Mommy Makeover: Stories

I am a 24 (turning 25 soon) mom of 3 super amazing kids. My husband and I fell in love young, we got married young, and had our children pretty early into our adult lives. I always knew after having kids I would want to have my breasts done, but my tummy stayed tight and had no stretchmarks until baby #3.

My last pregnancy took a huge tole on my body, I looked like I was carrying twins and gained 50 whopping pounds! My kids weighed 8lb 8oz, 8lb 1oz, and my last child decided to surprise us all and come out weighing 10lb 13oz! I nursed baby 1 for 1 month, baby 2 for 6 months, and baby 3 for a year, so the boobies aren't as full as they used to be. I realized that my stomach wasn't going to ever go back to the way it was about 6 months after my last child was born and that is when I decided I was going to have a tummy tuck.

Time flew by and it's been 2 years since the birth of my last baby (they grow up so fast). I did hours of research looking at photos and reading surgeon's credentials. The time finally seemed right so we decided to schedule a consult. I was certain when I went in that I would need a lift with my augmentation and a full tummy tuck but to my surprise my surgeon said I would not need breast lift and that a mini tummy tuck would be best for the amount of excess skin I have to remove.

I really loved his belly buttons on his tummy tucks and was bummed to not be getting a new one but the scar would be much higher up if I went with a full TT. I will be having silicone implants(350cc), a mini tummy tuck with upper abdominal lipo, lipo of the flanks, and lipo of the inner and outer thighs. My surgery is scheduled for September 13, 2011. We wanted to wait so we could enjoy our summer and the kids will be back in school.

I am trying to lose as much weight as I can before my surgery and have been sticking diligently to my exercise program. I am on week 8 of the Insanity program. I have lost an inch off of my waste and 2 inches off of my hips so far. I am 5'5" and weigh 151.2 right now (started at 157) and would like to be around 145 before I go in, but we will see(-:

I find this site EXTREMELY helpful,but I wished there were more Mini tummy tuck experiences, so want to share mine so that others can benefit(-: Photos to come.

Ok, so I am adding some pictures of what my body looks like pre surgery. I didn't suck, stick out, or in or flex in any of these because I wanted them to show what I really look like. I can't wait to have "after" pictures(-:

Ahhhh, the sun is out and it's hot, hot, hot! The kids are eating Popsicles begging to play in the hose. I want to be out soaking up the sun in my bikini but that will have to wait until next summer unless I want to frighten the neighbor kids)-: It's the full coverage bathing suit for me again this year. I am starting to wonder why I am waiting until after summer. Oh well, only 108 days left!

As of today I only have 99 days left until my Mommy Makeover. Yay! I thought I would go into a bit more detail about my first consult to give you a more clear idea of how things went.

My husband and I went in for my consult in April and since we had no sitter for our 2 year old he had to come along. I was so nervous that they would be snobby about me bringing a rambunctious toddler into such an establishment. In my mind I imagined a ritzy waiting room full of rich middle aged women coming in for their scheduled rounds of botox. I walked in and the vibe was totally opposite. The staff was friendly and very accommodating, they didn't mind us having our little guy with us at all and we had the whole waiting room to ourselves. I signed in and waited all of 10 minutes before they walked us into a consult room.

We set up our portable dvd player and put on a Baby Einstein movie for our son and after a few minutes Dr. M came in and greeted us. My first impression of him was very good, I had been scanning the room and looking at all of his certificates and awards so I was already picking him apart before he came in. He sat down across from us and asked what my concerns were. I told him I wanted my boobs to be more full on the top because all of my volume is at the bottom. When I wear a bra they look great, but I wouldn't dare walk out of my house without one on. My goal is to be able to wear no bra or just a sports bra and not look like I have banana boobs or look like a 7th grade gym teacher with a uni boob. I also addressed the asymmetry (left is slightly larger and a bit saggier) and the slight difference in areola size.

Then we moved on to the tummy issue. I told him I wanted a tummy tuck to get rid of the skin that rolls up when I'm sitting and kind of lays next to me while I lay on my side. I was also concerned about scar placement and my piercing scar.

Then he left the room so that I could put a gown on. I was so nervous I forgot to take my bra off. Duh! He's gonna need to see those(-; I got my bra off and he came back in with a female staff member. I was asked to take the gown off and pose for a series of pictures for him to use as a reference later. Talk about awkward! Then I got to put the gown back on. I was directed over to a mirror where he took a closer look at the "damage" and we discussed my options. Right away he told me I would not need a lift on my breasts, he said to lift the left on a bit he could take a small crecent peice of skin out above the areola to make the areolas even with each other. Ok cool, I wasn't as bad off as I thought. He said for the look I wanted he would recomend subglandular silicone implants, but I would choose the size(-:

On to the tummy. He pinched and squished my skin a bit to see how much was there and he said he would recommend a mini tummy tuck over a full due to the lack of skin above the belly button area. I was surprised again! Then he marked on my tummy with a pen where my scar would be with a full and where it would be for a mini. The full TT scar would be way above where I wear my undies and most of my pants so the choice was easy for me. My piercing scar will look much better when the skin is pulled tighter so I am pleased with the idea of a mini. Less scaring and a quicker recovery, yes please! After that I told him I would like some lipo on my thighs and flanks to smooth out the "fluffier" areas of my body that don't respond to working out, he said he could take care of that at the same time so I was happy.

He then left the room and I changed back into my clothes, and when he came back in he showed me a book of booby pictures and he asked me what look I preferred, (super high and round or more natural) I preferred the more natural look. Then I got out my 2 page list of ?'s and he took his time answering them one by one. When he left we shook hands and said good bye.

Then one of the female staff members came in and fitted me with an ugly old lady surgical bra that accentuated the sadness of the breast situation)-: By this time my son was tired of the movie and had sprinkled the floor with cheerios. He started playing with the sample implants the Dr. had on his desk. What a "mother of the year" moment that was. At least he was busy while I tried on the sizers. I knew I liked the 350's but I tried the 375's just in case and I knew they were too big because they felt heavy and weird.

After that I got dressed and the receptionist printed me out an estimate for all the procedures, one sheet with the full TT estimate and another sheet with the mini TT estimate. Then we were on our merry way just in time to pick the 2 older kids up from school.

About a month later we went in to schedule and pay our %10 down. I was confident I made the right decision on the Dr. and the Mini TT over the full, as well as silicone over saline. I felt like I wanted to just do it that day but we have to wait for the summer to be over because we have quite a few trips planned for our family and I want to enjoy them without a tight itchy binder on in the summer heat. So next summer the bod will be making it's debut appearance(-:

I periodically email the staff and they are prompt at getting back to me, they answer all of my ?'s and never make me feel crazy for asking. The plan for the next 99 days is to keep working out and try to lose a few more lbs. and enjoy this awesome summer with my family.

Well, I got down to 150 lbs, yay! I still have lots of work to do but it's nice to know that with a bit of hard work and tons of sweat I can lose this weight. I am starting Insanity The Asylum today, it's a 30 day program and it's more about conditioning than making you skinny, but I like the way I feel when my cardio is at it's best. I have been going through a very tough time over the last few weeks (family drama, ongoing health issues) and it has been sucking the life out of me. I haven't been making the time everyday for myself and I can feel it. So today, back on the wagon I go. I am realizing that every good decision I make leads to more good decisions and it goes the other way too(-: Hope all is well with all of you

Less than 7 weeks to go now! Wow, this summer is just flying by. I have been reading tons of your stories and they are really getting me so excited to get this process moving. I am trying to make all the arrangements for after my surgery. My mom and my sister will be coming up from TN to help me during the first few days, both of them are nurses so it will be so nice to have them here with me. My hubby will be taking some time off of work too, we haven't decided how long he will be off because I wanted to see how I feel and go from there. It will be so nice to have all of this help with the kids(-: I will be able to relax and focus on recovery. The OCD side of me is trying to put a list together of what I will want/need after surgery I have seen some of you made these lists as well. I could really use some help with my list so if you have any suggestions at all or links to other people's lists that would be awesome. I am still doing the Asylum workout program and am now down to 146.8 lbs. My goal is 145 so I am getting very close. I have my pre op in 15 days, I can't wait to try on those boobies again, WHOO! HOO!

Ok so lately my life has been mostly focused on my upcoming makeover. I am nesting worse than when I was pregnant! I have over a month to go but all I can think about is boobs and bellies. I am scared I will go to small or too big, I am nervous about scar size and placement, will my belly button look normal after wards, what if he doesn't take enough skin off my belly, all of these thoughts keep swirling around my brain and it's driving me nuts. Last night I dreamed of having my surgery by a surgeon that I never met and I came out with long saggy boobs that felt like tube socks filled with rocks and instead of a mini TT I had horrible scars all over my tummy. The surgery was done on a dock by a lake with random cars floating in the water. I am quite sure this is nothing how my real surgery day will be but it does show that I am thinking of it 24/7. Thank goodness I have an appointment on the 12th so that I can get all of my worries settled and hopefully settle on a boobie size. Just a bit of advice for anyone who is thinking of doing a mommy makeover, don't schedule 6 months in advance, it is way to long to wait and it will drive you bananas(-: Well, take care ladies and happy healing to all of you.

I weighed myself this AM and the scale said 145! That means I made it to my pre op goal weight 5 weeks early! Yay! We have one more vacation trip before the kids have to go back to school and then it's my turn, I can't wait(-:

WARNING: ANGRY RANT, I hate that there are people I can tell and people that I can't tell. Why are people so overly opinionated? They automatically assume you are self centered and vein because you are having surgery, or they want to question your finances. If this surgery was going to affect my family negatively in any way I would not do it. We are doing it now because the time is right and we are able to afford it. So what if my kids don't have every single game for their wii, or we don't go on huge extravagant vacations to Disney twice a year! I am sure they would much rather have a happy confident momma to take care of them. I am so happy about doing this, why can't people be happy for me too? Just venting, I am sure I am not the only one who is feeling like this.

JUST BECAUSE WE ARE DOING SOMETHING FOR OURSELVES DOES NOT MEAN WE ARE TAKING SOMETHING FROM OUR FAMILIES.

Today I am feeling much less annoyed, maybe because tomorrow is my pre-op appointment. I am weighing 144 lbs now and fitting into my clothes from before baby #3! The boobies are still getting smaller and the skin pooch is still there but I am starting to envision the way I will look post opp. I am getting more excited every day.

Well, I had my pre op yesterday(-: It went really well. I was excited to tell them that my weight is now 143, that is 12 lbs lost since my first consult. I started the appointment out by filling out a huge stack of consent forms, it felt like more paperwork than when we bought our house lol. Then we talked about pre op do's and don'ts, and I was explained what my surgery day will be like so I know what to expect. Next was post op instructions and of course answering the bazillions of questions that popped up in my head. Then I wrote out the check for the remainder of my balance, it was $11,000! I have never wrote a check that large, EVER! I must say it felt good to have it paid for, it felt like it was really happening.

I decided I wanted to retry the implants on because I have lost some weight and the girls lost some volume since the last time I tried them on. I ended up going up to 375cc from 350cc because they looked and felt better, that extra 25cc filled out what I have lost from working out(-;

I also got a nice little gift bag filled with goodies (a coffee mug, slipper socks, emery board, mints, and some awesome smelling hand cream). I must say I thought this was very thoughtful of them to do for their patients. So now the wait is on, 31 days left!

Wow, under 4 weeks of waiting left! My family and I are taking our last trip of the summer this weekend into next week, so I will not be able to update or check on any of you lovely ladies)-: I will be having Realself withdrawals for sure by day 2. When we get home we will be very busy. Soccer season begins for my 2 older ones. My daughter will be turning 8 on the 30th so I have to do all the prep for that. Then she and my son will be going back to school on the 6th and we still haven't done all of our back to school shopping. The 7th is my son's 6th birthday so I will have to shop and get ready for that as well. I have a huge master to do list of things that need done around the house pre surgery. I thought September would be a great time to do this, but I forgot how busy this time of year is. Oh well, at least I will have lots to keep me busy while the days fly by.

Today is my last day of the Insanity Asylum program, I weighed 142.6 this AM(-: I am not sure what I am going to do for my workouts up until my surgery, I do best on a set schedule so I may start a hybrid program of some kind. I plan on working out up until a day or 2 before I go in, because I won't be able to workout for a while after wards. I hope that being in good shape will help speed up my recovery, we will just have to wait and see though. Well, happy healing, toodles!

I am back from vacation and was able to get all the school shopping done and some birthday shopping done as well for my daughter. She will be 8 in 2 days(-: I was actually able to read some of your updates while I was gone, even though I got very poor signal where we were my phone allowed me to read my emails. The updates are sent there so I was able to carry a piece of all of you with me on my trip.

I was very sad to hear what happened to "Here I am", she is one of my faves on here, she always has such encouraging things to say and she had only just begun her journey. I hope she continues to pop in and let us know how she is doing, I know many of us will miss her. I was freaking out a bit because I don't want any of my Realself info to pop up on my Facebook page, is that possible or am I being paranoid? I kept checking my Facebook to make sure no nudie before photos popped up on my profile, that would be so horrible!

I have 2 weeks and 1 day left to wait and it seems like the closer it comes the faster the days are flying by. I have so much to do and there is not enough time in each day. I remember watching the countdown widget on my phone and thinking that Sept. 13th would NEVER be here, and here I am now just days away. These next 2 weeks are packed with craziness, like I said my 2 oldest kiddos have birthdays and have requested special homemade cakes, soccer season started (hubby coaches both teams), and school starts. I have family visiting a couple times here and there as well. My 2 year old has just began the potty training process so that has me on my toes all day, but I am super proud of him and excited to FINALLY be done with diapers (happy dance). I have been doing a de-cluttering overhaul on my house and it is coming along slowly but surely. When I don't want to clean and know I need to I just put on an episode of Hoarders and I find that puts me in the mood(-;

Hmmm what else?

I am done with the Asylum program and am down to 141.6 lbs! I don't know what I am going to do for the next 2 weeks, maybe a hybrid program (INSANITY/ASYLUM), beach body programs seem to work well for me and I don't have problems with my knees like I do when I run.

I have purchased scar treatments, bruising supplements, 4 soft microfiber sports bras, special soft socks, button down jammies, gas meds, stool softener, special "frozen peas" ice packs, and a bunch of other goodies. I am buying Arnica gel at GNC on the 1st of September because they have specials on the 1st of every month. They have the largest Arnica gel bottle for the cheapest price that I have found anywhere. There is more that I am forgetting I bought and more that I still have to get, but you get the picture, I am "nesting" for my surgery. I am calling my PS office tomorrow to find out when my scripts will be called in, I forgot to ask when I was in and I would like to pick them up when I am out running other errands instead of making a special trip to the pharmacy.

Do any of you have Fibromialgia? I was diagnosed a couple months ago. I am on meds that have helped tremendously and I feel like I have a new lease on life but am concerned that my condition may effect my recovery. I just wondered if anyone else has already gone through this. Well, I have to go cut the little guy's hair, bye.

Just wanted to let you all know I changed my user name to "June Bug" because I didn't like that the one that Realself gave me contained my real name. I hope this doesn't confuse anyone that has been following me.

Today is my princess's 8th birthday! I am baking a kitty cake for her as requested. Doesn't it seem like as moms the days drag on and on but the years seem to fly by in a blink of an eye? I am just amazed at how fast they grow up.

*Just a heads up, Walmart has their button down pajama sets on clearance for $9.50. I got a set and they are SUPER soft and stretchy, great for the first days post op.

One week to go! I am so excited! My 2 oldest started first and third grade today. They are both so grown up and helpful and got ready mostly on their own. I just love first days!

I spent the weekend at my MIL's house and visited with all of our family on the hubby's side. It was a nice little trip. Yesterday was my hubby and I's 12 year anniversary of being together. We celebrate our dating anniversary as well as our wedding anniversary, they both are special days to us. He surprised me with some vibram 5 finger shoes that I have wanted for months now. I love them! Tomorrow my son turns 6 years old so I will be playing cake boss again. I am so excited for the weekend to be here so that I can see my best friend in the whole world (my big sissy) and her adorable baby boy. I have so much left to do, and unchecked lists to go over. I will keep you posted.

Just added some new photos, these are better than the other ones I added when I first joined because the lighting really shows the "damage" done from my 3 big babies.

Hmmmm, for some reason the pics I uploaded are not showing up)-: Sorry guys I will try again soon.

I emailed my ps secretary yesterday because they have 2 offices and the one I go to is only open on Monday and Friday so they weren't there to answer the phones. The other office is further away and they don't have my info on file there. I asked to have my scripts called in this week because I will be busy on Monday. She got back with me right away and said that they will be called in Friday morning. I was so excited about this for some reason, it makes it seem like it's truly happening. Then not even a 1/2 hour later the Surgery Center called me to go over some ?s for anesthesia, talk about reality hitting me in the face, I really am having my mommy makeover in 5 days! I am still working out almost every day doing the asylum videos. I feel really strong and am hoping this helps me out during my recovery. My 2 year old is doing awesome with potty training, he doesn't like to do the #2 on the potty yet, but does all of his pee pee's on the toilet. We will have to keep working on the #2 problem)-: But he is still very young to be potty training. My middle son turns 6 today, so while he is at school, I have to get his cake,balloons, and presents ready. I bought some protein meal replacement shakes, frozen dinners, arnica gel, and a few other things. My sister was so nice and bought me 22 different magazines to read, oh how I love her! As the day creeps closer my house is getting more organized and I will be sure to have it shining like a pearl the night before I go in(-: Love you ladies, hugs!

Today I am a bit bummed because my sister may not be coming up for my surgery. She is pregnant and having pain that keeps her from laying down and she hasn't been able to get proper sleep in months. I told her not to worry about coming up because she needs to feel better and make sure baby is ok. I don't want her to have to drive 9 hours and feel miserable. But I wish she could come, she is my best friend and we have always been there for each other during hard times. She was the first person I told when I got pregnant at 16, she was there when my youngest was in the NICU and wasn't sure he would pull through, she took care of me when I was in and out of the hospital with severe mastitis, and I was there for the for the birth of her first baby, etc. You get the idea we have each others backs no matter what. I know my hubby and mom will take care of me and be able to handle everything but I will miss her company.

I do get to pick up my scripts today(-: Not sure why this has me so excited but it does.

My day is getting better and better. Not only did I pick up my prescriptions, I got my whole downstairs steam cleaned, and my sister called me and said she will be coming after all. Her Dr gave her some meds that help with the pain and she had an MRI to see what's going on. They know it isn't pregnancy related because it has been going on since she delivered her first baby. But baby is doing great and the meds have helped some. She will be leaving the day after my surgery to go back home to find out the results of her MRI so I won't get to see her very long but any time with my sis is better than none.

Like I said I picked up my scripts today, it felt strange getting such a large amount of drugs from the pharmacy, I got a few stares from the waiting area but I wasn't bothered one bit(-: I got my effexor XR refilled so I don't run out while I am recovering. I am on this for my fibromialgia and it has helps my pain flairs so much. It is actually an antidepressant/anxiety medicine but lots of Drs use it to treat fibro. with great success. I got my antibiotics and a Diflucan for the yeast infection that I am bound to get from the antibiotics. Unfortunately I am one of those sensitive people who always gets a yeast infection from antibiotics, sorry TMI. I got my pain pills, Vicodine 500's, I hope they do the trick, I am not a fan of pain)-: I got the lovely Hibiclense cootie killing wash for my preop showers, I have to take 3 of them! My skin will be like a sand paper after that I am sure. And since my surgery is 5 hours long my dr got me 7 Lovenox injections to give myself once daily post op to prevent blood clots. I am lucky to have my mom and sister here to do the shots for the first day or 2, they are nurses and I am sure I will be a bit loopy so I should not be trusted with a sharp object of any kind(-; So ladies this is it, I am prepared as much as I can be, less than 4 days left!

Ok, so the bummer is my sister had to back out again, so she won't be here for my surgery but my mom and hubby have everything covered and I am getting so excited. My sister in law is watching my youngest the day of surgery and dropping off the older two at school, God bless her.

I just finished my last workout and am taking tomorrow off to relax and hydrate my body. I am at 140 lbs now! I never thought I would lose that much weight before surgery but I did and I feel so good. It's such a strange feeling knowing that you are going into surgery and getting a new body. I kind of feel the way I did when I had my labor induction scheduled for my pregnancy, you go in with a belly and come home with a baby. This time I am going in with skin and small boobs and am leaving with big boobs and a flat, roll free tummy, it is so weird! I really appreciate all of the support I am getting from you ladies, it has helped me tremendously in preparation for this. Thanks so much for everything, hugs to all of you!

I am up at 3:30 am because I am so excited! Tomorrow at this time I will be getting ready to leave for the surgery center!

I didn't sleep well last night because I have a zillion things going on in my head but surprisingly I am not tired AT ALL! I am using this strange adrenaline rush to finish my house cleaning and getting everything just the way I want it before I go in tomorrow. I hope it doesn't wear off before I'm done(-;

My ps office called this A.M. and went over pre op instructions one more time and made sure everything was ready. My mom flies in tonight around 8:30, so we will be picking her up and my sister in law will be following us home and sleeping over as well. My mom and hubby are going with me to the surgery center and my SIL is staying with my kids to drop them off at school and watch my little one. We have to be at the surgery center by 6:30 so we will probably leave around 5:40. It's going to be an early morning for all of us, but I have a feeling I won't be doing much sleeping(-: The kids clothes are prepared for the whole week and there are how to instructions posted all over my house to remind hubby of what needs done. My kids are very much creatures of habit so the closer things are to normal, the smoother everything should go.

Funny story: Last night I decided to wax my bikini line instead of shave it because I didn't want itchy regrowth while healing. So I did and hubby helped, but by no means does it look like it should. It looks like the texas chainsaw massacre down there. There are broken blood vessels and stray stragglers all over. I think I should have just left it alone, besides I am sure they have seen it all, at least until now(-;

Yesterday felt like I was in line for the biggest roller coaster anxiously waiting for my turn. I slowly sat down and the lady came by to latch my seat down. That was my chance to back out but I didn't because I want to ride this ride so badly even though I am scared to death! Today feels like I am sitting in my seat, strapped in, and the roller coaster is inching it's way to the top of the highest hill. I keep asking myself "Why did I get on this ride?", "What was I thinking?", "Why am I putting myself through this?" But in the back of my mind I am screaming "Oh yeah, this is the ride I have been waiting to ride for years, whooo! hoooo! Hold on to your butts, it's going to be wild, and there are tons of ups and downs, twists and turns, and dark scary tunnels ahead but the end result is going to leave me thrilled." (-:

I took my showers last night, dried my hair, and have everything ready (I hope). I went to bed and got some much needed rest but my eyes popped open at 2:30 and I am just way too pumped up to fall back asleep. I have my ?'s wrote down for Dr. and have kissed my babies until they were sick of it(-; So here I go ladies! This is it! Thanks so much for the words of encouragement and all of the prayers, they mean so much to me. I will let you know how it went as soon as I can, sending big, huge, warm, squishy hugs to all of you(-:

Day 2 post op and I am feeling a bit better each day. I was in more pain than expected so they gave me percosets and some nausea pills to take with them. I have been taking one pill every 3-5 hours. I have been walking around every time I get up.to .pee. peeing is hard, I feel like I can't fully empty my bladder and it comes out in spurts instead of one stream. I think its because my garment is so tight. I had my muscles sewn back 2 inches together. Even with the swelling my curves are looking so good. I have been taking colace so hopefully there will be a bm in my future. My mom just left so its just me, hubby, and the kids. I feel so happy that I did this even though I'm hurting, I know it will.be worth it.

Well, it's 5 days post op for me(-: I am glad to say that I have made it to the other side and am getting better and better every day. This experience has been difficult for me because I had a hard time asking people to do every little thing for me. I got so frustrated because I couldn't move a pillow under my legs that I almost cried! It must be the meds lol!

I am off of the percoset and am taking vicodine now. I am fine with that, the pain isn't too bad as long as I am taking it easy. My lower abs where the muscles were tightened are the sorest part. It feels like an internal girdle! Yesterday I went to khols to get some bras, my hubby pushed me in a wheel chair and I walked through the small isles that the wheel chair wouldn't fit through. I got a new fila sports bra and 2 barely there soft day bras that I LOVE! I was excited because they had it in pink and me being a super girly girl I had to have one in pink(-: It's the little things that make you feel good when you are in the state we are in(-; Then the hubs took me out for a burrito and coffee and we went home to eat because by that time I was beat. I feel fine this am, just sore like every other morning so I don't think I over did it.

I started my period 3 days post op and am having to deal with that glorious part of woman hood|-: I found that the big pads that I bought fit into the hole in my garment, I just tuck the front and back of the pad in and leave the sticky paper on so it doesn't stick to the inside of my leg or my pants. Thought I would share this in case anyone else is going through this, sorry if it's TMI.

I may venture out to Target today, my kids are at their aunts house so it's like a date for me and my lover(-; I am healing very nicely, and my swelling is just annoying not painful so I can't complain. I went into this surgery knowing that there was going to be a certain level of pain during the recovery and I think that has helped me tremendously, the pain is always there, but it's at a level that is manageable. I just get very tired very easily. Hang in there ladies, I know a lot of us just had this done and we have a long road ahead of us but we have each other, hugs!

I know I haven't checked in as much as I used to but I have been in such a fog. I am getting up and doing things around the house and then I get so tired I plop on the couch and am useless for the rest of the day. Healing really takes a lot out of you, more than I thought it would at least.

All in all I feel pretty good. I am bruised on my inner thighs and hips and they are a rainbow of purples and yellows and look pretty gross but I must say even with the swelling I can see some results already(-: I think it is so strange that I can feel numb and still have pain, it's like the skin is numb but the tissue underneath feels pain, it's really hard to describe to someone who hasn't gone through it but that's my best go at it(-; Don't get me wrong I hurt, but the pain is much less than a week ago, I am taking only a couple vicodine a day. I could probably go without it at this point but if I know I am going to go somewhere I take some so that I can enjoy my time out without being uncomfortable. I am going to call my ps office and see if I can start taking motrin because I honestly think that works better for me than vicodine.

I went to my post op check yesterday and got my lipo sutures out. I also saw my tummy scar for the first time. I must say that I am glad I know what the different stages of scaring look like because although my scar is very thin, it is pretty dimply and weird looking at this point. My surgeon assured me that this would all go away, and I knew that from all of my prior research so I am not worried one bit. I had a blood blister the size of a pencil eraser next to my scar, that freaked me out! I didn't know what it was and my mind went straight to hematomas lol! That will also go away with time as well, it actually has shrunk to half it's size overnight, but still it looks gross(-; I asked why I didn't have drains and he told me that he used the progressive tension technique with me, this makes it so the above tissue is attached back to the underneath tissue and there is no room for fluid to build up. I had read about this before but had no idea he performed this technique. I am glad that he did this though, I seem to be healing quickly. My boobs look amazing! I am so excited about them. They are a little tender and I have some minor bruising next to the incisions but other than that they are healing great. He used the same size on both (375cc). He wasn't sure if he needed to use 2 different implants before surgery, in the O.R he decided that the difference was so minimal that he didn't need to. He also wasn't sure if he was going to have to lift the left areola with a crescent lift, but he worked his magic and ended up not needing to do that either, he is so amazing at what he does!

Hubby went back to work today so it is just me and my 2 year old. I hope it goes well(-; I think I will be fine, I am finding out that I am tougher than I ever thought. I have a lot of tightness in my abdominal muscles, and even my side abs. Twisting and turning hurts, but I am glad because this means he stitched me up good, Hello six pack, here I come(-;! I am allowed to resume exercising at 4 weeks post op but I have to start out light and work my way back up. I am also going to be starting scar treatment at 2 weeks post op, I will let you know more about that later.

I am just so happy I did this, I am still in the beginning stages of recovery and have a long way to go until I see what I am really going to look like but I know already that I made the right choice. The boobs are like instant gratification and the rest takes more time(-; Love you gals!

11 days post op: I am feeling better and better each day. I find that the mornings and evenings are the worst for me. My back is very stiff from sleeping flat and wearing this compression garment. I feel like it is flattening my spine, soon I will have no butt lol! I am generally sore, so serious pain going on anymore. At night after doing homework with the kids in a chair and being on my feet doing mom things I notice I tend to swell right above my incision on my tummy. I usually just lay down and put an ice pack on it for about 10 minutes and call it a night, that's when hubby comes in and saves the day by finishing up the night time routine with the kids. My breasts are tender, like when I was breastfeeding, just without the baby latched on(-; I find that my nipples and are sensitive and feel kind of raw. I have been massaging my breasts as directed and have a feeling that that may be causing some of my discomfort, but I don't want capsular contraction so I will continue. My breast scars are thin and pink, I can't wait to start scar tx on them in a few days. My tummy scar is still a bit scary at this point, but I like how tight my skin is now. I can squish the swelling above my scar and it jiggles like a water bed, should I be concerned of this? Not sure if that means I will need to be drained/-: I hope not. I am becoming impatient with my recovery and have to remind myself to slow down and just be patient. I want so badly to be where I was pre surgery. I am so greatful that I was in such tremendous shape before this, I can't imagine not having the strength in the rest of my body, I would be completely useless! I think that is my biggest piece of advice for anyone thinking of doing this, get strong! You need your muscles all over your body during your recovery. I am so glad I have the whole winter to get back into shape and finish recovering. I would not want to be wearing this itchy binder in the heat of summer! By the way did I mention I hate my binder! It bruises me and hurts my back)-: I will be glad to be done with it(-: I still say even with all of my complaining that it is worth it, I am happy I did this.

Yesterday I was telling you about my waterbed tummy. Well, I called my Dr and they had me come in right away. It was a seroma which I did have drained. The process was quite interesting to me actually so I watched the first half, but then I started feeling queasy and weak, I turned pale, and started sweating like a pig! The nurse said I shouldn't continue watching at that point(-: So I laid back while he did his work, it was uncomfortable but not painful and after a few minutes he was done and he sucked out most of the fluid that was swishing around in there. I laid there and collected myself and then took a look in the mirror, I was AMAZED! My stomach hasn't been that flat since I was 16! I can't imagine what it will look like when I am done healing but I am excited to find out. He said I may need to have it drained 1 or 2 more times depending on how much of the fluid returns but I don't mind. I knew all of the risks and possibilities of this procedure before I went in, and I honestly feel like this is just a small bump in the road. This isn't very common and sometimes it just happens so I am not letting it get me down. They gave me some extra pads to put in my garment to provide more compression to that area which I have been wearing. I also got out my belly wrap (like the ones for postpartum) am going to wear that over my garment above the area to provide more compression while I am at home. With all of these extra layers I look pretty funny but I am at home and no one sees me so I don't care(-:

I am still wanting to get back into my workouts, get my energy up so I can be the mom I was before, and do something about my sexual frustration lol(can't do "it" until 3 weeks), but the last 12 days have gone by so fast that I am sure I will be my old self (only new and improved) in no time.

I am noticing every day that there are subtle changes to my shape. The swelling is slowly going away and I am seeing those results I was dreaming about for months! I worked my butt off to lose almost 20 lbs last year and now I am sitting around being lazy as ever and shrinking faster each day! I guess that is what I paid for right? I am so glad to see my thighs look the way they do, the cellulite is still there, I knew it would never go away but they are so slender and my "meaty" spots are gone! I have always had problems with the top of my inner thighs, even when I weighed 115! It must be hereditary. I am most surprised at the size of my hips and waist, I feel so small! I undo my binder 3 times a day just to gawk at my new found skinniness! I am thrilled. I still have swelling in all the areas I had work done, but even with the swelling I am smaller than before in most of those areas. My Dr. did an amazing job.

My seroma seems smaller since being drained, it has filled back up a bit since then but nothing like it was. I may need it to be drained again but I think having the extra compression really is helping. I am also noticing my scar is looking less ropey and is starting to flatten a bit. I am allowed to start scar tx tomorrow. My body is itchy and I feel like a snake shedding it's skin, by boobies are still tender but feeling better each day.

Mentally I am ready to get back to working out, it is such an important part of my daily life and not doing it is like not eating to me. But I know that my body still isn't at a point to start doing anything extra yet, just daily tasks still make me tired. My body is telling me to slow down and finish healing so that is what I am doing. At 4 weeks I plan on starting my workouts, slowly but surly I will get back to the intensity I was at before and then I will push even harder. My hubby and I are registered for the Tough Mudder race this April and I plan on being in top shape for that. It is 12 miles long and filled with super hard obstacles, it is going to be such a fun challenge for me and is sure to bring us closer as a couple. I can't wait!

I have had a headache since yesterday morning and NOTHING has been giving me relief. I used to get them all the time before I started my medicine for my fibro and my workouts. I am wondering if not working out is one of the factors. Other than this nagging headache I am doing well. I have been massaging my lipo and tummy and doing my breast massages as well. Things are progressively getting better. I think my seroma has gotten a bit smaller, it is less jiggly than before. I have been wearing extra compression and I have really been taking it easy, practically a stationary part of the couch for the last week. I hope that has helped because it's starting to drive me nuts. I am able to sleep on my sides, that has been nice! I don't much like the way my boobs feel when I do that though, I need something in between them so they aren't laying on top of each other. My boobs are shedding skin like crazy and my nipples are raw and tender, doc said that's normal but I haven't heard anyone on here complain of that. I am waiting for a stitch to dissolve before I start scar tx on my tummy but I have started on my breasts already. I guess that's all that's going on right now. I will keep you posted.

Funny story, the other morning I was still groggy after just getting out of bed, I forgot to pull my underwear down when I went pee. I felt this odd warm feeling down there and just about jumped off of the toilet. I got so used to being free down there and peeing through the hole in my garment that I peed my underwear! That's not the worst thing either! A day before that I almost forgot to pull my garment down before doing a #2! My garment hole doesn't go all the way back so that would have been disastrous! I am so glad I caught myself on that one. I am not sure where my brain is but I hope it decides to come back soon.

My poor boobies hurt! The skin is so tender and my nipples want to die! I moisturize them with palmers oil 2times a day and they still are drying out and it seems I am shedding skin. I am not sure if this is something everyone goes through when they have a breast aug. because I have never read anything about it but I thought I would warn you all. My niblets feel like I have been nursing hungry twins round the clock! I hate to touch them but the oil is the only thing giving me relief at this point. Any one have any advice on this issue? I hope this doesn't last long. I wonder if it's from the skin stretching, my skin has been stretched out worse than this before so it shouldn't hurt that bad, hmmmmmmmm. I am dumbfounded, what could this be from?

Well, I told you guys that I had a headache on Tues. and it never went away. It would ease off but never be fully gone and I have been nauseous and have had dry heaves. I haven't had a headache like this EVER! I tried Tylenol, Motrin, Excedrin, Vicodin(not all at the same time of course), drinking tons of water, making sure I am eating regularly, drinking a coke for the caffeine, sleeping it off, and headache patches and NOTHING gave me relief. I went to my Dr. today and I found out it is a migraine which I have never had and never want to have again. I got a shot and some migraine meds and went home and they seemed to have helped some but not fully. I am hoping this goes away so I can focus on other things, like recovering from major surgery lol. I could care less how hot I look right now because I feel like poo and want to crawl into a hole)-: I really feel bad for people who suffer with these on a regular basis, it must be miserable not knowing when one will knock you on your butt. Well ladies, I am going to head to bed and hopefully wake up a new woman(-; Good night and thanks for all of the boobie feedback, it really set my mind at ease.

I went back to my PS yesterday and had my seroma drained. It has shrunk to half the size so I am doing great and should only have to drain it one more time. I have to switch my garment because the tummy isn't tight enough. I have been stuffing it with pads for extra compression on my seroma but even that isn't enough at this point so my Dr. said to go get a set of spanx. I got some last night but after wearing them for an hour I felt like passing out because it was restricting my breathing from the tight fit. I need something tight, but not suck the life out of me tight. Any suggestions are welcome. I would like something to cover from the thigh all the way up to the top of the tummy. I am into my jeans from before baby #3 and some of them even have extra space around the waist, and that is with swelling and padding! The boobs look great, they are a tiny bit less sensitive and my ps did confirm what all of you ladies told me about increased sensitivity. I also had 2 undissolved sutures removed from my tummy and one was causing some irritation on part of my scar. I hope that now that is out it can finally heal. Everything is looking good, I am feeling good as far as surgery goes but I have been getting Migraines which I have never had in my life. The nurse said sometimes the stress of this whole situation and all of the anxieties related to it can cause headaches. These are like nothing I have ever had in my life so I went in and got a shot and some migraine meds from my Dr. I can't wait to be done with this seroma so I can ditch the spanx all together, I would have been done with them had it not occurred but oh well. I hope all of you are doing well with your preparations and recoveries, you are in my thoughts.

I am so excited to say that I found the perfect stage 2 garment, and even more excited that I got it for less than 20$. I returned the pricey way too tight spanx and purchased a pair of flexees which are the perfect level of compression in all the right places. I got them at Kohl's and right now their shape wear is 25%off. They always have some kind of sale, but this combined with my 20%off coupon made it a steal. I am feeling really good today, no headache no pain and minimal swelling. I am ready to start slowly ramping up my activity so I may hop on the treadmill and walk later. This is my favorite time of year so I am planning lots of trips to new parks and exploring the downtown shops with the kids as well as getting to know our local library a bit better.

I have been over indulging in the treats lately, my biggest weakness is the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, anyone who has had one knows exactly what I am talking about. It is like a cup of spiced, warm, autumn minus the crunchy leaves(-; I also tried Biggby's version and that was delish as well.

I haven't been on here as much as I was but that is only because I am getting back to my old life. I have an online shop that I sell my handmade goodies. I also have been bombarded with the kids homework load every night, phew! I can't remember having homework in the first and third grade! It has been 3 weeks and it is flying by.

I told you that I switched to a pair of flexees instead of my original compression garment. I must say that it is tighter and more supportive and I think that has helped my swelling go down a lot in the area right above my scar. This is also where my seroma is so it is helping keep that compressed so the two layers of tissue can heal back together and the fluid has nowhere to build up. I looked in the mirror this AM and saw something I could not in a million years imagined I would ever get back after having kids, especially my 10lb 13oz baby #3. It was my abs! They are back! I am so happy because I worked so hard to lose the weight and still couldn't see the definition that I wanted, now you can see it all! Some angles you can actually make out a real 6 pack! I am so pleased(-: My surgeon must possess magic powers. I have more muscle control than ever now, I didn't realize I had lost so much. I can't wait to get back to working out and eventually lose a bit more weight. Another thing is my scar is getting thinner, in some parts it is just a pencil thin pink line, and the rest is slowly flattening out nicely and becoming thin as well. I am using Scar Esthetic cream and Scar Guard on my scars. I had a tiny area that concerned me so I sent a pic to my surgeons office. It was where he removed a stitch and it was white in the middle and pink around it. I thought it was infected so I was going crazy keeping it clean and applying ointment 3 times a day. It turns out that it is just a tiny hole that was healing from the inside out and is perfectly fine. He said it may take a couple weeks for it to be fully healed but it looks really good. Phew! I was so relieved. So I guess I keep it clean and wait patently.

So for all of you ladies waiting for your day and waiting for your results to show, just know it WILL happen. It is so amazing what can be done to bring our bodies back, I feel so blessed to have been given the chance to do this. I feel like now the inside matches the outside. No more layering 3 shirts to hide rolls when I sit or bend, no more muffin top, no more rubbing thighs, and no more cup half full boobies, YAY! I feel so free!

Well, I am approaching the 4 week marker. I have to say that I have noticed my breasts are getting less sensitive but still have a ways to go. The tiny hole in my tummy scar is healed shut and my scar is doing great. The boobies got measured at Victoria's Secret the other day and I am a 34 DD. And I am comfortably wearing a size 8 in jeans from express. My weight went back to 140 (it jumped up to 147 post op) and I still have some swelling so I expect to weigh even less once that is gone. I am so happy and am feeling great. I get tired here and there and my back sometimes hurts from still having to wear these darn garments but other than that I am feeling awesome.

PS. If you are looking for your first under-wire bra after surgery then you should definitely try the Incredible from Victoria's Secret. It has lots of cushion over the wire and is soft on that tender area under your breast. I haven't found anything like this bra as far as cushion covering the wire without tons of padding in the bra, and I have looked. I had this bra pre surgery and loved it so I knew I would get another.

5 weeks since my surgery and things are calming down. I went back to my ps yesterday and he confirmed what I suspected, my seroma is gone(-: I am allowed to resume all activities and at 6 weeks I can start doing ab exercises, which I can't imagine even attempting at this point. I think I will put the ab workouts on hold until I feel 100%. All around I feel pretty good, I am back doing my mom duties and have been enjoying doing the normal things I couldn't do like going to soccer games and grocery shopping. I am worn out by the end of the day and I haven't even started working out yet. I know my body is still healing. I swell slowly throughout the day and it kind of burns and feels tight, that is my signal to take a break. In the mornings I look amazing, but at night I take on the look of a stuffed sausage(-; I know this is normal so I am not discouraged but I will be glad once this passes and I can be itty bitty 24/7. I am wearing super low jeans with NO MUFFIN TOP and my thighs don't touch. I feel confident in my clothes now more than ever. So glad I did this. My boobs are so much less sensitive, the nipples are still a little but it is no longer painful to be touched. Last night I put on my hubby's Marine Corps dress blue jacket and his white marine hat with a pair of lacy blue undies and some blue peep toe heals. I walked out to the garage and surprised him, the look on his face was priceless! I would never have done that with my before body. I got my sexy back!

Ok here are my 5 week post op photos. I am still swollen but these were taken in the morning before I swelled more. You can see my abs! I am so excited, my results are better than I had hoped for(-:

Ok, sorry I have been MIA but life is back in full swing and it is only getting busier for me. I am so glad to say that I am pretty much back to normal minus a few twinges of pain in my tummy from time to time, I think that is just nerve endings healing and that will go away with time. My scars are sooooo much better now, they are still reddish pink but every week I see improvement. I am working out at full intensity and still have swelling afterwards but it goes away with lots of water and a good nights sleep. Dr said this can go on for a while after surgery so I am not concerned. I feel teeny tiny and have been weighing in between 135-140. I am having some trouble finding a sports bra that gives me the control I need for my crazy workouts. I am measuring at a 32 DDD! But they look great on my body and give me an hourglass shape that I didn't have before, I used to be a pear(-; Good luck and happy healing to all. I will check in periodically to update, but know I am reading about you gals and wishing all of you the best.