Nicole: The Days Before My Breast Augmentation Surgery

I scheduled my surgery for a Wednesday morning, January 28, 1998, at 7:00 a.m. so that I would be the doctor’s first case. Coincidentally, one of my cousins had already had her surgery on Monday of that week and was coming in the day of my surgery to have her bandages removed.

My other cousin scheduled her surgery the same day as me, right after mine. I decided to get a C cup. My doctor thought I could carry this well. I am 5’4″ tall, about 115 lbs. in shape and wear a size 5. I was sure this was a good switch because I was a 34A and wanted a very full chest. Nothing like a go-go dancer or Pamela Lee – but a nice chest.

For days and weeks before the surgery, I agonized over whether getting breast implants was the right thing to do.

Am I crazy to take this risk? Am I crazy to be so vain? You, too have probably asked yourself all of these questions.

In the end, I decided that I knew all of the risks and could live with them.

People take risks when they smoke, drink, drive, fly, etc. The really big exposure of the risks of this surgery are so high-profile because it is a voluntary procedure done for reasons of vanity and because of its sexual connotation.

Given the high risks of driving and flying in planes, you would expect people all over to be trumpeting the dangers. They don’t because transportation is a “necessary” evil. For those who don’t understand how you and I feel (or felt) about ourselves, cosmetic surgery is not necessary and therefore, the risks are not reasonable.

Weigh the benefits to you against the risks you perceive as being true and likely risks; then decide. I resolved that I wasn’t going to try on another bathing suit, formal dress or tank top and feel embarrassed or masculine.

And that was that.

Next stop: The day of surgery