Big news...lifetime goal about to be achieved!

Sep 20, 2009

As I have posted before, I became overweight in the third grade when puberty began. As I gained weight, I gained a belly. I can remember seeing my first stretch marks on my stomach in early high school and my brother yelling at me over it..."You're so gross! You haven't had a baby and you've already got stretch marks!" At that time, I no idea what having a baby had to do with stretch marks. Of course, now I do.  In addition to the stretch marks, I remember having the "belly flap" in high school. By the time college came and I had my largest weight gain that pushed me over 200lbs, it was pronounced enough that it affected my clothes. I HATED it and always wished I could get it removed. I assumed it would magically go away with massive weight loss...but it just got saggier. While it is smaller, it's certainly visable. Now that I'm a whopping 125lbs, it's still there...now just skin. Before, it was skin and fat.

I developed a very tiny hernia that Dr. Teel said was common for everyone (he even has one) and most don't have them repaired. However, he told me he could repair it and while repairing it, could remove my "flap". He said that it was such a minor flap (although it looks huge to me...and puts me in a size 8-10 when the rest of me is a size 4), I could do it as an out patient procedure. This will save me big $$$ too. When all is said and done, the totaly out of pocket cost to me would be less than $3000. He also said that while it wouldn't be classified as a "tummy tuck" but a panni removal, he would go ahead and stitch the stomach muscle and make me a belly button too.

So, after looking at my work calandar and talking it over with my family, I will be having my surgery on December 4, 2008! That's almost 2 years post op DS. I'm so very excited! It's another realization of a dream thanks to the DS!!!

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