Age 59 and Getting a BA for Christmas! - Milwaukee, WI

I just wanted to add a few words about how great my husband has been through all of this. Totally supportive. No surprise there - who wouldn't want a wife with bigger boobs? Yet at the same time leaving this decision completely 100% up to me.

Even when I did the rice test and asked his opinion as I "tried on" different sizes, he was reluctant to speak up saying this needed to be my decision, not his. I really appreciated that. Xoxo, love you baby.

It's been two days since my augmentation and lift and happy to report I'm doing great. Sleeping and eating well. I've not been hesitant to take the pain medication. Oxycodone plus acetaminophen every four hours has been managing the discomfort quite nicely. Ice packs also help. Also have an antibiotic four times a day.

Got 400cc Natrelle Style 20. Doctor and I were both happy he could go a little larger than he originally anticipated.

Everything went smoothly day of surgery from my perspective. One minute they're wheeling me into the operating room and the next I'm waking up in recovery.

Surgery went longer than expected though. Doctor explained to my husband that he was afraid my implants might drop too much and had to add some extra sutures to prevent that. I forgot to ask the doctor about that when he called last night to check up on me and so I will get the full story next week at my post op appointment.

Surprisingly I wasn't nervous at all day of surgery. I had complete confidence in Dr. Dembny, my anesthesiologist and the rest of the surgical staff. While it's (hopefully) a once in a lifetime procedure for me I have to remember they are extremely skilled professionals who do this all the time.

Pics to follow.

I finished my mammogram and, at the technician's suggestion, went upstairs to the plastic surgeons' office to find out more about breast augmentation. My first visit to Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery Specialists (mycpss.com), the practice of Drs. Ken Dembny and Larry Sterkin, was welcoming and informative. Receptionist Heidi gave me loads of information and answered lots of questions. She offered to make an appointment for a full consultation but I declined, telling her I was just there looking for general information. By the time I left, though, I was ready and had a consult set for November 13!

That evening I received a welcome email from Dr. Dembny which also included links to his other websites, www.mybreastaugmentation.info and www.drdembny.com. Great information, testimonials and before and after photos. He also alerted me to the RealSelf website where I've enjoyed reading about so many of your journeys. Very important to me, Dr. Dembny is a board-certified plastic surgeon. He is a diplomate of The American Board of Plastic Surgery and a member of both the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and The American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Between this visit and my official consultation, I was invited to and attended a free informational seminar offered by Dr. Dembny. I arrived a little early and enjoyed chatting with three members of his staff - all were genuinely warm, friendly and made me feel comfortable. About 4 or 5 women attended and we all had the opportunity to have our specific questions answered. I felt as if Dr. Dembny would have stayed there for hours answering our questions if needed. He's very patient and wants to make sure all concerns are addressed. We were able to see and hold the various implant types, received a short history of breast augmentation, heard about risks and complications, saw many before and after photos and learned what to expect the day of surgery and after. And big surprise: we each received $900 off the surgical fee just for attending! Plus samples of skin care products and some really awesome hand cream they sell - I'm going to have to get more of that.

My consultation was November 13. High school friend C, mentioned in my previous post, went along with me. Beforehand, I told her to please speak up and ask questions I may not think of. Since she's had a BA herself, I was glad she was there. (Plus we went out for lunch and wine afterward :) Dr. Dembny spent about two hours with me and was extremely thorough and professional. At one point when he was drawing all over me, he said he hoped that was ok. I said sure, I'd seen plenty of plastic surgery TV shows. C piped up, "Like Botched." Dr. D said that's where he catches up on his previous patients - I was glad to see he has a sense of humor! I feel very comfortable and confident in my choice of surgeon.

As far as implant size, I'm leaving that to Dr. Dembny's discretion the day of surgery based on the pocket he's able to create. He is the professional and I'd also say an"artist." (And Heidi told me a perfectionist, which I really like.) I trust his professional judgment and expertise to give me the best possible results. I shared several wish photos so he has a good idea of what I'm looking for. We all agreed C summed it up when she said, "As big as possible without looking like a freak." I also did the "rice test" (will write about that in another post) and he and I have discussed those results. I would say that Dr. Dembny is more on the conservative side as far as sizing - he wants to ensure problems down the road are minimized by using implants that are the optimal size based on an individual's anatomy. If you are set on going REALLY big, he may not be your guy.

During the consultation, Dr. Dembny recommended that in addition to the augmentation I get a lift as well. I'd gone in hoping not to hear this because of the extra cost associated. The doctor explained his reasons for recommending a lift and how he felt it would significantly enhance my final results, and after hearing his thoughts I agreed. I'm happy to add that they were very willing to work with me to come up with pricing I was satisfied with. A bit of advice I have for others considering plastic surgery - the price may very well be negotiable. Don't be hesitant to speak up.