Finally - they're mine! (Pics)

I just had my post op yesterday and the Dr. was very happy with her work!  I am happy with her work too.  I definitely had a blonde moment .. well two. lol First my appointment was Thursday instead of Friday, like I thought.  Second being where my stitches/staples were.  I had sterry strips on the sides and under my foobs so I figured that is where the stitches/staples were.  When I first saw my chest I though, wow, that was a big incision but I didn't second guess my Dr. and went with it.  She took the sterry strips off (ouch) and said that the strips were underneath for support.  lmao I felt so dumb but glad it was a small incision.  My Dr. said she wouldn't have made me look like Frankenstein.  (I thought more than I already look.)  I will show you the pics before my appointment and then after I cleaned up my wounds and finally took a nice warm shower!

I can't get over how different it feels from the expanders to the implants.  These awkwardly, hard shaped things in my chest versus soft, round silicon implants.  They move now!  I can cross my arms across my chest!  It hurt when I did it, but it won't hurt forever!!  I want to touch them but that hurts too so I only touch softly sometimes. lol  I put a sports bra on too!!  The Dr. said that I always need to wear a sports bra for 4-6 weeks.  I must say, I don't miss wearing one but at some level its comfortable too.  For those who are curious - I am wearing a 40DD.  I don't know if I am really that big since I am swollen but I am definitely a D!!  I will try on actual bras when my staples are out and I am fully healed! 

I still have no regrets.


Before the appointment, I took a lot of pictures lol

 

I JUST realized that the makes underneath the strips are marker!  I thought they were stitches. haha I feel so stupid but its really funny too!  Also on both sides there are little bumps where my first incision is.  Those will go away.  Part of the yellow you see is bruising and part is iodine that wasn't washed off, yet. 

 

 One thing I hate about surgery is tape and the tape adhesive.  Sometimes taking that stuff off hurts worse!  And its ugly!  The yellow on my fooby is a bruise; that wouldn't wash off.

More bruising... I had a little more bruises a few days after surgery, but these are taken 1 week after.  So a lot of purple, yellow, and pink/red going on.

My view .. looks like I decided to take these pictures in the midst of my daughters mess. haha.  You can see more bruising on the left side.  The Dr. said that was side needed the most attention putting back together.

After!!!!  You see bruising, of coarse.  My left side (your right) looks larger which the Dr. attributed to the fact that it needed the extra attention.  The red underneath is what happens to my skin when tape is removed, takes a small layer of skin off. :(

 6 staples on the right

 

4 staples on the left.

 

And on a non-related note ... I graduated UNLV on Tuesday, 12/17!!!!  It was a long tiring day since it was only 4 days post surgery but I did it!!!!!  :)

Inflation - 850cc's!!!! (Pics)

After a 3 week waiting period, I received another inflation.  I was starting to get really self conscious about my right breast so I asked if I could receive more saline on that side.  I was just thinking like an extra 15cc's but the Dr. said that it is usually about a 50 cc difference.  So I received a total of 150 cc's last Thursday!  100 in my right and 50 in my left and it made a big difference, definitely evened them out in the appearance of volume.  The unusual part was how my right side felt during the inflation, like my expander shifted a bit.  I felt that twice.  In addition to that, it seemed like the corner of the expander was sticking out, you can kind of see it in my pictures but it isn't as predominant as the first 2 days. 

The day of the inflation there was dull pain but I felt that at any moment I was going to get a shooting pain but that never came.  It wasn't until the next night that I felt the pain and I couldn't sleep.  I had a heating pad on my chest the whole night and kept my 800 mg Ibuprofen as close as I keep my cell phone.  Today, 6 days later, I feel a lot better, just some pain here and there, but nothing out of the ordinary.  I went in to see my Dr. the following Monday, just to make sure I was feeling ok, didn't need a deflation (I thought that I might for 2 days) and check my expander cause it was really sticking out. (I meant to take a picture but never got around to it.) 

I go back to the Dr. in 2 weeks for a possible inflation.  I am satisfied with my size.  I even tried on bras to see what cup size 850 cc's really was.  I am a 38 D!  I took a picture on my phone, I will have to add that later; I made sure I tried on a pretty bra. lol  I have heard that women go 50 over what they really want so my next inflation will be my last.  Very, very exciting news, I am really reaching the end!!!! 

Before you move on to the pictures, please keep in mind that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  Last year  I was determined to get my genetic test done in October, as this has been hanging over my head for around 10 years when my sister found out she had cancer and the BRCA 1 gene mutation.  I urge you to at least get a mammogram, go see your GYN for your annual exam, if you have a family history of breast cancer, get the BRCA test.  Yes, this stuff costs money but payment plans are always available.  Just be aware!  Know your options!  If not for yourself, your family.... Just do it!

 

 My left side still has the appearance of more volume, my right side is higher (the pictures show opposite sides), but overall, these are good results given the fact that they are just for expanding the muscle and skin.  I have seen photos of women where their breasts are ovals on one side, one noticeable higher than the other (just during the expansion, not with implants) so I am happy with how lucky I got with these results.  I can wear a low cut shirt and be proud of my cleavage!!  Even if I was considerably lopsided, I still would consider myself lucky because I don't have cancer! 

Last weeks inflation! 450cc's

I am still in a bit of pain but not too bad so I took some pictures.  My chest feels heavy and it is still painful with or without a sports bra.  I have settled in with the fact that the remainder of my inflations are going to come with pain and I will probably be in constant, but minor, pain until I receive (and heal) from the implants.  With that said, I still do not regret my decision. 


450 cc's!  I think 2-3 more inflations and I will be done!  I'm fairly tall, athletic build, so I think my body can handle bigger breasts.  Time will tell!  I can always take out saline if I don't like them. :)

200 cc's! (Pictures)

A week late, but here are the pictures from my last inflation!  I had to restore my entire computer because I kept getting errors and black screens. 

So far, I've had 200 cc's of saline inflations and I was informed that I started off at 150 cc's when I had my surgery!!!  A total of 350 cc's, baby!  I've read on a few websites that 150 cc's of saline is equivilent to a cup size.  That makes me a good sized B cup. lol  I have another inflation tomorrow and then I will move into a C cup.. I'm excited!! 

I've had some pain, but I think it is because my son is not careful around me anymore.  His elbows, hands, knees, feet, and head seems to hit my left fooby multiple times a day, so I've been in pain.

Another inflation tomorrow!  Usually it takes me a few days to upload pics because I have to scrub the marker ink off my skin where the Dr. is going to put the needle in for the inflation.  I should just take a pic of that .. for the full effect! lol

 

 They look HUGE here! lol

 

 

 Right side

 

 

 Left Side

 

150 cc's! (Pics)

This last inflation felt a bit different than previously.  I kind of felt myself blowing up with saline and it was more painful than previously and it lasted about 2 days.  I feel my range of movement decreasing and because of the pain (and exhaustion) I didn't go to physical therapy.  Sleeping has been a bit more uncomfortable too; laying on my back is the only position that isn't painful.  I USE to be a stomach sleeper!  lol

Each week is a little different than the previous - physically and emotionally.  I try to stay strong, but honestly, my self esteem is decreasing.  I don't want to say it is because of my physical appearance, even though I want to lose weight but because I can't do a lot of things, especially exercise.  Its is getting hot here in Vegas, I love this weather.  I love being by the pool in the sun and I can't because of my antibiotics, it specifically advises to stay out of direct sunlight.  I love playing softball and that reason is obvious as to why I can't play .. for a while and right now seems like it is going to take way too long.  Sometimes I get sharp pains in my breast and I feel uncomfortable when I am at work because I hold myself in hopes that it will go away.  I feel like I am going to get written up because I am essentially feeling my self up at work (that part is a little funny). 

Even though I have these downs my attitude does go back up.  With all of these hurdles previously and the ones that I will face, I have no regrets.  Given the chance, I would do this all again.  Its worth not having the risk of breast cancer over your head.

Now on to the pictures... it doesn't seem like a huge difference, but I feel that it is!