“Having this procedure changed not only my physical appearance, but also my attitude”
My 40th birthday was two months away. I have always wanted to have a proportionate body. I am very tall and have curvy hips ( 5’9”). Unfortunately, I was not blessed with a curvy chest so none of my clothes ever fit me correctly. No matter how thin I was, even in high school and college, my body always looked like an A-frame. While I thought about breast implants, I convinced myself that only 20 year olds do that type of thing. I thought that since I was turning 40, I was just too old to have breast augmentation. One afternoon, I picked up Charlotte Woman magazine and saw one of Dr. Ditesheim’s patients in an ad, she was relaxing at the pool in a bikini and she was in her forties! My attitude changed immediately: I remember thinking, “Wow! If she can do it in her forties, so can I!”
The Road to the New Me: I immediately checked out the website www.empowermd.com. I only wanted a surgeon who was Board Certified in Plastic Surgery. My consultation lasted over an hour. When I met Dr. Ditesheim, I liked his calm and confident demeanor. He listened to me attentively, he explained his viewpoint. He never talked over me, but instead listened first, then politely made suggestions I had never even considered. I had my consultation on a Wednesday and scheduled my surgery for the following Tuesday. I knew immediately that this was the right place for me.
The surgery and after: Before my surgery, I met with Dr. Ditesheim and Michele, his nurse, to get prepared and finalize the size for my implants. Dr. Ditesheim measured me, looked at me in and out of the bra and together we made a final decision. He was able to look at my body and determine what approach was best for me. He made suggestions that I never even thought about and I am SO pleased with the results. Dr. Ditesheim called me the afternoon of the surgery to check on me at home. I came back to the office the next morning, I had no pain, no bruising and the implants were in the right place.
I am not self-conscious about the proportion of my body anymore and my clothes finally fit. Having this procedure at forty was liberating. This experience has inspired me to take better care of myself – to exercise and eat better. Now I like my body: my waist looks smaller and my hips are even with my chest.
This experience changed my physical appearance but also, my attitude. Dr. Ditesheim is a superb surgeon and an artist. The staff is amazing: Rosalie is very knowledgeable and talking to her is like talking to a girlfriend. Michele is the professional nurse I had hoped would be there for me and Jan always made me feel comfortable. A couple of people have asked me if I am sad about turning 40, and I said, no, I feel fabulous at 40!
