A black-and-white photo of a person mid-air in a Superman-style body suspension pose, supported by multiple hooks in their back and legs, smiling joyfully toward the camera. They are suspended horizontally in a large indoor space with high ceilings and visible rigging. A group of onlookers—some seated, some standing—watch with expressions of admiration, amusement, and support. The atmosphere is lively and communal, capturing a moment of shared experience and transformation.

Mastectomy Memories

Many, many thanks to Ely for sending in the story behind his double mastectomy..

Ely, before surgery in November 2005.

My big breasts grew when I was like ten years old, and I missed my flat chest badly. I always hated them, I even wore a waist trimmer and cardboard over my breasts in an attempt to flatten them. I had dreams about having my breasts removed in hospital. One dream I remember particularly vividly was one I had as a kid, in that dream I woke up with my flat chest sutured together with blue stitches. That dream became reality on November the 2nd 2005! I was very lucky to have a plastic surgeon perform my much wanted surgery.

One month after surgery.

I went to hospital at 5:30am with my mother and was taken to a room to be dressed in hospital robes, socks, and T.E.D. stockings.

The nurse questioned me and put all my details into her laptop. Soon after someone arrived with a stretcher, I was taken to pre-op room with other people who were waiting to be taken to the operating room. The anesthesiologist and nurses came and talked with me, they told me that they will be with me in the operating room and that I was due there at 8am. The nurse who was aiding the surgeon talked with me too and she told me that they knew exactly what I wanted and still remember the pictures I brought in and told me to not worry. The nurse then took me to the operating room on the second floor. I saw the door marked “O.R. 30″, for some reason I really liked that number! I was taken into the O.R. and they moved me from the stretcher to the table where the surgery would be performed, then they put an I.V. in my right hand. The last thing I remember was laughing, then I was out!

I woke up sometime later and saw that I was in the recovery room and asked for the time. I remember a voice telling me it 11:34am. I looked down at my chest and it was FLAT :)”

Five months after the surgery, topless and guzzling water at school.

My mother told me that my surgery was over by 10am and I was about to be taken to my room on sixth floor, when I got there I fell fast sleep for most of the day, I was woken up a few times by nurses coming in and checking my blood pressure to make sure I was doing okay and to empty my drain bulbs. A couple of times during my stay they give me a white pill with “512″ stamped on it, I still have no idea what they were! Around 5pm that day I decided to ask for a chicken pot pie and some pumpkin. I ate all of them!

Ely kicking back at the playground (summer, 2007).

The nurses thought I would throw up, but I didn’t :), I did feel a bother though because I had to call a nurse every time I wanted to use the toilet because of the I.V. and padded air things on my legs to prevent blood clots. Around 1am someone came and disconnected my I.V., then told me they would give me some antibiotics and that I could leave the hospital at 4am, I had some pancakes and more pumpkin pie to celebrate :). A little later my surgeon came in to check my incisions and said everything looked good. I couldn’t see any bruises at all, I was expecting my chest to be covered in them because I think I bruise somewhat easily. The surgeon then told me that it was time for me to go to home. My father came in to get me so I gingerly got back into the clothes I arrived in and prepared for home.

I’m so glad I wore the shirt with the zipper on the front, haha, I tried to put my black tank-top on and it was impossible, anyway, I got home fine and couldn’t stop smiling knowing that finally they had gone forever!

I still have some way to go (surgery-wise), but I’ve never been happier!

Thanks for talking Ely, and I hope the future surgeries and T injections go just as smoothly!

Comments

82 responses to “Mastectomy Memories”

  1. The Freak Avatar

    Wow, that is absolutely amazing. Congrats on finally having your dream come true! Some people never get that chance. Good luck with future surgeries and life. 🙂

  2. kleptesvirgo Avatar

    I’m thrilled that you were featured on ModBlog! Your story is so inspirational.

  3. me Avatar
    me

    its hypocritical that you will cover stories like this but not about breast augmentation.

  4. Gilmo Avatar
    Gilmo

    That is amazing. I’m glad I read this story.

  5. Tyler Avatar
  6. RooRaaah Crumbs Avatar

    me, erm, you – I have never said that, personally.

  7. Giulio Avatar
    Giulio

    One very stupid question.
    Ely is a guy or a girl?

    Sorry for the question but my English is not so good, and here I saw so many strange story that can be easily a girl or boy.
    And even more the name Ely sound very neutral to me.

  8. deadlypoison Avatar

    @ Giulio from the intro “Many, many thanks to Ely for sending in the story behind his double mastectomy..” i believe Ely is male (apologies if i am wrong)

    Many congrats on achieving your dream 🙂

  9. Cat Avatar

    I agree with #3

  10. Tranque Avatar
    Tranque

    “Me” – If the breast augmentation was done for the sake of MTF purposes and submitted, I’m sure it would be posted.
    However, this isn’t a website devoted to typical, superficial mainstream surgeries, such as breast implants, liposuction, rhinoplasties, etc. If you want something like that, Google it. There are plenty of photos.
    I would like to think that ModBlog generally has more depth than that, and so far, this seems true. :]

  11. RooRaaah Crumbs Avatar

    Tranque – I was going to add something along those lines.

    Obviously I don’t have complete editorial control over what’s posted to ModBlog, well, in a sense I do because I’m posting here at the moment but you’re right, there are numerous other sites where you can read about breast augmentation.

    I’m not saying I wouldn’t post about it here if it was interesting enough but that’s not really what ModBlog’s about, in my view.

  12. Shaun Avatar
    Shaun

    This blog is all about this being cut off and cut up, not being made bigger.

    With the exception of saline genitals of course.

  13. RooRaaah Crumbs Avatar

    Anyway, let’s not less this detract from how happy Ely is about things, the post is about him after all.

  14. Giulio Avatar
    Giulio

    @deadlypoison
    Thanks, I was looking for a HE or SHE in article but I miss the HIS in the first line 🙂

    @Ely congratulation for your new chest

  15. ristintin Avatar
    ristintin

    the did show a breast saline injection for a female, so i wouldn’t rule them out finding one mtf and showing it ( i know i’d enjoy seeing/reading about it).

    congrats Ely on yours!, i get mine in 15 days, how old were you when you got it?

  16. Serial Stitcher Avatar

    #3 & #9

    I don’t know how many people with breast augmentations are sending in stories to this site to begin with, but I remember seeing a post on here a while back about a temporary breast enhancement (I don’t remember if it was saline or what).

    This site is more about body modifications that are generally about looking abnormal instead of normal, or it’d be full of face lifts and nose jobs.

  17. RooRaaah Crumbs Avatar

    Serial Stitcher – “This site is more about body modifications that are generally about looking abnormal instead of normal,”

    I’m not sure if you meant to phrase it that way, but I’d say that it’s more about people feeling happy with how they look, rather than abnormal.

    I certainly don’t feel “normal” without my piercings, and certainly wouldn’t if my tattoos all fell off overnight.

    I’m sure I can speak for Ely when I say he’d feel the same if those troublesome breasts grew back overnight.

  18. Will Avatar
    Will

    In the final photo you look so calm and noble. I dread to think what mental torment you endured before your surgery. I get the impression you have a great inner strength; your story is an inspiration. I hope you have a long and wonderful life.

  19. Treehopr Avatar
    Treehopr

    Great content! Congratulations!

    “A couple of times during my stay they give me a white pill with “512″ stamped on it, I still have no idea what they were”
    They’re a generic brand of Percocet. They have 5mg of Oxycodone(narcotic pain reliever) and 325mg of Acetaminophen(like extra strength Tylenol; fever suppressant and pain reliever)

  20. Serial Stitcher Avatar

    Tripping over my own words 😛 I was referring to normal/abnormal in terms of the opinions of most of society, though certainly things that were once “taboo” are now becoming more accepted…

    This site is certainly about people being happy with modifications, but I would say that the modifications shown are “abnormal” in that they are beyond the mainstream ones typically seen with the plastic surgery industry

  21. MissAnneThropic Avatar
    MissAnneThropic

    Good luck with the rest of your journey, Ely!

  22. Emily Avatar

    Congratulations!
    It really made me so happy to read this story. I can imagine that your journey to this point has not been easy.
    What is more inspirational than a person who is brave and self-aware enough to achieve what truly makes them happy?
    Best of luck for your future 🙂

  23. silvereden Avatar
    silvereden

    what a beautiful story! congrats on your surgery Ely, you look so serene and peaceful in your pictures – i can only imagine how happy you must be!!

  24. kelli Avatar

    I’m under the impression that the T-injection reference indicates that this is a case of FTM surgery… turned out quite well. 🙂

  25. me Avatar
    me

    in the past i submitted several pictures and experiances and i am heavily tattooed, and all were turned down.

  26. Susan Avatar
    Susan

    25 – Blogs are subject to the discretion of the people running it. It sounds like you’re upset someone else’s breast surgery got chosen and yours didn’t. If I were you, I’d just make my own blog if you want your story heard.

  27. Will Avatar
    Will

    Reply to #25: my pics also failed to get listed. It was a great lesson in humility. When I see pics and read experiences like Ely’s I realise there is a good reason why I should learn humility. Ely is great. I’m just a guy with mods.

  28. Jimbo Avatar
    Jimbo

    Great stuff, Ely! Good luck with everything to come. I’m still waiting for my mastectomy. 🙂

    #3 – I wouldn’t put non-trans breast augmentation in the same category as FtM mastectomy (though there are exceptions, naturally) because FtM surgery is not elective, it’s necessary and often life-saving. I know so many guys who were suicidal until they got their surgeries done.

  29. Lares Avatar

    Flat chests <3 Love it.

  30. Disasterous Avatar
    Disasterous

    Everyone should have a chance to get posted
    on ModBlog, whether it be breasts or tattoos.
    Anyone getting turned down is just dumb.
    All tattoos are unique, they should all be
    posted.
    Breasts are just breasts, people have surgery
    on this stuff all the time.

    Although I will say I’m very happy for Ely
    and wish him luck on any further surgeries.

  31. Cardboardfrog Avatar

    bye bye boobies! ^^,
    congrats!

  32. sublimerotica Avatar

    That’s really awesome. :)) Congratulations.

  33. kev Avatar
    kev

    please excuse my ignorance, but if ely had lost alot of weight without getting the surgery, what would have happened to his breasts? Congratulations on your mod, ely, I’m glad it makes you happier 🙂

  34. Bill Avatar
    Bill

    you have no right to call a breast augmentation superficial… at all. because it doesn’t involve some controversial subcultural shit does not mean it’s superficial.

  35. Bill Avatar
    Bill

    and yes… transgender surgery is elective. obviously.

    i’m sure a lot of people almost killed themselves before they had bigger boobs.

  36. Ratty Avatar
    Ratty

    30 – That’s what BME itself is for. If ModBlog posted *everything* that was submitted to it, it’d be about a hundred times bigger and a lot harder to read.

    On the other hand – Congrats Eli! Looking *GOOD*.

  37. annie anatomy Avatar
    annie anatomy

    Thats just so wonderful! 😀

    Congrats dude for doing it! Its so cool that you have had the guts to change your body and make it the way you want it! go hard dude!

    Kev, as a girl (not plus size i admit, but stay with me) breasts tend to be the very last things to lose weight, Its very difficult to fully get rid of boob exess, he would have still had the skin there most likely- i can immagine that this op would have still been a must even if he had slimmed. (like an apporonectomy)

  38. annie anatomy Avatar
    annie anatomy

    And i agree with Ratty- i don’t really want to read about and look at EVERY lobe pierce ever done! i like reading stuff like this because its something that i have never experienced personaly.

  39. annie anatomy Avatar
    annie anatomy

    And, Breast augmentation is a bit like a lobe pierce in this day and age- i know 3-4 people who have had it off the top of my head, saline is slightly different because it wasn’t done by a doctor… it was done by a mod- ie: a member of our comunity, so the experience will be different.

    Also, im sure that if someone wanted to post here after having breast augmentation after cancer (Similar to the piece in the publishers ring about Paul oneball) then they would be posted for sure. i see no inequality.

  40. Persia Avatar
    Persia

    I really don’t think I’d place breast enlargement on the same level as MtF or FtM.

    30 – Disasterous – that’s exactly what BME would be if EVERY submission was accepted. Every piercing, every tribal arm band, every lower back butterfly tattoo would be posted. The site would become completely cluttered and would take a monstrous amount of labor to maintain. Although I’m sure everyone’s modification is important to them, unfortunately not all can be posted.

  41. nope Avatar
    nope

    if he had solely lost weight (and there is no guarantee that he would have lost weight from his breasts), then he solely would have lost breast fullness. as you can see in the first picture, and also from his story, his breasts developed to a large size at a young age. it’s probably a pretty good bet that the skin was under lots of strain for a long time, so losing weight wouldn’t fix the missing elasticity… meaning the skin of his breasts would still droop and look kind of empty. surgery really was his only option, unless he wanted to bind his chest forever like he was doing. he seems so happy and content in all of the after photos! coming from a not-so-well-endowed girl, i can’t imagine having to deal with large breasts. i just imagine all the backaches, stretch marks, etc.

    and i, for one, come to modblog so i DON’T have to wade through the myriad of bad/less interesting tattoos in the world. roo tends to choose beautiful pictures of outstanding work. i want to look at the truly superb work, not the average person’s tattoo. there’s only so many flash tattoos you can stomach 🙂

    breast augmentation kind of goes along with that. i’ve seen plenty of average implants and reductions in my life, but much fewer mastectomies and breast removals. i’m not saying that they aren’t still valuable or worthwhile, but i know i’m much less fascinated with them. it’s the same reason, i think at least, that there aren’t a myriad of common tongue or navel piercings featured – we’ve all seen them… lots.

  42. Xenobiologista Avatar

    How about this distinction – many genetic women who go for breast augmentation do so to fit into an ideal that’s more normal/mainstream/average.

    MTF women who go for breast – what do you call it? construction? – do so to fit into an INTERNAL ideal which definitely doesn’t mesh with what’s normal/mainstream/average. And the same applies for other types of “body modification”.

    Mammary glands were definitely scary when they started growing. I thought it was cancer at first because I didn’t expect that the glandular tissue would be HARD and lumpy.

  43. Tara Avatar
    Tara

    Congratulations to your success! I truly wish you the best!

  44. Angela Avatar

    Viva Ely.-

  45. Vile Avatar
    Vile

    In response to the ‘breast augmentation’ comments, I believe people are a bit mixed.

    Where as breast removal is ‘seen’ as an acceptable form of body modification to be seen here and addition to breasts is somewhat frowned upon.

    I understand this is a gray area for some people. But I personally don’t understand why. It’s not like the zine is posting peoples breasts saying “look at jane/john’s new knockers!”

    When I have seen people complaining about fake breasts it’s usually in a picture that has nothing to do with the breasts other than the fact they are there and/or bared for the viewers to see. The focus is usually on the piercing, tattoos or mods of said girly.

    When you come to this page, you need to keep an open mind to EVERYTHING. From tongue piercing to tongue splitting, from breast torture to removal or adding to them. A mod is a mod folks. Inserted or lopped off.

    What people do to their bodies and why they do it is for them to know and enjoy. Feel privileged that they are willing to share such intimate details about their lives and bodies with you!

    So really folks, if it doesn’t float your boat then don’t feel the need to be a jerk and post your negative feelings about something that has been positive in someone else’s life.

    A mod is a mod.

    Period.

  46. Lacie Avatar

    “MTF women who go for breast – what do you call it? construction? – do so to fit into an INTERNAL ideal which definitely doesn’t mesh with what’s normal/mainstream/average.”

    Construction of breasts expresses a want for (at least some part) the general female ‘norm’. Having breasts in general meshes with the normal/mainstream/average idea of a woman.

  47. Lacie Avatar

    Oh, and well said, Vile 🙂

  48. lindsey Avatar
    lindsey

    congrats on making your dream a reality!!!

  49. eke Avatar
    eke

    If i have the money i would do it. im jealous;)
    but, dot want to be an ass, but you should loss some weight:$

  50. bettie cracker Avatar
    bettie cracker

    (:
    Wonderful!

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