I'm still 36lbs away from my goal weight of 130, and once I get there, I might want to drop the goal to 120. I've just started researching plastic surgeons, joined some FB groups, and it's easy to become obsessed!! I'm obviously going to weight until I hit goal to start setting up any consults, but man I can't wait!!

I have 4 Miami surgeons that I'm interested in so far, but then I'll see someone else's photos and want to add their surgeon to my list!

8 hours ago, ChubRub said:

Only a few more days to go!!!!! I'm excited for you!!!! Happy packing!!!!

Thank you @ChubRub just the one more day before we fly out the 13th and then my surgery is the 15th. Ended up having to fly out a day early due to some itinerary changes I couldn’t control. But I slowly packed my bag a little early just a small carry on since I won’t need much I’ll be stuck in hospital gowns for most of my stay due to Covid precautions. Can’t say it bothers me that much. I’ll be focused on recovery.

I packed some disposable undies I bought on amazon, a bunch of variety of wipes. My medication and vitamins. My clothes to wear for the return trip. Basics like soap, toothbrush and toothpaste.

I did manage to finally get a haircut. I like it the way it is but do get a tad annoyed when people either confuse me for a boy or a kid ... it’s very short ... and I mean buzz cut pixie style short.

I normally tend to be rather plain. Of course at the moment I’m quite flat chested. I never considered myself feminine nor cared. I find it “funny” that ... I don’t know how to put it, doctors will be like your weight is fine when obviously you are obese ie. When I was fighting for gastric bypass surgery. But skinny and it’s suddenly a bad thing or they make comments and that’s ok. Not just doctors ... like oh lose any more and you’ll disappear type comments.

anyway. I rambled. I’m trying to be in that frame of mind that this will go well and this is for a good reason. I won’t say positivity. Because that’s not a word I like to use. It’s difficult when your body is a constant struggle for physical and mental energy. It’s not that it’s negative energy it’s just sheer exhaustion that can be overwhelming. And I’m up against that every day of my life. But for me this is important to do this while I still can. Before my health declines too much.

im trying to forget yesterday. I’m upset because my surgeon (A doctor that works with him that is) a few months back insisted I have a double balloon enteroscopy because He thought it might explain the pain and spasms under my ribs on the left side given my history of ulcers. I’ve high pain tolerance but yesterday was torture. And I barely saw the gastroenterologist who did the procedure, a few seconds at most. And no answer as to the cause. I don’t even know what they looked at in there. And it left me with a very painful throat. So I’m frustrated. I had a feeling it might be mire likely something else. The fact I have dysphasia. Maybe something else going on as well. And also my primary care doctor said I needed to bring some bloodwork to the attention of the gastroenterologist and I brought a copy, gave it to the nurse and said he needed to look at it please. Did he. Of course not.

sorry I should not have posted this all here. I might have a post somewhere on here I started myself but who knows where that is.

im trying to maintain the mindset this is a good thing Coming matter how challenging it is, at least something good will result from it. Right?

12 hours ago, Darktowerdream said:

we fly out the 13th and then my surgery is the 15th.

Safe travels tomorrow, @Darktowerdream...and will be sending you good vibes Monday! ❤️

Best of luck to you @Darktowerdream!!! Hope you have some fun mom/daughter time too. I love pixie haircuts BTW! Unfortunately, my face is too fat for one. I need big hair to balance my big face! LOL!! You are so tiny, and I bet the cut looks perfect on you!

8 hours ago, ChubRub said:

Best of luck to you @Darktowerdream!!! Hope you have some fun mom/daughter time too. I love pixie haircuts BTW! Unfortunately, my face is too fat for one. I need big hair to balance my big face! LOL!! You are so tiny, and I bet the cut looks perfect on you!

The last time I was called tiny was when I had my hysterectomy before I regained weight. I never considered myself tiny. Short yes. My face has always been round. I’m not sure how well the Hair style suits me but I like it this way. I took one picture of myself to compare to the only photo I have prior to my gastric bypass surgery which was at the zoo. The most unflattering bent over feeding a flamingo taken by the zoo. It was my birthday and it was nice to be around the birds but I was miserable. I haven’t Had the guts to share them. I don’t consider myself very nice looking. I don’t think about it much.

I don’t know how much fun time we can have with many Covid restrictions in place. We will do our best. Tomorrow morning we head off to the airport for a very long day of travel. We have over a 3.5 hour layover in Georgia ... we get to California 7pm which accounts for 3 hour time difference, our bodies will be in 10pm mode ...

we get to the airport, cross into Mexico and spend the night in the hotel. Then I think go to Hospital BC the next day. Where I’ll be for the full length of my stay ...

12 hours ago, ms.sss said:

On 6/11/2020 at 10:23 PM, Darktowerdream said:

we fly out the 13th and then my surgery is the 15th.

Safe travels tomorrow, @Darktowerdream...and will be sending you good vibes Monday! ❤️

Thank you @ms.sss I really need it ?

Have a safe flight, and try to get some rest!! I'm sure it will be an exhausting day, but exciting at the same time!!

20 hours ago, ChubRub said:

Have a safe flight, and try to get some rest!! I'm sure it will be an exhausting day, but exciting at the same time!!

I’m in Tijuana at the hotel exhausted on the bed typing on my tablet with one finger eating a protein bar. Got in last night it was after 7pm here but my body clock it was after 10pm ... couldn’t sleep. Woke too early. Going to the hospital soon, about an hour. I don’t know what to expect because I don’t know when I see the surgeon, how meals will be arranged, what the room will be like, being in a strange place without normal routine. Having the awkward scrutiny of the surgeon that I know he will see my every flaw to prepare to do the surgery. Coping with it all being on the autism spectrum and not having a meltdown in the process. Because it’s something important. And hoping my tired exhausted body cooperates. As well as wishing I spoke Spanish but my learning disability got in the way when it came to language and math in school ... Had a bad experience with my double balloon enteroscopy and got no answers either. Hoping to this going smoothly.

Glad you made it there!! Rest well, and hope you get some yummy food to eat today! I can imagine that you and your body are feeling a little overwhelmed right now, but you can do this!! Fingers crossed for a great surgery with great results!!!

3 hours ago, ChubRub said:

Glad you made it there!! Rest well, and hope you get some yummy food to eat today! I can imagine that you and your body are feeling a little overwhelmed right now, but you can do this!! Fingers crossed for a great surgery with great results!!!

I’m At Hospital BC now, I filled a lot of paperwork, showered, got in a hospital gown, a preliminary checkup and EKG as well as lunch. The staff here is very friendly and caring, I know they have a discussion area for Hospital BC which is a BariatricPal Hospital. I haven’t posted there yet. I see the surgeon later. More tests before surgery tomorrow. I’m exhausted and hoping all goes as planned. I wanted to check in on other posts but probably can’t do much.

15 hours ago, Darktowerdream said:

I’m At Hospital BC now, I filled a lot of paperwork, showered, got in a hospital gown, a preliminary checkup and EKG as well as lunch. The staff here is very friendly and caring, I know they have a discussion area for Hospital BC which is a BariatricPal Hospital. I haven’t posted there yet. I see the surgeon later. More tests before surgery tomorrow. I’m exhausted and hoping all goes as planned. I wanted to check in on other posts but probably can’t do much.

Best of luck today!!! You are probably getting prepped for surgery now!!! Rest well after, and I can't wait to hear all about it!

Just now, ChubRub said:

Best of luck today!!! You are probably getting prepped for surgery now!!! Rest well after, and I can't wait to hear all about it!

+1

@ChubRub, @ms.sss

thank you both. I saw the surgeon yesterday and the process of having to see myself in a mirror and see how bad the excess sagging skin really is. We went over the procedures. And Took photos. And he showed me on the photos the incision sites. He is an awesome doctor. He explained any difference in procedures due to how my skin hangs and how much excess skin there is. The thigh lift requires extra incision due to the excessive laxity of my skin. My current breast volume is 120cc and we discussed 320cc implant. And all details involved.

I had blood drawn this morning. I’ve been on iv fluids since last night. My surgery is scheduled for 3pm. I see the surgeon prior to mark the surgical areas. I figured I would come here while I am waiting. I’m more nervous about having things all go as planned. Just worried about my bloodwork being ok for surgery to go forward. I think there might be more pre-op tests otherwise it’s all going to happen 3pm. And I won’t be around awhile.

Edited June 15, 20206 yr by Darktowerdream

1 hour ago, Darktowerdream said:

@ChubRub, @ms.sss

thank you both. I saw the surgeon yesterday and the process of having to see myself in a mirror and see how bad the excess sagging skin really is. We went over the procedures. And Took photos. And he showed me on the photos the incision sites. He is an awesome doctor. He explained any difference in procedures due to how my skin hangs and how much excess skin there is. The thigh lift requires extra incision due to the excessive laxity of my skin. My current breast volume is 120cc and we discussed 320cc implant. And all details involved.

I had blood drawn this morning. I’ve been on iv fluids since last night. My surgery is scheduled for 3pm. I see the surgeon prior to mark the surgical areas. I figured I would come here while I am waiting. I’m more nervous about having things all go as planned. Just worried about my bloodwork being ok for surgery to go forward. I think there might be more pre-op tests otherwise it’s all going to happen 3pm. And I won’t be around awhile.

Good luck! I’ll def be thinking of u all day.

Me too!! Good luck!!!

I had a tummy tuck/muscle repair and breast lift in Miami in 2017 with Dr. Ortega. I will say please do your research on those places. I saw several women pass away during surgery while down there for my surgery and when I went back for an emergency fix a few weeks later.

24 minutes ago, Gilmoregirl1012 said:

I had a tummy tuck/muscle repair and breast lift in Miami in 2017 with Dr. Ortega. I will say please do your research on those places. I saw several women pass away during surgery while down there for my surgery and when I went back for an emergency fix a few weeks later.

Luckily our surgeon ( @ChubRub & mine) has: zero deaths, his medical license is valid, is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery, is not being disciplined by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), or the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS)- all of which he is an active member in good standing.

He is on several committees for these societies that regulate plastic surgery safety. Conducting research on your surgeon is important. You can go to certificationmatters.org (and floridahealth.gov to look up any Miami) physician’s credentials.

Edited June 16, 20206 yr by GreenTealael