Less than 3 months til I'm Cortezed!

I've been going back and forth about getting this procedure done for the last year or so. I would get really excited then really nervous then decide the cost and pain was just too much for me. I'm approaching 30 (August 2014) and I want to look different and feel better. I decided to do some research and finally make a decision. I'm going to do it!

I researched a few doctors. I'm in Chicago and there are NO BBL specialists here so I considered Miami, Atlanta, and Houston. Ultimately I chose Dr. Cortes because I feel like his work was best documented. I was able to look at this site, blogs, his website, and even Youtube videos of the actual surgeries. I think that sold me.

I set my date this afternoon and I can't describe the feeling. I never thought I would be this nervous and excited. I didn't expect nervousness to be just as much of a feeling as happiness. My hands were shaking and heart racing after I got off the phone with Lucy. There's no turning back unless I forego my deposit and I doubt I do that unless something medically wrong occurs.

I have so many things running through my mind as I write this. I work a job where I sit a lot and I can only take off 10 days (14 with weekends) for the procedure. My job requires me to drive and sit pretty often and I'm getting nervous looking at all the comments where people discuss not being able to sit comfortably or at all 3 months out. Some other concerns are:
-I'm going to be in Houston 7 days, I see people needing a 2nd followup etc after 12-13 days. What will I do if that happens?
-Someone complained they did not answer his calls until they commented negatively on this site
-I'm going to have to wear my garment the whole summer! Chicago summer is easily 80-90 degrees :(
-I see folds in the stomach on several of his patients where it has gotten lumpy and hard. I was looking forward to wearing a bikini for my birthday in August
-How will I know the right things to do? Get the right garments? Change the garment if its not fitting properly?

So much on my mind but I am excited about my new body! The countdown is on. Just under 4 months away. I have 30 pounds to lose to be as close to the extra 20-30 he needs. Glad I have an outlet where there are others who can relate to my anxiety and excitement. Please comment to encourage and share tips. Thanks :)

So in preparation for my surgery, I've started trying to lose as much weight as possible. Dr Cortes suggested I lose 20 lbs before the surgery. I want to lose 30-40. I'm a little under 200 lbs and my ideal weight is 130-145. I don't want to hv to hv a really aggressive surgery if I can help it. I've heard that leads to burns and I'm super terrified of that. I've read you don't want to lose or gain alot of weight after surgery so you can heal and let things settle. I don't want to come out of surgery with just ok results. So I've hired a personal trainer, working out with him 3 times a week, and on a strict diet. I will send results to Dr Cortes' office after I lose 20 to get the ok to keep going. He wants to make sure he has enough fat to work with.

Anybody have any suggestions or similar experiences? Want to thank you all for your comments and your support.

As I do more research into what I want to look like, the more I'm convinced that a natural projection is what I'm looking for. One where people may wonder or assume but can't be sure because it's not drastic. These are some of the people that come to mind when I think of nice butts but still kinda conservative. I want to look good in a bikini and a bodycon dress but still want to fit nicely in a suit without causing too much attention.

Now I'm thinking about moving my surgery date up, if possible. I'm scheduled for 5/22 but I have a big party on 8/2. I really want to be ready to move around and hopefully be into the "fluffing" phase of recovery. I'm going to call Lucy tomorrow to see if I can try and get an earlier date in May or a late April appt. Fingers crossed!

I'm scheduled for the Thursday before Memorial Day weekend. It was great when I scheduled bc I would have an extra day off work without having to take a vacation day. Now I find out we have a mandatory training 6/22 and I don't know if I will be healed enough to fly to training and be effective. Anybody willing to switch dates with me, preferably sometime in early April would be greatly appreciated!

This morning was such a disappointing morning. I'm working out like crazy to lose weight for my surgery in May. I hired a trainer and eat very well almost all the time. I say almost because I took a couple days off and enjoyed my Valentine's Day weekend. I had a burger, couple glasses of wine, and a cupcake. I hadn't weighed since I started trying to workout and eat right (3 weeks ago). Got on the scale this morning and I only have lost 2 pounds. Seriously, I'm beyond pissed. I feel so defeated right now. I'm spending money and living in the gym. For 2 pounds. That makes me even more stressed about being about to lose 20-30 lbs I wanted to lose. I'm worried about weighing 200 lbs and then still needing to lose weight after the procedure. Losing weight could mean losing my results too. Not a good morning :( Trying to stay focused and motivated as I meet with this trainer I'm spending money on. To be fair, I do see results in the way my clothes fit and I've lost a pants size. Just looking to see the scale move fast! I know I'm gaining some muscle but damn! We don't do much with weights, more cardio and endurance training. Gonna try to push through this yucky feeling and keep going. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers dolls :(

Today was a much better day! Shortly after writing my post yesterday I got bk on the scale (my protein shakes run straight through me!) and I had lost 4 POUNDS! So I've lost about 9 lbs in 3 weeks. I can deal with that! Got bk on the scale this am after eating really good and doing an hour of cardio. Down 1.4! So the inflammation and water weight I caused myself by being a bad girl this past weekend is starting to level it's own self out. I will continue to hit the gym hard and eat good. No more 3 day breaks for me. I'm trying to get to 165 by my date! I know Dr Cortes wants me at 175-180 but I believe he will hv plenty of fat to work with at 165. I don't want to come out of this at more than 150.

I'm looking forward to my Skype consultation with him on Saturday. So many questions to ask and I want to be able to see his face as he answers. Something about that connection will reassure me, I think. Some of the questions I have for him are:

1) is he certain he understands my goal? I want a small waist and a natural heart shaped booty. Hips that compliment small waist and new ass but not to noticeable where they look enhanced.

2) I'm concerned about the burns some ladies have experienced. I've heard mixed reviews about why they get them. Some say from Sx and others from the garments. I was reading through my consent form and it does say that burning from the aggressive LIPO and hope close the cannula gets to the top layer of skin can occur. I know he cares about all his patients but can he take extra care to make sure that doesn't happen to me? :)

3) how long does he expect results to last with proper diet and exercise? Is there any way that I can help keep my proportion the same a year, three years from now? I stalk this site and usually I see lots of posts and comments from people within their first yr post op and nthg after that. Wondering if he has any photos of previous patients.

4) does the place where fat is harvested from determine is sustainability? I'm been reading and some people (docs) seem to think that fat from different areas of the body are more likely to degrade, especially the abdomen. Wondering if this is true and if so, what are the best areas? Take all my fat out but only put back in from areas that are "long lasting fatty areas"

5) I'm coming home about 10 days after surgery. Need more information on who I should have take stitches out and follow up with should I have complications.

6) will I need a tummy tuck? I hope not! But seeing some people in my weigh range (200lbs, 5'1) and they have been told they need one. Will be disappointing if he thinks so but it is what it is I guess

7) I read a post where he said that people sometimes have unrealistic expectations for example a Kim K or J Lo butt when their bone structure height etc will not allow it. What does he predict mine will look like after? Does he have any type of virtual way to give an idea

8) people that live in state get their preop done a cpl weeks before. Should I be having some labs done before I head out there? I think everything will be fine but don't want to get all the way out there to hv to make a change in plans.

That's all that I can think of off the top of my head but I have lots that swirl through my head during the day and especially at night as I dream about the swimsuits I will be able to wear (these will have to change if I need to have a TT!)

There are lots of people joking about people using their taxes to buy a new body. I'm able to pay for my surgery in full right now so that doesn't apply to me but I don't like that people will be anticipating/assuming that bc I look different that I did. I want to respond to some of these people and let them know how long the wait with Dr Cortes is and if you didnt make an appt well before tax time you probably won't see him til the end of the year. I'm not knocking anyone who uses their taxes to get this done, by any means necessary. Just don't like that people will be using this as another opportunity to be negative and gossip.

I need to start looking for an apartment to rent but I really hope Lucy can move my date up. I don't want to pay for a flight and a place to stay to only have to cancel a few weeks later. I'm going to wait to book a flight and a place until sometime the end of March. Hopefully by then I will have a new date.

One thing I can say about his office is I have called Lucy about 15 times in the past few weeks and she always gets back to me with a pleasant attitude. She never seems annoyed that I ask some of the same questions or come up with new ones the day after. Truly seems to have a good heart. She is one of the reasons I feel I chose the right surgeon for me. Comprehensive care and I don't feel like a dollar to the office. She was kind enough to explain to me the process behind switching dates with someone to move to April. Because my surgery requires 5 hours, she would have to wait until someone cancels who has the same amount of time booked in the operating room. Again didnt seem rushed or annoyed and I really think she is gonna try to move me. Unlike people who will tell you anything just to get you off the phone.

I am going to write a list of the supplies I need and start picking things up little by little so if I do get an earlier date I'm not scrambling at the last minute.

This site is my savior and keeps me sane throughout the day. Stop by ladies and show me some love, I have a few dolls that I check on regularly. Hard to keep up with all the Cortes dolls!! Will be posting before pics soon. I need to take some tonight.

Just finished talking to Dr. Cortes a few minutes ago. My initial thoughts...he is so warm and likable! He made me feel comfortable and look forward to meeting him. I have alot going through my head right now, nervousness and excitement are probably my top two feelings right now. I was able to ask him all the questions I had and I have to be honest, he didn't give me all the answers I wanted. But...that's a good thing! I would rather be told the truth and know what I'm getting myself into than be told fairytales and be disappointed when I get done. So I'm just gonna numerically list all the info I can think of, hopefully it's not too all over the place.

1. He really couldn't tell me much about his predictions for my new body. Because it was over skype and he can't see my skin, feel how soft or hard my fat is (would determine how easy it is to harvest the fat), see my exact body measurements (to determine how small my waist can get or how big my butt would be). I decided after he told me this that I'm going to fly to Texas next month after I've lost (hopefully 10 more pounds) and get some more info.

2. I may need a tummy tuck. This was probably the most disappointing news I got on the call. I really didn't want to have another surgery and because I've been smaller recently (I gained 50 lbs in a year) I didn't think I would need one. But I guess this explains why my stomach was never fully flat, even when I had lost a lot of weight. He said my skin has stretched so much that there's nothing we can do to fix that if it's needed, it's need. I don't have any kids yet and I'm concerned about spending so much money on my body prebabies. I'm not close to having any any time soon but geesh that means I might have to have another after. This is just a lot to take in.

3. About 70-80% of the fat stays after the procedure. It will be there forever. But gaining or losing weight in the future could change things.

4. He cautioned me not to lose too much weight. He wants to be sure he would have enough fat to use to sculpt my butt and hips. I told him I'm 193.8 (lost 9 lbs since my consult on 1/24) and I would like to lose an additional 30 lbs. He didn't outright say it, but he was very clear that he needs to have enough fat to work with.

5. He stressed that everyone's results will be different. That many women come in with pictures of skinnier women or women with no stretch marks and expect him to be able to make them look the same. He said it's necessary to have realistic expectations for my body type. He cant make me look like any picture. But he can make me look good. That was disappointing too. I think I went into this hoping I would have these picture perfect results even though I already know that no two people will look the same. Only reason it was disappointing was because it was reality. Tough pill to swallow but it is what it is.

That's about all I can think of for now.

So I'm just about 2 months and 2 weeks from my surgery. My consult is scheduled for 4/12. I'm going to fly in for the day and fly out (talk about an expensive and short trip!). I've lost a total of 13 lbs since scheduling on 1/28/14. I'm now 189. Looking to be closer to 165-170 before surgery. I took my measurements today...

Bust: 36
Waist: 39
Hips: 42

I would like to be 34-29-42 when he is done! I don't want my hips to be so wide that it's very noticeable I had a procedure done. I'm still very excited at this point. Looking forward to seeing the new changes, getting past the recovery and moving into the fun part...enjoying my new body. I have been starting to feel small pangs of guilt for not going about this the natural way. Like it makes me less of a good person. Weird probably, but honest. I think people look down on others who have a procedure done because its seen as the "easy" way out. When actually I think it's a combination of it you have it to spend, why not? Besides, it takes a lot of dedication to lose weight or gain it for a surgery of this kind. Not to mention the recovery period and the fact that if we don't change eating habits and exercise regularly, it's all for nothing!

I've been dreading posting these...these are the pics I sent Dr. Cortes for my quote