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Visitors' Stories -- Shannon - from Ireland!Hi Nicole - The following is a diary I kept on my experiences before, during and after my breast augmentation. First let me tell you a little about myself. My name is Shannon. I live in Ireland and am married with two children. I am 30 years old 5ft 5" and weigh about 130lbs. Before I married I had a 34D bust. The combination of having two children and losing a lot of weight made my bust shrink and I was dismayed to find I was a saggy 34B! First entry: 14th July 1999 I finally came to a decision. I had been thinking about getting my breasts enlarged ever since I had my children and today I decided do something about it. I'm fed up buying lingerie that does nothing for me anymore. Why should I have to be miserable about my shape when there's something I can do about it? I spoke to my husband about it and (as always) he told me I could count on his total support whatever my decision. 15th July 1999 I took the first and hardest step today towards getting my breast augmentation…rang the clinic for a consultation! It was so hard to pick up the 'phone. I guess it was admitting that I had a problem and once I made the appointment there was no turning back. I really want to get them done, but the prospects of going through surgery are a bit daunting also. My appointment is set for July 27th at 10am with Dr. Gordon at the Advanced Cosmetic Surgery Clinic in Dublin. 27th July 1999 I'm really nervous about my appointment tomorrow. I've been looking at before and after breast augmentation pictures on the Internet with my hubby all night! I've printed off the ones I like and have a list of questions to ask the surgeon. I've decided I want to be a 34D or DD in size and would like to use Hydrogel implants as I have researched a lot about them and they sound good. I was a bit nervous after reading all the possible complications related to breast implants but I have decided that this is what I want and I'm prepared to face up to the risks involved and go ahead with it. 28th July 1999 I've been for my consultation! I got to speak to Dr. Gordon and he was really nice and answered all my questions. I originally wanted the placement behind the muscle but he explained that they prefer to do overs at the clinic and as I have a lot of breast tissue that overs would give them the lift they needed. We also decided on textured, round, breast crease incision and I told him I wanted to be a 34D and he said that he would do his best to regain me to my former glory! I then spoke to Halina Ashdown, patient co-ordinator and we spoke about the cost involved. Hydrogels are £200 more expensive than silicone and the total cost of the operation including a nights stay came to £3,950.00 (Irish Punt). I put down £100 deposit and made the appointment for 9am 12th September. 23rd August Only a couple more weeks to go and boy is time dragging! I'm like a woman obsessed with boobs! I spend most nights on the Internet researching them and even poor hubby is sick hearing about them (even though he's too sweet to say so but I know he is!) The girls on the BA forum have been a great help answering my questions about size. I've been so worried about cc's I hope I get enough to make me a 34D, but then I'm afraid I might get too much and look freaky! I guess everyone has these worries. Friday 3rd September Yipes! Surgery is Monday! I was eating my dinner when the phone rang and it was a co-ordinator from Advanced Cosmetic Surgery. She rang to answer some questions I e-mailed to her earlier that day. I had a lovely chat with her on the phone and she was a great help answering my questions as she herself had had BA just the week before. She then mentioned there was a cancellation for surgery the following Monday the 6th (Sep.) and if I liked I could bring forward my surgery to then. I was delighted at the chance of getting it done earlier and said yes! The surgeon was different it would be with Dr. Terence Cairns, but she assured me he was excellent as all their surgeons. I am busy planning for the days ahead now and can't wait for my BA! Sunday 5th September (night before) I am so excited! My husband brought me out for a lovely meal and that relaxed me, but now I can't believe surgery is tomorrow! I hope everything goes OK and I pray I get a good nights sleep. Monday Morning (pre-op) I slept great last night! I am all packed and ready to go. I'm so nervous now my tummy is full of butterflies. I cannot eat as I'm fasting but I wouldn't be able to anyway. Just to think, the next time I write in this it will be all over. I hope everything goes OK and I'm happy with the results. Tuesday Sept.7 I'm back! I got them done and I'm delighted with them! I reached the clinic and was shown to an office where I answered lots of questions on my medical background. I was then shown to my bed where I had time to relax and change into my gown, etc. I was really nervous and couldn't wait for it to be over. I then chatted to the anesithiast. I told him to put coffee in my IV as I was dying for a cup!! Dr. Cairns came and discussed size with me. I told him I wanted to be a 34D and he said he would probably give me 325 cc's, whatever he could fit in comfortably. A little while after I was led to the operating theatre and told to pop myself on the bed. I asked what time it was and was told it was 3pm. Everyone in the theatre was really nice and that relaxed me a lot. In fact I wasn't even nervous by then as I was so relieved it would be over soon. The last thing I remember before I was put under was wires being stuck to me and breathing oxygen for 3 minutes. I then remember feeling like I was floating towards the ceiling. What seemed like minutes later, someone was patting my face and asking me to wake up. It was 5pm. The first thing that hit me through my grogginess was the enormous pressure on my chest! It felt really hard, heavy and tight. I was wheeled out to my bed and was so groggy I slept most of the evening. I was very sick from the anaesthetic so couldn't even drink water without throwing it up. I hadn't eaten all day and at 10.30pm the nurse gave me a shot for nausea. I had a slice of toast and coffee before drifting off to sleep again. The nurse asked me at 11.50 PM if I needed a shot for the pain but I said no. The pain wasn't bad by then, more nausea than anything else and I slept all night. The next morning - 1 day post-op I felt fine when I woke up and was managing fine with the discomfort until I had my drains removed. It felt so strange that wave of nausea passed over me and stayed there. Later, the surgeon came around and said he was happy with how the operation went. I asked him how many CC's I had and he told me 350 was as many as he could fit in. I was surprised but happy as I knew it would make me a full D cup. I went home after breakfast and had another peek at my breasts. They look like two torpedoes pointing out and are very hard! I have bandages over my stitches and will have them removed in two weeks. I'm still weak and sore and breathing even hurts so I'm going to bed for the rest of the day.
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