72 Hours Later – My Breast Implant Removal Story

72 Hours Later – My Breast Implant Removal Story

*Post updated September 2022

after breast implant removal surgery

Why I Had My Breast Implants Removed - Part 9

72 Hours After Breast Implant Removal Surgery

(Taken from my journal)

72 hours later. I am breathing. It’s been a roller coaster of days. It’s all coming back to me now. I remember being this. I remember being me. I remember this body. And I remember the lies. 

Funny enough, the lies that told me I am not “feminine” enough and that “I look like a boy” are still there. BUT – now I am so well prepared to fight those lies that in the name of Jesus…POOF!!…they’re gone! Like fruit flies, I squish with my finger. Recognizing those old lies and battling them is now as easy as breathing air. 

Seriously…how uncreative and boring is the enemy?

The second night was ugly. After spending almost 36 hours wrapped as tight as a mummy, I couldn’t take the pressure any longer. I felt like whatever breast tissue I did have left was being smashed into my inners. I couldn’t take the pressure, the pain one more minute.

Up until then, I had not taken any pain medication. But, the pain was getting more and more intense.

My husband made a good suggestion: go to the bathroom, unwrap, take a breath, then wrap back up, and take my first pain medication for a good night’s sleep. It sounded like a good plan to me.

One part of me was nervous about unwrapping. As long as I don’t see it, my mind could keep believing that my breasts were small, perfect, and all mine. Not lacking anything. But a part of me, the brave part of me, was ready to see the facts.

I unraveled the bandage and found breath, but as the final wrap fell off, my breath was stolen. It was bad. It looked bad. There was nothing about what I was looking at that looked like me.

What had I done to myself?

The bumps, the dents, the sag, the twists, and turns. Things pointing in directions that just should not be. My heart was crushed. I was physically and mentally “bent out of shape.” I began to cry. The physical and emotional pain was more than I could bear.

I was going under.

I quickly rewrapped it before my husband walked in. I sat down and cried. It hurt so much. The drains. The stitches. The ugliness. Too much. Simon came in and gently helped me finish rewrapping.

For the first time, I just broke down. And Simon listened. I could tell he was frustrated by his inability to help me. He’s such a good man with a warrior’s heart. He can’t stand to see people he loves in pain.

I took the painkillers.

Killing the Pain

In minutes the pain pills kicked in. I couldn’t feel. “Ah…that’s better.” I didn’t want to feel. It was just too much. I faded into a deep sleep.

Four to six hours later, the pain was back. The physical pain came flooding back, and the emotional pain of what I saw in the mirror flooded in again. I didn’t want to feel. So I took another pill. Very aware that this pill thing could be the way to go for a while. I wouldn’t have to feel. I was beginning to negotiate my freedom. And what did God expect from me? It was just simply too much at this point. I woke at 6 a.m. or so. Feeling it all over again. I was standing on shaky legs.

After a good night’s sleep, I felt better physically, but emotionally…not so much. I called a friend and confessed how I was feeling and what I was tempted to do to mitigate my feelings with more painkillers. 

I now understand how people get hooked on painkillers. You don’t feel too high, and you don’t feel too low. You just kind of float in a space in between.

She “name of Jesus’ed” (yes…that’s a term for us) all over me, called out the lie, and kept saying, “Okay. Name of Jesus…that’s not who you are.” She kept reminding me of who I wasn’t, leaving more room for the Spirit to tell me who I was. It was working.

She kept reminding me of who I wasn’t, leaving more room for the Holy Spirit to tell me who I was.

This Is Me

The pain I had was due to the drains not collecting any fluid.

My friend, Steph, suggested I ask the doctor if the drains could come out. It was worth asking. By God’s grace, they gave me the green light to come to the office so they could remove the drains. I called my friend, Tammy, and asked for a ride ASAP. I couldn’t take the pain one more minute.

The drain removal was masochistic. Medieval torture surely was child’s play in comparison. Twelve inches of rubberized tubing, one on each side, threaded out of me, as the doctor’s assistant, Sarah, pulled. As she tugged and pulled, I howled. The waiting room could hear my cry. Dogs could hear my cry.

I looked at the doctor’s assistant, Sarah, and said emphatically, with tears in my eyes, “Sarah…never again! Never again, Sarah!” I was trying to figure out how the heck I got myself into such a mess. Undoing my mess was almost more than I could bear at this point.

Next, sweet little Sarah said something I couldn’t believe I was hearing. She said that if it was any consolation, should I decide to get new implants put back in, that drains wouldn’t be necessary. I looked at her, with my pale green face, and said in a laughing/crying tone, “Oh…oh, Sarah…I don’t think you quite get what’s going on here. I don’t think you quite understand!”

I am certain the entire doctor’s office thought I was an alien from another planet.

Nanu nanu.

With the tubes out, I was relieved. And I was in shock. When will this be over, God? It was all so hard. “Never again,” is all I could say to Tammy as I stumbled out of the office. “Never again.”

Heading home, Tammy and I had a holy exchange of tears by the elevator doors. I looked at Tammy with wet, red eyes, and she began to well up too.

I remember gently saying to her “Well…this is me.” as I brushed my hands over my torso.

Her voice cracked as she gathered up her words, telling me how “perfect” I was. The Holy Spirit in me interpreted her words and tears, “I can see you now. I see you. And you are beautiful.”

It was a holy moment in front of those elevator doors. A moment where more words would fail and only clutter. We both understood we were standing in the presence of Someone great, and it was not me. 

I Believe

That moment began to shift the winds.

Although my boobs are still pressed, squished, turned, and pinched, I know God is here. I know that He is putting me back together. I know God is pleased. I know I did not hold back.

The pain is subsiding a little more with each day. And my breast tissue is starting to recall its proper place.

I believe the Lord is healing me.

I believe He is doing for my body what I could never do for my body.

I believe He is doing for my soul, what my body or interventions could never do.

I believe He is pleased.

And that is enough for me.

Keep Reading Alisa's Story...

Alisa Keeton, Founder of Revelation Wellness is an author, speaker, and freedom bringer. Alisa’s life’s purpose is to make healthy disciples who make healthy disciples. She believes in the power of the Body Of Christ and its many unique parts making up one complete whole. Like any body, it grows best under tension. We are living in the best of times for tension. Let’s train!

Missed a post? Find the whole series here.

breast implants removed
SUBSCRIBE TO THE BLOG!

Get weekly Rev tips, training resources, free workouts to help you live healthy, whole, and free!

18 Responses

  1. I think you are incredibly brave. Not just for what you have been through, but also for sharing your heart with us. Its because of your blog that I have started running – me, overweight, middle-aged mama who has never done a decent moment’s exercise in her life. You are an inspiration. Thank you.

    1. The Baby Mama! I am over the moon over your new found yes. YES! I say YES! Since you say you have started running, we can put the “decent moment’s exercise” as past tense. You have done it! Well done. Keep going and following His yes for your life. It won’t look like everyone else’s yes. But it will look most beautiful on you.

  2. Well done, Alisa. Well done. It’s all I hear over you…..well done. Just Jesus. sweet sweet brave obedient beautiful daughter of The King. well done.

  3. I have no words. All of me, everything that I am, was standing at the elevator door with you. Holy ☝

    1. Thanks for coming on the journey Sandra. Tomorrow we turn the page and end this chapter of my life and call it GOOD!

  4. Beautiful. Just beautiful. Thank you for sharing your story, your testimony, with us. Your willingness to be vulnerable and raw gives me courage to do the same. Not for my glory, but for His. Peace.

  5. I am humbled by your testimony & honored that you chose to share with us God’s work in you !
    As I was reading a day behind, it (He) hit me like a ton of bricks….. I have small breasts and typically work at “enhancing ” them by some means; push-up bras, extra padding in my swim suit top, etc…..
    I started Rev Well 1 year ago & He did not take long to show me where He wants me ….spiritually , emotionally , physically ….. it took me a little longer to accept His prompts, but I did! However, until this morning I didn’t realize I was still holding on to this one thing – my small breasts !
    Through you, Alisa, God says to me…. I made you just how I want you!
    I don’t “need ” the ‘smoke & mirrors ” (pushup bras etc) any more!!!
    I am fearfully, wonderfully, & beautifully made – I am my Father’s beautiful daughter!
    blessings & praises . …. I am more than grateful !

  6. I know I don’t see you regularly but I can say with TOTAL honesty that your beauty shines from within and NOTHING on the outside could possibly eclipse that.

  7. Alisa, these words that have given me faith to step out of my comfort zone came to my heart as I read your testimony: “your courage draws people out of complacency into their destiny” Bill Johnson
    I’m so proud of you and so blessed by your bravery and obedience. You are a light lit by the LIGHT Himself and its infectious. Your enthusiasm for Jesus and passion for life is so darn inspiring. I LOVE IT!! I just did HOYO immersion but one of these days I’m going to do Rev Well. Yeh!! When you led the late Thursday nite thing…something got lit up in me. I seriously had thought I could only teach yoga because of joint and low back issues but Gods going to do a miracle….ohhh I can feel it in my spirit. Bring it Lord!!!
    Keep digging deep girl; the fruit IS being multiplied.
    Love the Jesus in You

    1. Heidi!
      I LOVE your faith. YES…He is healing you. You are not stuck in a box because neither is our God. I am counting the days until we “train” together 😉

  8. I have been so blessed, each day, to read this journey and your faithfulness in it. More importantly His faithfulness in it. I keep hearing “No Longer Slaves” by Jonathan and Melissa Helser each time I finish one of your posts. When she sings with such power in the middle of the song with such power, I feel like it is a battle cry for freedom for the sons and daughters of God! Thank you for leading the charge into the battle!

    1. Kim,
      I love that song! I love the boldness that Bethel represents. What do we have to lose? Everything that God says is ours to have 🙂

  9. I first just want to say thank you,
    thank you, thank you for sharing
    your story. I have been struggling with
    the decision to remove my implants for
    years and have finally decided to pull
    the trigger. I’ll admit that even after
    making the decision I have come up with
    creative excuses like “let me just get
    through Christmas”, “I need to just finish
    Holy Yoga Training and then I will do it”.
    Reading your blog has helped me to trust
    so much more in what God wants for me
    and that is to be restored spiritually and
    physically to the child He created. This is
    confirmation that I am on the right path!!
    I praise God for you Alisa!!!

    1. Julie,
      Wow! Here’s what I know..just like holy yoga training..if you can’t stop thinking about it, then you KNOW it’s from him. If you try to make excuses around it, then you can know that HE counts YOU worthy of such a call. And what He calls He spins into motion. AND just like your Holy Yoga training, I can PROMISE you…you will have no regrets. You will exhale. You will find new things out about yourself and your God that staying in the same old place simply can not give you. Oh girl…It won’t be easy, but it WILL be better. Much love. Let me know how I can be of prayer and help to you on your journey. His love..

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Join us on mission!

If you were encouraged through this blog post, please consider partnering with us to keep the mission moving. Donate today!

Pre Order Now + Get Free Bonuses