Too good to last!

I bought that Ipex wireless bra from Victoria's Secret, and rushed home to try it on and see how it looked under a fitted t-shirt. I wasn't really happy with the side cleavage I felt, and in the shirt I looked wierd. Dr. Vanek and I had spoken during my consultations regarding "side boob" but up to this point I had never felt any. I wonder if maybe that's because I am always wearing a sports bra that yanks em together and keeps them in place. Regardless, I was disappointed with the new bra and stormed off to bed. Fortunately, I was able to return the bra without any problems and will probably go there again soon to try on some different bras. I really hate not being able to wear certain shirts because I don't have anything but sports bras! I've heard Nordstroms has a really great bra selection, maybe I should try there!

On Saturday my husband and I decided to work out together at the gym. We checked the 2 little ones into Childwatch so we could both get our workout done. It's funny, but I'm such a competetive person and every few minutes I would look over and check his speed/resistance/incline etc to try to one up him. Even tho my husband works out 7 days a week as opposed to my 5, I don't think he does the cardio workout that I do. We did the recumbent bike, the Wave machine thingy, the Stairmaster, and then 20 mins on the treadmill. Total cardio time was 50 mins and I don't think he's used to that. Anyway, I was wearing an over the head high impact sports bra, and a zip up sports bra on top of that one. While I was running on the treadmill it almost seemed like I got an air pocket or something between my breasts. They felt really funny, like I wanted to reach in there and move them apart for a second, but how the heck do you do that in the middle of the gym?! I'll apologize in advance for saying this, but it seemed like my boobs were farting! It hasn't felt that way again since then, so maybe it was just an oddity. I surely hope so!

I continue to watch the right breast like a maniac, I pray every single day that it drops and settles the way leftie has. I mean, it doesn't even have the projection that the left one has, like it is way smooshed and way noticeable. My husband keeps telling me to be patient, and I keep telling him I am trying =)

I got measured!

Last night I decided to head over to my local Victoria's Secret store and get my first official measurement since surgery. They just relocated in the mall, and the new store is fabulous! My head started swimming while browsing all the lingerie I'm going to be buying once I get all dropped and fluffed and stuff =)

The store was busy, but I managed to find a wonderful associate who took me back into the dressing rooms to get me measured. When you walk in the individual room the mirror has the word " Strip " on it. ( Sounded fitting to me! ) Anyway, she uses her nifty measuring tape and tells me that I am a 34D to DD. My mouth hit the floor and I squealed " really??? " as she turned to grab a few bras for me to try on. First one was just the D cup, and it was a little snug in there, so she had me try on the DD. Let me tell you, I just loved that girl AND that bra! Turns out it was their new wireless Ipex bra, which is perfect for me since wireless is a no no because of my crease incision.

I'm standing there wondering if I should pay 50 bucks for a bra that may not fit in another 4-6 weeks when I decided to ask about a plunge bra for this new VS blouse that was delivered via Fed Ex earlier in the day. The shirt also has more of an open back so I am already expecting a bit of trouble when it comes to finding a bra for it...I may end up just wearing pasties hehe. She had me try on this underwire convertible bra with clear straps, and I was not a fan of that bra. Not just because of the underwire, but the clear straps were digging into my shoulders. Then when we replaced them with the other straps, the cup started to bulge. I tightened up the straps and then the cups bulged in a different spot. Not pretty I tell you!

I came out of the dressing room in good spirits, loving the wireless Ipex and wanting one right now! However I allowed my sensibility to rule my actions and decided to wait and call Dr. Vanek's office in the AM and ask what the probability was that I wouldn't fit in it in a few months. I even went to Walmart to buy a few more sports bras and maybe a cheapy 34D just to hold me over until I can get that VS one. Well, there is a reason those bras are so cheap. Darned things made me look like I had torpedos coming off my chest!! I decided on just 2 more sports bras and got the heck out of there. My girls were getting irritated from all the trying on, and my skin was becoming dry as well.

All in all, it was a great night. And I did speak with Dr. Vanek this morning ( It's very odd to have the doctor himself return your phone call! ) and I got the go ahead to purchase the Ipex. I will be heading to VS in a few hours after my hubby gets home. Who knows, maybe I'll even find something he'll like while I am there =)

No black eyes!

I was pretty nervous this morning as I headed to the gym. I was wearing 2 sports bras just like Dr. Vanek had suggested, but it still feel a little nerve-wracking to think I was going to let the girls bounce all over the place!

After 15 mins on the stationary bike, I decided to give the Precor EFX a try, a machine I used daily prior to my surgery. The reason I had avoided it since then was because I tend to put it at it's highest incline and I worried that might move the boobs around too much. I was right about the jiggling around, but since I was wearing both those bras, I only felt funny, they didn't actually go anywhere. After 15 mins of that, I figured the treadmill couldn't be much different. Now I've walked at a fast pace on the treadmill since surgery, but haven't actually run on it. So after 3 mins warming up I decided to jack the speed up and take off.

Oooo-kay after a minute and a half of jogging I slowed back down to my fast walk. It definitely felt different to jog with these things. It wasn't painful, but it felt different than before. I managed to pump out 25 mins on the treadmill, with 2.5 min intervals between walking and running. By the time I was done, I felt a ton more comfortable with the whole running thing and am looking forward to tomorrow. It felt awesome to get my old routine back!

While resting between a set of arm exercises, I realized how important it had been for me to hear Dr. Vanek give me full clearance yesterday. I returned to the gym at 3 weeks, but I was always scared to do any exercises that utilized my pecs. If I felt them flex the slightest bit I would back off and either lighten the load or just abandon the exercise completely. I won't ever do butterflies or anything like that again, but I realized that I can use the muscles without damaging the implants. No more freaking out when I feel them move; now I can just enjoy this amazing boob sweat I get!

4 weeks post op!

I went in for my 4 week check with Dr. Vanek, and told him about wanting to go bigger in size. Realistically, it's far too soon for me to make that decision and I knew it before even bringing up the subject with him! I think he knows what an impatient person I am, and reminded me that I need to allow the healing process to take place. We talked about the implants dropping even more, and he told me to start pushing down on them to help get em where they need to be. Prior to this time, I was only allowed to push them up or together, not down. What a goofy feeling when he was showing me what to do. I haven't been that "rough" with the girls and I wasn't used to all that movement/pressure, but he assured me that everything was fine and I wouldn't pop em! It's still scary for me tho hehe!

I also made sure to ask specifically if I could start running again. Even though I returned to the gym last week, I haven't done any running because I didn't want to compromise my results. I tried for like 20 secs yesterday, but woah that was a crazy feeling! He said I can return to all my normal activities, running included, but some woman are more comfortable wearing 2 sports bras. I had already read about wearing 2 while running, so it didn't surprise me to hear him say it. I'm a little nervous for tomorrow though, which will be my first real attempt since having my surgery. Wish me luck!

On a more personal side, everything is going wonderfully for me. I was thinking that a month ago on today's date, I was in surgery getting my new additions! It really is amazing how fast time flies. Both breasts are feeling softer to me when I massage them. I've been very diligent about using the Kelo Cote every day, and I think my scars look amazing. I still have to remind myself to massage them, and it isn't always in the most appropriate places (riding in the car when hubby is driving!) but I am making sure to be diligent about that as well because it helps keep that hard thick scar tissue from forming.

Speaking of my husband...sheesh....Let me just say this to anyone considering this surgery. Be prepared to have your sex life explode! We had a good sex life before surgery, but now it's....WOW. And it's ALOT! It's not just about my husband being a hornball, it's about me feeling really sexy. And I think it all comes down to that really; I feel more confident about how I look, and that has a ripple effect. But in all honesty, my husband really does love my new boobs, and he can't seem to get enough of them! He's always offering to help massage them, but I have to be mindful of the timing and situation because when he helps, it always leads down another road! This has been a public service announcement, we now return to our regularly scheduled programming! =)

Boobie greed monster found me!

Since surgery I've been enjoying the really easy recovery period and the fun that shopping has been. I've also been very consciously reminding myself to be patient and not expect miracles overnight. I wonder if I haven't been hiding some feelings from everyone, myself included!

Looking in the mirror is like a double edged sword. I can't help but want to see the new and improved girls, but at the same time it has been depressing me. Like, I keep thinking that I want them to be bigger. I am handling the fact that they are healing at different rates ok, but I am feeling more and more like I really want them to be bigger. And it makes me angry because these were thoughts I had before I even went in for surgery. On my first consult, we decided on 350cc, but by the time I got to my second appointment I knew I wanted to be bigger. So we decided on 375cc filled to 400. Morning of surgery I even gave verbal permission to add more than that and Dr. Vanek actually gave me 425cc. I should be so happy with the size right now but I am simply not.

I have to admit, I look natural. I am the woman Dr. Vanek spoke of during our very first meeting. The " did she or didn't she " woman. The one that everyone sees and then asks themselves if I am extremely blessed by God or if I had a boob job. It's funny the number of people who all give you their opinion on size during the planning process, and they all say the same thing which is " Don't go too big or you won't look natural! " And I told them, including my husband and mother, " I'm not paying all this money to look natural. I don't want people to hand me a pole, but I do want them large enough to get some attention! "

I also fully realize that I could only go so big on my first surgery. Dr. Vanek had explained to me during my pre op consult that he felt like 425 would be max size for this surgery, that I could go bigger later if I wanted, but my body and skin could only accommodate so much on the initial operation. And I figured at some point, when a redo was needed, that I would probably go bigger. I just never expected to feel that way this soon!

This boobie greed monster is an evil evil thing. I should have known he would find me. I keep telling myself that my breasts still have a lot of changes to go thru and that I may decide I love this size. The physical aspect of healing has been easy and perfect for me. The emotional aspect is a whole other thing and that's the part I struggle with. It's normal to go through these roller coaster feelings after surgery, I just hope it settles down soon! My 4 week check is this week, I am going to be sure to discuss this with Dr. Vanek!

I'm a soccer mom!

It is amazing what new found confidence I have since my surgery. I ordered new tops from Victoria's Secret and love them! I am patiently waiting for the weather to turn cooler so that I can wear them. V and scoop necks are my new best friends!

In the meantime, I bought myself a cute little t-shirt from the Gap. I had gone in to try to find some new dress pants when I found this cute little shirt randomly thrown on an aisle display. I loved the colors and grabbed it while on my way to the fitting rooms with a few pairs of pants. As usual, the pants were a no go ( gotta love having a bubble butt! ) but that top was hot hot hot! I thought I probably should get a medium, since the one I tried on was a small and I prefer a bit more breathing room. As I reached the spot where my hubby and kids were standing, I asked them all to start looking for this shirt in a medium for me. Well, we couldn't find another one, so I did the unthinkable! I bought the damn small! It's not like it was too small, it was just....small.

So my son was having his first soccer practice/scrimmage and it was a fairly warm day. I decided that my new Gap top would be perfect with a pair of shorts and flip flops. Mind you, my hubby hadn't actually seen the shirt on me, he just knew I originally wanted a larger size. So he sees me in my shirt and chuckles that I am wearing it to the soccer field. We were also going out to lunch after so I reminded him I wanted to look cute! And besides, who says that we moms can't be hotties too?!

Anyway, things are fine at the soccer field, our son kicked butt and followed the coach's instructions to a T. ( Wish he listened to us that well! ) At the restaurant my hubby was sitting across from me and decided that my breasts looked glorious in my new shirt, and couldn't stop talking about them the whole way home, which was an hour drive! My husband has turned into some sort of hornball maniac since my surgery! I could wear a paper bag and he'd be attracted to me, but it's been amazing to see what the bigger and better breasts have done for us. Each day that passes they are getting softer and feel less like tight balls on my chest. My scars are healing beautifully and are barely noticeable around the areola. Feeling sexy has been the best thing so far since surgery, I love the confidence I have now!

Has it really been 3 weeks?

On my 3 week post op day, my son attended his first day of preschool. He was so excited he told me the night before that he probably wouldn't be able to sleep very well lol! When he got up that morning he was zipping around the house like a madman!

My husband and I had already decided that we would both drive him to school that morning. Now normally my husband will take him to school, and then I will pick him up. But for his first day we both wanted to be there. So I'm armed with my camera, and my son telling me " Mommy please don't cry, I will come home soon! " and the teacher opens the door to allow the children into the hallway where their cubbies are located. I decided to get a few shots as he was putting his book bag in his cubby, and all the sudden I started to cry. I was trying hard not to show it, but my husband saw me and put his arm around me to make me feel better. I am such an emotional person, and I've cried each time one of my kids goes to kindergarten for the first time, but I didn't think it would happen for preschool! I quickly recovered myself before turning to walk out the door.

As I was driving my older daughter to school, I kept friggen tearing up! Every single time I thought about my son being in school, I had to wipe tears away. My only son, my precious little boy, is growing up, and it is sad for me! I'll probably be a wreck when it's time for the baby to head off to school! Notice, I call her a baby, but she'll be 2 next month!

On the boob front, all's well. I kind of cheated, and went to the gym the day before my 3 week mark, but I don't think it's a huge deal. It felt great to be back! The girls handled it well, and I made sure to wear one of the tighter sports bras I have to make doubly sure that they didn't go anywhere. Boob sweat is a whole new thing to me and, at least for now, I love it! Life is good, and I'm really glad I chose to have my surgery. Breast augmentation isn't for everyone, but for me, it was the right choice! Love these things!

Time flies when you're having fun!

Labor Day came and went without much fuss at my house. I worked a 6 hour shift that day, and I was amazed at the sheer number of people who came into the club for their workout. Granted, most came in before 1 pm because they all had their gatherings to attend to, and I think if I didn't have to work that day my husband and I both would have attempted to get our own workouts done!

I had a bit of a dilemma while getting dressed that morning, I wanted to wear one of my new tops, but I worried it might be a tad showy. While looking in the mirror I decided I should ask my husband about it, and he said some might consider it inappropriate and too low cut. While I proceeded to disagree with him, I realized that if I had worried enough to ask his opinion about it, that it probably was inappropriate. Even though I don't have to wear business attire as a front desk receptionist in a health club, I still want to look sporty professional. I sighed and changed into a boring black shirt with a pair of capris. My girls are never going to see the light of day at this rate!

I played some basketball with the kids that night, I was constantly aware of quick movements and used my arms as shields against incoming balls to the chest. We didn't actually play a game, but when you've got young boys ( neighbor kids were playing too! ) throwing basketballs around, it tends to get dangerous! I think it's funny how very aware I am of my new breasts, and how terrified I am that something is going to mess them up!

A few days prior I had decided that it was time for our " baby " to move into her own bed. I reached a point where I had had enough of trying to fight for bed space, of lying there for an hour at a time trying to get her to sleep, and of sneaking around like a mouse when getting up in the morning and trying to get ready. My husband and I realized that it's been 5 years since we slept in the bed together without a kid in between us. How sad is that?!! So we were on day 3 at this point and things were going extremely well with the transition. She was waking up 1-3 times a night and one of us would go and comfort her for a few minutes until she fell back asleep. We should have done this a long time ago!

Massaging my scars

At my 2 week post op visit Dr. Vanek removed the last of my sutures. No more steri strips either! He recommended that I apply Neosporin twice daily on my scars for one week, then use Kelo-Cote (helps scars heal.) He also said to massage my scars 4 times daily for a minute. It's supposed to help prevent the thick scar tissue from building. Not sure if he meant only the crease incision or all of them, so I just do all of them. Doesn't take long, but I do have to remind myself to do it.

He said I can go back to sleeping flat, but I may need a body pillow because my ligaments aren't used to the new weight from the girls. He assured me that my breasts looked very good and completely normal, they're still high and tight as is expected. He said I can push them together and I can push them up, but not down. It kind of feels funny because I almost feel like I am wheezing when I move them around. Just a weird feeling.

On day 16 we attended a baptism. It was the third week in a row we had some sort of party to attend. My friend had hired a band to play, and the female singer drew some attention to herself, and without meaning to, me as well. The woman was wearing a low cut leopard print tank top with very tight black capris. She was also wearing black shoes with straps tied all the way up to her knees. Now, this woman had a great body, and she wore the outfit well. Unfortunately, it was (in most every one's opinion, including mine) inappropriate for the occasion. Anyway, she looked like she had a boob job. Her breasts were completely perfect and completely round and completely beautiful! I hope mine turn out looking as nice! But regardless, so the other women at the party were staring at her, and that same not so nice girl from last weeks party decides to open her nasty mouth again. She's actually family, so I can't escape her! But she's sitting 2 tables away with a couple of women, and a whole table full of people I have no clue who they are in between us. And she yells over to me "Hey 'Millie', is that woman up there your idol?" as she and her buddies laughed. All I could do was shake my head and tell her I wouldn't be caught dead in that outfit.

Now why the heck do people have to be so rude? I have been very open about my surgery, but I'm not exactly walking around with a sign on that says "I just got a boob job." In fact that night I was wearing an outfit that I wore to church earlier in the day. Not an ounce of cleavage or fullness or anything showed. She really ticked me off. I can only hope that one day she gets a dose of her own medicine.

10 days

I love seeing the changes that my breasts have gone thru in even such a short period of time. We take pictures every few days to track the progress, and I even plan on scrapbooking my journey into Boobieville! Not something that I'll leave out on the coffee table for all to see, but something small for me to look back on. Maybe even when my daughters are older we can discuss this journey. They know I've had this surgery and they know that I am willing to discuss anything with them. I sure hope they don't get screwed in the boob department like I did!

My first day back to work was interesting. I only work 6 hour shifts, but I was worried that I would get tired. The girls who knew I had surgery were all looking and asking me how everything went. I wore a conservative top but you could still see fullness that wasn't there before! The night did go by fast, and I was very tired when I got home.

I had started taking 30 min walks at a brisk pace, something to get me out of the house and in the fresh air. I didn't trust myself to actually go to the gym, the temptation to do more than just walk on the treadmill would have been alot to deal with. My hubby and I recently got ourselves Ipod shuffles, those things have been great for our workouts. My walks helped me physically and emotionally, and that Ipod helped make them go fast. Those 30 min walks easily turned into 45 min ones =) I kept a steady eye on my heart rate, keeping it at about 60% of it's maximum, and made sure not to bounce the girls around at all. In recent months I have come to really love how I feel after a good workout, and even though I was only walking, it still felt good to be doing something more than sitting at home on my butt.

I was still sleeping in the chair at night. Sometimes I would fall asleep with the baby at her nap time, and I always felt more uncomfortable in the bed with those pillows. I also worried that she might accidentally smack my breasts when she was moving around. I used a pillow under each arm that I used as a shield against wandering legs and arms. I wonder how roller coasters are going to be from now on....I'll probably always be worried those shoulder things are going to burst my boobs! Funny what you think of when you're lying in bed wishing your kid would just go to sleep already so you can go back downstairs and surf the breast aug forums =)

One week!

The first week flew by pretty fast. I was so excited to actually finally have breasts that I went to the mall and shopped for some new tops. Lucky for me, the stores are clearing out all their summer merchandise so I was able to get some cute things for our upcoming cruise at dirt cheap prices! I got a gorgeous halter top which I love because I've never had the chest before to make those styles look good! I even managed to find a shirt that shows just the right amount of cleavage! Perfect for the party we were going to that weekend! I was so excited about it that I accidentally left my cell phone in the dressing room and had to run back to get it lol!

When I got home from shopping, I took some Tylenol and decided to rest for a bit. I just get more tired more easily since the surgery. It doesn't help that I probably was pushing a little to hard and doing a little too much. I am a mover and a shaker, can't stay still for too long!

We attended a birthday party on day 9. I wore my new top and felt really great in it. Of course, there's always going to be someone who has a smartass comment to make, and this time was no different. I wasn't even in the door before the whole "Omg the twins are here!" was said to me. I actually didn't mind that comment because I was wearing a shirt to show them off. What I did mind was that very same girl telling one of my friends (behind my back of course) how she didn't think my breasts looked very big yada yada yada. Funny thing is, I wasn't ever the one saying I was getting implants to have huge breasts, this not so nice person was the one who always made it sound like 425cc was going to be some sort of monstrosity on me. Anyway, when I heard about it, I just laughed and told my hubby she was jealous.

We did have a good time at the party, the kids got to run around and play with other kids their age and I was able to spend some time snuggling with a friend's new baby, which is good because I've been needing a baby fix lately =) And like I've posted before, hubby and I are done in that department. I splurged and allowed myself a half of a piece of birthday cake even though I am sure I didn't need it! Everyone needs a treat now and then, especially when you're sleeping sitting up in a recliner =)

First sutures come out

I drove for the first time on Day 6. Since I knew I was driving myself to Dr. Vanek's office, I decided to give myself a head start and drove to the bank. It wasn't painful really, but it did make me sore, and it was a lot harder than before I had surgery for sure! Backing up...that was fun. It was hard trying to turn and look out the back window while manipulating the steering wheel. And I couldn't close the side doors on my minivan, there's like this little edge at the back so the doors don't just slide forward when they are open, and I didn't have the strength or mobility to get the door over that hump. Thank God for kids!

It was really an uneventful ride but when we got home I was ready for some Extra Strength Tylenol. Again, just a little sore. When my husband got home, I drove myself to the office appointment and made sure to find a spot where I could pull thru and not have to back up when it was time to leave. I've become a pro at those spots since then!

I was scared to see my uncovered scars for the first time. Dr. Vanek wanted me to look, and tried to prep me for what I would see. When he handed me the mirror and I looked at them I was surprised and said " They don't look bad! I was expecting bad! " I think I shocked Dr. Vanek by that! I had seen pictures of anchor lift scars, and I must have seen some bad ones, because mine didn't look anything like them! There was no thick scabbing or anything on them, no oozing or blood or anything gross. Just looked like someone painted my nipples on LOL. We talked about that whole bra being way too small thing, and I purchased 2 more bigger bras from him before I left the office. No more cute pink ones, but I'd rather have the comfort I think! We chatted about the difference with the dropping, and it's normal and nothing to be worried about. He reapplied new thinner steri strips and I left his office in good spirits.

It's hard to believe it's been nearly a week since surgery. And it's been way better than I could have imagined. I'm still glad I did it!

I'm human again!

Thankfully day 4 was like a one hit wonder and by day 5 I was back to my "really happy I did this and I do like my boobs and everything is going great" self again. I even cleaned the half bathroom, did some laundry, fixed lunch for the kids and got the kitchen cleaned up. And then my body reminded me that I needed to rest, so I took a short nap with the little one while the older girls watched their brother. Since I needed to sleep at an angle, I propped a good 6 or so pillows under me in bed while I layed with her. It was not as comfortable as the chair, and I decided the only time I would lie like that was when I was putting her down for her nap. Yeah yeah, I know, she needs to sleep in her own bed. But I have co slept with all my kids, and I've loved it. She's just older than the rest were when I transitioned them into their beds.

After that morning of doing more than I probably should, I took it easy the rest of the day. Now, I don't remember if I've mentioned this before, but I'm telling you now....the bloat.....is bad. Susan had told me that the anesthesia and pain meds can constipate you, and I had everything I needed to combat it, but no one mentioned the whole bloating thing to me. Some of it may have been because of the whole plumbing issue, because things weren't too normal in that department either, but holy cow, I didn't expect what I saw when I looked in the mirror. During the planning phase of my aug, I had said how nice it would be to have my very full D pregnancy/nursing breasts without having to compete with the big ole belly. Heck if they weren't competing on day 5! Considering how long and hard I had worked to lose the baby weight I wasn't real happy with the situation.

Thankfully, I learned it was completely normal to be bloated, and that it would slowly go away over the next few days. I hadn't gotten on the scale since surgery, since I had read many women's reports that they had gained immediately afterwards, but that it was only temporary. I just hoped it ended quickly for me because I am not a patient person!

Think I jinxed it!

I thought it was kind of easy street after day 3, but I was wrong! I read that days 1-3 were the toughest for the majority of breast aug patients. Not for me! Day 4 hit and I was miserable. It wasn't even necessarily pain, there was definitely some swelling, and I don't know if it peaked that day or what, but my bra suddenly felt not just 1 size too small but maybe 10! I kept tugging at it and complaining and calling my hubby telling him " I don't think this thing is supposed to be this damn tight! " He encouraged me to call Dr. Vanek, but me being the stubborn person I am, I just suffered. Just not quietly!

I had some plans to maybe go out and take a drive that day, but I was clearly in no shape to do it. I was only taking Tylenol for discomfort, but that bra thing had me going batty. Then my emotions went totally haywire and I just started hating my breasts. Like I took that one thing with an uncomfortable bra and I blew it into a whole scenario of I never should have done this surgery and this is just ridiculous and I can't stand not being able to move and do every darned thing I want to when I want to!

I'm going to say now that I firmly believe my 4 year old took over my capabilities to think logically and reasonably. There's no other explanation for that insanity!

I told my husband numerous times, " Today is the worst day since surgery! " All things considered, it really wasn't that bad, and if that's the worst to be had, then this recovery will be a cakewalk. Sometimes, I think it was worse for my husband than it was for me. I mean, I was still doing stuff, but I wasn't doing everything that everyone was used to me doing. And after 4 days, it was starting to wear on him. I will admit that part of me felt like he was finally getting to see what I went through on a daily basis. But my husband does help around the house, daily, just not to the extent in which he was doing at the time.

I finally settled down after the kids were in bed and my hubby was off taking his nightly run. I think part of me was jealous that he could run and I couldn't. But I wanted these boobs right?

First Day Alone

My husband had to head back to work on the third day post op. I made sure to have him open my pill bottles before he left, because after surgery it's very tough to get those child proof bottles open! ( Ask your pharmacist for the non child proof, so much easier! ) So armed with Percocet I gave my hubby a kiss goodbye and said a quick prayer. " Please God, let me not be in pain and please let my kids be good. And please make today go by faster than normal so my husband gets home really soon! Thank you and Amen! "

My older 2 girls told me that they would help me as much as they could and I was hoping they would. They're good kids, but you know how kids can be. "Sure mom, we'll clean up our mess after making grilled cheese " and next thing you know 6 hours has passed and they're in bed and you're cleaning the stove, counter tops, and dishes!

My daughters were wonderful. They really did help. Even with silly things like pouring milk for their younger brother and sister since I couldn't get that gallon off the top shelf of our fridge. And I think for once they actually did clean up the mess from the grilled cheese!

When my husband got home I was able to lie in the recliner and rest for a bit. Again, no pain, but since I didn't want any, I took the Percocet. The instructions say to take one tab every 4 - 6 hours as needed for pain, but I was taking one about every 12. I was taking the Ambien at night to help me get a little more sleep. It was pretty common to sleep for 3 hours, then wake up, watch some TV, and then doze off again.

I was able to do simple chores like washing dishes and cleaning up the kitchen, but I avoided sweeping with the broom or using the vacuum. I changed diapers while sitting on the floor to avoid having to pick up my daughter and put her on the changing table. It was a good day. Better than I thought it would be!

Even though I felt really great, I still wasn't prepared to try to drive. Maybe in a few more days.

It's Party Time!

A few weeks ago my family and I were invited to a friend's 4 yr old daughter's birthday party. I had told her that my husband and kids would definitely be there, but since I would be 2 days post op I wasn't sure if I could make it. Well, I feel great and I want to go party!

My mom and daughter cooked pancakes and bacon for breakfast, that was really good! I think it was the first time in about 12 years that I actually sat down to eat while someone else did the cooking and cleaning. Might have to have surgery more often! My hubby helped me in the shower, I was able to raise my arms a bit, but washing my hair was a tad difficult. Then I needed him to do something I never ever thought he would be doing for me. There was this spot under each of my armpits that I wasn't able to reach with the razor. Like, each way and direction I tried missed that damn spot. So I had to ask my poor husband to shave my pits for me. He had to kinda move the implant over a little bit to get it, but he was able to remove those few pesky hairs for me! I was able to get my own legs thankfully, because really, statistically speaking, the more of an area he shaved for me, and the bigger of an area he shaved for me, the risk of him nicking me increased. And I was pretty sure I wouldn't be thankful after that!

My mom was surprised but happy to be able to head home a few hours earlier than expected. She lives 1.5 hours away and had to work the next day, so she needed some time to get her own stuff taken care of. I was really grateful for her help, but I knew she needed a break. She's not used to all the noise and activity that comes with 4 kids. She only had 3 of her own, and we're all grown up now! And I know I've always been a perfect angel!

There were a few women at the party who knew I had surgery, and they all asked if they could see my new girls. So on 3 separate occasions, I went into my friend's laundry room and unzipped my top so they could get a good view. It's funny because I never thought I'd be bold enough to do that, but I even let them touch em when they asked. I guess I figured since a whole roomful of people I've never met saw way more than just my breasts while they were operating on me, I didn't have a whole lot to hide anymore. Modesty goes out the window with childbirth, but I've discovered it does the same with breast augmentation as well. My husband says I just better not become like that lady from the movie " Summer Rental " You know, the one who walks around saying she just got her boobs done and wants people to touch them to see if they feel real. I don't think I will go that far!

The party was fun, my kids had a great time playing with other children and it was nice to get out and move around. After a few hours we were ready to head home and I was ready for a Percocet. I wasn't in pain, but I was sore. The next day my hubby was going back to work and I would be alone with the kids for the first time. This should be fun!

Are we sure I had surgery?

Well, the first night post op was completely un-eventful. We got home from the hospital and my youngest, who will be 2 very soon, wanted me to pick her up. Obviously, that was a big no-no and my daughter didn't like my answer, so she proceeded to throw one of her more noisy tantrums. I begged my husband to please take her up for a nap as I helped our 4 yr old son get his bag and shoes to go spend the night with grandma! Finally, we had some peace and quiet, which was a good thing because for 20 mins or so I was ready to go back to the hospital! 20 mins feels like an eternity when you have kids running around and screaming! Calgon take me away!

So after it's all quiet in my house, and I am sitting in the recliner watching TV, I realize I'm bored out of my skull! I went to my computer and made some posts about surgery being over and feeling great and checked my email. Victoria's Secret had some nice summer clearance items, so I made a mental note to go back and buy some stuff when hubby wasn't home to tell me no!

My mom arrived to spend the weekend helping me out, and immediately read me the riot act for walking around and picking up papers from the counters and stuff. I tried to eat a burger that we had made the night before, but my mouth was still very dry and I had a hard time swallowing. It seemed I followed every bite with a big swig of water. I decided the burger wasn't worth the effort since I wasn't very hungry, and Mom was probably right so I again sat down in the recliner.

Now I love my Lazy Boy recliner, don't get me wrong. But daaang, when you have to spend a few hours there on your back and at a 45 degree angle, it starts to hurt! I took a darned Percocet not for my boobs but to help my back! I even got up and sat at the kitchen table. The hard straight back of the chair felt good to me. After a good hour or so I went back to the recliner and spent the rest of the night in good spirits and no pain. My mom slept on the couch so she could be right there in case I needed anything.

The next morning we shopped at Walmart for an hour before heading to Dr. Vanek's to be transitioned into my sports bra. My mom was concerned I was doing too much, but I felt good! I was really worried when Dr. Vanek took off the ace wrap and I saw my breasts for the first time. I was scared I would see blood or oozing or something, but they looked so great! He had covered the incisions with steri strips and had been sweet enough to remove all those black lines he drew on me the day before! Even my mom was shocked to see how nice they looked so soon after surgery!

I have to wear a sports bra all day every day for the next 4 weeks, and Dr. Vanek provided me with 2. Gave me a cute pink one, love that thing! The bra is supposed to be pretty snug, to keep the breasts in perfect position. We noticed that rightie was riding a bit higher than leftie, but the doc said it was normal and fine. I just hope it catches up soon. I didn't have a lot of assymetry prior to surgery and I don't plan on starting now!

Dr. Vanek said everything looked great, and the shopping was fine, but I really should make sure to rest. So I did! Took a short catnap in the recliner before we ordered pizza and salad for dinner. Dr. Vanek had mentioned that the patch behind my ear, which the anesthesiologist put there to help with nausea, can cause dry mouth so I could take it off if I wanted. But since I didn't have any nausea, and didn't want to find out if I would get any without that little patch, I kept it on. Dinner was so much better than last tho, not nearly the sawdust issues I was having before!

I felt good enough to take a gentle walk with my hubby and kids, and it definately did help me. It seemed to stretch me out and helped me to be more relaxed and tired when I sat down. It was another uneventful night, I just wish I didn't have to use the bathroom so much. You need to increase fluids after surgery, but I was tired of having to climb out of the recliner and wake my mom every time I released the footrest!

Day one was done, and was the absolute best I prayed for. I think I might just be able to attend that party tomorrow that we got invited to!