Nearly 6 months post-op - This has truly changed my life!

Well, central New Zealand is being rattled by earthquakes and I'm feeling decidedly nervey so I thought updating my profile would be a good distraction! I can't believe that nearly six months have gone by since my surgery. I still marvel at my new boobs, although I am a bit paranoid that they might grow back! I have been sleeping in my surgical bra ever since the surgery and have decided that at the end of the month I'll stop doing that. I think it's been beneficial since I haven't noticed any further dropping after they originally softened up. The scars are healing well. I have a small discolouration on my right boob that's slowly fading (it looks a lot worse in the photos than it really is - I think the light must catch it). I anoint the girls twice a day with Clarins bust balms and use an aromatherapy oil on the small areas where I think the scarring is being slow to fade. So far so good.
My PS sent me for a mammogram at four and a half months. I was due for one anyway, and he wanted to map any hard spots. All I can say is "ouch". Wait as long as possible before going for your mammo post-op! The mammographer was very sweet and she did warn me that with small boobs it would probably hurt considerably more than in the past. I can confirm that it did! It certainly made me perspire a bit! She was very lovely and said that she couldn't imagine me ever having had enormous knockers! She new of my PS and referred to him as an artist! She also showed me a film of my old boobs, compared to the film of my new boobs and the difference was amazing - it was like looking at two different people. Everything came back clear. There was some difference in the architecture of the breast in accordance with having had a reduction (which makes sense) and a very small benign calcification in one boob which I can't feel and which is apparently not unusual post reduction. The lump that I can still feel on one side, but which is slowly going, didn't even show up so I think it must just be some slightly firmer breast tissue that's slow to soften. It used to flare up and be very uncomfortable around my period but didn't bother me last month so I think that given enough time it's resolving itself.
Hubbie likes the new boobs but I remarked to him the other day that he's not fixated on them like he used to be with my old saggy pair. He was forever coming up to me and grabbing them and he doesn't do that anymore! He says that there's nothing much to grab now and he did like my big boobs so the desire for an opportunistic grope isn't there so much! If that's the worst thing to come out of the surgery we can both live with that! He likes the new girls, thinks they're very pretty and is very happy that I'm so happy. He's also very happy that I'm now wearing a lot more clingy and sexy clothes, instead of big sweaters!
I think that's about it really. I'm still overjoyed that I decided to have this surgery and I still wake up every day thrilled with my girls.
The healing process does take a long time though and I think I only realized that after about 3 months. I think if I had any useful advice to give that would be it: Be prepared to be very, very patient and make sure that you have really good line of communication with your surgeon :)

I can't believe that it's been 4 months since my surgery. I'm still not quite used to my new boobs, in so far as I can't believe that they're really mine and I don't have to give them back! I went through a phase of dreaming that they grew, sagged, exploded etc but of course none of this has come true and they are still small and perky and all mine. I'm still in the phase of gazing at them in the mirror and marvelling at how lovely I think they are! My husband loves them (which neither he or I were sure would happen) and they are super-sensitive in the boudoir - not sure how to thank my surgeon for that!
I'll probably get into trouble from the feminists out there but I have to say that, since the surgery, it's the first time I've really felt like a woman. My boobs were always big and saggy (even as a teenager) and I always felt ashamed and embarrassed by them. I tried to get over myself but I simply couldn't. Since the surgery I can - literally - stand up straight and confident, feeling feminine and sexy. It has done wonders for my confidence. I can safely say that this surgery has changed my life for the better.
I am now a size 32B to small 32C and I'm really happy with that. The scars are healing nicely - I've tried to add some photos to show them whitening up. I stopped paper taping at 3 months and now use lotion twice a day. In the morning I use a Clarins bust treatment to help keep them perky (I'm believing the marketing hype!), then in the evening I use an aromatherapy blend that I made up myself. Here's the recipe:
Carrier oil: 50% rosehip oil and 50% calendula. Added to that essential oils of: Frankincense, Neroli, German Chamomile and Lavender. So far so good :)
I'm back running and training as normal. It's wonderful to be able to just put on a sports bra and head off. I don't have to worry about my boobs as I'm running, or rearrange them every so often, because they're attempting to escape. I just forget that I have boobs and run! Before the surgery I hadn't really realised how heavy they were or how much of my awareness was focused on the fact that I was weighed down and uncomfy during my waking time. Weird that you could block something like that out.
So there you go. Life has pretty much returned to normal, except for the fact that I'm a considerably happier more confident person and I'm spending a lot more money on lingerie!

I've just been to see my PS for what I thought was going to be just a short consult, but turned out to be my 3 month review, He's very happy with everything. Apparently the residual bruising and discolouration can take up to a year to go completely. In the last week or two I've had some discomfort and lumpiness in my right boob. Apparently this could be anything from a cyclical change, to some glandular tissue that's dying off. If it turns out to be tissue that's dying off it will either reabsorb or form a small cyst. If a cyst forms the PS will drain it. I'm not overly concerned as the moxa treatment that I get from my acupuncturist has been breaking down any potential problem areas and I'm confident it will get rid of this little bit too. Aside from this current small lumpy bit my boobs are now really soft and perky with a very happy-making soft [RS bleep] bounce when unfettered! Much better than their previous thud as they dropped to my knees! A mammogram in a couple of months time will establish a base line. I have the all clear to stop paper-taping and I also have the all clear to start running again. Am delighted not to be paper taping any more. It's been fantastic and I think has played a huge part in keeping my scars nice and thin and flat, but it's very nice to finally let the air get to my perky puppies. According to my PS the scars will take about a year to turn from pink to white (although in some sections they've already almost disappeared). I'm nervous about running again - afraid that I'll come unravelled and also afraid that my boobs will lose perkiness. I've bought a new ShockAbsorber Run bra, but if anyone has suggestions for good running bras I'd love to hear!
I'm still taking bromelain and B6 and will continue to do so until I'm no longer fluctuating with occasional tweaks. I marvel at those of you who have had wonderfully carefree recoveries and are back running and zooming around quickly after your surgery. I'm a slow healer! Having said that, this is by far the best thing I have ever done. It's revolutionised my life and how I feel about my body. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. I think I've said that before, but it's true!!