more waiting for me

After reading through others reviews and some of the discussions, and posting a little bit i figured it was time to really seriously participate. So, here's the beginning of my BR journal.

I've just turned 61, size 42G, 5'8" and overweight. My GYN had been recommending this procedure for me for several years now, but it seemed every time i started to act (talk the primary care doc,get the referrals, ) something would come up to prevent me from actually taking the step to talk to a PS (usually medical, either me or the hub).

Changed primary care doc about 2 yrs ago, and we started discussing BR -- i brought it up at my very first visit with him. Long story, hub had some major medical issues last year (doing very well now, thankfully) and at my annual visit with my doctor this May, just before the visit ended, my doctor sat down, grabbed my hand, and said, "you know, it's ok for you to do this now, X is going to be fine. you should do this for yourself".... I was speechless, then said something like , i know, i should... He recommended a PS. I went back to my notes from my GYN who had recommended someone else (said she had patients who were treated by both the PSs mentioned, and that her patients with the PS i selected were always happier with their results/size than the other guy....) Took me a week or so to figure out who's recommendation to go with, but once i did (the GYN's), i made the call for the appointment.

saw the PS in mid-June. He told me "on a scale of 1 to 10 of people who need this surgery, you're an 11" and then told me he would deal with insurance authorization, and that even if they deny on the first go-round, he "always wins" and it would be covered. The surgical coordinator told me 4-6 weeks to hear back: i called her at 5 weeks and woo hoo! fully covered! She had an August opening and then nothing till mid Sept, so i just took the first one... so i went from thinking about acting, to being scheduled for surgery in just under 2 months. yikes-- after 30 years of thinking about it and doing nothing! seems fast...

so now i'm having what seems to be the norm ... i'm scared one minute, anxious the next, happy about it in general but trying to get my head around what i'll look like, how i'll be different, how it will affect me/my relationships, my work... all the things this community of women have been writing about. i've become obsessed with finding out more, what do i need to do to prepare, what should i expect before/after/recovering; looking at before/after shots, very distracted at work... seems like boobs have just taken over my life ! I absolutely know that this is the right thing for me to do. Husband is behind me 100%. Struggling with how to handle work (i supervise a small group within a larger institution) while maintaining my privacy and not becoming the target of gossip and speculation.... who to tell (if anyone), what to tell (if anything)... how to explain an absence of 7-10 (or more days) if i don't tell anyone... how to deal with new boss.... and then i'lll read a post about 'bye bye boobies' or 'reduction instructions' and it just makes me laugh and calm down.

i'm glad to have found this site, and will look to you all for advice and support (and hopefully be of some use to others at the same time)

guess that's it for now, talk to you all soon!

hi everyone

Less than 2 weeks away and trying to get all my ducks in order, and control the nerves. just checked in with my PS office re a few details.- so , no drains anticipated, will go home same day in ace bandages and after he says so, into a zip up sports bra (any suggestions? i've never found a sports bra that I didn't have a hate/hate relationship with). His surg coordinate assures me most of his patients say they don't have much pain (hmmmm, take that with a grain of salt) and that i'll probably only need 1 week of no driving. the going back to work will "depend" (of course). Surgery 8/17, first follow up will be either tuesday 8/21 or thurs 8/23). But also found out today that to get more than 3 days off (and i have a ton of sick time) i have to go through some outside agency to be vetted for the time off , so tomorrow am i have to talk to the new boss. Since I'm intending to work from home at least part-days after the initial shocks to the system, i'm hoping she'll just let me do things off the grid. we'll see.

other preparations: we have a platform bed that's pretty high and realized i would have problems getting in/out of it,so have figured out separate sleeping arrangement (combination of craigslist purchased-bed frame+air mattress), washing and adding bleach to clean up the pillows/sheets/and all that; figuring out which of my hub's old shirts i can take over. Figured I'd hit the thrift stores this week for some button up tops that might service for work (almost everything i have is pull over). making my list, checking in twice....

guess that's if for now; will let you know how tomorrow with the boss goes.... hope everyone's hanging in !

so, got the call today, i need to be at the hospital by 6 am: really glad it's early but don't think I'll be thinking that at 4:30 when I have to get up. Into final preparations at home, getting the extra pillows set, moving things to the right height, got the playlist on the ipod for waiting time... i'm am shockingly un-anxious at the moment, which could mean i'm really don't believe this is happening, or that i've lulled myself into a false sense of security, or that i'll disintegrate into a total nut job in the am. have to do skin prep tonight, then try and sleep. will post tomorrow with an update.... thank you all for posting your experiences and pix: they've really helped me prepare myself for this adventure