! Yes They're Fake ! Visitors' Journals - Rainna's Liposuction Story

Rainna's Liposuction Story!

Hi to all;

The following is my strength, experience and hope regarding Liposuction. I am apologizing from the beginning that I do not have a before and after photo that is computer ready. So when you finish this reading, if you get the feeling from me that my arms are stretched out wide, and imagine that I am now embracing life… screaming.. "LOOK AT ME!!!!!!! I FEEL, AND LOOK GREAT!!!!!" You will just have to believe that is so true.

I am a 38-year-old Las Vegas woman who had Liposuction Surgery February 22, 2000. I have always lived a rather active lifestyle that included a lot of physical activity. I have been a spot model and also a personal trainer. My body structure was… 5 ' 7 and weighting 115 or so pounds… solid. I worked very hard to get to where I was at.. and felt extremely confident with who I was. In late 1995 or early 1996, I had hurt my back lifting weights….. and as a result I was unable to work out or train normally. In a matter of a very few short months, I had gained roughly 40 to 45 pounds. What this had done to my body was needless to say… NOT GOOD… but what it had done to my mind was much worse. (I tell you this part of my story only for the fact that any surgery, but one that can be as severe as Liposuction, is not only physical, but mental as well. It is equally as important to have both strong… before surgery.) Once I had recovered from my injury, it took about a year or so…. I started getting busy. I was certain I was going to be able to tackle this mess…. Mind over matter. Watching what I ate, going to the gym... and all of the things that I and so many others have taught over the years. Two years from the date that I had begun my new path…. I realized that my mind was strong and positive… but my body was taking a different route... one that was a lot slower. I had lost all but 5 to 10 pounds, and my body looked nothing like it did before my injury. I was in shock! I began to fantasize about Liposuction.. but never really taking it further than that. I kept throwing it out on the table.. in small conversations with my husband to just see what he would say. At first.. he was not open to the idea at all. As time had gone passed, and I did more and more research on the subject, he began to entertain the idea himself. He watched me work my butt off… and he knew, that I knew, what I was doing…. As I had trained so many women in the past , but the rude fact is... my injury didn't happen in my 20's, and that my age had caught up with me. Once he gave me the go a head, and his full support……………..I was on the phone for a consultation immediately.

MY CONSULTATION AND PRE- OP VISIT

I already knew the doctor I was going to go to. I had been to him before for some other type of cosmetic surgery, and trusted him whole-heartedly…. Not to mention that he knew what my body looked like before my injury. His name is:
Dr. Barry Markman…. and he is a talented, awarded, highly recommended, BOARD CERTIFIED AND LICENSED physician specializing in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. That is an important fact here… because any doctor can go to a weekend seminar and get a license to do liposuction surgery. So the night before my consultation I made a list of questions and desires that I hoped to gain by this surgery. I looked at my body in the mirror and made sure I knew exactly where I wanted the liposuction performed.. and hoped that I was not dreaming and that I could get the results that I set out for. When Dr. Markman walked into the office… he looked at me with my clothes on and his first words were… " Rainna, you don't need liposuction!!!" My heart dropped, and I said… wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I look different without clothes on!!!!!!!!! He came back into the room… and did notice that what I was saying was true. I, like so many others… thought that since I was in there……. TAKE IT ALL!!!! He told me the areas that he would do, and the areas that he would not do…. I liked that, because he wasn't knife happy. We narrowed it down to doing my hips, thighs.... inner and outer, hamstrings, and knees. Now remember I was not a big woman, but there were bulges there that were not going away with the exercise and diet that I was doing. We talked about the diet that I was on… and he said that he always wants to make sure that people know that liposuction is not a diet measure, and that diet and exercise is more important after liposuction than before. It is not a measure for not gaining weight… you will gain weight just like before… if not careful… but you will gain it in the non-lipo'ed areas first… and slower in the areas that have been lipo'ed. Liposuction was designed for enhancement.. not diet. He explained the surgery procedure, the garments that I would be wearing, recovery process and what to expect. He explained the amount that he would be taking…. And that he would not now or ever take an amount that was not safe. He told me that coming into a consultation asking for a side of beef to be removed was not safe… and that is how people get themselves hurt. He was especially interested in the state my mind was in… making sure that my expectations were realistic. Once I got the go a head from him… I went into the financially office…….. made my surgery date, got my price and was ready to go.

GETTING READY FOR SURGERY

I had a few short weeks to get ready for surgery…. And wasn't exactly sure of what to do… but did the best I could, and learned along the way. I didn't know about message boards… and /or the Yes They Are Fake Web site… until after surgery. The office gave me a list of needed items. The first thing was the garment. I went to the department store looking for this item, and never did find what Dr. Markman wanted. So I found this web page for garments.. that at this particular time.. I cannot find…. However I do have the names of the companies that I purchased my garments from… Since I live on the West Coast I wanted companies that were close to me…. But I don't think it really makes that much difference since I had them over-nighted. I wanted enough time to make sure that they fit…. As they are supposed to fit perfectly before surgery, and will be tight after surgery. The customer service people at both of these places were great… very helpful and didn't make me feel foolish for any type of question that I had asked. Dr. Markman wanted me to get one garment with eyes and hooks going up the sides…… and also crotchless, and the other was a pull on fashion. The companies that I used were:
BYRON MEDICAL: WEBSITE: WWW.BYRONMEDICAL.COM
800-777-3434
and the other company that I used was:

DESIGN VERONIQUE
800-442-5800

I chose to call these people, instead of only emailing them.. as I wanted to talk to a live person.. and be able to ask whatever questions came to my mind. Once my garments were taken care of… I then started getting my "Survival Kit" ready…

SURVIVAL KIT

I got all of my medications filled, a few days prior to surgery.

I went to the health food store and bought a bunch of Arnica Montana.. cream, gel, massage oil and tablets. The tablets made me a little unsure, so I didn't take them… but I used a ton of the cream, gel and massage oil. The cream and gel… I mixed together in my hands, and applied to the lipo'ed areas… several times throughout the day. This really helped with the bruising and mild pain.

This item is going to sound funny… but it really was a lifesaver… I bought a funnel for every bathroom in my house. The funnel is used for urination the first few days after surgery. If you have bought a crochless garment, and that is the one (which I highly recommend) you take it with you the day of surgery…then once you get home, and have to go to the restroom… just go in the funnel and you will not get your garment wet. Just urinate in the funnel……and you are ready to go. Makes life easier and a lot dryer!!!!!! If you chose the closed crotch garment the day of surgery… this could be painful… as you will have to pull down and then pull back up every time you need to use the bathroom. OUCH!!!!

I bought a few pairs of men's sweats and flannel PJ's.. .size x large…you will leave surgery swollen and want to be comfortable.

For the night of surgery.. you will probably want some type of pad on your bed.. in case of a leakage through your gauze and or garment.

Flannel pillowcase…… king size… this is because I had my hips done… and my garment was rubbing and making it very sore.. so I got a flannel pillowcase, folded it over and wrapped it around my waist, and then put the garment on over the flannel. This was the best thing since sliced bread!!!!!

An electric throw blanket. I laid on this at all times… to make sure that my body was always warm. If your body gets chilled, the muscles constrict and you get very tense…. Adding to the pain. So the blanket kept me warm… and really helped.

THE SURGERY

The day of surgery… I wore a nightgown and robe. I was nervous and so excited. The style of liposuction that Dr. Markman used was….Tumescent Technique. Large volumes of fluid--- sometimes as much as three times the amount of fat to be removed are injected. I was under general anesthetic, and my surgery took about 3 and half hours… or 4 hours…so I am told!!! Once I was awake and ready to go home… my friend drove me home. I remember feeling strange.. probably because the surgery was so long. The doctor wanted me to get up and walk as much as I could the day of surgery to lessen the risk of blood clots in my legs.

THE RECOVERY PROCESS

The day after surgery… I was not a happy camper. I was in a lot of pain, walking was not the easiest thing to do…but I just kept thinking that things were going to get better. I was able to take a shower the day after surgery, which made me feel better. Dr. Markman called me twice that day….. just to check on me. I immediately asked how much was removed, he told me some number.. and I wanted to know in a term that I could understand…. He said 3 and half large mayo jars full. He was surprised at how much stored fat I had, being as small as I was. I went into surgery a large size 4 or very small size 6… and left surgery a size 8!!! I was swollen beyond belief. The first week is a fog… and better that way. Week 2….. I remember feeling like…. What the hell have I done to myself? I was swollen HUGE, black and blue…. Like I had been hit by a truck, sore than hell, and felt a little depression set in. Well, my mind over matter thinking… pushed the depression out of sight… knowing that it had to get better. IF THERE IS ONE THING I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH, IT IS STAY OUT OF YOUR CLOSET FOR A GOOD THREE WEEKS. DON'T TRY ON OLD CLOTHES SEEING HOW THEY WILL FIT AT THIS TIME. YOU WILL WANT TO JUMP OFF THE NEAREST BRIDGE!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS THE STUFF THAT CAUSES GREAT DEPRESSION!!!!!!!!!!!! I lived in baggy clothes and men's sweats for a good three weeks. Not only was it a lot more comfortable, but it also hid the garment. It was either the end of week 2 or beginning of week 3, I started going to get Swedish Massages twice a week. Dr. Markman was going to send me to a woman who he uses for post op massages.. but since I already had my own person to go to.…… who was knowledgeable in post op massage… I went to her. Massage is one of the most important parts of post op. It not only feels good, but I truly believe that it is was made my results completely bump and lump free. It also helps with the pain, and swelling A LOT. I was so freaked out about the swelling, I was willing to do anything to help it go away. Every day got a little better..and by my 6-week mark, I was back wearing my normal 501's, and back in the gym… taking it pretty easy. By the 2-month mark… I was working out regularly and at my normal pace. Dr. Markman said that the swelling would be mostly gone by the 3-month mark…. And totally gone by the 6 month mark. Well, 3 months to the day of surgery…….. I WAS RUNNING AROUND THE BEACHES OF JAMAICA… IN A VERY SMALL BATHING SUIT….FEELING AS COMFORTABLE AND CONFIDANT…AS EVER BEFORE. I was into a size 4 pant…. And had to get rid of all my size 6. My husband noticed very slight changes up to 6 months, but I did not. I noticed all of the stuff up to 3 months… If I were to say the recovery was easy, painless, and all about nothing… I would not be telling the truth. I have had a few other cosmetic surgeries in the past, along with a lot of female major surgeries… and I have to be honest in saying that my lipo recovery was the absolute longest. It requires patience.. and a lot of patience. It is not a recovery that you can speed up yourself…. You must just be patient going through the process. Liposuction is a trauma to your body, and requires tend loving care to heal. Would I do it again? ABSOLUTELY… HANDS DOWN…. WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT!!!!!!!!!! I am so grateful that I was able to do such a surgery that helped enhance my life and help me through a very rough part of my life. It was the best present that my husband has ever bought me. I look as I did before……. And I have the confidence that I was lacking.

MY LIFE NOW

I have noticed that people who have had breast enlargements, work done on their noses or lips… or other parts of their bodies are really open about the surgeries… but people who have had liposuction are usually really closed mouthed about the surgery. I know for me, it was fear that people would take me as a lazy woman….. who just wanted the easy way out. That is so not true. If you are doing it for the right reasons…. Then liposuction is a great thing. I have learned to share with others, so their experience can be a positive one as well.
My life today consists of a normal "training diet"… which consist of low fat, low sugar, low sodium, high protein…. I exercise regularly…but not obsessively…… I live a healthy lifestyle…….. and probably more so now than before. I feel as if I was granted a new lease on life… and one that I am not about to take for granted. Best of luck to all of you…

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