In Costa Rica for a Facelift...

 Good to hear - I know you did a ton of research. Glad you're happy with the results.
Yay for you!

Thanks, Plum21! Once I recover from the facial work, I'll be back to finding a good tummy tuck. Could not be happier with my current results, though. I'm over the moon!!

 That's wonderful. I had just a neck lift 3 weeks ago and I can agree that there is lot of bruising and swelling. Do you also have to wear a headpiece? I can't wait to see your results. 

Jennifer

Hi Jennifer. I had my first stitches removed today. He likes to take them out as early as possible to avoid scarring. I'm amazed with the incisional work that he does. I honestly can't even see a scar line on my upper eyelids where he removed stitches today.

He wraps us in a miserable cap that is very similar to an arm cast, with inches of soft cotton. The ladies here call it a "helmet". He removes it in two to three days, and does not want people to wear a compression garment. I asked him why, and he said that patients were getting permanent lines under their necks from wearing garments, and that his results are just as good the way he does his "helments".

I'm dying to post some pictures, but this hosted picture thing is a real pain with spotty Internet service. The solar flares here near the Equator have cause problems with communications this week, but other than that, I'm loving it here. I don't have any before pictures on this computer, so my after's won't have as much implact, but I'll try to post them anyway.

Do you have pics up of your necklift?

 Wow, your pics are AMAZING. I don't blame the other girl for loosing her deposit and changing surgeons. Especially when it comes to the face. I would say from your pics you look very early 30s. I don't have any pics yet. Honestly I didn't even think of taking any before pics of my face. I have some body ones that I used when I sent them to my Dr, but I guess I forgot about the face. I also have a hematoma on my left cheek. It's a big lump under a bruise. (I think blood pooled maybe from when they removed my face drain, just guessing) The bruise is getting lighter and almost gone but I still have a big lump. I am sure it will go away, I just have to be patient and I can disguise it with my hair. It's funny you say your dr doesn't want you to wear compression long term. I have a annoying one that I had to wear 24/7 the first 10 days. (kind of embarrassing) then we go to wearing it at night for 6 more months. I pretty much have been wearing all day still when I am home. Thinking the more the better. But now I wonder. I will definetly stick to he 6 months at night because I have complete faith in my Drs opinion, but maybe I don't need to be wearing it extra on top of that. How long are you at the ranch? Are there other patients that you get to visit with? Is the same Dr going to do your tummy tuck?

Jennifer

I'm sure glad that I don't have to wear the compression garrment. That sounds like no fun at all, but totally will be worth it to get great results.

I bought a good compression garment with me, but he said not to use it. I think they are fine if worn correctly, but some people put the seam to the inside (against the skin), and it forms a permanent crease in the skin.

I think the hematoma on the cheek (where you get the large "football player" bruise after surgery) is pretty common, and I think it resolves very quickly. I don't have any hematomas yet, so holding my breath that I get buy without any.

Dr. Lev is famous for getting a very tight neckline. Mine is still a little swollen, but I saw it right after the head wrap came off, and it was even better than it looks today (woke up with more swelling this morning). I have seen enough of his patients to know that I will have wonderful results if I just follow his instructions. I can't believe how gorgeous some of the women in his waiting room (during my visits) are. Just gorgeous!

There are probably 20 women here at the ranch who use various doctors. Most of us are patients of Dr. Lev, but you can look at the work done on other women by different docs, and see that Dr. Lev's work really shines in comparison. He's a wonderful person, too. Such a blessing. I've hated my profile my entire lifetime, and he's given me a gift that I did not even think was possible. I've heard people refer to him as "the artist", and I can totally see why. He really has a gifted eye and a skilled surgical hand. He's cute and funny, too, and that always helps!

His patient coordinator, Didi, does a great job at making sure all of us are safe, and that we are escorted at all times when we go away from the ranch. She's very skilled, and I am thankful to her for helping me arrange this lifechanging trip.

We each have our own private cottage here at the ranch, and all meals and transportation are provided. My cost for this entire trip was 11,200 (flight, hospital fees with one night stay and personal nurse for the first night, facelift, upper and lower eyes, brow lift, chin implant, meals, transportation, lodging AND the removal of my old saline implants) and I can say without a doubt that it was the best thing I've ever bought for myself in my entire lifetime. I'm VERY happy. I realize that I could probably have gotten the same work done in the U.S. for a comparable price, but I was so impressed by his artistic eye that I decided to make the trip to Costa Rica rather than use a U.S. doc. So very glad that I did!!

Oh and yes, all of us ladies eat our meals together and spend meal time talking with each other. It's been a wonderul experience, and I still have ten days here to heal and enjoy the company of the other ladies.

 I am glad you mentioned that wearing the compression garment wrong leaves a crease.. I just felt mine and that's what I am doing. Lol. I am glad I noticed now instead of month 6. And your ranch sounds so nice. I did the mexico experience where I stayed 12 days.. I like you loved my surgeon and really the whole experice was way better than I expected. I think as for my hematoma I got mine pretty soon after surgery. I don't think I noticed it because for one my whole face was swollen at first. And two my compression garment was covering it. I hope it goes away, I tried reading up on it on the intrenet and most opinions are that they go away after time.

Yep, turn that garment around NOW, lol!! I'd have never thought of it either since it looks like the seams should go to the inside just like a clothing seam, but I checked the instructions on mine, and it also shows to wear the seam out.

I came here fully expecting to hate staying at the ranch since I had read somewhat mixed reviews before leaving for Costa Rica. Once here, I found that I really love the ranch and especially the owners and the team of people who live and work on the ranch. There's even an adorable two or three year old baby boy that follows his dad around each evening to start fires in the fireplaces of each cottage. He's the cutest thing, with a roll of paper tucked under his arm that he uses to help start the fires. Just adorable.

The only negative at all for me is that I am so prone to motion sickness, and the ranch is ten or so miles from my doctor's office. However, they always let me ride in the front seat, so I've had no problems with sickness so far. I love the sheep and the mountains in the background. Fresh fruit hanging from the trees. Just gorgeous.

I hope your hematoma goes away soon. It's got to be a total bummer to have such a tiny thing holding you back from a full recovery. I'm sure it will be gone in no time!

 I fixed my garment around. I guess I wouldnt have known if you wouldn't have mentioned it. Your cottage sounds nice. And I think it's nice that you can hang out with others that are recovering along side you. I know I got a little bored, but luckily I met a couple people too. It sounds like this would be a good fit for you and your tummy tuck. It would be tempting to do it while your already there. I would think the one recovery would be a big temptation. You should take pics of the ranch while you are there. I have finished all my PS work, but I know a lot of people who are still undecided will have a lot of questions. I am sure actually seeing a pic from a real patient instead of a brochure would make a difference. 

As much as I would love to get the tummy tuck over with now, I just don't want to tempt fate and risk messing up my good facial results with another surgery. I'm just too darned old for this recovery stuff, lol. It takes so much out of me. I admire those of you who can do the multiple surgery thing, but it's totally not for me. I'll just wait and do it after I'm healed up from this. I know when my friends see me, they are going to start booking facelifts down here, lol, so I'll just travel back with one of them when they go. No hurry at all for me with the tt.

I am taking lots of photos, and I'll put together a cohesive presentation on my OH page once I'm back home. The owners of this ranch travel all over the world, and they dedicate each little cottage to something that they love. It's more rustic here than some city girls might like, but I live in a log home on 30 acres, so I'm right at home here in my little rainforest cottage.