30 Y/o Mom of 2. Fit, 5'4", 129lbs - BA & TT - Victoria, BC

Hi there! I appreciate the reviews, tips and stories that you all have shared. I have gleaned so much it only seems fair to share my experience and hopefully help others as well.

Here is my story: After my first child was born, I knew I was going to want a TT. My postpartum stomach looked SO much worse than anyone else I knew (or have yet to meet in real life). My youngest is now 4 years old and I have dedicated nearly every spare minute for the last 3.5 years to fitness (I wake up at 5:30am 3-5 days per week). I have learned to love it and feel really great... but I hate the limitations my diastasis gives me in the gym... and the fact that I work INCREDIBLY hard and still can't feel comfortable in a bathing suit. With saggy skin and deflated breasts not many women would. I have gone for 4 consults altogether (Dr. Arko Demianczuk - Vancouver, Dr. Eric Pugash - Vancouver, Dr. Kenneth Smith - Victoria & Dr. Jason H. Gray - Victoria).

I have decided to go with Dr. Jason H. Gray at Victoria Surgery. He was very kind and caring, made me feel like a person (not a body) and was very willing to hear my concerns and answer all my questions. Before I even got the quote, I was thinking I liked him the best up to that point (he was my 3rd consult). His quote turned out to be the most reasonable as well - so that is a huge bonus!) I have read reviews on him that suggest his assistant is terrible, but I have had no problems with her whatsoever. She has been very helpful. I am pencilled in for March 6th. Dr. Gray just needs to confirm with the director of the clinic at Victoria Surgery that they are willing to have my surgery there (I have a medical condition that may complicate matters somewhat). Once Dr. Gray confirms we have a green light, then we will pay up and I'm committed! I am both terrified and excited.

I know the recovery will be brutal... and I hate to take time off of my training (I'm planning to participate in a 50km mountain bike/kayak/trek adventure race at the end of September... and I hope I'll be up to training for it!) but at the same time... I know this is something I have wanted to do for 6 years. There is really no great time to be totally out of commission... and this stage in life is as good as it gets. My husband is taking 2 weeks off work to help with the kids and I am planning on cooking up a bunch of freezer meals to help him out a bit too. I know that taking care of two kids is a full time job... much less nursing an invalid back to health at the same time! He will also get help from the kids' grandparents... and one of my friends has already offered to babysit me AND the kids and make dinner a couple of times so my hubby gets a break. Eeek! It is really happening. I know I will be very nervous, and like so many others... am of course worried that something will go terribly awry and I will leave my children without a mom simply because of my own vanity. That part scares me a lot... but a lot of things in life are scary... so I am forging ahead! 2 weeks and 4 days until my surgery date! I have a lot to do to get ready!!!

Hi everyone, I need to decide on my implant size by this friday and I am still so undecided! I have always been small (34A) but post kids... well, they are not as pretty as they once were. I am planning on having implants (gel) put in at the same time as I do my tummy tuck... but I just can't decide what size??? I don't want to feel big, and I enjoy doing lots of physical activities. I am also concerned about the attention - I DO NOT want to draw attention to myself (or my chest). I just want to feel pretty and womanly ... The surgeons I have consulted with have suggested 300 - 350cc based on my measurements, structure etc... but I am thinking smaller... 275 or even 250. 350 would feel enormous to me and even 300 feels big... HELP how do I decide??? I know that everyone says go a bit bigger than you think... but I really don't want big boobs... just to have some would be nice.!!! (PS I live too far away from my surgeon's office to go try on the sizers again - so just have been using the rice in nylon under a sports bra...)

So I am waiting to hear if my surgery will be moving forward on the 23rd of March or not. Last week I found out that I don't get to have my surgery at a Private clinic. The anesthesiologist at Victoria Surgery turned my case down due to my brain condition. (My condition is rare and the health practitioners tend to treat me like I'm a little egg, lol - and I'm not sure they are wrong to think that!) My surgeon is still willing to have it done at the hospital, so that is the plan. I don't like the thought of being at a regular hospital for the surgery, but it WILL save me $1500 which most people don't have a choice about! They have reserved the OR for me on the 23rd, but await confirmation from the hospital's anesthesiologist before confirming everything and allowing me to book/finalize & pay. I am going down on the 13th to look at Dr. Gray's portfolio (his online one is extremely minimal) and try on sizers again. All this back and forth is proving to make me feel very nervous. I have spoken with Dr. Gray over the phone and felt better after speaking with him, but the process is frustrating and I don't like feeling up in the air. I am trying to move forward preparing for the surgery but at the same time don't want to get my hopes up too high. I will be upset if the surgery gets rebooked as then it might have to wait until late in the fall. *sigh* The thought has also occurred to me that the anesthesiologists could deny my request all together and say that elective surgery is not an option for me. That would make me very sad indeed!