Almost 40, Empty Nester Now Living For Me - Paramus, NJ

A little background: I've ALWAYS had a "thing" about my non-existant booty. As a latin woman, I felt I got cheated in life. Making matters worse, I gained weight and it's all right in the tummy. So no matter what I tried to wear, it always looked horrible to me. Jeans keep rolling down at the belly. Skirts just make me look pregnant, and some dresses just made me look backwards (more belly than booty). About 5years ago my office decided to do a Biggest Loser weight loss contest where I lost about 35lbs by diet and excercise. It was torture! I was always hungry (& still lost)! Then, not only did I REALLY lose whatever tiny booty I had, my breasts looked deflated and I actually looked sick. People I hadn't seen in a while actually started asking about my health, even though I only got to 135lbs at my lowest..... and of course, even with all this, my belly was still there... smaller... but still there. And I was NOT about to keep losing any more weight.

So call it a midlife crisis or whatever you may but now that both of my children are in their 20's and have flown the coop, I felt its time to deal with ME. I guess I went through a slight depression / empty nest syndrome and just started eating everything in sight, regaining those 35lbs plus a few more. I was currently at 176lbs. My hubby goes to the gym everyday and looks better now in his 40's than ever. He eats like a pig and says he only works out like this for his health and hopefully avoid any of the illnesses that run in his family. He says he has no problem with the way I looked chubby. He actually can't keep his hands off me if I pass by him naked. But I'm always self-conscient around him, sucking in my gut and covering myself up. I've always felt uncomfortable when we go out together, too. I can't seem to make myself look and feel great when nothing fits the way I want it to. I even tried a circuit training class last year and lost about 10lbs but once again nothing lost in the tummy... just everywhere else. At this point the number on the scale doesn't bother me, it's the location of my curves. As I've seen women that look phenomenal at 200lbs when the curves are in the right places and proportional.

So my true goal.... I want to be curvy in just the right places. I want to look good in anything I wear and not get asked (again) how many months pregnant I am. I've had several family members and friends who have had procedures done and looked great so I've seen the effects first hand and started to seriously consider my own early this year. Most of those I know have had surgery in Dominican Republic, Columbia, etc... All have recommended I go there because of the lower prices. It's also true that they are much more aggressive with the lipo out there, giving you and amazing shape. But in reality #1 reason I didn't go is I'm scared! Then realistically, if you factor the cost of the procedures, airfare, a recovery home and nurse, the price ends up being comparible to what I'd pay here. At least here I can make sure the Dr. is Board Certified, and have the added advantage of recovering in my own home, no worries about boarding a plane in such discomfort and I could take minimal time off from work. As I work in a dark office anyway, I can return in two-three weeks and stand, kneel or use my under-thigh roll.

This website has been an AMAZING help. I started by researching several doctors in my area... inspecting their work from actual patient photos & reviews, their own websites and consultations. After narrowing it down to about 3 doctors on here, I started following some of their patients to see how their recoveries have been. I was already leaning towards Dr. Gartner but our consultation pretty much sealed the deal. As others here have mentioned, he and his entire staff is great. He answered all my questions which admittedly weren't many, as I've gotten a lot of answers here from other patients and from my own friends and family experiences. He also makes you feel totally at ease... very chill, not stuffy and formal.

I've been debating with myself about whether or not to post reviews & photos on this site for fear of someone I know coming across them. I've been content just lurking around and asking a question here and there. But today, as I am laying here in MY room on my belly, alert and able to type all this on my laptop (which is propped on a pillow on the floor) having just had my Lipo and BBL this morning, I'm still feeling pretty good (could be the drugs). I feel that I should write about my experience to help others in my area trying to make this same decision the same way all of you other wonderful ladies here have unknowingly helped me. So this is the beginning of my story & there will be more to come.

Well first of all, Dr. Gartner's patient coordinators are very sweet and very accommodating. We finalized a date for surgery for only about four weeks away. I explained that I would be traveling at the end of October and needed to make sure I had enough recovery time before that. The date was scheduled for Sept15th, I paid my deposit over the phone and also scheduled my pre-op visit for Aug 31. She mailed me the prescription to get all my blood work done prior to my pre-op and received it within just a few days. I had blood work done at my local Quest Diagnostics and results were sent directly to the Dr. before pre-op so they'd be available at that visit. During the pre-op I made the final payment, was measured for the compression garment / faja I would wear after surgery, was given instructions for the day of surgery, and was given my prescriptions for pain meds and antibiotics so I'd have them ready.

As the day approached I was getting a bit nervous but started getting my things together for recovery.
I'll get back to those items and how I used them in a few. First... Surgery time! Surgery was scheduled for 730am and was told to be there by 630am without food or drink and without peeing, since they require some urine for test as soon as you walk in. The nurse who attended to me was such a sweetheart. I talked very little to her as she took my vitals and set up my IV. I guess it was mostly nerves. I'll have to get her name because she was just so great with me afterwards. She claims its her job to clean up the mess we make with fluid dripping all over as she helped me into the bathroom but I just felt so horrible making all this work for her.

Dr. Gartner came in just a few minutes after to take pictures and draw all over me (that tickled)... and I'm still a ball of nerves! I told him that I expect pain AFTER surgery but my biggest fear was of the anesthesia wearing off just enough that I'd feel him working on me. He assured me that hadn't happened. Still nervous.... I was taken into surgery room soon after. Anesthesiologist was very nice and put me at ease (kind of). The last thing I remember was them putting the compression boots on my feet and legs before my lights went out. When I woke up I was back in recovery, on my back. Not feeling much pain, just a lot of discomfort on my butt. I guess the body has to adjust to the extra luggage back there. This is when I asked the same nice nurse to use the bathroom. Felt like I really had to urinate a lot. This is when the murder scene occurred. As I stood up a ton of that bloody fluid leaked out during the entire walk, down my legs and to the floor. I felt so bad for her cleaning all this mess up. After that she changed all my dressing, put me into a waist trainer style of garment for now & helped me get dressed to go home. I was home before noon.
A few recommendations: Bring a few old towels and a pillow for laying down in back seat of car. My wonderful nurse placed a few of those chux over the towel just in case I kept leaking. My wardrobe consisted of an easy to pull up or over your head strapless sun dress, a sweater in case you're a bit cold and to cover you up as you're leaving because the bra and panties won't make it back on you, and flip flops. I brought with me a light carry bag to throw everything in.

As far as the pain goes, I either must have a very high tolerance for pain, have very good drugs still in me, or I'm just plain crazy. I expected SOOO much pain. This was another one of the reasons I hadn't done this sooner. To describe what this feels like: It feels the way one would feel on day two after taking a two hour circuit training class at full blast after not having been to a gym in a year. I feel like I did a thousand sit ups two days ago. My butt feels very tight but I wouldn't say it hurts at all since I'm staying off of it. As of around 8pm I was starting to feel a bit more sore around my upper back. None of this soreness has been intolerable, though. I'll take pain meds before sleeping just in case it gets worse in the night. I've experienced absolutely no dizziness and I was able to eat a normally with no problems just standing at the kitchen counter. My only problem is the amount of fluids leaking every time I stand up...

This is where I am so glad I ordered the products I did in time. They've come in soooo very handy right now. I thought I'd only need a few of those disposable chux pads but am so happy I just went ahead and ordered the whole case of 150. I place one on the floor next to the bed for when I stand. I place one on my bed right under me. I've even perfected a way to fold them the long way, I put one the long way between my legs with the bulk of it folded over at the drainage hole. Then I put another one folded the same way across the front on that one across my entire lower abdomen, also over drainage hole and hold the whole thing in place with the adult diaper. This helps a bit with the leaking down your leg. I am lucky enough to have a walk in shower so I just go inside there to change everything then I can hose any bloody mess down the drain. I've also had to use the P-EZ as it was easier to move the entire diaper/pad package to one side at the crotch while putting pressure over the drainage area and then just standing over the shower drain or toilet when I had to go.

Well, I think this is it for now. I'll try to get more pictures and updates as I go along. I included just one photo while laying down. The bump is definitely an upgrade. I'd included more but with all this leaking, it's not very flattering with this giant diaper and pad concoction in front. Tomorrow should be interesting... Finally a shower and if the leaking lightens up, the full compression garment goes on!

One day post op and the pain is all here now. I woke up VERY sore all over and VERY nauseous. I could barely get out of bed but needed to stretch my body out. After walking around a bit, the nausea went away. Later in the morning I noticed I was no longer leaking fluid so I finally took a shower and peeled all of the tape & bandages off while the water hit them, making it a lot easier to peal off. I did get a bit light headed and nauseous again while in the shower from the heat of the water. Felt better as soon as I cooled down a bit.

I feel VERY swollen. Hubby helped me get into the compression garment that the Dr provided. It fits comfortably but it seems to be folding in just under my armpit on the side that the zipper is on. All in all its been a very painful day. My appetite is good. Hubby made me breakfast and dinner and I've been trying to drink a lot to stay hydrated. The Pee-EZ has once again been a Godsend. So glad I have it since I really am having trouble bending at the waist to even sit on the toilet. Not much else to report so I leave you with a few photos taken today.