The Best Breast

 By Terrye Tebbetts

The processes of 24 Hour Recovery have enabled us to make traveling to have a breast augmentation procedure done a true reality.  24 Hour Recovery changes the nature of the operation and its immediate post operative complications and rates of complication so that you can travel with confidence.

The first step is to read The Best Breast 2. By reading this book, you will get a sense of our philosophies and personalities and a sense of confidence in our care.  Although you will never feel 100% comfortable until you have met Dr. Tebbetts during your consult, you will already know what he stands for and how he will take care of you.

Then you and I will visit by phone (we may ask you to send photos of your breasts taken from neck to waist, standing with your hands on your hips – front view and each complete lateral).  During this patient ed consult we will map out your choices and preferences, be sure you are comfortable and understand how the consult time with Dr. Tebbetts will be spent, and how the surgery is done – what 24 Hour Recovery really is and your part in fulfilling it and of course, be sure that you understand the pros and cons associated with the surgery. 

Since Dr. Tebbetts’ 24 Hour Recovery (see the papers that Dr. Tebbetts published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal on our website under the resources section) processes allow us to send you home from the Surgery Center with no bras, straps, bandages, drains, pain pumps or pain pills, there is very little maintenance for you to do – all you have to do is be normal – move normally and resume normal activity.  By resuming normal routines, 24 Hour Recovery, allows you to feel confident and excited about your choices and having this operation, instead of feeling sick and disabled for 2 weeks which is the norm!  And in the process of experiencing a true 24 Hour Recovery, you will be able to reduce your risks of capsular contracture (scar tissue development around the implant).  Having read the book, you will know that you have an adjustment period right after surgery.  A time when you will have tingles, shooting pains, one breast that ‘talks” to you more than the other, one that is higher than the other.  You will know that it takes 6 – 8 weeks for them to soften and settle and at least 9 – 12 months before sensation issues normalize.  You will know that your new twins will be lovingly known as “them” for a while!  You will call me and say “They are doing this” or “They are doing that” but you know with out a doubt that all of this adjusting is normal – you are just getting used to them and they are getting used to you.  Again, having read the book, you have knowledge and knowledge is powerful and comforting as you are living through this experience.

There are basically two post operative complications that are not just simply adjustments.  They are very rare in our practice and if they happen  - you will know it -  you will not have to wonder.  If they happen it will be with in 4 – 6 weeks of the surgery, so not a long time to have to worry about it.  If it happens, one breast will be SIGNIFICANTLY larger than the other one – not kinda – but enormous.  If it is warm, red and you have a fever over 102 – it is infected.  After reading the book, you will know our rates and how we educated our patients to deal with this risk.  This is the only risk that can really truly make you sick and we don’t take it lightly.  If you have a huge breast that just appears immediately and you are in excruciating pain – then we have a post op bleed or hematoma.  Again, if you have read the book, you know what causes it and what helps reduce the risk of this happening and if it happens what would we do if you are from out of town.  Prevention precautions pre op and post op will be explained to you and discussed in detail so that we can make every possible effort to avoid these complications.  And to be sure you have a comfort level about them before and after you travel.

Once you decide to travel to Texas, we have a lot of work to do.  We can help you arrange labs, mammograms and EKG’s (if appropriate by age).  We have several hotels that we work with that provide our patients with discounted rates.  We have a fantastic travel agent if you need help making flight and car arrangements.  We have a nursing service that would be happy to arrange one of their aides to provide transportation to and from our Center on the day of surgery and stay with you during your 2 hour nap if you have to travel alone (a lot of times the Hubby has to stay home with the kids!).  Rest assured, we have done this many times and will help you make this an easy and relaxed experience! 

Once we have done our work by phone and email in preparation for your visit, you would see Dr.  Tebbetts on a Thursday, have surgery Friday, be seen for follow up on Saturday morning and then you are free to go home whenever you feel like it. 

See, once you have read the book, then you know what we know and all of this can come together very nicely, allowing you to achieve the desired changes in your breasts while reducing the risks of re-operation (from a national rate of 25% to ours of 3%) and you get a nice weekend in Dallas to boot (cowboy boot that is!).

We have had the privilege of patients traveling from all over – here is just a small sampling of where they have traveled from to have a 24 Hour Recovery ~

Washington State

Kentucky

New York State

Virginia

Arizona

New Mexico

Colorado

Oklahoma

Ohio

Louisiana

Florida

Illinois

Maine

North Carolina

Georgia

New Jersey

Utah

Montana

From overseas – England and Germany

And Texas is so big, some who travel from with in it to Dallas feel like they have traveled out of state!

Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Midland, Wichita Falls, Corpus Christie, Brownsville, Longview, Tyler, Odessa