Reconstructive Skin Surgery Booked!

I am nearing my weight loss goal and have moved onto the next step in my weight loss journey.  Today I paid my deposit and booked my appointment for reconstructive skin surgery.  AAAAHHHHH!!!!

 My surgery is booked for November 6th of this year and will be taking place all the way down in Los Angeles!  The surgeon, Dr. Katzen is a leader in this type of surgery and comes highly recommended.  There is a video there on the front page from a pilot done for TLC.  It is over 40 minutes long, but it follows two individuals as they go through surgery.  It is very informative for anyone else thinking about this type of surgery or those of your curious about what I am going to be experiencing.

I am over the moon, but scared absolutely shit-less about it too!  This is a huge surgery; it will be about nine hours long and then two nights in a recovery unit.  I will be out of commission for a month and not back to normal activity until 2 or 3 months post surgery.  We will need to stay in LA for 10-14 days post op to ensure I am healing well enough to fly home.

So what will I be having done?  Basically, the surgeon will slice right around my middle (front and back) and cut off a heap of skin, pull me tight, and then stitch me closed.  It is called a Circumferential Body Lift.  I will also be having a Medial Thigh Lift at the same time.  If you are brave and want to see before and after pictures of people who have had this surgery you can click here (beware- full frontal nudity once you click).

The cost?  Not as much as I thought, but still quite substantial.  For all costs associated with the surgery, it is $21 000.  Then there will also be travel and accommodation costs for Matt and I for the nearly three weeks we will be gone.  I feel very guilty that I am taking money away from my family so I can have this surgery.  It is the same guilt I felt when I had my weight loss surgery.  But again, this surgery is needed.  The loose skin is causing me a lot of grief.  I have worked really hard over the last year and a half to get this weight off and instead of feeling good, I feel embarrassed about the way my skin sags and droops.

A number of friends today asked me if they could donate to my surgery.  I was shocked when they asked, not thinking that my surgery is something people would want to contribute to.  But with their prodding, I have added a PayPal Donation button on the top right hand side of my blog.  If you would like to donate to my surgery, please go ahead and do so through there.  The kindness and extreme generosity of my friends continues to shock me.  I will also take kind words, prayers and random acts of kindness done in my name as contributions as well!

So now to get this last 25lbs off and work towards preparing myself mentally for this surgery!  Thank you everyone for your continued support!