Alicia is the best! She is the most knowledgeable injector I have ever met.This review was created as part of a nomination to the RealSelf I Love My Injector Campaign.
I have wanted some sort of Breast Enhancement since I was 16 years old, but I was never 100% sure about it. After 10 years of feeling this way (and countless conversations with girls who had one and love it) I've finally decided that it's time! When a close friend of mine went to Dr. Kerr at Synergy Plastic Surgery about 2 years ago I was so close to doing it then. But let's be honest, I was fresh out of Grad School and could not afford that expense. After getting my finances in order (and talking to her about how happy she still is with her chest) I knew that I wanted to do my first consultation at Synergy Plastic Surgery because they have awesome reviews online and from someone I actually know. I've researched quite a bit so I think that I'd like to get Gummy Bear Silicone Implants Under the muscle with an Inframammary Incision. I've worn Victoria's Secret Bombshell bras for what seems like forever and I'd really like to be that size without a bra, so I'm thinking about 400cc's in each breast. They say that every body is different and you don't know until you really go in and try on different sizes, so I'm totally excited for my first ever consultation appointment at the Round Rock office tomorrow! If all goes well I hope to schedule my surgery after an important work trip, so about August 3rd if they have an opening. Right now I wear a 32D bra but it doesn't seem like it in clothes. There's very little cleavage and I just feel much flatter at the top. I wonder what size I'll end up being... I'm so excited!!! I can't believe this is finally happening! Updated on 12 Jul 2017: So I had my consultation this morning and absolutely loved the Patient Coordatinor, Vlasta, at the Synergy Plastic Surgery office in Round Rock! My boyfriend came with me and both of them supported me as I tried on different sizes in the office. I've decided to go with 450-485cc Gummy Bear Implants!! I would have never guessed I needed that big of an implant to achieve the look I'm going for! I love the look of 450cc but was told that I would need to go up a size in order to really achieve that look after surgery. I set my Pre-Op appointment for this Friday so that I could meet Dr. Kerr and really get ready for surgery. My surgery date is August 8th at 7am!!! Updated on 17 Jul 2017: I'm so excited! I had my second consultation (which also counted as my Pre-Op appointment) on Friday July 14th. This time, I met with Ally (I believe) to go over my forms and medical history. She was super sweet and acknowledged that since I'm very healthy this surgery should be a breeze! She asked if I'd like to try on my sizers one more time after meeting Dr. Kerr and of course I wanted to. Then, she left the room and I put on my robe so that I'd be prepared when Dr. Kerr arrived. Dr. Kerr is everything that I have read about... he's nice, informative, knowledgable and funny! My boyfriend was in the room with me while Dr. Kerr took my measurements so that the nurse could jot them down and tell me that I have great natural breast tissue to support the implants. When I told him that we originally were going between 450-485cc he assured me that 485cc was the way to go! He said he would not want me to regret my decision and since it is such a minuscule difference between the sizes I would probably be happier with 485cc. Dr. Kerr also said that I would be going up a few bra sizes but may be able to still fit in my clothing, it will just look way better after surgery haha! He left the room, I got dressed, then my boyfriend and I headed to the lobby to pay my remaining balance. My surgery is set for Tuesday August 8th at 7am! I will be getting 485cc High Profile Round Silicone implants under the muscle with an incision in the breast fold. I've already filled my prescriptions and cannot wait to have this done! For those wondering, I was prescribed a nausea patch, nausea pills, muscle relaxer pills, pain pills, and antibiotic pills. I personally want to take as few pain pills as possible since I typically don't take prescriptions at all. Updated on 17 Jul 2017: Just added photos from the second consultation where I tried on the 485cc sizers for the last time. They will sit higher on my body and be rounder since this is bra was too big for me. Updated on 8 Aug 2017: I can't beleive it's here! I'm so excited! I showered last night and did all of the laundry and washed our sheets, then showered again this morning. My mom and boyfriend are taking me to the surgery center, which is amazing. They are both so loving and supportive. My last meal (about 10pm) was bbq brisket and hatch chile mac n chz haha! I haven't missed food but I'm so used to drinking a ton of water that my skin already feels super dry. I put the nausea patch behind my ear last night too. I'm set to receive 485cc in each breast at 7:30am. We'll see what fits and the final outcome :) Updated on 8 Aug 2017: We arrived at the surgert center and mer Nurse Ally. She gave me an anti-nausea pill and started my IV while my boyfriend and Mom were in the room. Oh, forgot to mention they gave me a pregnancy test and the result were negative (yay). After a few minutes, Ally and I walked into the OR, I laid down, she put an oxygen mask on me and before I could wonder I was completely out! I woke up in a different room with my close back on lol and looking at my smiling Mom and my boyfriend. They said I was going on and on about how I had the nest nap ever, then grilled them about going to Chick-fil-A while I was in surgery haha! So far I've only taken my antibiotic, muscle relaxer, Oxycodone (split in half because I don't want take it and become constipated. I bought and OTC med for that and the nurse approved of me taking it as soon ad today if want. This team is so friendly and professional. I won't see my results for a while but I'm so excited! Updated on 8 Aug 2017: I forgot to mention that I received 450cc High Profile silicone under the muscle :) We originally stated 485 but I'm happy that Dr. Kerr made a professional decision on my behalf. Updated on 9 Aug 2017: My surgery was yesterday! Everything went well and I ended up with 450cc in each breast. I took 1 oxycodone yesterday which I split in half and took about 4 hours apart. Today I've only taken the antibiotic, muscle relaxer, tylenol and a stool softener. I went to my post-op appoint today to get my bandages taken off and wear my first XL sports bra! Updated on 15 Aug 2017: I had my 1 Week Post Op appointment yesterday! The doctor took off the clear dressing that was covering each incision and cleaned them with Bacitracin. I'm supposed to do that twice a day now and leave them uncovered. He also massaged each implant pretty roughly, which means I'm not doing them hard enough at home because his technique hurt waayy more! The nurse answered a few of my questions then they said they'd like to see me back in the office next Monday for my 2 Week Post Op Appointment. I have to admit that I had the boobie blues for a few days because I thought they were way too large for my frame, but as they settle I'm starting to like them more. I can't wait to get back in the gym and work in my legs and glutes to try to make my bottom full and proportional to my top :) I can drink coffee and alcohol, drive on my own, and sleep flat. I'm still restricted from working out and going outside in this Texas heat because they don't want me to sweat into my incisions. Getting better every day! Updated on 22 Aug 2017: Yesterday I went to the office to have my 2 week follow-up appointment. I absolutely love the size of my boobs but I noticed that the my left incision wasn't healing as fast as my right. In fact, it looked a little weird like some of the flesh was peeking through! Luckily Dr. Kerr easily diagnosed that I needed to have it re-stitched because it will not heal properly on it's own. I couldn't help but feel guilty, like may I overexerted myself or didn't follow his instructions but he insisted that this just happens sometimes and it is an easy fix. He asked if I was free to come back in about an hour to do the stitches and of course I wanted to take care of them! That was just enough time for my boyfriend and I to have a delicious lunch at Hopdoddy then head back to the office. Dr. Kerr numbed the area around my left incision with a Lidocaine shot, then cut open all of my existing sutures. I didn't feel any pain but I did feel small tugging at my skin which was a little weird. He did the internal sutures then added external stitches which I will have to get removed within a week or two. Also, he noticed small bumps around my incision which was a sign that I was allergic to the Bacitracin cream I'd been putting on to keep it clean. He's amazing! I never would have known. Dr. Kerr prescribed me a different cream and 10 days of antibiotics (no more happy hours) but I'm really glad he fixed everything so quickly. I have a follow-up at the sister location in South Austin next week, but until then I'm going to rest and stay in the air-conditioning to make sure this time it heals perfectly :) Updated on 14 Sep 2017: It's actually been 37 days since my surgery and life is good! My boobs are finally starting to feel squishy and more like they're a part of my body. I still sleep on my back just because it feels a little weird to sleep on my side like I used to. I also wear a bra 24/7 because I don't want to get stretch marks or have them sag more than they should. I've received nothing but positivity from people who saw me before and some didn't even notice I had anything done when I wear certain outfits. My right incision has healed well and my left is slowly catching up. My left is 10 days behind since we had to re-open the incision, but I got the stitches out last week and ever since then it has been healing nicely. I still massage my chest every day and I've noticed my right is dropping fast than my left, but only by a little bit. I was cleared to do lower body workouts so I've done basic squats and lunges but I haven't added any weight yet. I've also been making sure to wear sun screen on my chest since the skin is still a little tight. I added photos and so far I love them! Updated on 9 Nov 2017: Loving my body more than ever!
I am a 35 year old mother of 3. I have a 16 year old, 5 year old, and a 3 year old. I had my oldest when I was only 18 years old, so I have been thinking about having a Mommy Makeover for a long time. :) A little more about my background... I actually wanted to do this 2 years ago, but I was very sick after the birth of my last child. I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis (an incurable autoimmune/inflammatory disease that attacks your colon) right after my 22nd birthday and have been sick off and on for over 10 years, but it all really spiraled out of control after I had my last child. After starting a chemo drug to help my disease, I ended up getting even sicker and was hospitalized for two weeks in 08/2014. After that, I was back on high doses of Prednisone, which gave me steroid induced diabetes and osteopenia. I gained almost 35 pounds over the next 6 months and felt awful about myself. I finally went into remission thanks to Humira in 06/2015. I worked hard after that and was able to lose all the weight that I had gained. But after 3 babies, I was still unhappy with my stomach. I had loose skin and stretch marks that could not be fixed with diet and exercise. My husband was deployed for the last 10 months, so I worked hard to save money while he was gone. And when he returned this fall I was finally ready to take the plunge and have a mommy makeover. Obviously, in the back of my mind I had concerns about having such a big surgery and if it will take me out of remission with my disease or if taking the Humira on a weekly basis will affect my recovery, but I went ahead with it and pray every day that it was not a mistake. I am already 2 weeks post op at this point. I have been reading other peoples stories for the last 6 months and I feel like I should share mine as well in hopes that it might help someone else. I meant to start this before my surgery, but time got away from me. Better late than never I guess. :) My wish list for my surgery was a tummy tuck, liposuction on my arms (I have ALWAYS hated my arms so much) and inner thighs (no matter how much exercise I do they never seem to get any smaller), and a fat transfer to my breasts to restore some lost volume. I went to 3 consultations. The first was at Westlake Dermatology and Plastic Surgery. The lady I met with was very informative, but I left disappointed. They don't let you meet with the actual surgeon at the consult. I would meet him at the pre-operative visit. Um, no, that did not sit well with me. My second consultation was with Dr. Dustin Reed. He was very personable and I actually liked him a lot. However, he refuses to do any fat transfer to breasts. He felt like there is not enough research on it and that there could be cancer issues in the future. He also wanted me to stop Humira for 4 weeks around my surgery time. Although, perhaps in hindsight this might have been a good idea for my healing from the surgery, this idea really concerned me with the prospect of falling out of remission with my disease. It took SO long to get into remission and my first goal is to make sure that I stay in remission! For my 3rd consultation, I visited with Dr. Kerr at Synergy Plastic Surgery. He was very thorough and explained everything about all of the procedures that I wanted. He answered all of our questions and put my mind at ease about the safety of having a fat transfer to the breasts and about staying on Humira during my surgery/recovery. Of all of my consultations, Dr. Kerr spent the most time talking with us and we felt extremely comfortable with him. So, it ended up being a pretty easy decision. A few days after that consultation, I called and scheduled my surgery for 11/17/16 with Dr. Kerr. I will update this later with my actual surgery experience and how my recovery is going. Updated on 5 Dec 2016: My surgery was on 11/17/16. I had a full tummy tuck with muscle repair, liposuction to my inner thighs, knees, and arms and a fat transfer to my breasts. Dr. Kerr also did some lipo on my waist area as part of the tummy tuck. The night before I was super nervous and did not sleep at all. Everything went smoothly at the surgery center. I arrived and changed into my gown and took a pregnancy test. I had been super stressed leading up to the surgery, so I was already 2 weeks late at that time. I knew I wasn't pregnant, so no worries there, but I was a little freaked out that it would arrive right before the surgery. Luckily that did not happen. :) Then the nurse got me ready and put in my IV. Dr. Kerr came in and marked me up and before I knew it I was in the operating room and ready to go. I do not remember anything after that point. I barely even remember leaving the surgery center. I was told by all 3 of the surgeons that I consulted with that I might need a vertical scar as well if there was not going to be enough skin to pull all the way down to hide my old belly button. That is the only thing that I actually remember from when I woke up in the surgery center was when they told me he was able to keep me from having that vertical scar. I was so happy about that. I actually felt alright the first day and I was not terribly uncomfortable. The next day, I had my first post operative visit and got to see everything for the first time. I did have more pain in the following days, but the majority of the pain came from the muscle repair. I could feel it every time I moved. I also experienced a lot of low back pain from being hunched over from the tummy tuck. I am not sure if that is a normal experience as I have had low back issues in the past, so that might have played a role there. I didn't really feel a lot of pain around my tummy tuck incision or from where the fat was transferred to my breasts. I hardly felt any pain in my liposuction areas either. Dr. Kerr did say that I need to massage the areas several times a day and that is pretty much the only time those areas cause me any pain. I was able to take a shower for the first time at 2 days post op and had to have my husband help me. It's amazing how just a few minutes of standing in the shower after a surgery like that can wear you out. My back would just kill me if I stood up for more than just a short time. The most annoying part after surgery was the two drains that I had; one sticking out from each hip. I was happy to get one of them removed at 6 days post op, but he did not feel comfortable removing the other one yet. Unfortunately for me, that meant I had to wait over the entire Thanksgiving holiday weekend to get that second drain removed. I think that was my lowest point. I felt pretty down about not being able to go to my in laws for Thanksgiving or to church on Sunday. We didn't tell anyone about the surgery except my mom, a close friend of mine and my super understanding boss and I felt like I could hide it pretty good if it had not been for the drain. I am sure it was for the best that it stayed in longer, but I told my husband several times that I regretted all of it and I was pretty emotional. I was happy to get my other drain removed the Monday after Thanksgiving. After that point, I unfortunately started to have some other complications. I will address those in another post so that I don't make this one too long and get off topic. :) I think the 2 week mark is where I really started to feel better with regards to my back and the muscle repair. I was standing up straighter at one week, but I don't really think I was able to stand up without being slightly hunched over until closer to that 2 week point. I did stop the pain meds at one week and even before that I really only took them at night as that is when I was the most uncomfortable. Prior to my surgery I read many reviews and made a huge list of all the supplies that I needed. Some I found to be very helpful. Others I ended up not really needing and just returned them after the surgery. The must haves that I would recommend are Bromelain and Arnica Montana (30c sublingual tablets). I started these a few days before surgery and then took them after as well. They help with bruising and inflammation. I really think that they worked and I am not normally someone that buys into herbal remedies. I ended up not having a lot of bruising at all and most of what I had was gone before the 2 week mark, so I was very pleased with that. The other item I really found to be worth it was renting a medical lift recliner. This isn't necessary for everyone, but we didn't have any recliner in our house AND we have a lovely canopy bed in our room, but it is really high off the ground. Being that I am not even quite 5ft 2in tall, I normally have to jump up a little to get into bed, so I knew this would not work for right after surgery. I called around and rented one for a month for $180. I really only needed it for about 2 weeks though as I moved back to my bed at the end of last week. The best thing that I found for massaging my lipo areas other than using my hands is a large paint roller with a handle. They recommended a silcone rolling pin, but I found that awkward to use and much prefer alternating between using my hands and the paint roller. Finally, one thing that I saw others recommend, but I ignored and really wish that I had not was taking a stool softener. I didn't think I needed it and didn't realize the impact that the pain meds could have. Let's just say that I was hurting really bad about 5 days post op. I really wish that my Dr. had put this on the post operative list as maybe I would have taken it more seriously. But trust me, if you are going to be taking the pain meds then you do need it! Finally, I guess I will post some of my before pictures. I had not looked at them again until last night and it made me sad to look at them. Although it also made me hopeful as I already think I look a lot better. One regret I have is not taking any post operative pictures. I wish I had taken some right after surgery and then maybe a week or two after that so that I could really see my progress. Oh well, I took some today and I will post those along with my before pics. Updated on 5 Dec 2016: Opps! Not sure why the pictures did not post with my last post, but here they are! Updated on 6 Dec 2016: So at a follow up visit last Monday, my Dr. noticed a part of my incision was opening up slightly. He prescribed me Mupirocin cream to put on it, which I have been doing ever since. Unfortunately, 2 days later, I noticed another area on my incision that opened up and the skin around it looked really red. Coincidentally, this was also my first day back at work. The area hurt so bad that it made it uncomfortable to walk. Luckily, I have a office job and don't have to move around a lot and I only work 4 hours a day so that I can be home with my kids in the afternoon. I called the office on Thursday morning and emailed the nurse some photos of the area. They called in a prescription for antibiotics and got me in to see Dr. Kerr the next day, which was this past Friday. This is my second dose of antibiotics in 2 weeks, so I am not super happy about that. I try to stay away from them unless I need them as they are hard on the GI tract. I have been taking probiotics to try to keep everything healthy in my gut. At my visit last Friday, Dr. Kerr did debridement on the area. It hurt, but was not unbearable. I was told to pack the area with gauze (lightly moistened with saline) three times a day. I didn't really look at the area when I was in the office, so I was pretty horrified when I saw it after changing the gauze for the first time. The actual hole isn't huge, but I can see inside the hole and it seems like there was so much tissue removed. It totally freaked me out and I felt nauseated every time I pulled the gauze out of my body and then re-stuffed new gauze back in. It still makes me feel a little sick when I look at it, but I am tolerating it better now. I think it is starting to heal. He said it would start to bleed more which means it is starting to heal and I noticed last night that it is bleeding a lot more now, so hopefully this is a turning point and it will only continue to improve. I am not sure why this happened. After I got my last drain out, I felt like I had a new lease on life so maybe I over did it. Or maybe it is just my immune system issues. Or maybe it would have happened regardless. I am not really sure how common this complication is. My biggest concern is how long it is going to take this to heal and if it will affect my scar. I have a follow up appointment this coming Thursday. I've included some photos, but be warned, they are not pretty! Updated on 1 Jan 2017: I am now 6 weeks post surgery! I had a follow up with Dr. Kerr this week. I was so happy that he said that I can finally stop wearing my binder as well as the compression garments for the lipo areas. Friday was my first day of freedom and I noticed a big increase in the swelling around my tummy tuck area without wearing the binder. I bought a compression tank top to try to keep the swelling down. I am not totally happy with it, so I ordered some other items that will hopefully help. Dr. Kerr thinks that the area that opened up on my incision will completely close up in the next 10-14 days, so I am super happy about that. I am still worried about how it is going to affect the appearance of my scar though. I am still packing it 3 times a day until it closes up. You can see from the picture that the hole looks so much smaller than it did before. There were a few things that I was disappointed about at my appointment this week. First, I thought 6 weeks was when I could work out again. I am allowed to do light cardio now, but no weights or ab work until I hit 10 weeks. Second, he wants me to wait to start any scar treatment until I see him again at the beginning of February. I get it because I still have that hole that is closing up and I also have a few other areas where the incision cracked open a little bit that are almost healed, but probably need a little more time. I am really anxious to get started on the scar treatment as I feel like my incision is really red, but I will have to be patient I guess. I did however order some silicone strips to start treating my belly button area and the small incision that I have between my breasts from the fat transfer.
Mom of 3 boys did not breastfeed because my milk just never came in right.......... I am obsessed with this site been looking at all the reviews all the pictures (but only the worth it ones do not not want to scare myself out of it ;)) I wanted to post my journey getting my breast done I am so excited been wanting to get it done for the past 4 yrs but every time I was about to set a date and do it we ended up needing the money for something else. SO finally we have the money again and I have my consult on the 10th of Feb with Dr. Kerr at synergy plastic surgery I have done ALLOT! of research on doctors here in round rock TX. My breast volume over the years seems to decrease I was a c I think pretty sure I am a b cup but most b cups are to small and and I don't fill out a c . Never filled out bras after having my 3rd boy been wearing sports bras all the time now because having a hollowed out bra cup was just so uncomfortable for me just didn't feel right. My husband is very supportive about all this I think he is just as excited as me but I am sure he is sick of me showing him boob pictures everyday lol I know I do not have much on here now will update again after my appointment going to show some before pics thanks for reading :) Updated on 9 Feb 2015: Have My consult tomorrow can't wait to see how many cc's I will be getting I want a d or dd depending how it looks don't want to go to huge. Hope I remember all I want to ask him my husband had decided to go with me and that is really cool I am so happy he is being so supportive of this. My stats weight 135....... height 5'4......... boobs 36 c/b. I am pretty sure they shrank to a b :-/ lol I will update more tomorrow after I find out everything I SO EXCITED!!! Updated on 11 Feb 2015: first of doctor Kerr is amazing he is so nice and makes you feel comfortable I can see why he has 5 stars everywhere you look up his name he pretty much answered all my questions before I even asked them the whole staff is so nice and friendly...... He said I am a solid b cup use to be a c but with working out and lost some boob didn't really lose it anywhere else lol I am going with saline implants 475ccs in right 500ccs in left going a bit bigger because they say you lose some volume going under the muscle going under the Breast fold...... wanted to walk out with the sizers in my bra they looked so good to me gave the the curves I have wanted for so long. He also said because I have good breast tissue that I should get a good natural look that's what I want also want them the same size as symmetrical as possible I am not nervous at all I am so excited I have my date set for March 16 2015 during the kids spring brake so it will be Easier on the hubs he will have to be the one to take care of them and me not having to get them to and from school will be easier. Only thing I am worried about right now is maybe going to big I know on here they always say you don't want to regret not going bigger. I forgot about taking pictures with the sizers :( but maybe when I go for my pre op I can play with them again and take pics :) Updated on 12 Feb 2015: Few more pics and putting up my wish boobs Updated on 5 Mar 2015: Excited my pre op is today going to finalize my size I'm sticking with the size 475 cc in right breast 500 cc in left I don't want any bigger I don't think bigger will look right on me and I don't think I will regret the size and want bigger. Also getting my prescriptions today paying off the rest of my surgery :) omg I am so excited!!! I'm going to try and take pics with the sizers today so I can post forgot all about doing that last time if anythjng changer I will update again later surgery in about a week the 16th!!!! Updated on 5 Mar 2015: Can't wait!!!! Updated on 7 Mar 2015: Got my front close bras, stretch mark cream, scar cream prescriptions only the pain killers my other prescriptions were suppose to be called it but I guess they forgot or something have call them on Monday. Is there anything else I need anything else that will make my healing processes easier Updated on 11 Mar 2015: The bras I will wearing after surgery can't wait to fill these out more :) surgery is on Monday Updated on 15 Mar 2015: Tomorrow is my surgery I will probely be to drugged up to post anything tomorrow I will try to post picture. I have to be there by 9am My time got moved up and I am so glad I didn't know how I was going to go all day without water food is bad enough but no water all ugh .......hope my outcome is as good as I'm hopeing it will be Updated on 17 Mar 2015: Woke up in pain not unbearable but It hurt after takeing pain meds and icing feels allot better now. They are so swollen though. I feel so groggy because of the meds but man do they work My husband is being such a huge help. He loves them already lol. I have a follow up appointment today he will take off the bandage and put a soft bra on I will take pictures then took to show swelling Updated on 17 Mar 2015: I could not fit In the the bras a brought so had to run and get bigger ones after swelling goes down they should fit :-/ I can get around just fine really dizzy from the meds I almost walked to a wall at target my husband thought that was really funny lol I got high profile mentor saline implants 505cc in left 495 or 485 in right can't really tell he told me after surgery but I was so out of it I have the card and on card not sure what is says looks like a 9 though post some more pics any questions just ask :) Updated on 18 Mar 2015: Wake up today and there is pain but not like there was the day after surgery kinda hurts to take a deep breath took my meds waiting for them to kick in boobs don't look any differnt so no point posting any :) going to ice them Updated on 18 Mar 2015: And if it dose not hurt bad going to try and massage them today Updated on 18 Mar 2015: I was given the ok to take a shower I feel a little better I was massaging my boobs or trying to, they are so tight and so hard and swollen still and I didn't want to get to rough didn't want to pop a stitch or anything. I really thought it was going to hurt to massage them It didn't I did it very easy because it's only my 2nd day post op don't want to mess anything up can't wait for them to drop Updated on 19 Mar 2015: I stopped takeing the pain pills they just knock me out was constantly dozing off the pain today is not bad at all just took extra strength Tylenol. Can't wait for them to drop they feel so high up on my chest like I have two balloons stuffed under my shirt lol AND man I'm I bloated i look like am pregnant I weigh 135 stepped on the scale today it said 141 :-/ hope it all goes back down. Something wierd was wondering if anyone else had the numbness? under my boob even my nipple I can barely feel it Updated on 20 Mar 2015: I have not had to take any pain meds today not even Tylenol they are still very high and tight. Can't wait for them to drop and fluff up just feel so wierd walking around feeling like I have balloons shoved under my shirt. I am very bloated can't wait for that to go down I am so bloated thank god for yoga pants probably won't fit in my jeans lol Updated on 24 Mar 2015: Not to much pain still a little bruised feeling but not to bad they don't really look differnt but they are getting softer everyday. Dose not feel like Barbie boobs lol I am doing my massage everyday 3 times a day sometime more because they get so tight sometimes massage really helps that and when it's cold it feels so wired like someone has a handful of my boob and is just squeezing it but they are starting to feel like it's apart of me dose not really feel like I have ballons stuffed under my skin can't wait for them to drop Updated on 1 Apr 2015: Went to my two week post op vist everything is looking good pain wise there isn't any really I get wierd pains here and there nothing to bad under side on my boobs are still kinda numb only time it hurts Is if my bra rolls up and rubs my incision but it just started to feel that way there was like a wierd tingle when ever touch them again not painful Just a funny feeling there are softening up my right one is ahead of my left on my right as dropped a little left one not really at all and its tighter then my right I guessing because the implant is bigger is my left. I tried to get the doc to let me start lower body workouts but he is being firm and said not for 4 weeks no matter what. I hate not working out I just need it I my life lol. But I need to massage massage massage I am going to upload some more pics not much of a difference I want to to drop and soften more not many women say this but I think they are a little to big I think I had to much boob greed Updated on 10 Apr 2015: Well my right boob is dropping and softening up still a little high my left boob is real high still looks swollen compared to my left still have numbness under my boobs feeling is slowly coming back I get some pain here and there. Sometime at the end of the day they just feel so tight.....Wish they would both just drop can't help but worry that my left one is so high getting scared that the implant my doc put in is to big I do not want lopsided boobs I'm reading and reading reviews says it's normal but can't help but worry my nipples even look off to me. Massageing like I'm suppose too just a waiting game I guess took some pictures posting now :) Updated on 23 Apr 2015: I was a month post op on the 16th I was in Oklahoma to see my new nephew :) so I could not update at that time........so still have some numbness under my boobs the only pain I really have is if I sneeze burns behind my nipples I still feel like they are really high looks wired to me. They are high profile but I don't think they will stay this high or I hope not I have been looking at before and after high profile pictures and non look this high I am massaging like I'm suppose too. one has dropped some. pretty sure the left one has dropped a bit as well. just not enough I want them to drop and settle already lol took some pictures I don't want to give the impression I don't like my new boobs just that I am concerned about some things with the healing process and I'm being impatient!!!!!! Lol my husband LOVES them everyone else is telling me how good they look even my mom and she thinks plastic surgery is the dumbest thing ever I am using meter a scare cream supose to do it 3 times a day but forget in the middle of the day allot but always get morning and night time Updated on 24 Apr 2015: I worked out today my ps said wait a month no matter how much I begged him so I did what he said I did not want to do any damage to my new boobs some moves felt wierd I didn't even try push ups yet since all i read is most women can not do them for a awhile after surgery felt good though but wired workout with boobs I also didn't do allot of jumping type of excerize because I tried Jumping with my son few days ago it kinda hurt so will be waiting in those :) Updated on 30 Apr 2015: Not liking how high my breast are compared them from the day after surgery you can see they have not dropped much at all I was told not to wear a strap wear a soft bra and massage I do all these things Updated on 2 May 2015: Anyone else haveing a hell of a time trying to find a swimsuit top that fits the new boobs Updated on 19 May 2015: My boobs have dropped they are so soft and squishy and bouncy I love them they are perfect for my body I hope you can see in the picture the lighting was just all off in the bathroom but I can see they dropped I love them I have my two month post op comming up in a few days but I am pretty sure my ps will be happy with his work I can sleep on my side again missed that so much :) my husband loves them like a kid in a candy store everytime he looks at them lol Updated on 19 May 2015: Trying to show they dropped not sure I'm doing a good job at that lol Updated on 20 May 2015: Here are a few more I can't tell you how happy I am with my new boobs they have dropped a little high compared to some pics I see but they are high profile one thing I fogot to say is the under side of my boobs are still numb, some feeling came back but not all and some of the felling in my nipples is gone to I do have feeling in them but not nearly as sensitive as they use to be I am really hopeing it's all comes back but if not I am ok with it i knew it was a risk getting my Breast done any questions ask away :) Updated on 27 May 2015: Went to my two month post op Dr Kerr was very excited to see how well my Breast looked he asked me to do a review because he liked how well they turned on for only two month post op I was a little worried about them dropping for a while there but as you can see they dropped and look great I am so happy with my Breast I would recommend Kerr to anyone in tx or if they live somewhere else fly in have him do it he is really the best and he told me they are going to get even better as they fully heal :) Another note went and got a bra fitting done I am 36 DD that is exactly what I wanted a D or DD glad it went to a DD but now it's hard to find a DD bra that's not a granny bra victora secert had one but I did not like they way it fit most real pretty bras they had didn't have a DD went to a few other stores but but yuck did not like them at all have to keep shopping :) Updated on 12 Jun 2015: I am so loving my new boobs Updated on 25 Jun 2015: I think the numbness is healing because I am getting wierd pains under my boobs not painful just feels wired Updated on 2 Jul 2015: I swear these get better and better not sure why the lighting is so wierd in this pic lol Updated on 27 Sep 2015: I am so happy I did this I wish I did it allot sooner. Only downfall I would say don't have as much feeling in my nipples as I use to and the outer underside of my boobs still a little numb. Dr. Kerr said it could take up to a yr for all feeling to come back but if it doesn't it's a small price to pay for how amazing they look and feel so happy with Dr. Kerr's work if I ever want anything else don't with be going to him I recommend him to anyone!!!
Well I've been busy as usual but I noticed that most of the women on here that get the BBl have lots of blood or fluid or drains. I had none of that no drains I had no bleeding an I was up walking outside on day three with my toddler. I don't know what technique Dr Kerr uses but I thank God I went to him my recovery was a breeze the hardest part was lying on my tummy for two weeks I'm already back at work after 11 days. Now my lipo sites are still a little sensitive but I get weekly massages which help. I'll add more pics tomorrow but I just thought what a drastic difference my recovery has been compare to others. Thanx Dr Kerr I was terrified about this surgery reading other reviews but my recovery was nothing like these other women like I said no bloody garments no leaking fluids. One of that stuff so yea :) well next I'll be getting new boobies from Dr Hand in August woohoo an then my body will be done!!! Happy healing
So I was hesitant about keeping up with my story but after relying upon so many on this site and everyone's experiences and reviews, I am hopeful I can help someone else too. I have been a size 32A since middle school. It was like once my body "blossomed" my boobs never did. I have always avoided wearing cute v-line or scoop neck shirts or dresses because of my chest. My younger sister is a 36DD so it has always been very hard for me to accept how I was kinda skipped in the boob handout. While breastfeeding I got up to a C and liked it, but you can only enjoy boobs so much when they are leaking and become painful. So here I am with the support of my husband and a couple other family members ready for boobs! After spending a few months researching doctors and attending three consultations I have chosen Dr. Kerr at Synergy Plastic Surgery in Round Rock. He seemed very genuine and honest. I didn't get the salesman vibe that I had with another surgeon. He seemed very knowledgeable and put my concerns to rest. His assistant Vlasta is also very energetic and fun. She is very helpful but also doesn't badger you every week to schedule your surgery. (After the consultation it took me a few months to let it sink in and decide to just do it). So I am now scheduled for 9/28 with pre-op on 9/11. I am still undetermined about size still. I thought I wanted 425 cc but after doing more research I am worried that may be bigger than I am wanting. I am hopeful to narrow it down and become very comfortable with the size I choose at pre op. I will try to get the nerves to post some before pics soon and maybe some with sizers as well ???? Updated on 3 Oct 2017: So my surgery was Thursday 9/28. When my husband and I arrived that morning things went so fast. I was very anxious and nervous but all the staff, including Dr. Kerr, answered all dumb questions and calmed me down. Surgery was very quick! When I woke up I wasn’t in a lot of pain, I just felt very woozy and a lot of tightness. The nausea patch they have you put behind your ear the night before helped and I wasn’t nauseous at all. I slept a lot throughout the day and had some shortness of breath. When I tried to take a deep breath it was painful as it was just so tight. The next morning at preop the nurse removed my bandage and directed me to keep a soft bra on even when sleeping for a month. she showed me the massaging techniques and said to start them at 4 days post op. They are still very high and very tight, but with massaging they are getting looser and starting to relax a bit. I am excited to get the final results after they drop and fluff. Updated on 3 Oct 2017: This was pre surgery Updated on 18 Nov 2017: Sorry I haven’t kept up with this lately. I? am 7 week’s post op now and feeling good. I? am wearing a 34C which is what I? was hoping for so I’m pretty happy. I? haven’t really spent a lot of time searching for or buying bras though because my ps recommended I? not. He thinks they still have some changing to do the more they settle. My only concern right now is the gap between them. I? know I will always have this issue because I? have somewhat of a “pigeon chest” which will push them out, but my ps says the more they settle they should come in a little more. I? don’t have my hopes set too high for major cleavage though and that’s ok. Obvisouly, lefty has some dropping to still do but again, I? am happy with them and seeing and feeling improvement every day. Updated on 18 Nov 2017: Updated on 18 Nov 2017:
I'm went in for a consultation with synergy plastic surgery based on all the reviews and was fitted with a 500cc silicone. I'm not sure if that's large enough given the pictures on my wish list. But at the same time the pics I've seen of people on here with 500cc seem big! But again...idk if I have enough breast tissue to cover that much??? My preop is on Monday so I'm definitely going to be asking about larger sizes! I don't want any regrets, any ideas? Updated on 11 Jul 2017: I had my pre-op and we're going with high profile 520/500 on one side and 485 on the other most likely. It'll depend on the symmetry during surgery! I can't wait???? - High profile because I have a narrow breast diameter and we don't want side boob. I do hope I get a little bit of side boob though. BUT! I'd rather have nice cleavage and a full upper pole I think. I'm hoping for full D's starting from a barely there 34A/34AA so we shall see. Just super excited!! Surgery is in 7 days. Dr Kerr said it'll probably take a couple of months for the implants to drop and they'll be really high and tight for a while. Updated on 18 Jul 2017: So I'm several hrs post surgery!! Yaay!! I can move around but there's definitely pain (4/10) even while I'm on oxy. I haven't lost my appetite and I'm taking anti nausea meds which helps a lot! The girls are bigger than I expected which is awesome but I wouldn't mind if they shrunk once the swelling goes away. Dr Kerr says because of my smaller frame up top it'll take between 6-12 months for them to be in their true final form. Process was super simple and straight forward. I woke up wanting water and was able to leave almost as soon as I woke up:) Being up and about it's defiantly making me drowsy so I'll update tomorrow again after I get these bandages off?? Updated on 19 Jul 2017: The pain isn't bad. just tightness and I'm over my nausea, just super sleepy because of the meds. Dr Kerr went ahead and put 520cc full profile because they were even enough. I have a pretty bad case of frankenboob???? I'm hoping it goes away sooner rather than later Updated on 20 Jul 2017: Second day isn't too bad. Kept up with all my meds but no pain just really drowsy. I didn't think I'd be the person who wanted to go bigger...but I feel like I could've gone even more. I'm able to move and do small chores???? I can't wait till they start d&f Updated on 21 Jul 2017: I feel like I got them too big and I really miss my small little ones:/ or I should've used smaller implants it's just not comfortable and they look so out of place :/ they're soo big and and just don't fit my frame. I got off the oxy and switched to Tylenol but I might go back to oxy before bed Updated on 24 Jul 2017: I still think that they're too big for me:/ if I were to pick again I'd probably have chosen 350cc or something. On a more positive note they're getting softer and I nixed the pain meds:) I'm hoping that they'll get smaller as they drop Updated on 24 Jul 2017: Updated on 25 Jul 2017: I still don't like these. 520cc was waaay to big for me:/ there's no pain at this point just tightness and a general unhappiness at the size. I know I still have a long way to go but I really just want to go back and say hey could we make these smaller before the skin stretches too much???? Updated on 26 Jul 2017: I'm still bummed about the size but it is what it is. I've already made up my mind that I'm going to save up and get them downsized in a year or two. But until then I'm sure I'll survive! I've never been a huge gym buff but i really want to job and do some squats right now ???? Updated on 15 Aug 2017: Sorry for how long it's been! I got a bit busy lol They're dropping slowly but surely! I'm really liking them in tighter clothing but normal tshirts do tend to make me look fatter because of the side boob and shirt hang. I went to VS to get measured last Saturday and the first vs worker measured me at a 34A/B...and I'm like no not even.... ???? the cups didn't even cover a third of the boob. I went and got sized again by another lady and she put me at 32/34D and said that she'd suggest 32. And that's actually perfect :) I'm not sure why they look so much bigger on me but that could just be a perception thing on my side tbh Updated on 1 Sep 2017: I went to Nordstrom to get sized and she put me in as 32DDD!???? I was definitely hoping it wouldn't be quite thaaat big just because it's way more expensive to buy bras.. but they're looking better! I got a plain tan coloured one and a black no underwire one that's supe comfy!:) Updated on 22 Nov 2017: So life got super busy but I'm finally updating! The boobs are settling down...I'm not sure if how they're dropping is normal...I'm a bit worried that if they drop anymore I'll have the fake bowling ball look and because I didn't have as much tissue if I'm leaning sideways you can definitely feel the implants. But honestly I'm used to how they look now -I think looking back I would've still chosen 370-450 cc
I am a member of the RealSelf stalker club lol. I decided to go ahead and start my profile. I am following @major_curves and decided to look at Dr.Mahlon Kerr in Austin,TX. I would love to go to Florida to get it done but I think staying closer to home will be easier. I am 5'4 155lbs and carry the bulk of my weight in my thighs, lower back, and flanks. I don't really want big butt but I love that athletic look but still thick. I will upload some of my wish pictures. My consultation with Dr.Kerr is on 7/16 so hopefully he will answer my questions and can produce my vision!! I want to join @ Major_curves and be the next Kerr Kitten lol!! Updated on 16 Jul 2014: Soooooo I called last Tuesday to switch my consultation date to today. The person I talked to was very nice and said "no problem we can switch your dates. Yesterday when I called to confirm I was told my appt is on 7/23 not 7/16. I explained the earlier call but they didn't have any openings. Le Sigh*. So now I have to wait another week. I'm so ready to get this going!! Updated on 23 Jul 2014: Ok so today was my consultation with Dr.Kerr. I had a laundry list of questions and was ready to interview him lol. I arrived 30 minutes late due to getting lost twice but his office staff was super nice and understanding. I filled out my paper work and was more than willing to wait however long due to me being late. A patient came in that he did some work on and she looked AMAZING!!! After waiting maybe 10 minutes Dr.Kerr himself came and got me from the lobby. We went into his office while he was waiting for a room to open up for me. Now I work in a doctor's office and there is noooooo way any of the physician I work for would personally call a patient into the room. I work for some very nice and personable doctors but it just wouldn't happen. We sat in his office and talked about the procedure and any questions or concerns I have. Of course I didn't have any questions because he answered them all in his explanation!! So great. He showed me to a room where I got changed. I am very shy and I felt extremely uncomfortable about being naked. Dr.Kerr made me feel completely comfortable and went over realistic goals for me. After our consult I spoke with his Office Manager V and we talked about price. For Inner thigh, upper back,flanks, sacral area ,fattransfer and anesthesia fees it totaled to be 7524.00. I had another consult scheduled but based off of his previous work and the patient I actually got to see today I am going with Kerr for sure. Deposit is getting paid tomorrow!!!! So I am looking for either Jan 2015 or maybe sooner depending on if I change jobs. Now I am going to start making my list of supplies and getting as healthy as possible before the surgery. The only thing I'm wondering is what to do with this belly ring. Now yes I understand I'm 28 but it has been with me for 12 years and I want to keep it for a little while longer. Has anyone had this surgery and got to keep it? So excited!!!!!! I can't wait :) Updated on 23 Jul 2014: Updated on 11 Aug 2014: So it's official today!! My job just gave me the time off for Feb 5th 2015!!!! I kinda sorta told my boss that I was having back surgery which is technically true right?? Lol. Well she sends me an email about FMLA and automatically I was like uhh yeah doubt they will approve that. Any HR ladies ever seen cosmetic surgeries get approved? Well anywho I emailed the office manager at Dr.Kerrs office about the forms and if I qualify. She said absolutely forward me the forms and we can get those filled out for you! I was like whaaaaatt!! Ok! She also said that they will not put what the procedure is but I am still a little skeptical. We shall see :). So I am having lipo to back, flanks, and inner thighs with fat transfer to butt. I know it's too early to start taking vitamins but I am going to start buying supplies. I decided to use care credit. I want to move into a house next March so my hubby and I (mainly him) are saving" but not me lol. He supports the surgery and will be there to nurse me back to health. He said he would take a couple days off and I'm sure he meant only two lol. He is a workaholic and my expensive ass is not helping!! Oh well I told him it's a gift for both of us LOL!! Women are always saying "Hubby can't keep his hands off" soooo we shall see ;). Now it's a waiting game? Is there anything that I should be buying now? Can't wait! I will update pics of my pre body. I definitely am going to try to lose 5 lbs and tone up. I am not getting my stomach lipo because Dr.Kerr said I didn't need it. I was thinking to myself uhh are we looking at the same pudgy stomach. But he is right. My stomach is the first thing to shrink and tone up so I didn't push it. My expectations are realistic. Dr.Kerr said that it's not how much he can put in my butt but how much he is taking away from other places which is so true for me! I know Feb will be here in no time. Thanks for letting me vent ladies :) Updated on 6 Sep 2014: Like all of you ladies I love to look at real before and afters. The transformations are amazing! I notice that all the reviews I follow are from women who are more physically fit and closer to their goal weight. So I guess I'm going to try to cut at least 10 lbs before surgery so I can get a better look. What do you ladies think about losing weight? Especially because of the reviews about inner thigh lipo. I have seen some great results but I have also seen some s scary results. You know the ones that look like two popsicle sticks with a bean bag on top. I still have 5 months to go but I just want to be happy with the results and do what I can to make sure it looks good and natural. Updated on 7 Nov 2014: So I've gained almost 10 lbs since my consultation visit and decided to start working out again. I notice the ladies who work out before surgery have a nice recovery. I'm only doing cardio no weights. Surgery is a little less than 90 days so it's time to get serious!! Lol! Now to the bad news. I had to do a couple of emails and phone calls to get me FMLA paperwork back and everyone was so nice at Dr.Kerrs office. I really like the staff at Synergy. Well the forms had plastic surgery all over it. I was under the assumption that it would be a little more discreet but honestly they tried to be as vague as possible. Anything else would've been a complete lie. So I haven't turned them. Instead our company has a personal leave policy that I am going to use. It sucks because a surgery is a surgery. If I have the PTO why couldn't use FMLA and have my job protected. I think my manager is going to approve the leave anyways so no more complaining. :) I can't wait until my pre op appt. I see that a tour of the facility is included in the visit. I think that will make me feel more comfortable. I'm still finding myself feeling crazy about doing this sometimes. I told my mom and of course the hubby is on board. My mom IS NOT for it but she wants to come along. I told her that she only be there in the event hat she is not negative. The last thing I need is negative energy right!? I don't mind hearing advice and opinions of others but don't get mad if I don't agree. I mean seriously it's my body my money and my life. Whew! Ok that felt good :) thanks for the support ladies. Keep updating your reviews :) Updated on 21 Jan 2015: Very very nervous. I am going to buy a bottle of arnica pills and a cheap spanx to wear for the first week. Since they are going to cut it up, I do not want to bring the more expensive one I bought. I asked about wearing foam under the garment but the nurse didn't really recommend it. I think I will still buy some for my thigh Lipo. It might not help but I want to reduce the swelling as much as possible. It's soooo hard to not drink! I don't even drink that often but not being allowed a glass of wine is torture! When I take my pre-op pictures I will add them to the site. I decided not to go crazy and buy a bunch of supplies. I am just going to buy the arnica tablets and cream, cheap garment to wear after surgery, a couple of gowns and sweat pants, large panties, Tylenol, antibacterial soap, compression socks, and noodles to make a seat. Anything else that comes up will be bought by the hubby. Well ladies any advice is wanted and necessary. Thanks for your help :) Updated on 8 Feb 2015: So I'm 4 days post op and healing I think fairly well. I couldn't use my garment so I'm wearing workout tights with an ace bandage around each thigh to compress my inner thigh lipo. I am also wearing the binder I received at the hospital. I hate it. I am ordering a squeem today. I know I'm supposed to wait two weeks post to use it but the binder is almost the same. I'm actually glad I don't have on a garment. I've been able to use the restroom alone and take showers and I believe it's because I don't have on a garment. I'm sure they work for most but this is actually working well for me. I've been taking arnica pills, bromelain tablets, extra strength Tylenol, and a multivitamin daily. I was taking antibiotics but they were making me super constipated. I am also taking colace twice a day. I had my first bm yesterday and it was GREAT!!! You def have to shower afterwards no matter what. I have a lot of swelling and bruising from the Lipo. My lower back is very swollen and tender vi can't really feel anything. I had a lot of fat suctioned there and so it's the most sensitive spot. The swelling is going down everyday and I am able to see more if the shape. My butt isnt big at all. I only got 720cc per cheek which is what I wanted. The inner thigh Lipo sucks! He did a fantastic job but it is so sensitive. If I take the ace wraps off for 10 min they swell up immediately. I know I need to post pics so I will at my one week post op appt. if you have any questions please ask :) Updated on 8 Feb 2015:
I'll introduce myself. I am a 33 year old mom to a 7 year old, a 5 year old and 3 year old twins. The pregnancies have done a number on my body. My first, I gained around 50 pounds. I finally lost all of that just before I found out I was pregnant the second time. That time I dealt with some depression issues and ended up gaining about 65-70 pounds. I lost all but the last 20 before getting pregnant the third time. With the twins, I actually gained the least, only about 35-40 pounds, but since I started out much heavier, I was still very large. I lost all of the twins' weight within 6 weeks of their birth, but never seemed to be able to get rid of the extra 20 from my 2nd. Also, after the twins' pregnancy, my skin was very stretched out. After I lost the weight, my belly reminded me of a raisin and made me super uncomfortable with my body. About a year after the twins, I had a Mirena IUD placed. About 6 months later, I stopped having my period and withing a 3 month period I had gained 30 pounds. I had the IUD removed, but haven't been able to lose the weight even with diet and exercise. I have been considering a tummy tuck for a while, but wanted to lose some weight and keep it off for a year before I went ahead with it. We recently had a change in plans for the next couple years which will make it more difficult to do it later. On Christmas night, while visiting my MIL in Texas from California, she suggested that I go ahead and do it now, and that she would be happy to watch the kids for me. I mentioned it the next morning to my husband and, surprisingly, he agreed. (Surprisingly because it will mean staying in Texas while he goes back to California until I am recovered enough to drive out there with the kids.) Over the next several days I researched plastic surgeons in the Dallas/Ft. Worth, Waco and Austin areas. I emailed for information from around 8, heard back from 4 and talked to 3. Dr. Kerr from Synergy Plastic Surgery in Austin was the first to contact me back, the first to be able to fit me in for a (free) consultation and everyone I talked to was very friendly. I went in for my original consultation on Monday, December 30th at 5:30 pm. I meet with Ashley, Dr. Kerr's nurse and Dr. Kerr. He did a good job of explaining the procedure to my husband and me. Then he did an exam. My biggest concern is that I'd still like to lose a significant amount of weight after the surgery. He said that, while it was not the ideal, it would not be a major concern, that the tummy tuck could be touched up, or lipo could be used. He suggested that it might be better to do lipo first, heal from that and then do the tummy tuck. But for me, the loose skin is more of an issue than the extra fat (but really, who wouldn't like to get rid of both, right??!!) So he suggested that the tummy tuck with lipo on my flanks might be the best way to go for now. He was very friendly and professional and gave off a very competent impression. My husband and I discussed it again that evening, and I talked with both my mom and his as they would both be helping with my kids and/or my recovery until I am able to drive back to California. Once we had settled the logistics of it, I called and scheduled my surgery and my pre-op. My pre-op is Friday the 3rd and my surgery will be Friday the 10th. This has been a very quick decision and I'm still kind of mentally spinning from it. I'm having a hard time in my head justifying this. I feel like I'm being selfish and conceited to do something so expensive and time consuming and something that effects so many people "just" because I don't like my body. Before I had scheduled the surgery, I talked with my mom about it and my feelings about it. She said that gettting the surgery wasn't going to be enough, since I still have such a bad self-image and lots of "stinkin' thinkin'" going on. She suggested that if I went ahead with the surgery, I also needed to work on the mental part as well. On Tuesday I went to see a therapist about some of my issues and once I figure out the insurance part of it, plan to continue to see him as long as I'm here healing and possibly after if we can make that work. I'll try to take some before pictures over the next couple days. Updated on 5 Jan 2014: On Thursday my husband flew back to California and on Friday the 3rd I went in for my pre-op appointment. I was more nervous this time than i was for the consultation I think. Though it might have had something to do with caffeine on an empty stomach on my drive down to Round Rock. I got there a bit early and had a little bit of a wait. Then, I met with Vlasta, the patient coordinator, who was awesome and made me feel pretty comfortable. She went over some of the pre-op instructions (which I was also sent home with, so I didn't actually have to remember anything, yay!). Then I changed into the loverly blue paper panties and Ashley came in to take my "before" pictures. Wow, that kinda sucks!! I spend so much time and energy when I'm in front of a camera trying to HIDE my stomach! And here I was letting someone take pictures of my absolute least favorite part of my body... Ugh! Then Dr. Kerr came in and told me that my post-op appointment would have to be changed. Apparently he's going to Mexico the day after my surgery, so I'll have to come back down to Round Rock on Tuesday for that. I wish he'd told me that before I booked the hotel for Thursday and Friday nights. Though, really, I don't know that I want to be making the drive back to Waco the same day as the operation. After that, he discussed some of the same stuff as the original consultation and checked out my body again. It is so awkward to have someone touching my stomach! Even my husband doesn't touch my stomach! During the consult, he poked his finger in my belly button when he was talking about about the new one I would have. My husband commented, "I don't even get to do that!" and he's RIGHT!! So, so, so weird to have someone touch the part of my body I dislike the most. Well, once that awkwardness was over with, I paid for the surgery (everything but the facility fees that I will pay at the hospital on the day of surgery.) and Vlasta and I chatted a bit. She seemed so nice and made me comfortable. I went and filled all my prescriptions and got most of the things on the paperwork they suggested. I'll have to do some last minute grocery type shopping, and if I can find a tube dress, Vlasta suggested that they work well post-op. So, physically, I'm pretty well set for the surgery. Psychologically, I have another session with the therapist on Wednesday. After that I will be taking the kids to my mom's for a week, possibly two. Then Thursday I drive back, pick up my MIL, and head down to our hotel in Round Rock only a couple minutes from the hospital. Friday I have to be at the hospital at 6 am and my surgery is scheduled for 8 am. I should be done by noon, I think, though I'm sure I won't be getting out of the hospital right away. I think I've got everything set up. I've had to mention the fact that I'm getting a tummy tuck to several people (mostly because I'm not sure how to avoid it, or I probably would!). Each time I feel kind of awkward. I wish I could just get it done and not have to tell anyone about it. I feel like I have to justify myself. Probably mostly because I AM still justifying it to myself.... I'm still having a hard time feeling like I can do something just for me like this. Like I'm actually worth it. Stinkin' thinkin' I suppose. Updated on 10 Jan 2014: in 10 minutes I leave for the hospital. wish me luck! Updated on 10 Jan 2014: On Wednesday, I took my kids to my parents' house since they will be watching them for a while and then spent the night. Once I started thinking about what was coming up, my mind was just running and I couldn't get to sleep until close 2am. I woke up about 7 am and after taking care of some things, my dad gave me a blesssing. Then I sat the kids down. I had mentioned that I was going to have surgery before, but I told them again, and that I was going to have a big cut on my tummy when I came back to get them. That they would have to be very careful with me. But that I loved them and would miss them bunches. I told them we could Skype if they wanted to while I'm getting better at their other grandma's house. And then I had to leave my babies. :( The longest I've been away from them was a two week cruise with my husband, and by about 4 days I was missing them and the last 4 days I was so ready to see them, once we got off the ship, we jumped in the car and drove straight home rather than stay with family that night. So I'm not sure how I'm going to handle being away from them. But they are close so I can go and visit if I need to, or they need me to. I drove back to Waco after that and did a little bit of shopping. Vlasta recommened I get a halter style cotton dress if I could find one for after the surgery, so I found one at Ross. (yay!) I came back and really should have taken a nap, but didn't. As we were leaving, my Grandmother-in-law told me she's praying for me and the doctors. Between my Dad and GMIL, I'm pretty sure I'm set! :) My mother-in-law drove down to Round Rock and we checked into our hotel, the Country Inn & Suites (which I highly recommend, not just because it's about 8 minutes to the hospital, but because of the great staff). Then, got ready and went downtown for some fun! We went to one of the bars, where I got water and we people-watched. Then road one of those bike taxis to a little restaurant and got sweet potato fries and these AMAZING "Kiss Yo Mama Shrimp Tacos." Oh my, if that was my last meal I'd be happy... sooooo good. Which was good since it was about 11 when we finished and I was told not to eat or drink anything after midnight. We came back tot he hotel and I showered with my anti-bacterial soap, per instructions and set my alarm for 4:45 to get up and shower again. I ended up waking up about a half-hour before that, got up and showered and got dressed in my pink bunny footie pajamas and waited until I could go in. We drove to St. Davids Hospital where they checked me in. I wish I had caught everyone's name from the hospital, because EVERYONE was so great. My first nurse got me in my fabulous gown, set up with my blood pressure cuff, oxygen finger-thingy (and yes, that's the technical term) and my IV. Then Dr. Kerr came in and we talked about the surgery and then he drew all over my body... well, not all over, just on my belly. Everyone who was going to be working with me came and talked with me: my nurse Shane, my anesthesiologist assistant Ragan, and the anesthesiologist (the only one who was abrupt rather than uber-friendly). They started me on Tylenol about 30-45 minutes before before surgery time. As they were getting ready to wheel me back to the OR, Ragan gave me a "cocktail" and I was out before I made it back. I don't remember anything until after. My MIL had had to leave about 6:30 or so for work and I was rolled back to the operating room a bit before 8:30. She got back a little after 11:00 and they were just finishing up. They wouldn't let her come see me for a couple hours as they were having a little trouble waking me up. I remember vaguely waking up a couple times but going back to sleep. After about 2 hours, they let my MIL back and I really started waking up. I was probably still pretty drugged up, but we sat and talked for a bit even joking around a little until I laughed a little. Ouch! Dr. Kerr came in and said that the surgery went really well and I should be very happy with the results (after I stop hurting that is ;) ). I was not in a ton of pain, but I definitely felt it. At the time it felt pretty similar to how I felt right after giving birth. My biggest discomfort really was how dried out I felt and how thirst I felt. They brought me ice chips at first, then water but my mouth still felt really wooly. I really needed to use the restroom, so with some help, they got me up and into the bathroom. I signed my discharge paper work and my last nurse (who's name I didn't catch but was completely awesome as well) brought in my first round of pain meds. They sat me in a wheelchair as my MIL went to get the car. The pain meds made me pretty sleepy, so slept most of the drive back to the hotel. Then came in and the man at the front desk made a bit of a joke which made me laugh again. Once. We asked for extra pillows, which he immediately went to go get. I shuffled my way carefully through the lobby with my MIL's help and made it to our room where I immediately went to sleep after carefully getting into bed. The desk clerk no only brought up extra pillows just a couple minutes after we got there, but he even brought up some freshly baked cookies!! Awe, sweet man! And I was OUT for about two hours. I woke up again, shuffled to the restroom, and came out to the couch. I was definitely feeling the pain a bit more, but I was surprised how well I was shuffling around. I tried eating some Jello, which tasted awful. I tried drinking a little Sprite, which also tasted pretty bad. After the Jello, I got just a little nauseous, but not too bad. My mouth was still super dry and yucky. My MIL stripped my drains. Have I mentioned how awesome she is? Because she is AMAZING! I was starting to feel the pain a bit more, so I took a muscle relaxer and one pain pill and shuffled my way back to bed and went to sleep. I woke up again about two hours later, in a bit of pain, and noticed I had a missed call and message from Dr. Kerr. Not long after that he called my MIL's phone and I talked to him. He was just checking up on how I was doing and told me that he had taken off a lot of skin and fat and my muscles were really loose so he tightened them up. Yay! He said I could spread out the pain pills so I was taking one every couple hours or so, rather than all at once. I got up again and used the bathroom, my MIL stripped my drains again. She called in tot he restaurant next door and came back with tortilla soup, which, beyond tasting a bit salty, finally started to taste good. I'm still pretty sleepy and am going to take my next set of pain pills, antibiotics, and anti-nausea and muscle relaxer. So I'm pretty sure I'll completely pass out soon, but Dr. Kerr suggested that I set an alarm to take my pain meds in the middle of the night so I don't come off of it completely and be in serious pain in the morning. Goodnight! Updated on 12 Jan 2014: I got a shower today! Yay and saw my stomach for the first time since the surgery. It's still pretty puffy and a little scary to look at. But I'm starting to get around a lot more. It takes a bit to get up out of my recliner, where I've spent most of the day and all last night. More of an update later, but I wanted to get some pictures posted. I hope this works. Updated on 13 Jan 2014: Since we came back from the hotel, I've spent almost all my time in the recliner. And most of it asleep. All of the medications really seem to knock me out. Though I suppose it might have something to do with the fact my body needs all it's energy for healing. Yesterday morning I got up and went to the bathroom. Though I'd done it several times on Saturday, the first time on Sunday morning seemed much worse. I was shaking and sweating by the time I sat down. I had alarms set throughout the night to take my pain pills, but I think I had too big of a gap between them and they had worn off too much when I was trying to get up and move that morning. I started writing down when I took what so I can make sure I'm keeping up on what I need. After that first time in the morning, each subsequent trip up from the recliner seemed to get much easier. I would wander into the kitchen and back or to the bathroom and back, but couldn't stand much more than that. My body feels really weak. I also got a shower yesterday (yay!) which luckily we had a shower chair for or I don't think I would have lasted standing long enough to wash up. That was the first look I've had at my stomach without the binder on. It's so hard to say at this point, but it seems like there is still some wrinkly skin right below my (new) belly button. But it might just be the way I'm swollen right now or that it just needs time to smooth everything out. But it's a HUGE difference already. You can already see the hourglass shape I was hoping for on the sides, even though I'm still hunched over. I can't wait to see how it will look in a couple weeks. After the shower, I spent most of the morning and afternoon sleeping in the recliner. The evening I spent watching some TV in the recliner. I think the chair will have a permanent imprint from my bum by the time I'm healed! I set alarms again for last night to take my meds and seemed to do a better job of spacing them correctly because when I woke up and had to head to the bathroom, it was easier than the day before. As far as pain goes, I don't have a ton for the most part (in large part because I keep up on my meds now) but I do get stinging pains sometimes in the lipo area and when the binder rides up on my incision that can be pretty painful. Walking hunched over is taking a bit of a toll on my back, but all in all, I'm handling it all much better than I feared. Updated on 13 Jan 2014: Here is a pic from the doctor of what he cut away. It's laid out kinda funny, the wide sides should be in the center, but you get the idea. Updated on 13 Jan 2014: Today has been a little tough. I tried to go longer between pain meds, but I guess I"m not ready for that just yet. I had been taking one 5 mg Oxycodone about every three hours (the bottle says take 1-3 tablets every 3-6 hours) but I waited about 4 1/2. By then I was really starting to feel the pain and then it took a while for the meds to take effect so I was hurting for a bit. But I got it back under control. Most of the day was still spent in the recliner, but I did take another shower today. I'm so grateful for the shower chair. I don't think I would have made it through washing both my body and my hair if I hadn't had that. It was still tough and I was breathing heavy by the time I got out and dressed. One of my drains had been leaking so we padded that a bit before my mother-in-law helped me get my binder back on. The drains seem to be collecting less, and the fluid is clearer. Tomorrow one should come out at my first post-op appointment. All in all, I am getting around better, but still not standing up straight and it wears me out quickly. And I'm not ready to reduce my meds even though I don't like feeling kinda disoriented all the time. Updated on 14 Jan 2014: Today was a little tough. I had a post-op appointment at the plastic surgery office. Normally I would have met with Dr. Kerr the day following surgery, but because he left for Mexico, it was scheduled for a couple days later, in hopes that we could also take out one of the drains. So I got up and dressed and had my grandmother-in-law drive me the 1 1/2 hours to the office. We got there a little early, even after a couple wrong turns (darn GPS!) and they brought me back to a room. They told me to take off my clothes including the binder, but to leave on my underwear. I did so, which besides my showers has been the only time I've taken it off. And oh, my! It was so much harder to do anything without the binder on. Even breathing hurt. I ended up sitting in the room for at least a half an hour waiting for Dr. Bekanich. The whole time I was just wishing they had let me keep the binder on until she came in. When she did come in, she checked out my drain chart where I've been keeping track of how much fluid has drained from each side. She said that it wasn't low enough to remove either drain yet. Then she took about two minutes to look over my stomach and said I was good to go and to come back in a couple days once there was less drainage. I wish they had told me where I needed to be at to have a drain removed before this visit. Since it is an hour and a half drive, I would have delayed the post-op appointment to coincide with the drain removal. I got dressed again and was so relieved to have the binder back on! But because of sitting there in their uncomfortable chair for 30 minutes, I had to take an extra pain pill by the time I got to the car and it took most of the next hour for the pain to subside. I didn't think a car ride would be so wearing, but between the trip down, the time without the binder, lunch, and the trip back up, I'm exhausted and needed to take more pain meds as soon as I got home. And now it's nap time! Updated on 15 Jan 2014: Today I was just plain bored. My GMIL made me breakfast (bless her!) and stayed while I took another shower. Thank goodness for the shower chair again. It was much better this time, but still a bit of a struggle. She helped me get my binder back on again. And the rest of the day I spent pretty much alone surfing the internet and watching TV. Getting up pretty regularly to wander around the house. Walking is getting much easier, though I'm not standing completely straight still. I kept the binder pretty tight today which felt good until the end of the day. I loosened it but then my stomach felt really tight and it was harder to walk again. Maybe a bit of swelling? Updated on 17 Jan 2014: The last couple days I haven't even updated since I haven't actually done ANYTHING. I literally laid in bed almost all day yesterday. Key word being bed! woohoo, I transitioned from the recliner to the bed! Problem was I didn't do a good job of transitioning all my stuff from the recliner, and got a bit off on my meds. I went 6 1/2 hours between pain meds, where I had been going only up to maybe 4. I was fine until about 6 hours when I started to hurt, and it quickly went downhill from there. I took the meds about 1/2 hour later, but it took a couple hours to get back to being okay and I was still pretty shaky for the rest of the day. Part of it was me wanting to see how long I can go without the meds, since I don't like being on them. When I tried earlier in the week, I only made it about 4 maybe 4 1/2 hours. So this was an improvement. I just wish there was an easier way to judge what I'm ready for... Today I rode down to Round Rock to see my newest little nephew born earlier this week. It's amazing how hard just riding in the car is for me. Sitting in the car is fine, but I took pain meds about 30 minutes before getting in for the ride down, and it was still taxing on my body. I feel like I have to brace for every bump and jerk, which makes me tense the whole trip. I stayed for a couple hours at my sister-in-laws and even got to hold the baby (he's under the weight limit, just barely!!). On the way back, we stopped at the outlets so my mother-in-law could do a little shopping. and I do mean LITTLE. After one store, where I had to sit down for most of the time, I was pretty shaky. We made it to one other one, and I was getting shaky and sweaty and we called it quits. She stopped at a couple stores once we got back to Waco, but I stayed in the car, which was surprisingly comfortable when it wasn't moving. I had been hoping while I was in Round Rock to get one of my drains out, but I called ahead and they said no one who was able to would be in the office today, so I will be keeping both drains until at least Monday. It's probably good since I had more drainage today than I've had the last couple days, probably because I was so much more active today. I'm wondering if having the drains in has lessened the swelling I've been expecting. Or maybe it's the binder, or the combination.... I'm not sure. I know I'm a bit bigger at the end of the day, but not significantly. Maybe I just haven't hit "swell-hell" yet. We'll see... As far as results, I'm pretty happy, though I'm a little concerned I'm not symmetrical. I feel like the skin under my new belly button is sewn kinda crooked and I don't think my sides are even. I'm not sure if that is just a different amount of swelling on each side because the binder presses differently on each side or if it will permanently be uneven. Can you see it or am I just being overly-critical? These were taken at the end of my very long day. Updated on 22 Jan 2014: I went on Monday and had my first drain removed. Today went back and had the second drain removed and the stitches from my belly button removed. Saw Dr. Kerr for the first time since the surgery and he was very happy with my progress. I'll update again with pictures soon.