Ebony_NYC (IG Page) - Dr. Manuel Diaz

I set out on this journey with the hopes of completing the enhancement of my physical appearance and kicking my "I'm the Sh*t" into high gear :) as well as sharing it with you every step of the way. I joined this site last year sometime with the remote thought of surgery one day. Well since then i've undergone a breast reduction and that has single handedly changed the quality of my life. My girls are now sitting natural and no longer do I have to spend over $100 for a dayum bra..woop woop! If anyone is interested his name is Dr. Elie Levine (great surgeon) in Manhattan. Blessed me as my insurance covered the bill.

I am a mother of two (16 and 4) and I currently weigh 185lbs and 5ft 5in tall. I'm not sure of my measurements but I will be charting them along with posting pics a few months before my surgery w. Dra Baez next year.

I had no plans of writing this evening but was compelled....here's why. First, let me say, I've read almost every review on real self pertaining to the surgeries i will be having. I do not take the time, energy and strength all of you have invested and in sharing your experiences for granted. A HUGE thank you to you all & best in whatever stage you are in..in the process. With all of that, I've bounced around a few Dr.'s in my head and then randomly last week, decided to email for quotes. The quotes for (bbl, tt & lipo) from Dra. Santos ($4,500) Dra. Robles ($4,350 - without RH and $5,200 with RH) and Dra. Baez ($3,800). They all answered my emails within 2 days. From there, I began to really look long and hard at myself and figure out what my ideal body would look like along with realistic expectations (thus not wish pics) based on my body structure. My goal is to have the best body for me and by a surgeon that makes me feel good. They all have the technical ability but who do you connect with is what has drawn me to Dra. Baez. This evening she and I texted for over 30 minutes on (whatsapp). I used a translator app in Spanish for all of my communications. She is personable, patient and answered every one of my questions along with having quite a few of her own. The fact that we share the same birthday was an added check mark for me. Without a shadow of a doubt, there is no reserve that Dra. Baez sees my vision and that i'll be in great hands. - Good night for now.

So now I sit with the leisure time to plan and prepare for my surgery over the next 12 months. Throughout this time, I will be sure to post and be as transparent as I can, along with being open to any questions. Ultimately, I want to video blog my journey from pre to post because I believe that's another dimension of the process many would benefit from.

Because I've given myself 12 months to prepare and plan for my surgery, I have the time to explore money saving practices. Like many of you I've read every supply list I laid my eyes on. The fact that I already had a c-section and breast reduction surgery, has helped me narrow down the essentials. I have just signed up for a FSA (flexible spending account) with my employer. My debit card has just arrived. I allocated $500 pre-taxed dollars for the year (which is placed on my card immediately for use) woop woop :) Here's how it goes. $500/12 months =$42 per month, divided by 2x's monthly is $20.83 per paycheck. Now I'm surely not going to miss that!! I know you may be saying how is FSA going to assist with the costs to be incurred (being it doesn't cover cosmetic surgery)....drumroll Well for starters it will cover all co-pays for my pre op visits, all medications I GET my Dr. to prescribe (eliminating have to pay extra in DR) and supplies!!! Yes ladies SUPPLIES!! go to www.fsastore.com and there you can shop for all items covered under FSA (no matter where you live). The store is filled with all goods from bandages, sanitary napkins, thermometer...etc. Basically, it's the brilliance of going to an online pharmacy and taking the guess work out of what is covered. So far, my only purchase has been a wrist blood pressure machine (really small & portable) and a thermometer. I wanted to test the site to ensure it's shipping, pricing and customer service and it's WONDERFUL! I will be comprising my list soon and will post that as well. Obviously you will not be able to buy EVERYTHING but 80% will do for me :) I suggest all of you soon to be Barbies give it a try and let me know how it's worked for you. Also, no tax (right because it's pre-taxed spending $$). I didn't incur shipping because my order was $50 dollars. Stay tuned :)

Dr. Hector Cabral around $4800 was his response. Not that he was a viable option for me, I just wanted to correspond to process variation in prices, response time and the information provided. I must say, in all he is the only one with out any information aside what I quoted above. Everyone else's may have been a form email but they were very detailed whether it be on the procedures themselves, what they require from you, payment method and so forth. I also want to state again not choosing to go with any of the other doctors wasn't based on anything else other than my rapport and connection with Dra. Baez. I'm here to share MY facts and hope that you'd be kind enough not to debate or pick them apart. Thanks :)