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| A Personal Story: Breast Implants (Three Weeks Post) |
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I am a 26-year-old mother of two boys, ages two and three. After my second son was born, I realized that I would never have "perky" breasts again! It was a very sad realization. Even more depressing for me was when I found that I could no longer wear my favorite clothes and feel good in them.
Contemplating Breast Surgery
For the next two years, I periodically considered breast implants. At first, I simply assumed that implants would be way beyond my means. Then I started thinking about financing options for surgery. I laughed at first. How could I ever finance boobs?
Beyond the financial question, there were other questions. I knew of friends that had gotten implants. Some were happy with the results, and some weren’t sure if they had made the right decision. None of the other women I knew of were mothers, so I couldn’t quite relate to them.
Trying to Cope with the Size of My Breasts
In the meantime, I tried the "miracle" bras and the "water" bras. Finally I said to my husband, "Enough is enough. I want to be able to wear a tank top, a halter top, or a sundress and not have to worry about looking like a teenager going through puberty!"
We discussed it several times, talked about the risks, the cost, and the outcomes. We finally agreed to start looking into it seriously.
Doing My Homework
Before I visited any plastic surgeons I wanted to do as much of my own research as I possibly could. I don’t exactly have lots of free time to spend in doctor’s offices. I’m sure many of you can relate to that. So I decided to explore the Internet.
After a bit of surfing, I found eBody.com. This site is awesome! I could see before and after pictures, research surgeons, find out about costs, and even watch a video on how the surgery is performed.
The Personal Consultation
After much research on eBody.com, I contacted a plastic surgeon close to my home and scheduled a consultation. First impressions are very important to me, and I felt very comfortable with the office surroundings, staff, and the surgeon. We talked about the surgery, recovery, and what size I wanted to be. He answered all my questions. In fact, I was so pleased with everything; I scheduled my surgery right then and there for three weeks later.
Before Surgery Jitters
The night before surgery I was so nervous I could hardly sleep. I was worried about the pain. My doctor had told me to be prepared to be sore for the first few days following the procedure; I should be up and around three days following surgery. That concept led to my second worry: that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with my boys for a while.
The morning of surgery, I woke up with second thoughts. I wondered if I were doing the right thing. Still, I thought about how happy I would be after the surgery!
Going Under
Once at the surgeon’s office, the staff prepped me. The last thing I remember is the anesthesiologist telling me that I would start feeling very relaxed and then I was out!
My Recovery
I awoke with a very sore throat (from the anesthesia tube). I felt like I had a truck parked on my chest. It was painful. I stayed in the recovery room for about an hour or so. I was pretty drowsy, and I don’t really remember very much about that period.
During the ride home, every little bump in the road made me wince. Once home, I took a pain pill and went straight to bed. I spent the rest of the day moving in and out of drowsy sleep. To top it off, I felt a little nauseated – probably from the pain medication – and I couldn’t eat anything.
I slept on and off all night and woke up the next morning feeling pretty good. I could walk around of course, but it was painful to move my arms. Until you go through something like this, you have no idea how many different muscles groups are linked to your chest muscles.
That morning, I had an appointment to have the bandages removed. My husband referred to it as "the unveiling." My breasts were very swollen and I felt extremely top heavy. But I remembered that the surgeon had told me swelling was normal, so I didn’t worry.
After the unveiling, I was able to come home and shower. Have you ever tried washing your hair without being able to lift your arms up?
That day I was still taking pain medication every 4 to 6 hours, but by the evening I was really starting to come around.
What to Tell My Children
My children didn’t understand what was wrong with Mommy. They didn’t understand why they couldn’t cuddle with me or lie down with me. Since they are so young, we didn’t tell them that I had surgery. We said that Mommy had "owies" and that they had to be careful.
The third day was much better, and it’s been uphill from there.
It’s now three weeks to the day since my surgery. I don’t feel any pain now. For the first couple of weeks, it felt like I had pulled a muscle in my chest. My nipples are still numb, but my surgeon said that was normal. It could take six weeks for me to regain feeling in them.
Best Decision Ever
How do I feel? Great! How do I look? Well, I went from a 34A cup to a 36D cup. My husband and my friends thought I was going to look huge, but I’m 5’7 and weigh 140lbs. My new breasts are very proportionate to my size. Everyone says they fit me just right! And I’m already wearing all kinds of new clothes that I have never been able to wear before.
If you’re thinking about having breast implants, do your research and go for it. It’s the best thing I ever did for myself!
A personal story from Michelle B., an eBody viewer, who had breast augmentation surgery in May 2000.
Getting Started
If you are considering a cosmetic medical procedure, consult a board-certified plastic surgeon about the process, risks, recovery time and costs. For confidential, personalized information at no cost or obligation, use the Find A Specialist tool to find a board-certified plastic surgeon near you. It’s your first step to looking and feeling better today!
Share your thoughts and questions about breast enlargement surgery in the discussion Forums.
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Learn more about breast augmentation now.
Learn about other plastic surgery procedures to consider in addition to breast augmentation.
To search for information about other ways to enhance your appearance, visit the eBody home page now. |
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