“2 month PO”

I am 33 yr old mom of 2 girls, 7 and 3. I have always been a little on the hefty side, I am 5'10. After gaining 60 with my first, I was able to loose 80 lbs and get to my lowest weight ever of 150. Gained another 60 with my second, and luckily got back to my 150 and have maintained that weight for the past 3 years. I feel beautiful and healthy at this weight, but after the 2 pregnancys, nursing, and fluctuations in weight, tummy and boobs not so pretty! I have joked around for years about having this done, wasn't sure if we would have a 3rd child. But having decided that we are happy with the 2 I realize why should I put this off? I want to feel pretty and confident without being fully clothed!! My husband is completely AGAINST it. He is very anti anything medical/surgical esp that it is unnecessay. He is very fit, works out 7 days a week and has an amazing body. I do the best I can with what I have, but as you all know sometimes that is just not enough! With him being against it I am feeling even more nervous about the decision I am making! He won't even talk to me about it...says he wants nothing to do with it.. He had always been a wonderful husband and my best friend(been married for 10 yrs) so it is really hard thinkining that I am going to go through with this without his support. I do have my mom though, she is all for it and will be here to help me after. I am having a full TT, and breast aug. I am so excited about having a flat tummy!! Even as a teen I was always a little overweight so this will be a first for me!! This site is amazing! It is so wonderfull to read other womens journeys! I am schedualed for the 29th...can't get here soon enough! I just want to be on the other side of the journey recovering.. I want to know that I made it through no complications, and healthy! I worry being a mom of 2 small children...I don't know if my nerves will hold up until then! Everytime I start to think about it, I get butterflies in my tummy, and sweaty palms! I go next week to figure out size. I barely fit into a B cup now...I know it sounds crazy but I like being somewhat small, I feel so much thinner, but I want nice perky breasts..maybe a small C? I have this fear of coming out with mega guns! I haven't taken photos yet, feel funny doing it but I will get them up soon!

Updated on 18 Feb 2012:
Less then 2 weeks to go! Just really want to get this over. Having mixed emotions. Sometimes I am feeling so excited, other times I think I am crazy for doing this!!! I just want to be done and home again in my recliner!!

Hubby is starting to be slightly more supportive. Even though he won't admit it I think he might be a little excited of my prospective new body. He would never come out and say it though...

Updated on 22 Feb 2012:
I have been putting off taking the before pics but considering I am 1 week from surgery I better get that done! I really want to be able to look back and compare!

Went again with my mom this time to try on differnt sizes. My mom was very concerned with me going to big...brought a few different types of shirts with me. One side is an A, other a B. So it did take a while to get the sizes right, but ended up with 325cc and 425cc. The numbers scared me at first, but with my mom there telling me the honest truth (she most definatly lets me know her opinion) she thought they were fine. So that puts me a a good C. Going with silicone.

Had a surprisingly nice chat with my boss yesterday about my upcoming surgery. I work for a very "old school" doctor, and I only told him I needed some time off for personal reasons. I knew it was killing him not knowing what was going on, and I figured I better let him know what I was having done just in case I am not myself when I return. I didn't tell him about the breasts (that he doesn't need to know!!) but I did tell him about the TT. He was VERY supportive which I did not expect. He even told me that his wife at one point was considering getting it done, but didn't and to this day wishes she had. We talked about the unsupportive husband and the issues regarding him. So it was just nice to have support from someone else besides my mom and of course other RealSelfer's!! I haven't really told any other friends...maybe I will in the future but I just don't want all the husbands knowing and looking at me differntly, especially since my husband is not completely on board with my decision. I think one of his fears is others "checking me out!"

Anywho...will post pics later today!!

Updated on 24 Feb 2012:
4 more days to go! Feeling very calm for some reason! Not really nervous about actual surgery just that the end result will not be as good as I want it to be! Went shopping today, got all the last minute stuff...groceries, comfy grannie panties, t-shirts, all meds taken care of! Saw so many cute spring clothes...had to stop myself! I am trying to be good so that when this is all said and done I can treat myself to some new figure friendly outfits!! I do find myself picking up and hugging my 3 yr old because I know it is going to be awhile before I can do that again!! Hubby still not talking about it. I just hope he will enjoy the benefits!!

Updated on 1 Mar 2012:
So far ok!! Pain ok as long asi don't move! Rough night only because I was having a hard time peeing! Had to get up and go every hour, and only getting out a small amount! Sure it was combination of the cath and anesthesia! Not fun! Boobs really sore too! Major engorgement !Taking percocet every 4 hours. My mom is here taking such good care of me! Husband would not be able to deal with all this!

Updated on 2 Mar 2012:
Post op day 2...very sore when up walking to bathroom! I think every muscle my body hurts. Feel ok when sitting in recliner! Taking stool softeners but nothing yet.still taking percocet every 4.hours. Went 6 hours last night but in a lot of pain when I woke up. Haven't taken binder off yet, too nervous! Going to try and do it today.

Updated on 7 Mar 2012:
Well today is one week! Overall not as bad as I thought! Don't get me wrong...still bad, but bearable! The first couple of days the worst. Drains out yesterday (post op #6) I was still draining 25/30 cc in each. I feel much more swollen today, so I am assuming that is part of the problem. I am standing up 90% straight, but still very sore. I thought that I would be able to cut down on pain meds yesterday, but after an hour of trying to get out of the house for my 9;15 appt. I gave in! I was very wiped out after getting drains out, and being sent for lab work. ? anemia after so much blood loss. Boobs look good! They seem to be dropping into place on there own, md told me not to wear the strstrap. Still very swollen near my incision. But my abs look nice and tight so that makes me so happy and feel like all this is so worth it!! I need to get some pictures up, just haven't had the energy yet! Today is my first day alone! Was able to get the kids breakfast, and get my 7 year out the door. Thankfully a neighbor was able to bring her to the bus because I don't think I could have handled that! I am quite exhausted now though! Just sitting here with my 3 year old watching tv. She is such a good girl! She is very good at entertaining herself. Thank goodness!! She keeps asking me when I am going to get better! So just going to rest a little now, and hopefully attempt to shower on my own!

Updated on 10 Mar 2012:
Ten days gone! Doing well, no major pain. Just get very uncomfortable and tired when I have been up doing to much. Still sleeping in the recliner, only because I have been sleeping so good I am afraid to try the bed! Every night I say I am going to try to get in bed but I chicken out. It is so peaceful with no snoring in the chair! This morning was the first time I have shaved my legs since surgery and blown my hair dry! New woman! Feel like I need a nap now though! Was going to take some pics after shower but back was cramping up, so had to postpone! I have been wearing the binder up until now. Put on CG that the PS gave me, much more comfortable but I am afraid not tight enough because I can still breathe!!. Will attempt to go out and get a new one tomorrow. Any suggestions on a good one? I am still having swelling in lower abdomen right above incision. How do you know when it is only normall swelling or something more like a seroma? My belly is still so numb so it is not sore but it is pretty firm. I go on Tues to get sutures in BB and breasts taken out but that is only with NP.

Updated on 12 Mar 2012:
Well yesterday was the first day I put makeup on in almost 2 weeks! Thank goodness for makeup!! What a miracle! Went to Kohls...hubby dropped me off at door, walking around the store pooped me out!! Can't believe how tired I was. I passed out cold in my recliner as soon as I got home. It is an unwritten rule though that when a mommy closes her eyes, a child must notify her immediately!!! I woke up to my 3 year old very irritated that I was not answering her!!! Pretty much pain free during the day, needed pain med in evening only because rest of my body hur,t not so much tummy or boobs. Slept in bed last night but very uncomfortable. I am a side sleeper but couldn't do it comfortably...don't know might be back in chair tonight!! This morning drove for first time!! My 7 yr old was worried I wouldn't remember how to drive!! Went well, no pain. Back is very sore today, prob due to everything I did yesterday and sleeping in bed. Took pics yesterday...happy with frontal view. Very upset the side view. Feel like I am prego! Really hope that is going to go away!!

Updated on 14 Mar 2012:
Post op #15.....Saw the nurse practitioner yesterday, had BB sutures and breast sutures out! She said everything is healing nicely! I am to keep steri strips on tummy until they fall off. I still have swelling in lower abs above suture which I HATE!!! I know, I know/...normal, but man it suckkkks!! I have lost 5lb since surgery but I can't even button my "fat day" jeans with the mega suckage compression garment on! Very frustrating! I am kind of confused on whether I should be wearing the binder or compression garment?? The NP I saw yesterday I should still be wearing the binder as much as possible, but on day #3 the PS gave me 2 medical grade compression garments. I feel like the CG keep everything so much more smooth?? The binder compresses me in all crazy places and I am just wondering if that has any effect on how the areas that had lipo heal?? Any suggestions greatly appreciated!!! Slept in bed last night, not great though! Think it is back to the chair tonight! I think I used my stomach muscles too much just trying to get comfortable because today they seem so much more sore and tired today.

Updated on 30 Mar 2012:
Had my 1 month post op!! Everything is going well! Have been feeling pretty good!Back to regular routine, minus the exercise. For some reason more tired the last couple of days. Finally sleeping good! Oh how I have missed my bed! Got a little nervous at begining of week, had a red goopy spot on my incision. MD thought it was more from irritation from binder. Looks much better now. Had my 1 month recheck with MD. Everything looking good. Got the ok to wear any bra I want!! Still have to wear CG :( I had tried weening down, getting scared that I am not going to be able to function without it!! I feel like my back is so weak and sore when I don't have it on?!? I was starting to get nervous about my "prego bulge swelling" above my incsion, but MD did confirm that it is still swollen. I had to very nicely explain to him that I understood that it is not always possible to get everyone completely flat, but for my own emotional status I need to know what to expect with me. That made me happy just knowing that it is still going to get better. I don't want to be keeping my hopes up with unrealistic expectations. I have to say that I am loving my boobs! I was so afraid of shirts not fitting right, but now it is so much more fun having them!! Definately a confidence boost!! I picked up a bikini just to try...haven't attempted that in years. Bottoms are a little too low for incision, but it was fun anyways!!

Updated on 25 Apr 2012:
2 months!! I can't believe how fast it has gone! The past 2 weeks since I have stopped wearing any kind of binder has helped me feel so much better, and more like my normal self. I have noticed a lot of the swelling has gone done in the past week. I still have a small amount of swelling the end of the day directly above my incision directly in the middle, but other then that I feel great. I have been doing 45 min of cardio every morning with no complaints. Abs still feel slightly tender like I have done a lot of crunches, but nothing I can' t deal with. This whole process has taught me patience big time!! I didn't even post after my 6 wk check with md, because I was so frustrated and upset. I was still very swollen at that time and I didn't really get any reassurance from him. He said to wait a couple of months and then we could "discuss our options", meaning lipo on my abdomen? After everything that was the last thing I wanted to hear. Shouldn't that have been taken care of with the surgery???? Needless to say depression hit big time!! Thank goodness for this site. I myself realized that it was way to early in the recovery process to be judging...so good eating, exercise, and patience has paid off! I surprised myself at how much things can change in just a matter of 2 weeks! Happy healing everyone!!