41 Year Old, 5ft 6 Inch at 185 Lbs, Mother to Four Kids, 19,18,11,10. - Cartagena, Columbia

I delved into this transformation after falling short on several diets & exercises, I just couldnt commit to them with the discipline and fervor they required; life or me, got in the way. Over the last ten years I have witnessed the loss of me and seen myself go. With it I lost the drive and motivation to keep up for myself. It started with an innocent reliance on food as a source for instant gratification and sweet support but caught up as the best bad friend and took control . Furthermore, age, neglect and a reckless attitude have left their mark, my boobs have found their extension & home on my tummy, my tummy on my privates and the rest is a dismal image. My shoulders feel like a quarterbacks, lets just say i have not needed clothes with shoulder pads for a long time. I have a second face pushing its way through my chin & jaw and I dont understand when and how that came about, i just woke up with it one day. Sufficient to say I hate to look into a mirror or wear & enjoy what I buy because nothing makes me look & feel good. Im tired of my low self esteem, worthlessness, guilt, shame and living a life totally disconnected & disappointed with who I am or could be & faking it. I want to do great, I didnt see this for me in my future and wont stand for it. I want to control my outcome for what its worth. I can do better for myself and kids. I want to feel alive, in control & aware and i want my reflection in the mirror and attitude to reflect it. Im done with not participating and living my life being extinct.
Hence, I took charge, started looking at North America for plastic surgeons and procedures, (couldnt afford it) then looked into other options like medical tourism abroad. The goal was, Quality, Safety, Service and Great results; a comprehensive deal within my budget. Bang for my buck.
I sifted through three companies and picked Premium Care Surgery in Cartagena Columbia Caribbean. I wanted an all inclusive package of medical costs, hotel stay & post op care with insurance, warranted and committed to results. The most assuring aspect was that Premium Care was owned by an American; practicing and aware of American quality, standards and procedures mixed with Columbian concept of beauty brought on by his wife. I have had 4 consultations over the phone and consistent communications through emails with him and his staff.
Ive had my share of doubts, been very skeptical but instead of dwelling on fear of the unknown or that kinda energy, I decided to get organized & get structured. I made a list of questions from time to time as they came to me, on topics that would affect this process from the get go, to the end and have had them answered appropriately.
I started with the list of procedures, prices, which parts would they affect & transform, how to achieve comprehensive results, I didnt want to compromise one part for the other or neglect any. After the first consultation, I recognized the effortless & concise American attitude in Dr. Alex, he proceeded with much ease and matched my pace and catered to my concerns. He introduced himself and got down to the job at hand. He asked me my concerns, goals and intentions. I was ready with my infamous list, from issues of Security in Columbia, Safety procedural practices, Costs and customizing packages, I had it all covered and he answered everything. Being that it may, Im not the gullible kind and I dont just take it at face value any more, no matter how good it sounds. I had my concerns and was upfront with him and his team the entire time. I left nothing to chance, miscommunication or for later. Ive informed them of what works for me to feel comfortable and they have reciprocated so far.
After the first introduction about him, his practice, Columbia and MONEY conversions. he reviewed my pictures and on the second phone call, we discussed the right package, price and procedures for me, so here it goes. for USD $7850.00 I get:
Chin-jawline liposuction,
Arm lipo,
Breast lift with tissue removal,
Complete Abdominoplasty,
Hips lipo and
Ten 45-60 minutes post op therapies
For USD $1001.00 they confirmed my 15 nights stay at a decent hotel, breakfast included & a view with lots of light, on my request.
There are no taxes on surgery costs or hotel stays but there is a 3% processing surcharge for credit card charges from them and 2.5% from my credit card company. Thus, I paid 5.5% towards my total charge, plus the Canadian to USD conversion killed me at 0.90. So what was USD$7850 + USD$1001 + Cad$airfair + conversion + processing fees surcharges= Cad $11,500.00.
I havent purchased the compression garments yet, have kept aside realistic budged for there. I did buy pre and post op vitamins. and bought stuff from the list of must haves from wonderful girls on this site.
With 3 days before I embark on this magnificent, self indulgent transformation, I am excited, anxious, eager and almost happy to look forward to this transformation and resurrection. I do have bouts of doubts & anxiety attacks, mostly about my recovery and considering my age and endurance. Im not young and dont feel invincible, things affect me more with age. I just hope it turns out fine.
Predictability and familiarity is key to any successful transition or transformation, so Ive prepared schedules for my kids, their activities, stuffed my house with appropriate groceries, delegated responsibilities among-st all kids and communicated with them to step up and multitask.
Ive been on Vitamin C 1000mg & Arnica montana & Traumeel to help with recovery.
Attached are my pictures, a validation of my extinction. Hope this helps everyone.