4 weeks Post Op. New Pics Time Warp

Hello my friends. I say that because I have read and re-read all of the MM stories on here and have taken a little piece from each of you for my journey. Here is my story... I am a 40 year old mother of 2 (11 &17) and stepmother of 2 (15 &18) ALL GIRLS!!!! I am 5'3.5" & 128 lbs. VERY deflated 34B :( I had my first when I was 23 and I weighed in at 228 lbs. and after having her I remained 211 lbs for quite some time (years). Over the course of the next 11 years I would find myself up and down and all over the board weight wise. My weight was always a struggle through youth and up until about 3 years ago when I finally managed to even out at 128-130. Not an easy accomplishment, but necessary.

This journey started a loooong time ago with as much research as one could possibly do. I had gone into this motivated by my wrecked boobies. It seemed that whenever I would get close to solidifying any surgery date, the rug would be pulled out from under me and other priorities would raise their heads forcing my plans for self improvement aside. Today I know it was a blessing that things didn't work out years ago. After a divorce (or 2), getting sober (8years), and a new marriage, I am ready to take that proverbial plunge into the next chapter of my life "the 40's". My husband tells me that I have reinvented myself since getting sober. I like to think he is right. I am exactly who I want to be at this very moment, minus the sagging boobies and flabby tummy BLAH! He is the most wonderful man on the planet, and I always say to myself that I had to kiss every one of the toads I did to appreciate the miracle I have today. So grateful.

Ok, enough of the mushy stuff. I have been to see three (3) PS because that was what I would give myself. Pick three then pick one. Which I did and I have to tell you, I feel like I got the best of the best. No looking back no doubts. You see here is the deal....the truth...I lost my brother (36) to a pulmonary embolism back in 2007 2 weeks after gastric bypass surgery and my mom had a blood clot when she delivered her first child (she had 5). The PS that would be my choice would have to have my safety first and foremost in his mind. The other two surgeons were very nonchalant about the procedure and my PS was all over it. He wanted to know every detail and sat in front of me eye to eye and listened which meant the world to me. I don't even think he knows that. I will have to share that with him :) Once I called his office and set the date and gave the deposit, it all became real to me. This was finally going to happen as long as all my bloodwork comes back ok.

Now the hard part, telling my mom. Not an easy chore considering she lost her son from an elective procedure and although he had numerous risks going in, she may not see it that way. BTW she herself had a BL/BA 20+ years ago, but "do as I say not as I do" tends to prevail. I spent the day with her and we went back and forth, but I stood my ground and assured her that if at any time the risks outweigh the benefits, I will not have the TT and Lipo. We'll see. I have seen the Hematologist per my PS and had 9 vials of blood drawn which will check for all kinds of coagulation disorders and such. My results come back Monday, March 12 @ 9:00 am...I'm on pins and needles. This will determine the clearance for surgery. I'm so glad I went to the hematologist, he said that having 2 first degree relatives (mother and brother) that have had clotting issues, it was very important that I get checked. This is my biggest fear going into this surgery. But I will trust the process as well as the doctors.

At my consultation, I tried on sizers and came up with 450cc HP silicone. I'm very comfortable with my choice however the doctor said that is about as big as he would feel comfortable doing :) baw-chicka-wah-wah...I am most excited about my boobies. I cannot wait. My biggest pet peeve is when I hear "you are so beautiful and you have a great body why are you doing this"? Mind you, this is from people that ONLY see me when I am dressed. They don't see the bra that is padded 3 sizes bigger so it makes me a D, or when I'm tucking my stomach in a pair of jeans, or strategically placing my bathing suit over my "shelf", or holding my hands over my body parts when I am around my husband because I am so self conscience. I'm actually going to gain precious time not maneuvering clothing over the "goodies". This is where all of your stories have helped me. Although we are all very different, we share a common peril and where others may see a weakness, I see a community of brave women pursuing something that has been a dream for so long, creating strength for others. These are not pages for the squeamish or superficial for sure. I share my story and journey with all of you in hopes that I can give back a little of what I have been given. My pre-op is 3/16/12, I will keep you all posted.

I'm in the car headed to my 9:00 appointment with the hematologist. This is the day I get thumbs up or thumbs down for surgery. I never knew how much this meant to me until this morning. I'm sooooo nervous.

NOT JUST THUMBS UP, THUMBS WAYYYYY UP!!!!!! He said we could not have asked for better results, he will write to my PS and let him know I do not need any special treatment (the only time I don't mind NOT having special treatment).

This is such a win on so many levels. With or without the surgery, knowing that my blood is not "thick" or "sticky" has cleared so many worries I have had since my brother passing. I realize there are still risks, but I have done my homework and now I will trust the process and the doctors.

I'm soooooo excited.

Preop tomorrow...yahoo!!!!!! I have my list of questions and oh yeah, money cha-Ching $$$$

Ok, pre-op went awesome. my doctor is the best all around. But I guess that's why I picked him. I felt the fear leave and the calm arrive....finally. The big scary monsters that have taken up space in my head and are not paying rent, have been kicked to the curb. I'm so ready. I was given prescriptions, and direction. Pretty much what everyone else has stated but he had a few variations. HUGE HINT I have not heard before and I have just about read every post out there..... Bring warm clothes to day of surgery. Big baggy sweatpants, warm socks and a button or zip up shirt because after coming off the anesthesia and being naked in the surgery room for hours which is kept at about 50 degrees, we will be cold. I thought a nice zip up terry cloth gown would work...NOT!
This is a new one too.... I was told to bring a bra that was unlined and WITH an underwire the morning of surgery. Of course the obvious question..I thought it should be a zip up front....you know all the things we read on here. Nope, she said my PS does not want to compress the breast, he wants them to drop and shape naturally. Well I won't question his work, it's amazing.
I had my before pics taken and yes by the doctor himself...wow. Went over everything with me again. I will get a phone call from the anesthesiologist the night before, as well as his assistant making sure everything is good. Protein shakes were recommended, arnica Montana, bromelain, and I have to wash with dial, lever 2000... For 1 week prior and Hibiclens the night before and morning of. A suggestion for cleaning until we can take a shower was the Johnson's and Johnson's head to toe wash cloths.
Phewwww, I will write more as I think of more.

1 week out! I thought it would be nail biting time, but I have been surprisingly calm since my pre-op. I guess having all of my questions answered has put my mind at ease. Now I just want to "get er' done" so I can start healing.

I have to give some props out to my husband. He is truly amazing!!! He has done this entire journey with me from the beginning. He escorted me to all of the consultations, the pre-op, the supply shopping trips, just attached the toilet seat riser (which I heard is a must). We live in a stilt home so we turned the downstairs into a post op sanctuary :)
When he refers to the surgery, he always includes himself. It's "our" surgery. It makes the price tag pill for this a little easier to swallow knowing it is a team venture. Because lets face it ladies, it's a win win for all...when momma ain't happy ain't nobody happy!!! But the beauty of it is that he doesn't even think like that, he is just so happy that we have this opportunity.

What a gift. I have a grateful and happy heart today ;)

Holy smokes! Days away...yikes! I'm nervous, excited, scared, anxious...the list goes on. We did the last bit of shopping for the rest of the goods...big girl pants, protein shakes and vitamin c. IM READY. Sleeping at night is a challenge, I have not found the switch to turn off the thinking LOL.

Well I have been up since 4, no surprise there. Tomorrow is the day! The day I have waited for for years, more like decades. I have a boat load of work to do at my job so I will stay nice and busy making time fly, I hope. I just want to be on the healing side of things, this anticipation is killing me. The anesthetist is calling this evening to go over all the basics with me. I may post info on that at some point. I have some questions for her, probably nothing she hasn't heard like a zillion times already. I mean if there is one thing I have learned through my use of this site is that we all have the same thoughts (what if I don't wake up, what about clots, what if I go to big/ small) I call it the what if's. But that's the beauty of it is that all of your experiences and honest sharing, both good and bad have helped me get to this point where I know far more than the doctors can tell me.
One more day of hoisting the girls up from my belly and one more day of adjusting the undergarments to hide the lumps and bumps...

HI Ladies!!!! I'm A-ok and Im posting some pics. I have been trying to post with an ipad but is there a trick to doing so, because I cannot seem to figure it out. My hubby took pics and gave me the laptop so I could post.
So here it goes. I am feeling GREAT! Yes I have a pain pum, and I would suggest it to one and all. I don't know what it feels like not to have one, but I wouldn't have it any other way. No nausea, just tired and on cloud nine. My breasts ended up being 400, which brought me to a very full DD (which will go down) but still AMAZING.
When I got there it all happened so fast I went in, they treated me like a queen, I was their only patient that day. I got marked up, and escorted to the OR which was in his office. I was nervous about the office setting but it proved to be spectacular. The CRNA gave me something, which made me feel so gooooood. Then the next thing I knew I heard my name and I was done...alllllll done. I got in a wheel chair and when I saw my husband I couldnt stop crying. Years of waiting, must have opened the emotional flood gates. I was so happy to be alive and on the healing side.
They all said how amazing I will look and after todays visit, I believe them.
The doctor said since I didn't have much fat on my tummy, he would lipo my hips and my outer thighs YEAH!.
Thank you all for your support and encouragement. I seriously could not have comethis far. The information on this site is priceless and accurate.
I just hope I keep feeling this great!!!!!!!!
Hugs to all !

So do we count the day of surgery as 1 day post op? or start at the next morning LOL enquiring minds want to know. So I guess I am 3 days post op and the feeling of nausea has become a very unwelcome guest. Not from the General Anesthesia but from the fact that I cannot "Go"...ugh! stool softners and MOM not working. I thought the mention of a suppository would have scared it out of me, nope. Time will tell.
Ladies, I read a lot prior to my surgery about the blues and depression. I found that when I start to feel blue, I look at my before pics. That helps me so much.
My husband and daughter sat me outside (we live in Florida), and gave me a sponge bath. I needed the fresh air and warm breeze. My daughter did my hair and painted my toes and my husband washed me from head to toe and helped to get me dressed. I am one lucky lady or rather blessed.
Everything seems to be plugging along, my drain is only expelling about 20 mg per day if that. I go to the doctor tomorrow and they will remove the pain pump and hopefully my drain. That would be fantastic.
I will post my pics we took this morning.

Well post op day 5. I went to my doctors appt. yesterday and he took out the pain pump. Now the drain should come out tomorrow if all goes well and I can keep it under 30. Sooooo funny, we had to stop 3 times on the way to the doctors so I could go "potty". 4 days of not going and then decides to show up when we are the farthest away from a toilet....Murphy's Law...I know it well.
So needless to say I feel great. I'm not to happy with my binder so I think I will cell the office today. I know swelling is part of the trade off, but I'm just a very uneven swell. My upper abdomen (above my belly button) is puffy and I think it's because the binder is acting more like a tourniquet. If anyone has advice I'm all ears.
Also, I think I did a big no, no but oh well, I jumped on the scale. I am 10 pounds heavier than when I started. I am extremely hard on myself and I do not allow myself to get too far out there. I'm hoping that it is just fluid and boobs and binder oh my.
My breasts have not really been an issue at all, they are coming right along and although I didn't get the 450's, I'm NOT disappointed at all. I know we hear all the time " I wish I had gone bigger" ..not this girl, I love them they are perfect ...for me.
The tummy is a different story. I'm extremely happy with the outcome so far, I just know it's going to take longer to see the final results. I'm not a patient person ;)

So, i know i am days into this, but i think i have learned so many valuable lessons/ tools.....I consider myself a strong woman four- fold, physically, spiritually, mentally and emotiionally, and although I am physically doing great on all of the procedures, I needed the emotional, mental and spiritual just as much as being able to physically handle this. It's not easy being cut from ear to ear or in our case hip to hip side to side up and down left and right and on top of it, we are ultra critical of ourselves to begin with then to heal from that with patience and tolerance not only with ourselves, but others....phewwwww....well done ladies..... My hat is off to all of you :)

Holy Smokes, moving right along as they say. I'm 1 week post op today. I had my drain pulled yesterday, that was a cuhrazzzzy feeling. I felt like one of those cars you put the chord in and pull it out and they race across the floor...LOL..zzziiipppp...all out. What a glorious feeling being tube free. I CAN SHOWER TODAY...HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I slept in the big bed last night, first time out of the recliner...not bad, I just do not sleep anymore. Between being uncomfortable and daydreaming of what I will look like, I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve.
The healing side and all of it's glory (wink, wink) is so much better than the anticipation of the procedure(s). Hands down.
So has anyone else (the mothers out there) that are on the healing side have strange cravings? I have to say that the cravings I am having are so funny, and very similar to the cravings I had when I was pregnant. I believe this to be our bodies needing certain things and thus the cravings. Our bodies are miraculous, just amazing. I found myself eating peas (the frozen ones I got for my boobies but did not use), and cauliflower and cheese...WTF...the day before that, McDonalds Fries! Which might be because I wanted salt. I have been very religios about watching my salt intake, so I may have needed the sodium.
I hope all of you that are coming up to your special date, kind of like another birthday, can find peaceful sleeps. I will be thinking of all of you.

Time to post some pics!

Post Op Day 12...I feel like I have been in a time warp. Seems like I was absent from life for the past week and a half....It has in some regards gone slow and in other regards gone fast and some days have just disappeared all together. I blame the drugs :)....But actually I have been off of those since day 4.

I hope everone had a great Easter, I did :) There was no getting around the ham and all the sodium that goes along with it...I was like Veruka from Willy Wonka (the Blueberry Girl), No lie! But good news is, I am back down to my pre-op weight plus 3 pounds which I will blame on implants LOL! I can justify anything I tell ya.

I did some much needed retail therapy and got 2 new bras (36D) Yeah baby! I was 34B prior. I'm lovin' it! My daughter says "mom, your boobs don't look any different in clothes"...I told her that's because I would wear the add 2 cup sizes bras. I guess it will make the transition to seeing everyone at work tomorrow less exciting...rats, I like to shock people. I work at an engineering firm and they are snoozeville...I mean I wear heels and have a tattoo on my foot and I'm the rebel of the bunch.

I am feeling absolutely FANTASTIC! I had my weekly doctor visit yesterday and he is as pleased as can be. I got the ok to go back to work which will start tomorrow (blah!) and I can even start the eliptical going easy and without arms. Then after that for 2 weeks, I can gradually add arms into the mix as long as I am comfortable. The binder (my new BFF) stays on for 6 weeks. NO EXCEPTIONS! And no kayaking for at least another 4 weeks Boo hoo......but I have to remind myself that I must listen to the doctor. There seems to be so many differences of opinions between the doctors on the best healing practices. I chose my doctor based on many things, but the top two things being 1. His work 2. His experience....if I want the results that the other women have had that he worked on, I have to do what they did. I'm adding a pic from yesterdays visit, kinda the same shot as I did when he marked me up. When I start to get discuraged during the moments of swell, I like to look at the two side by side. I'm a happy girl.

Well, I hope all of you are doing well with your recoveries and those of you awaiting your date are embracing the excitement. This is life changing!!!!!

Nearly 4 weeks post op and I am a busy beaver. I feel amazing and back to work full time which is why I'm such a slacker on my status reports. Sorry Ladies. I need to post because I love sharing my journey, it's just that now I'm getting the back lash from the down time....UGH!
Anyhoo, I had a 3 week doctor visit and all is going great, my tummy is flat in the morning and flat at night. My swelling seems to have subsided, for now, but who knows what tomorrow will bring. My boobs have been the most irritating. Very sore and vey sensitive nipples...but I will take it. I am told that should go away after 4-6 weeks. The bra stays on 24/7 except in the shower. I LOVE MY BREASTS! I leave Mefix tape on for 2-3 months to manage the scar, changing that every 4-5 days. I may have to have a slight revision on my hips, he didn't think I had enough fat to do lipo on them at the time so he did my outer thighs instead...well, I think I needed the hip lipo :) he did lipo everywhere else in my tummy, which looks rockin' but he said we will see in 3 months. Im still not complaining, I love my new and improved bod.
I will post as time permits. Thinking of all of you...hugs!

Here are the 4 week pics. I couldnt be happier. Swelling is at a minimum and my energy level is way better. Ladies that are in the first few days of healing, keep your eyes on the prize..IT DOES GET BETTER!!!! Hugs and prayers to all of you!