more "hand" news than "tummy" news

It's been a while since I've posted here. Mainly because I don't have a whole lot to report! Things seem to be somewhat "stable," although I am still swollen. So I'm not getting any better, but not getting worse. But only being 3 months in, I still have at least 3-6 more months until the swelling will be gone.

The fact that I've gained a few pounds hasn't helped any, I'm sure. But, it's the holidays, right? My New Year's resolution is to start exercising again! I think I am finally ready. I know it'll be hard and I'll be sore, but I'm really not doing myself any favors by being a couch potato.

A few people have asked me recently about my arthritis condition, so I figured I'd take this opportunity to share an update about that as well. (To get anyone up to speed who needs it, in May of 2010, I started getting this mysterious hand pain at night. I've had it ever since, without a definitive diagnosis.) If you are only interested in my tummy tuck news, no need to read further. :-)


Last February my rheumatologist put me on an RA medication to see if it would help my hand pain. Unfortunately it's one of those drugs that you have to take for 6 months before it actually helps (if it's even going to help at all). Within 1 month of taking it, my inflammation markers (blood tests) were almost at normal! This was a HUGE positive indication that the medication was working. I was very optimistic that after 6 months, my pain would be gone.

Well, 6 months came and went...still had the hand pain. Decided I would just give it some more time, so I sort of "forgot" to make a follow-up appointment with my rheumatologist. Unfortunately when I needed to contact her prior to my tummy tuck regarding the medications I was on, she was like "Hey, you need to get in here!"

In October I went back to see her, and told her I was still having the pain in my hands, but that I was still really hopeful it would help. So she said I could stay on it 2 more months, giving me 10 months on the medication. Well, sad to say, I still have the hand pain.

So last week I was given the news that, basically, the medication wasn't going to work -- and that it also would not make sense to try any other RA drugs since this one didn't help. Not as bad as a death sentence or anything, but being back to square one is really depressing. Basically I'm being told that I have to live with it.

We did the blood tests again, just to have a baseline before I went off the drug. My tests came back NORMAL!!! Still on the high end of normal, but I went from having a CRP of 36 (normal is 7 or lower!) to a 6! So why didn't the medication help the pain? Frustrating.

2013, here we come...

where has the time gone?

Today was my 8-week post-op appointment! I'm technically at 8 weeks on Wednesday, but who's keeping track, really? It's amazing how fast time flies sometimes!

Now that most of the pain and swelling have gone down, I've been a bit overly critical of my tummy. I keep thinking, "I spent HOW MUCH money on this and my belly isn't PERFECT!? WTH!!" I've been a bit concerned about this "lopsidedness" that I see. My husband says it's just that I'm more swollen on one side (which is true) but I really felt like I was more "tilted" and not quite so curvy on my left side.

So I brought it up with my plastic surgeon today, and he definitely saw the same thing as me. He however looked at me from behind (which I never really think to do) and he said that I have a slight curvature in my spine that is making me naturally "tilt" that way. So I guess I felt a little better after that.  He did also say I am still more swollen on my left side, and that it WILL get better over time.

Don't get me wrong—perfection is not something I am expecting! It's just such a noticeable difference to me that it's left me a bit bummed. But it's just one of those things that I really can't "officially" complain about until ALL the swelling is gone...which won't happen for many more months.

I was also told today that when I hit 12 weeks (the "magic number" apparently) I can resume all normal exercise and activities! I seriously want to hit the gym. I've had this great excuse to be lazy for the past 8 weeks and it's not done me much good. I am only down 3.5 pounds from my surgery date. Considering that they took 5-6 pounds OFF, that means I have GAINED WEIGHT since my surgery. Not good!!! I'm sure all the salted caramel chocolates and Halloween candy I've been eating are mostly to blame.

My next appointment isn't until February 11, so not sure I'll be posting much on my blog until then. However, in a few weeks I will be going swimming for the first time since my surgery! Maybe I'll post a picture of me in my bathing suit. That'll be exciting. 

Speaking of pictures...My blog post with my before/after photos is now up to 615 views. Seriously, stop looking people! There's nothing more to see here! LOL! Just kidding. Look all you want. It is a remarkable difference. 

no news is good news

I haven't posted in a while because 1) I haven't had a doctor appointment since October 20, and 2) things really haven't changed much! No news is good news, right?

I did finally ditch the compression garment. It was so hard! Even now I still have this urge to put it on, and I haven't worn it for a week.

It seems like the swelling is NEVER going to go down. By the end of each day I feel like I'm going to explode. I wish I could live in my jammies. My clothes fit great, but with all the swelling I am so uncomfortable in them. It's hard to accept that this swelling is going to take 6-9 months to go away. I am so done with it!

My scar is healing very nicely (although my belly button still looks awful). I started using a scar treatment called bioCorneum. It's the first (and only) FDA-approved silicone scar treatment—so of course it's ridiculously expensive and can only be dispensed by a physician. But surprisingly I noticed a HUGE difference the first week I used it. My scar went from raised and bumpy to flat and smooth in just a week. I haven't noticed any more noticeable differences this past week, but still very impressed in what it did in the first week.

One other little tidbit of info I will share... I just looked at the stats of my page views of this blog. Most run about 50 to 70 page views. My "I'm so excited" post—the one with my before and after pics—has a whopping 466 views! 

Seriously people—look at the pictures ONCE and move on! I guess now I know what people were really interested in...so I guess I'll need to post more "after" photos soon. (I'm still holding out on the worst of my "before" pictures...)

avoid the debbie downers

So I freely confess that I stole this...but it was too great not to share.

We all know one…the Debbie Downers, the buzz kill. And most of us will have to deal with a few after surgery. It is really hard when you feel that you don’t have the support from your loved ones. 

The choice to have a mommy makeover is strictly yours and hopefully you are doing this for you and only you. I have had a few family members of mine that I surprisingly haven’t received support from. It is hurtful, especially since they saw me struggle with my weight and self-esteem issues for years. 

A lot of people will see it as a “waste of money.” I started feeling the need to explain my reasoning for having the surgery. I wanted them to know that it was not out of vanity, or selfishness. But remember the old saying, “Those convinced against their will, are of the same opinion still.” It really doesn’t matter. As much as I wanted them to hear me out and understand my reasoning, they won’t. 

If they love you, they will keep their negative comments to themselves and support you no matter what. But you may have those who love you, yet still feel the need to give their opinion even when not asked. My response to those people would be a nod and a smile. (Believe me, I know it’s hard.) 

If you want, throw in a “please keep your negative comments to yourself” or a “if you don’t have anything nice to say…”. But my advice is to steer clear of the “screw you” sort of comment. It is just not worth it. As long as you know why you are doing this, that is all you need. 

For me, being able to look in the mirror, smile and for the first time in my life, love what I see…well that is priceless to me. And for those who can’t see past the money or their opinions, they are missing out on watching someone they love transforming into the person they have always dreamed of being.

4 weeks post-op

Wow, I can't believe yesterday was the 1-month anniversary of my surgery. In ways it seems like it was just yesterday, and in others it seems like ages ago. Kind of like having kids!

The best news I have to share is that my hematoma no longer needs to be drained. Yay! It's all "softened up" so it will absorb on its own now. I am still a little more swollen in that area, but it no longer hurts any more than the rest of me.

Dr. Stephens also told me that I need to shed the compression garment. :-( He said it's fine to wear it, but that I don't need it, and it would be good to let my skin breathe a bit. However it's really become a sort of security blanket for me. It keeps everything all sucked in, helps me stand up straight, and the pressure is kind of like a 24/7 hug. It is a little difficult to get clothes over it, but I can hide it pretty well with layers. But, sadly, I know I can't wear it forever.

So today I spent most of the day in my Spanx rather than the compression garment. The Spanx is the next step down to wearing nothing but my clothes. Ugh, it felt awful. I feel all bloated now, and very sore. But I guess I need to make the transition. I think I know how Kaylyn must have felt giving up her bottle for a sippy cup! Pretty soon it will be going from sippy cup to a real cup. Baby steps!

I've also been dealing with a cold the past few days. I've got that stupid, dry, never-goes-away cough. I can tell now it's going to hit my chest and my sinuses HARD. Just hoping I can make it without a trip to the doctor.   

Although I won't have any post-op appointments for another month, I will still try to update my progress every week or so. :-)

i'm so excited, and i just can't hide it

I am FINALLY going to post an "after" picture. I kept putting this off because I was hoping the hematoma on my right side would go down, but it looks like the swelling is here to stay for a bit. And overall I am still REALLY swollen, so this is not my "final result" at all.

I don't own a bikini, so I took a tankini that I had and just tucked it up a bit. My belly button is still swollen and healing, but that will look better in a few months.

Ugh...and I know I still haven't posted a before shot. I just don't want to...it's so yucky. :-(

 

Ok, since my sister says I should...here is a before picture. YUCK!!!

 

 

back to work

Monday was my first day back at work. It was so great to be around my co-workers again. Not that I didn't enjoy the time off...oh wait, I really didn't enjoy the time off...But honestly I could not imagine going back to work with better peeps!

I was a bit surprised that sitting in an office chair would be as hard as it's been. I am so sore!!! Today wasn't quite as bad, so I know it'll eventually get better...but all this swelling and pain is getting real old, real fast.

BTW, today marks 3 weeks post op! Crazy...part of it seems like it was just yesterday. I think all those pain pills have made my memory a bit fuzzy.

And sorry I have not posted any before or after pictures yet. I'm still not quite there with making those public yet. Perhaps once more swelling goes down and the hematoma is healed I'll post a picture or two. :-)

two steps forward, one step back

Although it certainly feels more like one step forward, two steps back!

I went back to my plastic surgeon again yesterday. I wasn't due to go back until Monday, but the hematoma on my back was causing so much pain that I didn't want to wait. I was glad I went in, because he said he was really surprised how fast the hematoma had filled up again. He filled a huge 40cc syringe with fluid/blood. He showed it to me, and let's just say it's good I'm not queasy when it comes to blood and needles. Hopefully after 2-3 more times of draining, it will start to absorb itself. If it doesn't, he'll have to put in a little "mini drain" for a bit. Not ideal, but I'd totally do it if it meant it would heal faster.

I did feel a lot better today too, I think between having the hematoma drained and getting another night of sleep in my own bed. I didn't take any medications today, which is a good step, especially since I've been driving a lot more. And the last thing I need is an addiction to pain meds or something. Not that I'm worried about that, because I don't really think the pain meds helped much anyway...but still, I've been taking a lot of them, so I'm happy to be able to make it longer without them now. 

Unfortunately I've gained back a couple of pounds, so I'm only about 4.5 pounds less than I was on my surgery date. A little bummed about that, but I have been eating horribly. I've noticed I've been a little "blue" lately -- every little things seems to make we well up in tears. I'm guessing that must be normal considering what I just put myself through the past 2 weeks. And whenever I get sad, I head for the sweets. Tonight I forced myself not to raid the Halloween candy that I just bought! Good girl. :-) 

I also noticed a new "swollen" part on me this morning. My lower left abdomen, above the incision, is all puffy. I'm 100% sure it is just normal swelling, but it just seems like when one part of me gets better, another part swells. So annoying.

In other news, I'm returning to work on Monday and I am so excited! I actually think I will get more rest there than I do here at home, lol. I'm looking forward to getting back to my normal routine. Oh, and before I head to work on Monday, I get to go visit my surgeon again to have the hematoma drained again. Yay.

yuck :-(

Today I am 12 days post op. Everything looks great, but did find out I have a hematoma on my right backside. My doctor took a syringe and pulled some *yucky stuff* out. I'll have to have that done for the next few weeks. This is the same side that was very bruised and swollen from day one, so I am hoping today's little procedure will bring some relief.

I did get the stitches around my belly button removed, and got the ok to go buy some Spanx this week to replace my compression garment. I think I'll wait to see if my swelling goes down a bit more before I do that.

Next appointment in one week!

day by day

I've had these words stuck in my head all day today (along with some Godspell music vamping along in my head). I have definitely had to take the past 2 weeks day by day.

I've certainly come a long way since September 19. Yesterday I was able to attend my kids' soccer games. I drove to the hair salon so Jack could get a haircut. The kids and I then hung out at Heritage park, and before we went home we stopped at the store for milk, something to cook for dinner, and ice cream for dessert. I actually cooked dinner. Yay me!

I've also slept through the night the past 2 nights. Granted it's only been 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep, but anyone who's had kids knows that counts as sleeping through the night! I'm not actually that sore in the mornings anymore, although all the running around throughout the day has me very swollen by the end of the day.

Today's biggest news: I shaved my legs. You really have no idea what a huge step this was! I also couldn't help but to try on some real clothes. I tried on some skirts and blouses and I have to say I am SO pleased! I tried on a few pants too but my backside is still too swollen. But I can tell by the fact that they came up over my butt that they are going to fit nicely. Unfortunately I still have to wear my bulky compression garment, so I couldn't get any of this clothes on over it. But I think the outfit I had on today looked pretty darn nice all things considered.

I also managed to take the kids outside today to put up Halloween decorations, and took them to Five Guys Burgers for lunch. Life is actually starting to resemble some kind of normalcy.

I also decided to weigh myself today. The first time I weighed myself after my surgery I was 5 pounds over, due to all the fluid and swelling. Since I felt like today was a good day, I took a chance. I was 6 pounds less than what I weighed the day of the surgery. So cool! Plus I know I still have SO much swelling that it's only going to keep going down. That's of course if I stop eating Five Guys Burgers and ice cream. ;-)

The best thing is I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Granted it is a long tunnel, but I finally see myself making it through all this.

Tomorrow I have my next post-op appointment. Will update again then!

HUGE (and I mean HUGE!!!) sigh of relief

My surgeon just called. And honestly, I'm totally stunned. He is eating the entire cost of the anesthesiologist's $1,020 extra tab!

Apparently, here is what happened. There is a new liposuction tool called "Smart Lipo Laser" which gives better results, more contour, better elasticity to the skin, etc. He is still learning the new tool, and it takes longer to use. This is why the surgery took so much longer. They still haven't perfected estimating the time it takes to use the new tool.

He didn't realize how much longer he had taken, and since the anesthesiologist bills independently, his office did not know I was being billed the $1,020.

He was extremely apologetic, stating that it is not their way to do business by trying to pull a fast one over their patients or anything like that (I didn't even accuse them of that, so I'm glad he said that!). But he said the bill would be totally taken care of considering all of the circumstances around it.

I knew I loved my surgeon for a reason! And thank goodness he called me back today because I don't think I would have slept tonight.

needing some answers

During the past week I've been pretty much consumed with the pain and recovery of my surgery. I've not been able to share many details about the surgery itself, or the fact that I was in surgery for 10 hours instead of the 5.5 that it was supposed to take.

I was told the surgery would be about 5.5 hours. The surgery started about 8:30 a.m. and I was expected to be ready to be picked up to go home around 3:00 p.m. I'm not sure how many calls my parents received about when to pick me up, but I was not awake until 6:30 pm. Apparently the surgeon wanted to do additional contouring, blah, blah, blah. I never really got the full answer as to WHY it took so much longer.

All I do know is that I'm WAY more sore, more bruised, more swollen than I should be.

Today I checked my bank account for something completely unrelated, and guess what? My account was $1,020 overdrawn due to another charge from the anesthesiologist. I already paid $1,680 which was to cover the surgery.

I just got off the phone with her and she said since the surgery was 4.5 hours longer,  that was my additional cost. WHAT?!? So, I'm lying there unconscious on a surgical table, with no control over how long the surgery is taking, and now my cost has almost doubled?? And no one bothers to tell me so I can even make sure I have the funds to cover it?!

I asked the anesthesiologist (who is a total sweetheart, BTW) why the surgery took so much longer. She said I needed to ask Dr. Stephens that. Huh. Ok.

So I'm really feeling like there is something they aren't telling me now. And I'm not too happy about it.

I've placed a call to Dr. Stephen's office. Of course this is a surgical day, so I'm guessing I won't get a call back anytime soon.

At least the anesthesiologist is refunding me the money so I can pay the bill at a later time.

so tired

It seems like all my body wants to do to the past 2 days is sleep. After my post-op appointment yesterday, I came home and slept for 5 hours. I kept trying to wake up, but to no avail. I was so sad to miss my daily phone call with my kids. But I just couldn't wake up!

I went to bed a little later than usual last night, around midnight. My mom had to force me out of bed today around 10:15. I could have slept all day if she had let me. I think my body just wants some rest!!!

On top of wanting to sleep ALL the time now, I am have some CRAZY dreams due to the narcotics. Some of them have been really cool, but others have been freakin' weird and scary. Don't like those ones so much.

So today is PO day 6. Still feeling every bit as sore and swollen as day 2. The first week is supposed to be the worst, but it would be great to see SOME improvement in the pain and swelling departments! 

I am a bit more mobile however (in fact, I finally made it upstairs to my parents' computer so I could post more than 50 words on here). I think I am just working through the pain better. And I'm just bored of sitting and watching TV. I feel totally isolated from "the real world" out there. I haven't been keeping up much with the news or Facebook or anything. I know reality is going to hit soon when I have to go back home -- husband goes back to work on Friday, I think? I think my mom is going to be spending some time at our house, helping me with the kids and all that. 

I still have lots of time to recover before I have to go back to work. I think I am aiming for around October 8 or so. As long as I am not walking around like the Hunchback from Notre Dame by then! haha.

first post-op appointment

Just got home from my 1st post-op appointment. Everything looks great! Got the drains pulled out today, so that's one less thing to worry about. Dr. confirmed what I already knew -- I'm more swollen than "typical," but he assured me it will get better.

As for the rest of my day, I treated myself to some phad thai, now my butt is going to sit down and get some rest.

slowly but surely

Recovery is getting a little easier. I made it upstairs and took a shower (yay me!). I also got a better look at things. I look more like an accident victim than anything else. My entire backside is swollen and bruised. My mom says my stomache is going to look awesome, but I am far from convinced of that.

Today's lunch: dried apricots, dried cherries, and milk of magnesia. And we'll just leave it at that.

serious warning: tmi!

I just pulled out several inches of metal tubing from my chest. On two sides. OMG.

Bye-bye pain pump!

i'm alive!

This will be a quick post because for some reason my phone is not liking blogger today.

So i'm on post-surgery day 3. I've not really done anything but sleep. i am able to get up and around a little more today. I feel like  the pain meds don't really help, but nothing can really be done.

I've taken a few peeks but it's really hard to see anything. I am SO incredibly swollen, that i'm convinced they gave me a stomache implant by mistake! I also made the mistake of weighing myself today. Up 5 pounds from the day of surgey.

So if you were to ask me today if it's been worth it, i'd say hell no! But it's stilltoo early for it to be my final snswer.

tomorrow is the big day!!

I never thought this day would come, and here it is...ack!

Today did not go as planned, however. I woke up this morning at 5:00 a.m. with a doozy of a migraine. I was NOT expecting that, to say the least. I tried my best to beat it, got ready for work, etc. I ended up having to drive to Seattle after failing to find parking at TWO park and rides (crazy, that has NEVER happened!). By the time I got to Seattle to have lunch with my coworkers, I realized what a HUGE mistake I had made. I was so sick and about to hurl in the restaurant parking lot. So, needless to say, I did not make it into work after lunch. I was actually really bummed because I was looking forward to my last day there before taking the next few weeks off. I LOVE my job and the people I work with, and their support has been incredible. I hate letting people down like that. On the drive home I actually missed the exit from I-5 to I-405. Umm, yeah, I was totally out of it!

Once I got home I took my narcotics and passed out, only to wake up an hour or so later feeling just as lousy. It's been a few hours now and I'm finally starting to feel the migraine ease a bit. I guess better to have this happen today than tomorrow, right??

Anyway...on to the real topic now. My surgery! Tomorrow! YIKES! I think I'm all ready to go. I'm staying a week or so with my parents, so I've packed enough stuff to stay for a month. :-) All the comfy clothes and PJs I could find, my iTouch, Kindle, tablet, and some DVDs. I also have my arsenal of drugs all packed and ready to go. Thank goodness I am NOT ALLOWED to administer the medications myself! There are just too many of them!

I'm feeling pretty calm overall. Excited to finally be doing this. Not excited for the recovery. I keep thinking if I expect the absolute worst, maybe it won't be as bad?? Haha, not likely.

I planned to post a "before" picture with this last pre-surgery post. I'm chickening out though! I think I want to wait until I have the after picture to show too.

My next post will be POST-SURGERY!!!

pre-op appointment!

Today I had my pre-op appointment. Holy smokes, I was so nervous! I was worried I might pass out on the way there, and I was shaking when I got out of my car. I don't think I have ever been so nervous about something! I'm definitely not having second thoughts, I just wish I could skip forward to September 25 or so...Maybe even mid October.

When I got there, I had a billion forms to sign (and I actually took the time to read ALL of them) so I had some time to calm down my nerves. I then went in to chat with Dr. Stephens' nurse about all the pre/post-surgery details. Dr. Stephens came in a little later and we talked more about the surgery and he pinched my fat belly a little (ha ha). I told him I was really nervous, and he said I was going to be "just fine." Ok Dr. Stephens, I'm holding you to that!

I also had photos taken (sorry, I don't have copies) and got all the prescriptions that I'll need to have filled before the surgery. Ugh, and I have to go get some blood work done.

One of the lingering questions however is whether or not I'm going to have to stop taking my arthritis medications. One of them I don't mind stopping, but the other one takes up to 6 months to take effect, and I JUST passed the 6-month mark! I do not want to stop taking it. So I put a call in to my rheumatologist and will hopefully hear back from her tomorrow. From what little I could find on the interest, it looks like it's a safe enough drug that I can continue taking.

I'll also have to switch out my sleeping pills and muscle relaxers for some other ones that are more compatible with the anesthesia and pain meds I'll be on. Totally ok with that since at least I'll have replacements!

I also found out that I'll probably need to take off more time from work than I thought. Not sure I'll have enough sick time, but my boss is cool are coworkers are cool—they are already expecting me to be gone longer (they know me well). :-)

So on 9/19 I'll go in at 7:00 a.m. I hope Dr. Stephens has had plenty of coffee by then! It's a 5-1/2 hour surgery. That seems like a long time.

butterflies

Wow. I have been feeling very anxious/nervous lately. I have this constant flutter in my chest! I don't even have to think about the surgery and it'll hit me at the oddest times. How in the world am I going to make it for 2+ more weeks? Ack!

It's weird how much more nerve-racking this surgery is compared to the non-elective surgeries I've had. Maybe because there is this huge, uncertain element behind it: What am I going to look like?!

Then there's the whole notion of having parts of myself chopped off. Almost like an amputation. A part of my body that I've lived with my whole life (just not so stretched and saggy for most of it, lol). I have promised myself I will not watch any videos of tummy tucks or liposuction until AFTER this surgery. Because I'm pretty sure I would not go through with it if I did.

In other exciting news...I have my pre-op appointment on Tuesday. I am sure I will have LOTS to share after that appointment!

surgery, scars, and selfishness

Since I've started this blog, it's opened the door to many discussions with friends and family. How exactly is the surgery done (most regret asking this question!)? What about the scar? What is the recovery like? What are you most concerned about?

All great questions, and I've spent over a year researching and gaining information on these very topics. A bit of what I've learned... 

So, how's it done? Basically the surgeon is cutting off part of my belly—all the extra skin and fat from my pregnancies—then he'll sew me back together. Oh, and he'll cut around my belly button, make a new hole for it, and sew it back down. I'll also have some liposuction down around my back hip area to give me back that "hourglass" shape. That's it, in a nutshell. Ha!

The scar is going to be big, from one hip to the other. It will be low along the bikini line, so (supposedly!) I'll still be able to wear a two-piece swimsuit (not likely!). Since I am not the type of person to flaunt my body around, I could care less about the scar. I have been told that you do lose some feeling around that area, which I already have a sense of due to my C-section scar.

Recovery...Oh, it's not going to be fun. I'll be sent home after the surgery with a pain pump, and I'll also have oral pain and sleeping meds to take. I'll have to sleep curled up in a recliner for a while. And I am so blessed to have parents who are willing to take care of me for a week, so I'll stay at their house to recoup. Not that I don't love my kids, but it would be difficult to relax and heal with my kiddos all over me. They will visit, stay for dinner, etc., then go back home. Plus I don't think my dear husband could handle taking care of my every need AND take care of our children at the same time. He's great, but he's not Superman.

As far as what I am most concerned about, that's a complicated question for me to answer. It mainly relates to how this decision is going to affect the people around me. I am very concerned about all the inconvenience this surgery is going to cause for the people in my life. Is it fair for me to ask my husband to take a week off of work AND take care of the kids, house, pets, etc? Is it fair to ask my parents to care for me, feed me, assist me in practically all that I do for a week? Is it selfish to take 2 weeks off of work and have my employer pay for a replacement?

And then there's this other part to it. I know I am doing this to myself. No one is forcing me. It's not medically necessary. It's pretty much 100% selfish on my part. Pretty much self-inflicted pain! So do I have the right to complain about the pain? Should I expect get-well cards or sympathy in any shape or form? Are people (my husband, kids, parents, coworkers) going to resent me for doing this? How do I make it up to them?

choosing a surgeon (part 3)

Jourdan Gottlieb, M.D., // www.seattleface.com


The third surgeon I saw was Dr. Jourdan Gottlieb at Naficy Center. It was a bit of déjà vu for me as his office is in the same building where I used to work. But with that aside, the office was very nice and pleasant.

Dr. Gottlieb was great too, however he didn't seem to think I needed any lipo around my back hip area. I wasn't sure if I should feel flattered by that or not?! But since the other two surgeons I had seen both said they would do lipo in that region, I really wanted it done. Plus, if I DIDN'T do it then down the line I might have regretted it and I'd be back on the operating table. Uh, NOT. I am only doing this ONCE!


They did give me two quotes, with and without the lipo. His cost was significantly more than Dr. Stephens and Dr. Leff. The other deal breaker for me is that they did not offer any 12-month, interest-free financing. I'm not planning on putting my family into debt over this surgery, so I had already decided that I would not be paying any interest. Thus Dr. Gottlieb was quickly removed from the list.


Making the decision


There was about a 3-week gap between seeing Drs. Stephens and Leff before I saw Dr. Gottlieb. During that time, I was leaning toward Dr. Leff. I was really impressed by the consultation with him, and how thorough he was in the exam. He was also less expensive than Dr. Stephens. Not that I was wanting to go the cheapest route, but since I was 100% confident in him, why not go with the least expensive doctor?


However, about a week or so after I saw Dr. Stephens, I received an email from Stacy, the patient coordinator from his office. She asked if I had any questions, where I was at with my decision, etc. I replied back to her with a very honest answer—that I gotten a 2nd consultation, and still had a 3rd one to see. I told her why, at that point, I was leaning toward a different surgeon (Dr. Leff).


I didn't think much when I didn't hear back from her. But two days later I got a phone call from Dr. Stephens himself. He said he wanted to call me and talk to me about my email rather than just reply back. We spent about 20 minutes talking through things, and it was that conversation that made me change my mind. First, I thought it was really nice that he took the time to call me himself. And I still had that feeling that he cares first and foremost about his patients' comfort during and after surgery. So my mind was changed again, and now Dr. Stephens was the front-runner. Then after seeing Dr. Gottlieb, I decided that Dr. Stephens was the surgeon I was going to use. What a relief to have that decision made!


I also mentioned in a previous post that I contacted 2 other surgeons. One wanted a $75 consultation fee, which I was hesitant to pay. I requested a quote from his office and the cost was way more than Dr. Stephens and Dr. Leff, so I decided it was not worth it to pay $75 for a 4th consultation.


The other surgeon I contacted was Dr. Richard Rand. I REALLY wanted to see him. He had the highest ratings of any of the doctors on RealSelf.com. But when I called to schedule a consultation, the earliest appointment he had was in September. I wanted to have the SURGERY in September, not the consultation! Then the receptionist asked for my height and weight. I told her, and she tells me that Dr. Rand won't even consider seeing me for a consultation until I've lost at least 10 pounds. Apparently he is "very picky" about who he chooses to do surgeries on. Well okay then...I took him off my list.

choosing a surgeon (part 2)

Michael A. Leff // www.drleff.com

The second surgeon I saw was Dr. Michael Leff. I really liked Dr. Leff a lot. Out of all the surgeons I saw, he by far gave the most thorough exam. Dr. Leff agreed I was a great candidate for the surgery. He also recommended lipo around the back hip area. 

The point he made that really hit home is that no one ever tells women how their muscles can separate from pregnancy. No matter how much you exercise, how much weight you lose, nothing can repair your muscles. Not even 1,000 sit-ups a day would help get rid of the roll of loose skin around my belly. 

He also mentioned that having this surgery would help my posture, as well as relieve lower back pain. Since my stomach muscles are detached, my back muscles are doing all the work in keeping my body upright. (No wonder so many women experience back pain after pregnancy. Doh!) It was nice to hear a surgeon talk about the necessity aspect of this surgery, not just the aesthetic aspect.

There were a few major differences between Dr. Stephens and Dr. Leff. Dr. Stephens uses general anesthesia administered by board-certified anesthesiologists. You also go home with a catheter to limit having to get up and down the first night, as well as a pain pump that administers a constant trickle of pain medication.

Dr. Leff however uses IV sedation. You are still "asleep," but they have the option to wake you whenever they might need to, and the recovery from IV sedation is much easier than general. He does not use board-certified anesthesiologists, rather he uses board-certified Nurse Anesthetists. A CRNA is basically a nurse with 2 years of extra study in anesthesia. And, no pain pump, no catheter, and he doesn’t see you again until the following week. 

choosing a surgeon (part 1)

Once I decided I was definitely going to get a tummy tuck, I started researching surgeons. I wanted a surgeon on the Eastside because getting to and from Seattle is such a pain. Bellevue has a strong medical presence and it is an area that I am familiar with, so I decided to focus my research there.

I knew I could Google “plastic surgeons in Bellevue Washington” and probably get a nice long list of surgeons. But even an internet search had me a little concerned, so I decided to go to Group Health’s website to see who was in-network with my healthcare provider. I knew the surgery would not be covered by insurance, but I still figured it would be a good place to start.

There was only one surgeon in Bellevue that was listed on Group Health’s site. Since I knew it would be foolish to only have one consultation, I also used information I gathered from a site called RealSelf.com. This is an amazing site! SO much great information there. Here I found 4 other surgeons that had great reviews.

Through my research on both of these sites, I ended up seeing 3 different surgeons and contacted the 2 others that I did not make consultations with due to reasons I will discuss later.

I will say upfront that all 3 of the surgeons I saw were amazing! The hardest decision by far was choosing between them. I have a lot of information to share, so I am going to split the next few posts up by surgeon. 

David Stephens, MD // www.stephensplasticsurgery.com

The only surgeon in Bellevue listed on Group Health’s website was Dr. David Stephens. He was the first surgeon I decided to see. I called his office and made a consultation appointment very easily. Making the initial call had me nervous; I was almost a little embarrassed for some reason. The receptionist was very sweet though, and when she said, “I’m so glad you called us!” I felt a lot better.

The patient coordinator, Stacy, called me a few days before my consultation. I will note here that this was the only office that called me prior to my appointment. I didn’t even get reminder calls from the other offices I visited.  Stacy asked a few questions regarding my health, weight, etc., and told me to call her if I had any questions prior to my consultation.

On the day of my consultation, I arrived a little early hoping that maybe I’d get seen earlier. No such luck—at 9:30 a.m. the doctor was already running late. I met first with Stacy, and she apologized for the delay but explained that they always want to give each and every person as much time as they need. Okay then, I can accept that.

Stacy went over my medical history and asked about the medications I was on. Dr. Stephen’s then joined us, and he asked what exactly I wanted from this surgery. Ummm…I thought that was pretty obvious?!? So I showed him my gut roll and said, “I want all of this gone!”

After a brief exam (more brief than I thought it should be) we talked about my expectations, the procedure, recovery, etc. He said I was a great candidate for a tummy tuck (which will also include some lipo around my back hip area). And he said that my weight was perfect (more about this alter) and that I didn’t need to worry if I didn’t lose any additional weight before the surgery.

I really liked Dr. Stephens—he seemed very genuine, kind, and concerned about the comfort of his patients during and after surgery. He visits you at your home the day after the surgery so you don’t have to travel back to his office. Of the 3 surgeons I saw, he was the only one that does this.

After the consultation, Stacy and I sat down to discuss price. This was the part I was most anxious about, because when you Google “price of a tummy tuck” the prices are all over the place. The price she showed me, was—thankfully!—right what I thought it would be. Phew. I left the appointment feeling really good, and reassured that this was the right decision for me.