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

Evil 20!

I know many have heard me complain for awhile about these pesky 20 lbs that I cannot get rid of.  These
evil, stupid, annoying 20 lbs are the only thing standing in my way to make personal weight loss goal!  I have been maintaining my current weight for 1.5 years, and I thought my plastic surgery would get me closer to my goal.........


I WAS WRONG!


After my plastics, I had to lay around and pretty much do nothing for 6 weeks.  I didn't gain weight, but I definitely lost muscle.  Now, I am struggling to get that muscle back.  I am trying to stay under 1200 calories per day, get at least 80 grams of protein per day, drink at least 64 ounces of water per day, and working my A$$ off in the gym.  For the life of me, my weight will not budge.  I am beyond frustrated! My sleeve is still working, but I definitely can eat a lot more than I used to.  I am about to make an appointment with the weight loss Dr here in Hawaii because it is bothering me.  I am at a loss what to do, and I am struggling with my self image because of it.  I know I have come a long way and have lost a ton of weight, but I still see a fat girl in the mirror most of the time.  I still have quite a bit of swelling in my lower back right above my incision and in my belly, and it happens every day.  I was 11 months post op a couple of days ago, and I am shocked that I am still having so much swelling. I hope I can figure this out soon because I feel like I am going to go crazy!!!

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!

18 weeks post op

I was 18 weeks post op as of Thursday, the 11th. I am sorry to say that I am still battling a lot of swelling on a daily basis. I still swell in my tummy and back, and I can gain 4 to 6 lbs per day from it. I am not wearing my garment anymore, and the swelling does go down while I sleep at night, but not completely.

I still have loose skin on my belly, but that is because I didn't want the anchor cut on my tummy. I will live with that because I would rather not have the scar and deal with skin. It is hard to see it in pictures, but it is definitely noticeable in person. I have a small roll when I sit down that is around my hip bones when I sit down. If I am standing or laying flat, it is not there because my hip bones stick out and stretches the skin tight. I don't know if he would even be able to fix without doing the anchor cut since it is caused my by my hip bones. I also still have wrinkles in my thighs, but that was known before I left Monterrey. We knew that a revision was needed there as well.

I will be going back to Monterrey the 2nd week of June to have my thighs revised, my belly button fixed(too small due to the stitches ripping), a little lipo on my hips that have pockets of fat, and possibly get a small arm lift. I am still very happy with my results even though I need a few small revisions. I could live without the revisions, but I am choosing to go ahead and get them fixed.

I am dreading the recovery again, but I it will be worth it. It is strange not having plastic surgery or weight loss consume my life anymore. It is great just living and enjoying life as a normal weight, normal shaped woman. I am about to bump up my workouts since I will be living 2 blocks from the gym on Schofield. We are moving in 2 weeks from the North Shore, and we are sad to be living 2 blocks from the beach anymore. We will be about 20 minutes from the beach, so that isn't too bad.

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.

Pain pain go away!

Ok, my butt feels like I have been sitting on metal bleachers for 15 days and never moved!  I have never felt pain as bad as this before!   It probably doesn't help that I have an ace bandage wrapped around my neck to the top of my head  because Dr Sauceda lipo'd under my chin.  It looks nice and flat though, and all the swelling is in my face instead. On top of that, I had a high fever and a migrane, so I was in unbearable pain.  He put 700 CC's in each butt cheek, and  I also got 400CC silicone impants as well!  They are also very swollen and sore.  My lower body lift and thigh lift are not bothering me one bit! The muscle repair is very sore, but feels alot like I did after I had my babies.  The butt is the big issue  (pun intended)!!

Dr Sauceda came in and saved the day!  He changed my pain meds because the others did not touch the pain, and they gave me a migrane.  I got new pain meds, a pill for my headache and temperature, and a morphine shot.  I now feel like my pain if finally under control! 

Tony, my friend that had surgery last Saturday, has been a big help to me, and I cannot thank him enough.  He is moving to the hotel tomorrow, but my friend Debbie is moving in to his room!  I bet Tony spends most of his days over here with us anyway.  I have not taken off my garments yet, but a shower is in the works for tomorrow.  I hope to snap a few pictures of the "new me" when I get my shower. 

Thank you to everyone for believing in me and supporting me!

All marked up and ready to go!

Well, I made it to Monterrey!  Dr Sauceda picked me up, and off we went to check me in to the hotel.  The hotel is VERY nice and VERY clean!!  He took me to HEB to get some fruit, then to visit my other surgery friend, Tony, and then to mark me up for surgery.   He spent 3 hours marking me!! He measured, double measured, and triple measured!  It looks like my 4 year old drew all over me, but the marking definitely mean something to him. 

Dr Sauceda is so nice, sweet, and has such a good heart.  Afterward, he took me through the McDonalds drive through since it was 8:15.  Did you know that you can get a chicken sandwich with guacamole on it??  I am fed, exhausted, and a bundle of nerves. He will pick me up at 7:15 in the morning, and I will be in surgery by 9:00 am central time. 

I am having a LBL, Breast lift w/augmentation, medial thigh lift, and lipo with fat grafting to the butt.  I am having a lot done, but he reassures me that I will be fine.  Since his wife uses twilight sedation, it is much safer for me to be in surgery for longer.  Anyway, I need to get some sleep since I have had only about an hour in the last 36 hours.

I wanted to thank everyone for supporting me through this.  It means more to me than anyone could know.  Chief will update the blog tomorrow after surgery. Please keep those prayers coming because I could use them!




Love to all!

Jessica

Leaving on a jet plane..

The day is finally here, and I will be leaving on my jet plane at 8:55 PM tonight!  I get to Houston at 9:30, have a 3 1/2 hour layover, and then I get to Monterrey at 2:25 PM.  I have packed and repacked and repacked again, trying to make sure I am under 50 lbs in my main bag and moving everything else in to my carry on bag.  I am at 49.75 lbs in my main bag, and I don't think I can get much closer than that!

I wanted to thank you all for supporting me through my weight loss and now my plastic surgery.  All of the support, prayers, and encouragement means more to me than you will ever know.  Please keep those prayers coming because surgery is on Thursday.  Dr Sauceda will be calling Jeremy when I am out of surgery, and I will send a tweet to Twitter as soon as I can.  I will try to see if he can post a small update on here to keep everyone in the loop.

Wish me luck and keep praying!

Thank goodness for Aloha Friday!

It was a long and tiring Thursday! I did a "Fall Clean" on the house today, and it was not fun! Leaving the windows open all the time brings in some interesting things into the house! I am tired of cleaning up gecko poop, gecko pee, gecko tails, dead baby geckos, dog hair, dirt, sand, grass, dried up fruit snacks, baby coconuts, stale chips, and did I mention gecko poop??? I did all the laundry, washed all the bathroom rugs, and washed the shower curtains. I wash more towels in Hawaii because they spoil so fast! I also raked underneath the decks, cleaned up the yard of chewed up dog toys and toys that Lucy has taken from Miss Priss's room. I still have to mop the entire house tonight as well! I also got a call at noon from the school nurse saying that Monkey Doodle has a sore throat and wanted to come home. He was so sad too because he didn't get to go to computer class today. Poor Monkey Doodle! After some chewable Tylenol and a nap, he felt well enough to go out and play!

A few good things came about with the cleaning though! I burn a TON of calories, house is ready for Ava's 4th birthday party, and it is spotless for the 2 house showings this weekend. Chief worked his tail off on the outside as well. He scrubbed all 3 decks, threw away all of the yard debris, fixed, sanded, and painted the chew marks on the decks from the dogs.

We have a big weekend ahead too! Yoga on Fridy, a house showing in the afternoon, and dinner with friends Friday night. I am such a bad mommy too because I haven't even started on Miss Priss's birthday party for next weekend! We have Monkey Doodle's soccer game Saturday morning, a house showing while we are at the soccer care, shopping for the birthday party in the afternoon, and I hope to get a chance to see the surfers shredding some waves in the HUGE 20 foot waves this weekend! We are under high surf warnings all weekend.

I am glad I am keeping busy because it makes the time go faster until Mexico. My surgery is less than 2 weeks away, and I am so ready to be there and get it over with!

Now time to mop the house, finish the laundry, and off to bed to listen to the waves crashing against the rocks.

Reasons why I have chosen Dr, Sauceda

I have had so many people ask me why I chose Dr. Sauceda to reconstruct my body after obesity, 3 babies, 2 C-sections, 2 weight loss surgeries, and 1 grapefruit sized tumor ruined it.

I know I have NOT had my surgery yet, so I have not experienced all this yet. I plan on verifying all of this info with Dr Sauceda personally though. I have compiled a list that is full of info for anyone that has been curious or looking for more information regarding Dr Sauceda. The information has been gathered by me asking him tons of questions, reading on different websites, forums, or by chatting with some of his previous patients. I am pretty sure that I am providing accurate information, but please let me know if I have gathered any wrong information. Also, if any of his former patients have anything else to add, please do so!


1. He uses the Hampton Inn to house his patients.
The link to the hotel is 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.

3. The clinic does not have internet access, but the hotel does. 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. I believe you can also request a recliner be placed in your room and a mini fridge as well.

5. The hotel or Dr Sauceda has a seat riser for the bathroom that you can request if you think you are going to need one. Dr. Sauceda told me this personally.

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 what he told me and other patients have told me, it is in a very safe area. Everyone I have chatted with has said that they felt safe.

8. The hotel has an Applebee’s next door, and I was told that they will deliver to the hotel. I also read that there is a Starbucks, McDonalds, H.E.B., 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.

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.

12. If you are not completely 100% satisfied with his work, he seems to offer free revisions. The patient might have to pay for your flight/ and or hotel, but his fees are free. I would assume this would be on a case by case basis, but I have not found anyone that has said he did not offer.

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 I have internet access!

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.

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. I have also been told that Dr. Sauceda will pick you up personally from the airport if he is available to do so. He has already told me that he will be the one picking me up at the airport on the 7th.



Ok, I hope this helps someone because I know it helped me. Please remember that this is info I have gathered and is not all 1st hand information. If ANYTHING is incorrect, I will let everyone know.

Humpty Dumpty

Ok, after researching for months for a plastic surgeon to reconstruct my body after having 2 pregnancies and losing a lot of weight, I feel like Humpty Dumpty.  I have decided to travel to Mexico to have Dr Sauceda put my Humpty Dumpty self  back together again!  I am so excited and cannot wait! I will be having a lower body lift, breast lift with possible augmentation, medial/small thigh lift, and lipo to my tummy, back, thighs, and neck with with the fat being transferred to my butt.  I leave here late on October 6th, arrive in Monterrey on the 7th, and surgery is on the 8th.  I should be in the hospital for appx. 3 days, and I will then go back to the hotel to recover.  I will be updating my blog to keep everyone informed on how I am doing and my progress.