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I don't want to write, I just want to live my life, but feel the need to pay it forward a bit.

 

I'm 6 months Post Op and can't believe how great I look and feel.  Here's a summary:

 

LBL - I never had any openings and my scar is flat and fading and even.  With time, due to my larger thighs, the scar around my waste dips down a little bit, but evenly, where my saddle bags are.  Sounds bad, but it's not.  Just shows how nature abides.  It wants what it wants.  My stomach is super flat and looks SO great!  I wasn't at a perfect weight when I had this done, 164 at 5'2", but I was fit.  I've stayed at that weight so I'm glad I didn't lose a bunch and then gain more.  Sure, I'd love to weigh less and am working on it, but that seems to be my average.  Any way, my saddle bags have sort of come back.  Dr. S took a liter off each side, but I have big legs.  Yet, I look SOOO much better.  They are even and don't look that bad, more feminine than any thing I guess.  Also, my bum sure looks awesome.  I have cellulite, always have and always will, but I have such a nice shape in clothes.  My VJ was lifted too and I'm so happy with how it looks. The 3 little holes from the drains are fading.  I wore my garment for a long time, maybe 4 months or so.  It may have helped.  I watched my sodium.  I didn't get back to exercise strenuously too fast and I had massage to help flatten the scars once they had healed.  SO WORTH THE MONEY & TIME!

 

Neck Lift - The changes are subtle and I'm sure grateful for that.  I have feeling in most all of my face.  The area by the ears is taking the longest, but the scar under my chin is not noticeable and the spots on the cheeks where he does a staple (I think) are gone.  I was concered about seroma/hematoma in the beginning, but as Dr S says, massage and time, and this is exactly what it was. The scars by my ears are faded completely too.  I work my garment religiously for about 3 months.  He said 6, but I just got sick of it.  Other docs say only a few weeks, so I compromised.  I'd say that I have 5 years off my face.  I sort of pull and tug and think..hum..wish he took more, but in reality, I don't.  He did just the right amount to look a bit refreshed, not pulled.  FYI, he does the lower face lift (which is a neck lift), the right way.  He tightens your neck muscle and your facial muscle by your cheek, not just yank the skin.  Quality work all the way. SO WORTH THE MONEY AND TIME!

 

Eye Lift - My scars on my eyes have faded completely.  I again wish he had done more, but that's the whole plastic surgery greediness that gets people in trouble.  He did a beautiful job and when I compare before and after, there is a HUGE difference.  SO WORTH THE MONEY AND TIME!

 

Breast Lift - I love, absolutely adore my breasts!  I had a little bit of a freak out time about a month out when the sutures around the nipple were puckering and I felt disappointed.  Poor Dr. S has to put up with the post op blues we go through.  I told him I was disappointed and he said massage and time.  Guess what, massage and time and they look so perky and cute!  I LOVE how they look in a t shirt with no bra, but I don't do that.  I wear sports bras to bed even.  I wore my garment religiously for 4 months.  I double garment my breasts when I do strenuous exercise.  Gravity wants to take these from me and I'm trying not to let it happen too soon.  I'm glad I don't have implants because basically I don't need them.  Dr. S created beautiful perky breasts out of my uneven long-hanging chest mess I had going on.  I'm a large C.  SO WORTH THE TIME AND MONEY!

 

The breasts combined with the flat tummy and the lift around my entire body from the LBL has transformed me.  I look great for my age!  I do wear tighter fitting clothes to highlight my shape.  The sculpting Dr. S did on me makes that possible.

Thank you to my surgery sisters and patients who went before me to pave the way to this transformation.  I may get pics of at some time, but I am just going to log off for now.  Maybe I'll write in a year. 

 

My advice is do this for yourself!  Do your homework and read other posters.  Don't expect perfection.  Follow Doctor's orders pre and post op.  

 

And most imporantly, thank you to Dr. S and staff who made this girl feel some peace about her self at long last.  So very grateful.  Amen!
 

 

I am so happy with how I look.  I'm so happy I did this.  I can't believe that it's already 90 days.  I'm back to workouts of all sorts. A recap:

 

1.  I still wear neck lift gear.  Dr. S says 6 months.  Other sites suggest not that long, but I don't mind it, so I wear it.  I'm still numb in front and in back of my ear.  My scar under my chin is invisible and I have full feeling there.  I still have a slight bruise on one check, but the others that concerned me have gone done.  FYI... post op face work, be sure to elevate.  When I was having concerns that a seroma might be forming, I did a warm compress on and off gently for a day and started to sleep at an angle again, and daily massage, a few times a day.   My neck lift/lower face lift looks amazing.  It's subtle and like others sometimes think that I'd like to have more pulled, but I don;t want to get greedy. I think Dr. S did just the right amount.  I don't look any different other than people commenting on how much weight I've lost and they notice it in my face.  I haven't lost any more weight, it's the face surgery.  The eyes have healed nicely and same thing, wish he'd taken a bit more, but that's greedy too. I look good and I have noticed that the healing continues.  You can't see the scar and I have full feeling.  It's weird being numb, but you get used to it and it hasn't bothered me.  I am careful to always wear a sunscreen make up (dermablend) so that the scar on my eyes and face are protected.

 

2.  I still wear the LBL garment too.  I think in 90 days I've gone w/o it, but had a shapewear garment on, for a total of 3 days.  I find it comfortable.  I live where it's cold, so it's just fine.  I believe it helped me.  I still wear paper tape all the time.  There are other posts on that, but basically after surgery you keep it moist (I used aquaphor).  Then when the scabs heal, I taped with paper and leave it on for 5-10 days, as long as it wants to stay.  When it's off I moisturize.  My scar is flat and fading and never opened up.  It did go from the perfect round shape to drop a bit on the sides where my thighs are.  My thighs are heavy and they pulled it down.  It still looks symmetrical and I am happy.  

 

3.  I love my breast lift!  I loved them at first, then about 30 days out felt like they were too flat on top and the nipples were puckering.  That resolved with massage and time as Dr. S said they would.  If you upper pole fullness, get implants.  I'm a nice full C, with a cute shape and am happy I don't have implants.  Dr. S will be honest with you.  He could have taken me for more $$ for implants and didn't.  He suggested what he felt would be best and I believe this is best.  They really are so darn cute and a drastic improvement.  This has helped my self esteem so much.  And for me personally, I'm glad that I don't have the "she paid for those" comments behind my back.  Although you know how people are, I'm sure there are some out there.

 

4.  Tummy - I have a rockin set of abs!  I read somewhere that:  Dr. S does a great tummy.  I was hoping that would be my story and it is my story.  I am really working to not gain weight.  I can tell, as I had read from other posters, that when I start to gain a little weight, it goes to the upper ab region.  It's real incentive for me to keep the weigh off.  

5.  Outer thights - Dr. S took off 1 litre on each thigh.  At first with the swelling it didn't seem like much improvement.  Now I can really really tell.  I'm grateful.

6.  Weight at surgery - well, this is a mixed sentiment for me.  I'm still about 162.  I've been this for a year now and I had wanted to get to 135 or even 150 for surgery and never made it.  Now I think it's a good thing because that is pretty much where I am.  If I can ever get lower, drastically, and maintain it, guess what?  I'd go back for an updated LBL with Dr. S.  I know, crazy, right?  But I think he could really pull some more up IF I lost more weight.  I still struggle with accepting my ugly thighs, but my awesome abs and chest make up for it.  Also, I think I'll be happy if I can get to 150.  I don't think it will affect my surgery.  But as Dr. S warns, DO NOT go in the other direction.  Weigh gain really messes with the results.

7.  Healing - it's a long process, but be kind to yourself.  Pre op I did the vitamins and protein and post op, same thing.  I drastically cut salt and haven't gone back.  I didn't push myself in workouts too soon.  I just kept visualizing 5 layers of stitches trying to heal and wanted them to adhere.  I used silicone tape on my breasts for about 30-45 days because paper made them itch. I still use Kelo-cote when I remember.  On LBL, paper tape as I mentioned, but also Kelo-cote too.  And, I added pure aloe to soak in from time to time.  Massage has been a big part of my heaing too. I have a therapist that loves massaging scars.  It sort of hurt, poked, but we'd spend 1 1/2 hours working on all of them and they seem to flatten.  it's worth the money if you get someone who knows how to do it and enjoys it, as mine does.  She likes seeing the improvement.  Oh, and the face scars...she worked on those too.

 

8.  Grateful - I'm grateful, so very grateful.

We'll see if I can do a quick update.  I seem to ramble on in the past.

I'm happy to say what I loved seeing when I was doing my research:  So glad I did it! I'd do it again in a heartbeat!  

 

I got the OK from Dr. S to start exercise.  He actually congratulated me on my healing.  I have been so very careful about not doing too much, eating right, proper supplement, exercise at a minimum, etc.  When I visualize that I have 5 layers of stitches inside of me (I don't recall where I say that or even if it's true, but it stuck in my head for some reason.), I really care for my body.  I wonder what jogging is like on the internal stitches...pound pound pound is how it feels.  Having said that, I'm starting to fire up a good harder workout and get back to sports I love.  I've been doing the 20 minute 1 mile "brisk walk" prescribed after surgery.  I didn't start that even until week 4.  I've added some jogging and today will be my first day with weights and squats and stretching.  I look forward to it, but still am a little afraid.

 

Body updates:  pics at 41 days are posted and I look about the same today.  I have had some blue stitches surfacing in different areas.  A few showed up on my face by my ear from my neck lift.  You can't see a scar or anything, but they popped out and I just gently pulled them out.  I had a few behind my ear and sometimes I'd have them cut or cut them and sometimes I ignore them and they go away.    I have a few poking and annoying me under my breast from the breast lift.  I have let them be but I don't like them. They don't appear to be enough to pull and so I leave them.  I may have a possible opening forming by my nipple.  It looks like a small version of what I've seen other Surgery Sisters post where there is a gap.  I put tape on it and haven't looked at it in a few days.  LBL scars are healing nicely with occasional crazy itching session that passes in time and changing my focus.  

 

Scar treatment: I have a variety of things I'm using to moisturize.  I use Cetaphil and Aquaphor as well as an oil my massage therapist gave me and I toss in some 100% aloe gel.  I mix things up on what I use.  I have started to use Kelo-cote on my breast scars.  The tapes just dry me crazy.  On my breast lift, the paper tape itches and the super expensive silicone tape that I was using and washing and reusing just seems gross to me now.  Maybe if I bought a new box and tried it again, that'd be good, but I have healed enough to use the Kelo-cote.  It helps seal it and heal it.  The paper tape on my LBL is awesome.  I'm so grateful for that tip. On day 1 though, I do secure it with paper surgical tape to keep it in place.  Then it seals almost to my skin.   It stays on great, literally for days.  At first I worried, but it seems to be really helping.  Some leave it on until it peels off which it seems like it won't, ever, but I guess it will.  I've left on 5 days before.  Now I'm at 7 and seeing how long that lasts.  I wash it, pat it dry, massage with garment over it, etc.  The scar under my chin is invisible. I do massage, like kneading bread, under my chin (Saw that on a surgeon's site).  I do it when I think of it.  The lumps and bumps on my face continue to resolve.  I massage my face and behind my ears gently at least 1x a day or more if I think of it. Sometimes I put kelo-cote on the scars behind my ears, but mainly I massage.

Numbess:  still numb on my face by my ear, but it continues to improve.  Same with my upper thighs (which feels the weirdest) and numb on incision line and outer thighs.  I had 1 liter of fat taken out of each side with a lot of bruising which is gone now.  

 

Garments:  Call me crazy, but I love my garment.  I'm still wearing it 24/7. I wash and change each day.  I'm single (darn it) so I think that's why I get around it.  I just feel more put together with it on.  I want those previously mentioned 5 layers of stitches to have all the help it can get.  It has stretched out some is not as tight.  I was having some lumps appear behind my ear.  It happened after I had tried to put paper tape on them and then peeled it off.  It's like it injured it.  I was concerned about seromas and hematomas, but whatever started to appear did dissipate with massage.  One full day I used a hot compress (warm wash cloth) on and off all day with massage and it seemed to help the face.  Any way, this is the garment section.  While having the issues with bumps on my face and researching it, I found a doc who said to elevate while sleeping.  Most say to just let time and massage resolve it, but it wasn't working.  When I combined elevation at night with massage, things started to settle down.  I don't know if it was just time or the elevation, but I'm still sticking with elevation at night.  I will be glad when I don't wear that face garment though.  Glad I sleep alone.  It's pretty freaky looking.

 

So, happy to report I'm happy.  Is it perfect?  No.  I believe that I got excellent results for what Dr. Sauceda had to work with.  If there was anything I wish I could impart to a younger person is to not get obese in the first place.  My Dear God the price I've paid for that is very expensive.  I do believe food was a coping mechanism and an addiction for me.

 

Without getting up and moving my comfy little dog, I'm going to guess on how many days post op I am.  I think I'm at about 34 or 35.  I've had the well documented Post Op Blues.  It's not all the time, just my natural propensity to look at the negative had reared it's ugly head.  Well, in my defense, I was bummed with my boobs drooping and my saddlebags re-emerging, but both are greatly improved from what I walked into surgery.  As I've said before, excellent results from surgery means a 75% improvement.  I believe I had excellent results, just was unrealistic I guess.  Not a stretch for me, that's how I roll and it's caused me heartache in every area of my life.  I even think my obesity was a result of perfectionism.  I couldn't look amazing so I gave up.  I'm better in that area thank God, but I still notice it from time to time and then back off.  

I went back to work on Monday.  I hadn't seen many people since many were off for the holidays. Yesterday I did and although some, hopefully most, don't know that I had cosmetic surgery their response was very positive.  I think if someone knows you had plastics, they might feel like they should say you look great..  It's the ones that haven't seen you in awhile that really count (at least to me).  And having said that, I got lots of  Wows...  Some friends hadn't seen me in months so there was just the generic weight loss factor too, but that combined with Dr. S sculpting, they were surprised how I looked. 

My favorite comment was from a co-worker who saw in the hallways and said:  You look so tiny!  ME?  Tiny?  Haven't heard that for years and years and, well forever and a day.  I actually heard tiny from a couple of friends, even a "sexy" came out.  It felt good.  It actually helped me settle down about what I don't like and accept the good in all of this.  What is interesting to me is that I'm wearing 14's and I think that's as good as it gets.  My hips are that big and I can't pinch any fat from the largest part of my hip.  I have friends that are 0.  I was hoping to get out of the double digits but I don't think that's in the cards.  I'd was thinking a 7/8 or 9/10...I can squeeze into an 11/12 on some things, but I'm done with the battle with the scale and pant size.  I look fit and in some people's eye:  tiny.  Yikes! And Yeah!

As I've said, I can't believe I did this surgery.  I'm grateful to be post op.  I accept the aging process.  I really do.  This will be it.  As you know, we continue to age the day out of surgery so what was lifted is starting to fall:  darn gravity.  However, as Dr. S told me the day before I left:  You've been given a 2nd chance.  It's so true in so many areas of my life.  I'm grateful.

On the recovery front, I'm still in love my garment.  I feel put together.  I know some hate theirs.  It has loosed up and I wonder if I need a smaller one, but at 100 a pop, I think I'll accept what this gives me.  I did invest in post op foam from contourmd dot com.  I have seen a few, but not many, on the benefits of foam after lipo.  It makes your garment tighter in those spots and aids in healing.  I don't want the added inches while in public, but I did do it at home.  As I write this, I'm inspired to add them again.  I only used a couple of times, but want to add at night.  My face bumps are going away little by little.  I'm grateful to see the progress.  I have rather odd looking long lumps behind my ear down my neck about 1 1/2 inches long, but they are even on each side and Dr. S told me about that being part of the healing from the neck lift and pulling up some wrinkles.  Well then, I am all about pulling up some wrinkles and I'll call that good.  I'm trying to massage, lightly, my entire body, 3 minutes per spot, 2x a day.  I have to put a timer on or I'll cut it too short.  My face I try more often.  It still feels weird to have the numbness, but that is going away little by little.  The improvement in my face are so subtle and so natural.  I'm so glad I did it and glad I didn't do a bunch of other stuff.  This was plenty on the face.  I look at celebrities with money to buy the best in the business and they look like freak shows.  Dr. S is all about moderation and I believe in plastics, it's the way to fly.  

 

 My body scar is doing great.  It is staring to get flat.  It's still red in color but chaging a little bit day by day.  I use that paper tape and initially help it stay on with other medical tape.  It adheres and stays on for days.  I was concerned about how long you leave it on, as in is it moisturized enough and sanitary, but I've seen people leave it on up to 10 days.  I'm at about 4 and then take it off.   It literally stays adhered that long.  The bewbies are healing nicely too.  The under breast scar is the harder one.  I did invest in mepitac silicone tape as Not2L8 (i think that's her handle) suggested.  It's better on that tender area, but still a little annoying.  I bought some kelo-cote siicone gel to apply to my under chin and behind my ears.  I have moments where I itch like crazy!!!  I sort of massage/itch the area and it passes thank God.  

 

I'm also back to exercising, but very minimum.  I'm doing the 20 minute brisk walk/1 mile as is recommended after surgery.  I look forward to that.  I've missed that component of my life.  With the holidays I tested the all too familiar waters of overeating.  One thing about the garment is that it's so tight that you are uncomfortable if you eat too much.  I do log my calories and am trying to stick around 1200, but hit 2000 with some xmas indulging.  I don't feel good after a lot of sugar and that is a new and great thing. I can look at sweet things (and most of the time) say to myself either:  I know what that tastes like, I don't need to try it.  Or, I know how that makes me feel.  One bite can lead me down an overeating path that it's well worn and quite frankly not welcome any more.  

I am taking great care of myself.  I took the Pre and Post Op Make Me Heal vitamins.  They were overpriced as some say, but prepackaged and worth it.  I've now switched over to an even more expensive vitamin, Primal Blueprint Damage Control Master Formula.  They are $125 for a 30 days supply, but I used them before when I was healing from something and I believe they helped.  I also love this guy's website, marksdailyapple dot com, and feel like I'm getting an excellent product.  I hope I'm not wrong.  Any way, I'll take his mega doses 2x a day for 30 days and then then next round, 1 packet a day and after that, cancel it and just add what I need.  I accept that although I'm looking and feeling better, there is still a lot going on inside that I can't see.  My body needs my help.  It's been there for me so I'm "showing up" for it with lots of water, exercise, rest and good food.  I'm pretty much eating primal/paleo:  meat and veggies with eggs, but no dairy.  I love jello and although I'm still hooked on the chemical ones, sugar free, eventually I'll move to knox.  Here's the great thing about it.  It actually is still primal, but most importantly, it helps with skin laxticity.  I have 20 more pounds to lose and didn't have surgery on my arms.  I'm hoping with exercise, slow weight loss and gelatin, that my skin will shrink somewhat nicely.  We'll see, but that's what I'm hoping.  Unless I win the lottery or write an award winning screenplay, I'm done with plastic surgery.  I have done enough and tapped my emotional and financial life enough over it.  

On a final note, I'm hoping to stop all of the self-aborbtion that plastic surgery has led me too.  It's important to do your homework, do proper research and excellent care afterward, but it's a great big world out there with a lot of pain and suffering.  A dear friend just lost a child in a car accident.  My 'plastics' and heartbreak drama pales in comparison to her grief.  I am so glad I did this, so glad it's over and am so glad to get back to real life and what really matters.

Til next time...

What happened between Day 28 an Day 30...today?  Why the change of heart?  Well, I'm back to work on Monday and back to real life today with lots to do. I took an honest look at my body yesterday and I couldn't deny that my breasts are changing and changing in a way that is scary.  I'm only 30 days post op and they ARE looking worse.  I sort of thought so, but was hoping that it wasn't true, hoping that the nipple rippling would resolve.  I looked online for other breast lift people with the rippling and didn't see a lot.  Most that did have a lift with a donut cut, I had the anchor.  I am flattening out on the top and they are starting to look like they are just hanging there.  They are sort of okay now, but at this rate, I'll have my old saggy breasts, or a little better version of them I guess, in a year or so.

 

Dr. S wrote back:  Hi Lisa:

  This shape is because of the weight on your breast. They are pulling the skin. The little bit emptier on the top is because of the gravity . We put some stitches on the top, but the tissue laxity in weight loss patients is very unpredictable.  Try to massage them 2 to 3 times a day. The final shape is after 6 months. So, right now I can not tell you if this is going to be the final shape.   Dr. Sauceda

 

So my fellow plastic surgery friends, I believe this is where the Post Op Blues come in.  You're busy massaging everything and watching everything change, some in a good way (bumps on face going down) and some in a bad way (see above).

 

I also think this is where optimism and acceptance come in.  I'll update when I feel better but wanted to put this reality slap out there.  

 

Merry Christmas.

Well, as I sit here I'm grateful that I'm post op.  I'm grateful that I was brave and not only had the surgery, but had it in MX with Dr. Sauceda. I got excellent results and didn't go into financial ruin over this.  All the work I had done cost less than a cheap car.  I'm worth as much as that I think.

I also sigh at the thought of this long healing process ahead of me.  I went to my PCP yesterday to have him check a few things.  I left feeling like a weirdo.  He is a younger doctor and had never seen a LBL scar.  In fact, he went ...whoa... and literally stepped back and said, that's a huge scar.  I said, somewhat embarrassed, you mean wide?  He said, no, that goes all the way around.  I felt tears well up.  When we swim in this OH pool and plastic surgery pool, we get so used to scars that we don't realize how weird it appears to other people.  The nurse looked grossed out.  The doc got his composure and said everything is healing nicely.  I sort of felt like it was a waste of my time and money to go.  I just wanted to have him check:  1.  My IV hand still itches and swells some and I have a history of blood clots so I wanted to be sure I was fine.  He said yes, it's superficial, as in not a deep vein problem (which I had before), but that I should watch it, take a baby aspirin daily and use a warm compress if it aches.  While in MX, you may experience this.  They inject your pain meds into your IV and "slam" it in.  It burns when they do it.  I would try to explain to do it slower, but I don't think I made my point clear.  I just endured the pain to get the relief from the pain meds.  I never felt pain, other than putting the pain meds in, so that it was worth it.

 

The doc looked at all the scars.  He said things looked good and that I'd experience many changes over the next year.  He didn't really have much advice.  The best advice I got was from my sister who said:  "In medicine, the common adage is:  If it's wet, make it dry.  If it's dry, make it wet."  Dr. S liked that.  So, it's true.  I've been applying Aquaphor to it since I went off the antibiotic cream.  The doc wasn't much help with the bumps on my face.  Honestly, like I said, I felt like a a freak show to him and the nurse.  I live in the midwest and they hadn't seen anyone who had plastic surgery before.   My PCP said that I should follow what my surgeon said.  Dr. S told me that I had small bumps on my face and with time they will dissipate with the aid of massage.  That's what I've been doing and I do think it's helping.  When the doc left the room, I showed the nurse the before and after pics and that got her in a bit of awe.  You really have to see them to appreciate what Dr. S has done for me.  I asked the doc to help me with paper taping behind my ears since, well, I'm paying for that (what ended up to be) stupid appointment.  His RN helped with that.  Yet, I'm glad I went in for that stupid appt.  I needed reassurance that I was well.  I am.

Scar help - I've entered the wound care phase of this long (ass) healing journey.  So far I did learn that the the paper tape is great and does stick nicely and you won't want to take it off every day.  That concerned me initially because I had a routine of showering and conditioning and massaging.  How do you do that?  Well, I think that I'll be showering, leaving the tape on until it wants to come off.  Yesterday I had taken it off after 12 hours to prepare for my dr appt.  It was adhering nicely and it hurt to take it off, thus leaving it on will be my next step.  Under my Saucedas, the breast lift scar is sort of tender and the paper tape may be a problem there.  I did buy mepitac 1.5 tape as recommended by Not2L8.  It is pricey, but I think I'll be happy I bought it in the near future  I may use it under my breasts only.  It's padded silicone tape.  I'm using Aquaphor on the wounds.  I did buy pure Aloe Vera gel and may use that later.  It's a journey and I'm on step one.  I will say that I like massaging best with my garment on.  I am grossed out, still, by the way my body feels.  The numbess is creepy to me.  With the garment on, the tape is secure and I just go over it a few times a day.

Face healing - I have taped up the scar behind my ears.  I don't know if the bumps on my neck under the scar are new or I just noticed them.  The numbness is fading and I can feel things more prominently.  I will leave the tape on them for a few days.  I peeled it off for my appt and I think it hurt it a little.  The scar in the front of my ear is invisible almost, which of course I'm thankful for.  I put Aquaphor on it and massage it, but it's still numb.  I do feel a little bump on it though. It seems bumps are appearing everywhere.  I don' t know if I can just feel them or they are forming.  And, forming can mean seroma or hematoma, which though, according to Dr S and other patients, unless they are really big, will resolve. I'm just going to trust the process.  My scar under my chin is invisible almost.  I did put papertape on it and left it on.  I read somewhere to kneed on it with your thumbs like you would kneed bread, so that's what I'm doing.  It seems to be loosening up.  As far as face massage goes, I do a variety of things.  I'm still grossed out by the numbess so I also like massaging, part of the time, with my garment on and/or rubber gloves.  However, I do, on and off throughout the day, just reach up there and do a light tapping on the spots or a gentle butterfly type massage up and down.  I try to do it hourly, yet briefly.  

 

In summary, I'm still very happy I did this.  I honestly love my face work so much and I almost didn't do it and that's exactly what previous Dr. S patients said too.  It knocked off about 5-7 years.  I'm so glad I took before pics.  I had a double chin and my neck was sort of draping when I turned my head down, etc.  Initially I thought, oh well. Not now..now I'm so glad I did it.  I've had a rough 6 years and feel like I was given back what I gave.  Honestly, I worked like a dog and helped support someone who apparently was just using me. I was good to his kids and the kids and I still have a relationship.  I'm glad I could help them, but am also glad that Dick Head finally revealed who he really is so I can get on with my life.    I look like I did before I met that liar.  They say that God pays you double for your trouble.  I have been paid that back with this surgery.  My face looks like it did years ago and my body looks better than it has in years, if ever.  I've never had a flat tummy, even as a teen. I remain grateful.

 

Update in a few...

 

 

 

I started the paper tape routine in earnest yesterday.  I had

I can't believe that I'm post op and that 20 days have passed.  My recovery is pretty text book:  happy, sad, grateful, bummed.  Thank God for pre op photos.  I also took a video because I know myself.  I have a tendency to look at what isn't right instead of what is.  

It's amazing to me how quickly the body heals, yet at the same time, amazes me how numb my body is.  That's the weirdest feeling of all.  Thank God Paty was there to tend to my wounds or I couldn't have done it.  The first time I actually touched my wound, it was the strangest feeling ever.  Still feels pretty damn weird.  I'm numb on both sides of my face, my outer thighs where I had lipo and my belly.  At 20 days I'm still using the ointment they used at the clinic.  It may be time to go into the next realm of healing, but to be honest, I haven't decided what course of action to take.  My RN friend said that "it won't hurt" to use that ointment, plus in the Dr. S handout, it says 4 weeks (I think, don't have it front of me, but I think that's what it said).  So, that's what I've done.  I had family helping me when I got home, amen to that!  So this is my first full day alone to figure my next plan of action.  With Amazon Prime, 2nd day air, I'll have what I need in no time (I love that!).

I said I wouldn't weigh myself, but, well, I couldn't help it.  I did at the hotel and I was super bummed.  I was up a few pounds and had been quite careful about my food.  Then when I got home and monitored a day, just for fun, I went up literally 5-6 pounds in the course of a day, so as I've always known, don't trust the scale.  The lowest I've been in a day is 2 pounds under my set point.  I always let the lowest number ring as the "true reading."

Body - I might as well talk about that for a minute. I cried when I had my friend take my 20 day post op pic.  My ass and thighs looked exactly the same to me.  Yet, as I said, thank God for pre op pics because it is not the same.  There is a significant improvement.  I read somewhere (you know how we are...pre op obsessive studiers), that an excellent plastics results would be 75% improvement.  That's excellent at 75%.  Well, I believe I have an excellent result and that I do have 75% improvement.  I do wish my ass and thighs looked better, but as I've written before, it's time to make peace with my thighs.  If you're a pre op, I would say:  get to goal, which I didn't (I tried, but hit a plateau that I couldn't get unstuck from), and be grateful if you have nice legs.  Your results will be outstanding and exceptional.  Dr. S can work magic from the "lucy" up, but without surgery and scars on the legs, you will have pretty much what you went in there with.  Improved?  You bet.  Awesome?  No.  My friend who took the pics did say that the one ass shot I was looking at had bad lighting (translation:  great friend).  She may be sort of right when you compare my panties back shot with the other one, it looks much better.  But,  that's my thoughts on that.  I will continue to watch my diet and today I'm starting my first "20 minute brisk walk" as mentioned on Dr. S's recovery form.  When able, I will continue to work on my weight and hope and pray for the best.  I'm also hoping that there is a lot of swelling that is altering my perception of the final result.  I'm fully aware that final results aren't presenting until 6 months out.  I had also read that you have about 17 pounds to play with after an LBL without negating your surgery.  That is however, you can lose 17 pounds and results won't be compromised.  However, that is absolutely weight loss, not weight gain.

Face - I'm really glad I did the face. I find it so refreshing that I didn't have to pre pay.  I was recovering from my LBL/BL and it was zero hour and I had to decide on my face.  I had reservations.  As I've said, I mean...it's our FACE!  Dr. S did say he has complications with patients, 2%.  I was helped so much by other Dr S patients who looked fabulous.  I read posts and was given a window into what recovery world through a wonderful surgery sister who let me Skype and see the hotel room and how she was recovering.  I was quite sure I wanted it, but still restless.  At zero hour, I made the decision.  I had walked, barely...1 day post op from body work...next door to say hi to my surgery sister Ginger who was recovering from face surgery.  She was sitting there looking comfortable, great and reading her laptop.  I knew right then that I was ready for take off, so to speak.  I couldn't believe how great she looked just a couple hours out of surgery.  

At 20 days post op, I can say I'm happy.  The improvements are slight, but exactly what I wanted.  The double chin is gone.  My neckline looks nice...not perfect, but it never was, but the waddle is gone.  I do have a bruise/bump thing on both cheeks and it's numb and feels weird to the touch.  The scar on my chin is practically invisible and that is still numb too.  I don't have the "bonnet" feeling that some described on other sites.  I was afraid of that.  They said it's so tight you feel like you have a bonnet on.  The numbness is weird, but I know that will come back in time.  The only time I notice it is when I touch it.  The scar in front of my ear is invisible and the scars behind my ears are healing and scabbing up nicely.  Bruising gets better every day.  I can go out, and have gone out, and looked pretty normal.  I had the upper eye lift and same thing there:  scar nearly invisible and the improvement subtle, but what I had wanted.  I'm so very glad I did this.  Dr. S had originally said he'd do a TCA peel at the same time, but I decided that I didn't want to compromise my healing.  Once he saw me, he agreed and wouldn't change his mind on that.  In fact, a couple of times I'd say:  TCA Peel and he'd say no and we'd laugh because it wasn't happening.

Dr. S Ethics - I'm so impressed by Dr. Sauceda.  I, and many of us I'm sure, show up in a rather vulnerable state.  We want improvement.  I know for me, I wanted to shed some previous pain with a complete change.  I would ask him about this or that or the other thing.  He would not say yes or no.  On my arms he said that most people know 100 percent they want their arms done when they show up to mark up.  Mine are big, but not horrible so I went there thinking I'll just accept them, but while with him I wondered if maybe I should. I'm glad I didn't.  I am okay with how they look and it was just more recovery and scarring, etc.  I asked about my thighs and options there and again, he was honest about the results and same with implants.  I was sitting there giving him a blank check and he was a professional about all of it.  Granted, that's how you build a business, but I appreciated it.  I really feel he under-promised and over-delivered.  I am not wealthy, but would have found the money on a credit card or something if my legs would have benefited from lifts.  They just wouldn't have since I wasn't at goal and he was honest with me.  I really really appreciated that.  As I mentioned in a previous post, he said that whatever you rate yourself as, on a scale of 1-10, your improvement from surgery will take you up the scale a few notches.  I believe I went from a 4 to a 6.  That was an accurate and realistic way to look at things.  He's dealing with skin that has been stretched and deflated a number of times and in my case, I'm 52, so I had that in the mix.

Clinic - My clinic experience was a little scarier than I thought.  I have previously posted that I didn't have the contact info for Dr S with me so when he took things from to store for safe keeping (Best to say not where ladies...), I forgot to grab the phone number.  It's terrible, but I didn't know my sister's number by heart (I just hit dial and she's there).  I guessed at the email it kept bouncing back.  I caused added stress to his and my sister's day.  Clinic was kind of stressful.  To be honest, I'm editing this entry for about the 5th time.  I'm hungry and need to eat a shake.  I've reviewed clinic else where.  Here's the short version:  bring the translation form form the sticky sheet.  I would show the nurse what I needed and that worked.  They had apps on their phones, but the signal isn't the greatest.  I tried to be a patient patient, but proactive about what I needed.  I'm glad I brought protein bars to tide me over.  Meals took awhile, but as I recall, my last US hospital stay was the same thing.  Nurses were nice enough, some better than others, just like any where.  They were instructed to contact Dr. S if we needed ANYTHING.  So rest assured, all is not lost.  I had frustrating moments, but overall the care I needed was there:  they checked on me often, were there in an instant if I pushed the bell.  They helped me shower and bandage back properly.  I was fed, though not great food nor in a timely manner, but you're only there for a couple of days.  Overall, it was fine.  I was a little scared going into surgery the first time, but Dr. Mrs. Sauceda has a kind and commanding presence, just like Dr. S., and I felt comforted when she took over to prepare me for surgery.  It' not fun or comfortable, or at least it wasn't for me:  I was out of my comfort zone in MX, not speaking the language, sacred about all I was doing, but well aware of what was going to happen thanks to the other posters.  You'll be fine,  but have your contact number and protein bars.  

Recovery in general - I am way better off than I thought I would be.  I had visions of being basically crippled and just coping with the pain.  I had zero pain and I as I have written, I mean zero.  I have had discomfort and still do.  The worst I felt was the day after my flight.  OMG, that was way harder on my body than I had anticipated and I was so so grateful that someone had posted about getting wheel chair assistance at the airport.  I didn't think I needed it and was in fact sort of embarrassed when I arrived in Houston.  The assistant was super sweet.  I whispered "I had plastic surgery in Mexico.  I don't know if I need this, but I ordered it."  She said, get in!  She was a middle-aged woman curious about what I had done, etc.  She was so helpful and it such a huge airport that by the time we got my luggage, went through customs and security (which you zip right through when you are in a wheel chair), my 2 hour layover left me with an hour for lunch which I really needed.  I was feeling SO depleted.  All I had was a 20 and I tipped her with it.  It was well worth it.  Felt like the right thing to do.  I had gotten up at 4 am and breakfast and snack was a protein bar.  I was dehydrated, over-tried and spent.  I was so grateful for the assistance or I don't think I would have made it.  I had a big salad at chili's and was able to make my flight home w/o incident.  However, by the time I got home, I was almost in tears because I was so tired and couldn't sleep.  Maybe because I had a sleeping pill every night in MX or maybe I was over-tired.  I don't know why, but I as I laid down I cried.  I was grateful to be home and grateful to my sister for staying with me.  I was kind of scared actually and I am one tough broad.  I don't get scared.  

Recovery Part 2 - I believe in paragraphs, so I continue.  Once settled from the plane ride, I was busier than I wanted to be.  I drove 2 hours in a snow storm and helped shovel my car out of the drive way.  I was sure that I was being careful, but you know what?  Guess what?  I felt almost sick by the time we got there.  The drive is normally an hour, but it took 2 because of snow.  I think just sitting for 2 hours, plus shoveling (I know...stupid), really took it's toll.  I have been humbled by how tired I get.  I'll be feeling pretty good and then I hit a wall.  I have compassion for the elderly and fellow surgery patients (of all types).  This is hard work and it's kind of scary to all of a sudden be overwhelmed with..sigh..exhaustion.  After a few days of family events, my sister and I settled in for 1 1/2 days of complete rest and I appreciated it.  I took her to the airport yesterday, went to the store, UPS to ship something and was pretty tired when I got home.  I have experienced the sudden ZING of a nerve reattaching and am now going through the various swelling stages.  I believe I might be entering the tummy and "lucy" feel like a waterbed stage. The scar looks different every single day.  Today and for the next few days, I'm not going any where.  I'll do some small projects around the house, but am going to enjoy not driving, errands, etc.  My left hand where the IV was still sort of hurts.  The vein is raised and itches at times and is sore to the touch.  I'm a little concerned because I do have a history of blood clots so after I write this, I'll be contacting Dr S to show him my progress and ask about that.

In summary - I have had excellent results from surgery.  I'm glad I did it and as my beloved surgery sisters have said, they are glad they did it all at once.  Me too.  I don't know that I'd go back for more.  This is a commitment of time, energy and personal self love.  I'm trying to honor those coming behind me with periodical updates as I was gifted with those who went before me as well.  I would NOT have been able to afford this or felt comfortable with any thing about going to Dr. Sauceda/Monterrey, Mexico if it wasn't for the posting and pics of  my fellow surgery brothers and sisters.

Phone - I was in idiot about this.  ATT told me to cut off data, messaging and voicemail so that I wouldn't get charged if when I turned my phone on, they wouldn't push through and I'd get int'l charges.  Well, I had an unlimited data plan and they assured me that this would not affect it, I was just putting it on hold.  Now they are investigating it saying they don't offer unlimited plans any more and I lost my right to it by changing it.  Hopefully it will turn out fine.  I should have just left well enough alone.  I had an older phone that I could have bought a SIM card for but at the last minute decided to do this.  I used my own phone to call.  It's only a few bucks more.  There's an ATT store right by the HEB.  I think it might be Verizon too.  I could have done other things.  My surgery sisters had better options than I and I can't remember what they did, but don't look to me on that one.

Peso VS Dollars App - I loved the XE currency app for my iphone 5..  I had only US and Pesos on it and it was easy to go back and forth.  I liked knowing how much I was spending.

 

Tipping - This is a personal preference, but I wanted to share what my choices were.  I tipped Paty 100 pesos a day and 20 USD on the last day (I tried to stick to pesos but she was fine with the 20 USD for the last day and as I said, gracious and sort of said..no,no, but I'd say for you and Luna (her new baby). She was an integral part of my peace of mind while at the clinic and at the hotel and I was so grateful for her. I tipped the elderly baggers at the HEB about 20 to 40 pesos depending on how my heart felt.  I tipped the maid 20 peso a day and the maintenance guy 20 pesos when my fridge was delivered and my toilet fixed. The cab drivers include their tip when going to the Liverpool.   Dr. S pays for the cab to the airport and my driver was an elderly man.  All I had left, and the desk was out of US Dollars so I couldn't exchange, was 200 and 40 pesos.  I felt in my heart to tip the driver 200 pesos.  It is best to tip in pesos and I would daily make my exchanges at the front desk as needed.  Sometimes I had to come back later, but it's not like I had much else to do.

Hotel - I found the hotel staff to be awesome.  I was careful to be gracious.  I loved that I could exchange dollars to pesos daily.  I brought 400 cash and used my debit card and credit card at the HEB and when I shopped at the mall.  (Do make sure to call your cc company in advance to let them know you are traveling internationally so your transactions go through.  There is a small fee, but I was willing to pay that for the ease of not having a lot of cash with me.)  I developed a relationship with the maid staff early on with a tipping process.  They were on "Mexico Time" as Dr. S says.  There was no urgent need to get my room done.  They were ususally in my room by about 3 pm.  They knew what I liked:  2 waters and extra coffee.  Towards the end though, I'd just grab my coffee pot and go fill it up at the coffee center by the front desk so I didn't waste my water on that.  A couple of times I called the front desk for a few things and they said they'd get back to me, but didn't.  They are really super busy and not only multi-tasking jobs (phones, check ins,etc.), they are speaking a variety of languages.  I double checked things I wanted, like the fridge, which took a few days, maybe only 2, but I did get it.  I loved my king room with recliner.  I loved my room period. I was so very comfortable there.  Breakfasts were awesome...lots of protein to choose from and a couple hour window.  I enjoyed sitting by the pool as well.  It was quiet and warm (and it's freezing where I live) and offered plenty of shade.  It helped me feel more like I was on vacation (as did a daily latte at Starbucks and another lap around the HEB.  I really enjoyed looking at the different foods, veggies and presentation at the store vs how we do it in the US.)

Safety - And in closing, a comment on safety.  You will notice that there are a lot of guards and policia around (at McDonalds, the HEB and the Liverpool Mall).  I got used to seeing them and didn't think much about it until I told the front desk that I was going to walk to the Liverpool Mall.  They were adamant that it wasn't safe.  I said I can see it from here and that I'd just take the bridge over the road by the italian place and walk there.  They insisted I didn't:  not safe.  They offered the shuttle or a cab.  I met with Dr. S and then grabbed a cab.  Dr. S told me to grab a biz card from the hotel to show the cab driver on my return.  I wanted to get Retin A while in Mexico so I headed out.  The mall is galleria looking, very nice, but you'll notice armed guards about every 20 feet.  I went into the pharmacy (Paty told me about it).  It was directly to my left a couple of shops from the mall entrance through a store by the cab drop off place outside).  I was out of my element and not comfortable.  This was real Mexico and they were not very helpful to someone who could not understand anything.  I said Retin A. The pharmacy didn't know.  I was determined that after 40 pesos to get there and my level of being uncomfortable, I was going to get the damn Retin A.  One clerk asked another clerk and I felt like they were just laughing at me and said no.  I kept looking, went to the make up area and she tried to help me, showed me a few products but I didn't see Retin A listed.  I knew what I needed was a pharmacy item.  I finally wrote RETIN A.  The person said...OH...RETIN "Awe" and walked me to the pharmacy where the guy had been sort of short with me.  They handed me their variety and I bought all 3, gel, cream and .01/.05/.25 strength (roughly with tax and charge for int'l use on my card 65 USD).  If I got in the states, one tube is 60 as a prescription and a doc appointment.  It was worth it, but I wanted to get the hell out of there.  I was so out of my comfort zone.  I walked up to an armed guard and said taxi.  He barely knew what I meant, but was young and sweet.  Dr. S had said 2 things:  take cab from inside the mall and take the green cabs.  I did neither.  I couldn't communicate enough to say inside (lame of me).  The guard walked me to another guard who walked me to a cab.  They were alternating who gave rides and when turn came up it was a white cab.  I said...here we go... I got in, gave him the card and pointed when I saw the hotel.  When I saw HEB, I said HEB.  He stopped and let me off.  He charged me 30 pesos and I gave him 40.  I was glad to be back.  So remember that it is not safe to walk around.  I know some walk to the clinic and maybe that's fine, but I'd ask Dr. S for sure.  It's just not worth it.  We look so American (or Canadian) and vulnerable with our gates and bandages.  I've come to realize that everything Dr. S does has been set up for our convenience and safety:  airport pick up and drop off in his car with his driver, nice hotel near HEB, picking us up for our mark up and surgeries, taking our luggage and purses while in surgery, taking us back to the hotel and paying for the cab to the airport so we don't get ripped off on that trip.  I'm so very impressed.  

Thank you.  Godspeed.  I'll keep you posted. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am writing today poolside from the hotel.  I can't believe it.  I enjoyed a latte at Starbucks outside while reading a wonderful book and enjoying listening to the native men talk.  They were all retired and a big group of them.  I had listened to a TED.com talk about a speaker who lost all of his money from the Madoff scandal and that what he learned is, what we all really know, that money isn't everything.  If you have friends and family and time to spend with them, you will lead a happier life then loads of cash and no connections with people.  I had watched it this morning and seeing the old guys hang out made it seem real.

Yesterday I shopped.  I never, ever, dreamed I'd be feeling so good.  I was prepared for down time and just being a good patient which meant no whining, no overdoing it, no eating crap, no doing anything to compromise my healing.  Well, I've taken my vitamins (brom 3x a day and along with Arnica).  I take my Make Me Heal vitamins packets 2x a day.  I have 2-3 protein shakes with frozen fruit that makes them so yummy! And I've honored the need for protein and not much sugar.  I had a few moments, like a coke or a tried a donut at the HEB, and it was worth it, but all in all, clean diet, proper nutrition bed by 10, reading and writing positive things, skyping with friends and meeting and helping my surgery sisters as needed.

But here's the reason for the post.  When Dr. S was in yesterday I thanked him again for his great work.  I love my Saucedas...I really do.  I love my flat tummy and I'm doing some personal work to love all of me, the parts that can't be fixed (gross thighs).  So, when told Dr. S that I'm confident that I can continue my weight loss slowly as I have been doing and maybe get 20 more off without it affecting his work, he agreed that's possible.  However, he said, do NOT let it go the other way.  It felt like a God moment almost, like it was a message to me due to the impact it had on me (sounds weird I know, but it did.)

 

He said:  You've been given a 2nd chance.  Take good care of your body.

 

Time stopped.  I felt it at my core.  Yes I have been.  In so many areas.  My last year of life has been a true Dark Night of the Soul experience.  You grow from these dark times, you hate it when you're in them, but if you honor where you are and walk through the swamp, don't set up your camp site, you will come out the other side broken open...not just broken.

 

It's protein shake time!

 

Godspeed to all and if you're thinking about this surgery, over prepare, plan for the worst, and enjoy the ride.  It may be a smooth one, or at least it will be a 2nd chance for you.

 

Lisa

I'm 9 days post op from LBL and BL and 7 from my neck lift.  I'm starting to get a little bored with talking about this but I wanted to share a few things.

 

First off, zero pain still.  It's amazing to me.  I really thought this was going to be some kind of torture and it hasn't been, not even the face or lipo.  Why?  I have no idea.  I did purchase the overpriced Make Me Heal vitamins and the Arnica and Bromelein (spelling...again, just not in the mood to spell check).  I followed all directions prior to surgery which was no vitamin E, no ibuprophen, etc.  I also made a special effort to eat lots of protein in the form of shakes and food and protein bars and drank lots of water.

 

Day 1 out of surgery was gross.  Not painful, just gross...you have drains and swelling and just crap like that...a catheter, you have to poo and you don't know how to with a garment.  It's just odd to be a strong independent woman who can't do a damn thing by herself.  Once you settle into asking for help and accepting help, all goes well.  I didn't get dizzy.  I didn't feel uncomfortable in my garment.  I didn't have poo issues.  I just had some mood swings, still do.

Any way, I love my room a lot!  I have a king with a recliner and fridge.  My blender broke but since the HEB is so near, it was a simple fix.  I brought the Nutriessential protein powder that Dr. Agha (great surgeon in So Cal) recommends.  It was rumored to taste like crap so I planned ahead.  At the HEB you can get frozen strawberries, pineapple (great for healing), berry medley etc.  I take a banana to my room after breakfast and later try to whip together 2 shakes a day.  I add a scoop of the super over priced but apparently good stuff and a scoop of the walmart one I like.  I brought ice cube trays so I whip it all together and hello nutrition and taste nirvana.  It's delicious, refreshing and what the doctor ordered.  I also brought a hot plate and picked up a rotissorie (sp?) chicken at HEB and some frozen veggies and lentel soup in a can.  I've made 2 stew like meals for dinner out of it.  Tasty and inexpensive.  For desert I have sugar free jello which I whip together and add a protein shot (those long protein tube things) as part of the cold water amount, not as an extra liquid if you follow my point.  After dinner I enjoy a protein jello with a little whip cream and I feel like I'm living large.  Breakfast is free at the hotel and for me is always yogurt, cereal and eggs, maybe a bite of a mexican something or other, but pretty standard.  So, that's my food and I'm glad I have what I have.  Oh, also bought a couple of beautiful avocados and mixing that with tuna for my meals the next 2 days.

 

Now the Good Doctors words.  I was thanking him again for my breasts.  I just love them.  I'm hopeful for my tummy and glad my thighs are improved (still a bit bummed about them, but that goes back to about age 8, so we'll just let that one be).  Here's what he offered that I wanted to share.

 

He asked me on a scale of 1-10 what I thought my body was like, with 10 being perfect.  I said about a 4.  He said that the work he is able to accomplish brings people's body's up 1 or 2 'notches.'  So me, as a 4, am now sporting about a 6 body.  He can't make a 4 a 10.  He can improve what we have, but it is all based on the baseline he has to work with.  So if, for instance, your body is pretty beat up, a 1 say, then the best you can honestly expect is 2 or 3.  It is what it is.  I'm a 6.  I'll never be an 8 or a 10.  I loved the analogy.  It did help me get some peace with the improvements and be grateful for the upgrade.  I said initially that I wasn't seeking perfection, just improvement and improvement I got.  I thought it was a very honest and realistic way to look at this plastics thing.  So when you go into this, consider where you are (skin quality, age, weight loss, etc.) and you can have a good idea of what kind of outcome this venture will get you.

 

I'm happy with a 6.  I decided that I'll let my 4....taking me to a 10!...come from the inside.  

 

Here's the other cool thing.  I asked him to tell me about staples or stitches in my LBL.  He said that he puts many layers of stitches and doesn't use staples.  He said staples are quicker, but quicker isn't necessarily better.  He likes to do them by hand and know how and where they are exactly going.  Once again my dear Surgery Friends...he's a quality surgeon.

 

That's it from here.  I'm going to take my 6 body and watch some Lost on Netflix.  I'm grateful for all of you, for Dr. S., for Paty and for the chance to be one of the lucky ones who gets to improve with age....even if it's just a couple of notches.  

 

:)

 

 

This blog post is just an answer I wrote to a fabulous post by Dee on Dr. S's wall.  It's long so I figured that I'd make this my blog post for the day.

Another fantastic post.  Thank you.  I was talking with my surgery sister Tammi (God I hope I spelled it right, she gets so irritated with me...in a cute southern way when I spell her name wrong) about how once you've researched this subject to death, then get here, go through all of it, I can see why people sort of just disappear from the board.  It's so consuming. Yet, the posts are so helpful, like this one.  This is just such major surgery, major life style change, major money, major fear, major hopes.

One thing that I will add is that I'm glad I brought some pics of what I wanted.  I had bewbies pics that I liked and some that I didn't.  He laughed and said that I have more pics of his patients then he did.  I was able to have him tell me if they were implant or just a lift.  With what I wanted, he had a visual of what my goal for my breasts were.   If it wasn't possible, I would have gone with a lift and implant.  I'm a little smaller than I was, but quite pleased.

I showed him a picture of a LBL that someone else had done that I said would not be acceptable and if he could not do better than that, then I had best not do the surgery.  The dr (not Dr S) had given the girl a flat tummy but actually made her saddlebags larger, as if he didn't lift at all.  So we were clear that saddle bags were my biggest issues and he did the best he could I can tell.  

I wasn't at goal which made me sad.  I was not happy with my inner thighs but felt that maybe I shouldn't bother with that since I'm still sporting tree trunk legs.   He said maybe some day you will want it done, but now is not a good time.  I appreciated that.  

I was particular about the neck lift.  I had researched (obsessed) that quite extensively and felt that the best way to do it is when they cut into your chin and do the corset method of stitching the platysma muscle to tighten it and then lift the mid face.  That is what he does.  It's longer lasting, is a strong way to help keep the other area of your mid face that's pulled in place instead of just stretching the crap out of it.  He said that some people are not happy with the scar and that there is no way to determine how it will heal.  It's part of the risk.

On the eyes I was afraid of complications as well.  This can be life-changing if not done right.  You can get dry eyes for life, your eye lid won't close properly and in addition to dry eye, just look funky and cause problems.  I asked what percentage of problems he has had with the eyes.  He said 2%.  I still wasn't completely sure but based on previous Dr. S patients who looked great, and Ginger who was in the next room at the clinic from me sitting up reading and resting mere hours after her surgery, I decided to go for it.

I found that Dr. S will not tell you what to do,which I think I said on another post, but he will be honest about results, risks, etc., but you must ask the questions and share your vision.

I'm now one week out from the LBL/BL and eyes are a day behind.  I've cried.  I've had sad moments that I'm not sure what I'm crying about.  I read about post op blues and I imagine that I'm a candidate as well.  I have a tendency to look at what is not right, the ol' perfectionism that rears it's ugly head and I think got me fat in the first place.  I see my tree trunk legs, my fat arms, my still big ass that lifted some, but still has cellulite and my dreams of a bikini don't seem like that will be a reality.  Then I take a deep breath and look at my beautiful tummy, straight incision, lifted front and outer thights (some cellulite did go away from that!), my perky breasts, my, dare I say, adorable "lucy" all lifted up (Tammi's word.  I love it.), my new neckline and eyes that I hope will be nice (too soon to tell) and think:  I'm grateful.  I'm 52 and am lucky enough to have shed some of the things that made me feel bad about myself.  The rest I just need to make peace with.  For God's sake, I'm in my 50's, it's time to love me for all my hard work in life, in love (though it didn't work out), in my career, in my friendships.  

This is a gift.  So soon out of surgery, I have no pain and no complications, but thanks to all the posts, I'm walking cautiously optimistic into my future healing.

Oh, and as Joyce Meyers always says:  make peace with your thighs.  That's what I intend to do.  Sorry so long, but wanted to add to thoughts on Dee and everyone's fabulous posts.