Now that it's less than a month away, I wanted to start a thread where I post all of my experiences regarding my upcoming plastic surgery. I loved watching Telly and Puddin's journeys and I thought I'd enjoy sharing mine with others as well.

The background is that I'm 5'2, 34 years old, no pregnancies. I've lost 150 lbs in 10 months and would like to lose 40 more. I carried 100 lbs of my excess weight for a long time, given my age -- at least 15 years. The other 100, I gained in the last 6 years upon entering the workforce. I've lost weight successfully twice before being banded -- once on NutriSystem (about 60 lbs) and once on Optifast (about 90 lbs), but was unsuccessful at keeping it off.

Though under ideal circumstances I would wait until I actually hit goal to consider my major plastics, three factors have encouraged me to go ahead with surgery on March 28th. First, I'm changing jobs and have the unique ability to take the month of April off. I won't have this kind of flexibility again for several years and it's a "now or never" kind of thing. Second, both my band doctor and my plastic surgeon are on board and don't think I need to wait. I have substantial excess skin in the stomach and breasts and the whole team thinks the majority of my remaining excess weight is in the lower body (hips & thighs). Finally, my father is my plastic surgeon, so cost issues should I need a revision later for losing additional weight are less of a concern that they would be were I paying surgical fees. Thus, March 28th it is!

I had my "consult" with my dad last week and we decided on what will likely be the procedures (he's still thinking it over before deciding for sure). At Christmas, we had tentatively decided on a breast lift and a mini-abdominoplasty (where just the excess from below the belly button is removed). Now, we've decided on a larger operation because I've managed to lose quite a bit more weight between Christmas and now and he thinks I'm close enough to goal to go for a more aggressive result.

So, I'm having a breast lift for sure. As for the stomach and thighs, he's going to do what he calls an extended tummy tuck. This is a complete tummy tuck (i.e. both above and below the belly button), but the incision will extend around the thighs, akin to a LBL, to take out some skin and fat from the outer thighs. It won't go around 360 degrees like a true LBL because I don't have much excess in the back -- it's a bit of a hybrid. Plus, since I haven't had children and I've been working out consistently for several years, I don't require the muscle repair that often goes along with a tummy tuck -- just the skin and fat ressection. This should make the recovery a bit easier.

As far as preparations go, I've bought my plane ticket (I live in NYC and my parents are down south). I'm staying home for at least 3 weeks before returning to NYC -- longer if necessary. I rented a hospital bed to help with getting up and down and keeping the legs raised. My step-mother is a nurse and she'll be staying with me for about 10 days post-op, and, of course my Dad will be home in the evenings/on the weekends. I have bought all of the seasons of the TV show "24" to keep me company in the early days. I got a wireless card for my laptop so I can use it from any room. I have a shower chair but no raised toilet seat. Dad said without the muscle repair, I'll be moving around fairly well pretty quickly. I'm spending one night in the hospital.

That's it for now. As things develop, I will post again. For those ahead of me in the journey, if I've neglected any preparations, please let me know!

Julie, your weight loss and efforts to get to where you are are amazing. You must feel incredible, proud, happy, etc. I am so happy for you on many levels. How fortunate your dad/step mom can be such a tremendous support to you. I'm excited you are posting your experiences as it will help many. Best of luck to you!!!

Mary,

Your words are so kind. Thank you. Even though it's a much bigger procedure, I'm so glad to be facing this journey (PS) instead of the journey last year (banding). I'm looking forward to it!

Julie, congratulations on all your success. I'm looking forward to reading your updates. I LOVE plastic surgery and want to hear all the details -- good and bad.

Thanks, Enterprise! I'm looking forward to sharing my updates. For the moment, I need to lose 10 more lbs before the surgery, so I'm going to TRY and get focused. I was on vacation last week and I've had a hard time getting back into the swing of things.

Go, Julie, GO!!

What a deal. I wish my Daddy was a PS. :]

Good luck with the 10 lbs. I'll be thinking good thoughts for you!

Oh - and GREAT JOB on the 150 lbs~!!

:]

Julie,

Your weight loss is amazing..What an inspiration!

GOOD LUCK with your journey this month.. I am excited to read about it! Thank you for sharing in this way!!!!!!!

Sherry

Julie!! You are awesome!

I want to officially congratulate you on your tremendous success in the weight-loss AND exercise journey. It has been a joy to share this journey with you. I also wish you the best on the surgery! You know that our exercise challenge group is behind you 100% and we'll be cheering you on.

When you are healed up and looking fine, you and I will have a fun little 5-10K race! I may be there in July.

Thank you all for your supportive comments. I can't wait to have an update for you. For them moment, I'm making a list of my last minute questions that I didn't think to get answers to. Since my Dad's my surgeon, I didn't really prepare for our "consult" like I would have if I'd had been with a doc's whose attention I couldn't get anytime I wanted. I know there is much more I should have asked. For example, I don't know if patients with a breast lift can breast feed later in life if they have a child. My guess is that they can't, but I don't know for sure and I should know. I also don't know how many drains he expects I'll have and how long I'll have them. I should know these things....

Boo, thank you for your message, my friend. You're such a constant support for me. Thank you, thank yu. Come on in July and we'll do a race together. It'll be great. I can't wait.

You are unreal.......how did you lose that much weight so fast? Do you eat or are you just on a liquid diet? I have hit a plateau I hope Dr Fielding doesn't kill me when I get back from Florida. I'm a snowbird and I'm nervous to go to another doctor down here.......

Good luck with the surgery....I know your in good hands....

Judy

Banded Aug7,2006

Dr Fielding

NYU Medical center.......NYC

I just want all of you to know that this woman is amazing! She's been an inspiration to me and others who had surgery the same month (April 2006) - to put it bluntly - we sweat together!....................We've been supporting each other in an exercise challenge each month and because of these wonderful women I've become an exercise (Grammy) stud! Julie and the other challenge participants are my idols! Here's to Julie - may she have an uneventful surgery, a quick recovery and a healthy, sexy hard body!

Betty, Your sweetness and kindness always impress me. Thank you for your thoughful post.

Judy, Dr. F. won't kill you. It sounds like maybe you need a fill. Maybe? Yes, I eat real food -- not liquids. I eat about 1000 (or more) cals a day of good, high Protein, food (except when I have weeks like last week when I eat 1500 cals/day because I'm in chocolate/jelly bean hell). I can't see your ticker, but the speed of my weight loss has more to do with the fact that I started with a BMI of 68 (I'm only 5'2 and I was 358) than anything else. I didn't lose a single pound until my third fill, then it was as if my hunger had just been taken away. Love my band. Other positive factors for my weight loss are that I work out most days for at least 40 minutes, and I'm single, so I don't have to keep anything tempting in the house and I don't have to prepare meals for others. That keeps the calories in check, though I'd probably trade a few hundred more calories for a husband if anyone's offering (wink).

I had a little freakout this morning. Dad emailed me and said "what day did you want your surgery again? I've got a meeting on Thursday the 28th." Now, I've already booked plane tickets and scheduled my whole life around the 28th. I checked the calendar and "Thursday" is the "29th" -- so I call him and ask -- is your meeting on the 28th (Wed) or is it on the 29th (Thurs)? It's on the 29th. He had it wrong in his head. So, we're all on track. Funny. This is such a huge deal to me. To him, it's just what he does every day.

Congrats on your awesome progress and best of luck with the PS. You'll be a whole new person!

Don't let Julie make light of it (pun intended). She worked HARD this year. She has set goals, and achieved them, through hard work and dedication. She has worked her way up from being a couch potato (she doesn't mind me saying this, cuz I was one too!!!), and now she is running marathons! She has pushed and cajoled, and sweet talked the rest of us through down times---she has sent up many a prayer when ask---in general she has always been there, with her goal firmly in mind.

She worked her band, and deserves this next step! I am anxious to continue watching her progress....even if all these April 2006-ers do make me feel guilty when I wanna re-visit the couch!!! They have been wonderful---and I know Julie will do great.

We could all take lessons from her!!!

Kat

Oh, Kat, you sweet thing -- don't you know you're my inspiration, not the other way around??

I guess it's true -- neither of us can claim to be a couch potato anymore (although I am on the couch at the moment). Without our exercise routine, I wouldn't be eligible for the extended tummy tuck because I'd be needing the muscle repair, which would mean we'd have to do the thighs at another time. So exciting. I can't say I LOVE exercise -- maybe one day -- but I do love the stress relief, how well I sleep, and how well it keeps the scale moving, even when pastries get in the way (as they did today).

Well, the update for today is I got the recliner chair rented (actually my step-mother did -- thank you Step-mom!) It's the kind with the controller that lifts you up to get out of it more easily. She had a TT and used something similar, so I'm excited about it. I think it'll be the right thing.

Also, the hospital admissions called to verify my info, so this is starting to feel real. Last night I had a crazy dream that I came out of sugery, recovered for a few days, then took the bandages off (imagine a soap opera type reveal) and they'd not removed my apron -- they'd just stapled it to my thighs! Crazy dreams.