Mini Tummy Tuck and LIPO ALL OVER - La Jolla, CA

This was about 20 years in the decision process (struggling with my mother's tank-like figure, short and stout, endless working out, never satisfied with how a bathing suit looked or how I felt if my belly was exposed EVER) and finally I found myself in a place in my life where at 44 years of age, I had the money to do it, so it was now or never.

The continual researching, the endless you-tube watching, and the obsessive reading about all the procedures, I think I was ready to finally start the process of vetting out doctors. The massive bonus I had was that my BFF is an anesthesiologist at Scripps La Jolla and has worked with all the excellent PS doctors here in SD. She knows how neurotic I am, so she sent me to meet 6 of her colleagues. Out of 6, I was stuck thinking about 3. However, with that being said, what my decision came down to was Brucker himself, what a great guy.

At our consult, it was like talking to my big brother. It was easy. There was no "selling", no BS, realistic conversation and he gave it to me straight. He didn't act like it was going to be a walk in the park and he was the only one out of 6 that let me know lipo can feel like your burning from the inside-out. His honesty was what I needed. We spoke about what I had in mind and what my struggles had been and he shared with me what his thoughts were. There was an automatic sense of trust that surpassed any of the other wonderful doctors that I met.... So I put my deposit down and waited until May 20th, 5 days after a 2 week vacation in Grand Cayman~

For someone to be as crazy as I am and to feel fear with anything health related, and never having surgery or going under general anesthesia, I wasn't nervous at all. How in the world could that be possible?! Well, I know partially because my BFF was putting me under~ but the other part was my confidence in my choice of the surgeon that was going to perform this massive procedure and change my body into the form in which I had set REALISTIC expectations on.

I am 6 days out and have been on Tylenol since the morning after my surgery. Brucker had lipo'd my knees, my flanks, my upper back, my inner, anterior and outer thigh, my upper and lower abdomen and sealed the deal with a mini tummy tuck (removal of skin below the belly button only), without plication of my muscles, as I have never had children.

The unveiling of peeling off my compression garment after three days was miraculous. Was it painful? Heck yeah~ I won't lie, but was I freaking out looking at my body in the mirror! I thought good grief, if this is day 3, I will be running naked through my neighborhood to show everyone my stunning body in 6 months!

I have been reading this website for MONTHS and if anyone of you reading this post and are in or willing to come to Southern California, meet with Doctor Brucker~ He is a master at his craft.

I am more than thrilled. Thanks Dr. Brucker, for changing my life!

What a massive difference! I am feeling great! Much more mobility than assumed at this point, however sore still. The feeling of being beaten with a baseball bat has subsided dramatically, so now, I am dealing with more "soreness".

The pain sensation for me over the last 12 days has gone from "burning" to feeling "bludgeoned" to "soreness". So each day it's getting better!

I drove yesterday, and my Tylenol doses have been able to stretch about 6.5 hours between them. I have been off the narcotics since the morning after- as for my body and the way I am, I would rather deal with the discomfort than deal with the spinning, nausea and head tremors that the dilaudid (hydromorphone) gave me. It was not worth it! So Tylenol was literally every 3.5 hours up until about day 10.

I have also noted that when they say rest... It's because your body needs it, even though your mind cannot! I noticed any time over the 12 days, that if I slept for 8-9 hours at night, my body felt so much better upon waking! So Tylenol Night Time has been working for me for the last 3 nights. Prior to that, I was waking up every 3 hours and it was not "restful" enough, even if I was laying around all day. I can now sleep on my sides and I can stretch my legs ans torso with greater ease.

I am more mobile and my maneuverability has become better, I noticed that my body still has its limits with this surgery. It definitely tells me when enough is enough and I have to get off my feet. The longer you are on your feet, the more pain from swelling has happened.

I am still swollen and I am expecting to be through the worst of it within the next 2 weeks, however, Doctor Brucker mentioned that even down the road when the other lipo'd areas swelling has subsided, the last remaining swelling will be in my tummy and that can continue until 6 months.

With all of this, I have lost weight due to the dramatic change in my diet. I am a firm believer that 70% of what you eat + genetics and exercise will dictate your shape, however food is SO important. So remember to always eat the best for you, however that maybe, as after going through this, there is no way I would ever want to go back!

Still thrilled and still having ZERO regrets!

...more to come!