Beginning my Journey... -Dominican Republic, DO

Alright so much like many of us I've been lurking and finally decided to go through with this procedure for sure, set up my page and document my journey. I'm 5'3 160lbs even though it may not look like it. So far I'm thinking about going late March, early April and I'm very excited except for that fact that so far I have no one to go with me however I'm hoping that will change by then. I want to get my list of items slowly starting now so that it doesn't feel so overwhelming so if anyone had any tips or ideas I'm open to hear them.

So I wake up this morning and do my daily "uuuugggghhhh" look in the mirror only to notice that it appears to me that I'm slimming up!! I took my original pic only a few days ago and now all of that fat that I believed would go into my huge stallion booty is gone!!!!!! Could it have been sodium in my diet? Like WTF??!!!! -_- I sounds weird but I hope it returns! LOL!!! I need all the fat that I can get! HA!!!!

Not much shaking right now still waiting to get clearance from my mom if her vacation from work is approved so that she can watch my baby while I'm gone to the DR. As soon as she lets me know I'm putting that deposit down and setting my date! Meanwhile I'm getting the things I need like vitamins etc so that I'm not completely stalled. Still super excited!!!! Just waiting....

It's looking quite possible for my mother's vacation getting approved so I messaged Cabral to see if we could lock a date down. *deep sigh* It seems to be becoming more of a reality to me! Soon I'll have an actual date to work with! Then I can book my flight and reserve a RH!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!!! I'm leaning towards Yasmin. I've heard good things about her. I have to get my birth control shot the day before I want to leave. I hope that's ok.

It's official! I'm scheduled for March 12,2014. I've got almost everything I need and what I don't have is in the mail. I'll make a list of what I'm bringing when I get home. I'm obsessed with booties! Like for real! I don't get much sleep lately for researching what to bring, what to take and what doctor did what to who. SMH It's insane. I'm bouncing from RS pages to IG pages to images in google search... It's bad, but hopefully soon my body will pop up in that BBL search and I'll be used as a wish pic! LOL I honestly feel like starting to pack. Can't lose that way right? This way I can pack calmly and think long and hard about what I'll be taking with me without feeling pressured. Now to secure my flight and my RH. *deep sigh* It's getting real guys!!!! I'll post my list when I get home and officially update my sx date in my profile. :)

Ok I'm home now so I'll post the list of things that I'm taking with me. I'm taking the bare minimum because I only want to bring a carry on. Briefly I want to add that during a conversation with my mom she let me know that she felt uncomfortable with the fact that I was traveling internationally alone so she said that she and my baby may join me!!!! That made me feel such at ease. The thought that they may go with me makes me SO happy. Anyway, on with the list:

Bed pads
Dial antibacterial soap
Compression socks x2
Gauze
P*Ez (female urinal)
Maxi pads
Arnica salve & pills
Bromeline
Slip on house shoes
Pajamas x2
Sundress x2
Granny panties x5
Hospital tape
Stool softener
Boppy pillow
Baby wipes
Robe
Flip flops
White tank tops x3
Iron pills
Vitamin C
Multivitamins
Meds (if I can fill the prescription here in the states)
I'm traveling to and from the DR in the same jogging suit

There's my list. I think that's all that I will need. If you see something that I may have missed please let me know. Thanks!

I forgot to add Lipo Foam to my list

Ok so this is my honest journey. I'm going to be honest about my experience. I love Cabral's work but his post sx communication is a little poor. I got my date confirmation from him via WhatsApp. He's very prompt with his response, however once my date was confirmed I was lost.... I'm like ok... Now what. What time is my appt? Should I fly in the day of or the day before? What should I do to prep for surgery? Do I need bloodwork before? What should my hemo be? These are all natural questions in my opinion that if it weren't for RS or a friend of mine that went to him I wouldn't have the answers to. So I asked my friend who went to him, "Now what?" She said to call his assistant 2 weeks before sx to make sure all is still well. I'm like ok. He didn't tell me that and he definitely didn't give me her name or number. SMH So I stumbled upon his assistant's number (Maria Isabel) on RS (I could've gotten it from my friend but I stumbled upon it here). I called her today to find out the time of my appt. 1st call she told me to call back in 30 minutes. She speaks English fairly well. I called back in 30 minutes and she took my name and number down, asked which date I wanted. I'm like ummmmmm I thought I was already confirmed.... Ok. Anyway I tell her the 12th. I ask her what's my appointment time? I'm trying to book my flight. She says once my flight is booked, call back. I'm like..... Ok.... I guess my appt time depends on my flight and my flight doesn't depend on my appointment time.... Ok. So I will try and get a flight for the 11th so that I can get there in the evening and be ready on the 12th. I was really expecting a call from his office or even an email once I was confirmed providing me with the time of my appointment and pre & post sx information. I guess it's so inexpensive because I have to come up with all of that by myself. :-/ Anyway....... Moving forward. Looking for flights. I'll check back in later.

My mother informed me today upon returning from her doctor's appointment that she needs back surgery. :( I hate for my mother to have to go through this but this also means that my sx will have to be postponed because not only was she helping me with my baby but also because I'll need to now help her. Oh well. Anything for my mother. I hope all goes well and I'll check back in when I'm back on the road to sx. Good luck guys!!