Expansion #1

Dr. Soares prepping, the face I see during the expansion, & afterwards. 

Or as I like to refer to it SNL style - "We're here to PUMP (clap!) you up!" 

That's pretty much it. Every two weeks now, I make a visit to my wonderful plastic surgeon, Dr. Soares in Santa Barbara, for a refill. I call it my gas station visit. Get in, fuel up, get out.

But overall, the process takes about 30 minutes by the time I get in, have a looky-loo with Dr. Soares and lay back for the expanding process. Why? Because as Dr. Soares describes, it's like a pregnancy. My skin and muscles need time to stretch out before they're ready to accept the implants in April (my due date!). So, for the next 3 months, that's exactly what I'll be doing.

So, here's how it all plays out.... I lay back on his patient chair as he uses his breast stud finder (not sure what else to call it) so that he can find the magnet port connected to the expanders inside my chest (thank goodness I have no plans to fly these days and go through the security at the airport). He rolls it back and forth until the little metal bar in the middle stops swinging and STAMP! He presses down on the stud finder which has an 'X' on the bottom that makes an imprint on my skin. Then he rolls it in the opposite direction again using the same process and STAMP again! He marks the middle of the 'X's' and there you have it.

Next, he inserts a needle (I never look at that part) and says 'breathe....' and inserts it through my skin and into the magnet port. The needle is connected to a rubber tube that is connected to a large syringe so that he can insert the saline into the expanders. Then, he slowly fuels me up until I say "Enough!"

I must admit that I do get a tad nervous. OK, so maybe it's more than a tad. I get extremely nervous and I start breaking out into a full body sweat. And since this is my second time with this gig (only the first time he took OUT saline since I had too much from the surgery), I do get a bit jittery with this process. But, sweet Dr. Soares tells me to think of other things which is when I start begging him to "Tell me a story" like a 4 year old. Which at that time, he gently pokes me in the forehead twice in a teasing way and tells me to "Stop thinking so much!" Doesn't he know that I'm a pro of thinking too much? It's genetic. Just can't help it. My sister does it too so we always say, "Hey, I was thinking, thinking, thinking about..."

But, then it's done. I'm expanded, fueled up, whatever you want to call it and check myself out in the mirror. I can tell I'm a little more expanded but I especially feel it; tight as can be, full, taut, tense, overflowing with saline. It's a unique sensation for sure. But, not especially painful. I would mostly describe it as uncomfortable and cumbersome.

So, I have two weeks to get used to the new 120cc's before I go back in for more. Wish me luck and say a prayer to the Expansion Gods that I'm able to hang (excuse the pun) with them!