kind of work done...

In doing some research, on the whole process of surgery/recovery in DR, I have come across a number of websites, blogs, and Facebook groups who are sharing the experience for all women across the world looking to have surgery in DR. While searching through Facebook, I think I encountered a slew of fake Facebook pages for women claiming to have had work done by some of the popular surgeons, mostly Yily. I could kind of pick up that they were fake due to the lack of real pictures, absence of friends, but friends with the surgeons of choice. Some of these pages had birthdays around the same time and even started their Facebook page around the same time (Oct-Nov 2013). I just thought this was a little odd. Has anyone else seen this?

Anyway, I think I have finally narrowed down a time frame in which to have my surgery. I am thinking of going in on labor day. It will be a paid holiday here in the US (less paid time off of work, got to keep as much as possible) and then hopefully by the next weekend I can come back home and immediately go back to work. I have joined a group a RH group on Facebook that helps you locate a surgery or RH buddy. I found one who's coming from Spain (Spanish speaker=winning) and she has a couple of buddies coming in at the same time. I think this will make for a good healing process and fun when doing it with comrades. I completed my info to send to Bella Vita as well as a list of questions for the doctors. I also sent off for a quote from Dra. Tania Medina de Garcia earlier today. She answered one of my questions so I figured why not. Her work is very nice, but I'm not able to see any of her BBL pictures unless they're mixed in with her others on her website. I am leaning more towards Duran as her lipo skills are FIERCE and her booties are perfect. So I'm about 85% Duran 10% Yily and 5% Tania (as I type this I got a reply requesting my pictures, nice timing). I really want natural, for me, results so I've had to look at plus size models for inspiration. It's hard to find plus size models with the same size boobs and are curvy. I stumbled across London Andrews and I think her curves are perfect for me. Definitely what I am looking for to maintain a thick and curvy, womanly shape. Do you have celebrities/models as an inspiration?

So while writing my last update, I was also emailing back and forth with Dra. Medina de Garcia. It seems that she would like to do my surgeries in 2 different waves about 4-6 months apart... 0_0 (

not sure why the rest didn't post.

The doctor suggested in the first surgery to be lipo of back, BBL, and TT ($4000) and then 4-6 mos later come back for lipo of the tummy and breast reduction (which I didn't ask for) for another $4000. I would need to stay 2 weeks for each set and she said this was the best way to do it to avoid 'dead skin' (nerve damage?) and sagging. She also said that these things done at the same time could make my hemo levels drop too low. I appreciate that piece of advice but there was some questions left. Like where would the fat come from for the BBL? Surely it can't all come from my back. And what about doing lipo on the tummy after a TT, didn't that seem kind of backwards. I see her work on her website and it's very good, but it seems to be limited to breasts, which look amazing. I am going to wait to hear from Duran...obviously Team Duran!

I had a dream about surgery last night. I don't remember the details, but I know right before I went to sleep, a girl in one of the surgery FB groups said she was having surgery with Duran on the date I picked. I felt betrayed! Like Duran was cheating on me! (feelings are completely invalid, as I haven't even gotten a quote) So I woke up this morning with Yily on my mind and a reply to ExoticAsiaBlue (sp?) here on RS. Her results look great! So back to being on the fence for me...I don't want to be one of the last patients of the day with Duran. But the reports of Yily not acutally doing the surgeries really freak me out. So I went hunting for other former patients of both and found before/after of women who share my body type. This of course doesn't help make my decision as I still have no idea who to pick. Both of these are great! I think I might have to see who will let me be first for surgery on my desired date...what do you ladies think?

I had some blood tests run a couple months ago. I called my PCPs office to see if they knew what my Hemo was. When they called back, they said they didn't have them from the tests I took (blood sugar, cholesterol, etc) and then asked me why I needed them...

....Umm, what?! Why can't I know my own Hemo?

So I told Nosey Nurse that I was considering having a cosmetic procedure and that I wanted to know. She then informed me that the surgeon would run all of those tests for me. I rolled my eyes, thanked her, and hung up. I always have some level of difficulty with my PCP and I have better luck getting what I need from my FNP. I already know I am not going to be able to get my pain meds from her but she's super quick to prescribe me some amoxicillin so I'm lucky there. But I am very worried about my Hemo. I have been anemic for as long as I could remember. I've never been able to donate blood and when I got pregnant, I was put on an iron regimen and even after months of that, I still lost a lot of blood when I gave birth to my daughter. I am going to get started on getting it up now, so I don't run into issues later.

Still waiting to hear back from Dra. Duran, and it would have been about 3 weeks since the first time I emailed her. I have since emailed her 3 more times, sent her a message on WhatsApp, a message on FB and a comment on her Instagram. Not to mention I have called her office (someone picked up the phone *insert exaggerated surprise face here*) but I was directed to another number that goes straight to voicemail. I really want Duran to do my surgery, her results are friggin phenomenal! But if I can't get a hold of her, I am moving on to Yily. I have sent off my contract to Bella Vita a couple days ago and just paid my invoice, so I am just waiting for a response from her and hopefully she can get a hold of Duran. I'm tired of playing the waiting game/hide and seek Duran...I just want to give you my money so you can give me my booty!!

Looks like a Yily Barbie/Goddess/Doll I will be! I gave Duran until the end of this week to either respond to either me or Bella Vita with a quote. Well it's Thursday afternoon, and I give up. In total, I have sent this woman 3 messages on Facebook, 4 comments on instagram pictures, 2 mentions on twitter, 3 messages on whatsapp, 14 total emails from 3 separate addresses and 8 phone calls...I quit. So on to Yily I go!

Bella Vita for the most part has been awesome, they respond fairly quickly to emails and always friendly. In the week that I have hired them, they have gotten my quotes from Yily and Baez with dates. They have answered a few questions I had (including one brought up by Healing Haven regarding my skin disease) and questions about hotels and nurses versus recovery houses. I did ask Bella Vita to give me a quote from Robles just to weigh some more options, but I'm fairly certain I am going with Yily. She was my top choice when I first made the decision but I was swayed by Duran's technique. But in getting BACK to bASSics (see what I did there?) I knew Yily was the right choice for me. I don't want to be lipo'd to the Gods, I want a nice natural waist, but for the love of all that is holy, I want a flat tummy and a big beautiful booty. And thats what Yily does! I am playing with dates for late Sept or early Oct now so hopefully I will come up with something tonight and be able to wire my deposit to Yily tomorrow.

Just need to figure out from here...airfare, RH or hotel, fajas/compression garments (found the one in the picture on eBay brand new from CountourMD for $25 orig $95), getting my meds and hopefully a SX buddy! Any ladies heading down around that time?

Ooops, forgot to post the picture. I am going to have arm lipo so I wanted to find some sleeves with a bra top. Most fajas that cover my girls (yes, I call my boobies 'my girls') are compression for post breast surgery and I don't like to suffocate my ladies. And I am worried about wearing a regular bra while trying to heal. So I think the bra tops with sleeves are a good option but wow are they expensive. So eBay and I have rekindled our relationship over compression garments...

.......and she turned me down. :(
*le sigh*
She informed Bella Vita that my weight and skin disease was an issue. I have a genetic skin disease called Hidradenitis suppurativa. It causes boils and lesions to form in the most sweaty areas of your body. She said if I lost 20 lbs, which I am already doing, and get my skin under control she would revisit my case. Well I can respect her decision to approach me cautiously. But I can say since being diagnosed with HS 14 years ago, I've had 3 surgeries and not once has it affected the operation or my recovery. Oh well....Yily here I come!!!

I have been seriously studying, researching, inquiring etc on my procedure and everything that comes along with it. I am SO excited and I am SO many months away! RS and the FB groups are my constants all day long, and I have random questions that I want to post but my review would be all over the place. And I keep looking at booties and imagining myself with more curves and a nice round booty. I caught myself checking out a chick in church and I had to stop. Booty....booty as far as the eye can see...

On another note: I sent, through Bella Vita, for quotes from Robles and Alamonte. On a whim over the weekend, I sent for a quote from Dra. Cynthia Disla. Ladies, she is quick with the responses! I emailed her late on Friday night and early Monday morning she responded with a quote. And then responded within an hour twice more when I asked additional questions. I like her work, but I haven't seen much of it. I am concerned about her results with my body type. Her quote is a little higher than most of the other ones I got (with the exception of Dra. Medina -- yikes) but I am going to wait it out and see. I would consider her a second or back up choice for now. I am still waiting to send a deposit to lock my date in with Yily, even though I haven't set one in stone. I really don't want to spend $45 on an international wire and I read somewhere she has a PayPal account. I am waiting for Bella Vita to get back to me on that one, but if anyone knows she does, please message me!

Question for current/former patients...did you buy a second faja/compression garment before surgery? I wanted to have one before I went down there (especially if I caught one on sale) for when the first one is getting washed. I know its going to get gross and will need a washing!

...also wanted to share everyone what I learned over the weekend about pulmonary embolisms. I shared this in a few groups on FB. Also, it's called a D-Dimer (sp?) test, a nurse/doll informed me ;)

...I sat on my ass waiting to send this deposit to Yily.
Why?
Because I worried that by sending it, i was taking the food right out of my daughter's mouth. So I thought about it. What does my daughter need? What could this money be used towards for her, her health, her well being, her education? So I thought about it, for days, and came up with...nothing. At 3 years old, my daughter has more clothes and shoes than I can store, a room (literally) full of toys, a tablet, enrolled in an early learning program, and most importantly a mom who would starve and be naked so she could eat steak and wear designer clothes if that's what she wanted.

Ladies, we are mothers, but can't we be women too at the same damn time? I mean....COME THE F*CK ON!!!! We cared about our appearance before the kids, right? What are we exemplifying for our daughters? What are we teaching our sons? What are we waiting for and why? Now, before someone gets their panties in a knot, I am not saying use little Timmy's leg brace money to buy you a new booty. But what I'm saying is we can do both. As mothers, we play more than one role all the time, why is the role of just being a woman forgotten so easily? I personally do not want to be one of those women putting themselves off for decades, then look up and the kids are 30 years old and i still haven't tried dying my hair red. Does that make me selfish? Probably. Does that make me a bad mom? Not at all. To be a good mom, in my opinion, we have to remind our kids and ourselves that our lives do not revolve around them all day, everyday. We had lives and obligations before them, and we're going to have to have them when they grow up. This may be easy to say because my daughter is young, or because I am not married, or because I'm only 28 years old. But I only get one chance at life, and I am not promised tomorrow. I don't want to wait to live it, do you?

I BOOKED YILY!!!!! Dominican Republic look out, I will be there in the fall! I booked Oct. 9th but I'm pretty flexible on dates, especially since I haven't booked a flight. It'd be nice to find some other dolls that are going around that time.

A failure to plan is a plan for failure, right?
I am glad I set a date farther back to make sure I get my mind/body (and finances -- let's be real, it's still very much a recession in my world) in order. I also wanted to make sure I made a well informed decision about my procedures, doing as much research as possible. But the anticipation is starting to kill me! I want to go tomorrow! I want to start shopping for my new body!

...but alas, I will wait anxiously for October to come for my transformation.

So while I am saving the money and getting my body ready, I began to wonder if I even needed to lose much more weight. I am within the BMI requirements Yily sent me. And really, I don't want to be too thin or unrealistic. I'll look like a bobble head doll. I really just want hips and and ass, and I really wouldn't mind staying the same pants size that I am now, I think I would look amazing that way. So should I lose more weight? Stay the same? I don't know...

I have been lusting over Mandii B's body lately. She has lost weight recently and has a smaller waistline, but I love her shape in some of her photos. Other photos make her booty look too big or boxy. But I think Yily could work her magic and make me look AMAZING! What do you think? Can I get close?

I am pretty sure that the next part of my SX journey is to find an RH or a place to recover. Since I will most likely be spending a majority, if not all of the time in DR by myself, I need to be somewhere that I can get nearly round the clock care. So I am at a toss up between an RH and renting a condo/apartment with a SX buddy or two. I like the idea of the condo because whomever we hire as a nurse, we will get personalized service and not have to hunt someone down. Also, the bad reviews of the RHs are starting to make me nervous...glass shower doors falling on girls, girls falling out of bed, no nurses coming to aid, overcrowding. Plus I am optimistic enough to feel as if after a few days, I will be able to get up and move around even for a few moments at a time to get something to eat or drink. I emailed Bella Vita and am currently waiting for them to give me some references. When it comes down to if I go to a RH, after considering my options I have narrowed it down to 2....Armonia or Upscale/Serenity. I like that Armonia has ocean views and as security. Upscale and Serenity are actually 2 separate recovery houses owned/run by former fellow Yily doll and RS member NJPRBeauty. I was considering either one because I like that they're run by a former patient and they have everything basically included; rides to CIPLA, 24/7 nurses, terrace, etc. Just waiting for her to upload real pictures of the house and find out which one is closer to CIPLA.

I guess the deciding factors is if I have enough people interested in going in on a condo/apartment or not. So...who's going down in Oct?

So I have been encountering some interesting situations amongst Facebook groups related to DR surgery/surgeons. Apparently, there are some people or former patients who are paid to become spokespeople for their surgeons. *insert WTF face here* People will apparently get on Facebook and advertise for a surgeon, creating a group on Facebook and showing they're own before/after pictures even claiming surgical procedures on celebrities. I encountered a girl who posted in on of these groups that her doctor Contreras not only did a great job on her (I didn't think he did that great) but he also did La Insuperable's (a female Domincan rapper) transformation and when she "met" her at the airport, the rapper confirmed it was true. I didn't think anything of it, until some other doctor (Lima) also said they did her surgeries. So when I asked the girl about Lima's claims she said it was all a lie, but then she blocked me. I found out an argument must have ensued and it came out that the girl (her post pictured) worked for Contreras! How does one work as a walking ad? I mean...are they hiring? You can brand my new booty if there's some perks! But really, how does that work?

...and what in the entire f*ck is going on at CIPLA?!!?!!
If you have not heard, a girl died last week (03/26/2014) because she got sick from an infection (MRSA and/or sepsis) and died after a stroke or hear attack. There is a lot of speculation in regards to her pre-op health and a blood transfusion so there aren't many clear/verified details. From what I heard she was a woman in her early 30s with 2 kids from the DC area who came to DR for TT/BBL/Lipo with Dra. Yily. I pray for her family and children during this sad time. I know that the doctors/hospitals are different down there, with different standards, but MRSA is serious. I hope the details come to light soon, too many people are making up their own stories.

And before anyone asks me if I'm scared of going to the DR for surgery and particularly CIPLA to see Yily and my answer is yes....a little. But to be honest, I have been in the ER at a hospital in the city of Chicago and there was dried blood on the wall, bleeding people, excretions...and that was just the waiting/reception area. In the actual hospital room wasn't that nasty, but sub par at best. And let me also mention I sat in the waiting room for over 6 hours before I was seen by an obviously exhausted doctor who came in with the wrong chart. I also know someone who got MRSA from a local and well respected hospital. Oh and my PCP? Yea, not the best bedside manner, but I've been going to her for years so why fix what's not broken. So DR hospitals/doctors/clinics freak me, but don't scare me...

I went to my new secondary doctor (my old one left the practice) to get one last refill on my phentermine, since I am going to begin weening. I informed her about the surgery and she said she would prescribe the meds needed for post op (mini celebration) I would just need to bring her my surgery date confirmation. I wanted to get them here because I have no idea about the metric conversions and I wanted to see if my insurance will cover as much as possible. So far the medical professionals I have discussed surgery with (2 of which are related to me) haven't had anything negative to say about surgery in DR just that I need to make sure I take care of myself. Which brings me to what I wanted to say to all pre-op and post-op beauties. Can we please just be honest?

Telling your doctor, surgeon, etc about your medical history is important. So be sure to disclose everything to them before surgery. And when writing a review on your surgery, experience, and results, please be completely honest and revealing about it all. Us pre-op ladies are relying on your experience (sometimes too heavily) to help make a serious decision. When reading some of the negative reviews I can help but wonder...did you follow doctors post op instructions? Did you take your medications as necessary? Did you have a physical prior to surgery? I am not saying this to absolve any doctor from fault. I am saying this because these are questions I have when reading some of the reviews. I am still pre-op so I am going to give a brief history of my health, that I also gave to my US and DR docs, so as not to be confused should I post a negative review. I am 28, turning 29 in June. I have only had one pregnancy and carried to term. I am social/stress smoker, meaning when I am stressed or drinking heavily in a social setting I will have a cigarette. I have not done illegal drugs. I have a skin disease called hidradenitis which is hereditary and not contagious. I am overweight and my BMI classifies me as obese and I currently weigh 208lbs on my 5'6" top heavy frame. I have a lot of muscle from weight/strength training in my arms and legs. I am hoping to drop down to 180lbs pre op so I can have my optimal results and be at a good weight. I am borderline anemic at my ER visit and I started my vitamin regime about a month ago and towards the day of surgery, I will increase my iron intake to hopefully get my hemo up to 14 to avoid a transfusion. I fully plan on taking all of my post op meds and come hell or high water, by day 2 of surgery, I will get my ass out of bed and move around. Even if for 2 mins. So with that being said, if you have or have read a negative review and these questions aren't answered, realize you don't have the whole story.

I forgot to add this to my last update...didn't realize how wordy I am, longest posts ever. Anyways, in light of the situation at CIPLA a couple weeks ago, apparently all of the doctors there had an emergency meeting. Previously, it has been said that Yily was taking up to 7 or 8 patients in a day. Well now, she has reduced herself to 3 patients a day. Also, Yily has increased her hemo requirement from 12.7 to 12.9. The pictures I have attached are not mine personally but from a FB group I am part of, except the one of me (duh). It's an updated photo, I have so far lost about 10 lbs.

**ATTENTION: CONFIRM THE TRANSFER POLICY WITH SURGEON BEFORE BUYING A DATE**

I saw girls all over RS and Facebook selling their dates to other future patients. I wasn't familiar with the policy but I was going to put together a calendar/document of people looking to sell their dates and post it up to make it easier. Also, if people were selling their Yily dates for lower than what they paid, I was going to buy it, and apply them to my surgery balance (hey, don't judge me). But when I reached out to basically every single DR surgeon I could find, no one seems to allow transfers. I took screenshots of the email responses I got so far from Yily, Robles, and Medina. Still waiting for Cabral, Diaz, Almonte, Disla, and Baez.

Forgot the Medina and Yily emails...

I know it's been a while since I updated, SO MUCH has happened but since the computer is threatening to re start on me, I will have to keep this short. I have received responses from Robles, Baez, and Diaz regarding their date selling/exchange policies and needed to get those out to you before I forget. My rough translations are basically they do not allow them. Baez did state this is why she doesn't accept a deposit until the day before surgery and only of $100 and Robles seemed to be concerned about people actually changing their dates and selling them. I have attached screenshots of the emails here and I promise to update everyone soon.

This will probably be a long post, so I apologize in advance for being particularly wordy today...

On 04/14 I went to Vegas to spend a few days with a couple of girls on my first vacation without my daughter since her birth. She usually spends every other weekend with her father so I am used to not seeing her for a few days, but this time I was going away and it made me crazy. I missed her so much and called her everyday. Finally, I got back and went straight from the airport to pick her up, even for a day because her father's weekend began the following day. The next day, Friday, she went to her dad's and I began unpacking and settling back in. Saturday while leaving a BBQ I got a frightening call...my 3 year angel was attacked by her paternal grandmother's dog. Because of the severity of her injuries, she couldn't stay in the emergency room and needed to be transferred to the ICU of Ronald McDonald Children's Hospital. My daughter was sedated when I got to her in the ER and they kept her sedated and on a breathing tube for a few days after her surgery. She went home on Wednesday and had to be back that Friday for another surgery to remove her stitches. To all my fellow mommy dolls, I will say this, hug your children. All of them. Tight. My daughter could have easily lost her sight, or worse, her life. And I would have not been able to make it the next day without her. But it is by the grace of God that she is alive, breathing, happy, and healthy today. And I could not be more grateful.

Now for my rant...she was attacked by her paternal grandmother's dog while in her father's home. The story that was told to the police was that my daughter's step mother put my daughter to bed around 9pm and went back outside to the bonfire they were having leaving my daughter and her step siblings inside with the grandmother who was in the shower, allegedly. My daughter went into her grandmother's room and that's where she was attacked by the dog and found by the grandmother when the attack was over. Given that story, my questions were...
1. My daughter doesn't get put to bed, unless she's already fully asleep. Otherwise, she won't stay in bed. This couldn't have been the case because I got the call from the ER at 10pm.
2. If there were two other kids and an adult in the shower, why did no one hear my daughter screaming until after the attack was over?
3. My daughter and her step mother told a different story that they heard my daughter screaming and her step mother came back in and pulled the dog off of my daughter. Which leaves me to believe my daughter was basically in the house by herself. Where in the entire hell was her father? Grandmother? 11 year old step sister?
My daughter received a huge laceration to her right cheek where it was cut open, a cut to her lower right eyelid, her right nostril, and bite marks to her right arm. She received well over 75 stitches throughout her right side. After seeing her smile for the first time, I was happy she was healthy, but now I am PISSED thinking of the story. My daughter was alone while being attacked by a dog that I did not know lived in the home. And it breaks my heart to know she was screaming for help and no one was able to save her.

With all that being said, I don't know if I am still going to be able to go for surgery with Yily in Oct. Because I had to take an additional week off for my daughter's care, I am not sure if I will have the time off to take for surgery. I am going to keep my date until I find I really can't go, then I may change it to early 2015. We shall see what life has in store for me...

First of all, I want to thank everyone for the messages and comments with prayer and support of my daughter and myself during this time. That was very sweet of all of you, and I cannot tell you how much that means to me. It has been rough in the beginning but the waters are beginning to calm and so enters the legal battle...

Because this happened at her father's house, I petitioned with the court to change our custody arrangement. It was originally every other weekend from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon. I requested to have the judge change it to every other Saturday from 10am to 2pm and that she cannot return to his home or leave his direct custody/supervision. Her father then sent me an opposition requesting to keep it as normal, despite her nightmares, flashbacks, and her requests not to go back or to even speak to him. So court is coming up for that. And I had to hire a lawyer to sue the insurance company to cover all of my daughters existing and future medical expenses. And I thought that after leaving the hospital for her second surgery, it was all over.

I have decided to keep my surgery date as it is for the time being. My daughter is healing really well and has for the most part, returned to her usual routine. I have decided to keep it because as of right now, things are going well with my daughter at home. I had to return to work earlier than I wanted to due to a mixup with my FMLA paperwork so my daughter is doing fine with the daycare and will hopefully start a pre-school program in the summer and fall. Obviously, if for any reason my daughter needs additional care or time, than she will come first and surgery will be put on the back burner. Just going to take this one day at a time...

I want to say thank you to all the dolls and supporters who have sent messages, comments, etc in love and prayer for my daughter and I. We really appreciate it. She is healing very well, and is almost back to normal. She still has some apprehension about some people, but for the most part she is doing well. I couldn't be more happy about it. Court is still ongoing, the judge appointed my daughter her own lawyer since her father and I don't see eye to eye on custody and someone needs to assess that this will be best for her. Since me and her father have to pay for this lawyer, the budget belt has gotten pretty tight...

I wanted to fill you ladies in on some interesting information. Since my daughter's attack, I have gained a lot of knowledge in wound care and healing. My daughter's wound to her face, which was the deepest, almost went all the way through her cheek (it did go all the way through in the corner of her mouth). She had surgery to repair the wound and was stitched closed. After a week, the surgeon removed her stitches. When she had her stitches in, she had to be cleaned at least once a day with a mix of peroxide and saline and then to apply Bacitracin to keep the area moist. After her stitches were removed, we continues the Bacitracin at least once a day. When her wound fully closed and scabs fell off, I started using cocoa butter and Mederma gel with a gentle massage. You can see how well she is healing, and it's been less than a month. Her cheek scar is flattening out beautifully and the hardness from the trauma is going away little by little everyday. I luckily swiped an extra tube of Bacitracin from the hospital and since it hasn't been used, I'm keeping it socked away. I love how everything is healing. I have posted pictures so you can see. I think pre op ladies should get some Bacitracin for tummy tuck or lipo incision healing.

Speaking of tummy tuck, after much debate, I decided to go with out one. I have seen most Yily tummy tuck patients complain of a muscle repair not being done and that's not something I want to risk. That and I do want more kids one day, so I should probably wait. I saw a girl here on RS that went to Yily and needed a TT but didn't get one and I love her results! I know I am going to need one, but maybe later...

...the waist cincher diet. I bought what I thought could be a spare back up waist cincher for when I am post op on eBay (Vedette $20 -- do not sleep on eBay dolls). I tried it on and saw it may be too big for when I am post op so I started wearing it now. It's rubbery and I contemplated waist training before my procedure, so I thought this would be a good starting point. I am able to wear the size 40 on the tightest row (wearing on the loosest right now since Aunt Flow came to visit and brought her friends Bloat and Irregularity) and I am starting to see a difference in my shape already and its only been a few days. I have been shedding water weight through sweating and I notice my posture is straighter. Also, I am able to eat a lot less because I am feeling full much faster. So just a heads up to you pre op dollies that a waist cincher may work out for you pre op, especially if you're not used to wearing girdles. My grandmother was from the south and she used to wear a slip under her house coat, so wearing a girdle, spanx, or cincher is not foreign to me. And since this is something we will have to wear for a while post op, why not try and get used to them now?

I was made admin of a FB support group for those who have or want to have surgery in the DR. Me and all the dollies and other admins grew close, or so I felt. Then yesterday it all came to light that the creator of the group was a catfish. There is a girl on FB who circulates through the FB groups using different profiles, lying and claiming she went to Robles even though she has never had surgery or, to my knowledge, plans to. It's so sad because she doesn't have to lie. I welcome all supporters of a decision to have cosmetic surgery, even if you don't agree with the location or surgeon. I think we all need support.

THATS RIGHT DAHLINGS!!! I'VE GOT 99 DAYS UNTIL I AM TRANSFORMED BY DRA. YILY!!

I am so excited, and actually a little nervous now that I see I am so close. I am still trying to lose these last 15lbs which is always a bit of a struggle. I considered HcG but I am always in the car or at work and barely have time to plan or make meals. So I am cutting things out of my diet one at a time, because I do want to maintain my new figure once I get it. I really need to cut sweets and bread, both of which I could live off of. I will give up soda and juice with no problem, but hand me a loaf of fresh baked French and Italian bread, butter, and tiramisu and a bottle of Aquafina and I am all good! Damn now I want some tiramisu...

Has anyone heard of Yily opening her own RH? I caught wind of it in another review but the reviewer said it was Daisy's which doesn't seem right. I know Liz, NJPRBeauty and owner of Upscale and Serenity, is suggested by Yily but I didn't know she was opening her own. I wonder if there is any difference...?

...that's right dollies! I booked my flight! And I am getting closer, 85 days until transformation. I am starting to get nervous and surgery dreams are becoming more and more vivid. I made an appointment with my primary physician to have a full physical next month and I will be seeing my secondary doctor after that to get my prescriptions. I want to make sure I am completely healthy for surgery before I get down there, so I am taking all measures possible.

I booked my RH stay at Serenity RH. I built a great rapport with Liz and I think my stay there will be perfect. Serenity is new and there aren't many reviews but I really can't wait to stay there. The triple room looks like my bedroom at home! I am flying in through Delta. I really wanted Jet Blue because of their amenities are great, but I got a much better price that includes priority seating and the trip insurance. So I have all of that done. Now I have to finish paying off the RH and finish getting my supplies and I am all set!

Anyone else going down in October?

I gather my supplies as I get them on sale or while I am already shopping, so here's what I accumulated so far. Vets, please jump in on anything else you think I might need!
-arnica gel
-chux (so far one but I just got an idea to use dollar store shower curtains!)
-Bio oil (for post op skin care -- lipo thins out the skin badly this helps to rebuild and help with stretch marks)
-various bandages and bandaids
-gauze pads and tape
-measuring tape
-Bromelain (post op)
-disposable briefs (2 pair)
-female wipes
-Hibiclens (good pre and post op)
-maxi dress
-compression garment
-compression sleeves

I have the countdown on my phone and the days seem to be zipping by! I can't handle it!! I also made a YouTube video of all the supplies I have accumulated so far and introducing my surgery to the world...check it out!

I am getting more and more anxious, nervous, and excited as time draws near. I cannot believe I am going to be transformed in as few as 49 days!!!

Last week, I saw Yily post on her IG about a deal so after thinking about it, I decided to reach out and see if I could get the discount (everyone loves a discount right?). She said it applied to new patients only, and I assumed she meant patients who have not yet gotten a quote because I informed her I did get a quote and had my date. I waited a few days and then saw her post the deal again but this time it applied to everyone! So I asked again and she really hooked it up! $300 discount and she included her post op package of 3 lymph drainage massages and compression socks. How awesome is that?!

I have finish getting my supplies and have packed them in my suitcase which is waiting for me to grab and go! I have posted a "tour" of my suitcase although I didn't go into details of my toiletries bag, I will post a more detailed video on my YT soon and make sure to share it with you ladies here. Any vets that are watching, please let me know if I am missing or don't need anything!

Is anyone else as excited as I am?

Oops!

I got my blood test results back and I have a low hemoglobin for surgery....it's 11.9 and I need a 12.9 in order to have surgery. I was tested on the first day of a particularly heavy period, so maybe that has something to do with it. I have 32 days to bring it up. I have been taking iron at least once a day for almost 6 mos and it barely climbed .6g. So I am in crunch mode and I am going to try and bring it up as much as possible. I added Blood Builder tablets a month or so ago and last night I picked up some purAbsorb, EmergenC, and Hema Plex. I am going to try and incorporate as much as possible. Then I will check my hemo again in a couple weeks and go from there. I may have to move my date. *big sigh* and I definitely don't want to do that!

I have also started doing Atkins to lose the last few straggling pounds and I must say it has worked out beautifully! I have lost those 10 lbs and I am going to keep going to lose a few more. Maybe 15 more. It has been a bit of a challenge since I am a carb lover, but watching how quick and easy those pounds came off was awesome! Wish me luck and pray for me ladies, I gotta get this working!

Ok lovelies, it's getting down to the wire. I leave in 18days and I am getting so excited. I am all packed up and with the exclusion of a couple of things, I made a video of what's in my suitcase. Now I do have maxi dresses, socks, and omeprazole in there but since I have to videos, I didn't want to mention everything twice. But check it out!!

Video didn't post, but here it is!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTEbRFV6ydI&list=UU8jia58ZCW7nmjH1doaVOdw

My hemoglobin is still low. I checked it again while I was on my period like a moron! It was 11.5 on day 2 of a heavy flow. I am going to check it again in a few days, and hopefully I will at least be able to go, but if not, I will have to postpone my trip :( . I have started drinking beet juice every morning and I am still taking my vitamins. Yily requires at least a 12.9 for surgery so I would like a 13 by the time I get down there. Otherwise I am going to have to have an iron treatment. Keep praying for me ladies, I have 9 days until i am supposed to be Yilified!!

...and I couldn't be more nervous!
I have checked my hemo a few days ago and it was 11.9. I have since been inhaling beet juice, SSS tonic with EmergenC, bananas, and raisins to keep it up. This is on top of my daily iron pill and my blood builder tablets. If it's still not high enough, I am going to try for an iron treatment while I am down there. It would be the only way for me to absorb the iron since I have tried basically every liquid and pill supplement known to man. But I do feel the difference when I drink SSS tonic with EmergenC, I feel a burst of energy that lasts.

I have not updated my doctor on this review because given my skin disease, I am not entirely sure Yily will perform my procedure, which will cause me to change doctors. So I will post who it is I went with (I am praying deeply that it's Yily) after I have surgery.

I have everything packed and ready to go, now I am just waiting for the day to end so I can roll into the airport VERY early tomorrow morning! Keep me in your prayers ladies and gents, I am on my way to get my sexy back!!

... My surgery money was stolen. I had it in my bra and when I removed my bra for my xray and put my money in my backpack, got back to Yilys office and it was gone. Yily was so sweet, she stayed late to tear apart her office and help me look. Yira was very nice and helpful as well, walked us (me and 2 other dolls) through the whole test and xray process. She spoke perfect English, Yily not so much but I found Yily to be direct and honest. Her demeanor is very stoic however she will do what she can for you and your body.

I am planning to return in the spring. Hopefully I can have my surgery then and figure out what's wrong with my hemoglobin and why I can't absorb as much iron as I should. So as soon as I figure out a time I will lock in my new date here on RS!

Starting over in more than one sense of the word.
I am going to try and rebuild my life and start again. To mentally prepare for surgery is a very taxing thing. Not just mentally, but emotionally, physically, and financially. So much of you goes into it, and when things are snatched from you all of a sudden, you don't know how to feel. Things get very cloudy and emotions begin running all through you. I got home from DR last night and I cried, hard. I threw things. I was so angry and all over the place, I couldn't figure it out. I had been preparing for months to come home in a new body, a new mindset, and to return home...defeated (for lack of a better term) was crushing.

I do have to say that staying the DR for the few days that I was able to was very enlightening. I got to see the country and a couple medical practices first hand instead of looking at pictures and I have to say that it was a blessing in disguise. I also got to spend some time with patients after their surgeries and I am glad for the experience. I am more than happy to share that experience with a few of you who have never been there before.

Fancy and modern on the outside but older and outdated on the inside. When I got to CIPLA I went upstairs to Yily's office. It was small and cramped with a couple couches and chairs. Yira, Yily's assistant (sweet, tiny with a great shape and very good English) was the one who took our names and took us down to get weighed for our BMI (met a sweet girl on RS who ended up being on my flight -- Hey girl!!). We went downstairs to what seemed like the basement and got on a scale. After stepping on the scale the non English speaking 'nurse' calculated our BMI on a sticky note and handed it to Yira. After that, we went to have our chest xrays (where I think my money came up missing). In a dimly lit room with a very hands on male technician, you press your chest against a metal plate and he steps behind a wall and your xray is taken, the next room is where blood is drawn. Then we head back upstairs where Yily calls us into her office for a consultation. She immediately suggests a tummy tuck for me, even though I said I don't want one, well aware of a potentially jiggly and lumpy tummy post op. *insert the histeria of my missing money here*.

Conrad, the driver for Serenity was an absolute doll. Not only did he and his super sweet wife CiCi help me shake down CIPLA in search of my cash, but he also was a great driver. Very helpful and I highly recommend him for your stay. We get to Serenity RH which is located about 20 min (with the absolutely insane DR traffic) from CIPLA. It is a gated building with door security and a passcode is needed to get to the 7th floor of the building where the RH is located. Each room has their own bathroom and a remote controlled AC unit with a half bathroom off of the gorgeous living room. There is a huge balcony that overlooks the metro area of Santo Domingo and the patio doors are always open. The food was great, well cooked and the cook is always willing to accommodate your requests. Fresh juice is served with every meal and things are cooked from scratch, no boxed or canned meals here. The nursing staff is very helpful and friendly. I have a video of the apartment where I stayed and the room you see is the one I stayed in. The rooms are cleaned daily and beds are made. Nothing but good things about my stay there and I witnessed how attentive the staff was to the girls who had surgery and what they needed. I am definitely coming back.

While I was in the recovery house, I got to meet a great girl who was a patient of Dr. Goico. Dr. Luis Fernandez Goico and his office and staff I could not get enough of. I was completely impressed and it was nothing, NOTHING like CIPLA. I liked his practice more than I like my PCP's practice here in America! They served me coffee while I was waiting! I have attached a few photos of his office from here as well as a video (I had a lot of time to kill as she was getting her massage and putting on her second stage faja). I also had a consultation with him and he was very nice and honest. He does care a lot about your health and wants to make sure that you know the procedures he performs are not a quick fix, but to give you a base to work on yourself. His results are conservative, nothing like the CIPLA docs and he doesn't believe in promoting himself on Instagram or anything and he finds the term dolls to be derogatory to women. Here are some quick facts that I learned about Dr. Goico...

-After surgery, he gives you a floated phone so you have access to him or his assistant day or night without worrying on spending your international minutes
-He volunteers for Operation Smile
-Him and his wife share their practice, she is a dermatologist (absolutely beautiful couple)
-He performs free surgery for locals who need it but can't afford it (very impoverished)
-Him and his wife and staff speak perfect English, fluent
-He studied at Harvard
-He has contact with doctors in America you can do follow ups with for no charge
-If you're unhappy with your results, he does revisions at no charge

I forgot one portion of my review which I felt was the most important. I hired Bella Vita to help my coordinate my surgery back in Feb 2014. I heard they had the advantage of getting a hold of Duran and I knew I wanted a quote from her and got no luck getting a hold of her on my own. So after signing Bella Vita's contract and paying the non-refundable $150 fee they got to work. I already had my quote from Yily, I just wanted a quote from Duran (which I didn't end up getting -- see above). After a couple of weeks, I finally paid my deposit to Yily and began planning my journey from there. I inquired to Bella Vita if they could get me a consultation with Cabral same day as my surgery since he doesn't require a security deposit. Their response was they would not get me scheduled for a date and to focus on the one doctor I already booked with. I thought that was strange because girls do it all the time. After sending my deposit and scheduling my date, which I mostly did by myself, they emailed me a list of recovery houses. I really liked the way Upscale looked and I considered booking them.

Shortly after receiving their list of recovery houses, I saw online some post op girls had a terrible experiences at some recovery houses. Naturally, I reached out to Bella VIta regarding my concerns and they stated they cannot speak to specifics and are looking into it but that I should consider their preferred RH called Armonia (which is where Jazmin stayed when she had her surgery with Duran) I disregarded it as Armonia had terrible reviews and I was not interested. One bad experience in particular occurred at Upscale's new house, Serenity. I asked Bella Vita again if this is something I should be concerned about and they then informed me they were removing Upscale/Serenity off of their preferred list. I contacted Liz, the owner of Upscale/Serenity, directly regarding the issues and she too was very mum but very professional. I liked her response and reaction to the issue so much, I decided to book with her.

Shortly after booking my stay with Serenity, I received a phone call approx 9pm on a Saturday from Jazzelyn at Bella Vita. She informed me that there were girls who were documenting their journey on Instagram who were staying at Serenity and were having such a horrible stay that they were leaving. Jazzelyn went on to tell me that the girls were on their hands and knees scrubbing the floors, their clothes were being washed in Fabuloso, and they were being neglected and leaving Serenity because of the conditions. Jazzelyn then informed me that she had a great RH that I could switch to and they had room at for me which was Armonia. I told Jazzelyn I would think about it and get back to her. After getting off the phone with Jazzelyn I reached out to the girls staying at Serenity that she was speaking about. They denied almost everything that Jazzelyn had said. They confirmed they cleaned something off of the floor but that Liz corrected the issue immediately but they didn't complain about clothes being cleaned in Fabuloso and they weren't leaving Serenity, one of them actually extended her stay. She had great things to say about Serenity! I was confused and actually a little upset at Bella Vita for instilling that kind of fear. I informed Bella Vita a couple days later that my reservation with Serenity still stands and Jazzelyn replied "Ok thanks for the update, good luck with your surgery"....ummm, what? It sounded like a goodbye even though she was supposed to be sending me something before I left and checking up on me after surgery. I thought the message was strange.

After getting to Serenity, I meet with two other dolls who booked their surgery through Bella Vita. They received the same phone calls, but what bothered me was, they received emails before they left and after they arrived making sure they arrived ok and if they had questions. So I am thinking back to the "good luck" email I received weeks earlier. I guess that was supposed to be my last email. So when I returned back to the states I sent Bella Vita an email inquiring on why I haven't heard from them. Jazzelyn replied back saying it must have slipped by them. I then informed her of what happened to me while in DR (money stolen, leaving early, etc) and she expressed concern. I told her I was considering going back...and this is the best part....Jazzelyn said they would love to help me coordinate my surgery but under their new larger fee of $200.

EXCUSE ME?!?!?!

$200 more and you ditched me the last time? Not to mention, I saw on their IG that a doll had to move her date and they were happy to do it for her. Did she get charged for a whole new contract? I NEVER EVEN HAD SURGERY! Needless to say, I didn't respond to that email. And I will not be using their services. Maybe it's me, but I was not impressed with their services. If you had a great experience with them, that's great, but my experience was that their services were mediocre and if you're not going to Duran and/or staying at Armonia, they may not be able to do much to help you.