Breast Augmentation 3 Weeks Post-Op

I will be 3 weeks post op on Tuesday.  A lot has happened and not happened since my last post.  The biggest happening is that my Hubby came home last Tuesday.  Last Tuesday was my 2nd original scheduled date for my surgery.  I am so glad that I changed the date because as I predicted, Hubby came home the day of my surgery date...if I had kept it.  See that's the thinking of a seasoned Army wife.  I know how the Army time works!  One of the biggest question is well how does Hubby like them?  Well, they are still quite high up and a bit funny looking (to me), but he thinks they are perfect for my body shape and look great on me.  Everyone that has known me forever agree that they look natural on my body like I have always had them!

I stopped taking the pain meds and ambien about a week to a week and half post op.  After stopping the Ambien I did have a little trouble staying asleep due to me still sleeping sitting up.  I have not had any pain that warrant needing a pain killer.  The girls don't really feel heavy anymore, and I don't necessarily always feel the implant.  I can feel them swelling at times and like I have said before, it feels like engorgement when breastfeeding.  I can feel the implant moving only when I'm sleeping at night and try to get up from lying down.

That brings me to sleeping.  I have continued to sleep sitting up surrounded by pillows until a few days ago.  Now I am able to sleep flat on my back but with a very fat pillow to elevate my head.  I like to sleep with a pillow on my side to tilt my body to the side slightly.  I have always been a side sleeper so I'm trying to ease my way into side sleeping again.  Sleeping on my back is the most comfortable for me right now, but it does hurt my butt and back.  I think I am just getting used to it.  

Next up is bras!  I have found that I prefer to sleep in my zip up (large) sports bra.  I love them so much that I had my mom buy me two more and send them to me!  During the day I wear sports bras with the thinner straps mostly.  Recently I found two more unpadded, no wire bras that my doctor told me that I can wear at this point.  I got them from Wal-mart for around $12-14.  They are comfortable to wear during the day.  I also got those in a large.  

My incision is closed up and healing, but I made a mistake in continuing to use the neosporin for too long.  After using it for too long, I actually developed a rash around the incision.  I thought I needed the neosporin because I was very itchy.  I didn't realize that it was the neosporin that was making me itchy.  I soon figured this out remembering what my PS had told me in the beginning about using the neosporin, and quickly stopped using it.  The area is already clearing up.  

There are some days that I am itching to exercise, but others where I am thankful for the break.  Today was the first day that I went on a short walk with my family.  I pretended to run to see if my girls would bounce and sure enough I think they will.  I am going to have to wear extra good sports bras when exercising now.  Before it really didn't matter what kind of bra I had on, my girls weren't big enough to move around.  

All in all, the girls and I are adjusting to each other!  I am still very cautious and careful with them.  I still make sure to not do any quick movements.  I am still not doing too much lifting or stretching either.  Hubby and I always make the joke that we invested a lot of money in these girls, so we have to protect our investment!  

Breast Augmentation Post-Op Bra Fitting

12 Days Post-Op

I guess time is flying!  Not fast enough.  Okay, so let me update you on my progress!  I went back to work this week and I was fine at work all day except for being really sleepy all the time.  There were many times when I caught myself falling asleep at my desk.  I finally realized that I can't go, go, go, and do, do, do like I am used to.  I have to do a little bit and then lay down and rest for awhile.  I am trying to take it as easy as possible.  Besides being sleepy all the time, I am happy that the nausea has gone away.  I have finished with the antibiotics.  I am down to only taking 1 percoset and the ambien at night.  I am not on any pain meds during the day.  I do continue to take my vitamin C chewable.  Today I picked up some fiber gummies due to the dreaded constipation.  I am hoping those work because feeling like you look bloated with nice boobs is no fun!

I called my PS office back and asked when can I wear a regular bra, and do I have to continue to put neosporin on my incisions and cover them.  The answer to both were starting Friday I could wear a regular bra as long as it does not have under wire and do not have padding.  I honestly think I will stick to sports bras for awhile for comfort and support.  Also it is very difficult to find my bra size in just any store.  Friday I could stop with the neosporin and covering the incision, but I think I may continue with covering them.  It feels more comfortable, so I will call about that next week.  I was also told that I have been entered for the mentor warranty in case something happens with my implants.  Knocking on wood they are perfect!

Some annoying symptoms I have been experiencing are super sensitive nipples and itchy incisions.  I have read that a lot of women lost nipple sensation for a period of time.  My nipples are so sensitive that they hurt. It again reminds me of when you are pregnant and your boobs are sore.  I read this is a good sign of the nerve cells reconnecting.  I might get some breast cream and pads like I used when I was breastfeeding.  I am hoping it goes away soon.  My incisions itch periodically.  It seems to happen more so at night when I take off my bandages and undo my bra to let the incision and girls breathe for like 30 minutes.  The incision starts to itch like crazy and it takes everything in me not to scratch near them.  I have found that the ice packs do help with this.

Wednesday I became obsessed with buying a bikini for an upcoming trip with Hubby.  Victoria's Secret was having a sale online on their swimsuits.  I needed to know what size I was, considering I have never ordered a swimsuit from them before.  My co-worker and I tried to measure me but we came out with a 34DD.  I ended up going in the store to get measured and the lady thought maybe a 34C.  She gave me a few 34C bras to try on, and they all were really tight and uncomfortable!  My girls were even hanging out.  I told her this can't be right.  She gave me a Body By Victoria Demi cup 34D to try on and it fit perfectly!  She said pretty much that will be my size in most bras in VS.  I know that I am still swelling and have a ways to drop, but I still need comfortable bras.

All in all I am doing very good!  My incision looks like it is healing well and I am able to have better movement with my arms.  I am getting around good and driving.  I am just very careful and slow!  I don't want to risk pulling anything or messing anything up.

Tata for now lol! (I'm icing as I type)

Breast Augmentation Post Op Appt/Back to Work

Day 6
Yesterday was my first post-op appointment.  My friend drove me despite me driving here and there the weekend.  I was able to see my PS and he examined my breasts to make sure everything looked good so far (knocking on wood).  He said that I was healing really good.  I expressed being concerned that my boobs haven't dropped that much.  He explained that they have three months to drop and are dropping daily.  He said that you would rather them be too high up at first than sitting too low right off the bat.  What goes up must come down!  Gravity at its best!  I asked him about taking a multi-vitamin again and he said it is fine to do so now.  I think I may wait another week just to be on the safe side!  He also discussed the importance of me taking it easy for the next three weeks.  He said that the complications that have come in his office have been due to the women not taking it easy and trying to do too much too soon.  I am such a busybody and is constantly doing it all, but is really relieved for a break!  He also discussed not exercising for three weeks. He said I can start out slow and work my way up to what I have been doing. I asked about massaging and was told that it's up to me if I want to start massaging or not.  I do it gently because sometimes it relieves the pressure.  I forgot to ask how long do I have to keep gauze on the incision, but can call back and ask that. I got my implant card with the size and serial number on it.  It seems quite funny that there is something or somethings in my body with serial numbers!  I have my next appointment in three weeks.

Besides my appointment yesterday, I expected to live up my last day off from work and just sit on my couch and veg out all day.  Deployment always have another plan for me.  I think it is determined to go out with a bang!  Thank God my husband is in flight as I write, and is on his way home at some point (maybe next week he will actually get here).  My son got sick in the middle of the night and stayed home with me yesterday.  It was nice to spend quality time with him, and I was glad that I didn't have to take off work to be with him.  He is better now, and we both were able to go back to work and daycare.

I tapered off my percoset yesterday in only taking it in the morning and right before bed.  I didn't need any pain meds throughout the day.  I was pretty much fine most of the day until it got later in the evening.  I had to get back to my normal routine of doing things by myself.  After we got home later from my daughter's girl scouts, I felt too tired to do any of my nightly chores, so I took my meds and went to bed shortly after the kids.  That's my way of "taking it easy". LOL!  I also forgot to mention that I was able to handle, feed, and take my Great Dane out on Saturday.  I do not walk him, but take him out to potty.  He did fine without pulling me.

Boob cupcakes my co-worker made to welcome me back

1 Week Post-Op-Back To Work
Back to reality for real!  I must say I am fortunate to pretty much be at my desk all day, but I really did miss my naps today.  I almost fell asleep in our morning meeting.  I'm not sure if I was that tired or the meeting was that boring!  I got up earlier this morning to feed and let SGM Blue (my 12 month old Great Dane) out, and to shower.  I am super slow because I make sure to take slow controlled movements to not move too quickly to hurt myself or mess anything up.  My biggest fear is pulling the stitches and them bleeding!  Arrrgggg!  I got dressed, helped the kids, and we were all off to school, work, and daycare.

All my co-workers knew what I was getting done, and all wanted to see how I looked.  They were shocked that I didn't topple over or look like Dolly Parton.  They said that if they didn't know they really wouldn't notice.  They said they looked very natural with my body.  I also got compliments on my outfit!

Denim Shirt: Old Navy
Skirt: Target
Boots: Famous Footwear

All in all work was fine.  My co-worker made me boob cupcakes (pictured above) and bought me gag Goodwill super huge bras.  I told her I could use them for hats!  My boobs did seem to ache more today.  If you have ever breastfed, it feels like you are engorged.  It's not really painful, but it is slightly uncomfortable.  It is tolerable.  At lunchtime I took some tylenol and took a nap.  My nipples seemed to throb on and off today.  I read that is a sign of the nerves reconnecting.  Besides that, my incisions were itchy.  By the time I got home, I felt like my "girls" had a long day at work and needed a break.  After feeding my kids and doing hw with them, I sat on the couch for awhile and iced the girls.

I did notice that you take for granted being able to do the simplest movements.  I keep wondering if I will ever be able to lift things normally again.  Opening doors, driving, opening a water bottle, etc all take a lot of controlled careful effort!  I almost cried when I couldn't get my motrin bottle open.  My friend made sure to open all my pill bottles before she left.  I accidently closed the motrin one back.  I was able to get it open by placing it on my bench at the foot of my bed and pressing down gently.  I had my eight year old daughter helping with a lot of mundane tasks!  I decided to have my friend come back tomorrow evening to help with evening chores so that I don't overexert myself.

Another helpful tip I have found that helps to relieve the tightness of the implants is to keep my bra open at the end of the day for 30 minutes to an hour.  It just feels good to let them hang and breathe a little.  Anyway, although all of this is slightly uncomfortable I wouldn't change a thing.  I love how I look in clothes now and just can't wait for them to continue to drop and all the symptoms to be a thing of the past!

Picture from Pinterest...I want one!!!!!

Breast Augmentation Post-Op Days 4 and 5

The jist of the past two days have been continued nausea and feeling extremely bloated.  I have figured out that it's possibly the antibiotics that make me nauseous.  I take them twice a day and it seems that when I take them, that's when I get very nauseous afterwards whether I eat or not.  The good thing is that I will only be on the antibiotics a few more days.  What has really helped with the nausea is ginger ale and believe it or not, kettle cooked Lays salt and vinegar chips.  A few of those seem to settle my stomach faster than the saltines.  I also have to lay down and possibly take a nap when the nausea hits.

I was very puzzled when I was watching you tube videos of the skinny big boobed girls talking about how bloated they felt.  I would look at them and think to myself "girl get yo life with your skinny self".  I was like how do they think they look bloated when they still look quite thin to me.  Well now I feel their pain.  I feel that my stomach looks six months preggers again.  It is definitely due to the constipation.  I was warned about it, and it is real!  I put miralax in my smoothie yesterday morning, but it did nothing.  I even tried a stool softner (sorry for the TMI) this evening, but again nothing.  I am going to resort to a laxative tea to take in the morning.  I may invest in some fiber gummies to continue to take to get things back regulated.

I have been sleeping just fine from day one!  The ambien really works good. I usually take it between 8 and 9pm and fall asleep within the hour.  I have faithfully awaken around 4 am every morning.  I text my deployed husband and take naps until it's time for me to get on up.  I am still sleeping sitting up.  Last night I moved to my bed instead of the recliner.  I have a pillow that is easy to sit up on, my body pillow, and I surrounded myself with a lot of other pillows.  I slept more comfortable than I thought.  Maybe it was just the ambien.

The past two days I have tried to do more for myself since my babysitter/friend was going back home today.  I will be going back to work on Tuesday anyway, so I needed to start doing more on my own.  I was able to do light housework (very light) and more for the kids.  I even drove a short distance yesterday.  We ended up going to the dollar movie not far from our home and to Wal-mart afterwards so that I could get another front closure bra.  I took the 34 bra back and got a 36 and it fits better.  Driving wasn't a problem due to me not driving far and being very careful about making quick movements and turns.  I also drove today on post to the commissary.  Tomorrow is my post-op appointment and I can find out when I can actually drive, and how I am healing.

As far as the implants, I am still not in any pain.  I did wake up at 4 am in a little pain due to my boobs swelling.  That is normal and they will continue to do that.  I put ice packs on them and it relieved the pain immediately.  I also took a dose of motrin.  I was able to take a shower and get dressed without help today and that went fine.  I changed the dressing myself and looked at the incision.  Still no bleeding, which I constantly check for.  Everything seems to be doing good and I hope that continues.

The question of the day is still "What size are you?".  Now I get, "Do you like them?" a lot as well.  I will not know what size they are for awhile.  Maybe a few weeks or months.  I am wearing large sports bras mostly due to the swelling and they seem to be more comfortable.  I have also noticed that my zip up bra is more comfortable to sleep in at night.  I am still wearing a small in shirts and tank tops.  Yesterday I actually put on a shirt that is a medium and my friend came over to get my daughter and told me it looked too big on me! It's true that most of your clothes size don't change, you just look better in them!   As far as if I like them or not, well they just look really funny and weird right now!  They do look nice in my sports bras and in fitted shirts.  I do not like them naked at this point.  They really do look like torpedoes.  They haven't dropped much so they still sit very high up.  I heard girls talk about having the post-op Depression, and is wondering if it will hit me.  I did have a thought today, "What in the world did I do?" I'm still in awe that I actually went through with this, but is happy every time I get dressed, even if its just to put on pjs around the house.  I also did feel so bloated that I was thinking I can't wait until I can workout again.

All in all I am doing great and just continue to pray for great healing!

Haha...I'm still thinking of a name for them!

Breast Augmentation Post-Op Day 3

Most women say day 3 is the worst.  I have found that I felt really good today.  I did not feel pain all day, and didn't have to ice the girls.  I was able to get up and shower on my own.  I did need help changing the dressing on my incisions and getting dressed.  I was afraid to change the dressing because I did not want to see the incision.  Surprisingly it looked fine.  It looked as if it is healing well.  My worst fear is for it to be leaking blood like one you tuber I saw.  I showered with antibacterial soap and let the soap and water fall on the incision.  I did not wipe the area to not irritate it.  After showering I wiped the incision area with paper towels and my friend helped me to apply a thin layer of neosporin, and apply new gauze and tape.  We did notice the bruises only under one boob on one side (not near the incision).  It seemed to be better than last night.  I was able to change into the Large bra to not be so tight around my rib cage.

Today was the first day that I took the girls out of the house!  One of my friends (that had her girls done a year ago), came to take us to Target so I could get some more bras.  I can't survive on just two sports bras.  I was excited to get out the house, but got very nauseous on the car ride.  I was okay once we were in the store and I hailed to the red dot!  Seriously, Target is the devil.  I ALWAYS pay more than I intended to.  They were having a great clearance on clothes and for some reason I loved everything that I tried on!  What a curse these girls are already!  I ended up getting four bras, and a few more cute clothes.

Yes I know I went a bit overboard, but this is an accumulation of my shopping from all week.  These items are from H&M, Ross, and Target.  I am going on a trip to Vegas with the Hubby in a few weeks so I picked up some items for that as well.  I keep telling myself that I deserve it! Hey this has been one helluva 9 months of deployment!  As if my boobs weren't a present enough to myself LOL!

For those of you wondering, I got 375cc, silicone, smooth round, mentor implants.  At least that's what I think.  I haven't gotten my implant card yet.  Pre-op I measured at a 34A.  Today I tried on sports bras, and got larges in the ones in the picture.  I did get one regular bra that is similar to the sports bras in a Large as well.  It did not come in cup sizes.  There was another bra similar to it that I tried on in a 34C, and it was too small.  Right now I am still swelling, so it's really difficult to determine my true size.  I am just trying to get bras right now with good support and comfort.  The bras pictured ranged from $6-$16.99.

I was able to lift my arms all the way over my head today with no problems.  I was still careful when trying on bras and shirts to make sure that I do not pull anything, or over do it.  I felt really good all day besides the nausea.  I even tapered on my pain meds just taking all my meds twice a day instead of the pain meds every four hours. Later in the evening I swear I started to feel the implant moving around or dropping. I really can't explain what the proper term for this would be.  Perhaps it's air or bubbles moving around in there.  I did hear other girls report that theirs would make a gurgling sound and it's completely normal.  Because of this movement I kept checking my incision area to make sure everything is still in tact.  I took it easy the rest of the day.

Me multitasking in my little area

My other furry friend SGM Blue

Breast Augmentation Post-Op Day 2

Can we say please pass the ginger ale and saltines please?  So today has been a day full of nausea.  I have always known from previous experiences that anesthesia makes me nauseous.  Too bad today I ran out of the Zofran.  I pretty much layed down a lot and drank ginger ale and ate saltines.

I was able to sleep good last since I took the Ambien.  My friend said she woke me up to take my midnight meds and I was knocked out! She said she gave me my meds and I dropped them, so she gave me more and tried to make sure that I swallowed them.  I did wake up feeling refreshed for once in many months.  I didn't feel any pain or heaviness.  I was able to wash up and make myself semi presentable.  My arms didn't feel sore anymore so I could put on a tank top with help.

I wasn't in as much pain today.  I stayed on top of taking all of my meds on time.  My boobs looked like they dropped slightly.  They weren't as high up in my collar bone.  I can still feel them in my armpits.  The incisions looked fine when I peeped through the gauze.  I am still afraid to change it, but will do so tomorrow when I take a shower.  My incisions did itch a lot today, which again is a good sign of healing.  I did have bruising around the base of my boobs where my bra band sits.  I think it's due to my boobs swelling and the bra starting to get tighter.  I would periodically during the day unzip my bra to relieve some of the pressure.

Besides being itchy and nauseous all day, I felt pretty good.  I was able to walk around good and do a few things for myself.  I was also blessed with my friends coming by to visit.  One of my friends came by to bring me gauze, tape, and antibacterial soap for my shower tomorrow.  I was told that I could use a maxi pad or pantyliner to cover the incision, but I would prefer to have the same thing that is already on.  I also felt that the antibacterial soap that I have is too fragrant, and would not be clean enough for my incision. My friend also brought her little Maltese/Yorkie puppy to visit.  I was happy to have a lightweight snuggle buddy.

Isn't Gizmo just too cute for words? Best snuggle buddy ever!  She even had the nerve to lay on me and growl at the 110 lbs Great Dane across the room!

My neighbor came over to check on me and brought me food.  I had another friend come over and bring saltines and ginger ale due to her being concerned about my continued nausea.  Other visitors included another friend that brought over lunch from a Mediterranean restaurant.  I was able to eat a little but it was my first real meal post op.

All in all it was a better day.

Breast Augmentation Post-Op Day 1

Picture from Pinterest

I woke up this morning feeling nauseated again.  I had to remember to take the zofran with every med dose. I was able to stay laying down so that I would not throw up.  My appetite has still not returned.  I have been eating on fruit and a little soup to take my meds.  I spent the day taking naps, taking meds, and talking to my family and friends.  I even watched a few shows on my DVR.  I got a call from the PS office and the surgical center.  We discussed me showering and changing my dressings when I'm ready.  I'm chicken and want to wait another day or two.  I was able to wash myself up this morning and get dressed.  I am still wearing button up shirts and need help to put them on.  I make sure to do my arm exercises and is able to lift them more and more.

My symptoms today went back and forth with nausea all day.  I just made sure to take the zofran and continue to lay down.  My boobs still feel heavy, but also they feel very full and tight, much like engorgement with breastfeeding.  I also started to notice that the sides of rib cage hurts.  The nurse explained that the PS injects a numbing solution there so it is sore afterwards.  Besides all that, my incisions started to itch which is a good sign to show that they are healing.

I decided to be brave and look at my boobs without the bra.  My babysitter helped me to take my bra off and take a peek.  Yes they really do look like footballs.  We could tell that they are swollen, but look pretty good so far!  We checked the sides of my ribcage for bruising (there was none) due to that area irritating me. We tried on the other two bras that I have so that I know what size to get when I get more sports bras.  The 34 one from Walmart was too small, but the large one like the medium one I am currently wearing fits fine.

I am getting nauseous as I write this, so I will have to end with a little boob humor...

Picture from Pinterest

Day of Breast Augmentation Surgery

The day has finally come!  I didn't get any sleep the night before surgery.  I took the melatonin and it allowed me to sleep for about four hours.  I woke up early and went ahead and showered again with the antibacterial soap.  I re braided my hair and put on my cute PINK Victoria's Secret sweatsuit.  I went through my normal routine of feeding and taking the dog out, and getting the kids ready for school.  I dropped them off and came back home to wait for my friend to pick me up.  The waiting is the worst part!  It gives you more time to think. I did some last minute organizing of the house, and of course watching You Tube videos.  My friend arrived shortly and we left at 8:30 am to be at the surgical center at 9 am.

The car ride over was a little nerve wrecking.  Once we got to the surgical center and I checked in, I kept saying , "I can't believe I am doing this!"  As I mentioned before, I didn't know many people that had gotten plastic surgery done until recently.  I always figured it was something for people on tv or for young girls trying to make it in the industry (tv, movies, modeling, porn, etc).  Definitely not an average country girl like me!  My friend was able to help calm my nerves by making me laugh and telling me it's something I have always wanted.

I was called to the back soon after, and was asked to give a urine sample.  I assured the nurse that I am not pregnant, duh my husband is deployed.  She said she could not verify that with a laugh.  I gave my sample and went to my pre-op area.  Pretty much a bed with a curtain.  I was instructed to undress but was allowed to keep on my undies and socks.  I brought extra socks to keep my feet warm.

The part I was most nervous about in this whole process was getting the IV.  I hate needles.  The anesthesiologist came shortly to get that started.  It wasn't so bad because my friend was holding my hand (yes I am a big baby), and the nurses were asking me questions about my medical history.  Distraction is the key!  The needle was very small and a tiny pinch.  After that was over I was ready for whatever.  I met with my PS and he did his markings and asked me if I had any questions.  He went over a few things with me which made me feel a little more comfortable.  The nurse and I made small talk about my job as a counselor as he wheeled me into the OR.

When I thought about this experience, I wanted to be knocked out before going to the OR.  I guess the OR just seems like a scary place and like OMG this is really happening.  I was wheeled into the OR at 9:50 am. In the OR there was the PS and a lot of other people who immediately started to hook things up to me and stick stickers on me.  I made the comment that it felt like getting a c-section all over again with all of the people attending to me at once.  I then asked the PS if he had ever seen the series Nip Tuck.  He laughed and said he hasn't but gets that question all the time.  I told him he should watch it because it's a really good show.  Then the mask was put over my face and that was all that I remember.  It seemed like I woke up seconds later with the nurses calling my name and me asking if it was over yet. Later my friends told me that at 10:45 am they were told that I was done. The nurse kept me in recovery for a little while and had me to drink ginger ale and eat crackers.  Soon after my friends waiting for me were able to join me.  After I seemed to be doing well, the nurses helped me to get dressed.  They wanted to try me on the medium sports bra and thought that it was a little big and suggested that I definitely take the large bra back.  My friends commented that I looked good already! I was definitely pleased.

The car ride home was no fun.  I brought a pillow just in case my body was sensitive to bumps in the road, but that wasn't the problem.  First of all I felt like a ton of bricks were strapped to my chest.  Yes they were super heavy.  I also started to feel extremely nauseous.  That usually happens to me when I go under anesthesia.  My friend drove us to a sandwhich shop to get food for me to take my meds.  I was ready to get home to lay down.  I ended up taking a few bites of food, just enough to take my meds.  It was surprising that I was starving going into the surgery center, but when I could eat, I had no appetite.  I made my bed on my couch and tried to get through the nausea feeling.

The rest of the evening went fine.  I stayed up to take my next dose of meds.  My kids came home and were very gentle with me.  They didn't ask any questions since my babysitter had already explained to them that I wasn't feeling well.  I still didn't have an appetite and ended up eating yogurt to take my meds.

The night wasn't too bad.  It was weird not sleeping on my side, but sleeping upright in the recliner.  I kept waking up because of that, and the dog in his crate moving around.  I also kept waking up to make sure I took my meds on time.  The only pain I was in was the heaviness and it being hard to breathe.  I kept looking into my bra to make sure my breasts were not turning colors or that my incision wasn't leaking.  I was all in the clear!

Day Before Breast Augmentation

How am I feeling at this point? I have gotten this question only a trillion times and I feel that its quite normal for me to feel NERVOUS and EXCITED!  Surprisingly today, I haven't been nervous at all.  I have been so busy all day running errands, trying to get things done I wont get to in a few weeks, getting my eyebrows done (can't go in surgery looking a hot mess), and of course SHOPPING!

The highlight of my day was definitely shopping all day with my friend.  For some reason I felt that I loved how everything looked on me that I tried on today.  That's not a good thing for me because I wanted to buy it all.  I don't know if it's the p90x3 or just my envisioning of how the boobs will make my clothes just pop!

Besides shopping I packed my bag to take to surgery.  I am taking:
pillow (for car ride home)
surgery center paperwork
eyeglasses case
lotion
chapstick
thick socks
wallet
front closure sports bras
medicine

That's about it.  I also made sure to set up my bed with all my pillows for when I am ready to sleep in my bed at night.  I set up my recliner with blankets, pillows, and a table with my gadgets (ipad, kindle, laptop, etc) to have near me when I come home.  I plan to sleep in the recliner at least the first few nights.

I showered with my antibacterial soap and will do so again in the morning. I was told that I can put lotion on my face, arms and legs but not on or near my breasts.  I plan to eat a mini meal at 11:00 pm so that I am not super hungry in the morning considering I am used to eating every few hours, and as soon as I wake up in the mornings.  I have not been able to sleep good the past few nights, so tonight I will take some melatonin.

Tonight I took my "before" pictures as well.  I took them bra less in a few tops and dresses that I wanted to see what the difference would be.  Today I wore the dress pictured below that has a built in bra.  So when trying on clothes I didn't have a bra and could really see the lack of volume and fullness on me.  All day my friend and I talked about how great my boobs will look in these clothes after and pretty much in everything!  I think at this point, now I have her boob obsessed!

Weekend Before Breast Augmentation

RELAX, RELATE, RELEASE, and BREATHE!!!!!!!!!!!

To be honest, I'm not as nervous as I thought I would be at this point.  All weekend I have been super busy trying to get everything in order for my babysitter that will be staying with us all week to care for the kids and dog.  I have also been trying to prepare for post op healing.  I spent my weekend pretty much doing all our laundry so that I won't have it to do post op. I finally was done with laundry Sunday night.  I also cleaned my entire house from top to bottom.  I feel like I wont be able to thoroughly clean my house for awhile, and if you know me, you know that I am a neat freak!  I made sure to go grocery shopping and stocked my house with a lot of fruits and vegetables that would be best for healing, foods for my babysitter that she would like, quick foods and snacks for the kids, and easy foods for me to be able to take with meds such as yogurt.  I also did a little meal prepping and made some foods to have for all of us to eat on, I made a huge salad, and cut up a lot of fruits to easily be able to grab when needed.

Foods that I researched to have on hand to promote healing were clean foods and foods that are high in Vitamin C.  A friend of mine told me to make sure that I have good sources of protein as well.

Avocados
Pineapple
Berries
Mango
Kiwi
Oranges
Apples
Tomatoes
Banana
Spinach
Coconut Water
Pomegranate Juice
Water
Protein Bars
Hummus
Baby Carrots
Lettuce
Boiled Eggs
Oatmeal
Ginger Ale
Grilled Salmon
Grilled Chicken
Grilled Asparagus

I'm sure I left some things out, but you get the idea.  Clean Eating! I want to put clean foods in my body to give it the best chances at healing.

Despite cleaning and doing laundry night and day, I took the kiddos to Walmart to do a little shopping and we had a great dinner together at Qudoba!  I have been trying to get a lot of cuddles in with them because it will be awhile before they can really be near me without me flinching or thinking it will hurt.  

I forgot to mention that I woke up Sunday morning thinking it was Monday.  I was thinking, "OMG I have surgery tomorrow!".  It will be interesting to see how I feel tomorrow.  I am hoping to not be nervous and freaking myself out! I will keep my eyes on the final prize! Tata until tomorrow!

Items for Surgery and Healing

As I mentioned in my previous blog I am boob obsessed! In fact I think I have been obsessed with boobs all my life! You can ask any of my close family members and friends that I constantly ask if they will give me their boobs.  In being obsessed, I have done a ton of research.  I could probably write my own book on this topic.  Anyhoo, I have looked up all the items I think I will need for my surgery and to make things easier and more comfortable for me after surgery.  

Let's start with one thing...or a few things that I won't be needing....a million 34A super padded bras!

I'm still trying to figure out what to do with all of these!

Now on to what I will need!

My sisterger made the comment that she is so excited because now I can be like all the Real Housewives of (Insert City) in having my boob job.  To complete the look I just had to get a zip up hoodie outfit to wear to my surgery.  It is only fitting that it comes from Victoria's Secret!

I picked these up 2 weeks ago for just a few bucks at the Commissary.  I started taking them every morning so that they can be in my system good for after surgery.  Vitamin C helps to support the immune system.  I will be taking these maybe a few weeks/months post-op as well.  I want to give my body the best chance of healing greatly!

After my pre-op appt I went to Wal-mart to get a few more items.  I picked up some gel ice packs to help with bruising and swelling post-op.  The antibacterial soap is to clean my body with pre and post op to make sure that my incisions stay clean.  I also got one more front closure sports bra for $9.99.  This one I got in a 34 and it has clamps instead of a zipper.  I will put this bra with the other two for my PS to decide which one will fit the best.  Even if this bra is not put on me after the surgery, I think it will still be very comfortable and helpful in case the zipper bras irritate me.

I found these super cute pj's at Wal-mart as well.  The Mickey Mouse bottoms were $7.99 and the tank top was $3.88.  I am hoping that I will be able to wear a tank top within my week of recovery.  I really wanted to have cute pj's to lounge around the house in!

Yesterday I got this bed table tray from Bed Bath and Beyond for $14.99.  I originally ordered a really nice one that matches my bedroom furniture from Amazon, but it came unassembled and was not like the product I ordered, so I sent it back.  I figured this simple table will do for now.  I just wanted to have something to of course put my laptop (and food on) while I continue to write this blog to document my journey through recovery.

I got a body pillow and cover from Target both for $9.99 each.  I read that at least for the first week I would need to sleep propped up, so I wanted to have as many comfy pillows as possible surrounding me on my bed.

I was instructed to bring my own front closure sports bra to the surgery.  My Mom is a hair stylist at a department store called Belk's, so I asked her to look for the bras there for me.  I saw a lot of videos where girls had a difficult time finding the bras and said that they were easier to find in department stores.  I had looked myself at a few local places but the bras came in cup sizes and I won't know my cup size for awhile.  My Mom picked me up a Large and a Medium bra so that I could take both in and the PS could determine which one will fit.  Both bras were on sale and came up to be $30 total.  I think they were close to $50 regularly a piece.

At this point, I feel that I am well prepared! Now I just want it over with!

Change of Plans and Pre-Op Appt

Yes, once again I had to change the date of my surgery!  This time it was not because of my dog, but because of the Army.  I originally rescheduled my date to March 25, 2014, so that if anything went wrong in the grand scheme of life in general, my husband would be home to help and handle things.  His return date to home changed several times.  Finally he got a return date for right around the time of my surgery.  I did not want to have to worry about homecoming and preparing for surgery.  I also didn't want to be healing right when he would come home.  I decided not to postpone my surgery to April due to us pre-planning family activities and trips that I expected to be healed for.  My only option was to have it earlier.  I was more than happy with this because at that point I was just ready to have the surgery done!  I changed my surgery date to Tuesday March 11, 2014.

Boob Job Humor. Picture from Pinterest

On Monday, March 3, 2014, I went for my pre-op appointment.  I first met with the Patient Advisor (PA) and she went over a lot of paperwork with me.  She explained the procedure again, and all of the do's and don'ts.  My surgery will be at an outpatient surgery center.  She went over in depth the possible risks and complications and how they are handled.  I was able to ask her a lot of questions.  I was really concerned about healing.  I want to do everything to promote the best healing for my body.  She assured me that considering I have had two c-sections, this surgery will be easier to recover from.  That made me feel better considering my husband won't be here to help out.  I have an awesome crew of friends that are going to be helping the kids and I out.

Previously, on the phone, I discussed with the PA that I was thinking about changing my size.  I have watched probably thousands of you tube videos of other girls' journey and a lot of them talked about making sure you chose the right size.  It was common for women to wish they had gone bigger.  I kept thinking about this and decided if I'm paying all this money, and is going to go through with this, I might as well "go big or go home".  I am just kidding! No I do not want to look like a porn star, but I do want to look like a girl with a nice rack!

The PA first had me to get undressed, and my PS (plastic surgeon) came in to see me again.  He measured me again and determined that due to my frame and current breast tissue, that the largest he could fill me is to 375 cc's.  I thought this was perfect because that is exactly what I wanted.  In reality I was only going up 25 cc's from what I originally chose.  Originally I chose 325 cc's but the PS would automatically insert a 350 cc implant because when you go under the muscle you lose volume so you get filled 25 cc's higher than what you chose to achieve the look you want.  So him filling me to 375 cc's would give me the look of the 350 cc's that I had tried on before.  Yes the ones I thought were too big.  I think at that time I was trying to be very modest.  At this point I am boob obsessed and modesty has been thrown out the window!  I tried on the 375 cc's and I felt they looked "ginormous" on me.  I think this is solely because I have never had boobs in my life so anything looks big on me, to me.  I did like how they made me look slimmer and finally proportioned my hips and thighs out.  I have always felt larger than I am due to me being bottom heavy.  Now I feel like my body will be balanced out.  I didn't feel that I looked that bottom heavy anymore.  I loved what I saw!

I was also given my prescriptions at this appointment.  My PS does not usually prescribe an antibiotic, but did so with no problems when I requested it.  I saw that a lot of other girls were prescribed an antibiotic just to ward off any infections, so I asked for the same to be safe than sorry.  Besides the antibiotic I was also prescribed:

Percocet (for pain)
Ambien (for sleeping)
Motrin (for pain, swelling, and bruising)
Zofran (for nausea)

The appointment ended with the PA taking pictures of my old boobs.  My husband asked if I was going to take my own pictures of my old boobs.  No thanks! I do not want pictures of them! I don't want to look at them now!  After my photo shoot, I had to fork over the most money I have ever spent at one time on myself.  I wanted to cringe at the number, but felt good that for once in my life I was doing something for myself!  Go me!

My surgery is a week away and I am of course screaming with excitement, but also a ball of nerves!  After paying for my surgery I now feel like, "OMG I really have to go through with this now!".  "I can't believe I am going to do this!"