4601 College Boulevard - Suite 222 - Leawood, KS 66211
(913)661-0202 or Toll Free (877)661-0202
At the age of 37, Andrea, a surgical nurse and mother of two, was unhappy with her figure. Despite diet and exercise, she was10 pounds over her pre-pregnancy weight and tired of looking at her “pouchy” tummy. New to the Kansas City area, Andrea asked a few colleagues for a plastic surgeon recommendation. Dr. Cusick’s name came up again and again. Determined to look and feel better, she contacted his office and scheduled a consultation. Below is Andrea’s journal, outlining her experience.
The office staff was really welcoming and I didn’t have to wait long before meeting with Dr. Cusick. I was a little nervous, but he put me at ease very quickly. He is soft-spoken and easy-going. I explained that I just didn’t feel good about how I looked and clothes fit. He listened to everything I had to say and never interrupted. He explained the tummy tuck (adominoplasty) procedure and what I could expect. However, he told me that to get the result I really wanted, we should discuss liposuction as well. He explained that the tummy tuck alone would not give me the shape I wanted. I had never thought about liposuction, but after he explained how they work together, it made sense. I really don’t want to go through this and not come out looking like I want. Together we discussed realistic expectations. To help me visualize, he showed me lots of before and after pictures. That really made a difference. I am sure this is what I want to do, and I want him to do it. Now I know why so many people recommended him.
I called the office and we scheduled my procedure. Again, the staff was very nice and helped answer some of my other questions about the surgery, recovery, etc.
Tomorrow is the big day. I am excited and nervous at the same time.
My husband and I got to the surgicenter early, around 6:00 AM. I was a little surprised when Dr. Cusick came in and sat down to talk to us again. This was the first time he had met my husband. Dr. Cusick made an effort to reach out to him and ask if he had any questions. My husband liked that.
Surgery started at 7:30 AM and wrapped up about 10:30 AM – just about 3 hours. When I woke up I was pretty groggy and thankful that the pain wasn’t as bad as I had anticipated. My husband took me home around 1:30 PM. I tried to take it easy but probably got up more than I should have. They instruct you to use a pillow to support your stomach when you get up and that helped. I ended up taking some of the pain medication Dr. Cusick prescribed so I could sleep comfortably.
I actually got up this morning and took a shower. It felt good. I have to be careful because for a few weeks I have two small drains under my skin. They keep any fluid from building up.
About mid-morning the phone rang, and it was Dr. Cusick. He was calling to see how I was doing. I was really surprised, not just because he called, but because he called on a Saturday. That’s a caring doctor!
I am feeling good enough that I actually went out and ran some errands today. I am still taking some pain medication, but mostly at night. The only thing bothering me is how my stomach looks. Dr. Cusick told me it would take a while for the swelling to go down, but I just thought it would look better by now.
I had my post-op visit with Dr. Cusick today. I told him how I was a little down about how I looked. He reminded me again, gently, that it would take more time - I was still swollen. He reassured me that the procedure had gone well and that I would be happy in the end. I guess I just need to be more patient.
Dr. Cusick was right! I now feel and look great. I have gone down an entire size in my jeans. It’s like the difference between looking okay and looking great. I am so happy I did this.
NOTE - Andrea was so pleased with her results and Dr. Cusick’s care that six months later she returned for a breast lift. Today, twelve years after her abdominoplasty and breast lift, Andrea is 49-years-old and still completely satisfied with her results. Please consider that this was Andrea’s experience and that individual experiences and results will vary.
Designed for J. Douglas Cusick, MD by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons