Finally On My Way To My Dream Body - Dominican Republic

So I am giving this another try. I have booked my flight, gotten the green light from three doctors, and I am all packed and ready to go! I am scheduled for a Brazilian Butt Lift with Dr. J. Maldonado in Santo Domingo, DR on Feb. 26, 2015. I will be staying at Serenity Recovery House (owned by NJPRBeauty who has become a great resource and an even more amazing friend) during my recovery.

If you have not heard of Dr. Johemy Maldonado, he's very locally known in DR and he works with one other doctor (Dr. Lucas Baez) out of Dermostetic Laser Clinic in Santo Domingo. Their website features a tour of their clinic and staff as well as a list of their procedures with a gallery of images and satisfied clients. I made the decision to come to Maldonado because I really liked the work and review that another RS poster (RE Donk Ulous another great resource and friend) did on him. Once I communicated with him, he gave me images and rescources. I called him personally, he picked up the phone and I conversed with him directly. No secretaries, no endless emails or WhatsApp messages, I got to speak directly to him. I liked that. We have been in constant contact since then. Not to mention his prices are absolutely phenomenal! I also like how he leaves you awake for the duration of your procedure. Since I knew that twilight anesthesia may have me wake up during my procedures regardless, I thought that being awake during that time I should be fine. My only concern with being awake at that point is how bored I will be (trivial, I'm sure).

I have taken new pictures, however my wish pictures are the same. I will most likely post pictures after my procedure since those are the most helpful. Well thats all I have for now, if anyone has any questions, my inbox is always open!

Ugh...I struggled with this the last time I embarked on this journey. And it was difficult to say the least... I am considering Contreras. Now before anyone jumps on the comments or private messages telling me about his history, let me preface my entry by saying I have done a lot of research not only on the procedures but majority of the doctors. So I am well aware of what I am getting into. Does that mean I am disregarding my life or health? No, not at all. I am approaching my decision very cautiously. I have been communicating, almost daily, with Contreras and he has answered ALL of my questions. From his methods, his pricing, his clinic, operating procedures. I get a faster reply from him than I do Maldonado and Contreras' clinic looks beautiful and modern (I've seen CIPLA in person, trust me when I say they could use some updating). But this is just consideration, no final decision has been made. I am going to meet Contreras in person first, and then decide whether or not to go with him. Ugh, the struggle is so very real...

...have you seen those disappearing dolls? Yea, I definitely don't want that to be me. I found the information on here and on social media to be very helpful. Having a connection with a veteran was very helpful, I needed to be able to come to someone with questions. Especially not knowing a thing. I definitely do not want to disappear post op. I have started a Instagram journey page (curvesgalore_in_dr2015) so please feel free to follow if you would like to catch some images. I will do my best to post as much as possible when I am post op, but my inbox will always be open.

....I will be leaving in 7 days
....I will be having surgery in 8 days
....I am freaking the f*ck out....
This time feels different, this time feels real. And I feel like this time I am closer to my dream. And I love it, but I am so nervous! I'm scared...anxious....confused....worried....sad....everything. Any emotion that can be felt, I feel it.

Ok I have returned from DR after having surgery with Dr. Maldonado on Feb 26, 2015. I have written my review on my experience with him and will update with RH and all that later. But here's my review on Maldonado

...meeting Maldonado the day before surgery it was a very nice meeting. He met me in a clinic, which was not his (and nicer, but I'll get to that later) for my tests and evaluations. I waited for him to arrive approximately 45 mins. When he got there, we spoke briefly about what I wanted and my health and he pulled out his date book and wrote me in for surgery the next morning. Then I removed my top, pulled down my pants and he poked and pinched me. Then he sat back down and quoted me $3000 which was $500 more than the quote he gave me so I showed him the screenshots of the quote he gave me and he honored it. I gave him the money and he wrote me a receipt and told me surgery will be for the next morning at 11am and not to eat after 9pm tonight. Then I had blood tests and an EKG done and had to go to another clinic and pay a separate $27 for a chest xray. The whole test process took about 2 hours mostly because of having to go to another clinic. I got to my RH, ate, and went to sleep. The next morning I packed a bag with pads, wipes, and my phone charger. At about 10am Maldonado called Conrad, my driver, to inform him his first surgery was delayed and that I should come in at 1pm. Conrad came and dropped me off for surgery at 1pm. When I got to Maldonado's small clinic on that Thursday it was packed. I know he shares his office with another surgeon so it was hard to determine who was here to see whom. There were post op women there waiting to be seen for follow up as well as other women there just looking for consultation in one form or another. After waiting about an hour and a half, Maldonado pulls me into his office to inform me of his delay and that he was waiting for my room to be ready once a patient left. He said it shouldn't be much longer. Then I waited for a few more hours and at one point,Maldonado left his office. I was so confused. I waited in the lobby staring at the tv, falling in and out of sleep, waiting to be taken to a room. Finally around 6pm the anesthesiologist came and got me and gave me a gown to wear and brought me into the OR to get ready for surgery. He laid me on this small table and put my IV in for fluids. The OR was small and was painted white, even the windows. I could tell it was painted because the former color could still be seen though the streaks. Maldonado came in and marked me up, after that he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and spoke with someone while I was having my spinal block put in. He hung up after watching me in discomfort and held my shoulders until it was done. Then I laid back on the tiny table and then it was time. The feeling of being awake while my whole body was numb was very surreal. I remember telling my self to breath because my whole body felt so heavy. I was awake for some lipo, I felt nothing. But I fell asleep on my own merit. I woke briefly while they put the faja on and didn't wake up until the next morning. Maldonado came in and said my stomach was flat and asked if I could walk. I was really confused because I felt like I literally just woke up. But apparently someone came in my room a couple hours before trying to get me to eat. I stood up, very dizzy and walked from one bed to the other one across the room and he said I was ok and it was time to go. I thought for sure it was later in the afternoon, but when I got to the car thats when I found out it was barely 9am! I thought it was so weird being asked to leave so early. The weekend went by and after surpassing some nausea and not hearing from Maldonado, I sent him w whatsapp asking when I was to remove my drain. He asked me to come in the next day at 11am. On that Monday, I go to his office and the lady doctor pulls me into a consultation room to removed my drain. Maldonado steps in as I lay on the table and asks how I am feeling. I say "fine". The drain was removed and another stitch was put in (painful, no anesthetic). Then I go back to the RH. That was the last I saw of or heard from Maldonado. When I was released from the clinic, there was no instruction on lifting, stitches, drain care, etc. The faja he put me in was basically Colombian made spanx. Meeting him, I found him to be friendly and would have perceived his bedside manner to be a little more warm. I thought his clinic was small but a little outdated, as was his OR. All in all, I don't find my experience with Maldonado to be terrible or regrettable. I am very happy with my results, I just would have hoped for a more personal experience.

OK...
It been 8 weeks since my surgery with Maldonado. As I heal I am finding that I do like my results, however the booty greed is real. So I have decided to plan out a round 2, but this time I will be traveling to Colombia. I will be looking for surgeons and hopefully be back in the OR by next spring. I know I haven't posted pictures, but you can follow my visual journey on IG at Curvesgalore_in_dr2015!! I am always willing to answer questions, so please feel free to ask!