I had my pre-op appointment last week with Dr. Brownstein, though it lasted all of about 10 minutes, it was very informative. This was a necessary appointment, and could have been anytime within two weeks before surgery-mine was earlier in that time frame than most people’s, especially the people coming in from out of town. Sometimes their pre-op appointments aren’t until the morning of surgery, so it all depends. He wrote my prescription for the pain medicine to take after surgery, which I filled the following day. He told me what time to be at the surgery center, and what would happen before and after surgery. He showed me one of the drains and said I shouldn’t expect the same amount of discharge on each side. Apparently, after the surgery, someone at the surgery center will explain how to measure the amount of fluid and how to empty and reattach the drains. I think that is the part I’m least looking forward to-I know it’s the part that M is least looking forward to! Dr. Brownstein will call the night of surgery to check-in over the phone, and there are three post-operative appointments, though one (the day after surgery) is voluntary. Of the other two, one is about five days after surgery-that one is to get the drains removed, the other is a week after surgery, and that is to get the sutures removed. I will not be able to shower for at least a week after surgery (I believe this is due to the sutures). After the first week, I can shower but can’t stand facing the stream of water. I will have to wear a binder for the first two weeks after surgery (I don’t really know what it will look like, or how tightly it will bind my chest, a friend suggested it might be like a straight jacket without the arms-a lovely thought). I was also given a sheet with other post-op instructions but haven’t really spent much time looking at them. They will be gone over, in great detail, by the staff at the surgery center. The appointment ended with Dr. Brownstein looking at my chest to ensure that the procedure I told him was appropriate for my chest was in fact the appropriate procedure. There are two types of procedures that can be performed. One, called the key-hole procedure, is able to be done only on very small breasts. It is less invasive and doesn’t scar nearly as much as the other procedure-a double incision procedure which is the procedure for larger breasts, and by larger, I mean anything bigger than an “A” cup. The double incision procedure will be the one I have done. Much more information on the distinctions of these procedures can be found on Dr. Brownstein’s site, for which I have added a link on the right side of the page.