Celebrity Plastic Surgery, News, Gossip

See Kim’s Before & After Plastic Surgery Pictures Album.

63 year old, Kim (friendname: kimk27) has always known that she would get plastic surgery when she started to show facial aging. As soon as she saw her friend’s success with a facelift, she knew that it was time. Kim spent hours online, researching for the right doctor and facility and eventually decided on Dr. Carl Williams in Henderson, NV for his experience, credentials, and helpfulness. Kim prepared for her surgery by looking through Make Me Heal’s before and after photos and reading the doctor reviews. The hardest thing for Kim during her preparation was to quit smoking, which she had to do for at least 30 days. On February 26, 2008, Kim had a deep plane face lift and recovered beautifully with minimal discomfort. Her advice for anyone who’s contemplating plastic surgery is:

“My final words of advice would be to do the procedures because you really want to, not for anyone or anything else. In my opinion, cosmetic surgery cannot bring happiness if a person does not have that feeling within them. It does not create self esteem if a person does not like his or her self. Cosmetic surgery only enhances the physical looks, and therefore enhances one feeling of happiness and self esteem. It will not give you what inner feelings, such as happiness, self esteem, and a good outlook on life if one did not have those feelings before the surgery, to me, it only enhanced the positive feelings I had before the surgery.”

Please join us for an interview with Kim:

Make Me Heal: When did you first have the idea to have your procedure(s)?

Kim: I have always had a curiosity about plastic surgery, and knew that I would consider it when I started to show facial aging. I knew I could keep my weight down and body fit through exercise and proper nutrition, but that I could not stop my aging face and neck. In 2006 I became very serious about finding a reputable plastic surgeon, and finances to have a face lift as my face was showing the signs of aging and so was my neck.

Make Me Heal: What were your motivations (physical, emotional, social, etc.) behind your decision to have the procedure(s)?

Kim: The motivation to have the procedures was that I knew it was time as I was already 63 years old. Then I saw someone who just had a facelift. Her lift was 10 days old, and she looked well and happy. Seeing a success story right in front of me, made me look harder for a surgeon. I live in a small town, and the search for a good Plastic Surgeon was not easy, and I knew I would have to travel and stay out of town to find a good Surgeon to get my procedures done.

Make Me Heal: How long did it take you to make a decision and was it an easy or difficult one to make?

Kim: After seeing the lady that just had the facelift, I made up my mind to find a good surgeon and have the face lift done. It made it easier to make the decision, as I realized that she too being from a small town, had to go out of town to have the procedure and that it all worked out well for her. That made it easier, as it is not an easy decision to make when it is elective surgery and one is putting herself at some risk. I knew it would be ok, if I researched and found a good doctor and facility. Knowing that I could do the homework/research made my decision making process easier.

Make Me Heal: Did your family, friends, and any other people in your close circle give you support, opposition, or did you make this decision without considering them?

Kim: I did tell my immediate family and 3 close friends. They were all supportive, but also concerned, as it is elective surgery. As I am over 3,000 miles from my family, there was some concern! No one opposed as they knew I had made up my mind and spent many hours searching for the right facility and doctor.

Make Me Heal: How did you research the procedure and come to decide on this particular procedure?

Kim: I had gone for a consultation in the state of NH when I was in my 40’s, so I knew I would have to do that after I narrow down a field of doctors, and facilities. I was familiar with consultations and seeing surgical facilities. I began with a local doctor in my town and was given names. I spent hours on the internet. I used the Make Me Heal website, and read all the facelift category. The good and the bad results. I used every tool that I found on the Internet. I got input from 2 ladies that had facelift. Both provided lots of dos and don’ts. I then went out on consultations, and kept speaking with my local doctor. This doctor was very helpful to me, as he was just starting out in cosmetic surgery and did recommend doctors that were more experienced than he was. They were all out of town, as I live in a small town and we do not have a good selection of Cosmetic surgeons.

Make Me Heal: Please discuss if you used any of Make Me Heal’s resources such as the message boards, pictures library, doctor directory and doctor reviews, and any recovery and preparation products that you used.

Kim: As I mentioned in #5, I most definitely use the Make Me Heal’s Resources. My friend that just had the face lift posted her pictures on the Make Me Heal Website. I used the pictures library, doctor’s reviews. I did not use any preparation or recovery products. I relied on my own good health for my recovery.

Make Me Heal: How did you come to choose your doctor?

Kim: I only had 3 consultations. I made many phone calls and sent many emails. I had to find a good doctor at a price that I could afford. Finances were a big factor for me. So I narrowed down to the prices that were within my reach, and then came the struggle of finding the right doctor. I was fortunate when I called Luna Cosmetics. I had a consultation with them. They gave me a list of the doctors that are affiliated with them. They quoted me a price and put it in writing. They gave me 30 days to research their Plastic Surgeons and to accept their proposal. I researched by calling the Medical Board of Nevada and the Medical Board of Arizona. Dr. Williams has excellent credentials. He is a Diplomat in his field, and has many Board Certifications. I accepted their contract. Luna coordinates the surgeon, the Surgical Center and financing. They provide many services in the Cosmetic Field. I made reservations at a local hotel located near the surgical center, as I was told that I would have to spend 7 days in Henderson NV after my surgery. Dr. William’s nurse, Sandy Harvey, came to the hotel everyday to check the drains, washed my hair, and changed the bandages. I was allowed to go home on the 7th day.

Make Me Heal: Please discuss if you have any role in deciding the type of technique used for your surgery by the doctor, incision placements, implant brand, anesthesia type, etc.

Kim: I did not have a decision in deciding what type of anesthesia. Dr. Williams only will perform face lifts under general anesthesia. He does not want the patient to move or start talking during the surgery, that is why he uses general anesthesia. He showed me what he wanted to do, and it all seemed like it was what I needed to have done. I was told the surgery would take between 4 and 5 hours under general anesthesia.

Make Me Heal: How did you prepare for the surgery?

Kim: The hardest thing to do was to quit smoking. Dr. Williams will not operate on a smoker. I had to be smoke free for 30 days. I lost 15 pounds before I quit smoking as I knew when one quits smoking one gains weight, so I made sure I was at least 5 + pounds under weight. It took me 100 days to taper off cigarettes and loose the weight. I increased my daily walk from 1 mile to 2 miles, I bicycle 3 miles and weight lifted. I had been walking and exercising for a few years, so I just increased everything in order to attain better physical strength. It is not a good idea to loose weight after a face lift, this should be done before. Loosing weight after a face lift will only bring about new wrinkles!!! especially at my age where the elasticity of the skin is not as good as it was a few decades ago. I had this procedure done out of town, so I did have to have a friend stay with me for 2 days. She drove me to the surgical center and back to the hotel. As my family is so far away, I gave them the hotel phone number, and of course I had my laptop if they wanted to reach me, I made arrangement for a pet sitter to take care of my 2 old cats. I was told to stop taking Vitamin E, Fish Oil, Aspirins 7 days before the surgery. I had to get a RX of Keflex antibiotics for after the surgery, and some pain killers.

Make Me Heal: How were you feeling the night before the surgery and on the moments before the surgery itself?

Kim: The night before the surgery, my friend and I went out to eat at the Red Lobster. I think I ate like it was my last meal. I had lobster, shrimps, clam chowder and desert. Went back to the hotel, and took care of some emails. I did have thought of, what if: I die, what if I come out worst than I went in, what if the anesthesiologist screws up. Things like that went through my mind. Then I prayed that it would all turn out according to God’s will. I also believe that I was born on a certain date, and that I will die on a certain date. Surgery could be the means for me to die. Whatever, I do not have control over the moment or the manner of my death. So I just went to sleep and we had set 2 alarm clocks to wake me up. The alarm clocks went off and I got up and went for the surgery. I told the anesthesiologist that he better not screw up, and to make sure he could wake me up! I last remember saying a prayer for my doctors and went to sleep. I was in surgery for 4 hours and 20 minutes under general anesthesia.

Make Me Heal: How was the recovery process? Please discuss what side effects you experienced? What were the worse parts of the recovery? Did anyone help you during the recovery?

Kim: The recovery process was not eventful. There was some discomfort because I had 2 drains for about 3 days. I had some swelling, a couple of bruises, lots of stitches and my head was wrapped as you will see when you look at my pictures. After the surgery, my friend drove me back to the hotel. I went to bed propped on pillows in sitting up position and slept. When I awoke, I had a pizza and soda, and dozed off. The next day I had normal meals, the nurse came to the hotel and washed my hair and checked all the sutures and the drains to make sure all was well. All was well. Day 3 my friend went home and I was on my own. The nurse came to the hotel and took out the 2 drains. I promptly got dressed and put a little makeup on and took myself out to eat as you will see in the pictures in my album.

Make Me Heal: Please discuss the pain or discomfort you experienced during the recovery?

Kim: I DID NOT experience pain during my recovery. Only discomfort because of the drains and bandages. I did not take any pain pills. Not a one. I had a prescription for pain pills but did not use it. I only took the antibiotic Keflex twice a day.

Make Me Heal: How well prepared were you for the recovery from physical, emotional, and mental respects? Did you do any research (i.e. online, books, message boards, etc.) to make your recovery smoother?

Kim: I was prepared physically for my recovery, as I have exercised for a long time, I am properly nourished, as I am a believer of good diet and not too much junk food. I have taken vitamins daily for many years. Even though I was a newly ex-smoker, the doctor and nurse were impressed by my fast recovery and wound healing. Emotionally, I prepared myself, by having a good outlook on life, looking forward every day to camouflaging my battle scars and going out to eat. I took pictures of my progress and email them to my family and friends on a daily basis. I always give myself something to look forward to even if it is just taking pictures, and going out to eat. Mentally, I did not take any pain killers, so my mind was sharp and I did not feel any withdrawals or depression that comes with taking pain medication. As I was out of town and stuck in a hotel room, I went to the hotel gym after they removed my drains and used the treadmill and bicycle, then I played Texas hold’m tournaments on line at night. I talked on the phone to family and friends, and before I knew it, a week went by and I was told I could go home. I drove myself home and went back on a weekly basis to have the many stitches removed.

Make Me Heal: What are your top recovery tips to other patients?

Kim: The recovery tips I have to offer:

1. get in good physical shape

2. be well nourished

3. have a good outlook on life

4. Stay away from drugs, as in pain pills.

5. Acquire patience, as it takes a good 10 days to be pretty again!

Make Me Heal: How long did you take off from work? What did you tell your co-workers about taking this time off? Did anyone notice your cosmetic procedures at work and what did you tell them if they asked about it?

Kim: As I am 63, I am retired, so I did not have to deal with work issues. I do belong to some organizations, and I just told them I was going away for a while, would be back in a couple of weeks. To say that the people that were not real close friends noticed the surgery, I would say no as the outcome of the surgery was very natural and not plastic looking. They would take a second look, but nothing was said. The closer friends did notice, and if they did not already know, I told them what I had done. My friends and family were getting pictures on a daily basis, so it was no big deal. All the remarks I got were positive. My 87 year old mom was very impressed. She had my kid sister print and frame one of my pictures!!! The one taken 30 days after the surgery.

She has it in her living room.

Make Me Heal: How happy are you with the results?

Kim: I am very happy with the results. I was told that I would need the new Fraxel Re:Pair laser resurfacing because I was 63 years of age when I got the face lift, and they can only stretch the skin so much. I did have the fine lines left around the mouth and eyes. The wrinkles were gone. I did schedule the laser Resurfacing 6 weeks after my surgery. Fraxel Re:Pair is a newly FDA approved in late 2007 laser. I did have that done by Dr. Williams. The recovery from the laser was a bit more uncomfortable than the face lift surgery. I did not take pain pill, just the antibiotic. I am very happy with both procedures, Dr. Williams and his staff, and Luna cosmetics.

Make Me Heal: How has your makeover impacted your life from personal, social, career, and other respects?

Kim: The makeover, in my opinion has not really impacted my life as that is not the reason why I wanted the makeover.

I wanted the makeover, because I did not feel old mentally or physically, my body is in good shape, but my face had lots of wrinkles and looked older than the rest of me. My wanting it had something to do with vanity also. I did not do it to change my social life, as my social life is just fine. I am retired, so not for a career. I did it just because I wanted my face to match the rest of me. I am basically a happy person. Now my face does not look old and tired anymore!!

Make Me Heal: Would you have done anything differently if you had the chance?

Kim: No, I would not do anything different. The doctor is excellent, the surgical facility was wonderful, the hotel I stayed in worked out real well and Luna Cosmetic did a good job of coordinating. For me, it was a pleasant experience. I would do it over again with the same people. It was a pleasant adventure.

Make Me Heal: What is your final word of advice to other people considering the procedure(s) you had?

Kim: My final words of advice would be to do the procedures because you really want to, not for anyone or anything else. In my opinion, cosmetic surgery cannot bring happiness if a person does not have that feeling within them. It does not create self esteem if a person does not like his or her self. Cosmetic surgery only enhances the physical looks, and therefore enhances one feeling of happiness and self esteem. It will not give you what inner feelings, such as happiness, self esteem, and a good outlook on life if one did not have those feelings before the surgery, to me, it only enhanced the positive feelings I had before the surgery.

Make Me Heal: Was Make Me Heal beneficial to you along your journey?

Kim: Make Me Heal website was beneficial to me and still is after the surgery. It is good to see the pictures and comments. I was impressed with the pictures of a lady in her 60’s on your website. I basically searched out pictures of people in my age group, as when one is older, results will be different, as I have had the wrinkles for a long time. I wanted to see the outcome of other people in my age bracket, to be sure that it would be worth it for me to go through the surgery and the expense, as I would not want to go through elective surgery and not get results.

Make me Heal was very helpful in my decision making. I saw on Make Me Heal that there was hope for these old wrinkles I use to have!

See Kim’s Before & After Plastic Surgery Pictures Album.

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See Marlene’s Before & After Plastic Surgery Pictures Album.

After giving birth to 4 children and gaining weight, 65 year old Marlene (username: momofgr84) was afraid her tummy would perpetually “remain large and saggy.” She started seriously considering a tummy tuck procedure 7 years ago and remained uncertain until the surgery date for fear of pain and feeling guilty about spending so much money. By researching online and lurking on the Make Me Heal message boards, Marlene found before/after pictures and recovery stories from actual patients to prepare herself for the surgery. As a registered nurse, Marlene knew of the plastic surgeons in her area and chose Dr. Robert Cooper in Spokane Valley, WA to do her Extended Tummy Tuck with Extensive Muscle Repair because he was known as the expert on TRAM flap surgery. Through the help of her friend who stayed with her right after surgery, Marlene recovered beautifully and has already gone down a dress size. Her self confidence has soared and Marlene is ecstatic that she doesn’t have to wear girdles or granny panties anymore.

Marlene’s advice for anyone contemplating plastic surgery is:

“Consult with more than one plastic surgeon and go to the appointments with a written list of questions you have, make sure s/he is Board Certified in Plastic Surgery and has had a few years of plastic surgery experience, make sure you have 24 hour help for at least 3 days for an ETT with muscle repair, and don’t put it off!!!!!”

Please join us below for an interview with Marlene:

Make Me Heal: When did you first have the idea to have your procedure(s)?

Marlene: A few years after my 4^th baby was born (27 years ago) I worried my tummy was going to remain large and saggy. I’d had 4 pregnancies with 3 c-sections, all babies weighing 8# or more (2^nd baby was 10# 1 oz.) and after gaining some weight over those past 27 years it just got worse. Over approximately the past 15 years I began thinking about a Tummy Tuck and got real serious about it about 7 years ago.

Make Me Heal: What were your motivations (physical, emotional, social, etc.) behind your decision to have the procedure(s)?

Marlene: Physically I couldn’t hold in my tummy although I wore clothes and control top panties/girdles/or waist cinchers to disguise it as much as I could. Emotionally I felt fat and frumpy and my ex- husband always made it clear he didn’t like overweight/non-svelte women; then after 30 years of marriage I found out he was having an affair with a much younger, very physically fit woman and that totally destroyed my self-esteem. I’m not sure how it affected me socially other than due to the lack of self-esteem I was never comfortable dating after my divorce.

Make Me Heal: How long did it take you to make a decision and was it an easy or difficult one to make?

Marlene: As described above it took me many years to make the decision to get a Tummy Tuck and it was very difficult to make the final commitment. I scheduled it on November 19 and during the 3 months before the actual surgery I figured I’d back out. The main reason it was difficult was fear of the pain. I also felt guilty spending so much money on myself. I also was concerned about what others would think, especially my family. Another thing that made the decision difficult was timing – trying to fit it in with my work obligations (I own my business, have 106 employees and work also involves a lot of travel) and family activities.

Make Me Heal: Did your family, friends, and any other people in your close circle give you support, opposition, or did you make this decision without considering them?

Marlene: I made my decision independent of anyone else. I told my 4 grown children about a week or 2 before the surgery. Although two of them said I didn’t need it they were supportive but each expressed concern about my going through such a major surgery and anesthesia that was an elective procedure. The only other people I told were my personal trainer, my massage therapist, and the friend that was willing to come and take care of me post-operatively. I didn’t tell my 93 y.o. Mom or two sisters until the night of my surgery when I was home and knew all had gone well. My Mom is an obsessive ‘worry wart’ and I felt it was kinder to tell her after it was all over. She took it better than I expected.

Make Me Heal: How did you research the procedure and come to decide on this particular procedure?

Marlene: I googled ‘tummy tuck’and ‘abdominoplasty’ then did some research on various sites. I found your Make Me Heal site and ‘lurked for a few weeks before I registered on Feb. 5. As a Registered Nurse (my former career) I was aware of the plastic surgeons in my area and knew there were two I wanted to consult with. I also talked to a couple gals who had gone through this surgery.

Make Me Heal: Please discuss if you used any of Make Me Heal’s resources such as the message boards, pictures library, doctor directory and doctor reviews, and any recovery and preparation products that you used.

Marlene: I read posts on the MMH’s site on a regular basis before surgery. Especially helpful: the ’sticky’ on what supplies to purchase pre-operatively; the many, many pre- and post-op pictures; the posts encouraging Bromelain and lemon water; the many comments on being patient regarding healing and expected outcome. I also checked the doctor directory but my surgeon was not listed.

Make Me Heal: How did you come to choose your doctor?

Marlene: The first surgeon I consulted with planned to do a FTT with lipo of the flanks. The second surgeon planned to do an ETT-no lipo. I chose him because I felt the extended procedure would lead to a better result plus he is very well know in my area as the expert on TRAM flap surgery.

Make Me Heal: Please discuss if you have any role in deciding the type of technique used for your surgery by the doctor, incision placements, implant brand, anesthesia type, etc.

Marlene: I just trusted his expertise and let him perform the surgery.

Make Me Heal: How did you prepare for the surgery?

Marlene: After I set my surgery date (set it on 11/19 to be done on 2/19) I called my friend to see if she’d be willing and available to help me for a couple days and nights. The week before surgery I purchased 4 X 4’s, lemons, Bromelain and prescriptions. I also put the items I’d need (medications, phone, Suduko puzzle books, TV controller, etc.) all together in a basket (a great suggestion I’d read on MMH) and set up my ‘nest’ at my recliner.

Make Me Heal: How were you feeling the night before the surgery and on the moments before the surgery itself?

Marlene: I prayed prior to surgery, especially the night before. I did have faith that everything was going to be okay but still I was fearful of the pain and the thought of dying under anesthesia went through my mind. The morning of surgery I was less nervous than I had expected to be, mostly just anxious to get there and have it over with. The best way I can describe my feelings the morning of surgery was like an ‘out of body experience’ – it didn’t feel real that I was actually going to do this and I was kind of numb realizing that it was really going to happen.

Make Me Heal: How was the recovery process? Please discuss what side effects you experienced? What were the worse parts of the recovery? Did anyone help you during the recovery?

Marlene: My recovery has been as expected so far, however, I didn’t realize prior to surgery that it would take up to 6 months (in some cases up to a year) to see the final results. I spent the first 6 days in my recliner but by the 4^th night I had difficulty sleeping on my back. Four of the 5 drains were removed on the 6^th day so I started sleeping in my bed my sides on the 6^th night which was wonderful. I took my pain meds regularly the first 5 days and was pretty comfortable sitting still in my recliner but moving was extremely painful – I absolutely dreaded having to get up to go to the bathroom - I guess I’d have to say that was the worst part of recovery. I had no side effects unless you would call the ‘Ken doll’ thing a side effect which I’m still dealing with at 10 ½ weeks post op. I do sometimes have minimal swelling across my abdominal area also. I am thankful to say I did not experience any post op depression, seroma, problems with incision area or necrosis. I still tire pretty easily. My friend stayed with me the first 3 days and nights and that was such a blessing! I took 3 weeks off work.

Make Me Heal: Please discuss the pain or discomfort you experienced during the recovery?

Marlene: Please refer to response on question #11.

Make Me Heal: How well prepared were you for the recovery from physical, emotional, and mental respects? Did you do any research (i.e. online, books, message boards, etc.) to make your recovery smoother?

Marlene: The research I did to assist in my recovery is covered in question #6. I had been working with a personal trainer for 8 months prior to surgery so I was in pretty good physical shape other than somewhat overweight.

Make Me Heal: What are your top recovery tips to other patients?

Marlene: Patience and a positive mental attitude are the keys to a smooth recovery. It’s also important to realize that the greatest percentage of the posts on MMH are from those who are having side effects and problems post-operatively and they are seeking input from the ‘veterans’ - so read with an open mind and positive attitude that these occurrences are relatively rare.

Make Me Heal: How long did you take off from work? What did you tell your co-workers about taking this time off? Did anyone notice your cosmetic procedures at work and what did you tell them if they asked about it?

Marlene: I took 3 weeks off and worked ½ days my first week back. I only told my General Manager (who is my son), Office Manager and Controller I was taking time off for surgery (only my son knew what the surgery was). When I returned many of my employees asked ‘how was your vacation?’ so those I told I’d been off for surgery – but didn’t tell any of them what kind of surgery. Only 2 people asked what type of surgery and I told them ‘muscle repair’ and let it go at that. Only one person mentioned that I looked like I’d lost weight.

Make Me Heal: How happy are you with the results?

Marlene: On a scale of 1 to 10 I’m at an 8 because I’m still waiting for the swelling to completely subside.

Make Me Heal: How has your makeover impacted your life from personal, social, career, and other respects?

Marlene: Personal: I believe I have more self-confidence now. I’ve always been pretty out-going but now feel much more comfortable about my appearance. I’ve always been told that I don’t look my age, but now I feel my body measures up to that much more than it did before. Social: It hasn’t impacted me socially yet, but next time I meet a guy I’d like to date I’m sure I’ll have a lot more confidence in myself. Career: No impact to my career. Other respects: It’s so rewarding and fun to get dressed now. I don’t have to dress to cover my protruding tummy anymore and it’s wonderful! I can now wear form-fitting dresses and tops without a waist cincher and I love it! I can wear pants that fit below the waist and I love it! I got rid of my granny panties and I love it!

Make Me Heal: Would you have done anything differently if you had the chance?

Marlene: Absolutely!! I wish I would have done this years ago!!

Make Me Heal: What is your final word of advice to other people considering the procedure(s) you had?

Marlene: Consult with more than one plastic surgeon and go to the appointments with a written list of questions you have, make sure s/he is Board Certified in Plastic Surgery and has had a few years of plastic surgery experience, make sure you have 24 hour help for at least 3 days for an ETT with muscle repair, and don’t put it off!!!!!

Make Me Heal: Was Make Me Heal beneficial to you along your journey?

Marlene: Yes, it is extremely helpful and interesting to read about the experiences of others who have had tummy tucks and to look at before and after photos. Also, it is so important to read with an open mind realizing that many who post on MMH are seeking help and advice when they’re experiencing problems/side effects – and these problems/side effects are actually pretty rare.

See Marlene’s Before & After Plastic Surgery Pictures Album.

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See Cheryl’s Before & After Plastic Surgery Pictures Album.

51 year old Cheryl (username: Dixie3) considered plastic surgery for a few years before going through with it on February 27, 2008. After losing 30 lbs, Cheryl was still unhappy with her disproportionately larger abdomen, hips, and thighs. Through her research on the internet visiting government agencies and Make Me Heal’s message boards, Cheryl was able to thoroughly research the procedures by looking at before/after photos and knew she wanted to get liposuction and a full tummy tuck. Cheryl decided to go with Dr. Michael P. Bentley from Montgomery, Alabama, whom she had seen before to remove a lesion from her nose. Cheryl had tumescent liposuction to the thighs, ultrasonic assisted liposuction to the flanks, and a full tummy tuck. With the help of her family and friends, Cheryl had minimal pain and discomfort through her recovery. Cheryl is completely thrilled with her results and “more comfortable in [her] own skin now.”

Cheryl’s advice to anyone contemplating plastic surgery is:

“The surgery is for you to feel better about yourself. That’s OK. To whatever degree you need, research the procedures, surgeons, and surgical facilities. Make sure you’re as healthy as you can be, and give yourself time to heal.”

Please join us below with an interview with Cheryl:

Make Me Heal: When did you first have the idea to have your procedure(s)?

Cheryl: I’d been thinking of doing this for years and seriously considered it in 2007, but I chickened out at that time.

Make Me Heal: What were your motivations (physical, emotional, social, etc.) behind your decision to have the procedure(s)?

Cheryl: I needed to do this due to my frustration with how clothes didn’t fit, and how I felt about my body in general. I’ve always battled weight, and though I’d lost 30 lbs in the last couple of years, the abdominal and thigh areas remained disproportionate. I’d worked on my abs for a year and a half to help the situation, but nothing worked. My abs were a result of a hereditary condition – they’d been that way since I was a child, and nothing but surgery would correct the situation. Once I reconciled myself to that fact, I was ready to move forward with the surgery.

Make Me Heal: How long did it take you to make a decision and was it an easy or difficult one to make?

Cheryl: I’d thought about having liposuction for years, since my thighs and hips were disproportionate. I hadn’t begun to consider a tummy tuck until the last couple of years, though. Once I’d lost some weight and still didn’t have complete satisfaction with the result, the decision to move forward with surgery wasn’t really hard. It was the only thing I could do other than accept the situation. Since I no longer wanted to accept the situation, the decision was easy. I did withhold the decision until I had my consultation though. I wanted to make sure I was a good candidate – I was ready to accept what the doctor told me and when he said I should have a good result, that was my answer.

Make Me Heal: Did your family, friends, and any other people in your close circle give you support, opposition, or did you make this decision without considering them?

Cheryl: I made this decision without discussing it with my family or friends. Since I’m single and have no children, I had more flexibility in making the decision. I also didn’t want push back from anyone since it is a very personal issue. After I committed to the procedures, I began making arrangements for my aftercare and the family was very supportive. I have a couple of adult nieces who asked why I was doing this; they thought I looked just fine – it just goes to show how well I hid the situation.

Make Me Heal: How did you research the procedure and come to decide on this particular procedure?

Cheryl: I used the internet exclusively. I tend to rely on two main sources – official sites either from the government or certifying agencies, and message boards. I like looking at message boards because you get firsthand experiences – the personal touch. Of course, you have to look at the boards in a comprehensive way so you get the broadest view possible. I had a friend who’d had liposuction a year earlier and I talked to her about her experience; that helped a lot. I don’t know anyone who had a tummy tuck, so I relied on the internet sources and my surgeon for that information. Once at the consultation appointment, I let the surgeon tell me my best choices – I would never have asked for a particular type of liposuction. I think that’s up to the surgeon to advise properly on what will work best for my body and circumstances. It turns out that what I thought I’d need generally was recommended.

Make Me Heal: Please discuss if you used any of Make Me Heal’s resources such as the message boards, pictures library, doctor directory and doctor reviews, and any recovery and preparation products that you used.

Cheryl: I’ve really enjoyed the community of people in the message boards. I initially found the site in looking for before/after photos; once in the site, I took advantage of “lurking” in the boards. I got hooked and joined once I decided to have the surgery. I’ve researched some of the products as well just to learn more about them.

Make Me Heal: How did you come to choose your doctor?

Cheryl: The message board members would be appalled, but I only had one consultation. It isn’t as bad as it sounds – I’d seen this surgeon about 15 years ago to remove a lesion from my nose. The result was perfect – you can’t tell anything was done. I’d actually forgotten about the procedure until I began seriously thinking about this surgery. I liked this doctor before and it was easy to go back to him again. He is board certified – most other plastic surgeons in my area are not. Certification was a must, and I really wasn’t particularly concerned about cost comparisons. I would have had to go 100 miles away to the next board certified doctors and I already knew I did not want to go that far – not with the pre-op and post-op visits. I wanted a local doctor convenient to my home, and I got all that, plus the professionalism of the surgeon and his staff.

Make Me Heal: Please discuss if you have any role in deciding the type of technique used for your surgery by the doctor, incision placements, implant brand, anesthesia type, etc.

Cheryl: I played no role whatsoever in the techniques used or the incision placements. My surgeon advised what he normally did and that was good for me. I guess I’m easy to please? I was concerned about intubation, or rather the size of the tube. My sister had a problem once with the intubation she received and I asked them to address that. They were very good about my concerns. I also use a particular eye ointment at night and they let me use that during surgery as well. Another issue was the antibiotic to be used – I’m allergic to penicillin and mold-based antibiotics, and they were very conscientious about prescribing a drug which wouldn’t make me sick. They were very willing to work with me on all aspects of my comfort and addressed every concern I had.

Make Me Heal: How did you prepare for the surgery?

Cheryl: Oh dear, I’m a planner and I tried to think of everything under the sun to do before the surgery. I’m my elderly mother’s caregiver so I had to make sure she was taken care of while I was recuperating. I asked my sister and sister-in-law to help me out the first week or two after surgery, so we were looked after very well. I prepared about three weeks of frozen meals ahead of time for when no one would be around to help us. That was a tremendous help to me to have those meals available. I pre-purchased the prescriptions that I could, I purchased comfy clothes for after surgery which I felt would work with the compression garments and drains. I cleaned house ahead of time and arranged for a lady to help me with personal and household tasks after my family left. I didn’t have to depend on her for too long fortunately, since I was healing pretty well. I arranged for transportation to post op visits and I had other friends who volunteered to grocery shop and help in any way they could. Advice from the message board was good too, and I purchased things like rubber gloves (no one used them though), baby wipes, extra lotions and oils, etc. I was thrown a bit though because the night before surgery my computer decided to die. I’d wanted to check a message thread I’d started and couldn’t do it. The good part was that I was so distracted the night before surgery with trying to fix the computer that I didn’t get too nervous! The end of that story was the computer had to be shipped out and I paid someone to put it back together for me since I couldn’t even lift it two weeks later!

Make Me Heal: How were you feeling the night before the surgery and on the moments before the surgery itself?

Cheryl: It was really odd for me. For the weeks prior to surgery I was mostly excited. By three days before surgery, precisely at noon each day, I’d have an attack of nerves! I would never have cancelled, but I sure did get anxious about it. I’d never had major surgery before and there were a lot of unknowns. By the night before I was just glad to be so close to the surgery so I could get past it. Then, I had the computer issue which distracted me wonderfully. The morning of surgery I was feeling OK emotionally but I got this horrendous headache. Hours later when the doctor came in to mark me, I was in such pain, all I could tell him when he asked if I was ready was, “put me down, now!” I’d been afraid I might cry before surgery due to anxiety – I didn’t want to cry about something I WANTED to do. The headache solved that problem. The first thing I thought of when I woke up after surgery was, “the headache is gone” and “I’m alive!” in that order.

Make Me Heal: How was the recovery process? Please discuss what side effects you experienced? What were the worse parts of the recovery? Did anyone help you during the recovery?

Cheryl: At age 51, I suppose my recovery is slightly slower than that of some of the younger people on the message boards. I was really lucky not to have nausea. I was surprised at the degree of pain and discomfort from the liposuction, and that I had NO pain whatsoever from the tummy tuck. I’d obsessed before surgery about how painful the tummy tuck would be, but hadn’t given any thought to the liposuction. My recovery was a series of surprises. I didn’t swell the first week, but my ankles and feet (and hands) were swollen tremendously the second and third week post op. I had two of the three drains for three weeks post op. They were quite uncomfortable that last week. I’d hoped I’d be able to go back to work after two weeks, but even at three and a half weeks I had to modify my workweek to half versus full days. Then at the fourth to fifth week my abs started to get sore and some tummy swelling began after a day of work or with exercise. The abs were just very tender (still are) and I figure that’s just the healing process. Then there’s the numbness which I knew I’d have, but it’s still odd to me to have it. I had plenty of help from friends and family for which I’m very grateful!

Make Me Heal: Please discuss the pain or discomfort you experienced during the recovery?

Cheryl: All in all, the pain and discomfort was minimal considering what was done. But then, my sister says I don’t remember much about the first week. I do know I had some pain mainly from the liposuction, and that I was very hunched over from the tummy tuck particularly the first few days. The drains, while necessary, were NOT fun.

Make Me Heal: How well prepared were you for the recovery from physical, emotional, and mental respects? Did you do any research (i.e. online, books, message boards, etc.) to make your recovery smoother?

Cheryl: I’d done a lot of thinking about how to help my physical recovery. I hadn’t thought about the emotional part. When my sister had to leave after 13 days post op, we were both emotional about it. I was losing my “lifeline” so to speak, though it was time for her to go home. I had a nice 10 minute pity party and then decided to take care of some financial business and paperwork that had been waiting for me. By the time I was done, I was over the pity party and ready to go it alone. I was aware from the message boards that emotions and hormones could get messed up. Being aware of this made it easier to deal with.

Make Me Heal: What are your top recovery tips to other patients?

Cheryl: Be prepared, be patient, pay attention to your body. If you prepare for your physical needs and those of other people you’re responsible for before surgery, then you can go into surgery knowing you’ve done everything possible for everyday living needs. After surgery, realize that your body has its own timeframe for healing. Listen to your body and to your surgeon’s advice. Keep in touch with your surgeon’s office if you have questions, because they are your best resource during recovery.

Make Me Heal: How long did you take off from work? What did you tell your co-workers about taking this time off? Did anyone notice your cosmetic procedures at work and what did you tell them if they asked about it?

Cheryl: I’d planned three and a half weeks off, and I scheduled the surgery during a downtime at work. In reality, I would have done better with a full four to five weeks off. I worked half days the week I’d planned to be back full time. I just couldn’t handle a full day after 3.5 weeks post op. I only told work acquaintances who needed to know or a couple of them I thought would be supportive of me. Those who didn’t know about the surgery haven’t seemed to notice that I had anything done – but I’m just beginning to wear newer clothes. I’ve had some of the old ones altered so I figure there’s less to notice. My work environment doesn’t facilitate personal “reaction” to appearance anyway, so I didn’t and don’t expect others to recognize the changes.

Make Me Heal: How happy are you with the results?

Cheryl: As I indicate in my profile, I’m thrilled with my results.

Make Me Heal: How has your makeover impacted your life from personal, social, career, and other respects?

Cheryl: It’s really too soon to see any social or career impacts. From a personal basis I’m just very happy to no longer have the burden of that belly, nor to have to “suck in” or hide it with clever dressing strategies. I’m more comfortable in my own skin now.

Make Me Heal: Would you have done anything differently if you had the chance?

Cheryl: I wish I’d done this much sooner. I hadn’t realized what I difference I’d feel about myself, even so early in my recovery.

Make Me Heal: What is your final word of advice to other people considering the procedure(s) you had?

Cheryl: The surgery is for you to feel better about yourself. That’s OK. To whatever degree you need, research the procedures, surgeons, and surgical facilities. Make sure you’re as healthy as you can be, and give yourself time to heal.

Make Me Heal: Was Make Me Heal beneficial to you along your journey?

Cheryl: Undoubtedly yes.

See Cheryl’s Before & After Plastic Surgery Pictures A