36 Years Old, Mother of 3. Much Needed Tummy Tuck with Lipo and BBL @ Dominican Republic !!

After much research on this site I decided to back out of my scheduled tummy tuck surgery, I was scheduled here in Norman, Oklahoma with Dr. James Magnusson. My sister got her breasts done with him a couple months ago and is very pleased with her results. I was scheduled for 4/14/16 for the cost of $6,500 plus $500 extra for suggested lipo to the flanks and he agreed to get my back bra rolls as well. A couple concerns I had besides the price...felt as though they were going to take away my curves which they claimed were not hips, having to come back to the office morning after surgery for a follow-up, he said the stitching above my pubic area would not turn out well due to stretch marks in this area, and he did not have a RealSelf account which seems odd to me. Another local doctor seemed a little more reasonable, price was $6,000, he would take the extra 15 minutes to cut pubic area stretch marks off, first follow-up would be after one week, but would take longer to get a surgery date, and fat grafting would cost an additional $5,500.

I decided to go with Dr. Mallol, he has a great special to get the TT, Lipo, and BBL for $3,750. I sent him pictures and it felt good to have him keep the price and even included lipo of the armpits which I'm sure my body would have looked unproportioned without. I have everything set up with having my passport expedited with an extra $60 fee, I am pretty sure I am traveling alone and would be staying at Recovery Tropical Deluxe, I will be booking my flight sometime in the next couple of days. I did start taking my pre-op vitamins per the doctor's request...65mg Iron twice a day, 400mcg Folic Acid daily, and 250mg Vitamin C once a day (his email said 01 a day, if anyone knows the right mg please let me know). My boyfriend of 4 years and I are debating if he should come with, we would get a rental car and hotel, he is very good at nursing and taking care of loved ones. Its just hard to depend on someone 100% cause you never know what tomorrow brings, I also worry about what there is to eat out there and the costs. I am terrified to be there alone with nobody to be there when I wake up or in case of emergency.

Any advise would be much appreciated, I have to figure all of this out asap.

Well just thought I'd share some insight of how my body has come to be, I am also attaching some pictures from my recent consultation. I am currently 145 lbs and 5'3. My tubes were tied in 2006, so no more babies for this mama. I have 3 amazing children, a 16 year old daughter, and 2 sons ages 12 and 10.

I had my beautiful daughter when I was 19 years old, no one ever warned me that having a child could disfigure my body or I would have been more careful. I put on 50 lbs during this pregnancy and she weighed 10.6 lbs. The doctor had no idea she was so large, she was 4 days late. I'm sure she should have been taken C-section, the nurse yelled in my face telling me I wasn't even trying to push her out, she basically had to be ripped out of me, I had 23 stitches inside out. The look on that same nurse's face was priceless, my daughter was the size of a 3 month old. She was loud and strong, barely even had to support her neck the first week, 20 lbs came off my weight instantly. When I went to my 6 week follow-up is when I was told the news, my stomach would never return to normal. No exercise would help, I would have to get a tummy tuck.

Pregnancy #2 was about the same, he weighed 10.3 lbs and I gained 50 lbs. I did develop an unusual stretch mark/scar on my left stomach area, it appears to have a strange vein that shows through. In consultation I was told that this would not be able to be removed in surgery, I'm hoping Dr. Mallol can get it off.

Pregnancy #3 I gained a lot more, a whole 75 lbs! They allowed me to give birth a week early that time, he weighed 9.1 lbs. I'm sure this pregnancy put a toll over skin on other skin areas of my body.

My children are very supportive of my surgery and I know they will be fine while I am gone. My family doesn't want me leaving the country, they feel it is too medically risky or I may end up botched. My man doesn't want me doing it, he loves me the way I am and thinks that I am seeking attention from other men. I just want to be comfortable in my own skin, I don't want to feel judged and stared at by younger girls. I just want to look normal, I see so many others having babies and their bodies go back, I wish I wouldn't have to get cut into and put through so much pain. I think it will all be worth it and I can't wait to see the transformation!

BTW, the silly turtle tattoo will be gone during the procedure. Just in case you were wondering...this was professionally done at the age of 16 without parental consent, looking back not so sure how I pulled that off.

Well our passports came in today, our flight and hotel has been booked for nearly 2 weeks now. I'm getting very anxious and feeling a little overwhelmed. This will be the longest I'be ever been away from my kids and I worry about what if something were to happen to me, what about them. It's bringing tears to my eyes, is beauty really worth it? I've come so far to turn back, I have to trust in my lord because he leads my way.

I did find a pillow today that I think will work for my flight home, that was a big concern for me. I also got alot of packing done today and decided to book a Groupon for my first bikini/leg waxing, hoping to get in Thurs or Fri. The less I have to worry about after surgery the better and being hairy with no way to shave myself sounds not very fun.

Got alot to still prepare for including trying to keep my head together and not backing out of this. Goodnight Bella's!