Breast Reduction Surgery Pt. 3

My last update was 2 weeks ago on the 5th. As of the 12th, I felt about the same and not much had changed. Leading into the 3rd week, I was concerned about the lack of (additional) progress. I was still taking pain killers and muscle relaxers, and quite frankly, still SUPER uncomfortable. My surgeon confirmed everything looked good, was in the range of normal and so I continued to wait.

On Monday the 14th, I suddenly felt SO MUCH better! It was astonishing! This past week was night and day with how I'd been feeling. As of Wednesday, zero pain. I can sleep easily, I'm not napping during the day anymore, I can wear regular (non button-front/zip front) clothing...magic I tell ya!

AND, I drove 3 times this week! The last time I drove my car was September 23rd! Eesh.  I go back to work on Tuesday. In the 4 weeks since I've been home, the weather has turned and my closet was still full of summer clothes. When I do seasonal closet swaps, I also purge.

Long story short, nothing that is a wrap style will work going forward. That isn't surprising. If I made any wrap front garments, they would have absolutely required an FBA.

This NL6301 (a few versions seen here!) wrap dress just does NOT work. LOL!

This NL6123 dress - WAHHH! I have a wedding to attend in early November and I have worn this to a couple weddings and it's a great party dress. 

Here, you can see it isn't just the bust that doesn't fit. The entire neckline (including the back), the armholes, the fit is completely different. 

I couldn't take the dress off fast enough to try on one of my favorite tops. OY!!!!!! It is also weirdly loose in the entire neck/shoulder...and then there's the bust.

Breast reductions includes a lift. The dart is circled and it definitely pointed to my bust point when the top was made. The scribbled line is my new bust point.  

Well now, this is going to be interesting...

-Solid colored tops with darts are out - the dart is completely and noticeably in the wrong place. 

-Princess seamed garments are out because there's too much fullness and I would have, in most cases, lowered the bust point. 

-Pullover tops (like my beloved M6519) seem okay. 

-Tees and other knits that I made 'cheater FBA' adjustments on fit okay in the bust but are a bit droopy at the neckline. 

-Any shopping that I do is more than likely from LOFT. I have quite a few LOFT tops and some of my faves are their "mixed media" where the back is knit and the front is woven. As expected, these fit great now. Below is the single RTW dress that I own (for work...I have a few casual dresses).

Big difference!

Lastly, I cleaned out my bra drawer. There is a non profit that collects new and gently used bras and I'll be shipping the nice ones off to them. The others that showed obvious wear, I harvested the rings and sliders from. It wasn't until I finished that I realized my new size probably won't require the super wide straps/elastic that was needed in these bras. 

I can't wait until I'm fully healed to explore bra making! Most swelling will resolve by ~3 months and final shape and size can often be realized by around month 6. Although the window given is usually 6-12 months.

I have been working on a project for Minerva Crafts, so that'll be coming eventually...after finishing that up, I cut out a new version of M7812. I was able to UNDO MY FBA! I'll include the details when I review it but I was so, so happy to do so :-D

It's still a WIP and I'm wearing a sports bra (for compression for a few more weeks!) but I am so, so, happy with the fit!

red lacing was just to try it on before finishing the side seams...

still needs hemming all around (neckline, hem, sleeves)

HAPPY DANCE!

Burda Style 04/2019 #119/120

This April issue has been one of my favorites of 2019. I've made 2 of the patterns but there's easily a handful more that I'd love to make!

So, this was finished back in July. The good thing about not reviewing patterns immediately is that you get a real feel for the pattern, the fabric and the fit. So while I hate that I'm so far behind on blogging, this is the plus side of that!

I've worn this dress a ton. A. TON! The rayon challis (FabricMart I think) makes it easy to wear and super comfortable and the print is versatile enough to transition into fall. I haven't worn it since the temps have dropped, but I took photos wearing boots and, it works just as I thought it would!

There are 2 views of that pattern - the other view is maxi length with no ruffles, with breast pockets and epaulets. I made view #120 without the sleeve ruffle. In the right fabric, I like the ruffle (I think Burda's fabric is too stiff for them), but I knew I wanted this to be a transition piece and by eliminating the sleeve ruffle, I can wear this with jackets and looser cardigans.

view #120

I sewed a size 40 neckline and shoulder, graded to a 42. I did not do an FBA because I knew surgery was pending. There was slight gaping in the front before and now, all flat :-D

The pattern just skims the body in such a nice way. You can see by the line drawing that there isn't a ton of shaping - but it works. Ignore my bad posture on the left. The dress really does sit level on me :)

I love gathered ruffles but hate sewing them. I opted for a rolled hem on the ruffle over narrowing hemming all that fabric.

I chose to interface but the collar and facing for stability and to make it easier to sew it all together. I used the *extremely* light Pro-Sheer Elegance by Fashion Sewing Supply.

The armhole is just hemmed. I did that before sewing the side seams. 

While working on it, I'd posted button options on IG. I was almost sold on a metal button but these just felt right with this fabric & pattern!

As you can see from the line drawing, this pattern only included 6 buttons. I used 8 or 9.

If you were maybe perhaps possibly considering this pattern...SEW IT! :) I really love this dress. Definitely need a solid version! 

I didn't post a surgery update last week because I literally felt the same as the previous week. I will be posting an update tomorrow though - lots of sewing related stuff as I had a chance to get my fall clothes out and summer put away.

I'm going to be busy, busy trying to replace things!

Part 2...

At some point in the past few years, many states have enacted majorly conservative regulations with regards to prescribing opiods. I was taking them every 6 hours (suggested dosage was 4-6) and by day 5, I was still having considerable pain, and I was running low on meds. I started trying to stretch them out to every 8 hours and managed a couple of times. Then I tried to go 10-12 hours and my body said screamed NO! I contacted my doctor, and she gave me another 4-days worth.

Sleeping nearly upright is making me CRAZY. I haven't gotten much sleep since the surgery. And while I can't sleep "in", I am a great napper :-) And most days, I take 2 naps.

Day 8 was my follow-up appointment. She said my incisions look great and I'm healing well. There's no bruising, no drainage, and I don't have a ton of swelling. YAY!!! She also said she's confident I'll be a 34C when it's said and done. I was really hoping for a B cup but they look at the position of your breasts root or footprint on your body when deciding how small they can go.

So you'd imagine, that if someone is wide across the body and deep (vertically), going too small could result in, visually, a pretty flat bustline.  Obviously, this may be someone's natural shape! But from a plastic surgery perspective, it makes sense.

Day 8 was my anniversary. We had take out and cake. :shrug: :)  Day 8 was also the first night I slept all the way through without a dose of pain meds. Yay!! 

On day 9, I was feeling pretty good and, while I've been shaking my head at people (in forums/groups I'm in) wayyyyy overdoing it, on this day, I ended up overdoing it!

My mom sews but she gets flummoxed by pattern instructions. I told her to bring a project to work on because I mistakenly thought I'd be pretty mobile by day 7 ish. There are people that claim they returned to work on day 3 or 5 and I just don't see how!!!!! 

I'd helped her make a couple designs for tees on the Cricut the day before and we were ready to do tee #3 and I didn't have any brown HTV. ugh!! So we went to JoAnn to grab some heat-transfer vinyl. Got home, did that, then I started helping her with her pattern. I had it printed through PDFPlotting.com and knew she would balk at tracing it :-) I traced the pieces, cut some out, and made some basic pattern adjustments (e.g. shortening it 2"). All of this took a few hours and was done back-to-back and when I sat down I was WIPED. And aching. Ow. I ended up taking my pain meds an hour "early" (at hour 5 instead of 6). That was just too much activity for me. 

My mom is leaving today and so we had some family over in the evening. So on day 10 (Friday), I went back to chillin, movies and napping during the day (plus 2-3 short walks) so I'd be able to socialize some come evening. But then...my brother and his family and my uncle and his family came over around 7:30 and stayed til around 1:30 a.m. I woke up STRUGGLING today! 

BUT, I have been able to manage with just extra strength Tylenol. Woot woot!

I still have restrictions:

-A few more days of avoiding reaching above my head which matters because I'll be home alone during the day once my mom leaves. One day, I was feeling pretty good and decided I'd fix my own breakfast! Turned on the Keurig, oops. I can't reach the mugs. I'll warm up some chicken (she made me chicken and waffles for breakfast and DROOL)...oops. I can't reach the foil. Sigh...

The other part of lifting the arms is...I've been restricted to button/zip front clothes. Since I've been home, that's meant 2 pajama tops and 2 hoodies that I've been circulating. 

-No lifting more than 5 lbs. I'm not lifting much of anything.

-No strenuous activity. I've wondered if I should suspend my gym membership because it'll easily be pushing into a 2nd billing cycle before I'm able to go and do more than walk.

-I'm cleared to drive once I am off the pain meds but riding in the car as a passenger has NOT been that fun so I'm not sure I'll be in a hurry to be driving around. 

I'd ordered 2 of these bras from Amazon (no affiliation) in a large and removed the pad. They've worked out really well. I went back and ordered a 4 pack. I'll be wearing sports bras for 6 ish weeks and spending $40 on 6 sports bras is pretty much a steal. Once I'm cleared for exercise, I'll need them because my old ones will be too big! Yay!! 

I read a gazillion (no, really!) stories about people's experiences with reductions and it's SO true that progress happens pretty quickly. 

I think I've mentioned that I have been posting updates on IG periodically. I've gotten so much support, lots of questions, and some jokes related to sewing :)

The one thing that people may really have questions about is - what does this mean for the FBA?

I will finish, per my surgeon, as a "C cup". This is a C cup in bras. Meaning, the difference between my underbust and full bust will be ~3 inches.

With sewing patterns, the "B cup" is a 2" difference between your high bust and full bust. My current UB measurement is about 33" so I wear a 34 band. Add 3 inches to that for a C cup and assume my FB measurement will be 37 inches. My high bust is 36". I should have no issue using patterns as-is when drafted for a B cup.

Before surgery, my HB was 36 and FB was 39.5. This 3.5" difference is why I needed an FBA. And depending on the pattern, my FBA is 3/4" to 1".

And even with patterns with cup sizing, I used the C cup pattern piece because the D had way more projection that my body does. With very fitted patterns, I'd have to do a small FBA (1/2") on the C cup piece.

Clear as mud? Great! :-p

September Wrap-up and October Plans

This month I sewed 5.5 yards.

• Burda 7/2018 top (for my daughter) - 1.5 yards
• teal poly charmeuse (stash)

• Burda 6938 pants (for my daughter) - 1.5 yards
• teal poly charmeuse (stash)
• elastic

• Vogue 9099 jacket (WIP) - 2.5 yards
• gifted lightweight wool suiting
• gifted silk lining
• buttons

I added 5 yards of fabric to the stash via my visit to Stonemountain and Daughter :-D

Favorite: Well, my new blazer of course! I have the shell completely done. The hems are stitched, the button holes are sewn...time for the lining!

FAILS: I don't have any this month - YAY!

Accomplishments: The fabric I used for my daughter's birthday outfit was a monster to cut and sew but I made her a CUTE outfit!

I had such a busy month - I traveled 3 weekends in a row and then my surgery was 9/24. I haven't had a chance to take pics of the DOZEN sewn but unblogged projects. Eek! Some stuff may have to make an appearance on the blog via Lily (dress form).

Burda 7/2018 #117 top:

She's a size 36 but she has super broad shoulders and a short torso. I used a 36 for all but the shoulder/sleeves. I cut that area as a 38 and graded back to a 36. I left off the loops/buttons.

The pants, I've made for her a couple times before. I used a size 38 and added 2 inches to the length (1" added both above and below the knee). And I made a self fabric tie for the pants. 

true color

21st Birthday!!

For October, my plans are to finish my blazer and to work on my Minerva Crafts project.  Hopefully, that isn't too ambitious! :) 

Part 1

The big one...Why?

Because I wanted to. No, really! People fill in the blanks "for me" and talk about back pain which yes! I did have pain! But really, I did it because it was something I'd decided on. Long before the pain started, I'd say I was getting  a lift at 40. And then, around age 30, they started growing. And growing. And growing.

Please don't suggest someone who is interested in a reduction "just lose weight". Not everyone drops cup sizes/appreciable volume in the bust when they lose weight.

I didn't immediately connect my neck and shoulder pain to my bust size...but once the connection was made, I began thoroughly researching the topic. In 2017, I learned that having the procedure covered by insurance was a possibility. I went in for a consultation and was denied. Dr. A couldn't believe I'd "want to go so small" and I'm thinking whatever he submitted to insurance wasn't enough for them to consider it medically necessary. Dr. K, who performed my surgery, was on board with me from the beginning and I was approved within a few weeks of my consult.

I don't have the same story that many others seem to have. I wasn't carrying around a large bust in 6th grade, for example. I was a late bloomer and remained fairly small even after delivering both babies and breastfeeding the youngest.

8th grade * Junior prom

At my baby shower with the oldest :) I was at least 8 months pregnant

2002 - Post kids and with a bit of weight gain

Teenaged me, pictured above, was around 125-135. I was probably 165 in the photo above with my dad. By around 2004, I weighed over 200 lbs and was probably a 38C. After losing weight, I was around a 34DD

2008

Around '08, I started having the "what the heck?!? my boobs are so huge!" thoughts and I hated it! I'd never been so full up top. They were heavy, they were hot, they annoyed me.

Aaaand about 2 years ago, I had to buy 36FF bras. I lost about 25 ish pounds in the second half of 2018 and have been in a 34F, dreaming of a B cup.

So, bye-bye boobs!

I had my surgery Tuesday morning. I was nervous as all heck over the weekend (didn’t realize that’s what it was til I was up cleaning and baking!). I could not fall asleep the night before -- went to bed after midnight with a 5:30 am alarm set and I am a 8-9 hour a night person.

We got to the hospital and waited a few minutes before the nurse came. She seemed very spacey and I was a little nervous. She took my vitals and placed the IV. She did a good job with the IV and my apprehension went way down.

When the Doc came in, we had a good laugh over the tiiiiny 34B bra I brought with me and chatted about everything. Once she was done making her markings, the OR nurse stopped in to ask those repetitive questions (this isn’t a complaint, keep me safe!!) - name, dob, allergies, etc.

The anesthesiologist came in and explained what he planned to do. I didn’t realize the breathing tube didn’t go in til you were already out. WHEW! That’s what I was most nervous about! Then the nurse anesthetist came in and started the IV and a Valium-like drug (can’t remember the name). My husband left out and we wheeled into the OR.

I woke up and was running my mouth a mile a minute DOH! My pain level was about a 5-6 and they gave me Percocet which is my at-home med. Then, I spent a long time in the 2nd recovery area. I just couldn’t wake up. I was lucid and coherent...just SO sleepy. She said I couldn't leave until I was more awake.

I remembered my pillow for the ride home (pro tip!). The ride to the car in the wheelchair was tough over bumps. And in the car, hugging my pillow (under the seatbelt) helped so much. 

I have a low pain threshold and will be taking my meds on schedule for at least the first few days regardless of how I think I feel. The past couple of days, my paint went from a 1 to a 3/4 when I got within an hour of my next dose of pain meds. 

She told my husband she removed 2.5 lbs. I wonder if they assume people aren’t comfortable or familiar with metric and so they use imperial. It's a bit over 1100 grams. 

I didn't need to have drains inserted - the other point of fear. The pain hasn't been too bad. I'd definitely call it "discomfort" over pain. There were a couple times when I accidentally twisted tot he side and OW! And showering was extremely exhausting. Whew. 

Day 4 and I'm still pretty tired, there's aching and tingling, but very little pain. My appetite is almost back to normal and I've managed to make it out with no nausea. 

I go for my first follow up next week.

I'm sure people didn't think my bust was disproportionate to my body...

but I feel even more like ~*~ME~*~ now! With the bonus of relieving neck and shoulder pain.

Much as I blog my sewing projects primarily for myself, I will update weekly during this (critical) 4-6 weeks of recovery. They will always be titled as such so feel free to skip these posts if you aren't interested!