Surgery Tomorrow

[realist85]

Hey everyone, thanks for the advice on the board. I've been trolling since last November, and am finally going ahead for surgery tomorrow morning with Elliot Jacobs. I probably won't be able to sleep for while, and will have to resist food and drink temptation for now.

In so many interconnected ways, this condition has affected my life and prevented me from being the confident, assertive person I know inside. Hopefully, this will change that. I am so nervous. I don't know what I fear more: 3 months down the line, and my chest looks the same, or 3 years down the line, and I am EXACTLY the same (socially anxious) person post successful op.

Oh well, here goes nothing. I took alot of pics today. Will post after I can upload them.

I'm going to Europe in 2 months, so I was really hoping that it somewhat resolves itself by then. Will debrief tomorrow evening. Man, I haven't got laid in awhile. That better change.

[mattmando]

good luck man wish ya the best

[Grandpa Bambu]

Good luck Dude!

GB

[realist85]

Thanks for the well wishes.

Yeah I'm back. All I remember is staring at the ceiling and then they told me to sit up so they could put the vest on. I remember reading about the excision v. lipo discussion and was afraid that he wouldn't excise, but he ended up doing that. I had some scar tissue from my previous surgery 6 years ago that he couldn't get out with lipo.

The worst part was the car ride home: sitting in nyc traffic and having nothing to distract me from the diminishing local anesthesia.

I'll be honest: there is pain. I'm just trying to distract myself with movies and taking frequent pain killers. Hopefully it will diminish by Sunday so I can get some hw done while I'm housebound. Any suggestions?

[realist85]

Yup excision with lipo, though I was very worried that it would just be lipo.

The pain last night was around an 8, but today its been less than a 6, so I just took light pain killers.

Tomorrow is also the time I get to see my chest for the first time. I'm actually more nervous about that than I was for the operation. I'll know whether there's any hope for a normal life.

[realist85]

I really hope you are right, Denver.

Before the surgery, I had noticeably more tissue on the right side. I don't know whether it was breast tissue or scar tissue from my previous op.

Anyway, for the last 2 days I've noticed that the right side protrudes more and feared the worst.
I took off the garment today and my left side was pretty much flat. I was happy.

Then, I removed the bandages on the right side and it totally stuck out. There was a small change from the original, but definitely theres a protruding mass. I really hope its from the swelling. The surgeon said he did more surgery on the right side, so could that be why? I really hope its just swelling. After all, if all the fat, breast, and scar tissue was taken out during surgery, what could be left?

Realistic expectations is being able to take my shirt off at the beach and not getting laughed at, right? 

[realist85]

Will post some pics as soon as I have camera access. Took many b4 picks.

Jacobs charged 6,350 + 850 for anesthesiologist.

[Grandpa Bambu]

Wow....  $7200. That's a tad steep.  However, to be rid of your gyne, it's worth every penny!

GB

[realist85]

That's what my philosophy was. The money doesn't mean shit in the long run.

So I had my follow up yesterday, and the doc said that the right and the left will be (and were right after surgery) symmetrical and flat. So, now, its just a waiting game. I hope that at least it will go away b4 I go backpacking around in Europe on June 10. He said a couple of months. I think its doable.

And, as he said, there will be shooting pain and itching. All have happened. I suppose its a normal part of the tissue regaining feeling and healing. It's not too bad, just a little irritating once in while.

[reaper33]

was this your second surgery? how come you had scar tissue prior to surgery? and if your doc says he worked more on the right side, then should it not look better than the left?

[realist85]

Yes this is my second surgery. My first surgery was in 2002 when I was 16, and the procedure wasn't as well known. I went to a general plastic surgeon, who actually skipped town and disappeared shortly after the surgery. She probably screwed up on my right side, which would account for the scar tissue.

Good luck Matt, hopefully the surgeon is ready to do exactly what you want to be done. Beaches in August sounds gr8.

Yeah, he had to work more on my right side because of the scar tissue, and I guess that the more work has to be done, the more swelling post op? Hopefully that's why theres so much swelling. Will post week by week pics once I can transfer.

[realist85]

I posted some pics of pre op and like 2 weeks post op on

http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z169/realist85/

Weird update. I stopped wearing my vest last Thursday, as it was the 3 weeks mark post op (April 12-May 3). Anyway, I still had some rock hard stuff in my right side. So, last night I decided to wear my vest and boom, woke up today morning and there's about 35% less mass on the right side than there was last night. Hopefully if I wear the vest as often as possible I'll be good to go for Europe on June 10. Will soon update with pics of the 3 and 5 weeks mark.

[realist85]

Hey, this is really weird. It seems the mass goes down overnight when I wear the vest but comes back during the day if I don't wear it throughout the day. I'm 4 weeks post op, have followup appt next week.

[Grandpa Bambu]

Yeah, I've read in the past that others say the same thing.

GB