February/March 08 plastics

[ousooner 1]

I am doing well. Just thinking we are getting quiet lol. I am trying to tie things up at work so my peers won't have to do much while I am gone. Our department is splitting and moving while I am gone, so I am boxing up my office this week. That is keeping me pretty busy. The hospital and Dr have been paid. Still waiting on the anesthesiologist to call so they can get paid. Not very nervous. Just anxious. I want this over so i can start the healing process.

LJM - You ready?

Nina - when do you depart for France?

Tami - Any word on a new date yet?

Harley - Still doing well?

[HarleyNana 10]

Thanks for asking Neal, still doing very well, tyvm .

I'll be thinking of you, mine all happened so fast I didn't get scared until about two days before, then I was freaking out, but I'm glad it's all done and over. Hard to believe it's been three weeks.

Good you're staying busy.

[TamifromAL 1]

Harley, thanks for sharing the pics. You have wonderful contouring, and an adorable belly button! Gotta say I love the black lacy panties & bra, too!

I got back from my trip to Iowa yesterday. We had a snowy weekend. Can I just say I *don't* like the snow? Well, it's pretty when it's coming down, and right after it snows and everything looks so pristine. But the next day, everything looks grey and dingy, you can't keep a car clean, and the dam* stuff ruins every pair of shoes:cursing: I was glad to get back to Birmingham, where it was 73 degrees and sunny!

I have a ton of phone calls to make today to decide what I'm going to do. Even after thinking about it, writing lists and lists of pros and cons, and talking excessively about it with my hubby and daughter, I *still* don't know what I want to do. Hopefully some of the answers I hope to get from my phone calls will make it easier for me to decide how to proceed. It's weird, though. I was all set to get all this surgery done, with no hesitation in my mind whatsoever, and now I'm questioning everything! Is the surgeon I selected the right one? Do I really want to get this much surgery, especially at age 48? Should I simply accept the fact that I'm healthy & physically fit, but need to embrace my flaws and learn to live with my "obesity scars" (which includes the port bulge)? And the biggie, "Will I *really* keep the weight off this time?" My hubby is encouraging me to get the port and boobs done and skip the lower body lift and thighs. But, I'm afraid that improving the upper body without doing anything to the lower body would just make me unhappier with the lower body. I just don't know!

Tami

[kareyquilts 1]

Tami: You have a lot of decisions to make and I sympathize with you. I've been quesitoning myself along the same vein. Is it just vanity and at what cost to myself in pain, time and money? Not to mention the potential danger involved. Luckily my DH, who by the way, hates to spend money, has encouraged me to do it, not because he wants my body any better, but because he understands how hard I have worked and how in a fundamental way this will change my body and my self image. You have worked and been very focused to get where you are. And why won't you keep the weight off? Yes, you've gained weight back in the past, but, just like a reformed alcoholic, these slips are part of the process. You have changed. You exercise now and you have the lapband to back you up. Unless you become clinically depressed, I think you have a good chance of keeping it off and stastics for the band back this up. You've just been through an exhausting mental and emotional roller coaster ride this past week. It will be alright. Also, looking at your photos, I would say, at least in clothes, that your upper body looks pretty damn good. I definetly think from your before and after pictures that the lower body lift would make the most difference in your body and would change your fat distribution and metabolism the most. Pretty boobies are great, but for a fundamental difference in your body, I would go for the lower body stuff. It's just my opinion, of course. I'm still trying to decide on augmentation. I'm also looking at 2 procedures because they can't get it all done in one. I'm really not sure if I'll have 2, so I've had to prioritize. There does come a point where we have to accept our bodies and we definetly have to learn to love ourselves regardless of our little flaws, but just maybe part of loving ourselves is taking care of some of the things that we can improve. You've done most of the work already through diet and exercise, now it's just a matter of choice. You're a great gal, I wish you the very best!

[Shalee04 7]

Harley your looking wonderful!! and what a cute belly button too.....

[Shalee04 7]

YOU LOOK FABULOUS!! if I can get even a little like you, I'll be SO pleased!!

Christine, your going to look just as fabulous also !!!!! You have worked so hard to get to this point, we are all proud of you!! you already look great, and now this surgery will be icing on the cake!!!!! We can't wait to see the rest of your transformation.:tongue:

[nina874 48]

Hi people!!

I have only got tomorrow, and then I am off to Manchester!! I get there Friday night and then Sunday morning I am on the flight to LYON!!

Tami - You may be 48 hon, but you look a damn sight fitter and a whole lot more healthy than me!! If I can have this surgery then so can you! I know that you have been thrown a curve ball, and it has made you start doubting yourself, but the reasons that you went into this still stand. You know how you feel about the butt puddle, and no amount of exercise is going to correct that hon, if anything it will just get worse as your body fat goes down. You friggin DESERVE this surgery! Christ if I was starting with the frame that you have hon, a team of wild feckin horses wouldnt be able to keep me out of that theatre!!!

As for will you keep the weight off this time....... will any of us? I believe so, I think that we have a wonderful tool inside us that provides the factor that has always been missing before, it puts the brakes on for us when we cant or wont do it ourselves. You have a fantastic support network here and all of us are in the same boat, we can and will keep each other on the straight and narrow.

I will be gutted if you dont do this and I think ultimatly so will you, why should you accept what you have now? You have worked your friggin ass off to get where you are now, literally!! If you were the sort of person that just accepted things you would never have gotten the band fitted in the first place. This is not the end of your journey, you have to complete it, so that you can wear whatever you want whenever you want, so that you can look in the mirror and be feckin thrilled with what you see, because that is what you worked for hon!! End of lecture :biggrin:

Karey - still not made your mind up hon? I know what you mean about the 2 procedures thing, but my PS always said that it had to be that way so it was never something that I thought about. Personally I have enough flaws that I cant do anything about, the boobies are the easiest thing for me to solve, and lord knows I love my puppies!!

Nana - how are you doing hon? I bet Mr Nana isnt letying you out of his sight at the moment :smile: I cant believe it has been three weeks either! That has rocketed past!!!

Ousooner - I am sat here at the moment vowing to myself that I am going to finish packing, but I just know that I wont do it until tomorrow!!LOL I have only got tomorrow at home and then I am flying to Manchester!! I have got one day with my sister then I fly to Lyon on sunday and have my pre-op when I get there, then 8.00am Monday I am in theatre. Has the anaethetist rung you yet?

Losing - how ya doing, its getting close you know hon, it seems only a couple of days ago that I had 3 weeks left!!

Luv and hugs

Nina x

[kareyquilts 1]

Nina: Hugs and best wishes! I'm so excited for you! It's going to be hard to be patient and wait to here from you. Can't wait to hear how it all goes. Please don't forget to have your husband drop us a line so we everything turned out well. Sending positive energy your way!

[kareyquilts 1]

Nana: I was just wondering, did you get muscle repair along with your TT? You just seemed to have bounced back so well.

[ousooner 1]

Counting down on one hand now! :eek:

[TamifromAL 1]

he understands how hard I have worked and how in a fundamental way this will change my body and my self image.

There does come a point where we have to accept our bodies and we definetly have to learn to love ourselves regardless of our little flaws

I have only got tomorrow, and then I am off to Manchester!!

Nina, have a great trip! We'll miss you! Best of luck with the surgery and for a quick recovery. Keep that morphine a drippin'!

Thanks, ya'll, for your supportive messages and suggestions about my surgery. It means a lot to me to have people to share all this with who understand it. Nina & Karey, you both make some excellent points to consider, and in a way you're making this decision much harder for me, :eek: I almost decided to give up getting *any* surgery, because until reading your messages, I was feeling like everyone I know was against me getting surgery! My husband tries to be supportive, but keeps reminding me to be realistic, at least about the lower body lift, and he's right. I know that even if I get the lower body lift and medial thigh lift, I'm still not going to be happy with my legs (happier, yes). I keep trying to weigh the all the risks and expense against the outcome that I can reasonably expect.

My best friend was downright ugly about it yesterday. I *briefly* told her about canceling my surgery, and that I was re-considering all my options. She said "no one else wants me to get the surgery", that it's all "about me", that I'm "skinnier than everyone" now, and don't need surgery, that I should accept my flaws and get on with life, yadda yadda yadda. I know there's some jealousy there, but still...

And, the simple fact is that the reason I got the lap band is because I wanted to be healthy and physically fit, especially with menopause and middle age looming. I honestly didn't think that my appearance was a huge factor, until the weight started coming off and I started looking better! So, here I am now, considering *major* plastic surgery, which is all about looks, and the process of getting the surgery will potentially impact my original goals (health/fitness), at least temporarily.

Earlier today, I finally decided to just go ahead and have the bariatric doc replace the port, figuring that at least that would be done, and if I decided to go forward with the lower body lift, that I'd be set to go. Then, I read a message on another plastic surgery forum from a lap bander who simply had her original port recessed into the muscle, and she said her port is completely invisible, and that it is not affected by exercise (one of my concerns).

Ahhhhhhh! I've "made my decision" about how I'm gonna proceed about a dozen times so far. My husband keeps saying, "OK, so that's your decision of the hour. I'll ask you again the next time I call." It doesn't help that I'm a Libra...sign of the scales...I have to keep weighing my options over and over.

I went through all this for *months*, and once I had the surgery booked, I let it all go, because the decision was made. Aren't ya'll glad you're booked, and ready to go??

Tami

[She Smiles 2]

Nina GOOD LUCK!!!

Tami, can I say that it is reassuring for me to read that you are having some doubts - let me explain - I am SO sorry that you are in this situation at all, but knowing that its not just my wacky mind swinging and swaying on my *almost* decision to have a TT is a comfort. I'm glad to know that other people, like yourself have second, third, fourth etc thoughts.

So - what I keep telling myself is that I have a whole lot more living to do in this body and will I really be happy looking like this for the rest of my days? Yes, it might be for vanity, but for me its also about my mental health. Like you, I didn't work my a$$ off, literally, exercising to have this body. I want the body I feel like I deserve.

Thats just my 2 cents - ultimately, you need to do whats right for you. I've had mixed reactions from friends too, its always going to be that way. Try not to let them sway you (easier said than done).

As an aside - to all of the PS inpirations on this thread - I've posted some before pics of my tum on my blog (link is in my sig below). Now I know none of you are Surgeons but you've seen a few befores and afters in the PS's that you've visited, I predict. In your opinion, have you seen befores that look like me? Am I going to be laughed out of the surgery and told that I need to lose more weight? What are your thoughts from a lay mans point of view? (sorry to hijack the thread a little for a moment).

[nina874 48]

Tami - that 'friend' sounds very like one of my 'friends' who suggested that I embrace being overweight as I loved food, and maybe just try to cut back. With friends like that.......

I think that she is putting her issues onto you! Just becuase she is resigned to her fate she thinks that you should be too, and the 'slimmer than everyone' comment spoke volumes, a touch of the green eyed monster there I think. What is with the 'all about me' comment? sounds like she is upset that it is never all about her, did she used to be slimmer than you?

People hate change,they like what they are comfortable with , and the people around you are obviously struggling just to deal with your weight loss, maybe they are worried that if you have this surgery you will chnage, but you know what, that is THIER problem not yours!

One of my teens actually said to me the other day 'when you are all slim you wont turn into one of those nasty popular girls will you mum?' I PMSL and assured him that I wouldnt, but I think that you are dealing with a bit of that from your support network.

You know yourself that you will never be 'perfect' -none of us will- but you will see a massive improvement!

Oh Tami I am soooooo glad that I am all booked and ready to go, I dont envy you my love ((hug))

Karey - Thanks for the positive energy :eek: I will make sure that DH lets everyone know how I am doing!

Nina x

[losingjusme 12]

Tami,

wow. i cant believe your friend said that. does she have a green tint? :eek: i can understand the back and forth ... this is a huge decision. do you still have the original surgery booked? would the PS be comfortable tucking the port away? i didnt realize that could be an option. wish Dr. P could do that for me, but he wont touch anything to do w/ lap band :eek:

Neal and Nina,

i am so excited for you guys! Neal, what time is your sx? we'll be waking up and Nina should be almost finished!! :eek:

she smiles,

OMG your pictures look great! trust me, if i didnt get laughed out of the office, you will be welcomed with open arms. you have done a fabulous job and i think you'll see a totally flat tummy with plastics!

ok, i've been up since 4am. wide.freaking.awake no clue how i am going to survive 3 more weeks til my surgery!!!

[HarleyNana 10]

Nina, sending hugs and best wishes your way, you go girl!