I have a PS date!

Hello everyone! It is time for an update on the continuing revitalization project known as Vickie J. The interior "remodeling" is done, now it is time to begin on the exterior renovations! I just scheduled the 1st of 3 plastic surgeries. I'm having all of the face plastic surgery on 3/21/06 (Tues) at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Miami, FL. Dr. Bernard Shuster of Hollywood, FL is my surgeon. He will be doing a brow lift, upper & lower eyelids, face lift and chin augmentation. Surgery should take about 5.5 hours. If all goes well, I will be in the hospital 1 night and in a nearby hotel for another 5 days. I met Dr. Shuster last summer at the ObesityHelp conference In Orlando and was very impressed with him & his presentation. About 30% of his practice are bariatric patients, so he knows "our" special issues with lack of skin elasticity, limited food intake and nutritional malabsorbtion. Best of all, he has some experience doing face lifts on parotidectomy (salivary gland tumor removal) patients. None of the local plastic surgeons had experience with this. After consultations with several local surgeons and going down to Hollywood for a consultation with Dr. Shuster, DH & I decided that he would be the best surgeon for me. The logistics & added expense of going so far from home (8 hr.) for surgery are a pain. I'll have to stay in the area about a week after each surgery and go back once a week for a month for follow-up visits, then every couple of months for a year. But we felt that it was worth it to have a surgeon that has his experience and in whom we both felt comfortable & confident. Dr. Shuster gave me the option of doing either the Face or LBL first (LBL must be done before breasts). We decided to do the face surgery first because it is the most visible and we wanted to allow the maximum amount of time for healing before my son's wedding. Barring any problems with recovery from my face surgery, I'll probably schedule my 2nd surgery, a lower body lift (tummy tuck, butt & outer thigh lift) in mid to late June, after my nephew's wedding. Depending on how that one goes (it is supposed to be the toughest) I may have the 3rd surgery (arm reduction & breast lift w/ augmentation) in late August or I may wait until after my son's wedding in October. I don't want to be swollen & feeling sub-par for their wedding so I have a hunch I won't have the last surgery until after the wedding, but since I also don't want to be under the weather for the holidays, I may decide to wait until January. I'll just have to wait and see how I feel. I am very excited and a little nervous! My darling hubby says I'm just finishing what I started with the gastric bypass surgery & that I DESERVE IT. I think that is one of the sweetest things he's said to me!!! He's right, it is time to finish making the outside look like the inside feels!!! I am soooooo NOT looking forward to more surgery, but I can't wait to get rid of all this hanging, saggy/baggy skin. For the most part, clothes cover up most of my "Shar-Pei puppy" body but now that it is getting warm, I won't be able to hide it in shorts & swimsuits. I'm also hoping the lower body lift will help with the back spasms (probably caused by weak abdominal core muscles according to my back doc) which they will tighten during the tummy tuck part of the procedure. I'll be glad to get all of this behind me! So stay tuned for more of the continuing saga of "As Vickie Turns" (aka: How to go from unhealthy fat chick to healthy hot mama! LOL) Vickie J. 277/138 & at goal

Good luck Vickie, my husband told me the same thing, I need to finish what I started, don't you just love that kind of support. I haven't had any consults yet, I'm saving $$$$ right now and hopefully can begin the process late this year or early 2007. This is going to be a tuff summer as I can't even imagine showing the batwings or the thighs , not a pretty sight. Even with all the skin, I feel much better than I did last summer which is why I did this anyway. Best wishes, Dana

I know what you mean! I can't imagine these thighs & arms waving in the breeze at the pool - YUCK!! I have not scheduled an inner thigh lift, I'm hoping I'll get enough improvement from the LBL that I can live with it. Some sag & bag I can deal with, but not as much as I currently have. Oh well - only time will tell. Vickie J

Oh Congrats Vickie!!!! You have done so well and I know you are way excited for the next part of your saga!!! I am going for a TT and abdominoplasty hopefully by end of next month, beginning of this month. I should know in the next 7-10 days Keep up the FANTASTIC work and please keep us updated!! WTG! ~Phoenix 287/154/145

Phoenix, Thanks! Yes, I'm excited, but also a bit nervous! Good luck with your surgery, too! We'll have to compare notes. Who is your ps? I've got a friend in Tallahassee that is looking for a ps that takes BCBS in the Tampa area. Got any suggestions for her? Vickie J.

Yay Vickie! Glad to hear you have made a decision and set a date. I think you'll be really happy with Dr Shuster. He and his staff are wonderful. Did you get the email I sent the other day?

Thank you! I think I'll be happy with Dr. Shuster. Thank you for your advice, too. It looks like it wll pay off for me!! Yes, I did get your message & I'm checking around for you. Hopefully I'll have some sugestions for you soon. Vickie J.