RALEIGH, N.C. — It has been three weeks since 53-year old Cheryl Hardy underwent extensive plastic surgery.

The procedure included liposuction, a facelift and a browlift. Hardy hopes the seven-hour, $10,000 operation will help give her a new lease on life -- not only physically, but emotionally.

Nearly 10 years after her husband's suicide, she feels it finally is time to move on.

She has found that her face heals much faster than her heart. After two days, her bandages came off. A week later, Dr. Roger Russell removed most of the sutures and staples.

The stitches along Hardy's hairline are under the skin and do not even show. She was a little bruised, but very pleased.

But she was not done yet. Her next stop was a cosmetic dentist, Dr. Jim Harold. She was hoping he could improve her teeth, and her self-confidence in a career as a speech therapist.

For the rest of the story, watch WRAL News tonight at 11