“I did it and feel fabulous!! TT, MR & Umbil. Hernia Repair - Campbell, CA”

Almost 25 in 2 months, 5'6, 160 pounds. Married mother of one!! I gained a hefty 85 pounds during my pregnancy, as my son was 10 pounds at birth and i gave birth vaginally. Took me almost 2 years, but I lost the weight plus lost another 20 pounds!! I'm left with muscle separation and saggy belly and flank fat!

I have my pre-op appointment tomorrow and im really excited!

Updated on 9 Mar 2011:
My pre-op appointment went great. I love my PS. She's so personable and informative, she really does care about you and wanting to make sure you look your best. I put down my $4000. It's so real now. It's really going to happen!! 12 Days! She's going to stitch my abdominals back together and also bring in my obliques. Yay! Hour glass torso is in my future. I also talked about my concerns about dog ears and how to prevent them, she basically told me that she does enough lipo to make sure the area is perfect enough to stitch up smoothly(those are my own words not hers), and brings the operation table into a V shape when she stiches me up to make sure that im as tight as possible. She said my privates would also be lifted back up. YAY! not that it's saggy and looks bad; but it will be back up more again. Woop woop! i made a collage of tummy tucks and belly buttons and brought in a picture of a befor and after that looked a lot like my tummy but the surgery scar was way too high. she told me how that yes it was WAY too high, and discussed with me how she makes sure it will be lower. Where is the fast FWD button???? im so impatient! Oh also my surgery time got bumped up to 7am instead of 7:30!!!

Updated on 9 Mar 2011:
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT!! If you have the stomach to view go ahead.
" Video of a Tummy Tuck Procedure " by MercatorSurgery on youtube shows the "V Shape Position Stitchup" and also on the website http://www.mercatorabdominoplasty.com/AdditionalResults_OtherProcedures_1.aspx
you can see the before and after pictures. This isnt my doctor but this is the technique she said she uses. Again she did not refer me to this website, i found it on youtube myself.

Updated on 10 Mar 2011:
I cant wait to have my tummy match the rest of my body...11 more days. I have my husband taking the day of surgery off work, and my bff sara has spring break that week so she can be with me all day tuesday and all day wednesday and help my husband with the house and cooking. The baby is going to be back home with us thursday night (my mom is going to bring him over for dinner every night and so i can get my babyboy fix, ill be a wreck if i cant see him) I need to see if another BFF of mine can come stay with me thursday during the day and friday during the day...

Updated on 14 Mar 2011:
COUNTDOWN: 7 Days to go..i think i might puke. Before i was so excited now im also sick thinking about the PS cutting me open and stitching me up. I just imagine myself about to go under and running out of the room. i know i wont. i need to stop thinking about the actual operation and just focus on the results and the reason why im getting it done.

Reason #1: I want to feel confident again
Reason #2: I dont want to have this water bed wrinkled stomach anymore. i want my stomach to match the rest of my body again!!
Reason #3: Bathing Suits, cute clothes and Lingerie!
Reason #4: I want to look in the mirror and not automatically focus on my stomach!

Also my 2nd oldest sisters wedding is July 3rd. I am the tallest and youngest out of all the bridesmaids and also the biggest. Everyone else is like 5'2 and a size 4. I'm a size 9 right now because of my waist. ugh. my legs are about a size 7 in jeans. frustrating. I dont need to be a size 4 honestly..i like being the curvy girl, i'll be happy to be a size 7...and i know that from reading other reviews that i wont be a size 7 right away, it's going to take a few months for the swelling to go down, and eating lean. I'm going to start taking the arnica tablets on Wednesday because i bruise easily and swell easily too.

Updated on 15 Mar 2011:
I love all of you girls! This website has been a godsend! Picking up my arnica tonight so i can start taking it tomorrow morning since tomorrow is 5 days before surgery!

Updated on 20 Mar 2011:

.....11:40 pm.....hubby and I are just watching TV....this is way past my bedtime. Mom came over and picked up our son for the night. Took some colace earlier to prep me for tomorrow lol. Hopefully I can upload pics from my phone to here. Anyways I just wanted to let you al know I'm feeling confident. And happy and anxious! Surgery is at 7:30.

Updated on 21 Mar 2011:
I'm alive!!!!! I had a umbilical hernia TOO!!!! Had that repaired. Omg my stomach hurts so bad but I'm doing okay. My vision was super blurred for a good 10 mins after I woke up. Didn't get too nauseated. Nurse gave nausea meds anyways. Haven't seen my tummy yet. But I can it's super flat!

Updated on 22 Mar 2011:
So swollen and I can feel the gas pressure building up so badly. I didnt take it easy today like I should have. I got a little over confident. Still no poop a d barley let out any gas since after surgery. Agony. My back hurts.the recliner sucks so I moved to the sofa. Fluid in my drains are becoming a little less red. Saw the Dr today and my new belly! Its so so flflat and defined. My whole stomach is so swollen. Gotta be patient. Iced my Belly twice today. Felt good. Percocets make me feel good but makes me feel high and doesn't let me sleep well. I hope tomorrow is a better day. Definatley goo g to take it easy. Ugh. Just wanna poop. Room mom once in am and once just now. I miss my son so bad. I njsr want to be healed already and Ger a good nights sleep.

Updated on 23 Mar 2011:
I just wanna poooooooop! Super gasy now. But at least when I get it out it relieves a little of the pressure.ugh I really hope I go tomorrow or tonight. Ill post pics tomorrow because I'm just so bleh feeling right now and so soswolen all over my stomach. Its so firm.

Updated on 24 Mar 2011:
Doing great today. Standing up straighter. Still no poo. My friend/cousin came over today and cleaned the house and did two loads of laundry ans dishes for me while I got to cuddle with my son and watch blues clues. I so needed that little one on one cuddle time with him. Its great to have a family member as his nanny! They left to get her daughters from preschool. Time for me to take a nap. Icing my belly really helps with the swelling. I think I have no bruising because of the arnica.

Updated on 25 Mar 2011:
Feeling goods today again. Much easier to get around. Took a shower! Felt sooooooo good. My vj is swollen. The Mons and inside too. I think the antibiotics dried me out. I need so KY... my belly button is tiny and cute even with the gauze in it. I have a lot of stretchmarks but they r flat. She's going g to laser them when she lasers my scar in 3 months. Getting my drains out Monday morning!

Updated on 26 Mar 2011:
Saw my scar today.it litterally is as thin as if she drew it on with a pen!!!!! Amazing!

Updated on 28 Mar 2011:
DRAINS CAME OUT TODAY!!! I feel freaking g human again
This week went by so quick. Litterally sleeping watching TV and reading romance novels on my kindle. I'm so happy about my new body. Elated! My belly button is nice and tiny and my scar is thin. I have a lot of stretch marks but my doc is going to laser them when she lasers my scar in three months. At least they are flat now!

Updated on 31 Mar 2011:
Back at work today for a few hours. working just 8-12. Feeling okay. Making sure to drink water and get up and around. Took a picture today in the bathroom without my binder. Today i wore comfy but cute black sweatpants with a light zipup hoodie and a white tank top. very glad i have a relaxed work enviroment lol.

Updated on 1 Apr 2011:

Swelling was so bad last night that i borrowed a compression garment from my mom. MIRACLE!!! ditched that stupid binder! i feel much better today and i wore it last night and woke up with little swelling. also taking bromelain today. lets see if that helps.

Updated on 4 Apr 2011:
ENEMIES!! SANGRIA (wine) and bbq!!!!!!!!!!!!! ahhh swell hell!!! seriously have 5 pounds of swelling. drinking lots of water to flush out the alcohol and took some bromelain too. in other news, my scar looks great. very very thin, stretch marks on it make it look kinda weird, but i know they will be flattened when they get lasered.

Updated on 11 Apr 2011:
THREE WEEKS!!!! Yay!!!!

Feeling great. Coughing and sneezing doesnt hurt anymore. just kind of annoying. stomach is still really flat and tight..still have swelling above insicion and my "mons" but all totally normal. might need a touch up on left side of insisioin its a little "pudgy" dr said its swelling too and just to wait. all in all im super happy so far.

Updated on 14 Apr 2011:
im now just using the silicon gel stuff. i was wearing the sheets all day and all night and only took them off to shower and massage...! and when i take them off they started lifting up the ends of my scar and now they're bleeding and there is kind of a hole on my right side (the flattest side) ugh.. making a dr appt with my PS right now. i think i need antibiotics for my belly button cuz it's really red on the outside and getting gooey and crusty in the middle. i think i didnt let myself heal enough to start messing with my belly button. whoops! making an appointment with the dr now.

Updated on 18 Apr 2011:
4 Weeks post op today! Definatley think i need a few touch ups. the end of the incision on my right side needs some fat sucked out above it because it sticks out a lot. smartlipo should fix, and also i think my sides need to be smoothed out with smartlipo a little as well and above my inciscion there is a band of fat that needs to be smoothed out too so it's flat with the scar. my belly button is less infected thanks to the antibiotics, and same with my right side. I know it needs to be stiched back up because there is a little hole in it that i could stick the head of a qtip in it (was cleaning it out with peroxcide when i discovered this) making appt today to have it looked at. Didnt make it to my appt friday. overall im so happy to have that old stomach gone!

Updated on 25 Apr 2011:
can't wait to workout. i already gained 5 pounds in 5 weeks. FML

Updated on 26 Apr 2011:
OK so i havent gained anyway. its just swelling and the normal water weight gain stuff. weighed myself this morning and im still at 160.

Updated on 2 May 2011:
hey again realselfers.

So This weekend i did a catering gig. im back to normal, almost 100%. I feel amazing..! I was running around for 5 hours straight and had tons of energy. Didnt swell up too bad afterwards either. just made sure i was drinking plenty of water while i was running around.


Updated on 5 May 2011:
Called and made my appt for my touchups. HOORAY!!!! i have my sisters wedding July 3rd and she picked us to be in BLACK SHINY SILKY DRESSES. omg. definatley going to need to wear a slip under it lol. i expressed my urgency for my touchups to Dr Melody and xoxoxoxo i love her! she's going to get me in June 3rd. hooray!!! get my little pocket of fat sucked out and my sides smoothed out.

Updated on 5 May 2011:
PS the puckering of my belly button totally went away! hooray!

to all the ladies who are only about a week post op: TIME HEALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JUST WAIT.

Updated on 10 May 2011:
Updated my price for tummy tuck because i had a hernia. that was an extra $400 i was billed from surgery center for overtime.

Updated on 12 May 2011:
Today was day 3 of my jogging workouts. ahh feels good to be back running in the sunshine!!!!!!!

Updated on 1 Jun 2011:
BIG UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I havent been able to lose any weight since surgery!! UNTIL NOW! I started the Herbalife diet. 2 shakes a day, 1 healthy meal, vitamins 3 times a day. I broke through my plateau. I lost 2 pounds this week. hooray!! I started it because my friend Kristen has lost 100 pounds since October to May!! she looks amazing. she went from a 24 to a 9! i want to lose about 15-20 pounds. My husband is also doing it with me and has lost 3 pounds in a week. hooray!! and it's saving us money too on groceries! we just started jogging at night on Monday. its great having him as a workout partner, and we get to take the baby and dog too. we have a jogger stroller. if anyone wants to try herbalife visit the website www.herbalife.com and message me. im a distributor now.

Updated on 7 Jun 2011:
posted touchup pic

Updated on 27 Jul 2011:
I'm down to 154!! Hooray!!! I need to schedule my smartlipo touchup and my incision repair. the side that stuck out a little bit got a little better with the smart lipo, but it just needs to be cut off and redone. She's going to fix me as soon as i make the appointment. i guess i should get on that today. lol.