Today Was the Big Day! - San Diego, CA

I am 51 and a yoga teacher with two teens. After considering this procedure on and off since 2005, and after interviewing group exercise instructors/friends, i finally did receive silicon implants today! The team at Dr. Pollack's office is exceptional, including Dr.Pollack. Had surgery 7:30am. Home at 11:30am, slept mostly but rewatched The Bucket List at :3:000pm. Sleep, Graham teddy bear cracked and pain pills are my best friends right now. Helps with getting over the invincible "elephant" feeling of sitting on my chest. No nausea yet so maybe I escaped that, fortunately. I look down at my chest and something looks bigger! Can hardly wait to see for real in few days. Will try to post pics because the other women who shared theirs on this site were incredibly helpful and I want to share back!. Please give me a few days to do that... ;-)

Days after surgery:
Day 1- sore and taking pain meds every four hours as advised. Fiance helps me stand by leveraging his hand on my back to get out of bed - use core muscles to rise, I tell myself! TG no nausea at all but pain meds require something in my tummy so eating graham crackers. Haven't done that since kids were tiny and it made me smile ;-). Using a straw to drink was very helpful. I recommend having these on hand!

Mostly slept on and off every 3-4 hours... probably due to pain meds. Read a book and watched movie. Everthing was just fine if i didnt do too much. I was able in AM to eat w family in regular arm chair. In PM i actuallt defrosted some premade meals and carefully stuck them in oven. That actually pushed me over the edge a bit because ii also extended my pain pills to once every 8 hours. By 11:00 pm i was in excruciating pain and my fiance fed me the pill which calmed it down immediately.

This site and its many patient blogs helped me be ready: I had my two ice packs in use, homemade soup made, yogurt, and sennekot for better BM, I had bought a Chinese back scratcher (important for the shower and washing my long hair). I used just about everything during the last three days.

Day 3- Better but worse. More soreness and able to sit with family for longer periods but feeling the hurt. Ice packs in use constantly and pain meds def. a life saver, but end of day, was fine one pill every 7-8 hours.

I was getting ready to return to work so knowing I can't be on pain meds and drive a car was the motivation to try to decrease usage.

Day 4: Post Op visit: FIRST glimpse at the new kids!!" OMG doc held a mirror up and I could not help myself-unbiasedly I said out loud " how beautiful these are". Extremely pleased! Went out for quick lunch w fiance and came home for movie in bed.

Took first shower SO GOOD to do that and feel warm rain cleansing my body, my hair. Doc said as long as I don't face the shower and spray directly onto the new kids, I can stay in as long as needed. Must have used all our hot water up ;-)

More later...

Day 5 - Return to. Sales Representative Desk

I used to teach yoga full time but it never would make enough to save for kids college funds and pay for life's little necessities like my monthly facial. Now I teach part time and have a corporate career during the week.

I was originally groomed for working hi technology where I spent 20 years in sales and engineering. So I went back and now am purely in sales but fortunately don't travel.

Today went by with nobody gaping, noticing any difference due to my oversized pin striped shirt. Started to have that itching sensation on and off that the other ladies have all shared about. But its not anything ongoing just sporadic. My desk chair has arm rests so my day went by pain free.

Doc told me yesterday to keep improving range of motion and reach without resistance above my head and either side "stretch your arms out like a bird flying"....so I practiced that during day. I don't feel that hurts recovery time but that it helps it. Two days ago I would have called it nuts to try it. Now it feels safe to try. Moral - your body will intuitively know its safe to go try new physical activity.

I tried posting pics but didn't work. Will try tomorrow so you can see , with stats.

Comments about the photos/day of surgery: Doc and I decided to change up the size of the implants at the last minut. At Pre-Op , I had 3 inch heels on and looked about 5'8" and we were tossing around 350-375 CC for my 36B chest. We reviewed the moderate and moderate plus profiles as the most likely candidates. But he cautioned me that we might make some last minute adjustments in the OR or on surgery day.

On the day of surgery, I stood in my bare feet and he walks in saying " you are a lot shorter than I thought!" I have an athletic build and he and I agree we desired a very natural look, one that didn't broadcast my size, but made people wonder "what is different about her...." So he changed it up (knowing I was favoring smaller rather than larger to fit me better) - and suggested 300-350 CC, what did I thiink of that, he asks?

In the OR, he tried the moderate profile implants and they created a strange look - a divot appeared, and he decided to exchange them for low profile implants - much better! He was also surprised, he later shared, at the size difference I needed. 300 on the Left and 340 on the right. But everything looks even and beautifully proportioned now.

Day 6 - Almost feel back to normal and I thinking, the human body is a miraculous machine. My arm pits, chest and pectorals don't recoil or tense up if I'm carrying groceries. The areas are healing up and don't need that reflex of auto protection. I think back to what Doc said... Push your chest out... Show off those babies..to make me resist slouching and maintain good posture.. Haha showing off , I think to myself.. I never ever thought in my life I would be able to do that (big smile ;;-)

This begins a new chapter in shopping and wardrobe. Maybe schedule that for next week....

Ten day post op was supposed to be today but Doc had to reschedule. Nurse says I can exercise as long as I am not bouncing at all. Still need to wear bandeau across top of breasts to ensure bottom pocket is100% formed. . ok i can live with that for a few more days.... Wore only a sports bra underneath today and very comfy. Walmart has a whole assortment and not very expensive. Today was firs day i pushed off my left arm to get up and felt zero pain. That's a good sign i think. More after I see the Doc again.

Day 13 - First visit to the gym
Two pleasant surprises today. Went to put on a previously baggy yoga top and now it fits perfectly. I was actually surprised it would fit at all. But this shows me my overall rating implant size i elected was not gignormous but maybe just right for my personal taste and body image as a fitness teacher.

I spent 30 minutes doing an endurance workout on the spin bike and stayed seated to avoid bouncing the "kids". Kept arms down by my sides or stretched them above my head or behind my back with fingers laced. avoided leaning on handle bars.

Nurse said "do what feels right with your body and if it hurts, then stop"... Happy to report I felt good and worked at medium intensity today.

The second surprise was that the implants for the most part are not rock hard but springy like a freshly baked cake surface . Nurse says they should soften even more as they settle into bottom of the pockets formed during surgery.

Day 16 - Swelling Gone and I'm beautiful but not a full cup size larger.

Me: (retrying on 34 C V Secret padded bra that I had worn and looking in mirror). Hmmmmmmm... Still fits but barely....(silently.. Where's my "c" cup increase?)

He; what's the matter.... (Looking)
Me: It still fits....(unsure)
He: Isn't that what you said you
wanted.... To look natural... So nobody could tell it was obvious?...
Me: Yes (trying to find right words)....a balance between enhancement and publicity......I didn't want publicity but I wanted to be a "C"....(will get measured today to see)
He: (Pause) it doesn't matter...(but clearly on his face I can see it does)
Me: My biggest disappointment is not with the results. Its that you are disappointed (with size increase).
He: It's no matter... As long as you're happy ..(but he wishes differently). You let what you wanted be overruled by what other people might think about you....you said you wanted to be a "C"
Me: (silently.. Did I??? I did....) I'm happy with them and thank you for giving me my gift (surgery)

How many of you have had this discussion? How many have gone larger and wished for smaller... And Vice Versa? I'm still happy but sorting through body image issues....

My 16 year old daughter and I go bra shopping. She's good to show acceptance of my decision to get enhancements. Yes I didn't really a big change like going up two sizes... Or did I?

The gal measures me to be 36 D and I try both "C" and "D" bio fit bras on(very little padding) with no under wire. The "C" rides off my chest by 1/4 inch and the "D" lays completely flat and smooth (eg comfy). So she writes "36D" as my measurement on the card.

My daughter is also trying on C and D sizes. We both conclude V Secret is purposefully making bras smaller and labeling them to be larger so one thinks one is larger: I don't look like a "D" I look like a "C".

I buy her two bras and decide to wait another week in case more swelling goes down but I'm convinced I'm already at my end result size. And I decided that what my fiance was envisioning were big publicity implants and all along I wanted just to enhance what I had been God given. In the end what I received - is exactly that and I'm heavenly happy with how that integrates with my body image and personality. Don't ever let anyone's opinion dictate what is best for you!