55 and Alive - Birmingham, AL

Repost

I have waited to update you all. On November 11th. I had 5 surgeries. Panni, extended TT, rhinoplasty, septoplasty, sinus balloon, lipo, nose job. I was in the OR 7.5 hours. My PS and ENt tag teamed and took amazing care of me. I really was scared since I had searched this site to find another as severe as my problems were and came up empty. I am happy to report that I have almost made it to the flat side. We had scheduled a Disney World trip last year and paid it in full as a Christmas present for our 8 and 10.year old children. On my 1 week followup, my husband asked my PS if it would be alright for me to spend 5 days in Disney during the Thanksgiving holiday, he said he did not any reason for me not to go...and then he told me..he was not taking my drains out. I told him that I could not go with drains bouncing around my thighs..he said he had the perfect solution, and pinned the draind on my bra at the edge of my cup before my underarms. It mad a eorld of difference not having them pulling down and bouncing.around, plus with them on my bra, I could slip the depressed vup under my breast inside my bra. Completly concealing them. I had gone to Target the day before and had my draind pinned on the bottom edge og my binder. While shopping, I started to feel balls bouncing against my knees. To my shock, I looked down my blouse and did not see my binder...it had slid down into my pants and and took them with it. I looked down and my pants, binder and drains were past my thighs and I was completly naked from my bottom to my knees...walking through the store!!! I found a new comfort with my drains concealed in my bra, where they were more secure and did.not have the pulling pain. I made the 10 hour drive because flying was out of the question with my nose and sinus surgery. We drove all night Tuesday night and spent the whole day in the Magic Kingdom. On Thanksgiving day, our meal consisted of peanut butter and banana sandwiches, chips and fruit. We went out to eat at a bad steak house, nothing else eas open for our evening meal. After dinner we went to Disney springs where I had to ealk 2 miles to get to the Christmas store, we did not have a way to transport the scooter we had rented. Friday, I woke up and went to empty my drains and they had failed and would not keep suction. I called my PS and was told that.my husband should remove them. After 2 fireball shots and a pain pill my husband was readt to remove them. He asked me if I was ready and I told him to give me a few .ore minutes as I was in panic mode, he told me that he was just going to put a little pressure at the site and ehen I calmef down he would pull drains out, he asked me again if I was ready and I asked him for a other minute...he them.held up the drains.and they had been out without me knowing it!!! He pulled about 9 inches out, a d I felt nothing
With the drain freedom, I stayed in room and rested the day while my family enjoyed the parks. I was able to make the full days and nights in the parks for the rest of the trip. On day 14 I was in a lot of paon. I went to my PS and he opened a place in my invision in my mounds area and started to push blood out of my tummy. Both him and his nurse was pressing down as hard as they could with their fist, expelling blood. After about 3 basins of blood was caught, they decixed to bring the lipo machine in and suction the blood out, 3 pts in all came off..when the fluid was removed, all pain went away. He put an open soft tube drain in and said it sjould stay in for two more weeks. I put a pad over ie snd wear depends, so it can continue to crsin, my PS said my tummy should go down another 3-5 inches. In one month. I have went from a 18/20 to a size 10, with several inches of fluid left to drain. I have posted pictures..this has truly been a life changing adventure. Dr Core is the.best. I have had no pain meds in two weeks and have been walking straight up since day 3. Please feel free to view my pictures. I will update again in 3pts days..God bless you all and I hope you have a wonderful holiday. .Sandra

I am so greatful for you all here, the support has been mych needed. My swelling is going down everyday, I still am passing very red thick fluid out of my drains; which is very dissapointing. I was able to cook a full meal for my family.which wiped me out but was very much needed more for my mental help. I plan to put my drains in my pockets and venture out to buy anything but granny panties.