Breast Reduction 34HH to ??

The basics:
*Australian, 33yo, 80kgs (overweight from wine and too much candy) currently 34HH, normally 32HH when training and 70-74 kilos
*Wanted a BR for at least 10 years.
*Pain constantly in base of neck, down spine in line with bottom of shoulder blades, tightness & pain through shoulder blade area and traps.
*Spinal damage, not sure of technical terms, but if my vertebra is meant to be a square, they are more like a squashed triangle shape through the neck/shoulder area - due to very heavy breasts from early development (and not knowing how to properly support them, or having the means to, until early 20’s)
*No skin problems or rashes, they do get extremely sweaty and can be irritated during summer.
*Indentations on shoulders and around torso from band. Always red and in pain from bra band digging in. Regardless if body is lean or chunky. Every bra is a torture device and I hate it.

Introduction:
I have been researching and combing through breast photos for as long as I can remember. I have always been known for having large boobs, I developed very early, starting high school as an E cup at 12yo was an experience. Obviously, mentality, self worth and self identity have all been tied to having boobs, and the decision to change that was not taken lightly. Regardless of the physical pain and daily challenges, being mentally ready to say goodbye to something that shaped who I was as a human and had such a huge impact on life experiences (yes, you are treated differently when you have large assets, especially as a young person) was a challenge in itself.
The tipping point for me - when they became more of a burden then an asset. Having to plan activities around whether or not your boobs can do something is messed up. There is no such thing as spontaneous get-away. No answering the door when someone unexpected knocks. Hiding from the postman as you don’t wear a bra on your day off is a common occurrence. Having your friends stop inviting you out as they know you would rather not wear a bra than be included in social activities. Spending countless hours trying to find something that fits. Being so compressed because you want to exercise and are skating the line between receiving enough oxygen, and holding your boobs down so they don’t bounce and feel like they are ripping off your chest, is not a fun time. Especially when most of the time oxygen lost that battle: removing the sports bras allowed me to expand my rib cage and take a full breath of oxygen. All of these things became too much. I was done.
So last year I planned a BR for mid 2020.
I work in retail so I had to figure out a time that I would be able to take 4+ weeks off, but still have enough time to recover, regain cardio, regain muscle strength, so that I would be able to hit the snow in Japan 2021. (Pretty keen snowboarder/traveller)
Then obviously the pandemic happened and all plans went out the window. I had an apt with the surgeon pre-covid, with the hopes that I could have the reduction and be in recovery for the impending lock-down. I was first penciled in for surgery on 8/4/20, but elective surgeries were postponed the week prior. Fast forward, and my surgery date is now 100% locked in for Wednesday 3/6/20.

I am feeling bitter sweet. I have had some really bad pain this last week while at work, and I’m taking that as a sign that I am making the right decision. But I am also sad to say goodbye to them. I don’t think I’ve taken enough photos as I am now. I don’t know that I’ll ever have enough photos to remind me or to make comparisons with. But I am scheduled to be in hospital at 7am, I still need to wash my hair as it’s the last time I will be able to for quite some weeks. So I wanted to just document how I was feeling in this moment and list a few things that I have done to prepare for the time ahead.
Things I’ve purchased:
- button up sleep tops, 1 long-sleeve, 1 short-sleeve
- new pj pants with ankle cuff (so I don’t trip on anything)
- poncho, in case I really can’t move my arms at all, it goes over your head and you’re covered and warm. Saves mucking about trying to get shirts on.
- 2 post surgery bras, as recommended by Dr.
- Wedge shaped pillow - 30cm in height, with a contour to lay in, this will keep my more upright to help with swelling and shaping of the breast and to stop me from rolling over when I sleep (side sleeper)
- body wash, soap and fragrance free
- waffle weave towels, so no chance of cotton fluff when drying after shower
- bio oil, to use when scars are healing
- face wipes, for a quick freshen up in all the bits that need it in between showers
Prep at home:
- everything I use daily has been placed at counter height, for example, coffee mugs normally in an overhead cabinet are on the kitchen bench.
- outdoor chair in shower so if I am dizzy from removing the compression bra, I can sit down and not worry about falling/slipping over and injuring myself. (I have low blood pressure and blacking out from standing up too fast isn’t uncommon for me)
- full clean of the house as I may not be able to do it for a while
- new sheets on bed & towels used on top in case of leakage
- gave myself my own single duvet so that I don’t have to share with my husband, it’s lighter to be able to move in & out of, and if it gets ruined and stained it won’t matter.
- ready made salads bought for lunch and prepped dinner meals ready for reheat.
- camelback of water placed on couch & bedside so I can drink without having to lift a bottle or use the water jug to fill a glass. (I normally drink around 4L a day so I always have water with me, and after surgery I know it’s good to flush out as much as you can + helps with healing and skin rejuvenation)
- taught my husband how to wash a bra by hand
- locked in my follow-up apt with Doctor for the following week
- locked in a hair wash/treatment at the salon before my return to work date
- put a pillow in the car for the ride home, to wear between seatbelt and myself
- packed my bag to take with me, double checked I had all of the paperwork, Medicare card, chapstick.
- set up ‘My List’ of netflix shows to watch while in a daze
Now this might be overkill, but I always want to be better prepared and not need it, then to have to struggle and be upset (especially when painkillers can make you emotional).
My husband will be working the 2 days following my surgery, so I won’t have anyone at home with me for most of the day. Which is also why I have prepared to have to do things for myself. I know that everyone’s experience with pain is different. I know that with painkillers I have massive brain fog, can be quite nauseas and struggle to stay awake. So I have wanted to make things as easy as possible for myself.