Breast Augmentation Confidence from Childhood Abuse

Dr. Javad Sajan  0:00  

Ever wonder what motivates people to get plastic surgery? Did they regret it? What can we learn from the stories of plastic surgery patients? We're here to explore those questions and get some answers today with my guest Mercedes Christion on the plastic surgeon podcast.

Dr. Javad Sajan  0:32  

Hello, my friends. Welcome back. And thanks for our listeners for the amazing feedback. We have had so much fun that’s why I look forward to more of your insights and suggestions. Please rate and review us on Apple podcasts. We get you more great content. On the plastic surgeon podcast we listen to real plastic surgery stories of triumph and pain from real patients and providers to further understand the motivations of why they would risk their life under the knife. I'm Dr. Javan Sajan and Today my guest is the amazing Mercedes Christian. 

Mercedes Christion  1:03  

Hello. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  1:03  

Hello, Mercedes. We are here to talk to you about your journey, how we came to know each other the procedure you underwent and how it affected you. We're especially excited to have you Mercedes, because you're one of our episodes on the realdrseattle.tv. We filmed and showed your whole journey on that.

Mercedes Christion  1:22  

It was amazing from beginning to end, of course. Went through disability and walked with a cane for about six months. So I had muscle atrophy. So I ended up looking into you through Google and read your reviews and everything. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  1:42  

Sure. And Mercedes, where are you from? 

Mercedes Christion  1:44  

I'm from Tacoma, Washington. I was born and raised there. And then in 2000, I moved up to Bellingham. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  1:50  

Okay. And do you have brothers and sisters when you were growing up? 

Mercedes Christion  1:54  

Well, my mom was a single mother. So at one point in time, it was me and my youngest brother, I have three older brothers. But then my brother moved with the other two brothers, and it was just my mom as a single mother. So- 

Dr. Javad Sajan  2:09  

Are your other brothers much older that they were on their own? Or were they with their other parents. 

Mercedes Christion  2:14  

There was my dad at the time. And it was just my mom and struggle, just three schools a year and couldn't really have stability.

Dr. Javad Sajan  2:26  

What was the struggle? 

Mercedes Christion  2:27  

As a single mother being able to rent places. If it was more or less like her being able to hold her own in, she kind of struggled. And I basically raised her since I was eight, it was more of I was a mother she was a child. So

Dr. Javad Sajan  2:47  

Did you have a relationship with your dad?

Mercedes Christion  2:49  

Um, my dad passed away at 25 but around let's say 15 he came back into my life and we made things work but he ended up being in a coma for like eight months in after that was like the same dead before he found God was an alcoholic and miserable misery loves company so-

Dr. Javad Sajan  3:18  

And your brothers who grew up with them, how was it for them?

Dr. Javad Sajan  3:21  

It was hard for the most part because he was the strict one of all and let's just say they went through the wringer living with my dad's family down in Miami and they were raising Opa locka, Florida, which is pretty bad area. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  3:45  

Bad in what way? 

Mercedes Christion  3:47  

Really hood a lot of gunshots, two doors down, things like that people beating you up for your shoes, all types of things. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  3:57  

Did your brothers choose to go with your dad? Or is that just the only thing that was available?

Dr. Javad Sajan  4:01  

Well, actually my dad, when my mom was a month pregnant with me, she had my brother Matthew. And then my dad had my two older brothers. And he's took them got another woman pregnant, which was a second wife. So we got separated in a way of like, not my choice.

Dr. Javad Sajan  4:26  

I see. So he left your mom high and dry. And he was with this other person that he decided to take the two sons with him.

Mercedes Christion  4:33  

Yes. And they left to North Carolina. And then my dad left them in Florida while he went across seas to Germany. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  4:41  

Was he in the military or somebody? 

Mercedes Christion  4:43  

Yes, he was in the army. A mom and dad met when they were in the army. When they're super young 18 especially 18, 19.

Dr. Javad Sajan  4:54  

And your brothers they were okay staying in Florida. Where do they want to come back?

Dr. Javad Sajan  5:00  

I mean, it really depends on well dependent because my dad left them their course to they wanted to be with mom. But at the same time, she couldn't hold her own after my stepdad left. And he was an me and Matthew's life for like seven years. So it was interesting like childhood trying to figure it all out. And if he could have been there or not,

Dr. Javad Sajan  5:36  

Of course, and did your mom struggle with was it illness or it was what was going on? 

Mercedes Christion  5:41  

She actually has PTSD, from abuse from my dad, but also, she's bipolar as well. So, you know, it's hard when you're chemically imbalanced. And she went through her own rough childhood as well. So- 

Dr. Javad Sajan  6:05  

What happened to her in childhood? 

Mercedes Christion  6:08  

Well, her mom passed away when she was three. So she lived with her dad, and then the step mom came around. And for the most part, step mom treated them like stepchildren. They didn't have the best clothes. But the other kids did and even being fed and everything they didn't really no like, what she cooked wasn't the best either. So she went through a lot of like a lot of things she even during high school camped out for like, the rest of the eight months that she was in school in order to graduate and then she went to the army.

Dr. Javad Sajan  6:50  

Just to get away from it all. I've had a few you know, a few of our guests here telling me that that they went to the army because it was an escape. With your mom, you said she had some abuse with your dad was a verbal or physical or was it?

Mercedes Christion  7:06  

Oh it was both physical and verbal. for them. Like, I guess in Germany, there was one time where you know, the actual real iron, the cast iron like, solid iron. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  7:24  

Yeah, like iron clothes with or a pair.

Mercedes Christion  7:27  

Yeah, the iron that you iron clothes with the old school version of it, he hit her upside the head with that and went to the hospital. So she's had some pretty hectic times with him. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  7:43  

Did you see any of that? 

Mercedes Christion  7:44  

No, not at all. But at the same time, when I was around eight, and we did a paternity test, I still wanted to get to know my dad. And even though he had a bad side to him, there's also you know, knowing that other part of you, especially if you've only known your mom your whole life. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  8:05  

What led to the paternity test, your dad was doubting it, or your mom was? 

Mercedes Christion  8:09  

Um, just because she was one month pregnant, when he left. He was kind of doubting that, but also it's just the fact of being able to make sure before he tried to come into my life, which makes sense.

Dr. Javad Sajan  8:26  

Did you support your mom financially at all?

Dr. Javad Sajan  8:28  

No, not at all. That's why I went to three schools a year in Tacoma. I was never able to like Yeah, actually have a childhood almost.

Dr. Javad Sajan  8:41  

That's rough. I can't imagine that. With your mom, what kind of work did she do after the military?

Dr. Javad Sajan  8:51  

She worked at Safeway when or after the military. So we had a stepdad that was in our life for like around seven years. And there was places like Wendy's because I remember we would have like free ice cream when she worked there. And then another job was checkers, which was auto care place down in Denver, Colorado. Then we moved to Wichita, Kansas after that.

Dr. Javad Sajan  9:23  

Was your when you got to know your dad at eight years old after the test. Tell me about that experience. How was that?

Dr. Javad Sajan  9:30  

It was a good experience. I was actually living in a battered woman shelter when I was in sixth grade. And then-

Dr. Javad Sajan  9:41  

Why were you in the shelter? 

Mercedes Christion  9:43  

Because my mom and her boyfriend at the time split up and that was like the only like chance we could get actually being in a shelter. That was safe for us.

Dr. Javad Sajan  9:59  

So your mom nowhere else to go after she split with a person.

Dr. Javad Sajan  10:02  

Yeah, she had nowhere else to go. So we're in sixth grade. I met up with my dad, like during the shelter time, then we our time at the shelter expired. So then I ended up we kind of went in between two of her friends houses that got housing from the shelter, but one of them was a meth head, and then the other one was a crackhead. And so, being that young, I kind of gauged the situation and knew I needed to go somewhere. So I went to live with my dad. And let's say Blaine, the whole Northwest area. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  10:48  

And what was your mom doing during this time?

Mercedes Christion  10:50  

She was still down south getting herself together. But-

Dr. Javad Sajan  10:55  

Was she at the shelter is still or she with the friend? 

Mercedes Christion  10:57  

She was with the friends. And then she realized that all of us, all three of my older brothers and me were there. And welcome counties. So she finally decided to move up. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  11:09  

And how did your dad take care of you? 

Mercedes Christion  11:12  

Well, he owned a house and he was a mailman during that time, and he lives with his third wife. And then my younger brother, the youngest half brother, was there with my two middle brothers while I was living there. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  11:29  

How they treat you? 

Mercedes Christion  11:31  

It was hard because it was more of like, an envious situation because my dad, since he didn't spend the time with me, he really wanted to overcompensate for it. And that's, you know, it's harder for me to see my brothers in that position as you know, I'm getting all the attention. So when my mom was up there actually ended up running away back to her. Because I was a mama's girl and I always took care of her. So-

Dr. Javad Sajan  12:05  

Was his step his wife at that time? Was she nice to or she mean or she was okay. 

Mercedes Christion  12:11  

She was okay. I mean, honestly, she provided me what exactly I needed. And I was just more focused on being around my mom. It was more of needing to be needed at a young age. And my mom needed me because I was so used to taking care of her. So-

Dr. Javad Sajan  12:37  

How did she get her own place to live in that area?

Dr. Javad Sajan  12:42  

We were living with my uncle's, which my dad knew. Two of his good friends and they became uncles. So lived out in the property out in Ferndale by the water was beautiful out there. Yeah, started living out in the country. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  13:02  

How do you like the nature stuff? 

Mercedes Christion  13:05  

Oh, my goodness, gone from Tacoma to the boondocks was it made me go nuts. But I realized now it's something to cherish, that's for sure. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  13:17  

What was there to cherish? 

Mercedes Christion  13:19  

Just being able to walk down to the beach every day. And kind of soak up that good energy.

Dr. Javad Sajan  13:28  

What kind of things did you have to do, for your mom to take care of her?

Dr. Javad Sajan  13:33  

Well, there's like, only one occasion I can't ever think of is like when she had alcohol poisoning. Was rinsing off a cold rag for her to put on the back of her neck and hold the garbage can. Things like that. It's no good to end up.

Dr. Javad Sajan  13:52  

Yeah. Did you ever see your mom gets hit or abused?

Dr. Javad Sajan  13:56  

He is. I didn't see it. But I heard it from the other room from my stepdad. And it was not so pleasant. I guess it broke up played over her head and pulled her here. So- 

Dr. Javad Sajan  14:14  

Did you take care of her after that injury? 

Mercedes Christion  14:17  

I believe so. But sometimes you block it out.

Dr. Javad Sajan  14:21  

That's hard to live with. Did you finish high school Mercedes?

Mercedes Christion  14:26  

Oh, yeah. I went to an alternative school my last two years and graduated half a year early. I did go to college for a little bit Northwest Indian College and that's when I became full blown alcoholic. So- 

Dr. Javad Sajan  14:49  

Why did you become an alcoholic in college? 

Mercedes Christion  14:51  

I feel like since my dad and my mom had alcohol problems, that's really where it stemmed from and then also I was escaping reality. But I realized, like, when I turned 27, as telling myself by the time I'm 28, I was over, you know, was over running away from my emotions, the trauma, everything that I've went through. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  15:21  

What did alcohol and do for you? 

Mercedes Christion  15:24  

It just made me numb. But it also didn't help the fact that I would explode because of the things that I wasn't addressing. And I believe it's definitely not, it was a crutch for me. But I know now that I don't need it to make me feel like who I really am? 

Dr. Javad Sajan  15:51  

Who would take care of you, when you were down? 

Mercedes Christion  15:55  

I actually what I would do, when I would go out modeling and go into different cities and everything like that. I ran away, so I can self destruct. And that's what I realized was like, I'm going to all these places, but I'm still doing the same things like taking care of other people, and not taking care of myself. And yet, it dawned on me that I wasn't doing for me. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  16:28  

Was anyone helping take care of you? And you were down? 

Mercedes Christion  16:31  

No, I would hustle myself, I go out and try to get gigs? Definitely. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  16:39  

How did you pay for college? 

Mercedes Christion  16:41  

Oh, with college that was I use financial aid. So of course, I still have college. That's for sure. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  16:52  

What was your major in college? 

Mercedes Christion  16:54  

I wanted to go for psychology to find out the more in depth of why people do the things they do. But then I realized it's like, through life experience. That's where I was able to gauge people on and see who they truly are. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  17:14  

Life experience, I think is the best teacher of all, sometimes. There's no substitute for experience nothing. In college were you working? You said you were modeling?

Dr. Javad Sajan  17:27  

Oh, no, not in college. I didn't decide that until I was around 22. But in college, I was working for Bob's burger and brew. And then I was also a tutor for elementary school. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  17:40  

That's awesome. 

Mercedes Christion  17:41  

Yeah. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  17:42  

And how many years of college did you do.

Mercedes Christion  17:44  

Just two years, I was trying to do the two year transfer, then I ended up doing beauty school instead.

Dr. Javad Sajan  17:53  

So you were in college, and then you left after two years? 

Mercedes Christion  17:56  

Yes. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  17:57  

And did you get your associates or how does that work?

Mercedes Christion  18:00  

No, I didn't get my associates. I just kind of was on that self destructive path. So it's kind of like I didn't want to apply myself at that time. Plus, I realize I'm more of a hands on person and artistic. So I've been doing hair braiding since I was 12. And that kind of transitioned into getting into beauty school and- 

Dr. Javad Sajan  18:25  

Where did you go in beauty school to?

Mercedes Christion  18:27  

Tony and guy hairdressing Academy. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  18:30  

Where's that? 

Mercedes Christion  18:31  

It was in billing him but it kind of disintegrated because of so many people who are graduating and there wasn't enough gigs for hair. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  18:44  

How long were you in beauty school? 

Mercedes Christion  18:46  

I was that was the 11 month program. So-

Dr. Javad Sajan  18:49  

You finished it? 

Mercedes Christion  18:50  

Yes. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  18:51  

So they certify you?

Mercedes Christion  18:52  

Yeah, I have my license. I just do my own hair now. So it's so much harder getting convincing people that you can work wonders with their hair. But they went to so many other faulty hairdressers. And, you know, even sometimes the people with the personality who don't necessarily aren't good at doing hair, they end up getting more clients because their personality out shines, you know. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  19:23  

The work.

Mercedes Christion  19:23  

Amm hmm.

Dr. Javad Sajan  19:24  

How are you making a living when you were in beauty school? 

Mercedes Christion  19:29  

I was collecting unemployment because I worked for Coca Cola. I was pulling like one time pallets around the stores in different stores. And then they actually closed down the Coca Cola distribution in our city. So they had a chance of like laying people off. And then our phones loophole so- 

Dr. Javad Sajan  19:56  

What's a loophole. 

Mercedes Christion  19:57  

The loophole was basically, where I was working in what's more on demand, I can actually go to school while on unemployment in order to get a degree in something that I would be getting paid more. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  20:15  

Oh, that's cool. 

Mercedes Christion  20:16  

So yeah, there is some kind of leverage they're able to go back to something I love. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  20:25  

And then what did you do after high school? 

Mercedes Christion  20:28  

I moved to Seattle to get away from Whatcom County. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  20:34  

Did you move in with a friend or did you find your own place? 

Mercedes Christion  20:36  

I found a spot to rent there. And then I was pursuing the modeling. But I got a job at a restaurant called AA keys. So I was working there, well. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  20:51  

Were your server there or host? 

Mercedes Christion  20:53  

Yes, I was a server there for like Seattle games and stuff. During that time, I also tried seven salon, but I realized there's an apprenticeship program where you would still have to pay another $9,000 on top of like, going to school they're- 

Dr. Javad Sajan  21:13  

They shut down. 

Mercedes Christion  21:14  

They did?

Dr. Javad Sajan  21:15  

Yeah. The one in Bellevue, right. Yeah, someone bought it the person declared closed down and other now the old guy who had started re bought it. Rebranded it, now I think they're calling it eight. I'm not kidding. I'm not kidding. I was in Bellevue, squareness. I think it's called eight. I'm like what's going on? It's been talked to someone there. And they told me the story. That guy has sold it, someone bought it, the guy rebought it because he went bankrupt during COVID or something like that. Don't quote me on this. Yeah. Second hand knowledge.

Dr. Javad Sajan  21:47  

I noticed that the other seven. They were getting like, almost there. I realized, like, my passion compared to what they were doing for other people like basically hair cuts, and everything ranged from like 280 to 360, cuts and colors. But the people with passion were like the small percentile, the other people who actually wanted money and kept up charging as far as a stylist goes, they weren't doing a good job. And then people would come back and still have to get worked on. So it was hard to see like that end of it, where people were more money hungry than they were actually caring for their clients.

Dr. Javad Sajan  22:38  

And when did you start thinking about having breast augmentation and all this?

Mercedes Christion  22:42  

Oh, I think that's how I was young. So my sister, my half sister, she's full black, and she had double D's at 12. And mine you were eight months apart. So I had the base that beestings of course. And I mean, I was an A until the whole muscle atrophy I became a double A so- 

Dr. Javad Sajan  23:09  

How did you get muscle atrophy? 

Mercedes Christion  23:11  

I was walking with a cane for six months. And so I got the back injury from work. 

Dr. Javad Sajan 23:17  

Or so in Coca Cola?

Mercedes Christion  23:18

No, through down through clutter in Oakland. And what happened a square Dolly hit my L two l three and jam my nerve. So I had constant pain then still do. But then I jammed my back. Like, let's say almost a few months after that and was stuck not being able to like bend or anything. And I started walking with a cane for about six months. I got all the way down to 101 pounds. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  23:56  

Wow. 

Mercedes Christion  23:56  

And then I went to the chiropractor down here in Seattle. He helped me out but then that gave me sciatica nerves to on top of the back injury. So it's just it was a process. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  24:11  

So your pec muscles got a lot of atrophy because you weren't able to do much. 

Mercedes Christion  24:15  

Yes. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  24:16  

That just made the your perception of not having much chest tissue, or breast tissue even more apparent.

Mercedes Christion  24:23  

Oh definitely, I finally saw that before and after photos and I was like

Dr. Javad Sajan  24:30  

That's a big difference.

Mercedes Christion  24:31  

Definitely. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  24:32  

So how did you start researching doctors?

Mercedes Christion 24:34  

I believe I started researching let's say during the time I was walking with a cane of September 2019 September 2019 I was looking at different doctors and everything and I've been following your work for probably about eight months before I actually finally set the appointment.

Dr. Javad Sajan  25:00  

Where were you following it, Instagram or Snapchat?

Mercedes Christion 25:02  

Yeah, I was following through Instagram, but then I googled you first, and then saw all of the before and after pictures, and then just kept slowly but surely making a decision on everything. So-

Dr. Javad Sajan  25:21  

How do you decide to come to me for a concert versus other people?

Mercedes Christion 25:25  

Just your work speaks for itself. Anything I've looked into, like Florida doctors or Atlanta doctors. But the thing is, even though it can be cheaper, doesn't mean that you know, it could be there could be some complications, especially if I have to go there. And then, you know. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  25:47  

Come back.

Mercedes Christion  25:48  

Come back. And, you know, you just, if anything, I wanted to make sure be certain or who I'm really going to.

Dr. Javad Sajan  25:58  

How was the consultation when you came to our office? 

Mercedes Christion  26:01  

It was good. Super excited. And I felt comfortable, you know what I mean? Like, it's more of a feeling than it is just, lets Hurry up and get this done. More like, okay, he makes me feel comfortable. He definitely is listening to what I want, especially when it comes to being more natural than going above and beyond. And some people, you know, I've seen, I've actually been to a consultation with another woman who got her breasts done, and he's like, you should go bigger. You know, like, I've seen doctors push other people to just jam as much as they can and to someone's body. You know, it's just felt comfortable.

Dr. Javad Sajan  26:55  

That's great. How was it? When you finally decided to book surgery?

Mercedes Christion  27:00  

How was it? Like the experience? 

Dr. Javad Sajan  27:02  

Yeah, how did you get there mentally? 

Mercedes Christion  27:05  

Oh, I worked on myself tremendously, let's say through the traumas I've had before and what people have said about being flat chested, I just wanted to make sure, inside, I felt complete before I actually did the surgery itself. So I've revisited traumas, I've read self help books, like I literally wanted to mentally prepare myself, emotionally prepare myself, because it is something that's going to be there for the rest of your life. But, you know, you there's regret, of course, the first week because you're tattered. But that's why I prepared myself beforehand. And just made sure I really wanted to do it.

Dr. Javad Sajan  27:58  

When you say trauma, were you ever physically abused?

Mercedes Christion 28:02  

Yes, I was. I've had a couple incidents where I've had boyfriends choke me out. And to the point where I couldn't breathe almost. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  28:15  

Did you pass out. 

Mercedes Christion  28:16  

No, I scratched one of the guys face. Well, both two guys faces to get them off for me to like, you know, like, I was to the point where I would have really passed out and just been, I don't know, done or just pass out wise. But yeah.

Dr. Javad Sajan  28:38  

Nobody ever deserves that. I'm so sorry. You went through that. It's unbelievable. When that happened were you having an argument? Or was it random? or How did that happen?

Mercedes Christion 28:49  

Well, things built up, like, I would be in a relationship, and I'd see some of the signs, but then I'd have where I'd been neglected and then, you know, not paid and tended to more or less, someone leaving the house for three days and leaving me by myself with their kid. And so I would address things, but then it's also things that would build up, you know, like, the forms of manipulation and all types of things. And then finally, you know, when you knew you should have left a long time ago, things just- 

Dr. Javad Sajan  29:33  

Explode. 

Mercedes Christion  29:33  

Exactly. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  29:34  

And were some of these people cheaters? 

Mercedes Christion  29:37  

Oh, yeah, they're, like, more like, I've had cheaters. But these two situations were more like keeping me trapped, where I couldn't go anywhere. So I was more in those situations. I was stuck in one place couldn't leave the house. And just not paid attention to the old time.

Dr. Javad Sajan  30:03  

So when you were taking care of someone else's child for those three days, did you relate to how your step mom took care of you? Or did that hurt you at all? 

Mercedes Christion  30:15  

You mean, as far as the whole, taking care? 

Dr. Javad Sajan  30:19  

Somebody else's kid. Yeah- 

Mercedes Christion  30:21  

Yeah. I feel like I've taken care of many kids through my travels and everything. And it's unfortunate that some parents only use their kids as an object. So as much as I care for their kid, and then neglect their kid, it hurts me more because of the fact that they're not being taken care of. And their parents weren't their choice. You know? It's, yeah, I've liked to fight for kids rights as much as the parent who's neglecting me, you know, it doesn't make sense to have a kid and not give them love and actually be there for them. Because you're not hurting me. You're hurting them. So well both.

Dr. Javad Sajan  31:19  

I understand. That's tough. Then day of surgery came. How was that day? Were you excited? Were you nervous? 

Mercedes Christion  31:27  

Yeah. So I was very nervous. And then I saw you and I was like, okay, but it was one of those. Wow, it's really happening. And then, you know, I don't know, I really can't this. You can see in the video that well, actually, I was wearing a mask, but I was smiling, like ear to ear. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  31:54  

That's so cool. 

Mercedes Christion  31:55  

Yeah, it was one of those days where this is going to help with the rest of my life. This is going to help build that confidence and self love too. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  32:09  

How was the day after surgery? Did you have a lot of pain? 

Mercedes Christion  32:13  

Day after was? What did I just do? Basically Yeah, 

Dr. Javad Sajan  32:21  

Why? 

Mercedes Christion  32:23  

It was like, almost like, get hit by a truck, but on your chest area. Or something just got shoved up there out of nowhere, and you don't even know what to do but is it was a lot of pressure. That's for sure. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  32:46  

How has life been since you've had surgery? 

Mercedes Christion  32:49  

Life has been a challenge. Regardless, I don't feel like I've ever had an easy life. But I'm always learning lessons as I go. And I mean, even from when my ex took my, at least half of my disability money when used me for it. And I learned from that I learned from just the struggles of going back to Atlanta and being sober. I went back to Atlanta, I was actually raped three times while I was in Atlanta to like, back, like five years ago, almost. So it's like staring the devil in their face and saying I want you know what I mean? Like, by being able to stand tall in a situation where so many people want to tear you down. So being there, I learned a big lesson. No matter if I'm sober or, or now coholic people show their true colors and the true colors will always be that. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  34:00  

Do that rape happened when you were intoxicated? 

Mercedes Christion  34:04  

Yes. The three different times they did. One was was asleep. But it was a friend who I thought you know, like I kept my boundaries with them, but then I woke up to it. So you know, things happen. That can't be explained. But we take that and we heal and we help others heal.

Dr. Javad Sajan  34:34  

That's the best way to theano is the best, most positive way to think about it. I don't know what else you can say. 

Mercedes Christion  34:40  

Yeah. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  34:41  

Is your confidence better since you had surgery?

Mercedes Christion  34:44  

Yes, definitely. I'm just in a way of being able to fit even a size small, but fill out a dress, you know like And through the photoshoots. And I've just feel more centered.

Dr. Javad Sajan  35:06  

What else? What other goals did you have that the implants helped you accomplish or having the surgery?

Mercedes Christion  35:14  

Well, now, I really want to do pursue modeling a lot more. And even if it's not showing off my assets, I know, confidence on the inside, will exude through the photo. So it's given me that balance that I need to like, pursue the modeling. I do want to get into acting eventually. But music, just everything that I've wanted to do. I've kind of felt like I've held myself back and now that I feel complete, I can actually do that. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  35:59  

Do you have regrets from the surgery? 

Mercedes Christion  36:02  

No, not at all. I don't. I don't have regrets in life in general. So I feel like it was the perfect decision for what I needed at the time and honestly, I wouldn't mind looking into other procedures just just because-

Dr. Javad Sajan  36:25  

Mercedes, thank you so much for being my guest today. Your story is so extraordinary. so remarkable so insightful. I take so much away myself from understanding how you reframe the struggles you've been to develop impact you positively. I can tell you with no hesitation, a lot of people would make just 1% of the things you've gone through. They will let that break them and destroy them is so so amazing how you been able to stand up to that and have your life calling and direction that you want so far. 

Mercedes Christion  37:04  

Thank you. 

Dr. Javad Sajan  37:05  

I've learned a lot from you. I know your ordeal will teach our listeners what and how to expect as they start their own journeys in plastic surgery. I appreciate your time, and I'm honored to have you as a good friend Mercedes. Thanks for listening to the plastic surgeon podcast. Please rate and review us on Apple podcast for more great content. For my life surgeries on Snapchat and my adventures throughout the week, catch us on all social media at @realdrseattle. Bam, what.