54 Years Old, Small Framed, Athletic, So Ready to Do This- Breast Reduction and Lift! - Kenilworth, IL

I finally decided to have this surgery for myself as my husband and I are officially empty nesters as of September. Everyone I have consulted with have said that my surgeon, Geoffrey Fenner, is an "artist" with breast surgery; and so I know I am in the best of hands (literally!) Don't have a picture to upload yet but will do so before the surgery. One week from tomorrow and I am a new woman! To update on my preparation, I had a two hour pre-surgery meeting with Dr Fenner's nurse, Melissa, and she was phenomenal! She answered every single one of my questions and gave me loads of good advice in regards to post surgery steps to take to avoid excessive bruising, nausea, pain, or discomfort. I will provide more details about this in my next post. I have also gone to Walmart (throw away clothes if I don't want them later) and bought button up pj's, button up flannel shirts, two sports bras which zip up the front and one or two soft cotton camisoles. Dr Fenner's nurse said that I will likely NOT need a compression bra after surgery and that they recommend that I just wear a loose camisole over my breasts which will only have gauze over them. No bra at all! Are you kidding me? That will be an out of body experience for me after lugging these large breasts around, tightly held up and snug, for so long. My surgery will be one week away, as of tomorrow, and so I will start a regime of "no alcohol, no aspirin or ibuprofen (both interfere with normal blood clotting), washing with a germ-inhibiting soap i.e. Dial, Safeguard or Lever 2000, and taking a multi-vitamin every day." I still need to go to the pharmacy to pick up my prescriptions for pain medicine, Bromelain, Arnica, and stool softener for after the surgery. More later, I am going to work out for one of the last times with these massive obstacles in front of me.

So, as promised, I am posting a few before photos. As I get closer to surgery, I feel more aggravated and ready to have these breasts gone. My bra underwire digging into my ribs, straps leaving indentions in my shoulders, and tight band leaving marks on my torso, are making me feel claustrophobic. I know that I am going to have pain, swelling, bruising and scars to contend with and these are all consequences that I am willing to put up with for the final result. (When I complain or stress out in the coming weeks, I will do my best to remember this.)