Tummy Tuck: Stories

I am 42 years old with 2 grown children. I have hurt L5-S1 7 years ago. I have had Breast Augmentation 8 years ago. I am 5 foot 2 inches and 130lbs. 1/2 Philippine, 1/4 Irish and 1/4 Spanish.

I hope that this will help me with "some" of my back pain and yes make me look Beautiful.Updated on 7 Dec 2011:Well 7 hours till TT and I am so scared and nervous. I keep grinding my teeth and giving my self a headache. I know I am very tired but just can not sleep. I was so nervous I forgot so many things. I had to go and get a new tooth brush and tooth paste and shampoo. But I did bring almost the kitchen sink. The drive up here was nice. I went up in elevation about 5000 feet. So when I come home I will be concerned about the curves in the road and the seat belt. Ok I'll try to lay down and get some sleep now. I will post another photo of right after TT when I get back to the motel room.

Thank you for your support.Updated on 8 Dec 2011:Well Good Morning Ladies,

Today is 12-8-11. My TT went really well. I know I was talking to my surgeon and the nurses, for a few minutes and they were putting in the IV.

Then I was in the motel room waking up, and my Surgeon was in my room showing me how to deal with the bulb. I have only 1. The Surgeon is going to stop by again and let me know if i can go home today or tomorrow.. I am looking for an area to post another picture so you can see my progress,Updated on 8 Dec 2011:Well I have figured out that I am craving tons of ice and melons. Any and all melons. Walking is still a bit hard to do. I am making myself walk around as much as I can. I am having a hard time laying down. I do need help in laying down I can get my legs straight but when I start to lay try to put my lay my upper body it really hurts and I need someone to guide me and allow me to putt all my weight on their arms to get down.I am not used to laying on my back so I find my self on my side. But I have to wake up all the way to turn over. I did get the go ahead to go home from my Dr. today yet my husband and I want to leave in the morning. I'm looking forward to going home to see my kids and puppy. I hope the kids will help me keep the puppy from jumping on me when I get home. I will keep you up to date and I will post a pic of my with the garment and the bulb so you can see what it looks like. I hope you have a Great day as i continue to keep you updated on my progress.Updated on 18 Dec 2011:11n days Post-op. Feeling good. Showered and laughed at my self so hard I was washing lightly the area of the stitches are and they started bleeding and these things are coming out of me I said oh shit lil aliens are going to get me.. ha ha it was my stitches. I was laughing. Before I did my TT I was wearing a size 9 and just a lil more swelling to go down and I might be in a 3/4 I would love that. I can not wait to get the go ahead to head back to the gym. I have to tell you my Back has not felt this good in 7 years. That is when I hurt it. It feels so good I would love to do a back flip. Not that I could do one before, ha ha. Later today I will post a pic of how I can doing from a side view. Every one in the house has been so good about letting me heal both with leaving me alone while I do this and sleeping. Some times I wake up and everyone has chipped in and done all the house work for me. But I am still doing as much as I can in the house so I keep active. Well I hope you will all have a Great Day and I will post a picture of my progress in a lil bit today.Updated on 21 Dec 2011:Well I took a hot shower, and put on the Phase 2 Compression Garment. Nope No way.. It was a Small/Petite. After about 4 hours I could not breath and it felt like I was getting split in 2. Had to take it off. I will call PS in the morning. That was so much pain. Just do not want to have to do this again.

Christmas came and went and I am now more and more into the swing of things. I feel Great. I will see my mom for the first time since my TT. I told her after I did it that I did it and she understands the Back issue was really hard for me and is happy that the TT has helped me. I think I look better, I feel better about myself. I am not on any of the pain meds anymore. Today is my 43rd Birthday and I will post a pic of myself in real clothes not just Jams. The night swelling is not as bad as I thought it would be. I notice it but no one else in the house seems to notice it is happening.

I sleep on my sides and my back but not on my tummy as of yet. Really looking forward to seeing my PS on the 9th. I hope he will allow me to go to the gym. I think I just really want to do what ever now. But I know I am still under a Dr.'s care. It is hard for me to be so close and yet so far. I was not able to do any thing due to my back for so long it is just a matter of time now for me to start living my life and having the ability to be a part of not just my life but every one else's life and not in the corner or sleeping cause of the pain.

OK Funny/Sad but Very true..

After I left my PS for my one week check up he gave me a Small/Petite size Compression Garment. The time came and I put it on. could not breath tooo tight. So call the PS and tell him too small can you send me a bigger size. He gives me the number to where he gets them. I call them and have 2 mediums over-nighted to my house. Put them on they feel Great..

I have now had them for a few weeks and in the back the CG is starting to Roll down my back not the front just the back. So call the PS again and tell him what is happening. He laughs and says I still think you are a S/P. So try on the one I sent you home with and see if it feels better or stops rolling. So I try on the S/P and guess what it fits perfectly. So I have to say I am so happy. The progress has been great. I will see him on the 9th. Can not wait.

~~~~4 WEEKS POST OP~~~~

Feeling really well. I see the PS on Monday. Really looking forward to what he will say I can and can not do.

Any One have any good questions I should ask him?

I just got home from Lake Tahoe, I went to see my PS and yay. My BB stitches came out. I now can use Mederma for my scars. I see him again on 2/13. He said I am 33% healed and I am able to anything I want to do. I have 3 restrictions, No pushing cars, No moving the Re fridge, and this week I can lift up to 40 lbs. Next week I can go to 50. So it feels really good to be free. I will still be posting photos and information on my progress.

So guess what. I am going to the gym and starting the treadmill. I will see about talking to a trainer to see what they suggest for helping me get back in shape.

Yesterday was my 10 Weeks!!! I saw my ps. That was Great !! I am healing very well and he is very happy with my TT. My scar is healing very well. I did ask him why I had a little part that was still sticking up and he was telling me that we heal vertically first then there is a few weeks that we will start to heal both vertically and horizontal at the same time. Well That is what I am doing. So it creates a small "lip" if you will. But to massage it and keep putting on the Kelo-cote and it will flatten out very soon. But I am on the home stretch and doing well.

I started working out at home to cold to go any place. So I have for x-box 360 kenect games, Zumba and the UFC personal trainer. With the UFC my trainer is Javier Mendez a friend of mine I grew up with. And Zumba the warm up's as well as some of the work outs in the Shape magazine. So I am keeping my body moving alot and when it is nice I walk my dog 2 miles a day. I have been unable to do so much for the past 8 years I am like a kid in a candy store in life now. Just do not want to stop doing and moving. I love this.

I so love the way I feel now that I for the first time in 16 years did something on Valentines day with my husband. I thought I looked GOOD !!

Still finding a few stitches coming to the surface. But other then that doing good. I have a little concern about a "dot" I have. I will see the PS on the 15th. I will ask about it. I have been reading about all of you. I thank you all for helping me with the healing Process.

I am now 3.5 months post op. I just saw Dr.Foster and he said I am healing Great and right on time.

The one spot I was concerned about is most likely a stitch. Other then that all is great. I spent some time with my mom and sister. I forgot about a few things I like to do so I think I will become a bit more active in what I do for my body. I was working out all the time and then I got in a funk and stopped. So seeing mom and sister helped me to get off my butt and start getting back in shape. I will try to be online more often to help who I can with what I have done and the healing.