26 Years Old, a Dream Come True. - Logan, UT

On friday morning I began bleeding from my incision on the right side. I was going throw 3 layers of guaze like every 2 hours. I called my surgeon and he told me to hold pressure on it and continue to pack it with guaze. And if the bleeding didnt stop to seek help. By about 9 pm i removed the guaze for a shower and the blood just started flowing. So my mom took me to the emergency room. The diagnosis was a draining hematoma and they dressed the wound with a very absorbent dressing and sent me home. I was draining all weekend long. Monday morning I followed up with my surgeon and he advised me to come in. Upon examination he decided to poke some holes to help the hematoma drain better. Once it's drained I will heal much faster. He then removed the scab from my necrotic nipple. I know I have a gaping hole and it's very scary. The wound has to be packed with guaze and replaced daily. Its very painful to remove the guaze from the fresh skin when it has become sticky. Yesterday was a rough day emotionally. I cried most of the day. Not really because of the loss of the nipple because I accepted that a long time ago but because I have this gaping wound that has slowed down my healing process immensely. I am so ready for the pain to go away and to just get back to my life again! I know I wont feel like this forever and I am still happy with my results. Just another obstacle to overcome.

I have been self-conscious about my breasts since I started growing them in the 4th grade. By the time I was in high school I was 5 ft 1 and wore a D cup. Every time we would go bra shopping I needed a bigger cup size and would cry. When I reached college I was a DDD. I got married and my first child was born and that's when they got really out of control. Nursing had blown my breasts up to an H cup. I remember looking down at them and laughing because they were almost comically huge. After my 3rd baby i started a Journey of weightloss and lost 30 lbs but ny cup size stayed the same. It was at that time I started to seriously consider the reduction. I met with my surgeon for the 1st time in August 2014. My youngest child was 8 months old and I had only recently stopped nursing. The surgeon felt like I needed more time for milk production to completely go away so I scheduled an appointment for March. Over the holidays I wasn't as strict with my diet and exercise regimen and gained back some weight. In march my surgeon and I decided July would be the time for surgery and I was going to lose more weight to achieve the best results. So I hired a personal trainer and worked my butt off. Surgery day came and I felt confident with my health and my weight. The surgery went great and the surgeon was able to leave the nipples attached. When I woke up I was very nauseated and vomited immediately. By the time I got home the nausea had subsided and I was ready to rest. My husband went out and rented me an electric recliner and it was the best 100 bucks we've ever spent. It was helpful and kept me in a great position that was very comfortable. I have been sleeping on it for the last 2 weeks. The first night I did not try and get up at all without the help of my husband. He helped me get to the bathroom and empty my drains. My last bathroom trip before we were ready to go to bed I fainted. Luckily my husband was right there to catch me and guide me to the ground. By day 2 I really wasnt liking the way my left nipple was looking. It was gray and discolored. I rushed in to see the surgeon who loosened the stictches and tape to relieve the restricton. Unfortunately it was too late and my nipple died. It is currently completely black and scabbed over. The surgeon is confident that I still have healthy tissue underneath so we are just waiting for the dead skin to come off. I had surgical drains in for 10 days. The drains weren't too bad for the first week or so but after that the site were they tube was attached wasnvery uncomfortable and sore and stung very badly. I was so happy to finally get them out. The first week I didnt do anything. I stayed in my chair and binge watched television shows on netlfix. I slept a lot because the narcotics made me feel really out of it. The second week I had to try going back to being a mom but it was very difficult. I couldnt pick up my kids and hold them. I had to call in help from my neighbors and parents. If you have children I would highly reccomend having someone available for 2 weeks. This week has been much easier performing my motherly duties. Inspite of the difficulties of the last 2 weeks I would definitely have the surgery again. The surgeon removed 880 grams from my right breast and 920 from my left. I love the look and feel of my new breasts. I cant wait to complete my healing process and get back the gym. For so long exercise has been so uncomfortable and I would struggle with my breasts bouncing and falling out of my bra no matter how many bras I wore. I could never find a swimming suit that fit me because i was close to a 2x around my bust and a l/xl around the rest of my body. I am absolutely thrilled and would love to answer questions anyone has if they are considering this surgery. Also I will keep you updated on the progress of my nipple. By the way, my right nipple looks absolutley perfect.