Mommy Makeover: Stories

I am just beginning the process. Tomorrow is my consult. My surgery is scheduled for June 8, 2012. I have lost a large amount of weight and am taking the next step in addressing the issue of sagging skin. I'm excited to find out tomorrow what options are available for me.

I found out today what procedures my PS feels is the safest way to go for me. I will be having the surgeries done in stages. The first stage will be the Fleur De Lis Tummy Tuck where the scar will be down the center and also across the bottom. I will also be having a laser bra breast lift done. Still adjusting to the sticker shock and the battle begins inside of me regarding that as well as the fear of the pain. I feel very confident with the surgeon and staff at Columbus Asthetics and Plastic Surgery.

In three months, if I choose to, I can go back in for the arm lift and thigh lift. That may be a better idea due to having to wear compression garments on the upper arms and down to the knees on the legs. That seems more suited to winter time than to the beginning of summer. So I'm fine with waiting.

It's not even been twenty four hours and I'm really having second thoughts on the Fleur De Lis Tummy Tuck vs a traditional tummy tuck. I understand the reason behind it but I'm really wanting to avoid that ugly vertical scarring. I understand the trade off may be that it won't be as flat, but if it's got a huge scar down the middle of it, I'd still feel self conscious which is the reason I'm having it done to begin with. This is a dilemma.....

After a good night's rest I can have decided to go forward with the procedure as my PS suggests; after all, he's the professional and if he says I will get a better result on my TT from the flour de lis, then that's the route I'll take.

Three weeks from this moment, I will be through the surgery and heading towards recovery!!

Yesterday I received a hand written thank you card in the mail from Dr. Heck's nurse, Kelly. I had just returned from the bank to line up financing for the procedure. Finding that personal touch in the mail box from Dr. Heck's office at that time felt like a sign to me that I have certainly picked the right doctor to go to. I would like to mention that from the very first point of contact with Dr. Heck's office, his nurse Kelly has been emailing back and forth with me, answering my questions, assuring me and helping me through the "nervous nelly" modes I've been going through. She patiently answers all of my questions and just seems so kind and caring, as does Dr. Heck. It's very nice walking into that office after having already built rapport with Dr. Heck's nurse. Building that relationship between the patient and the Doctor and staff is so important and Columbus Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery does that very well. Having any plastic surgery is a big step for me, and knowing that I will have not only one surgery, but will be having my areas of concern staged into two surgeries (breast and tummy now, and arms and thighs later) I feel 100 percent confident in my decision that I've chosen the right doctor.

I was nervous going in. I'm modest, so having my pictures taken was hard for me. Sitting there discussing my jiggly parts wearing a paper gown was something I was nervous about too. However, they made me feel totally comfortable and it was not the awful experience I was expecting. Dr. Heck has great bedside manner, and makes you feel comfortable from the very start during the consult. Again, I cannot tell you how impressed I am with him and his staff and I know how important that is for the patient to have going into any medical procedure.

Now that I've got financing in the works, and the appointment set, and have met the Doctor and nurse face to face and we have decided on what individual procedures will work best for my surgeries, my anxiety level has dropped by a good 75 percent. I totally trust my Plastic Surgeon and that is huge.

It's hard to believe that three weeks from now I'll be on the road to recovery for the first round of surgeries.

As I am now in the week where I can say "my surgery is two weeks from friday", and I've gotten through the work and worry of choosing a good plastic surgeon, experiencing the consult and meeting the staff, finding out from the surgeon which procedures I should have and lining up my home care, now I can prepare for the surgery itself.

My story of why I've gotten to this place is common one, I have had two kids, back in my twenties, I've gained and lost weight over my 48, soon to be 49, years. I had gastric bypass ten years ago and lost weight well. Kept it off for a time too. Around 2007 I began gaining it back. I have again just relost what I have gained back, and now that I've arrived at losing that weight again, I want to finish the process.

For you who are having weight loss surgery, I cannot stress strong enough how important finishing the process is. I really believe that had I finished the process and had the tummy tuck, breast lift, arm lift and thigh lift done back when I lost weight from my surgery, it may have been some encouragement not to have a gain back. I had lost weight, was wearing a size six and even a size four in some things. But I had this awful baggy skin on me and it was a 24/7 reminder that I was heavy before. It looked worse than when I was actually heavier, even though I felt better physically, I still hid under long capris and three quarter length sleeved shirts and had to wear big bulky bras that would lift what was not able to lift on it's own anymore. I am so sorry I did not have this procedure done back then, oh the difference it may have made in the gain back rate.

I feel like I'm getting a second chance at correcting that mistake now and could not be happier about it!

Yesterday my packet arrived in the mail from Columbus Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery (CAPS) with some paperwork to sign and also my prescriptions were in the packet for three meds. Vicodin, phenagren (anti nausea for when I take pain meds) and my anti biotic. While picking up my meds, I also picked up my 4x4 wound care pads, and also I picked up some scar cream, some peri colace and also milk of magnesia. My paperwork mentioned I could buy maxi pads or buy the 4x4 sterile wound pads, but I was not sure how to use the maxi pads for something like that. Has anyone ever used maxi pads on a wound and how did it compare?

My surgery is 2 weeks from tomorrow. I am getting excited. All of my ducks are in a row now, my family doctor has sent in the surgery clearance letter to my PS and also my pre op blood work. I had three bills to look after prior to surgery, my anesthesiologist, the outpatient surgical center, and my Plastic surgeon. I've contacted them all and sent out the various checks so that is done. I think now it's just a matter of making sure everything around my little farm is looked after so there is no major lifting for weeks after the surgery. Even though my work is in an office and I have no lifting there, I live alone with some dogs and cats and a horse, so I have lots to get looked after in the next couple weeks to make sure that everything at home will be ok. My daughter will be coming to stay with me for the first few days. We will play it by ear as to how long that will be but she has taken off a week from work to come stay with me and help. I think the hardest thing will be getting out to the barn to feed the horse and the cats, so am very thankful for the help.

I spend time trying to find reviews specifically on the laser bra breast lift procedure I'm having done but have a tough time finding pictures and reviews by patients on the laser bra. Lots of posts from doctors and their take on the laser bra, but I would love to hear from a laser bra patient who has experienced it.

Is batwing excision common during a breast lift? I am sure glad those are getting taken off with my procedure and maybe that is common. It was an added cost within my procedure so it must be something that is not always done?

I also spend time looking for the before an after pictures and posts on the fleur de lis tummy tuck. So would also love to read about folks who have experienced that procedure as well.

Lots of questions still going on inside my head and I am enjoying this part of the discovery and learning process instead of letting it make me nervous now. I think for me, I just had to get all of my ducks in a row so that I could relax a bit about it and begin absorbing information as I take this journey I am blessed enough to be taking.

I have my surgery on Friday June 8th. I will then begin a two week vacation from work on the Monday after that. So I will be off work for 16 days then return to the office. Desk work is what I do. I will not be taking longer than that, so wondered how many of you went back to work in 16 days post op of a tummy tuck and breast lift and how did that go for you?

One week from tomorrow!! Getting excited but am so disappointed that I cannot find pictures on here of the scar left by the flour de lis type tummy tuck which I am having. I can find one or two that were not long after the poster's surgery, but I would love to see what those scars look like further out from the surgery. I'm so worried the scar will be hideous.

One week from today! Yay!!
I am already finding myself looking at clothes in the store that I could not wear before and I've picked up a couple things that I just could not resist. Things that allow for me to wear a pretty and feline small strap or spaghetti strap. I've never gotten to do that, since I've always had to wear those huge armor type bras. :)

I am concerned about what to wear for my surgery next week. Do you think Yoga pants and a button up top and my crocs would be ok? Should I take a button up night gown for the hotel stay that night or is there a better choice? I wonder if I'm even going to want to change my clothes at all until I get home to my town the following day. I know sleeping in a hotel room is going to be even more painful than sleeping in my recliner, but the surgeon needs me to come back to see him the next morning to give me the ok to go back to my town which is a two hour drive. I better take a little bucket in case I get queasy on the ride home too.

Well a week from today I will be looking down at my lap top and my lap will not have to be shared between my laptop and my belly. That's exciting stuff!! I won't have to worry about chasing my boobs back up into a bra after bending over to pick up something on the floor either. I know there will be pain. I am scared about that. Scared about the debt of this surgery just as much as the pain. So the positive and negative thoughts whirling around inside my brain are having a shoot out each and every day. A part of me wants to just jump to the other side of this surgery and be done with all the anxt. The anxiety has given me the most unusual symptoms, tiredness and constipation that I'm having to look after in addition to get ready for the surgery. However, there is a huge part of me that is now saying "experience, it and savor all of that experience". This is part of the entire experience. It will be ok. It will be better than ok. I want to look back at this pre-surgery experience and remember the days leading up to it as being filled with excitement and wonder.

I fear the unknown, we all do; but this site has been helpful in minimizing that fear of the unknown and that, in turn, is minimizing my anxiety. That's hugely important stuff as you are getting ready for such a big step in self improvement. I will have another hurdle to jump through later this year and that is my thigh and arm lifts. Then on the other side of those, I will find some new freedoms I've not had for a very long time.

ONE MORE DAY!! I began taking my antibiotics today. I can't believe that there is only one more sleep between now and having my procedures done. I do feel better after having spoken to the the hotel reservation desk yesterday and requested a room with a recliner in it. I was glad they are able to do that. So I will at least have a recliner to sleep in that night instead of trying to lay in a hotel bed which would be just impossible I'm afraid. I know what it's like to have abdominal surgery. My complete hysterectomy in 2002 was awful pain, so am prepared for the worst. Could it be worse than that I wonder? Hope not!!

Coughed for the first time, ok now that hurt! LOL I am wondering if my worst day will be post op 2 or maybe even 3 as some have said happened to them.

MY PS said that he removed five pounds of loose skin in the surgery yesterday! Wow! That's a lot of skin. I feel a bit groggy and drugged up this afternoon, and if I don't move, I don't hurt, so needless to say, I'm not going to move much. I was able to get up and around as far as the bathroom and changing my clothes when I got home today, but have to admit it is getting a bit more sore this afternoon. Maybe it was the jostling around in the car on that 2 hour drive back home I'm thinking.... Lots of draining going on, my daughter has had to drain it once since the doctor did it this morning.

Day 3 post op. I took a shower today and feel a bit more human. I am backing my pain meds down to one every five hours rather than the 2 every four hours. I will try using Tylenol today instead of the vicodin and save the vicodin for when I have rougher times. It wore me out to take the shower, but made all the difference in the world. The pain is very tolerable today. Mostly I feel numb at the incision points and that is really weird feeling! I had lanyard that could hang around my neck to pin the drains to while I showered. I have 4 drains. Two from my batwing excision and two for my tummy. I am supposed to be seeing my doc on Thursday so am hoping at least the drains from the batwings will be taken out then. My PS said they would probably come out then.

This has had its rough times, but all in all, it's not as bad as it was when I had my hysterectomy thankfully!!

Day 4 Post Op: I'm feeling better each day. I am normally really sensitive to pain and even getting a shot freaks me out, which is why I was so afraid to get any of this done, along with the cost of course. I am not going to say it was a walk in the park because it was ouch those first days, but so doable, even for someone as wimpy to pain as I am. Today is even more comfortable. This morning I felt like getting up and getting dressed and having some time out on the deck listening to birds. I have no pain this morning, but I am still taking some vicoden, but most probably will be swapping to tylenol in the next day or so. I started to take myself off of the vicoden a bit too soon the other day, but getting closer to being able to do that I think. My incisions look great and they are getting itchy so I know they are healing. :) My nipples are really sensitive. Even the material against them is giving me the giggles. I wonder if that is what everyone who has a breast lift goes through. I have to chuckle. Those little girls are sure tough little gals. They were cut around, lifted up, and sewed back in but are acting like little troopers! :)

Well I think I had my roughest day today so far. I was really feeling pretty good this morning. In fact I was feeling awesome this morning. Then as the day wore on, I got more and more sore, and weak and even nauseous. I had been trying to back my pain meds down again, but for me this just did not work out today. So I upped the vicoden to 2 at my late afternoon med time and back on the phenegren for nausea too, and I will try again tomorrow to back them down. I still think it was fully worth it, even though I'm not feeling that great today. :)

I feel better today, thankfully. Yesterday was definitely my worst day so far and I think it's because I decided to cut my pain meds in half too soon for my pain tolerance .

I took my second shower today and have come up with a system that works for me. I pin the four drains I have, to a lanyard I let hang around my neck. That's working out well. I feel better when I'm showered and hair is dried and clean again. I slept really well last night and have been enjoying the company of my daughter who has been taking wonderful care of me. I will be sad to see her go tomorrow. I will also be seeing my PS tomorrow and hope to come home from that visit with at least two fewer drains than I have right now, if not more!

I worry about my binder and that it will creep up in my sleep and murder my nipples. LOL I know that sounds funny, but seriously, I know you cannot lay on your tummy while your breasts are healing because of the risk of nipples dying so if that big bad binder slips up in the night and cuts off circulation there for hours while I'm sleeping, couldn't the same thing happen? Hate that thing, I think it's trying to do my nipples in! I shall keep a watchful eye on the sinister being...

All in all, so far, day 5 post Op is going ok. Hope that is the case for the rest of the day!

Day 6 Post Op Follow up visit: My PS pulled two of my four drains. The two that were pulled were from the breast batwing excision. I feel better having two of those gone. I can't wait to have the other two pulled, and even though I'm to see him again one week from today, it may not happen at that time. I need to strip the drain lines better so that some of the thicker blood will drain. I am going to become meticulous at this because I really look forward to losing the last two drains.

I had a two hour drive to the PS and two hours home, so it was a very tiring day today; four hours on the road. I also had a quick Walmart stop to make, and used the motor scooter thingie that Walmart has, for the first time ever. Yipers it helped out loads! I only ran over the person who took me there, I did not run over any strangers, so that was good.... :)

Tired tonight though, so am going to sleep well.

Peace my fellow tuckers and lifters!

Post Op Day 7: Oh the difference losing two of the four drains makes! I am so amazed that a week ago, this all happened to my body and the strides that have happened in just one week. My sutures are looking so good already on my breasts. The tummy suture lines are a bit reddened but my PS told me yesterday that is to be expected and they will lighten with time. I have learned the importance of stripping the drain lines and am becoming an expert at it now. Last night was my first night on my own since this began. I have someone who is coming in to do the morning and afternoon barn duty of feeding my horse and barn cats and also my three dogs that live in the house with me. That will be very helpful to me in the upcoming week on my own.

Today I plan to back my vicoden down by half; taking one instead of two at dosage times. My pain level is manageable for me but I am still taking pain meds. Will check back in later today! Happy Friday everyone!

Post Op Day 8: Bad night last night. Today is a better day though. Yippeeeee for today! Seriously it was my own fault I had a bad day, I am so bound and determined not to take any pain meds, that yesterday I once again tried cutting them in half, and by last night I was so sore and so sick that I was ready to throw in the towel. I went back to full dose through the day, but today and again going to give cutting them back to half a try and just try to read my body a bit better than I did yesterday.

My breast incision scars are fading so miraculously that I can't even believe what they went through a week ago. I am truly amazed at how fast those gals are healing. I have not posted pictures of them because I'm just shy that way. I have to tell you though, they were some sagging sad gals before this surgery. I can't believe how it felt having them up where they are supposed to be! In comparison to how they felt living at belly button level, they feel like i'm wearing them for ear muffs! When my PS asked me when was the last time they were up there where they were supposed to be, I told him "when I was eleven". Seriously, as soon as they began developing, they began running away from home. So by the time I was 48 and through two births, and many weight loss and weight gain scenarios, they were hanging out with belly button and vajayjay. I had to break up the gang and get those gals back up here where we can talk to each other more. I recall the first time seeing them in the mirror after surgery. They looked like they were looking at me. LIttle sewed in eyes, like a rag doll, sort of a bit cross eyed since they were still freshly sewed in... They don't seem to miss belly button since belly button left too. Now there is a new belly button in town. The thing about new belly button and new tata eyes, never the three shall meet. We are lifted AND separated. So with my new frankenbelly, frankenboobs, and old crone hunch walk, I am walking ever near the day of total healing. (Cue the music "Love Lift Us Up Where We Belong")

Oh, guess what worked really well for me today in the shower instead of a Jagermeister lanyard to hold my drain hand grenades as I showered? My necklace! So maybe one good strong chain to wear during healing time is just the ticket to pin my drain bottles to as I shower. Seemed to work for today anyways and I am learning this thing is a one day at a time thing...

Peaceful healing!

Today is Post Op Day 9. It is still morning so I'm not sure what this day will bring. I am getting used to having the two drains in and getting used to not having that extra belly skin and sagging breasts anymore. I wonder if part of what was going on this week was my trying to get used to the shock of that. You literally go to sleep one day with all of that as a part of your body and wake up as a belly amputee and breasts put into places they have not been in a very long time (maybe even a life time). That is one sensation that takes getting used to. It's painful on top of it, but modern medicine and pain management are becoming great friends! I am looking forward to what this day brings. I believe each day is getting easier!

Day 10 Post Op: I had a great day yesterday! Lastnight was an ouchie, but I will take the great day! I am really getting tired of the recliner though. I did notice that my drain on the left side seemed to have more in it yesterday that it has for days. I have been pretty steadily draining 30 on my left and 20 on my right at nine a.m. and the same again at nine p.m. I noticed yesterday morning that my left had drained only 25 instead of 30 so was excited that maybe it was beginning to slow down too. But then last night it really filled up and I drained 58 on that side. I have not drained that large of a number in a week so that was concerning.
I wonder when the draining thing is going to be more thin in its appearance. It seems to be very dark red and thick still, well actually the thicker stuff is on the right side and the the left side appears a bit less thick but still very red.

I am supposed to be returning to work one week from today and I've got a lot of progress to make before I am ready for that but that is the day I must return so I have to make this work somehow.

I have thoughts that getting out of the house for a ride, or even a movie matinee would be good for me if I could manage it. I wonder what my PS would think of me doing that. Is that doing to much? When are we supposed to begin to try to stand up straight? I recall doing that after my hysterectomy and it helped with my progress, but they don't want you standing up after this one, so I'm confused as to how that part of the progress occurs.

I never have been one to sit in front of a TV so I don't have it on a lot, but this past weekend I did. Ugh, I am still only making small trips from the recliner. To the bathroom. To the kitchen. I walked out to the deck yesterday. That's about it. I want to try to make it to the pasture and see my horse who I miss terribly. My poor herbs all died, because I forgot to ask someone to water them.

What is the proper amount of exercise and when can I start doing it? I think this is something I need to ask my PS. I'm lucky in that my PS's nurse answers my emails so quickly if I have questions. I will toss these questions her way this morning to see what I should be doing in that regard.

I am still so bound and determined to be off prescription pain meds, and I continue to strive to do that even though it has caused me to have a couple of really rough days. I took tylenol today between a prescription pain med dose, to see if I'm able to pull that off. The sooner I can be off of the pain meds, the sooner I can drive and get my independence back. FREEDOM! :)

Day 11 Post Op: I pushed myself to do some walking to the edge of my yard and back twice yesterday. I am cutting back on the pain meds by half and interspersing it with tylenol between the doses of prescription meds, and have checked with my Dr. to make sure that is ok to do and he says it is as long as I do not take over what is allowed of the tylenol in a 24 hour period. So I will be keeping my mind on that. This seems to be working great! I am still not draining clear fluids from my drains, only dark red blood drainage so hoping that will begin to change soon. I do feel better today though. I have decided to take the bedding off the recliner and attempt to sleep in my bed elevated on pillows tonight for the first time.

I am hoping to get totally on Tylenol and no vicodin this morning and get it out of my system so I can attempt driving today sometime. I intend to drive into town (20 minutes from home, so not too far) and sit in a nice air conditioned matinee and see a movie. I still have to walk hunched over and am not to try to straighten up until I see my PS on another follow up appt in two days. So I will walk slow and hunched but it's a matinee so hoping not to see anyone I know. :)

I have a lot of progress to make to get back to work next Monday, but I WILL get there. I can really see a difference in the past 24 hours in my being able to do be up and around more. That's good to know. :) The pain is always worse at night when the swelling sets in. I ordered Bromelain on Amazon; just not up for walking around GNC right now, so I ordered one on Amazon that had great reviews. I hope to take that and see a difference in the swelling and pain in the evenings.

Yesterday I was not able to check in here because of storms taking out the electric around 3:30 in the afternoon. It did not come back on until six thirty this morning!! Got to heal by lamplight like a pioneer last night. :)

Well, time to get my shower and attempt that drive to watch the movie. (I cleared it with my PS office that I can drive if not on pain meds and that a movie matinee would be fine since I'm just sitting through the movie anyways)

Happy Healing to you all!!

I made it! I made the drive on my own. I saw the movie on my own. I got to the grocery store on my own and picked up what I needed including a big bag of cat food for the barn cats! (I just had to have a store associate lift it and put it in my cart and the cashier scan it with the gun and have another associate follow me to the car and load it and have someone meet me at home when I got home to unload it), but it worked! I may have had to ask for some help, but it turned out fine. I have difficulty asking for help and apologized to the grocery store attendant all the way to the car that I needed the help, which she kept assuring me that they are there for a reason and that is to help customers and no need to apologize.

Wow, you don't know how little five pounds is until you are not supposed to lift five pounds. Thankfully I did not need to reach up on the store shelves for anything.

So yesterday it was a struggle to walk just to the edge of my yard and back, and today I drove to another town on my own and saw a movie and shopped. I will know tonight if that was such a good idea or not. My bromeliad came today UPS and I took my first dose. Excited to see how this works with swelling.

I did find that I've picked up a couple of ideas about this walking bent over thing that we do the first weeks, while in public. If you walk in the store, lean on the cart. If you need to walk without a cart, act like you are checking your cell phone text messages, explaining why you are walking slowly and sort of hunched over looking at the phone.

If walking in the back yard and you don't want the nosey neighbors to think you have had surgery, clasp both hands on your back as you walk bent and appear to search the grass for a missing earring. It's pretty natural since you are walking that way anyways, just the clasping of the hands behind the back sure makes it look like you are searching for something on the ground slowly.

Ok, those are my words of wisdom for the day!

Happy Healing!

Day 12 Post Op: Well yesterday's trip to the movies and to the store and back, did cause a bit more swelling than normal last night but not so much so that it was not worth doing. Therefore I shall do it again today. I am on Tylenol during the day every four hours now, and in the evening when ouchie swell hell kicks in, I pop a vicodin and get the ice bag out. That seems to help. Oh and I slept in my bed last night on bunches of pillows like a persian princess. My dog was very happy to see we are now sleeping in 'our' bed. He was not liking recliner time. I do live on my own and so he is my puppy hubby that I have to make happy too. LOL

But that night time swelling is awful! Man oh man... Ouch, eh? The later in the night it gets, the worse the swelling is!

Then...the most miraculous thing happens in the morning! The swelling is gone. In my imaginative mind I have to have reason for this that will be so far outside of the realm of reality and science that it would belong in a children's book. Maybe it's the 'never talked about' cousin to the tooth fairy, the undercover of all fairies, so much so that nobody even talks mythological of this fairy; The Swell Sucker Fairy. I imagine that the Swell Sucker Fairy, SSF for short, comes while we are asleep. We finally pop that pain med and lay there with an ice pack on us like some beached sea lion squinting and tapping at our ice bag on our tummies... tapping and moving the ice bag does not make it colder I have learned......groaning and barking until.... wonderful sleep comes and then.... in comes the Swell Sucker Fairy. I envision this fairy to be beautifully dressed, hair coifed just so, no lines on her clear botox enhanced complexion. Red lips of course that smile compassionately. Flat tummy, perky top side, Brazilian lifted backside, thigh and arm lifted perfection and no turkey neck. No, this fairy is a fifty something walking piece of perfection. She can even wearing those Jay Lo shoes that nobody else can function in. She has perfectly manicured hands that hide little straws under her painted nails. One touch of her finger to our swollen body part, and voila, swelling all sucked out. Then off she dashes to the next gals' house....
Why yes I am 48 years old and why no, I do not intend to grow up... why do you ask? Gotta love whimsy... ;)


Hey guess what happened to Ta and Ta when I stopped the round the clock vicodin regimen? They woke up! Not that they were not sensitive, even overly so, before I stopped taking the pain meds. But on the first day I stopped pain meds during the day, they popped their eyes open and raised their little heads and looked around bit. Well, they really just looked straight ahead and not 'around', but around sounded more fairytale in description. They had more of that dazed and confused looking straight ahead like deer in the headlights thing going on. For the first time, the nippies popped up, and I do not think it's because they are done cooking now, like a turkey pop-up timer. No, I think it's because they have been in a drug induced coma for 11 days. They were all like "What the heck happened to us?? And what the heck are we doing wayyyyyyy up here? WHERE IS BELLY BUTTON!???" and here I thought they were just being aloof all this time about losing belly button. Heck no, they were just swacked out on Vicodin just like my digestive track was. By the way, the first day colon wakes up and starts the train moving again, WOW.... that's all I got to say on that subject...very productive trip to the powder room.... I haven't had the nerve to unwrap my binder where new belly button resides, while Ta and Ta are awake right now. I will sneak that in during shower time today but I know when they get some water in their faces on just tylenol, and they see there is a new belly button in town that looks like the Jimmy Dean Sun guy with stitches all around it like sun rays, they may be aghast. By the way, I like that Jimmy Dean Sun guy, he seems so uplifting and kind... who needs a Tom Cruise, give me the Jimmy Dean Sun guy...he is my type of dude. Always trying to cheer all the clouds and planets up.

But I digress.... So the first day off of the pain meds gained me some pretty great incentives:

1. I got to drive my car which equals having a bit more of my independence back

2. My nippies popped up and said hello letting me know in my heart of hearts, they did not die in this surgery, because we all worry they will, and we all hope they will survive the journey.

3. My sleepy colon woke up and HELLLLLOOOOOOOOO.... I feel like my tummy is flatter now.....from the inside!


So now I push forward towards going back to work on Monday and hopefully back to my life on this side of the "event"....

I am still not draining clear drains, and I'm not sure what that will mean when I get to see my PS tomorrow but I have a sneaking suspicion it means I will not be coming home with either of them out and going to work with these two drains in me is going to really suck, but.... again, I keep telling myself. It will all be worth it, it will all be worth it...

It really is though. It's already worth it.


Happy Healing!

.....do you think I should leave a note for the Swell Sucker Fairy to please retighten my binder when she finishes? I hate that first step in the morning when you realize the binder you loosened the night before because the swelling was so intense, that seemed to be tight when you went to sleep, is now hanging on you and causing no support at all.... Hmmmm.....

I think the most important thing about this surgery is finding the right plastic surgeon. You will need to feel comfortable that what he or she is telling you is the right procedure for your unique situation is important. I know that there is a lot out there bandied around about the laser bra procedure, pros and cons and is it a gimmick, etc, but I did a lot of research and review seeking on my Dr. before I decided he was the one to do whatever I needed done. I'm the one who asked him about the laser bra, so it's not like he was pushing that particular procedure, but after hearing the pros and cons, I decided I wanted it. When he told me I needed a fleur de lis tummy tuck procedure to gain the hour glass look I was aiming before, because of my own unique abdominal situation, I knew what he was saying was right. I trusted him from the get go and I have not yet been disappointed in putting my trust in this plastic surgery. I'm sure all of us or at least most of us have done the same thing. Studied the doctor, studied the procedures, and weighed out everything before committing and going through with it. That is not a small process to undertake. It is the most important thing we can do for ourselves prior to surgery. I remember the initial thought in this fluer de lis is "oh no", it's even more scarring than a regular tummy tuck. That cut is going to hurt even more so than the regular tummy tuck. Etc, Etc act... but the fact of the matter is, for my situation, it was a necessity, and had I am glad that I had enough trust in my surgeon to do the procedure uniquely right for me. If you are just getting started in this process of considering plastic surgery. Please spend a lot of time doing your homework on a surgeon you can trust. I think it's important to find one who is not a one trick pony. I liked where I am going because I'm looking for a long term relationship with this surgeon and practice. There is not much that they cannot do at this particular center and so as time moves on, if there are other things I would like addressed, I will have a doctor and even group of doctors that I should be able to rely on for those particular procedures. I still have two to go before I am finished with this process. So need to have a good trust relationship established from the onset.

I have had two children, and have had weight loss and weight gain in significant amounts over the years.

Day 13 Post Op: I will be driving into see my PS today for the two week post op visit. (four hours on the road, two hours there and two back) I do not have hopes that either of my two drains will be removed since they are still pretty productive. I will be seeking a shopping trip to find some good loose dresses to cover the fact I have two hoses coming out of the tops of my outer thighs as I go back to the office next Monday. I will keep my office door closed most of the week getting unburied from my two week "vacation", so walking around slowly and hunched over should not be too much of an issue if I get to the office early before anyone else and stay late after people leave. I would be doing that anyways on the first week back from vacation to get my piles of work down to an acceptable level.

So as far as I'm feeling today; very well actually! I sat out at the edge of my weedy garden on the swing under the trees this morning and just let the morning breeze embrace every inch of me as I sipped my morning coffee. There was a clear headedness I felt that is wonderful. I feel a bit stronger and clearer each day. Mornings are of course the best part of the day since the swell sucker fairy took all of my swelling gloriously away over night as she does each night. ;) The smell of the corn field smells a bit sweeter today. My woods look a little more inviting and green this morning. My horse seemed a bit brighter white, as he tossed his head and whinnied a "hey where have you been? I've missed you!" I think that all of this super happy clear feeling is coming from the fact I'm only taking one vicodin in a day and that is at bedtime when the swelling has gotten the best of me.

I am still moving slowly, but I am noticing that under this binder, there is a nice feeling of flat. I can't wait to see what it will look like in two months. I can't wait to see what it will feel like after I lose my drains and graduate from binder to spanx. I think it is going to be an amazing trip from here on out. I know there will continue to be downs along with the ups, but this morning's high on happiness feeling that I normally had pre surgery, is sure something I have missed the past couple weeks.

Well, I have some things to get done before making my trip to Columbus for my post op visit so better get myself in gear.

Happy Healing everyone!

Post Op day 13: Visit to my PS for the 2 week follow up post op visit: Well as suspected, I did not come home with any drains removed, but I had anticipated that since I'm still draining. I much rather have those things in there pulling out all of that rather than have the drains out and wonder what was building up in there. I mean what if I tipped over and all that ran out of an evacuated drain hole? So I will see him again next week and he anticipates that I should get one if not both of them removed next week for a week three post op visit. It was a good visit though, because I'm cleared to go back to work on Monday, plus I've graduated from binder to spanx and also I'm allowed to start walking upright now; like a homo sapien.

I wore my power red lipstick today, for some reason I always feel more powerful and in control of things with my red lipstick on. So I refused to wear my neutral colored lipstick today because today I was going to be large and in charge, and am getting my life back.....Red lipstick helps. So with my red lipstick on, I gathered my skirts up and off I tore, with the speed of a herd of turtles. Ok this walking slow thing is really getting on my left nerve. Stopped in for some fish and chips at the british pub at polaris in Columbus and caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror there as I was walking with my baggy "hide the blood grenade bottles" shirt and skirt on. Thank goodness for flowing peasant skirts. With my slow walking hunched shoulders, I looked like Eyore. One depressed sad donkey; but dang it, I had on my red lipstick so there was a spark of some kind of dynamite in Eyore...

I should balance a book on my head and practice walking back and forth with my back straight to get this hunched thing over with. Mind you, in order to keep from slipping that book off of my head, I probably need to do that pelvis-forward-tilt-bent-knee walk. I can't help but think of Jack Tripper from Three's Company when he would mimic a dirty old man, except he did an exaggerated heavy breathing thing with that. This is the stance I've been using to tilt my head back to rinse shampoo from my hair during shower time, that Jack Tripper dirty old man stance... it seems to work..


So after my Doc appt, I was off to JC Penney for a compression garment now that I've graduated from the dreaded binder. I found one that should fit the bill but when I got it home, I cannot get it past those two drains on the outer upper thigh area. This means I will need to return it tomorrow to a local JC Penney and see if one size up will work or see if I can find another sort of compression garment that maybe zips up or something. Man I hope they let me return it, I have all the tags on it and never got it on even. Anyways, I'm one step closer to being able to be binder free and that makes me happy happy happy.

So tomorrow morning, I'm off to see Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter. I wonder if I should hatch a scheme to work these blood bottles and blood drains into a weird vampire outfit and see a midnight showing of it tonight instead?...... Would be worth the memory I think....

I have a hunch......

(period, I was just saying I have a hunch.........still)


Happy healing!

Day 14 post op:

I feel better and better each day now. Yesterday I drove that two hour trip to see the surgeon and drove back. Plus I had dinner out and a small bit of shopping. So all in all, that was four hours of driving, and a couple hours of shopping and dinner, so that was a pretty productive day. My swelling was not worse last night than it was the night before, if anything it was better last night. I started taking Bromelain two days ago and I'm a believer. It may not take the swelling totally away at night, but it sure does decrease it! Yay Bromelain! I did get sleepier a bit earlier last night than normal, but that is ok, I don't mind going to bed an hour earlier at all on big days out like yesterday. I have been out to do something for three days in a row, and today will make four as
today I'm planning on an outing as well to the movies and a bit of shopping to see if I can return the compression garment I bought yesterday. The bad part returning it is that it will be a perfect fit for me after the drains come out. Maybe I should rethink returning it and just wear the binder until the drains come out. Decisions, decisions. I bought the one by Maidenform that the nurse at my PS office told me about yesterday. I found it at JC Penney and it was 37.00. I hate to buy the size up for just wearing it a week around these drains. I need to reconsider the exchange I think.

I had some revelations yesterday while making this long drive to my PS visit, in regards to this whole process I've gone through. I cannot believe it was two weeks ago today that I went in for such a life transforming procedure. I am trying to figure out when and where this all began for me. I try to remember that moment of "hey, I need to get this done" and yet for the life of me, I cannot recall that moment at all. Mind you, I had 2 kids over twenty years ago, and ten years ago I had gastric bypass surgery and after losing weight, I just never finished the process and had the excess skin taken off nor had any muscle repairs done. It was all out of pocket and not covered by the insurance so I just gave up on that idea plus I'd heard it was mega painful to do. So over the years I really never gave thought to it but was extremely unhappy with my appearance of the loose skin and sagging breasts and tummy. I booked my vacation this spring for these two weeks in June and wasn't sure where I was going to go for vacation at that time, but thought I'd get my time on the books and then build a vacation around it.

I think it was probably a month and a half ago I started looking at Smart Lipo, on a whim, because I'd heard about it on the Today Show or something. I think that then lead to seeing all of these tight tummies and lifted breasts and tightened thighs and arms on the websites that also talked about Smart Lipo. I do not recall ever having that "Aha moment" about going through with something like this though. It was as if I was on auto pilot or something, or someone else was the wheel while I was in twilight sleep. I can't truly describe it. The idea that I was visiting a plastic surgeon for a two week follow up appointment yesterday from a breast lift and tummy tuck seemed surreal to me. While I did my homework well when searching plastic surgeons and I considered that very meticulously, the decision to do it at all is still foggy in my head. While on auto-pilot, not only did I choose a great plastic surgeon, but made decisions about procedures and arranged financing and had it done and am going through recovery. How? When? Wow!

So I liken this experience to what it must feel like when you get drunk and wake up with a tattoo. How the heck? When did I decide I needed a tattoo in the middle of my tequila shots?.....

I am not bi-polar, nor have I ever had any experience like this. Even with my gastric bypass surgery, I was very much in control of that entire event. The fight with insurance companies, the ground work, etc.
But this experience was as if someone else put me into twilight sleep and lead me through something that was desperately needed and yet I feared so much; fear of both the cost and the pain. I feared it so much that for a decade I put it out of my mind; or at least out of my conscious mind. Because when I looked in the mirror, I always just looked from the shoulders up for the most part, so subconsciously I was ignoring a pretty big issue that was battling within me about my appearance.

My rationale on the cost is; we search for a perfect car that is a reflection of us. An extension of us. I'm not even really into cars, but I do know what I want to be seen driving, not that it needs to be fancy, but it needs to be functional for my lifestyle, small SUV, and it needs to be pretty and I picked a particular color and I like cup holders and nice radio, etc. These are all things that I was willing to make payments on and go into debt for. My car sits either in the drive way or the parking lot at work for 95 percent of my day. I also recently did some renovation on the farmhouse I live in. Again, I wanted it to look a certain way to reflect who I am, my personality, my likes and dislikes, it's a reflection of me.

And yet..... when I looked at the vehicle/house that I am in twenty-four/seven, which is my body, that was a reflection that I so badly disliked that I ignored its existence for the most part. I would not even look at it in the mirror and I had become so accustomed to that process that I did not even know I was doing that. I am in this skin 100 % of my time here on this side of the grave, and yet I feared the cost of having it repaired. I feared going in debt for it, and yet I would gladly pay even more than that for a car that I am in at the most, five percent of my day. I am no mathematician but that does not seem like good math to me. The reality of it is, in my heart of hearts, in my deepest thoughts, I did not feel I was worth it. I had to have felt that way, even though I sure did not think that I thought that way about myself, but the truth is staring me in the face, I must not have felt that I was worth this. Thank God (literally), that Someone who knows me better than I do, knows I am worth it.

I am a person of Christian Faith and a believer in The Secret and I see where those two mesh together. Sometimes I think there are blessings we are afraid to reach for but we can envision what and where we need to be. He knows how and where we need to be to make those things happen. Maybe I was too afraid to even dream to reach for that blessing, and so the blessing reached for me instead...

Why do we, as women, generally have a guilt complex about doing something that is good for us? Is it part of our DNA? How many guys bat an eye over buying a grown up boy toy like a muscle car or a boat, and they can do so without guilt and without feeling like they are not worth it? We do for our husbands, we do for our children, we do for our parents and our friends, but when do we do for ourselves something on this level, we pause, and feel guilt. We have to begin to know that we are worth this. This is big stuff. This is an important issue for me to look at within myself. I had guilt about this surgery up until the day of the surgery. Once the deed was done, the guilt has passed, and a new internal revelation is setting up shop inside of me and that is that I'm worth it. I am worth this. I may be on round two of marriages (they just don't seem to work for me :) ) and I'm on my own now, but it's ok. This is one hundred percent for me. Not to impress anyone but myself. This is so when I look in the mirror in the morning, I can look below my chin and feel comfortable in my own skin. Dang it, this was for me, and I'm worth it. (it took me a life time to believe this is true)

I will work under a new internal environment from here on out: envision it, believe it, be it.





Happy Healing!

Day 15 Post Op: Yesterday was a small outing but last night I was in more pain than the day before so sometimes it seems there is no rhyme or reason to my ups and downs. But then again, if I look back to the week prior, I did have a rough day the next day after that 4 hours on the road trip to Columbus so I am thinking my body's reaction time to that trip takes a day or so to catch up with me. So I find then a rhyme and a reason for having nights like I had last night. Plus last night I let my Tylenol regimen lapse by an hour and that was also not a good idea. So once I've swapped over to using Tylenol throughout my day (still need that vicodin at bedtime though since the pain is pretty high by then due to swelling), I do have to remember to take the tylenol every four hours in order to keep myself managed well through pain even on day 15. So I will need to remember that. My iPhone alarm has been one of my best buddies throughout this journey. Every four hours, like a good friend saying "Hey, take your pain meds". The thing is I have got to keep using that because I'm not yet to that place where I can just take them if I feel a bit achy. If I miss taking them on time, I get into rip roaring all out pain and it can happen within a half hour, so I just have to learn my lesson well about continuing to take something every four hours for the most part. I will graduate to five hour and six hour increments later I am sure.

I am off to a festival today and leaving early since early in the day is the best of my day. I will be a slow moving body at that festival but it's one I go to every year and I try never to miss it since it only comes once a year here. So this will be the largest outing of my week. Will see how this goes being that this morning I'm not feeling as grand as I have been feeling the past two mornings.

Happy Healing Everyone!

Day 15 post op: Festival update. I had some game plans in place prior to going to the festival. My tylenol was with me in my little purse that hangs around my shoulder so I did not have a big heavy purse to carry and also I had my pain pills for dosage times. I did not try to keep up with the flow of the crowd. I gave myself lots of leeway to take as much time as it took for me to get from the fair grounds parking lot to the festival grounds. I tried to choose food that was not as high in sodium as I would normally have there, because I would swell sooner in the day if I did that. I made sure to go early and listen to my body as to when the swelling began and I felt tired, and gave myself pre-permission to exit the festival early if need be. I also made sure to start at one end of the fair grounds and visit the booths and tents from the festival from one end to the other instead of pop corning it all over the place. So I got go to see each vendor, and experience each of the main events I wanted to experience. I had a wonderful day and left early. So all in all I was at the festival from ten thirty to three in the afternoon and I'd gotten to see everything I wanted to. I felt a bit puffy, so knew that was my indicator to exit to the parking lot and come home. Got my feet up now, and my ice pack to be pro active on the swelling to come, and all is well and wonderful. :) I did run into some people I knew so thankfully I was seated at the time and they did not get to see my hunchback of notre dame impression. :) I was able to hide the binder and my two drain bottles and lines in the folds of my skirt and wore light layers. It was doable. We'll see if tonight is hellish though; hopefully not. :) Back to work on Monday. I just have to keep white knuckling through :)

Day 16 post op: Well today is the last day of vacation and tomorrow it is back to work. I am torn on going out for the last day of vacation or staying in and resting up as good as I can. On the first week back I know it will be rough. I also bought concert tickets early in the year for a concert that is coming up this Wednesday night in a town about an hour away that I will be going to after work. Yipers. I have a feeling that is going to be one miserable night because the evenings are the worst. Then the next day, I have to travel to Columbus for another post op visit after work, which is 4 hours on the road again before getting up for work again on Friday morning. This will be a very challenging week for me. I think given that idea, I may be better off to stay home and get as much rest today as I can possibly get. :)

Still having pain and it increases in the evening. Still doing Tylenol ever four hours up until bedtime at which time I take a vicoden. Even though I've been given the green light to walk straighter, it hurts to do so. This is a very long and slow process it seems to me. I think I will feel like a new woman when these drains come out. I sure hope that happens on Thursday. :)

Happy Sunday everyone!

Ohhh, forgot to mention that I had a beer at the festival yesterday while listening to music in the music tent. Oh my goodness, that went swimmingly. :) No vicodin in my system so thought, why not, and so had one. Yep, on day 15 post op I had a beer. Living on the edge... lol

Today am doing some light stuff around the house on the last day before going back to work. Roasting some fresh brussel sprouts and roasting beets too and into the fridge. Getting some grilled chicken pulled from the bone and into some tupperware. Doing up some laundry, getting some clothes and things that I had down low for myself to reach in the past two weeks, back where they belong. The house is starting to look pre-op again. Whew. That seems to help lots. Being careful to do rest in between this stuff.

So tomorrow after work I should be able to come home, get some great healthy supper stuff out of the fridge and put my feet up the rest of the day until time to do it again on Tuesday. I think this makes me feel better already, just putting the house to rights.

I am excited about getting back to work tomorrow and even though I know I will have more white knuckle pure push-through-it times ahead of me this week, I also know it's a step closer to having the worst behind me. :)

Well it's Post Op Day 17 and today will be my first day back to work. I'm excited and a bit nervous that I may hit a brick wall today in how I feel, but mostly I'm just happy to be getting back to a somewhat normal way of life. This will move me forward in my recuperation I am sure. It always has in the past when I've been getting over some major surgery. This was my third open type of abdominal surgery in my life so am somewhat used to pushing through and getting back to work early but then again I do not do any lifting in my job so that is a big difference. I could not imagine going back to work today if I had a job that required any lifting at all. I feel better this morning than I did yesterday morning. That is a good thing. My left drain has slowed down to almost nothing, but my right drain continues to pump out old dark blood so am still miles away from getting the hope of having that one out this week on Thursday when I go for my appt.

I am a bit concerned about my walking and my standing in front of those at the office who do not know what I had done so am planning to get there early before anyone can actually see me walking into my office. I will just be seated at my desk when others arrive and hope nobody asks too much what I did on vacation although I can certainly say I rested up at home and saw some movies and went to a festival and it would not be a lie. :) I had a "stay-cation" of sorts... ;)

Happy Healing everyone!

Well I am now home from work and got the first day of work under my belt. It was rough, I'm not gonna sugar coat it. I can't imagine if I had to do a job that required more than desk work and going back this soon. I am pretty tired tonight and there were a couple of moments through my day when I got really light headed and that was when I was sitting. I have gotten through all my work emails today and some of the stacks of work waiting for my return. I was glad to see the end of the day show up. :) I am home with my feet up and drinking cucumber lemon water and getting ready to grab ye olde ice bag. I survived it though! Yay!! I was glad to have a bit of a cooler day here in Ohio and a bit breezy so a big oversized summer sweater and some of my larger pants that I had not stored away yet, were able to hide the two drains and binder pretty nicely, but I was no where close to being able to stand up straight for more than ten or twenty seconds at a time so I still looked like a troll doll shuffling around the office. LOL

Hopefully each day will get better though.

Happy Healing!

I have this haunting memory. I can hear my anesthesiologist saying to me as I was getting onto the operating table, "You will not even remember that we had this conversation", and I'll be krikey, he is right! I don't know what was said before or after that, because I was out of it after that. IT's funny that I can recall him saying the sentence "you will not remember we had this conversation" and yet nothing of what conversation he was talking about which would have occurred prior to that sentence. It's driving me crazy. I sure hope I did not say something inappropriate like "why do all you anesthesiologists look like you just stepped off of the pages of GQ or something?!". I have often thought this to myself in the past, and the one I had this time around was no exception. I sure hope I did not say that out loud whist climbing onto the operating table. What I do recall is that when I was wheeled down to the operating room, I then had to get off of the guernie and walk into the operating room and get onto the operating table and I remember saying "but I can't do that because my gown is open in the back", and then the good looking anesthesiologist says to me that he will hold it closed for me. I do remember thinking to myself, "but buddy you are the reason I am weirded out about my hospital gown being open in the back and now you are going to be holding it shut for me???" Oh the humiliation. LOL But I am certain I did NOT say that out loud.. I sure would love to know what I DID say though, that lead him to remark that I would not remember having had that conversation......

:)

Day 18 Post Op: Well the it's the next morning after my first day back to work and I'm none worse for wear. I feel about like I do in the mornings, sore and tight until I reach for the tylenol and down a couple and give it the fifteen minutes to work before even getting out of bed. Still sleeping on my mountain of pillows and actually really enjoying that. I may be sleeping better than ever in this position. I still sleep with a fresh ice bag wrapped in a thin towel on my tummy all night long and feel it really makes a difference.