new pics 1 1/2 mo post plastic surgery

http://photobucket.com/albums/f294/plastics12506/swimsuit%20before%20after/ I am sooooo happy :> Mary

WOW!! Did you think you would ever wear a bikini??? How are your scars? I would love to see updated pics of your arms! Congratulations!

My insurance approved a panniculectomy with a quick telephone appeal when they originally denied me the surgery. So I decided to upgrade and do some other things at the same time. Here is my quote: Procedure: Belt Lipectomy; Bilateral Mastopexy; Bilateral Brachioplasty in conjunction with insurance approved Panniculectomy. (My terms, Full circumfrence tummy tuck with muscle tightening, Boob lift with NO implants and arm wings clipped) Surgical Fee: $11,500 - 1,150 (Multi procedure discount) = 10,350 (includes pre & post operative care) Hospital & Anesthesia charges: Facility 2,800, Anesthesia 1,352, Total 4,152. Mary

partial nudity warning: Heidi, Not sure if I will ever wear it out in public or just home in the hot tub. Actually I am still a bit swollen from the plastics so in another couple of months I will really see the real results. Here are pics taken before and at 1 month. http://photobucket.com/albums/f294/plastics12506/before%20after/ You can see the arms before and after. The scars are thin and mine tend to fade quickly from past surgical experiences. He did a very fine straight cut and and uses stitches only No staples so I am confident that by next year they will be faded as well as the one down my tummy from an old gall bladder surgery it is almost invisable now as you ca see from the pictures. I rub them down dail with good old fashioned baby oil. Mary

What all did you have done again? You look so awesome. I cannot wait to have that flat tummy!! Suzanne 300/150 I hit goal!!!

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a difference! I know you hear this all the time, but I would never know the two pics are of the same person! You are a hottie!! Lou Ann

Hi Mary J!!!!! Saw your recent photo and you look awesome!!! I just had my TT on March 6th and developed a huge complication 4 days post op. I hope you don't mind me asking you some questions. I don't know if I should be mad at my surgeon or if these things just happen sometimes. I went on Friday to have my surgeon take out my staples. Appararently, he does not stitch the incision and uses these metal staples. When he was removing them I did notice some areas that did not look like they had healed yet and should have still been kept shut. He told me not to worry about it. In the meantime, I went home and took a two hour nap and woke up in a pool of blood. Everything was soaked down to my mattress!!!! I called my doctor's office and was told that he went deer hunting on Lanai. His nurse told me to just wait until Monday when he got back. She told me that since I self paid for the surgery that if I went to the emergency, I would have to pay for everything out of pocket. I told her how could I wait until Monday, since I could see a large hole from which I was bleeding from. I was persistant, and she referred me to a surgeon that was supposed to have been filling in for them over the weekend. I went to this Dr. Chu's office and the first thing he tells me is that he does not use the staple method, he prefers to place two layers of stitches to be sure that everything is secure. He also tells me that he tells his post op patients 2 weeks complete bed rest except for going to the bathroom. I was appalled!!!! Here my own surgeon did not give me these instructions and seemed to take my hemorraging so lightly!!!! To make a long story short, Dr. Chu proceeded to stitch my hole close and placed me on antibiotics since he said I had an open wound that had been exposed to the elements. What do you think Mary? Did my surgeon appear to be negligent? Were your stitches closed with staples or actual stitiches? I'm really depressed right now, because I had such a good surgeon with the lap rny only to have this happen now. Have any advice for me? God Bless and have a wonderful week! Love and Aloha, Pat

Pat, I am so sorry you are having such problems. Many dr's still use staples. I did not want mine done that way as I believe the scars are thicker looking when staples are used. My PS only uses the double stitch method and that was one of my first questions when I was looking for a PS. It takes the dr a lot longer to close doing stitching and I believe that is the reason some still use staples as that is so much quicker for them. I am shocked that the dr's office wanted you to wait until Monday to attend to you! However it sounds like the on call surgeon did right by you. I will pray that your recovery goes better from this point forward. I am glad Dr. Chu was available for you! Negligence?? Not sure. Did you discuss before hand which close method he would use? Did anyone give you a written "after care" instruction sheet? Please try to keep up on protein and rest, when do you see your dr again? I would have a long chat with him about what you should expect from your complications. If you are not comfortable can you have Dr. Chu take you on as a patient as he at least seems to want to help you. Unfortunately it is to late to change what has happened but now you must proceed ahead so try not to be to depressed. Be proactive with your aftercase and make sure you know what to do to heal well. I really don't know what to say, maybe others here will have better advice. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. HUGS Mary

Hi Mary, OMG!!!!! You look so awesome. I'm sure you feel as great as your look. Seeing your transformation is so awesome, good luck! Could you give us more details about the type of stitches they used, how long you were in surgery, etc. Many of us have not started the ps journey yet and would love some pointers when you feel up to it. Just post it as a new posting so that everyone can see it. I applaud your choice to not have the implants as I feel like I lived my whole life with large boobs and now I finally have a chance to enjoy small boobs, what a freedom. Wishing you a speedy recovery... God bless, Syndi

Syndi, My doctor only uses the stitching inside & out. That is the closing method I wanted as I feel it leaves the smoothest and neatest scars. Actually he only uses this method so that was a big plus. He also has extensive experience with WLS patients. I went into the hospital on Wednesday 1/25 and was in the OR for about 8 hours for all proceedures. I was home on Friday morning by 10am. Was uncomfortable but pain was not an issue. I washed my hair in the kitchenn sink Friday afternoon with no problem. I found large bean bag pillows (got them at jc penneys) were great for getting comfortable. You can move the beans around to where you don't want pressure. Not having implants was greatly encouraged by my PS as he felt that I was small but very very saggy and that a lift would put my body in great propotion. He also felt that doing the implants at the same time would probably need a revision in the future as once they settled he felt they would fall to much. He suggested If I really wanted implants I should let the lift heal and do the implants later so he could place them in healed and settled brests giving them a better placement and look. I THINK we have both decided now that I am healing so well not to do them. I admit he was correct that I am now in proportion and having them much bigger would make them the first thing people noticed on me. He was so sure he offered to do them for me later IF I wanted them at no charge from him (just cost of impants and hospital time) he said he would not charge me for his surgical time. He was quite confident that when I saw the results of the lift I would be happy. I now realize he gave me great advice! My breats were never hugh but now they are so perky :> If you have any other questions please feel free to ask. Thanks to all for the nice compliments. I feel that being only 1 1/2 months out from PS that I made a great choice in surgeons and am thrilled with my results. I have resumed all normal activities and bowl and can go to the gym already. I do swell up a bit later in the day but that is perfectly normal for many months post op. Doing great & feeling so awesome. I look in the mirror and literally do not recognize my own body. I am so thrilled with my results. Now my thighs that is the only thing left I am not thrilled with(haven't done anything with them yet). Not sure if I want to address them with a surgery at this point so I will wait until next year to decide what or if I will do with them. I am going to try to build some muscle in them at the gym this year and see what I can do for them. HUGS Mary