Out of the Blue - Pittsburgh, PA

So I contacted my doctor again to see her requirements and preferences for birth control. Not that I am going to need it for protection or anything, but it is nice to keep a rhythm with things like that. I am glad she doesnt mind if I continue to take it.

I realized today that everyone I have seen on here almost has had an anchor incision. My doctor performs Lollipop Incisions. I have seen her before and after photos and they all look great. If there are definitely no drains, I would say the slightly more raised vertical scar is going to be completely worth it. Has anyone had these? Were there drains involved at all? Did you like your results?

Side note: I also want to point out that I am actually closer to a 30F, but where on earth could I ever find a place to try those on. I hate bra shopping online.

I got my bloodwork done today. Yippee!

The office received my bloodwork, and I learned that my post op wont be until 5-7 days post op. My surgery is on a Tuesday, so I am assuming mine will be six days later on Monday.

I have started freezing fresh fruits and foods so that whenever I come back to my apartment post-op, I don't have to be making a lot of food my first couple of days. With classes starting the 27th, I don't want to have to be waking up early to make things when I am already going to be doing more than I probably should.

I have lost a few pounds just cutting out foods that aren't that great for me in the past week. I figured eating healthy the month before is just as beneficial as doing it in the weeks following. I am gonna keep at it and hopefully hit the upper 120's by the time surgery rolls around. Just so I am in optimal shape.

I added a side view, and a view of my shoulder. I have permanent dips from the past few years of bra straps digging in.

Only two weeks from tomorrow! Excited, anxious, nervous.

Now am a very strict 130-132 pounds. Now hitting 135 at all anymore. I know it is only three pounds (for sure) but I still have been a steady 135 for the past four years. And I have two more weeks to drop another few. OH! NO I DONT! its definitely sneaking up on me.

I have TWELVE days left. In TWELVE days at this time, I should be on my way home with another few lbs missing from a very specific location.

Well maybe not pounds plural. 450 grams per lb. Let say I will probably be missing 1 1/2. Either way, super excited!

Bought a bottle of arnica montana yesterday on amazon after doing EXTENSIVE research and speaking to my Drs Nurse. She more than approved and seemed surprised that I found out about it all on my own, even though they sell it in the office. Thanks to my student account on amazon, I spent a total of 3.94 for a 15 day supply and it should be here by the time I get home from work tomorrow.

Has anyone ever taken this before? It is to reduce swelling, bruising, and even pain after surgery (I assume since a lot of pain is caused by swelling and bruising) and it has had RAVE reviews. Check it out. 99/100 people are thrilled with it. I will start taking it the reccomended three days before surgery, which is also my last day at work.

Only seven days left there. I find myself getting irritated which never happens to me, and I think it is because I am ready for my 'break'. Because where I work involves a LOT of movement and lifting, I wont be returning for a full month, but classes do start two weeks post. My last two days at work are both 6am until 4pm. Long busy days, but then I have two days to prepare before the big day!

Nervous. Anxious. Called my mother and she picked up some palmers for me at my hometown walmart (they dont seel it where I live, of course). I have been reading reviews on here about the first day of surgery and my fingers are itchy to write you guys a novel. 8)

Now I am just ready. BRING IT ON!

I know I have been obsesively updating almost daily, but tough. I am gonna keep doing it. 8)

I just needed to inform absolutely everyone that when I stepped on my scale this morning it read 129.8!
Yippe! Obviously that was water weight from sleeping. But I dont care. If it does it consistently I will be a very happy camper.

ELEVEN days. Gah!

8)

I am in the disbelief stage of my pre-op, I think. I find myself shopping for my new boobs (window shopping), but not believing that it is actually going to happen. Not having a pre-op appointment adds to this a lot. I wont see my PS again until the day of, only EIGHT days away.

But right now, I am more excited about getting through these last 32 hours of work, and then relaxing for two weeks. Because that is what I feel is going to happen. The surgery just seems surreal.

I still need to figure out what to wear to surgery. Considering summer heat and how much more nausea I feel when I am warm, a zip up hoodie seems like a bad idea, but I dont own any button up shirts that arent fitted. And it seems silly to spend $15 on a sleep set at walmart when I would never wear the shirt ever again. Ever.

Any other suggestions?

Good news, my out of pocket was estimated at around $1500-1600. I am not going to be too optimistic that it will stay that way though. But I did get some extra financial aid this semester that would actually cover it. So the money is actually taken care of. That is such a metaphoric weight off my shoulders about getting the weight off my shoulders. Especially with how tight my budget is as a college student. I have so much debt that buying groceries is an issue, let alone getting plastic surgery.

Anyway. A week from tomorrow. I will keep you all updated. Thanks you for the information and support! It makes everything 1000% easier.

I will know my surgery time Monday around noon. I am going to post IMMEDIATELY. Because that is when I will start freaking out.

To see Acs question the universe, stay tuned.

http://www.breastreduction4you.com/surgery_preparation.htm

It may be a slightly excessive take on it, but wow, this is a great timeline- presurgery checklist!

I am glad to find that I have been doing everything on here, including the low sodium diet and the arnica montana! Hopefully this will help other people who have a reduction of their own coming up! I am def posting this to the August page.

Tuesday is rapidly approaching.

FOUR DAYS from now, at this time, I will have smaller boobers.

GAH!

I started the arnica yesterday, I will keep posted on how it does. Starting to get nerves, and worried that something will happen to prevent it. There is no putting this off for me. It is now or never (or at least not for a long time) since insurance ends december 1st, and that would be the next time I could take two weeks off.

Nervous I am gonna get sick, or get a rash, or ANYTHING that would make her not want to go through with the procedure.

Breathe In. Breathe Out.

Keep yours fingers crossed for me everyone!

I must have been in denial yesterday when I said four days, because that was wrong. Twenty four hours. I am officially freaking out.

Dillusional again. I meant fourty eight. Still freaking out.

They log and short of surgery day.

We took my dads gigantic special edition Toyota tundra because it has the smoothest ride of all of our vehicles. We had to be in cranberry by 9:30, but not wanting to get stuck in city traffic, we left earlier and took the turnpike. We arrived around nine and I was checked in immediately. Since my period wasn't supposed to come until today, they stuck me with my first needle for a preg test. (later on in recovery I went to the bathroom and discovered t had started during surgery anyway, of course)

My nurse Bernadette was my needle magician for the IV, and I made sure my anesthetist gave me something for nausea. So I got a patch and an IV drug. Dr. Wooten came and briefly talked size with me and marked me up. I really wanted pictures of the lollipop markings to show you all, but the surgery center was having difficulties and we were rushed, so neither she nor I got too. It's so strange that I hadn't seen her since June 4th, but I felt totally relaxed. I never got nervous at all really.

I went into surgery at10:30 ish, a reward for being early, and they wrapped
My arms
And legs in blankets and sat my legs on massaging blankets. Then gave me what I can only describe as a drug that made me feel like I had had a margarita or two. 8)
The nurses made jokes and kept me in my calm state, and next thing I know, I am in recovery and it is 2 on the dot. She took an hour longer than normal, because I pointed out to her that I am you g and have to live with the results for a very long time. 8)

I was awake and didn't appear to be dozing off, so they gave me a snack and some juice. The nurse gave me to doses of deluded which did nothing for my pain, but the percocet kicked right in. The pain I had was a pinching sensation right where my vertical incisions met my rib cage, and an overall pressure like pain. It never went above a 4 out of 10 though.
They got me into a recliner by three, and I went to the restroom. Moving around made the pain to back up to that 4, so they brought my parents in and I sat wih them and listened to instruction for a bit. Then we left
Probably by four.

1. I am gauzed, bra on, and an ace bandage all the way around me.
2. The dressing have to stay on (no peeking) until Friday morning, and then I can take them off and shower and reapply them.
3. They gave me an antibiotic to take twice a day, and a pain med to take when needed.
4. We have to call her office today to set up a post-op, which will probably be Monday or Tuesday.


All in all, I felt great once we got home. My boyfriend made it to our house only twenty or so minutes after and brought me jello and walked me around the lower level when I got restless. Around 8 I took an antibiotic and started feeling queezy. Then I had a few bites of applesauce and a pain pill to help sleep, and unfortunately I ended up throwing up everything I had managed to get down as soon as I made it upstairs. Woke up around 1 to pee and tried taking another one then win some ginger ale and had no problems. Fell back asleep. Then got up again and am now in bed at 3, writing you all my story on my phone. Boufriend is asleep on the floor beside my bed, but has to leave a little before seven to make the hour drive to work tomorrow. He has been fantastic, waiting on me hand and foot.


Did I miss anything? Any questions you ladies have?

I will take a photo to post up in the morning. And I will keep you all updated on my recovery. I already feel great, and all of the soreness I have right now is actually just on my rincage under my chest, and mostly only when I am trying to prop myself up or stand.

I hope everything continues going smoothly !

No more pain on my incisions, but the rib cage around and under my chest is super tender. The office called today and said I can just shower tomorrow instead of waiting until Friday. Which I am nervous and grateful for. We luckily have on of those shower seats so I am sit if need be.

Made a fruit smoothie with protein powder for lunch and seem to be keeping it down, thank goodness. Hopefully I can eat a slightly more solid dinner.

Only took two pain pills so far. One in the middle of the night and one about an hour ago. They said you can take two at a time, but I don't want to get too used to them. I would love to just be on Tylenol by Friday. Anyway, I will take some more pictures when I post my day3/shower experience.

Just took a shower and was able to check out my new girls.

I am in love. This is what they are supposed to look like. What they should have looked like and never did.

Minimal bruising on the actual breasts, but two purple ones on my ribs underneath (you can see those), and a baseball sized yellow one under each armpit. My left breast keeps vibrating strangely, as if liquid is being released. Nothing external though, so I am assuming it is just fluid build up moving around underthe skin.

Only a 1inch incision underneath each breast, the rest is all the vertical and circular scars.

I am beyond thrilled. Over the moon.

Nothing to talk about appearance wise, they are looking the same.
Recovery-wise though, I am still doing fan-freaking-tastic.

I went out to dinner with a bunch of my mom's cousins and my aunts and such. I was out at the restaurant for about 3 hours, and while I was tired by the time we got back, I just woke up and feel fine. Not like I over-did it at all.

My mom makes quilts for a living, and needs to go fabric shopping today. I can't help her lift things like I normally do, but I think I may try to go. Just a car ride and some artsy stuff, which is my forte, seeing as I am working on my BFA in painting.

Boyfriend will be back up tonight to be with me this weekend if I need anything. I am gonna see if he will take me to the mall to get my hairs trimmed up a bit. That would also save my mom from having to wash my hair for a day.

I am feeling GREAT! Still wrapped up, and trying desperately not to lift my elbows above my shoulders, but really following instructions to a T. Havent taken any pain meds since yesterday morning.

I hope this keeps up. Post op day 2 was a breeze. Keep em coming.

The new photo isn't 'new', but I wanted a closer comparison, and while I was looking I was checking out the location of my moles in comparison to my chest. I just thought it gave a much better impression of how much everything got shifted around.

72 hours post op.
The bubbly, vibrating sensation is still going wild in my left boob. Its not strong, but very strange, and happens regularly. I have read online that a lot of women have this after breast augmentation, so I am not too concerned.
The bruised rib feeling is almost gone, but I now have tenderness on my actual chest around where the sutures are. I knew I was gonna get this eventually, but it is still a bummer,

I can't feel sensation in my nipples yet, but they both perked up for me in the shower today after a little attention, so I am sure that is a good sign. No new bruising, and the stuff I already had is already lightening up.

Now mostly I am just anxious to get on with the healing.
And get to my appt wednesday so that Dr.Wooten can confirm everything is going swimmingly.

Last night I was officially sick of sleeping on my back. All I want is to take a nap on my side. I may drug myself back up at nighttime to avoid how uncomfortable it was. 8)

Not too much else to report. I will update photos again when the steristrips come off (probably at the follow-up) and whenever there is any other significant marker or change.

I hope everyone is doing as well as I am. I feel so blessed!

Post-op day 5 update.
I havent stayed in my house for a full day since the day after surgery.
Surgery tuesday. Slept on and off wednesday.
Dinner out in town thursday night for a few hours.
Went fabric shopping two hours from home with my mom friday.
Saturday I went to the mall and got my hair cut and picked up a second bra to wear during recovery. I took a shower and SHAVED MY LEGS. 8)
And today I went with my boyfriend to a local walking path and did the full 4 miles.

I have no pain, just some pinching from time to time and the itching has begun.
My underarms are more swollen than my chest. Light yellow bruises around my nipple that are already almost gone. Bruises under my ribs are gone. Bruises under my arms are gone.
I have had next to no drainage. Just a few red spots the first two times I changed my gauze pads. Literally next to nothing.

No pain meds for over 3 days now.

I am really just anxious to get to the post-op visit and for her to tell me I can go without the ace bandage, since it is my biggest complaint right now.

I really wish everyones recovery would go as smoothly as mine. I am feeling truly blessed.

I also didnt have any of the after-surgery depression feelings. And I didnt feel for a second like my chest wasnt mine. It was instant acceptance. I actually cant imagine or believe that I was big-chested a week ago. What did they feel like? How did my clothes fit?

I feel like I have always had these ones.

Oh and by the way, I weighed 125lbs today when I weighed myself (granted I was naked).

but yippee! It like I am back in 9th grade!

I officially cried today. We were going out to walmart and most of my clothes were in the wash since I didnt pack a lot. I found a bin of clothes I had put aside over a year ago to take to a consignment shop. Inside was a basic purple tshirt. I remember specifically putting it in that bin because it made my chest look its size, and you could see every jiggle and bounce.

I put it on, and it fit like a dream. It was loose, but it fit, and it just looked right. And I went downstairs and I told my mom I was so happy to be able to wear real clothes. And I bawled.

Now all I want is to get back to my apartment and try on all my clothes again, because they are all brand new.


I am so blessed to have been able to have this surgery, and to have a surgeon who made it so easy for me.
I am blessed to have parents that were supportive and that cared for me over the past week, lifting things and making me food and every little thing you dont realize you cant do.
I am blessed to have a boyfriend who loves me unconditionally and who supported me 100%, because this is the best thing I have ever done.

I look the way I feel like I look.
I feel in shape, and feminine and YOUNG.

I have a feeling the hard part of my recovery is yet to come, getting the strips off and returning to school, but at least I am happy. So happy I cried.

First Follow-up today.

Was seen as soon as I arrived, even though I was half an hour early.

Nurse came in and had me ask all of my questions, and then consulted Dr.Wooten.

I can stop wearing the ace bandage during the day.
I can wear any bra I want that is supportive and wireless.
I can start sleeping on my side if I am wearing the ace bandage at night.
I can reach over my head and begin stretching, but no heavy lifting.
I am returning to work in october instead of halfway through september. But I am okay with that, because as a student I am lucky enough to have that flexibility.


Then Dr. Wooten came in and said she really wanted to remove the steristrips while I was there so that I could see the scars and not freak out. But even after 10 minutes of soaking in the lubricant/cream/whatever stuff, they were still so dry that it was causing me serious pain. So she agreed that I could just work on it at home. I asked her when I should start the palmers oil and she said whenever, now, even with the strips still on. Then they threw more gauze on me and told me I was good to go.

When I got home, I decided to take the strips off right away. Because they didnt wipe the stuff off before I left the office. So technically my tape got to soak in it for the whole 2 1/2 hours home. They were never going to be softer than they were.

It took about twenty-five minutes of slow peeling, pulling, sweating, and shaking, but I did manage to get them all off. Only the underside of my right breast looks a little inflammed, but it isnt even that bad.


So here you are ladies. 8 days post op.
Keep in mind that the steri-strips are like, FRESHLY peeled. So everything is a little more puckered and pink than it even was twenty minutes later.

Just adding that all the little scabbies you see on my day 8 pictures are already coming off all on their own. The incisions are tender, but I am already gently rubbing them with Palmers Vitamin E.

I'll keep everyone updated!

2 weeks post today. I am feeling really great. They are still tender on the sides a bit, and underneath, but only if you are touching them. The incisions are tenderish. But tender isnt the right word. Its almost like when you have a burn or a rash and your fingers touch it. Not a burning, just a rashy feeling. Again, only when I am physically touching them. My clothes dont bother me at all.

I am off antibiotics and arnica. No bruising. VERY little swelling.

I bought two wireless bras to tie me over until the last of the swelling goes down and I am a 32C.

The incisions are healing, I rub them twice (sometimes three) times a day with the palmers oil.

I still bandage myself up when I sleep so that I dont accidentally roll over and hurt something.


Back to classes yesterday, and while the most I really do is walk, I was still amazingly tired at the end of yesterday, and feel much the same today. Thank goodness I am not going back to work this soon. Both together would have me sleeping standing up.

Posted some pictures of them. I don't think much has changed in the past week, but second party eyes will see a difference.



Hope all you August ladies are doing well!

End of week 3! Got my first little spitting suture, but you cant even see it, I can only feel it because I rub the scars at least twice daily, and noticed the pin prick of plastic. The skin isnt red or inflamed, or splitting, so I am gonna call them in the morning and see if it is an issue. I hope not. It doesnt hurt. Just something I noticed.


I am probably doing too much too soon at school, but I feel GREAT. I was real tired the first few days back, but I already feel back to normal.
Its not as if I am lifting fifty pound bags of plaster or anything, but in ceramics I have been working on the wheel, and sometimes it takes a bit of arm pressure to makes things work. Hopefully that wont hurt anything.

No more swelling has gone down, if in fact I even have any. I can wear 32C/34B no problem. I am still technically a 30D, but I am so used to wearing 34 (since it was all I could find to fit before as a 34DD), that it doesnt feel ill fitting or too loose.

So. From a 30f to a 30d, or a 32DDD to a 32C, or a 34DD to a 34B! 8)

Posting some pics now. My scars are really starting to soften up, there is no red/pink tint left to them, and my breasts have already taken that natural shape. There is a dark edging of skin around the incisions where a SUPER thin layers of skin dried out/ died/ whatever and is now peeling off slowly. But again, no pain, and you can hardly see it.


I can't wear an underwire yet, but I picked up this little demi cup for $10 at JCP, because I knew they had them, and I already had the matching underwear ;)


Hope you ladies are all doing well! Happy September!

Just an update real quick to write you all something I just learned. I changed the 'Amount it cost' after my mother recieved my bill and immediately called me.

We were told the procedure was usually around $6500+, and that I would be paying around $1500 after the fees from the doctors office and hospital.

My bill arrived today. For $601.

I may have some refund money left after all. And anyone want to guess what I buy with it? ;)

One month (from yesterday) and I am really pretty much as healed up as I can be.

Obviously the scars softening up will take time.
And my nipple sensation STILL is barely there, but I can sometimes feel just a little bit, and so I think it will keep going.

I feel great, and as soon as I get the okay to sleep on my stomach I will be just dandy. Even now I lean slightly forward when I am on my side, because I just cant help it.


I am going to add maybe just a picture or two of the left one, since that is the side I have chronicled for you ladies, though I really don't see any difference at all this time.

And as much as I want to say I a still gonna try to keep up with you all, school is keeping me exhaustively busy, and I go back to work soon too. So even more free time will be gone then. But I WILL update in a few more weeks. And I WILL check in from time to time. And if anyone has questions, send away and I will answer rapidly, since I get notifications to my email, which I check almost hourly for school.

Hope you are all doing splendidly!

I also wanted to add that I still have excessive peeling. I mean, snakes dont shed this much. But it is such thin layers of skin that you can even see them, no matter the resolution of the photo. So just assume it is there. 8)

Hey ladies. It has now been two months since the big day. I am back to normal 99%, the only little quirks are still not being able to lay on my stomach for any amount of time without feeling like I am pulling something, and the insane amount of numbness I have on my side boobs. My incisions aren't even noticeable when you glance at my chest, and the twisted one under the right side is slowly sinking into my skin.


The follow up two weeks ago went really well. No underwire until month 4, just to keep the scars from hardening up and raising. But she said I looked really fabulous and asked what I used on the scars (thanks to all of you for recommending Palmers!).
The numbness will probably last on and off up until six months she said, since the more you do the more you swell up the blood vessels and cause new numbness. it is a weird sensation, like I am rubbing the skin through fabric. The muscles and tissue can feel it, but the skin can't. Like trying to scratch your leg through jeans. This extends from my nipples and gradually reduces as it heads out toward my armpit. The tops and insides have 100% sensation however.

Anyway, that is really all I have to say. If anyone wants pictures, I will try to find time to post some.

In the meantime, I hope you are all still doing fabulously! And for any ladies just starting their journey, ask anything you want and I am game. It was the best thing I have ever done for myself!

You know what, I haven't been on here to update anything in about two months, but I was just browsing through all the reviews and saw that I had 13 thank yous on mine. That made me so excited. I am so happy that my experience was able to help and comfort as many people as it did. My six months just passed yesterday, on valentines day. I will post pictures asap. Hopefully within the next couple days.

I hope all of you looking into this and who still linger here even after your surgerys are in good spirits!

Updated my pics for month 6. They have settled completely at this point, but are still 10 times lighter than before, and firmer. I still have mild numbness in the right nipple. And the left is still completely numb on the surface. But I also still have a chunk of scar tissure above each one that is slowly shrinking, so hopefully feeling will come back when that goes away. Looking at those before picks just now through me for a loop. It is so easy to forget that I ever had to live like that. And it wasnt even that long ago.