One Month post op brachioplasty, bra roll lift and lipo of hips/flanks scars from LBL BL/BA 13 months post op

Well after stalking this site for a couple of years, I am finally ready to make my dreams come true. I am 49 y/o 5'5 170 hoping to be 150 by surgery or close to it. I work out 6 days a week with beach body programs, but really feeling deflated by not seeing the results of my hard work.. I have gained some great muscle in upper and lower body, but my abdomen is not showing any improvement except I can suck it in further. :( I have had two c sections and 2 other laproscopic surgeries, I am looking forward to a new me... And I have confidence in my Surgeon and can't wait to see the end results. I made the down payments to secure my date. Now I wait :(

I am a Surgical Nurse I work in the OR with some wonderful surgeons but I chose to go outside the box and go with a surgeon I didn't know, Not because I don't trust their work, but because I work in surgery and I know things can happen, that are not planned.. And I value our working relationship not to let that get in the way if something were to happen. That would make for difficult working relationship afterwards.

I had my three consults all with very professional Board certified in plastic surgery Surgeons. The first one was more conservative and wanted to do procedure in two parts, more anesthesia more OR time =$$$$. Second one has done many lbl, which is my main concern, yeah you can mess up boobs but in mho they are easily fixed. My biggest concern is the body lift. I have so much loose skin on my abdomen and hips that I was afraid if I do just the tummy tuck I will have pan handle hips. If I am going to go through the pain I would just as soon do it all at one time. Third surgeon was super nice very honest and told me I would not be happy with just the mommy makeover by the way I pulled on my skin. He does not do the LBL but could refer me to someone who done many.. He said Christian Prada he does great work, performed many of these procedure every year and has fantastic outcome.. Well my gut was right, Dr Prada was my second consult and I pretty much knew when I left there he was going to do my procedure. Such self confidence in his work great profile pictures with great results. Felt like he was easy to talk to and think he will do what is best for me. I do know I will probably have 6 drains 2 pain pumps, but he does not use experal injections, and I understand his reasoning don't want you to stand up and pull something it like going to the dentist and biting your jaw don't hurt while it is numb but when the numbness wears off you will know it. So I get it and I am ok with that.

After care ok this is where I get scared. I chose to do this when my husband who is a farmer is out of the fields and will be around to help me.. If this don't work out I may be staying with my sister. Just not sure he can handle it. And it is a slow time for us at work, I knew it would not be a problem to get the 6 weeks off. Although I am trying to keep it on the down low of being out... Makes it hard when I am so excited and I want to talk to someone about it and I can't :( I know my hubby is tired of hearing about it, he said he loves me the way I am, but it's me that is not happy .. I am getting to the best years of my life and I want to feel good. I want to workout with a purpose. Next time I do insanity I want to see muscle in my abdomen. I plan on doing Insanity Max 30 in Dec and January up until surgery. Hope that is helps me heal faster.

If anyone has any suggestion on supplements or a list of supplies feel free to share them with me.. I am looking forward to this journey and trying to keep two steps ahead as I am a planner, My next apt is not until 12/30 for my pre op visit.

This are photos that were just taken a day or so ago. I sure never realized how fat I look. My mirrors must be lying to me all this time. I have gone from 236 to 129 and now at 170. I am happiest around 140ish so hoping to hit 150 prior to surgery in January. That is an obtainable goal. And I am going for it. It is nice to actually have a date and I can start moving forward. Those of you who have posted before photos are an inspiration and I hope to be one as well.. I am ready to start the next chapter in my life :D

I am still about three month away from my procedures with Dr Prada. And holy cow this is to much time to think about all sorts of things. So many highs and lows it is unreal. I am sure I will be totally thrilled when it is all over said and done. And I have the utmost confidence in my Surgeon, I have spoken to other Plastic surgeons that I work with and gotten stellar reviews. His work and reviews speak volumes. I truly do want to be one of his finer piece of work.. I want him to say yes I did that!!.
But then I find myself saying, you are pushing 50 is this really needed? Is it really going to impact my life that much? Well I have to say the answer keeps coming back as a yes. as being someone who has struggled with weight my entire life, gaining and losing only to be left with tons of loose skin. I work out 6 days a week using programs like insanity, t25 and p90x3. Not like I just walk the dog a mile or two everyday. But although I have gained some tremendous muscle in my upper and lower body I see not much change in the middle area. And that is a lot of work to not see progress. I did lose 13 lbs with just insanity alone. I can't wait to do it again after surgery when cleared. I have been doing this more than a year and while on vacation this year I finally decided this is the year I was going to get the ball rolling. I am in good health quit smoking over a year ago, started working out any my health in general is great, my lab values are fantastic so now seems like as good as time as any..
Now the guilt this is almost 30,000 total like 28,300 and that is with a nurse discount?? that is more than my new car I bought. More than a 1/2 years salary I am spending on myself and by the time it is all said and done will probally be more than that, But I do have enough time in to still get paid while I am off work and I also have short term disability. So I will still have income coming in. Which puts me a little at ease. The money is not part of the issue at all, if I get the results that I invision in my mind it will totally be worth every single penny to me.. The scars do no intimidate me, I am not afraid of them I know I will suffer a great deal of pain, but not more than the emotional pain of facing myself in disgust when I look in the mirror and feel like a failure and wonder how I can have puddles of sweat on the floor after a workout and still have this image looking back at me. I need to feel like I am truly accomplishing something or I am going to become just an old person with no purpose. I want to look as good as I feel.. I want to look good for my husband although he says he loves me the way I am.. He didn't like it when I was too skinny at 129 nor at 236 now I am and have been 157-170 over last year when I quit smoking I gained and went up to 184 now back down 171ish hope to hit 150-155 by surgery day end of January very doable..
I have booked the date, my pre op is Dec 30th Happy New Year to me right :) 2015 is going to me a year of changes for me in many ways this is just the biggest one and I just hope the results are as amazing as I imagine.. When I say that please don't think I have unrealistic goals, I know I am not coming out runway model beautiful. When I lay down I want my skin to stay in one place, not have my boobs in my armpits and my stomach around my hips.. That is my real wish ... I don't want to spread like rising dough over the pan.. So over that already.. So ready for Dr Prada to work his magic :D excited yes, scared oh hell yes.. but going to do it anyway umm yep.. cause I am worth this, I have worked hard to it, and it was not a decision I came to over night.. Thought long and hard, visited my three consults and here I am..