28/f/trauma Surviver in Need of the Last Pieces of a New Life After the Madness. La Mesa, CA

My Journey to Plastics with Dr. Pousti While my story isn't unique, it isn't something ubiquitous, though the circumstances are unfortunately common in our world. I was a child that grew up in an abusive home. I had a single family home with too many children than could be afforded. I was a child of an immigrant. I ended up in the foster care. I have been diagnosed and clinically treated for several eating disorders, mental/emotional disorders, and this continued on into my young adult life. Because of my child hood trauma I did experience body dysmorphia and suffered with anorexia nervosa and was on the extreme end of the scale for body weight, in that I was severely underweight. As a very young adult I survived a very common physical trauma that left me tormented with a pregnancy and undiagnosed illnesses associated with my circumstances that ultimately led to a sudden and extreme weight gain of 185lbs, throwing me on the opposite end of the spectrum I experienced as a child. My two extreme weights were at a low of 93lbs, and a high of 285, with a height of barely 5’4’’. Because of these two extremes, I never experienced any sort of physical or mental normality when it came to body type or comfortability. Because of my inability to shed the weight after my experience, I could never quite recover or move on, and most simplistically I learned to suppress my emotions and put on a fake smile to prevent discomfort from those around me. I was able to semi function as a growing adult, throwing myself deeply in an educational system, exploring many facets of higher education and paths of knowledge. I paired off in a traditional partnership with someone quite unexpected to fit with me, and yet it was the most absolutely perfect match. I found a person that didn't care about the physical shell I was trapped in, other than it bothered him that I was suffering on a level I could never be completely honest about, until it affected our viability for procreating. In our failed attempts to create a child, I resorted to finally addressing the physical and emotional elephant that took up every room in our lives. It was the major consensus that if I resolved my weight issues, I could potentially be fertile and successful in our journey to parenthood. I explored my options and met the best bariatric surgeon and decided on a RNY Gastric Bypass. My surgeon of choice was adamant in extensive nutritional and lifestyle education before allowing surgery, as well as proof that his patients could viably adopt and continue such changes. In my proof, I lost nearly 70lbs before surgery and actually had to convince my surgeon to continue with the operation. Because of my undiagnosed history of weight gain, directly linked to pregnancy, we all felt like it would actually be beneficial for me to proceed, in preventative measures were I to become fertile and experience the same symptoms as before. I also had a lifelong history of debilitating intestinal disorders that were commonly treated with this bypass. There were too many benefits to lose this opportunity I had chosen and worked toward. I had the procedure in October of 2013. I became pregnant about 3 months post op, which is extremely unsafe, and I do not condone or suggest this for anyone. That time of my life was such a blur, and I somehow thought I was much farther post op, which can happen with the weight loss results I had achieved in such a short amount of time. I was well over 100lbs of weight lost, and this steadily continued as my pregnancy progressed. By the time I delivered, via scheduled c-section at 39 weeks, November 2014, I was -19lbs pre pregnancy weight and had given birth to a very healthy 7lb13oz baby boy. While breast feeding I maintained a loss of 130/135lb weight and my discomfort grew. I didn't have any more weight loss but the excess abdominal skin kept accumulating and tore, rashed, caused chronic pain. In April of 2015 I suddenly fell so ill that no fluids or food could be kept down and I was frequently vomiting. It took over 6 neglectful doctors, and facilities, to turn me away before an emergency surgery displayed the source of my distress: a very large and severe internal hernia. Apparently this is a side effect after RNY most commonly in women, who become pregnant. A side effect my husband and I do not ever remember being educated on. This is also something that can happen frequently for the rest of my life. It happened 2 more times in less than 6 months, and I lost my gall bladder. The most unfortunate circumstances surrounding the internal hernia are that they are sudden, and there is no way to prevent them. I was notified that because of my extreme weight loss, I had absolutely no fat to support my intestines like more normal anatomy laden humans, nor did I have the abdominal support because of pregnancies and their natural effects on the abdominal wall, and the most back up support, the spine, was experiencing degenerative disc disease as well as arthritis. I had everything going against me. My current Bariatric surgeon suggested that I was more than ready for plastics and it was potentially relevant to all of my ailments. The obvious and painful extra skin in my abdomen would be removed, but an extended abdominoplasty would entail reconstruction of my abdominal walls which could possible be my best chance at support and internal hernia prevention. The extra weight from the excess skin alone would also alleviate my back problems once removed. This was scary information for me, but I pushed myself to start the research.

Significant healing and a better view of results. Still dealing with occasional swelling and pain associated with increased physical activity after such a large procedure. Everything seems to be going well and each day I see myself I'm getting more comfortable with the changes. Bought my first shorts and was happily surprised to find my new size, with minor swelling, is a US 3. It was never about the number, but the number validates the journey I have been on!

Occasional swelling and fluid occurs but is well controlled with compression garments. When no swelling is present my stomach is incredibly flat. My scars are almost hidden by normal panty lines but I'm sure with my fair skin they will fade well. Some of my feeling has return but not much. I will note that from past cesarean I had never had much feeling, so there's more feeling than I used to have. My belly button is awesome! Almost all my scars from past repeat abdominal laparoscopic operations were cut away in the extra skin removal. My abdominal wall is naturally working out with every motion I do and I am starting to feel so much stronger.