Melissa’s Blog: 4 Days and Counting!
May 15th, 2009
Should I be nervous? With only 4 days remaining, I can’t say that I have felt those telltale flutter of butterflies in my tummy, at least not yet. “I wonder why?” I ask myself. Maybe it’s because this procedure takes all of 45 minutes. It would appear to me, to be a walk in the park for Dr. Bashioum, as he has done 1,000’s of these. He sculpts my breasts like an artist sculpts a work of art. And voila! My masterpiece is complete. Or maybe it’s because I have looked beyond my actual surgery and I’m gearing up for the weeks to follow. It is surgery though, and I know it is serious business. Dr. Bashioum has given me a very precise course of action to follow and it goes like this, I am not to lift anything exceeding 5 pounds for the next three weeks. I repeat, “No lifting for three whole weeks!” But I have three small children. Precisely. In an effort to help reduce any complication and to ensure a properly healed chest, it’s critical that I abide by my doctor’s orders. So if that means sitting on the floor to console my child rather than picking them up, then up bet that you’ll find me on the kitchen floor singing, “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” Thankfully this is all tmeporary and the finish line is just around the corner.
As a stay-at-home mother of three, to refrain from lifting for three weeks is like asking my little ones not to use the word “no.” It’s going to be a very challenging task, but I understand how important it is. Fortunately, I’m not walking into this situation with my eyes closed. I have booked my mother-in-law an airline ticket out to our house, so she can help with the kids. My husband, thankfully, will be taking a week off from work. As all mothers know, our children depend on us greatly. And to be out of commission for a few weeks, call for a bit of help from family and friends. I’m so lucky to have that support.
My husband and I also decided to make a few minor changes to help aid in the “no lifting” policy. For example, we thought it would be a good idea to trade cars for the time being. He drives a compact. I drive a SUV, so I’m constantly lifting one, if not two of my children into their car seats multiple times throughout the day. By switching cars, this change will eliminate that problem. My little ducklings will be able to get in/out all by themselves.
I’ve counted down the days, but soon my surgery will simply be hours away. I invite you check back to watch the video clips of my before and after comments in my personal journey to brand new boobs!
What My Mother Taught Me
May 12th, 2009
Almost twenty years ago a 73 year old woman approached me regarding upper eyelid surgery. She had lost her husband some 5 years prior. Having completed her grieving, she was ready to become socially active again. I knew she had grown up during the Great Depression on a farm in western Pennsylvania. She had been a nurse while her deceased husband had been an iron worker for 30 years. Their entire life had been very frugal and simple. They had retired to Yuma, Arizona.
She had a minor heart condition and needed cataract surgery. I didn’t believe cosmetic surgery was “right” for her, so I insisted she proceed with cataract surgery. She completed cataract surgery in both her eyes, following all the after-care instructions. In the interim, she began talking about not only eyelid surgery but also face lift, forehead lift and lip chemical peels. She finally insisted on having cosmetic surgery after I had deflected her request some three years earlier. Now she wanted it all, if I didn’t do it she would go elsewhere!
I took her aside and said, “Mother, I think I understand. Here is what we can do and it will take some time.” Over the next year or two my mother had the works, one procedure at a time. She is now 93 years old and has been sharing her life with a younger man (85 years old) for the past 19 years. It was having a new man her her life that had kindled her desire to ditch the wrinkles. She not only looked younger, but she also had a renewed interest in living life.
This experience taught me many things. Age is a relative term and it is unclear why something starts to bother us, when it hasn’t been an issue before. Life changes may contribute to embracing new perspectives and perhaps lead to actively seeking some type of transformation. You are never too old to want to look your best!
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