Hi my names Dave. I was once a member here awhile back. I started an account about 4 years ago under the profile name of Dave_8 with a smurf as my profile pic. I found out about gynecomastia when I was 15. I am now 22. I had 4 stars as a member and was so close to becoming a senior member with 5 stars but forgot my account password lol anyways I decided to stop by and read the stories of others to remind myself how far I've come from that eager 15 year old boy who wanted nothing to do with this medical condition to being the man that I am today. I look back and can't help but be humble by how ridiculous gynecomastia can affect and basically ruin your life. I've gone through what almost everyone here has gone through. The teasing, coming up with excuses not to swim, and walking hunched over while walking to conceal the embarrassment that stuck out in the chest area. It's hard being the joke of the family and circle of friends. Well I'm here to tell my story and my journey to happiness. It's quite long but I'll cut it down and get to the point. When I was 18, I had saved over $500 over the years little by little since I was still in school and couldn't find a job. So after graduation I picked up a job at a 24 hour diner. I had a gf at the time, whom, at that age due to the lack of maturity I believed was the world to me. Well within a month of working, my father left for work and disappeared for 2 weeks. No call, no show. Days later, I receive a phone call from him telling me he wasn't coming back home and that my mother, my 2 year old sister, and I had 1 more month left on the lease before we had to move out. And, in that same night, my girlfriend called and confessed she had cheated on me and wanted to break up. I had little money saved and no where near my goal of $10,000. I literally hit rock bottom. I lost everything. My home, my confidence, even my little shred of hope. Sad to say, I was contemplating on ending my life. The only thing that kept me going however was my large family, close friends, and this message board. This place was my home away from home. I looked up to Grandpa Bambu an headheldhigh and the other senior members. I even dropped my scholarships because school would have had to wait til I got settled. After a few months have gone by, I slaved away at the diner. I once cried while scrubbing the toilets. I was humbled. We moved in with my uncle who has a large family, so we crammed together in his place. I no longer had the privacy and comfort I once had. But I was grateful. One day at work, it was the busiest day of the year. And one old lady pulled me to the side, looked me in the eyes, and told me "I can see you're in pain and going through hard times. Keep working hard and you'll find your peace soon." She then slipped me a $50 bill and smiled. I felt chills because she was either psychic or someone on this message board had told her my secret. But that gave me a tremendous boost of confidence. So after a few moths of saving up, I found a few threads on here about them having surgery with a Surgeon in Tj Mexico. It was cheap, and I was desperate. So after countless hours of research, saving, and planning. I made the trip to San Diego. From there I would travel to Mexico, and get it taken care of. The thing was, I only had $500 to spend on food, and motels, and travel. I ADVISE NO ONE TO DO THIS WITHOUT PLANNING AND HAVING EXTRA RESOURCES. I was lucky, here's why. Upon my arrival in SD, I was about to take a nap in the Starbucks, I arrived around midnight and surgery was in the morning at 7. As I'm about to dose off, I hear 2 women talking who spoke the same language as me. I'm an islander by the way. I ran looking for them before they got picked up from their father. They worked at the airport. I greeted them, we spoke for awhile, and they offered to take me in for 2 weeks for free. So that night, I slept in their house. Their father drove me to the boarder and told me to call him when I'm back in the states. They thought I was getting surgery on my ribs. So as I entered Mexico, I took a taxi. Got to the clinic, got examined, and went through it. Woke up in a bed, dozed off, then woke up again around 7pm. Before the surgery I met with a man who I met through here. We exchanged emails weeks before I arrived and he asked the doctor to schedule his check up on the day of my surgery since he went through his 3 weeks before. So as I left, I took the taxi back to the boarder called for my ride, and slept. Coincidentally, my cousins gf was in Mexico as well. He and her were going through a break up and she found out I was in Mexico for "rib surgery" so she told me to spend a week with her and her family. So after a few days I went back to Mexico, took a bus, nearly got lost in a city I was unfamiliar with, but finally found her. She took me to her huge house, family was rich, and felt like a celebrity for an entire week. I was a new person. After a week had passed I left back to Tj for check up, and told the doc I would have my stitches removed back in the states. I live in Washington BTW. I stayed a few more days at the house of the people I met at the airport. I then came to find out the old woman who lived there was friends with my grandfather back in her childhood days since she recognized my last name. They drove me to the airport and I flew back. Few weeks later I went to the hospital and got my stitches removed. For about 1 and half months I was wearing a compression garment to keep from swelling. I remember taking it off for the first time, putting on a shirt, and walking outside. It was summer. I walked past my car and looked at myself in the reflection. I had no more breasts. I had a lean chest. I almost fainted. My knees got weak and I felt like crying. I hopped in my car and did just that. All of the struggle, torment and troubles had been washed away. The GREATEST FEELING IN THE WORLD. My mother, father, and cousin were the only ones who knew about my condition. They were surprised with how different I looked and behaved. My mother, sister and I were still living with my uncle. And my mother surprised me by telling me she wanted me to go out and have fun and enjoy myself to make up for all the lost moments I could've had if I hadn't had gyno. She bought me a one way ticket to Hawaii. I spent a year in Hawaii rebuilding myself. I worked out, found a job at the airports car rental company, met new friends, and the real Dave started to show. My ex lived in Hawaii a few miles from where I was staying there was a lot of drama going on lol I came back to Washington after a year. I was tan, toned, and mature beyond my age. I was a new man. And now, my Mother, little sister, and I have our own place. My sister is 6 years old and just started school. I now work at an Aerospace Company making great money. I am the youngest one working at my position and in the whole factory. I am the lead for my department. To this day, whenever I find myself feeling down, I just sit back and reminisce of all the struggles I have been through and how far I've come to getting here. Gynecomastia can really be the difference on how you live and view life. To those who've read this, I thank you for taking time in reading about my journey. There is so much more to this story that I cut out. So much details that really could've grasped the intense message. But I didn't want to bore you with a novel. To those still struggling, please, stay focused, stay hungry, be patient and know that all troubles have an end. If I can do it then so can you. Work hard and plan out your goals. I promise you better days will come. The relationship between my father and I is great now despite him leaving. My ex gf is now pregnant with a man who left her for another. And the same girls who wouldn't look my way back in the day, are the ones trying to be with me these days. I've never felt so proud and accomplished
sorry for leaving out details of the surgeon. I don't know what the rules are now about that. But to you my fellow gynecomastia fighters, I say good night and god bless.
-Dave_08 P.S. Go Seahawks SB Champs 2014!
Topic: My journey to happiness. (Read 2222 times)
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