It's finally done!! - Manchester, UK

Hey guys, it's been a while since I posted....not much has happened with my boobs.....healing nicely just the odd pain every so often but that was to be expected with the internal bra in place as it is stitched to my chest muscles making it feel like I have been to the gym if I do too much in one day. I started off very slowly getting into things again .... I helped out with light chores to start off with and have slowly built up to doing the ironing and washing dishes etc. I held off on driving and starting chores until 6 weeks post op as I wanted to give everything a good chance at settling down. By 7 weeks I was picking my niece up again slowly like if she was sat on the sofa next to me I would lift her onto my knee slowly and this seemed to do the trick :) really happy with the results and can't wait to see the surgeon again in a few months! Oh and I finally booked my holiday!!!!

Ok so today marks 3 weeks since I had my reduction with internal bra. I thought I should update my review as I went to see my surgeon today. So firstly, just a little update on my recovery....after my visit to the dressing clinic I experienced some very minor issues with my wound as the nurse pulled 2 stitches out when she changed my steri-strips so this caused a slight opening and some minor leaking of a browny coloured discharge. I rang the dressing clinic just to ask for advice and was told that I was doing all the right things and that there was nothing to worry about unless the wound was leaking a smelly discharge or was inflamed and red and this was not the case with me. I decided to just phone my GP and ask for another course of antibiotics just to ensure I didn't get an infection and it also helped heal the tiny openings. Everything is healed up now and there is nothing open or leaking at this point. I am now currently wearing a 32E sports bra and tomorrow will be trying a 32DD to see how that goes. I had a little issue with getting used to the different sensations when my boobs were touched by the nurse or by my mum or gran who also helped with changing steri-strips and cleaning my wounds, I was finding it was causing me to feel very faint. (If this occurs I find it better to have my wounds tended to when I am lay down on a bed). I have been keeping a little personal photo album of my recovery and a new photo of my boobs is taken every other day. Nobody but me will see this photo album and I also have a memory box with my hospital bands in and an old bra! This is a brilliant idea as it allows me to look back and see how far I have come.

Today I went to see the surgeon for my post-op check-up. He asked me if I am happy with the results and I am 110% happy with them and my mum has actually said she has never seen me this happy and confident before. I explained about the wound openings and he said they was nothing to worry about as they were so so tiny! He explained that I should be able to start lying down properly in bed now as my boobs have healed enough. I am still going to wait till 6 weeks post-op before I get back to my old self properly with household chores etc just to be on the safe side. He also explained that in 5-6 months time he would like me to have more surgery done to help fill out some dents that have appeared in my left breast as they have healed. This will be done by liposuction on my tummy and the fat will be used to fill out the dents in my breast. Also he would like to correct the size of one of my nipples as it is slightly bigger than the other although he did measure them out perfectly when he had to draw lines on me before surgery. I am a happy for this to go ahead if this is what the surgeon feels needs doing. I still love them regardless. I was also given the go ahead to book a holiday abroad as long as I don't get sun on my scars. I am going to book to go in July next year as this gives me chance to heal properly after my second lot of surgery and I will then go away with a smaller tummy and new boobs....how cool!! I can't wait to see the end result. I am so proud of my boobs right now. The surgeon explained he thinks I will go down to a D cup eventually but due to my age they may grow again. I understood this before I signed the consent form to go ahead in the first place. He has done a brilliant job. It took a year but I finally got there.

I am also not taking any painkillers anymore. I stopped needing to take those around 2 weeks after. I can't wait to get back to my old self and give my niece and massive cuddle. I have missed picking her up :D

Hope all you ladies are doing well and feel free to ask any questions if you have any. Good luck to all those ladies waiting....it's worth it in the end! Good things come to those who wait. I am now a full believer in this!! [RS bleep]

P.s. My parents surprised me with a gift after my surgery......a small pillow made out of 3 of my old bras.....what a fantastic keepsake that is! It looks gorgeous!! [RS bleep]

So I'm a couple of days after my surgery. I went in to hospital at 7:30am on 9th July 2014. When I arrived at the hospital I felt so sick and nervous but didn't want to show my parents that's how I felt. I booked in at reception and shortly after the theatre staff were out calling people's names. I gave my parents a kiss and cuddle and was taken through the big double doors. On the other side we was taken to a small waiting area for those waiting for surgery, this is where I started to cry. There was some lovely ladies there who calmed me down and kept me talking for a while.....I was asked to get changed into a gown and my slippers and was taken from room to room talking about what I'm allergic to, signing consent forms etc. After I had done all of that I was taken to see my surgeon who drawnt lines on me then was sent down to the theatre. Walking to that room was scary but I made it. I was asked to lie down on a bed and was given a mask with gas in it to make me go to sleep. The nurse couldn't believe how long it took to send me to sleep. But the only thing I remember next is waking up in the recovery room feeling very spaced out. Couldn't feel any pain from the surgery due to the morphine.

It's safe to say I am now feeling the pain....ALOT! and I'm very uncomfortable with back cramps. I'm at home without any drains or special bandages and have to go back on Tuesday to have my dressings changed.