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Michelle M.

Location: Southern California
Procedure: Tummy Tuck

"This is the place where you come and you know, you can trust that they will take you to the next chapter of your life."

Cheerful woman in an elegant orange outfit smiling and posing with balloons.

Q: Tell us about your emotions and how you felt throughout your journey:

MM: I suffer from severe anxiety. And so I had a lot of highs and a lot of lows. I was quite nervous going into my surgery. But I think the overall feeling was excitement, I was so excited to get not even my pre baby body back, it was more about getting my new woman body back. It was just, it was different. I felt different and that’s I was excited for. I was nervous about surgery in general. But overall, it was a really exciting process.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your experience completing your pre-operative clearance and tests before surgery

MM: I loved that part. Because Dr. Cat is so thorough, she makes you go through a lot of pre-op testing. When I went to my doctor, my doctor said, this is the most thorough sheet I’ve ever had from any surgeon, which makes me feel really good because I myself am a very thorough person. And I think that it’s important that your surgeon crosses every T and dots every I because it’s surgery. So you want to make sure you’re going into it, it’s safe, Dr. Cat feels good about it, and you feel good about it. By doing that, there’s less room for complications
Q: How was your recovery? Pain?

MM: No pain, there was no pain ever. I think the word is discomfort. There was a little bit of discomfort and there was a little bit of having to let go. Because for the first week, you absolutely have to let people take care of you. That is crucial. There’s really no way around it, you have to relax. And I think as a mom of three that’s very hard to do. So once I learned that I just had to chill out. It was easy, because then I was just able to let my body heal the way it was supposed to. After the first week, every day, it’s a little bit better. And then suddenly, it’s a distant memory.
Q: How did it feel when your new look was revealed to you?

MM: I get a little bit emotional about it because it’s such a difference in my life. You know, you’re supposed to feel good and happy and I do, and I felt fulfilled before surgery. But there’s something about just feeling good about yourself naked. I catch myself still walking by in there and waiting to see a poochie belly. And I don’t and I get excited every time. I mean every single night. It’s the best feeling, the best, best feeling!
Q: Is there a particular moment or memory that stands out for you?

MM: Yes, and that is Dr. Cat’s bedside manner. It’s unmatched. I mentioned before I suffer from severe anxiety, panic disorder. The morning of my surgery, I was in a good place mentally, but it was a struggle to keep being there. Dr. Cat literally held my hand until I was put under. That level of compassion is something that’s ingrained in someone- it’s not for a paycheck, it’s not for any other reason than her being a really good person. That will forever be special to me, because she quite literally held my hand, which made the whole difference in my journey.

Q: With so many other doctors, why did you and why should others choose Dr. Cat?

MM: For her level of professionalism, and how meticulous she is in performing surgery. She is a perfectionist and that’s what you need in a surgeon, you need someone who cares about the final product as much as she does. She wants you to look good, she wants you to feel good, but she wants you she wants that scar to be so minimal. And it is! You know, I’m not too far after surgery, and I’m wearing bikinis, barely-there bikinis, and it’s really life-changing with all the things that I can wear now after surgery, and I don’t know that every surgeon can accomplish that.
Q: What do you think other people should know before undergoing Tummy Surgery?

MM: You should be prepared to really take some time to yourself, it is surgery. And I think as a mom, you really have to put yourself on a pedestal, you have to let people take care of you. You have to understand that it’s a really short amount of time for long, lifetime gain. So you have to take that time to just kick your feet up and watch some reality TV or something.
Q: Now that you’ve gone through this journey, what’s your life like? Any plans or new outlook for the future?

MM: I think that my life in general hasn’t changed. What changed is my confidence. So now, when I’m wearing something like a crop top, which I can actually wear, it feels good and I’m not having to wear mom jeans, that fit right under my breasts. Also, going to the gym. That’s a huge change. I am now able to feel my abs which I haven’t been able to do in about 10 years or so! So that feeling is incredible! The strong sensation in my abs, and the fact that I can do any abdominal work, in general, is quite the feat. It’s very exciting, and I’m excited about having maybe a six-pack. Who knows! The year is young.
Q: Any final words of advice?

MM: Having had surgeries before, I had never experienced the level of care that I received with Dr. Cat and her office. It really is something that’s unmatched. Dr. Cat is a really caring woman, and on top of that she’s so professional, you could just tell the level of perfectionism that she puts into her work. When you’re meeting a surgeon, you want someone with that level of meticulous expertise. Dr. Cat is so knowledgeable, that it makes you feel so good and so comfortable, how can you not choose Dr. Cat? If you’re struggling with who you should meet with because that consultation fee can be quite hefty, it’s hands down, Dr. Cat. From the moment you walk into her office, you feel so taken care of, from the receptionist to the nurses to Dr. Cat herself. You are in the best hands with Dr. Cat and her office.