Fun While It Lasted but It Was Never All That Fun - Denver, CO

I am sure most of you know what silicone implants look like, but I posted a picture anyway. I am amazed how these stayed intact for 9 years! Based on symptoms I've experienced over the past year or so, I would have bet they were compromised. Alas, they were in perfect condition, so I couldn't get my insurance company to pay for the explant. I suppose having severe silicone poisoning is not a desirable alternative.

After 4.5 hours in surgery, I was out of the operating room and in a complete haze. My boyfriend was there waiting and trying to figure out how to handle me in this state. He did his best to keep me comfortable but seemed somewhat unsettled when I started vomiting into a plastic shopping bag. The nurse administered anti-nausea meds three times to my IV, but the flow remained unimpeded.

Movement in the past few days has been difficult and always results in various levels of discomfort. Getting to the bathroom is a difficult process and removing my compression garments is especially painful. My doctor did an excellent job of removing fat from my thighs with minimal bruising, but I still feel beaten up and extremely sore. The compression wrap around my chest did its job well, but even lightly touching my chest resulted in excruciating pain. I finally got that removed today (2 days post-op). The drains are pretty easy to manage and the level of fluid draining into them has dramatically decreased, although after going to my followup appointment today, the nurse wanted to leave them in just in case a little more fluid needs to be evacuated.

The surgeon (Dr. Linda Huang) indicated that there was quite a bit of scarring on the ribs as a result of the implants, so this could be causing some of my post-operative pain. She hinted that my body may have been rejecting these nasty, insidious silicone implants, potentially causing breathing issues and pain. I am incredibly happy to have these out and look forward to a healthier body after several weeks of recovery.

Here are images taken right before my surgery. Like most of you, I was unclear about what my body might look like after surgery and wanted to capture images immediately before and after the procedure for comparison. My main concerns had to do with the fat transfer and hoping the doctor removed fat from all the right places. The intensity of my excitement grew as I approached R-Day® (Removal Day), as these poisonous silicone bags would soon be gone forever!

Is it just me, or do you wish you'd seen breast implant removal stories before making the decision to get implants? Overall I am grateful for the experience -- the years when I had breasts! I would have wondered what it would have been like and now I know. Still, looking forward to getting back to "me"