8 months after the sugery I am wondering what happened?...and will he fix it...when dreams turn into nightmares

If given only one word to describe my experiences with Dr. Frank Barone and the staff at Evolve Plastic Surgery and Medical Aesthetics, that word be Astonishing. Throughout every step of the process (consultation through surgical recovery) I am continually impressed by their team work, their professionalism and their dedication to understanding my unique set of medical needs and goals. The staff at Evolve thoroughly prepared me for the logistics of a two-part surgical plan purposed to improve the quality of my everyday life. Dr. Barone and his team of caring nurses always take the time to listen and explain things during every step of the process… until everyone in the room is on the same page. I never felt left out of “the loop” or confused. I feel like part of a team. A team committed to my goal—to be the best healthiest version of me that I can be.

My two-part surgical plan is the glazed icing on a cake covered medical and weight loss battle field that has lasted 18 years. It has taken a lot of dedication and hard work on my part to get this far and with my large medical docket I knew I would not be an easy case. I was worried no one would be able or willing to help me finish the battle—no matter how many medical clearances I acquired…Yet I blessed beyond words that…When other surgeons said they can’t, Doctor Frank Barone said I will. I am so thankful the Lord lead me to such a marvelously talented and meticulous surgeon. Doctor Barone is my dream surgeon…making dreams I have had for years come true. I am less than 5 months post-op from the first part of the two-part surgical plan and doing fabulous. My quality of life has improved greatly after just this first surgery, and the beauty of his work shows through more and more as the weeks of healing pass by. With each passing week seeing and feeling the results of the first operation I can’t help but get more and excited for next year. When I can undergo part two and finish the surgical plan.

So, let’s talk surgical details and pain. I am currently recovering form the following procedures performed during one operation: A lower body lift (removal of about 12 inches in width of redundant skin all the way around my lower body) with a fleur-de-lis up the lower abdominal, a rectus abdominal repair, the removal of a lot of internal abdominal scar tissue from pervious surgeries, and vaser liposuction of the outer upper thighs, flanks and lower back. This surgery was no joke, it is amazing what the human body can endure and only a very skilled surgeon such as Doctor Barone and a fully prepared patient should even consider undergoing such an event. As the patient it is import to understand that healing is a process and it could be a full year before everything settles down and you get to see your true results. Now having said all that…. the surgical recovery was not “that bad.” It was so much better than I was expecting. Dr Barone injects a nerve blocker into specific surgical sights during the surgery that last for three days or so. This process is a true gift of mercy sent straight from the surgical gods. I am no stranger to surgery and I wish all types of surgeons would use this nerve blocking process during their surgeries. It makes the first part of recovery so much easier. In addition to the nerve blockers given during surgery, the team at Evolve made sure I was prepared with proper medications and easy to follow flow sheets purposed to make the recovery at home as pain free, and safe, and pleasant as possible. Yep… you read that right….AT HOME RECOVERY…. I spent less than 40 hours in the hospital before I went home after an approximately 9-hour surgery. How AWEROME is that? …I think it is VERY VERY Awesome. I am not a big fan of hospitals. I would much rather recover at home. I had no worries about an in-home recovery after such an intense surgery because the team at Evolve made sure that I had a list of everything I would need for a successful in-home recovery. They really do think of everything. This is a team of professionals you can truly trust. If you are looking into a surgery like mine. Coagulations you have lost the weight and dedicated yourself to healthier living. I know that you have fought your own battle and have achieved victory. Now you are searching online looking for a reconstructive/cosmetic surgery because you are ready to embark on your next big step. Look no further you have found your surgeon. Dr. Frank Barone’s skills will usher you into a better quality of life. I am less than 5 months out form the first part of a two-part surgical plan and I cannot begin to express how amazing it feels to non-longer be weighed down… physically and emotionally… by redundant skin that outside of surgical intervention I could do nothing about.

Now…on a personal note… If you happen to have EDS III…I have it to…and as such… I’d just like to say to you and everyone else too… that this surgery is a life changer. For me taking the pressure and pull from the redundant skin and lifting the lower body up has taken pressure off the bladder and that alone has positively impacted the quality of my life. Then beyond the redundant skin removal repairing the rectus abdominal muscle has positively impacted my life in so many ways…ways I only dreamed of and would take way to long to explain. Believe me when I tell you that this surgery has given me back some of the joys in life that I thought I would never experience again. As an EDSer (someone with EDS) understand that Physical Therapy is often King in my world and quality of life is often dependent upon the management of my day to day pain. I can testify that this surgery has lessened my pain and discomfort on the surgically treated areas of my body greatly. I have less pull and a more natural pull on my lower body now that all the redundant skin has been removed. This surgery has allowed me to utilize both treatments available to an EDSer like me more effectively (physical therapy and proper bracing of my joints specific to this surgery my hips and lower back). The truth of it all is this…. I am 41 years old and my body has been though some crazy stuff. I have done everything I could do to manage my hypermobility and keep myself in shape. Yet…It would not have mattered how much physical therapy or exercise or diet or how many new types of braces I tried, I was at a standstill. I cannot just magically rid myself of redundant skin or fix an abdominal hernia. This new lease on a better quality of life would have never been possible without the astonishing skill set possessed by my marvelously talented and meticulous surgeon…. Doctor Frank Barone. You could not be in better hands…. TRUST ME…. I KNOW… Knowing and feeling the benefits form just this firsts surgery after less than 5 months. I can’t explain to you how over- the-moon excited I am for the second surgery where Doctor Barone will address the redundant skin and small pockets of mass left behind on my upper abdominal area, he will even out my axillary and side breast mass, lift the breast and most likely utilize small implants to fill them back out, he will also touch up the pockets left behind on my lower back and right hip. I am so excited to be at this point in my life after losing 120 pound and keeping it off for almost 18 years I am literally shedding my old skin. Thank you, Doctor Barone, you defiantly make dreams come true.

For those who do not know what EDS is…. Ehlers Danlos Syndrome is a genetic mutation of the collagen on a molecular level that mostly affects the skin, the joints and the blood vessels. There are different subtypes and symptoms of EDS that can range from mild to severe. For a person like me with EDS type III hypermobility… besides physical therapy, the proper bracing of one’s joints, early detection and pain management … there is not much that can be done to treat EDS-III and just like everything else the symptoms get worse with age. There is no cure for EDS.

My surgeon is a wonderful surgeon. I have a very unique case and I did not do this surgery for strictly cosmetic reasons. I may not be totally happy with the visual results. BUT...I am only 7 months out...and I dont want anyone reading or looking at my pictures and questions...to think my doc is a bad surgeon because he is not. HE is one of the top surgeons in my area. I am thankful for the work he did...my only regret is that I miss my hips..I wish I would have been more clear that I did not want lyposuction done on my hips or outer leg. I guess that is just what happens with a body lift. I need the back fat and lump in my back removed...I am still working with my surgeon and I have a second surgery to go. I AM praying he will not charge me agin for my back as it really makes my body look bad in clothes and it puts pressure on my hypermobile spine....
I WILL post more photos as the healing continues. I'm bummed but not mad...Physically the repairs he did to my insides are awesome...

Lower body lift...I asked for the extra skin to be taken off my hips ...I asked for lyposuction on my low back and flanks. I SAID I like the shape of my butt and legs and hips and I just wanted small amount of fat taken from my muffin top and low back. But instead 400cc was taken off if each hip and low flank area and 100 cc taken from my leg and outer butt...I am so sad...I had an hourglass figure...that I wanted to keep...I just wanted the skin tightened...my advice to anyone getting work done. READ you surgeons notes before you let him cut you....I truly hope he is willing to fix this...if it can be fixed. THE billing said hip/ flank and low back/ butt... when I pointed out that I only wanted low back and flanks. And asked for money off the bill.....I was told that is just the way they write up the bill and that the surgeons notes would tell him the specifics of what I want done...I asked for a copy of the notes...and they were so vague and generic....this surgery was supposed to be a touch up fron the tummy tuck I had in 2005....I pray he makes this right...because the lyposuction I paid for did not get done and the places I specify said I did not want were done...and now my body has a very ugly unnatural shape...I go back in February. I REALLY hope that the doctor will see what has happened and relize something went wrong and fix me...I paid him over 17000 and then another 6,000 for facility fees and anistologist....I asked for flanks and low back lyposuction and He took my hips and chunks from my legs...I am so confused... I will keep posting pictures over the next year to see if things chage... and I still have hope that I feburary when I talk to him...he will fix this insanity