Post Op Plastics 1 year

It is hard to believe that it has already been 1 year since I had my plastics in Monterrey by Dr. Sauceda.  I definitely wanted to share with everyone on my progress and let everyone know how I am doing.  This is one of the main reasons that I started this blog!  I wanted to be able to help people make decisions that were right for them, show my progress, give them the good/bad/ugly/happy/etc......

Overall, I am very happy with my results! I still have swelling after 1 year post op, and I am discussed this with Dr Sauceda.  It is mostly only in my belly and back, and I am so sick of it.  I really wish that would come to an end and SOON! I have my days when I see my imperfections more, but then I look back at my BEFORE pictures.  I have to remind myself that I have had 3 babies, lost 108 lbs, had over 800 stitches in my body from plastics, and I still look decent in a bikini! I am not going to look like a super model, but I do look like a 34 year old Mom that has been through ALOT!  I do need to go back and have some stuffed revised in the future, but that is really farthest from my mind as we gear up for Chief to leave for Iraq.  My small thigh lift needs to be redone, but we already knew that before I left Monterrey.  He went conservative and didn't want to take the chance of any wounds opening.  I also need more lipo on my hips because I have bulges right above my scar line.  My stitches in my belly button ripped while I was in Monterrey, and he will also fix my belly button to make it bigger.  I also may get my belly pulled a little tighter of just some lipo to help streamline that a little more as well.  Dr Sauceda will evaluate that when I go for the revisions.  I also may pay for a small arm lift while I am there because I have a little excess skin that I despise!  I love love that I have a butt now.  It is shocking looking at the before and after of it. 

I don't visit the OH boards much at all anymore because I finally just have normalcy in my life.  It is weird to not have to obsess with how I look, what I need to do next to be nornal, etc.  I still want to lose 20 more lbs, but I am working on that right now.  I am down to 157, the weight I was when I came home from plastics.  I gained some from laying around after surgery and losing so much muscle.  I wish I would have known more about that so I could prepare for that.  I definitely got more flabby, and it is noticeable in the new pictures.  I am working out a lot, watching what I eat a little closer, and I will get that weight off.  I also bought a new Bodybugg, and that is helping me keep track of what I am actually burning during the day and how much activity I am getting. 

Ok, ok, here are the pictures.  I cut my head off in them because I looked awful since we took these right when I got up this morning.

BEFORE

AFTER

 

BEFORE

 

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

 

BEFORE

AFTER

 

BEFORE

Back to Monterrey!

I will be 5 months post op on March 8th, and I have decided to go back to Monterrey this summer for a few revisions and possibly a mini arm lift.  I knew that I was going to need a revision on my thighs before I even left Monterrey after Dr Sauceda and I spoke about it.  I also ripped my belly button stitches while in Monterrey, so he is going to give me a new belly button as well.  I am going to have him look at my tummy, and he said he could take off a little more skin if I want, but I would still have skin/roll when I sit down because I need the anchor cut.  I just cannot commit to having the anchor cut, but I am thankful he is going to take a little more off for me.  He is also going to do some lipo on my hips and thin those out a little as well.  I will be there for a week, and I am scheduled for June 8th.  Chief is possibly going with me if we can work it out for the kids to stay with my mom and grandma while we are gone.

We will be attending Mookie's high school graduation on the 6th, fly to Monterrey on the 7th, and surgery on the 8th.  I am excited to do this again, but I am not looking forward to the recovery and swelling!  I am still swollen now at almost 5 months post op, but it will all be worth it in the end!

REPOST! Reasons why I chose Dr Sauceda

I have had so many people ask me why I chose Dr Sauceda, and I thought this would be a good time to repost this.

1. He uses the Hampton Inn to house his patients. The link to the hotel is http://hamptoninn.hilton.com/en/hp/hotels/index.jhtml;jsessionid=XSQGHGCOAUOHWCSGBJF3MQQ?ctyhocn=MTYGAHX If you have the all inclusive package, he takes care of the hotel reservations for you.

2. He performs his surgeries in a clinic that is very close to his office and the hotel. Here is a link to pictures of the clinic and to another blogger that has already had her surgery. http://www.mymexicopsjourney.com/clinic-rooms.htm

3. The clinic does have WIFI internet access now and so does the hotel. You would need to bring an Ethernet cord if you want access in your hotel room, but they also have access downstairs as well.

4. You can request to have a recliner be placed in your room and a mini fridge as well.

5.Dr Sauceda has a seat riser for the bathroom that you can request if you think you are going to need one.

6. The Hampton Inn has a free full breakfast buffet every morning and free happy hour on Tues, Wed, and Thursday with free appetizers.

7. From my own experience, it was all in a very safe area. I even walked to the HEB at night and felt completely safe.

8. The hotel has an Applebee’s next door, and they will deliver to the hotel. There is a Starbucks, McDonalds, H.E.B., an Italian Restaurant, and other shops. There is a big mall less than a $2 cab ride away called Gallerias Monterrey with every kind of shop & amenities and is very similar to an American mall. The food court at the mall includes a KFC, Pizza Hut, and a Chili’s. The hotel also has a shuttle service that will take you around for free within 10 miles of the hotel. ( I would still give a tip.)

9. Dr. Sauceda has told me that he only performs 1 surgery per day.

10. His wife is his anesthesiologist, and she is known for making patients have very minimal pain after surgery. I was off my IV and IV drugs by day 2 and on Ibuprofen by day 4.

11. He performs the surgery under something called twilight sedation, not general anesthesia. It is regional anesthesia with sedation, and that allows him to perform multiple surgeries without the risk of being under general for many hours. After I researched it, I found that it is much safer and there is no need to recover from the anesthesia like someone would from general anesthesia. I was talking to my husband on the phone before I was even out of the operating room.

12. If you are not completely 100% satisfied with his work, he will offer free revisions if warranted. The patient might have to pay for your flight/ and or hotel, but his fees are free.

13. If you travel alone, Dr. Sauceda may offer to let you stay at the clinic the entire time or stay longer than normal if you like. He doesn’t want you to get lonely in the hotel. He offered to me already, but I would rather go back to the hotel where the beds are much more comfy!

14. He also comes to your hotel room everyday at least once to check on you, change your bandages, etc. Amazing to have a Dr. that actually makes house calls! If for some reason he cannot make it, he does have an assistant or a nurse that comes in his place. I saw him everyday and also a nurse everyday to help me dress, bathe, and get my garments on.

15. He uses the brand Veronique for his compression garments, and they get great reviews.

16. If your surgery totals over $6000, he currently offers an all inclusive price. That includes hotel, medical clearance tests, all medical expenses, fees, implants (if any), required post-op garments(I believe 2 sets of garments, but it might be on a case by case basis), required hospitalization, post-op medication, follow up, refund of airfare up to $600, and local transportation (airport-clinic-hotel-airport.)

17. Dr. Sauceda will try to pick you up personally from the airport if he is available to do so. He picked me up, but could not take me back to the airport. He did already have a cab arranged for me and paid for when I had to leave.

18. The best is that he truly is an artist! He is so good at what he does and gave me an amazing new body! I cannot thank him enough for giving me a new and improved me!

Adios Monterrey, Aloha Hawaii!

It is time to to say adios to Monterrey.  We had a fabulous dinner with Dr Sauceda tonight and the food was amazing!  It was nice to get dressed up, socialize, and feel like a normal person again.  I think that is the first time I have put all my makeup on since I got here!  It was so much fun!

Dr Sauceda has surgery in the morning, so he cannot take me to the airport, but that is ok.  He has already set up and paid for my taxi already.  I am going home with all of my stitches and only 1 drain.  He said that it should be ready to come out in about a week.  Lipo swelling is still pretty bad especially in my back, and he said that should last about 8 weeks.  I am already impatient to see what my body is going to look like because it is definitely going to change!

I leave at 8:55 tomorrow morning and will be in Hawaii by 3:00 Hawaii time!  I cannot wait to see my family and friends, and just be normal again!

Still here & doing well

I am still here and doing very well.  I have 2 of the 5 drains removed, and I should have 2 more out by Friday.  Dr Sauceda said that I should not have to go home with any drains, so that is very good news! I may go home with my stitches, but we will see the day I leave.  He said it would be better if I went home with them if I had someone to take them out when I got home.  With me having such a long flight, I think it would be more beneficial to keep them in. 

I have to tell you that I am burned out on plastic surgery!  I have studied, lived, breathed it since April.  Now that it is complete, I am so tired of thinking about it!  I was shocked to see the outflow of support and questions since surgery.  I just counted again, and I have received over 100 emails just about surgery since the 8th.  I have tried to answer everyone's emails, so I apologize if I missed someone.  I have barely been on the internet the last 2 days because I just wanted to read a book.  I never get much of a chance to do that at home, so I am taking advantage!  I am reading the Twilight series, and I cannot put them down.  I finally had to this evening because my inbox was so full of questions from so many pre op patients or people that are still researching for a Dr.  I will do my best to try and answer your email, but if you don't hear from me in a few days, try searching my blog.  You can type in Plastic Surgery, Dr Sauceda, or Monterrey and get tons of information that might already have the answer you need.  I even have a packing list on here! 

I am also getting homesick.  I knew it would happen because this is the longest I have been away from my kids EVER!  It is starting to wear on them as well as daddy.  We are doing our best to get me home sooner, but Continental is not being cooperative and American gave us poor information.  We need quite a bit more miles on American than we anticipated and is just not affordable to purchse that many miles or a full fare ticket to get home.  My best friend in Hawaii's daughter(like my own daughter) is also having surgery on Monday to have a grapefruit size tumor removed in her hip.  Her surgery was scheduled after I already purchased my tickets, so I am pretty torn up that I cannot be there for that as well.  I hope we get something worked out, but I guess I will stay until the 23rd if all else fails!  Dr Sauceda gave me the clear to leave on Sunday the 18th because I am doing so well. 

If you don't see me post in a couple of days, I promise that I am doing well and just relaxing and healing.  Pain is very controllable with over the counter meds now, and I am getting around like I did preop. 

Wait!  Funny story before I go!  Dr Sauceda was in my room today, and he dropped a cotton ball down my shirt by accident.  He went to fish it out and then stopped for me to get it.  He said for me to get used to it because things are going to get lost down there a lot!  LOL!  Thought that was too funny!

Ok, back to my book!!!

Moving on up!

Big day for me today!  I moved on up to the hotel today, and it is great to be here!  I have a huge comfy bed, recliner, large tub with a seat for my showers, and internet!  After Dr Sauceda checked me in, I took a fantastic nap that was much needed!  He actually woke me up when he came back to the hotel to bring me my gauze and meds for tomorrow.  I will have a nurse come help me shower and get back in to my garment in the morning, so that makes things much easier as well!  My friend, Tony, and I went to eat at the food court that is probably 200 ft from the hotel.  I am getting spoiled by such good authentic Mexican food, and I am loving it!  Then, we walked around the HEB and bought a few things.  I loved the bakery area where you use a pizza pan and tongs to walk around and pick which pastries, breads, donuts, and treats you would like.  You just take them up to the counter, and they price it for you.  We changed our US Dollars in to Mexican Pesos because it just makes things so much easier.  You only have to calculate what you will be getting back in Pesos that one time, and then you can just purchase what you like without having to start a conversation. 

I also decided that I am officially home sick.  I miss everything about home, even the barking dogs and crowing roosters in the middle of the night.  I feel so great on day 4, and I know now that I have no need to stay until day 15 post op.  I am required to stay for 12 days, so I am going to try and change my flight.  My unofficial daughter, Kyra, is having a huge tumor removed from her hip next Monday.  This poor 12 year old girl is just starting her life and does not deserve this!  I had already booked my flight and surgery when they got her surgery date.  I was devastated that I was not going to be able to be there to support our friends and their daughter.  I am hoping that I will be flying home next Monday!  The Dr's are not for sure what they are going to find in there and are pretty sure they cannot remove all of it without crippling her for life.  They have to do something because it just keeps growing and it is on her growth plate.  Please keep Kyra and her family in your thoughts and prayers as they go through this.  Also, lift up the Dr's and pray that they will have the skill and knowledge to do what is best for Kyra.