Cosmetic surgery is STILL surgery!

It was revealed yesterday that Donda West,late mother of entertainer Kanye West died from from heart disease and other postoperative health problems following her plastic surgery,according to the medical examiner.She died in November 2007 just one day after a procedure which included a breast reduction and a tummy tuck.Her surgeon,Dr.Jan Adams,had been under fire and sources say another surgeon Ms.West consulted previously advised against the surgeries because she had pre-existing heart disease that would have been worsened by undergoing surgical procedures.While cosmetic procedures are quite safe,they are still surgeries and should not be taken lightly.
Totmom has underwent two breast reduction surgeries and let me tell you folks,it is NO picnic.My first surgery went well but for some reason my blood pressure dropped drastically in recovery and I was not fully conscious until 14 hours after they completed the operation.I was discharged the next afternoon and did well the first evening.The next morning I was so sore I could not move my arms,as most breast reductions include liposuction of the area under the armpits,and I was literally purple with bruising from my axillia(armpit) to my waist on both sides and very tender.The day after that I popped a stitch and started bleeding and had to go to see my surgeon again.Then a week into recovery my right breast sutures became infected,had to be reopened and redressed and to this day I have major scarring from that.Several months later,when I had completely healed,I underwent a revisional breast reduction because they were asymmetrical (one was bigger).I went home the same day after that one but since I was hardheaded and didnt quit smoking prior to surgery,I ended up with a bronchial infection and had a very delirious 3 day fever.A few months after that operation,I had a third procedure where a a small knot comprised of dead fat tissue was removed(they feared it was a malignancy).I had one of the best cosmetic surgeons on the Shore,I was young and in good health and STILL had all those complications,so you see how serious cosmetic surgery is.Almost 10 years later I still have no feeling in some parts of the "girls" due to nerve damage but I consider myself lucky-some women have lost their nipples to nerve & tissue damage.Would I go back and change it?NO!The benefits clearly outweighed the risks in my case because I had severe back and neck problems from "big boobies" and not everyone has complications from it.I wished I had put it off until after I had my daughter but other than that I am glad I did it and even happier that my insurance covered it.
Even in the best of circumstances,bad things happen.While it was not wise to operate on someone with a known heart condition,it is not fair to blame the surgeon,Ms.West or any other factors-surgery is always a risk,if it wasn't they would not make you sign all those liability forms before they put you under.And while most cosmetic surgeries are purely aesthetical,some are very necessary and cannot be avoided.It is a tough decision to make and should not be taken lightly.Alot of women my age start wanting to have "work" done and get tummy tucks,or nose jobs or breast implants and if it will make them happy and they can afford it,I say go for it-but think long and hard about it first and make sure you have no pre-existing medical conditions that might jeopardize your life on that operating table!