Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Why?

It's been a rocky road, but here I am, 3 weeks after my breast reduction, and finally ready to share my experiences.
I'd read quite a few blogs and personal accounts before the operation, and they were very helpful indeed, but I didn't see any with a similar post-op course to my own, so I thought I'd add my own contribution to the blogosphere.

Firstly, why did I decide to have this done?
Well, over the last 2 years I have lost about 45kg (100lbs), mainly through an intensive exercise programme, and I noticed that while the rest of my body gradually adapted to my lower weight, my breasts stayed about the same size. True, they were a lot "emptier" than before, but they still took up as much room in a bra, and they hung flat against my abdomen when not supported.

The idea of cosmetic surgery had never occurred to me, but my GP (family doctor) asked if I would consider having a "tummy tuck", as there was a lot of loose skin there as well. I answered that my floppy tummy didn't bother me as much as my dangly boobs, so she referred me to a plastic surgeon for review.
At her suggestion, I went to 2 different surgeons, to compare their manner, costs, plans etc. 

Surgeon 1: quiet, thoughtful, but expensive.
Surgeon 2: brash, confident, but a lot cheaper.

I spent many months trying to decide between the two, and also to plan my life so that I could be out of action for several weeks, but eventually I made the big phone call ... to Surgeon 1, because I knew this would be an emotional journey, and he had by far the best bedside manner. 

As it turned out, this was just as well.

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