Fluer De Lis Tummy Tuck with Breast Lift/reduction...*UPDATE*

Let me first begin by giving you a little background on me. I've always been overweight and I've been up and down all my adult life. When that happens, it really does a number on your body. Back in 2010, I had Lap Band Weight Loss surgery and lost over 120 lbs, but due to be honest when I was at my lowest weight of 150, it was just unsustainable for me. My bariatric surgeon had told me so and that my body would know what was right for me. Over the last three years I have been working out with a trainer, go to the gym regularly, but after having had and working hard to lose the weight, I know that I have done all I can without help from a surgeon. I'm not looking for "an easy way out" (well, maybe a part of me is) but I know that I have busted my ass to lose over 100 lbs and why continue to chase a brass ring if I'm never going to be able to get there on my own?

This is why God created plastic surgeons! :)

When I was looking for a surgeon, I knew that low cost is not what to look for. I have had plastic surgery before, in 2011, when I had a neck lift/lipo, to remove the "turkey waddle" I had after losing my weight, as I always carried my weight from the hips up. I had read and heard good things about Dr. Diaz, so I decided to go in for a consult ($75, but the fee was waived for me due to a referral).

When Dr. Diaz came in, while I was still dressed, we discussed my past history, and what I was interested in having done. After we had discussed things, He had me change into a hospital gown and with an assistant in the room, he started to look me over. I have to admit it was a bit weird at first being here in an open hospital gown while Dr. Diaz poked around. Admittedly, I know very little about the intracacies of plastic surgery, so in my mind when I went into his office, I was there to see about how much a tummy tuck and breast lift with implants would be. I assumed I would need implants in order to give them the lift and perkiness I desired. I didn't want to increase my boob size, so implants weren't needed. What WAS needed is to have my left breast reduced as it is noticeably larger than my left (and has always been the bane of my existence) and then to have them both lifted.

When he was looking over my abdomen area, he presented me with two different options. If I was interested in a lower body lift that would be a good option, but it wasn't something I was interested in, plus, I wouldn't have been to take the amount of time off needed for my full recovery. I didn't have issues with my butt, hips or legs....it was my belly and my boobs.

When he suggested a Fluer De Lis Tummy Tuck, I have to admit, I had never heard of it before. He explained to me that with my body shape and my upper mid section loose skin and flab, if I just had a traditional lower tummy tuck, I would still be faced with the dreaded muffin top. He recommended the FDL tummy tuck with lipo of "the flanks" (makes me sound like a side of beef! LOL) and he told me how the procedure is done and what the scarring would be, in order to give me the full picture to determine if the scars would be worth my result.

Talk about a no brainer. An extra vertical star or a flat belly? Well let me tell you, at no point will this body EVER be in a 2 piece bathing suit, so what do I care if I have an inverted T scar? My c-section scar is virtually invisible, my 5 one inch Lap Band insisions are hardly noticable, so I just look at this as another battle scar. After explaining that he felt this would be the best surgery for me, I decided to trust in his expertise and go with the "Mommy Makeover", which is a combined surgery of a breast lift and tummy tuck done at the same time, which if done together is a discount of $2500, as opposed to doing them seperately.

For those of you interested in pricing in my area...

Breast Reduction & Lift $9000
Fluer De Lis TT with Liop on Flanks $9500

With the combined surgery discount, it lowered my price to $16K total if paying by cash or check. If financing using CareCredit, the price is higher at $18,400. This includes ther surgical facility fee, Dr. Diaz's fee, anesthesia cost, post and preop visits, pathology and lab expenses.

Am I nervous? Hell yes! After I had my neck lift, I swore to high heaven that I would NEVER, AS GOD AS MY WITNESS have plastic surgery again. How soon we forget when we see how great the results are :) I have been talking with a few of my close girlfriends who have had these surgeries and they have been giving me the whole rundown, tips, pointers, the whole 9 yards. I AM excited, but nervous at the same time.

I do want to ideally lose this last 10 lbs before my surgery on Nov. 19th and I need to FULLY quit smoking. I've got a recliner to sleep in and almost 3 weeks off work. Only 2 more months!!

Here are my "pre-pre" photos I had taken today. When i meet with my surgeon next month, I will up load those. I can't believe I am putting my fat ass body out on the internet like this, though. At least now you can see why I am in desperate need of the Fluer De Lis!

I am really over thinking this...I think I made a big mistake and posted a question to the doctor's forum asking if they thought a Fluer De Lis Tummy Tuck would be best for me. Unfortunately, you don't get tons of room to write, so I wasn't able to point out the fact that what I DIDN'T want in any way shape or form was a circumferential tummy tuck or lower body lift because 1) the thought of them essentially cutting me in half scared the ever loving heck out of me and 2) the recovery would have been hell on wheels considering I am also having a breast reduction/lift done at the same time and I just couldn't take the amount of time off of work that I would have needed for a full recovery. When I let my surgeon know I didn't want a lower body lift (as that was his first suggestion), he then suggested the Fluer De Lis and after doing my research, I do think that it would be good for me. I was just in one of my nervous nelly moods and thought I'd ask other doctors. The funny thing is, they all say something different. What I do know is that I have COMPLETE faith in Dr. Diaz and he wouldn't do something that he didn't think would give me the best result.

Still, I am nervous as all get out. Not about the surgery, because lord knows I've had surgery for Carpal Tunnel on my wrists, a tonsillectomy as an adult that was more painful than anything I have ever encountered in my life, a c-section, Lap Band surgery, a neck lift and emergency laproscopic surgery for an ectopic pregnancy. The surgery itself will be no biggie. It's the recovery that is going to suck big old donkey dongs....oh and not to mention the hurt in my pocketbook when I make that $16K payment! LOL

But I know it is all worth it in the end...Right?

Just in case anyone wonders, I am 41, have one child via c-section, am 5 '6 almost 5'7 and am hovering at the 180-182 mark. My goal is to be back at 170 (or less) the day of surgery on Nov. 19th. I have cut our caffeine, refined sugar and processed foods and I am weaning myself off the last of the nicotine.