Why did you decide to get cosmetic surgery?
I lost 120 pounds through diet and exercise. While working out with a personal trainer, he told me I wouldn't see any more significant aesthetic changes without undergoing surgery. I was in excellent shape and had even run a half-marathon. After sitting at a plateau for two years, I decided it was time to make my body match my new healthy and active lifestyle.
What procedure(s) did you have done?
Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) and Brachioplasty (removal of excess skin from upper arms).
How did you pick which surgeon to use?
Word of mouth recommendations followed up by research. My surgeon always made me feel comfortable because of his confidence in me.
What did you do to prepare yourself for the surgery, emotionally, physically, and
mentally?
Emotionally, I spent a lot of time examining who I was and why I was making the decision to proceed with something as drastic as surgery. I knew that I was grounded in the fact that having surgery wouldn't change who I was or how I viewed myself. I simply saw it as the next logical step in supporting my healthy, active, lifestyle. As one of my friends put it, I was simply finishing what I already started. This helped me keep things in perspective.
Physically, I continued my healthy habits of working out and eating right. For the month prior to surgery, your doctor should have specific recommendations to help enhance the experience. I took care of myself and was certain to get in at least 45 minutes of cardio per day to reduce the risk of getting a blood clot. This was also helpful since undergoing surgery is a traumatic event for your body and it's difficult to get back into your normal routine. Pushing things too hard too fast opens up room for all sorts of complications.
Mentally, I took the time to visualize myself undergoing the entire process, from what it would feel like to finally make the decision to going in the morning of the operation, to being out of my regular routine for weeks afterwards. I'd never had an operation so the entire process was a mystery to me. I had dinner with a friend who is an anesthesiologist just to discuss what things are like in the operating room. It might sound a little crazy, but I actually imagined having the excess skin cremated and scattering the ashes at sea, not something I'd actually want to do, but I feel it was important to visualize that portion of my body actually being removed. In the after-effects, it really doesn't feel as strange as I had anticipated, having a portion of my body removed. I also spent time reviewing the stories of other people who had undergone similar procedures. It helped to see before and after photos and hear how pleased people were with their results. I also emailed the friend of a friend who had the same procedure done three years ago to get an insider’s perspective on what I was about to go through.
Do you feel you were sufficiently prepared for the surgery? Were you aware of what the surgery would entail?
I was as ready as I could be. There's nothing that can ever fully prepare you for this kind of decision, and there's no way to describe exactly what it's going to be like for anyone because every experience is unique. I anticipated being pretty much immobile for a month, and that was fairly accurate. I made preparations to be able to work from home as soon as I was sober enough to do so. Still, I was surprised at how quickly things wore me out. I'm a very driven person and I don't like to be held back, but in the weeks following my surgery, my body was definitely in control of what I could handle when. I was also very fortunate to have a wonderful support network of family and friends. It's important to have different people you can call on for different needs. One of my friends enjoys medical stuff and was perfectly comfortable being in the exam room with me on follow up visits and another brought me dinner and movies almost every night for two weeks. Make plans that will help you keep your sanity and feel as normal as possible.
What surprised you most about the entire experience?
How incredible my friends are and how impatient I am with myself.
What do you most look forward to about your new figure?
Even though I'm still very swollen after 5 weeks, my stomach is already looking flat, and I've got an amazing hourglass shape. It's incredible to feel normal, like I match the rest of the world. I can already feel an increase in my confidence, and I'm excited to see what this new body can do! Can't wait until I'm able to run again.
What would you change or do differently about the process if you could do it all over again?
At this point, nothing. I feel I picked the right surgeon at the right time after putting the right effort into building a healthy, active life. I'm confident that my new body will only enhance decisions I've already made.