1.5 Years Later and so Happy- 20 years old, 36I-36D

Has it seriously been a year and a half? Wow, time flies! I've done a whole lot of living, learning, and growing up in that time. I moved out of my parent's house and got a job. I'm a year away from graduation and looking into graduate school. Somehow I've totally left childhood and the teenage years behind. It's almost like my breast reduction was my gift into adulthood.
So, what everyone who is contemplating a reduction is wondering: how have I been?
AWESOME!!!!!!
This breast reduction was legitimately life changing. I know I might sound naive here because I'm pretty young, but I can't say anything else but life changing. Here's just a short list of things I've done with my new breasteses:
-I've run 4 5K's (10 minute miles, baby!)
-I've confidently lounged around the pool in some hella cute swimsuits (note the weird boob tan lines)
-I rocked tank tops all summer
-I'm able to easily shop for clothing now
-I can now wear long necklaces!
-I own 16 bras now
-I wore a sexy, boobalicious halloween costume and felt awesome about myself!
-I've danced more
-I've hugged more
-I've worried less
Honestly, I just can't even believe how much better I feel about myself. I look at the old pictures of my body, and it's shocking how different I look. I carry myself differently. I've never felt better about myself than I have in the last year and a half. My breast reduction gave me that.
I mean, I'm not gonna lie, I've had persistent side effects. My skin is numb from the nipples down, and I don't have any sensation in my left nipple at all. Sometimes I still get itchy on the inside of my breasts along where the scars are, which is very annoying. I also sometimes get pangs along my scars. But I would do it all over again, even if I knew going into that I would have these side effects.
I'm so happy that I got a breast reduction. I feel like this was how I was supposed to look all along, and it just took the surgery to make it real. I feel sexy and confident and overall just really really happy. It's difficult to put into words just how good I feel. It's like once upon a time there was this thing in my life that caused me such a headache, and then suddenly it was gone, and now I can barely remember ever dealing with it. I haven't had a single negative thought about my breasts since the reduction. I love them so much. I feel whole. I feel free.

9 days post op and I feel absolutely fabulous. I can lift my arms up almost all of the way today! Woohoo! Also, I am in minimal pain. Like, barely there, you'll miss it if you blink, kind of pain. It's pretty awesome.

I'm getting ready to go to the store and buy some mederma and polysporin, because my surgeon said I can start scar treatment. Hopefully it'll help the scar not be too obvious, but I'm not that concerned. Even if my scars are awful, this will have been worth it. Everything from this point on is just icing on the cake.

Thanks for reading!

It's been an exciting few days!

Since my last update, I've pretty much just chilled and watched all of MTV's (very excellent) Teen Wolf. Highly recommend. I think the rest has really made a difference.

Today I am one week post op and I feel fabulous! My energy levels are back to normal and my pain is only just there. I only really hurt in my armpit/side region where the incision ends. I've been pretty swollen there, but it's started to go way down. I'm still a little tender all over, but nothing too bad. I didn't even need to really take any kind of medicine today. It was great!

I also wore a tank top today as my whole shirt. No cardigan or sweatshirt to hide the giant boobs, no artfully draped scarf. Just a tank top! And I felt like a million bucks, let me tell you! I already have more confidence in my body, and it is wonderful. This is why I got the reduction, and it has been worth it. I love the way I look now. I am so so so sooo happy with the results!

I went back to my surgeon today and he removed the surgical tape and gave me the all clear. I can officially lift my arms as high as I want! Yay! I start scar treatment as soon as I get to the pharmacy for some mederma. Dr. Moore said everything is healing up really nicely. I'm just so pleased with everything.

I've also rejoined the world of the living. This past week I've been locked up in my hidey-hole with my laptop, but no more! I hung out with some old friends tonight for a good 4 hours, and I only thought about my boobs when I was talking about how happy I was about them.

Thanks for reading!