Ten days away from my breast augmentation- Guest post

My surgery day keeps getting closer and closer. Here’s an update on how things have been going the past couple of weeks since my last post.

I ended up with a nasty case of bronchitis, which actually worked out perfect because I went seven days with a cigarette. (I had a show Saturday night and did have one), but for the most part, sticking to my guns with all this.

I’ve been eating well, working out 6 days a week, and drinking tons of water. I feel good, I’m meditating, and getting really excited.

Since I’m coming from out of town, I’ve been working with Dr. Ronel’s staff. They’ve been pretty amazing. They’ve sent me different sizes of implants to figure out what I want to go with, they’ve been emailing me making sure I’m doing well. So far, it’s been a really great experience.

As I mentioned in my first post, my mom is coming with me. She’s having a tummy tuck, thigh lift and a breast augmentation. She has also been consistent with doing what she needs to do (eating right, drinking lots of water, etc). Dr. Ronel and his staff have been exceptional with her as well. We’re both super excited. It’s kind of a bonding thing.

More later.

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The importance of having a support system when having plastic surgery

Deciding to have plastic surgery is a pretty big decision that thousands of people make each year. It’s certainly not something to take lightly, and it’s also not something to go through alone, especially if it’s a major procedure. I think where the problem lies is that so many patients feel like it’s a private matter and don’t really want to tell people that they’re going to have something done. It’s understandable that patients feel this way. However, having a strong support system is fundamental to the healing process…emotionally and physically. This is why I have a psychotherapist on my staff…because plastic surgery can have a profound effect on your life.

Emotions can be tricky, and I’ve seen them all. One example I’ll give you is a breast reduction I did a few years back. It took my patient over a year to accept her new breasts…not because she was unhappy with the results, but because she felt like a piece of her identity had been taken…despite the fact that she was in back pain and something had to be done. She had lost the largeness behind which she had been hiding. I’ve also had patients who are very concerned with how others might view them. We can be pretty hard on ourselves sometimes.

And, not all patients go through emotional roller coasters, but it does happen. This is why it’s so important to have people in your life you can talk to and lean on. I wrote a post a while back on the pre-conceived notions we can have about plastic surgery, so definitely check that out.

The thing to remember is that plastic surgery, for most people, isn’t about looking “perfect.” There’s really no such thing. The biggest percentages of my patients just want to feel good about themselves. At the end of the day, having an emotional connection and sharing your experience with others can help you heal faster and be more comfortable.

What are your thoughts?

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A patient journey post 2 – One month away from my breast augmentation

Hi, I’m back. If you didn’t get a chance to read my opening guest post, be sure to check it out. In a nutshell, I’m posting my entire experience leading up to the breast augmentation I’ve been wanting for years. Dr Ronel will be performing this on February 4th. This is my second post.

So, I’m one-month way from flying into Albuquerque and having Dr. Ronel work on me…actually 29 days to be exact. So I’ve been preparing. Okay, wait, I’m lying…I’ve been preparing to prepare, if that makes sense.

I’m already in the place where I meditate on a daily basis and practice visualization and things of that nature. I also work out regularly. The place where I’m really going to focus on in the coming weeks leading up to my surgery is alcohol consumption. That’s always been my downfall. I’m not an alcoholic by any means, but I’m in a rock band and we’re in a bar-like environment most of the time. It’s easy to have a couple beers or a cocktail a couple nights a week. (I’m also the tamest of the band, which is interesting.)

So, for me, with alcohol, comes cigarettes. Oh, the vicious circle. I’ve decided to take this month and next month off from drinking. I’ll keep you posted on how that’s going. Instead, I’m getting really focused on healing visualization (yes, I know, the surgery isn’t even done, but I’m serious about all this. I want this to be the best surgery experience of my life.) I want people to understand that state of mind has everything to do with your physical everything. This is why I’m guest posting.

Okay, so, I’m working out, journaling, meditating, drinking plenty of water and eating right. I’m getting excited. Not nervous. That’s where I’m at today.

For any of you out there, did you do any kind of prepping for your procedure? I’m curious to know what worked and didn’t work for you.

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Breast augmentation guest post – A patient journey

Everyone has his or her own reasons for undergoing plastic surgery. Most are very personal. I recently wrote about a mother-daughter duo I was going to be operating on in the coming months. The daughter is going to be sharing her journey and experiences leading up to her surgery and then after. Today is a guest post from her.

So it begins…

I’ve never really been happy with my breasts. Well, not since I had my daughter. It’s interesting because as you know, most women have one breast that is slightly larger than the other. That’s the case with me, but it seems like there was a much bigger difference in them after giving birth.

My breast size has pretty much always been a 34 B or so. When I was pregnant, my right breast ballooned to a D cup and my left one went to a C cup. My right breast was the one that was producing most of the milk. I actually could only nurse proficiently on the right side. There was such a noticeable difference – clothes on or off – that I purchased a silicone thingy for my bra so it wouldn’t be as bad. I hated it. Period.

So, fast-forward almost 7 years…I’m now 32 years old, a successful business owner, an entertainer, and recently divorced. I’ve always wanted to have a breast augmentation but could never have done it before. Mainly because I was in a relationship where everything else (bills, stepdaughter needs, HIS wants, etc…) came before any way that I felt. So, I have now made the decision to have it done.

I’ve been following Dr. Ronel for quite some time…Almost a year. I pretty much think he’s brilliant. (which btw…he has nothing to do with what I’m writing.) After reading one of his more recent guest posts about a patient’s 57-year old breasts, I decided that was not going to be me. Like, I’m 32. I’m single. I’m in a band that is becoming a household name…I’m going to be happy with everything about my life, including my breasts. Period. That post kinda sealed the deal for me. Plus, I’ve been saving up for it.

Okay…that being said, my mom just lost 60 lbs. She’s been overweight my entire life. I remember thinking when I was little, ‘stop eating potato chips.’ But everyone has his or her demons. I obsessively work out. She would eat to rebel. I never understood that. One day, she just woke up and decided she was going to really put forth an effort to lose weight.

She looks great now, but the years of abuse to her body through food, has taken a toll. She’ll be having a tummy tuck, a thigh life, and breast augmentation and lift just days after I have my procedure done. We’re also coming in from out of state. My surgery is in less than two months, so I’ll be keeping you posted on what I’m having done, how it’s being done, and how I’m feeling emotionally. I hope you follow along.

Cheers.

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A journey with multiple procedures

I’m pretty excited. I just booked a mother/daughter combo for the first part of next year. The mother, who has just lost nearly 60 lbs, is so proud of herself. Weight is something she has struggled with since she began to have children. She is now in her 60’s.

One of the reasons she struggled with her weight was because food was a comfort source to her. Her husband has always been a runner and in shape for the most part. He would complain, she would “rebel” and proceed with her unhealthy habits. She hit an all time high in her weight and finally decided to do something about it…at 59 years old. Just goes to show it’s never too late!

So, over the past year, she has joined a gym and been fairly serious in eating healthy. But now that all this weight is off, she’s has quite a bit of saggy skin and hates it. She has multiple procedures that she wants to have done, but we’re limiting it to three at this point. She is in great health for a 60 year-old woman, but safety comes first.

We’ll be doing a tummy tuck to get rid of the saggy belly skin, a thigh lift and a breast augmentation with lift. After that healing process (and we’ll be having her journal, meditate, and practice holistic healing), we’ll get the rest of the things done that she wants. Because of her limited budget, she’ll be financing some of it, but we have some great plans for financing her procedures, so it won’t be a big deal.

I’m excited to share her story over the coming months as she undergoes some serious transformations. I can’t wait to see her get what she’s always wanted, and I can’t wait to share the before and after photos of this body contouring package we do.

Yeah, it’s never too late!

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Journaling your recovery

How often do you write down how you feel, what’s going on with you, or even what your goals are? We recently wrote a post talking about the mind/body connection and how our thoughts can breed huge changes when it comes to the healing process after surgery.

Well, according to KOAT7, journaling can help you really listen to your body. I mean, how often do you stop and think about what’s going on in your body. It can be astonishing to think about the amounts of bad things we put in us. Have you ever had a sip of alcohol and your body just didn’t really agree with it, but you kept at it anyway? What about a cigarette?

So often, people ignore what their bodies are telling them. Journaling is one way that allows you to sit back and actually feel and listen to your body. This is especially useful right after a procedure. Between meditating on and visualizing your body actually repairing itself, and keeping a journal on how you feel emotionally, physically, and spiritually, these things will allow your body to react positively. It will literally heal quicker!

I challenge you today to take some time and write about how you feel. Take some time for YOU. What are some of your experiences with journaling?

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Reflexology for faster recovery

Reflexology has been around for centuries. It was first used by the Egyptians and Asians for prevention of illness, and is continuing to be used today. In our experience using reflexology in plastic surgery, we’ve found it speeds up the recovery process.

Why is this? Reflexology brings about a natural, relaxed state, in which the body can begin to heal itself. Patients gain a more spiritual state of mind, and usually require less pain medication.

So, what is reflexology? There are over 700 points on the feet that correlate to every organ system we have in the body. By applying pressure to these points on the feet, the brain is triggered in such a way that improved energy flow, and healing can occur.

Here is a video with our old reflexologist, Tess DeGange. She has moved on to other things, but here she talks in depth on the practice as well as reflect on some patient experiences:

Our new reflexologist is Lisa Schwartz. We’ll have her on the radio show soon. What I love about Tess and Lisa is that they float. They have some of the best energy and really love taking care of people. It’s amazing to see the difference in patients after they have spent time with them.

If you have any questions at all about reflexology, let us know.

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Holistic Healing – The mind/body connection

How many of you believe that there’s a connection between what your mind believes and what you manifest in your life? Do you believe there is a mind/body connection?

I’ve felt this way since before I started practicing medicine. As I’ve explained before, the reason why I integrate the Whole Being Plan into my practice is because I have experienced and seen firsthand the power of thoughts and guided imagery affecting the healing process…some for the best and some for the worse.

My wife and I just covered this in our last episode of The Humanity Behind the Vanity. In the current issue of Yoga Journal, there’s an article talking about the very things we practice. Mentioned were focused breathing, guided imagery, visualization, affirmations and mantras, aromatherapy, and reflexology. All of these ideologies have been around and used for centuries in other parts of the world for healing purposes and general well being.

One of the biggest issues I’ve seen with patients that come in to see me is that some have no idea how to harness the personal healing power they have within themselves. This is why we have specialists in these areas to help assist in the process.

Watch as we talk about it more detail:

Ultimately, I want my patients to have the best experience possible, and going into surgery in the right frame of mind can make all the difference in the world. Please visit my website if you’d like to learn more or you can give us a call at 505-988-8886.

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Exercise vs. Plastic Surgery

We’ve had some questions come up recently regarding exercise and plastic surgery. Although I’ve written on it before, I’d like to talk about it in a bit more depth . . . mainly because even though they both change the body, they’re not the same.

Here are a few scattered thoughts:

• Burning more calories than one consumes has always been the safest way to stay in a healthy weight range.

• Today, consumers have many “healthy”, “diet” food choices available to them that are not ideal for how our bodies were made. Low-calorie foods with artificial sweeteners are not recognized by our biochemical food processing system, and so we end up starving our bodies of nutrients.

• As technology has improved, laziness has increased. We do not walk anywhere any more.

• Most people are not dumb, they are simply not properly educated because their parents weren’t properly educated and their peers are not. There are many confusing nutritional authorities in the media.

• There is currently an obesity epidemic, especially among teens. Having said that, there are millions of people consumed with body image and how their bodies look. It is easy for them to be swayed by the success of a few people they know or a few photographs in an advertisement.

• Exercise is such a crucial part to maintaining a healthy BMI (Body Mass Index). Not only does it keep us in shape, it also has major physical and psychological benefits such as lowering depression and anxiety, and strengthening the heart, lungs, and immune system. Exercise can give us peace of mind.

• Every person is born with different genetics. Some are small by nature, others are bigger boned, causing them to naturally be bigger. There is no “normal”. We’re all so very different. Take pregnancy for example: I’ve known women that have had children and have bounced back within weeks of birth. It’s not that easy for others. For some, no matter how hard and often they work out, that extra belly fat or skin just won’t go away.

Here is where the psychological effects of plastic surgery play a role: body image is very real to those that have it . . . good, bad, or indifferent. When someone’s body image affects him or her negatively and it controls a big part of his or her day, something should be done. With our Whole Being Plan, we’re able to address the physical, the psychological, and the spiritual. Exercise is a key component. Plastic surgery is often not the “quick fix,” that many believe that it is. I want to help people be the best they can be and feel their best. Sometimes, it takes a little more than what we can do on our own.

Thoughts?

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Are people judgmental when plastic surgery is involved?

I tweeted and posted on my Facebook page a video of our radio show, The Humanity Behind the Vanity. The subject matter was centered on Julia Roberts and her announcement to not have plastic surgery.  This was on The View last week.  She has decided, for lack of a better expression, to “grow old gracefully.”

Julia Roberts is naturally beautiful. She’s been in the spotlight for decades, which may have played a role in her taking such great care of herself . . . that, and her biology.  Very few people are like her.  We “normal” looking people struggle with so many things that others can never understand, and often people are so quick to jump to conclusions or judgments.

This is an important topic because when a celebrity makes a pronouncement about plastic surgery, the buzz that follows is really about how we judge other people.

What a person chooses to do or not do to their body is entirely up to them.  There is nothing more satisfying than to see my patients post-op, and see a light in their eyes that may not have been there before because of the changes I was able to assist with. It’s one of the reasons we have the Whole Being Plan. It’s not just about how the outside looks, sometimes those outside changes affect how they feel inside . . . and vice versa.

Have you experienced different attitudes as a result of any procedure you’ve had done? Was it positive or negative? How did you handle it?

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