Well, it's been about 14 months now since my...
Well, it's been about 14 months now since my surgery. My scars are healing very nicely and I have to say, my breasts look fabulous! Like they did when I was 25! No more neck or shoulder pain either...YAY!
I still have very little sensation in my left breast and almost none in my right. This is not a huge deal to me, but I know that to some women it is. There is no way to guarantee that you'll keep sensation in your nipples, so to anyone to whom it's a big deal I'd say, "don't do it." But for me the benefits far outweigh that one minor issue.
Day 9:
I'm just over a week post-surgery and...
Day 9:
I'm just over a week post-surgery and had my second check-up with Dr. Khalifeh yesterday. Everything is going well and he and his staff were wonderful as usual. Still very happy with the entire experience!
Since I'm only 4 days post-surgery, this is...
Since I'm only 4 days post-surgery, this is all very fresh in my mind.
I contemplated, researched, saved for, meditated about and wished for breast reduction surgery for literally years. Just when I was about to have it done in Missouri, I spent all my saved up money on a divorce instead (I traded working on two boobs for getting rid of one, but I digress).
Then I moved across the country to DC. After the financial [RS bleep] I endured from the ex (men are NOT the only ones who get screwed over in all cases), I started saving and researching all over again.
I actually contemplated surgery overseas (but chickened out...no amount of savings is worth my peace of mind). Then I settled on having consultations with three board-certified plastic surgeons in the DC area.
I went in with expectations of needing/wanting liposuction (abdominal, flanks, thighs, back), a full tummy tuck and a breast lift and reduction. I've lost a lot of weight (working out and eating well), but age, hormones and a stubborn metabolism wouldn't let me get to where I wanted to be.
One surgeon agreed that I needed all of those procedures. He was nice enough, but I thought his sales pitch was a little too "slick" for my taste.
Surgeon number two was also very good, better sales pitch. Said he didn't think I necessarily needed the tummy tuck, but didn't really explain much about that, other than that it would save me some money. His staff seemed a little snooty to me, though, and that's important to me.
Then I went to Dr. Khalifeh. His office was easy to find and his office staff was the warmest and friendliest I'd met yet. There was virtually no time spent waiting (and I'm chronically early) and Dr. Khalifeh was so warm and genuine and easy to talk to! His sales pitch wasn't a pitch at all. He just talked to me about what I wanted to accomplish...didn't try to talk me into or out of anything. He did offer alternatives, such as the laser lipo in lieu of a tummy tuck, along with a very good explanation of what the advantages (cost, recovery time, possibility that this would be adequate for my particular situation, etc.) and disadvantages (might not tighten my belly as much in the long run) of that alternative.
For the breast lift/reduction, he was very honest about what could be accomplished without insertion of an implant. I would rather be perky and smaller than keep a lot of volume but have to have an implant, so I chose that option.
Surgery scheduled, payments arranged, his assistant called me at home a few times to make sure I didn't have any follow up questions (she, and all of his staff are amazing). She answered what she could and consulted with him for answers on what she couldn't and I always felt like I was their ONLY patient.
Surgery day was exciting more than scary for me. I'm not an easily frightened person (other than that whole "foreign surgery thing"). Staff was, as always, amazing. Wish I could remember the surgical assistant's name (Quay? Ki?)...anyway, I wanted to bring him home with me, he was SO sweet. I remember the anesthesiologist warning me that the anesthesia might sting as she injected it into the IV and then it was lights out.
Woke up in recovery, surrounded by his amazing staff. First thing I did was look down and the cutest perky boobs I'd seen since I was about 14 (they hadn't had time to bruise and swell yet, so they looked awesome to me). After recovering for a while and being wrapped in my ever-so-lovely compression garments, I went home.
So now I'm on day four. Had my first follow up yesterday. The waiting room was packed and no one was willing to move to accommodate the obviously recuperating crazy-looking woman in flannel PJ's leaning against the wall (admittedly I'm sure I smelled like a gutter snipe after three days sans bath), Dr. Khalifeh noticed and took me immediately into an exam room.
He looked me over, deemed me healing well (I agree), removed a few of the external stitches around my aureoles and said to tell him, notwithstanding the bruising, pain and swelling, was I happy with the size. I said I was ticked pink.
I will do a follow-up as I heal, or I will post somewhere on here my progress. But so far, I can absolutely say that I wouldn't change one thing. Not one. Dr. Khalifeh is an artist. It is very easy for a surgeon as talented and successful as he is to become arrogant and jaded, but he truly seems like a good person as well. That is one of the most important aspects of why I recommend him.
