Body by Cortes - Houston, TX

A few more pictures I wanted to share.

I have been meaning to give an update for quite sometime BUT… Life!!! Of course in the beginning of our journeys we start off eating, sleeping and breathing RS… all day everyday… and it slowly tapers off when that thing of our obsessions finally becomes a reality. Anyway… I have seen Dr. Cortes twice since my last update. The first appointment went well… he took pics and gave cortisone shots only in my tummy but not in my butt. He said he didn't see or feel the butt lump (and neither could I) so I let it go. I'm certain it was because I had been wearing my compression garment consistently, and the way the garment squishes all the "butt meat/fat" out of the arse holes of my compression garment it made the lump flush and hard to see. I decided then that would be the last day I was gonna wear my compression garment. I was 12 weeks. So that night… no garment. The next morning I woke up with loose skin going around my entire midsection. It was literally a flap of hanging skin around my waist right above my belly button. It was so weird. I decided then I would put my compression garment back on to help my skin retract. After a day or two I took it back off for good. Thankfully the skin had retracted. Still a little loose… but no longer a flap of skin. Whew!! At this time I also began laying on my sides and sitting without my pillow. OMG… this was THE BEST!! It felt amazing to sleep in a new position... and without a tight uncomfortable compression garment too. Actually this really began at the 11th week. Once I hit my official 3 month mark (3/28)… I tried sleeping on my back… but it ended up being uncomfortable. So to this day when I lay on my back I have to lay with a pillow in the small of my back. Otherwise it's really uncomfortable. I last saw Dr. Cortes about 2 - 3 weeks ago. He said I looked great and told me if I had any complications to come back but this was the end. He took more pictures, and he did not bring up the tummy tuck suggestion again (considering I really didn't need one). No I didn't bring up the butt lump… yes I can still see it. But I know it's there. It's only noticeable when I wear panties that cut mid butt cheek (like a bikini cut) and I have on a thin pair of leggings. Otherwise it's not visible. It's really hard to explain. I did inquire about the discoloration I have on my abdomen. He wrote me a prescription for Tri-Luma. Do you know that cream is $175?? Anyhow… I didn't purchase it. Girl that's a new outfit! Besides there's so many OTC fade creams on the market for a fraction of the cost. Throughout this whole experience I haven't tried to cut any costs (because you get what you pay for)… but I guess because it's the end and I already got what I wanted… it's not a big deal. I would still put on a bikini right now without hesitation look amazing. It's not that serious. At this point… I have only one regret… and that's not doing this sooner. This was SOOOOOOO worth it!! I LOVE my body. In closing this is probably my last update. I tell everyone interested in getting any kind of work done to start with RS!! I don't think I would have EVER done this without RS!!! My advice… DO YOUR RESEARCH, BE REALISTIC, and be PATIENT!!! I've seen so many "wish pics" only to see that it really is just a photoshopped picture. Don't believe everything you see!!! This journey is NOT easy. Cosmetic surgery is NOT waking up after surgery perfect. Nor is it saying I want my body to look just like some celeb or Instagram chick. After the surgery is when the journey really begins!! Good luck to everyone!

I'm at week 10 and at this point everything still looks good and I'm still very happy. Although my measurements have changed.

Waist: 27
Hips: 42

Also I have lost weight… I'm down to 147 now. Whereas on my surgery day I weighed in 10 lbs heavier.

I have an appointment next week with Cortes. I hope to get another shot for my butt lump (necrosis) because it's not disappeared yet but has gone down.

I'll update after my appointment next week.