|
CHAPTER 1: Adventures in facelifting
It's 13 days until I board a flight to Guadalajara. I'm 50 and have
been looking for more than one year into revising some previous
plastic surgery. I spent $10,000 on a result I was unhappy
with only to be told later that nothing was wrong. Coupled with
this, my face decided to do the unthinkable. As soon as I hit 5-OH
my face dropped like it was on a timer. Broke and dismayed, I knew
there had to be an answer and I would find it.
With no rainy-day face funds, I realised I had to find an alternative
quality way. It was raining and I needed to stop it before the floodgates
gave in. I soon resigned myself to accept the only facelift I could
have was a third-world one. But even to afford this I have
had to work my assets off. I also sold things in an auction. I kept
putting money in the bank until I had enough to do it right. I was
not going to be cutting corners, except those that can be cut. I
have not bought anything but a ticket, two Spanish phrase books
and a cheap currency converter.
I was happy about my decision, but I made the mistake of talking
about it with others – a huge mistake. Boy, the reactions were
made known. People thought my face wasn't "that bad yet –
you can wait". Others knew I had health issues that would need
factoring into an elective procedure at home, let alone abroad.
"Are you completely nuts? A Mexican facelift?"
I went underground and researched quietly. A flicker of hope came
when I saw a website with pictures of a woman who had plastic surgery
in Guadalajara. A few key words into the search engines, and I eventually
came to a private clinic's website. The prices were affordable.
I talked to the owner – a retired registered nurse who ran
the clinic – and I received a brochure from her. I also found
another company that sets up plastic surgery trips to Mexico, recommending
a two-week stay to recover. But anyone who has had a facelift or
other plastic surgery knows one recovery time does not fit all.
The red flag immediately went up. What about complications? This
was not a school trip, and I wasn't a teen. This was plastic surgery,
and as personal as it gets – my face. If you don't have the
time, than wait until you do – this should be everyone's cosmetic
surgery mantra.
One thing the company did make me aware of, though, was that, if
I didn't have good lab results, and if I went with this company
no matter if I was ready to have surgery, I still would have to
take another lab test and pass a physical.
Accommodation was my next issue. Most people opt for B&Bs, which
cost about $20 a day. These have nice rooms, home-cooking and a
family-type atmosphere. But I am a private creature who likes the
quaint and quiet life. After surgery, I plan to curl into a ball
while resembling the ghoul from Guadalajara. I chose privacy, air-conditioning
and cable. My facelift; my options. I don't like anyone to see me
sans makeup, let alone seeing me appear like I had a bad accident.
I know many people choose to combine their holiday and recovery
period, making it a mini-vacation. But long, tall tequila cocktails
are not part of this gal's facelift plans. The only festive thing
I might wear is a sombrero for hiding my facelift from the public
and the sun. But having heard you are expected to go to the doctors
each day for a check-up – pass that sombrero, por favor.
If all goes according to plan, my next entry will be en route on
my no-frills flight.
CHAPTER 1:
ADVENTURES IN FACELIFTING
CHAPTER 2: FLIGHT TO A
FACELIFT
CHAPTER 3: YOUR FACELIFT
IS WAITING FOR YOU
CHAPTER 4: IN THE OPERATING
THEATRE
CHAPTER 5: THE HOME STRETCH
CHAPTER 6: SIX MONTHS
POST-OP
CHAPTER 7: ONE YEAR
LATER
GO BACK
TO BODY LANGUAGE WEB
|
