hope4change2012
3 weeks Pre Op - Confident
Oct 29, 2012
I thought I'd share my pre-op jitters.
It's odd. I'm feeling better now than I did at 2 mo's pre-op. I believe that doing my homework has paid off.
Random thoughts:
1. Have I lost enough weight to be happy with my results? I don't know. I am short, but strong and fit and I weigh more than I had hoped. My BMI is below 30 which is indicated as important for a successful surgery, but not much below 30. I've had a few set backs on my work outs due to an overuse injury. Yet, I am fit and strong and I have done the best I could so I'm at peace with where my body is. Dr. S and a local surgeon have both said that I'll be fine. I'm 20 from goal, but I honestly don't know what goal is. I've been at this weight for months. Plus, as I wrote before, I read that 15-20 pounds from goal gives a surgeon our own fat to sculpt and work with.
2. I trust my surgeon. I believe that Dr. Sauceda is a gifted surgeon. His scars are even, his work is conservative and he has few complications with patients. There have been some, but that's a reality with surgery. We are all accepting that risk.
3. I'm not going into financial ruin over this. I am thrilled that although this is expensive, it's not devastating for me. It's as much as an inexpensive new car. In the states I was quoted 14 to 32 thousand dollars for one procedure, no after care and I pay for all the after care garments, ointments, etc. I don't want to list my price because each patient is different and I'm not sure until I have my final consult, but basically, I'm getting so much more for my money: affordable and a good surgeon = smart.
4. I have aftercare in place and am grateful for that. Grateful for the time I'll be in MX under Dr. Sauceda and his nurses's care. And, when I get home, I have friends and family in place to help me. Granted, it would be nice to have a loving husband at home to help, but I don't. In fact, I wouldn't even be doing this if I was with the last man in my life. He was so critical of me that the fact I wanted and/or needed to lift a few things would have disgusted him. Couldn't win with him, damned if I do and damned if I don't, so this is a good thing.
5. So grateful for those that 'pay it forward.' I was on the fence about doing face work. I really wanted it, but friends were vocal about not doing it. I appreciate their honesty, but the vocal ones are 15 years younger and in relationships, either married or involved. With the help of the Dr S board, I was able to not only see pics of before and after, but on Sunday, I chatted with a patient of Dr. S's who was actually there recovering from the very surgeries that I will be having. She looked great!! She was my age, low 50's, and that Skype time with her was invaluable. She was a week out from face work and bruising and scars were minimal. She showed me her room at the hotel, talked about the after care, self care, desires, wants, expectations, etc. In fact, she even said that when she was in her 30's she thought, like I did, "Oh how vain. I'd never have surgery." Well, look at us now, 20 years later.... Hello rejuvination nation...
6. So grateful for my Surgery Sisters. They are so fun and helpful!! I believe that's a big part of why I'm not afraid any more, just excited. We email, we talked on the phone, we Facebook to sort out anxieties, procedures, etc. Knowing I won't be alone has upped my confidence 100%. There is strength in numbers. With the Dr. S board, you are not alone. I'm so grateful.
7. Mark up / consultation with Dr. S - This is what I'm most looking forward to. As Lee (from this board) calls it, the "magical time." It's when all your planning, lifting your skin, trying to visualize what you'd look like, etc., comes into focus and Dr. S turn on his laser beam focus and you see what he can honestly do for you, not the the fantasy of what if this and what if that.
8. Lingering concerns are many, but they aren't causing upset, just aware that I don't have answers yet. 1. Neck Lift - Dr. S uses the phrase, "I won't make you look windswept." I wonder and will find out and blog after surgery, what type of lift he does. Basically he caters to each person's needs, as does a good surgeon. A neck lift is basically a lower face lift. I don't know though a couple things like does he tighten the muscles on your face and neck? Is it a corset platysmaplasty? Does he do SMAS or deep plane or vertical? I've read that surgeons don't just pull skin back any more and that's how you get the too tight, smile pulled, look. I'm not sure what Dr. S does. I've read that it's not how your surgery looks 6 months out, but 2 years out, that is the real determining factor. (Update - I needed to know to 100% comfortable moving forward with face surgery so I emailed Dr. S. He always answers my questions, but I really don't like to email too much unless I just can't find the answer on the OH board. Any way, he was very kind as usual. He said that he does do the platysmaplasty most of the time depending on the patient and that many dr's come up with fancy names for their procedures to sound unique. I paraphrased him, but basically, yes, it's the surgery that I would be comfortable with and believe in. I had done a alot of reading on "pixie ears," big scars" and "fallen face lifts" and it had to do with just pulling skin from the face up, not doing the neck first, then pulling skin. Made sense. That's what Dr S does too. He's great. I'm excited.)
9. One and Done. One and done has been the mantra around these pages. It's extreme and I think unless you've swam in this OH pond or other plastic surgery sites, it would seen outrageous. However, most of us work and it's hard to get the down time needed for our nip/tucks. Most of have bodies that would look better from a complete overhaul. In the Dr. S world, you're in MX for 2 weeks with aftercare coming to your room daily, once our of the surgery center. In the states, a few docs I talked to would do 2 surgeries a week apart and that's basically what you're getting form Dr S. Well, a bit different, he will do the long surgery that most docs won't do, which is a lot of body work on one day and 4 days later face work. It's tough, but that's where the one and done comes in.
10. I hope I'm one and done. That's the reality. It can be addicting. You can look at this and look at that and think, but maybe lift this, maybe just tweak that, etc. I understand that revisions are often needed. I hope I'm not one of them, but I accept that. So, when a revision comes into play, then you think..well, as long as I'm going under, might as well: a.b.c...
11. Grateful. I'm grateful for the opportunity to push the restart button on my life. I've done the hard work from the inside out. I realize that this won't fix a broken heart or low self-esteem, but I also believe that a woman really wants to feel sexy and vibrant at any age, and having the chance to lift up some sad looking bewbies, flatten a tummy, ditch the thunder thighs and freshen the face is certainly a step in the right direction. I'll be 52 at the time of the surgery.
12. I'm on the homestretch and I'm excited, have realistic expectations and quite frankly can't believe this is happening. My job the next 3 weeks is to continue to work out, up my protein as much as possible, get my home ready for recovery after I return and unfortunately, do a lot of extra work at work that just came up. It's extra money, so that's great, but it'll up my stress a bit and my time requirements, but it'll also help to pay for the new me.
