The big day is quickly coming. I haven't had so many dreams about it recently but I haven't been dreaming much anyway. For some reason in the back of my mind I think the surgery won't work for me. That my belly is too big or something. I know this is not the case but the mind thinks what it wants sometimes.
So some stats to start off with:
August 2008
Bust = 43''
Waist = 36.5''
Hips = 43''
Weight = 158
December 9, 2008
Consult with doctor
Weight = 161.8
Told to lose 10 lbs before surgery (151.8 goal)
January 1, 2009
Bust = 41.5''
Waist = 36''
Hips = 39.5''
Belly button = 39.25''
Chest = 37''
L Arm = 12"
L Inner thigh = 23.5"
L Mid thigh = 20"
Weight = 154.0
My consult:
First off, the doctor's office was the nicest doctors' office I have ever been to and I think I have been to enough and worked long enough in one to be a good judge. Off to the waiting room where I helped myself to coffee using their Keurig, mmmmm..... Was then called back to the room and the doctor and nurse came in to discuss everything with me. He suggested that I lose a little more of my then current weight since I will be having liposuction as to start training the fat cells to shrink and not divide as they do when you gain weight. He recommended South Beach Diet. He answered all of my questions that I had at that time. Leaving the room, he gave me a nice velvety robe to put on after undressing and then him and his nurse returned. Here comes the not so fun part... He measured my breast from all sorts of angles to find out where the natural placement of the nipple would be after the lift. He will be able to fix the asymmetry and will take more out of the larger one to even them out. We talked about the other way around but that would have included putting a small implant in the smaller one and we decided that wouldn't be what we would choose since they would probably appear differently in texture and such. He will also remove the nodes that I have in my arm pits that make a little fat pocket between my arms. I have always had this even when I was skinny so this really pleases me. I might even wear tank tops with this gone. yay!
Next was the tummy and my incision will have to be a bit longer than most due to the fold and he does not want puckering. He laid me down and felt my muscles and said that they would have to repair them all the way from the top to bottom. (I knew that, ha!) He said approximately where my belly button is now would then be right above my pubic line. That will include most of my stretch marks and that being the really large ones. So that will be a nice bonus.
Lipo will be done on my back flanks and on the dreaded bra back fat. He said that I really did gain or carry any additional weight on my but or hips which is always a nice thing to hear. I do carry it on the front of my thighs. He talked about doing lipo on that part but for the cost, I can wear shorts and it won't bother me that much. And with loosing more weight, that will go down enough to suit me.
He then again answered all of my questions in a non-rushed manner. So nice to have a doctor listening and not rushing to get to the next patient.
Next, photos!!! Oh my! Totally nude! And not with a little digital camera, this is the real thing. Back drop, lighting, the works. And she took 11 poses for the belly, 4 or 5 of the breast and then a nice head shot so they would know who this disfigured body belonged to. Oh, there is nothing like standing nude in front of someone else having your photo taken, the joy! I will post some of my own home shots of the before belly. Sorry, don't feel that comfortable showing off the breast but just think of sad pancakes.
Saving the best part for last....COST. Wowza! It is a small fortune but I guess I was expecting that. Total for the full abdominalplasty, breast lift, and lipo (including surgery center fees, anesthesia and special medical hotel room) is $13,680.00 I'll let that sink in for a bit. lol. A little expensive but I have been saving since my first was born over 4 years ago and I don't have a car payment like most do. We are paying cash, I would never never never finance a thing like this.
