Know Your Worth! - Santo Domingo, RD

Hola Ladies!!!! This review has been a long time coming. I have been on this site lurking for the past several years & attempted to take the plunge in 2015 but then I got pregnant! That turn of events put the plans on hold but not forgotten. Instead, I focused on continuing my research & strategizing on my plan for after the birth of my child. At my heaviest weight, I was 250lbs.
Today, I am 50lbs lighter & counting and taking it day by day to eat clean & exercise at least 4x a week. I'll be honest, some days are easier than others cause like many of you...I have one full time job, one part time job, two (7mons & 4yo) children & a husband who demands just as much attention as the children at times lol. Now, you may ask where I muster the energy? Simple answer...looking at my two children & wanting to be in their lives for as long as I can possibly be. That's what motivated me to loose the weight. I was on the verge of diabetes & not liking the way I looked. Although I knew the power that my body had in bringing life into this world I also realized that those pregnancies transformed my body to a new figure I wasn't comfortable in anymore. I made the decision to get a TT, BL w/augmentation & BBL...a complete mommy makeover! What made this decision even better was the fact that my husband supported me 100%.
After much research & a recent trip for an in person consultation with several surgeons. I decided to go with Dr. Luis Fernandez Goico. I STRONGLY suggest if given the opportunity, to go to Dominican Republic or any other location you're interested in & visit your desired surgeons in person. You can't fake chemistry in person. I took a weekend trip & it was worth every penny. It finalized my decision since I was divided by so many qualified surgeons out there. In the end, Dr. Goico's warm personality, professionalism, genuineness & transparency sealed the deal for me. It made me at ease knowing that he only performs two surgeries a day. He prides himself with giving individualized attention & knowing his patients by name before,during & after surgery. It also helped that his location was impeccably well maintained, clean & nicely decorated. His assistant, Karel, is actually the real boss lol. She portrays the same exact level of professionalism & competency as he does. FYI...he requires a BMI of 30 or below. Don't even consider him if you're over that. It may seem drastic but in actuality you get better results when you're closer to your ideal/desired weight. I wont be at my ideal weight prior to surgery but my target is to be at a weight that places me in the BMI range. I will upload before pics as I get closer to the surgery date. I have learned lots from other women on this site & from my own personal interactions that I've had with women who have had plastic surgery so my goal is to allow this blog to serve as an informative tool for others who may have questions along their journey. Please don't comment with any negativity...feel free to keep those comments to yourself. We can all use this venue to express ourselves as adults. Let the count down begin...Smooches!

As I mentioned, I've been interested in plastic surgery since 2012. However, I wanted to make sure I was done having children since I didn't see the point in going thru all those changes & then wind up blowing up again like a balloon. Glad I didn't cause 3 yrs later God had other plans for me & the fact that I was having unprotected sex. Those plans were exactly 3 months before I was scheduled to leave for my surgery with Goico in 2015. I promised myself that those plans would be put on hold but not forgotten. Fast forward to 2016 and now I would like to share some of my pre op readiness routines.
My physical exam in February had me at a 13.5 hemoglobin level but being greedy I would like to have a 14 or higher lol. I know its possible cause I have read some ladies making it to 15!

My supplement regimen consists of a multi vitamin, iron (300mg), vit C (1000mg), folic acid (400 mcg), bi weekly b12 shots & probiotics. I exercise 4/5 x a week & eat 5/6 small meals a day. I must admit that I've fallen off the wagon these past two months but after meeting him in person his energy has given me new life lol. Plus, I've come too far now to turn back & I threw away all my big clothes as a motivational tool (what the hell was I thinking lol).
I've also found useful reading bella_barbie's ebook "Plastica". It reiterated many things that I already knew but provided excellent points to consider & checklists as reminders. RealSelf has also been an asset in my journey as I have found my surgery buddy & friend "Itsfinally Metime ". I've gotten great advice from girls like @Mila111, @Valley2hills, @Charysma & so many others. I tell you that I've kept a scrap book of information & will probably consider even opening up my own surgery consulting firm. We'll see about that but Lord knows I have the information, educational degree, experience & motivation to do it. Seriously though, my surgery buddy's support has been instrumental in this process. We speak frequently, finally got to meet each other's families two weeks ago (we live states apart) & will be flying out together as well. I know we will eventually get tired of one another but I told her to be nice to me since she's gonna need me when we arrive to DR lol (She's having surgery 1st. & will need that late night help & pain reliever lol). We've motivated each other...I had her keep a big empty box in her house. Told her to label it with whatever she wants (wish pics, words, sayings...) then slowly start putting things you'll need for your journey in it. Let it serve as your visual motivation when things don't seem to be working your way or you're feeling down. She told me its loaded to capacity & we still have two months to go!!! Hey, its serving its purpose lol. I consider her a friend not just a surgery buddy. Especially after we shared naked pics of each other...of course for plastic surgery purposes only LOL! This process will be what you make of it. The better prepared you are, the better the results & the faster the healing (ask Valley2hills). Anyways, the children are calling....till tomorrow, Smooches!

Many of you may ask, "Why go abroad for plastic surgery"? Simple answer, why not?! Seriously though, there are a variety of reasons. I can only speak for me but after much research, I chose to go abroad based on the surgeon's experience, patient reviews, post op results & financial flexibility. Plus what better way to spend recovery than at some tropical island. However, I definitely was impressed by the work of several surgeons in state. My top choices were Dr. Miami (waiting list till end of 2017/early2018), Dr Sejal Patel, Dr Hughes & Dr Delvecchio (reasonable costs). If I happened to hit the Mega or Powerball, I would definitely go with the 1st two surgeons but wishful thinking will only get you so far. I even considered Columbian surgeons like Dr Henao & Dr Alder. I have seen their work & was really impressed. Each & every surgeon had their specialty (bbl, breast work, minimal incisions). If only I could've built my perfect surgeon!
Now back to reality...I had to realistically figure out what my pockets could handle. As I continued my research, I learned that there were just as many qualified surgeons outside the US as there were here. Of course, we all have that friend/co worker or just nosy ass person who will bombard you with horror stories about someone's surgery that has gone bad but the truth is that all & any surgery carries risks that you have to be aware of. Its also important to note that the life you're living now (yeah, maybe that blunt may not be the best decision right now) can affect your surgery as well. Did you know that smoking, even second hand smoke can contribute to a post surgery infection?! Aint that crazy!!! So not only is surgery risky but so are some of the choices you make prior to your big day! Food for thought ladies...till next time, smooches!