Plastic surg scheduled!!

I feel like I can officially be on this site now...my plastics are scheduled!  I am so thrilled to say the least.  I am having a extended abdominal plasty and complete back lipo.  Surg date is Jan 11th.  The only bad part..is telling my work.  I am nervous about that!  But I am doing it!  This is my prize at the end of the journey for me.

Patty

Congratulations!  The work thing will work itself out. If you aren't taking care of yourself, you can't take care of anyone (or anything) else!

Thanks Kate...the work think is working out.  I told my boss yesterday and she was great.  I told her I was needing to have some abdominal surgery (true).  She didn't ask what and I didn't tell her.  I feel so much better having that over with!

Patty

Yay!  It's so exciting when you get an actual date to start counting down to.  Is your insurance helping at all with the cost?  If so, then it's a medically necessary procedure and that will take a little bit of the pressure off with telling your work.  Luckily Aetna helped with my LBL and I'm off from work now on medical leave. 

Round two will be my UBL next year, which will be all self-pay.  I'm not looking forward to figuring out the work situation then, but I'm just saving up my vacation days and will worry about it when it gets closer. 

Good luck, I'm sure it'll all work out!

How long are you taking off for your LBL?

Mine is totally self pay..but I knew that.  I wanted to take 2 weeks off but he said no.  He said minimum 3 and then he would extend it if I needed it.  I can't lift for 6 weeks so part of my job I won't be able to do..but better to come back and do what I can.  I feel like I am giving them enough notice.  I would have done it sooner but I started a new job and felt like I needed to wait 6 months before I did it.  They told me that I don't have to tell them what I am having done..just that I am having surgery.

I am curious to see how much medical leave you are taking. 

How is the healing?  were the first days awful?

Thanks
Patty

The day I go back to work will be exactly 4 weeks from my surgery date.  The doctor originally said 3-4 weeks, but when they filled out the paperwork that my HR rep sent them, they put me down for 4.  I think I'd be ok if I were going back this Monday instead of the following week, but I pretty much just sit at my desk all day. 

Actually, I'm a little worried about sitting too much, since that's when I tend to get sore along my lower back incision.  My job is very fast paced, and once I walk in the door and sit down, I only get up a couple times at most for a bathroom break or two when I need it.  Those 9 hours fly by! 

As it is, I'm most sore when trying to sleep and just after I wake up since I always toss and turn in my sleep, even when it hurts!  During the day I've been pretty comfortable with just a Tylenol here or there since I stopped the Percocet on day 4. 

The first few days were pretty bad, I'm not gonna lie.  My mom was tying to look at the results while helping me change on day 2 and I was like "I don't care how it turned out, we'll worry about that later when I'm not in pain!!"  Luckily it was just those few days though, and I am already forgetting all about it.  I would absolutely do it again if I had to!

~Erin

Hi, Congrats!
 I am trying to book surgery around that same time and having trouble deciding who to go to. How did you find your surgeon?
Thanks!

I had the name of several plastic surgeons to check out...I am a RN at the local hospital so I knew of some ..and then I have a few friends that have had work done and they all offered to go with me to their doc..and the all loved their surgeons.  but then I saw JennChap's tummy before and after  (she is someone I met here and we had the same sleeve surgeon) .and I thought her doc did the most amazing job I have ever seen..and I knew that was who I wanted to do my surgery.  I knew the time frame that I wanted to do surgery so I booked a consult with him...and I loved him.  So before I left his office that day I had put a non refundable deposit down and I had my surgery date. 
If you are looking into having surgery in Jan..now is the time to start looking.  You could also get names from your surgeon..mine gave my names but I didn't go to any of them.  He also told me to shop around as the prices are so different ..I didn't do that either. I knew who I wanted and I was willing to pay for him.  I am not even sure how his price compares to other.

good luck on your journey!

Patty

Hi Patty, WOuld you be willing to share the name of your surgeon? I am still trying to find someone I feel really good about. I don't know where you live but I was looking in the Boston area. But I could travel, or perhaps your surgeon wouuld be able to suggest someone in my area if that weren't feasible?
Thank you!