Chantal
Chantal – Abdominoplasty
‘I have always wanted to have a ‘tummy tuck’ since the birth of my first child but I kept putting it off as my family grew. But now I have finally gone ahead with the procedure and I am so happy with the results. Psychologically I feel like a different woman, so much more confident!’
Background
Chantal is in her early fifties. When looking back to before having her procedure a few months ago she says, ‘my tummy was in a big mess. I had a large, over-hanging flap from my rib area down to my bikini line. I have 5 children, and the pregnancies have taken their toll on my figure.
‘Despite always wanting the abdominoplasty procedure, I kept putting it off. I was concerned about having an operation. I love my children and just couldn’t justify to myself having surgery in case there were problems – I think it’s natural a mother always thinks of her children first
‘Well, last year I just knew it was my time. My children were older and I had also lost weight. Aria Medical Group and Dr. Marco Vricella came as a commendation from a friend, so I decided to confront my anxiety and concerns and go and have a private consultation’.
The Consultation
‘I have to say, once I had decided to have the consultation, I was very excited! I realised I had taken the first step and now it was going to happen! Before the consultation I had done my own research online, and read lots of other case studies from women who had gone ahead with the surgery and how happy they were afterwards.
‘I took those positive real life stories as inspiration to help cope with my concerns and kept thinking about the results.
Meeting Dr Vricella was a great experience. He is very methodical, and focused on discussing the procedure, and the results. He was very realistic about what my expectations should be, but didn’t really try and “sell” the procedure to me – he wanted me to be informed and be aware of all of the pros and cons concerned with surgery. It was up to me to feel right about proceeding – that is how it should be.
‘I shared my decision to go ahead with my husband and children. They supported me, as they knew I had always wanted this. Friends were excited for me too, but of course some shared ‘horror stories’ of surgeries that had resulted in complications.
‘So I also continued my own research and spoke with other patients who through friends and family I knew to have had the tummy tuck surgery. I asked about their experience. I wanted as much information as possible; and to understand the potential complications and how they would have to be managed. The process helped me become more determined to proceed.
‘Yet really my main concern was pain and two nights before the procedure I felt panic. I started to question my decision to go ahead. But I dealt with it just as one does with any anxiety attack – I focused on calming myself with breathing deeply. I kept thinking about the results and the feeling I would have after the op. That got me through my time of anxiety.’
The Procedure
‘My op was scheduled for the afternoon, so I arrived in the morning. I was able to have a very early light breakfast and then it was a question of relaxing and waiting. The staff at HC Hospital are fantastic! They are really friendly; they made me feel relaxed before and after the op.
‘The surgery went well; in fact it felt as if it all happened really quickly. I woke up afterwards without any feeling of sickness. It may sound funny, but I would say the experience was a walk in the park for me.
‘I was in the hospital for two nights. I had the drip with the intravenous pain-killers and antibiotics and I didn’t feel any pain. I was checked by the nursing staff frequently, and I was fairly comfortable in the bed, with my legs and back elevated. I just couldn’t eat anything the evening after the op until the next morning, so that was a little frustrating, as I was thirsty. My husband stayed over with me, and then we continued to stay in Marbella for a few days until the first post-surgery check-up. This was a good decision as it meant no travel, no day-to-day distractions, just time to relax and recuperate.
I was feeling good – I now had a flat stomach!!
Aftercare
Although my biggest fear was pain, I have to say I didn’t feel any pain. I had a little discomfort and also a tight pulling sensation on my tummy, but I was able to walk without any problems. I was just so happy to see that my flap had gone! Aftercare has been great as all the subsequent check-ups have been in Gibraltar and I will continue to be seen for regular follows ups over the course of the first year.
The Results
The tummy tuck from Aria has made a massive difference! I look and feel so different. I notice clothes fit so differently, and I can enjoy wearing so many more different styles of clothes. People comment positively on my figure too! I feel a different person. I am so happy that by the summer I will be completely healed and ready to enjoy wearing a bikini again!
It sounds a cliché but I do wish I had done it years ago, when I was in my 30s or 40s! Thank you Aria Medical Group and Dr. Marco Vricella.
