Adventures with Boobies!(the Surgical Kind) 23y/o, 5'8, 140lbs - Minneapolis, MN

Hello RealSelf!
First, I would like to thank everyone who is a part of RealSelf, as you people have really helped me along with deciding when, what, and who to get for my B.A. I could not have done it without your information/experiences helping me through the process. I spent about 2 years lurking here, and finally made an account in August. My quest for a B.A. became a reality in early December, when I raised enough money to have the breasts I always wanted.
I went to Minneapolis Plastic Surgery to have my procedure done, and cannot express how much time Dr. Tholen and his team spent with me. Since I was an "out-of-towner", I booked my consultation and surgery on the same day. I was a little worried they would be rushing me into the surgery and I wouldn't have enough time to have all my concerns and questions answered before surgery. That was not the case! First, I measured by Dr. Tholen, who spent a great deal talking to me about the process (we're talking an hour, here) and answering all my questions. Then I went to the Sizing Room! They started me off with sizers closest to my wish pics, but did not tell me the ccs because of people having biases towards a singular size. The only difficulty I was having with it was that the sizers were stuffed in a brassier and I was supposed to imagine that was the size of them when they were naked. I also could not tell the difference between the two I had narrowed it down to. So when we came back to the consultation room, I had learned that I had chosen 375ccs and 450ccs as the two I was stuck on. When Dr. Tholen came in he told me that those sizes would make me roughly a D cup, and I kind of panicked. I know we are not supposed to be hung up on a number, but I was (and am) terrified of going too large. I wanted the most natural looking and feeling breasts I can get. However, I view these surgeons as artists in their own right, and I know that they know a great deal more about B.A.s than I do, so I told Dr. Tholen before surgery that if it came down to it, please remember I want the SMALLER ones. He said he didn't want me to have them drop in a couple of months and be fretful because they were smaller than I thought. So I guess that not a lot of people want smaller implants?
Anyway, surgery was a breeze, I am an art education student, so the anesthesiologist talked to me about art history(she was amazing) until I was out. I awoke feeling just fine, with just a tightness in my chest. Every single one of the crew who operated on me came in to see how I was doing which was just lovely. Dr. Tholen even came to see how I was doing and to tell me the implants sizes he decided to put inside of me.
533ccs in each! I blanched. They are much larger than what I wanted! However, Dr. Tholen reassured me that they will not be melons or "Tupperware Boobs" and I should grow accustomed to them during the healing process as they drop and fluff. I hope so!

These pictures are directly after surgery in the hotel room I was in for the night. I highly recommend having someone with you for more than the allotted 24hrs. My wonderful partner helped me all weekend to shower and open my pill bottles, etc. It is such a relief to have someone there just in case. I did not have any nausea, and during this time I scoffed at what others said was "pain". It felt as though an anvil was resting on my chest, but I did not feel any pain. It was only the day after on my check up with Dr. Tholen that he said it was the numbing agent that was causing no pain, which would soon wear out. He was right. Today is the 4th day post-op, and I am on 1/2 a pain pill a day to cushion the discomfort. I also ice my breasts before preforming the "palpitations" to ease the pain of doing them. Per request of Dr. Tholen, I am doing them every 3 hours or so, more if I can handle it.
They are still riding high and are super duper tight, but they are less puffy than yesterday and I only have to use the band when sleeping, thank goodness.

Yesterday was my 1 week mark! 1 more week to go before I can start getting back to my normal routine! I have finished all my medications, and am only taking 1/2 a pain pill before slumber if I can manage. I have my 1 week check up on Saturday, and am really looking forward to it, since I have been experiencing discomforting pain when I wear my breast band at night. Saturday is also the day I get these itchy bandages off! I'm a little apprehensive about how the adhesive will come off from my incision area, since I am quite sore down there, but I know Dr. Tholen and his staff have done this many, many times, and I have complete faith that they will take care of me.

I have been in quite a lot of pain at night at the top of my pectoral muscles and on the sides of my breasts, and I am wondering if I have the breast band too tight. Is it possible to tighten the band too tight? My other theory is that it might be just the skin trying to stretch, and I will be sure to ask during my 1 week assessment. Overall, they are softening (although I am not sure they are dropping yet) and I am pleased that they are starting to squish like regular breasts.
I have been struggling with not being able to lift my arms above my head. There are only so many button-ups/zip ups a girl can own! (I know some of you may disagree, but I am a strict pull-over kind of girl) I cannot wait for the two week mark so I can start wearing my regular sweaters again. At this stage I am also not allowed to wear a brassier yet, so on the rare occasion I go out to grocery shop or something, I am suspicious of everyone who gets too close, just in case they bump my breasts by accident. Also, hugging is super awkward. :)