Itchies and small seroma blues, POD 22

Hi ladies,

It's been awhile since I've updated. Mostly my energy has been coming back day by day and so I've been able to make one or 2 outings per day -- to the bank to get something notarized, to preschool pick up (not physically picking up the 4 year old, of course). Last week I noticed I was having a lot of itching along the outer edges of my hips, along the outer most parts of my abdominal incision. I was to take of the steristrips at post op week 4, but leave them on until then (they are indeed a good barrier to infection). I think my CG probably rubs the most along the hip bones when I move, thus the irritation, along with 3 weeks of adhesive on the skin. Also I was having some chafing in the groin regions from the CG -- not red, raw, just mildly noticeable to me, but a dark red/brown that I wondered if it could/would scar if I didn't get on it right away. So I called, and spoke to my PS's office and the decision was made I should take the steristrips off where irritated to let the area air out and calm down, and to continue with putting a little cortisone cream on the irritated skin around (not on the incision) the incision where there was redness. So I've been doing that. Also, I could try spanx instead of the CG and maybe try not wearing the CG at night. I love my CG -- it really supports me, and so I did go get spanx and that day, was out of the garment for awhile, just wearing yoga pants with a strong band of enforcement in the front ("tummy control yoga pants"). When I got home, I wore the spanx and I think I slept that night without a garment on. I did buy also a "waist trimmer" band from a sporting goods store, which I tried and which gives extra support, but makes you a bit sweaty (yuk).

Anyway, in the shower yesterday I decided to soap up my abdomen, which I haven't done a ton of actual "washing" of -- as I want to avoid that incision and the belly button, and as I ran my hands across my upper abdomen, noticed a fluid wave under the skin over my right upper ab. Yep, that's a seroma. So I called and was told that compression is good for that, so going back to my CG is preferable, and that my PS would like to see me a bit earlier, Tues next week instead of Thursday. So I peruse this site about seromas at 3 weeks and it seems serial aspirations, early, is the way to go. Mine doesn't make any sort of bulge, and so it probably is very low volume, so I am wondering if he'll even aspirate at this point. But my preference would be to try it, along with strong compression, to get it to go away faster.

So today I wake up in a bit more pain -- lipo sites, achey big chest (worse in the morning after lying down all night), stiff abs, a bit hunched, and overall a bit down. I did get myself showered/hair/makeup (just because it makes me feel better; yesterday I skipped make up and looked so yuk/tired, blek!), all my ducks in a row (lots of 4 x 4's over areas of the incision I don't want right up against the garment; a 4 x 4 folded long ways along each groin region with pure cornstarch baby powder on it to keep the CG off my groin and the area dry as it can be), so I am looking good, but eyes are already heavy. Today is just a blah day. Also, it feels like everything is a bit itchy today, so when the 4 year old comes home, I think one Benadryl is in order and a good nap. I sure hope the 4 year old cooperates with that plan!! He usually does.

So that's the scoop here! I'll post more pics when my redness dies down around my incision and I'm feeling better overall. Hope you all are doing well. Each day can be so different, I've found.

I tried on my pre-op jeans out of interest as to whether they would fit or not, based on some of the comments on the forums about not fitting into your prior jeans/pants for a long time after surgery (or at least longer than hoped, since the whole idea was to get a smaller waist and abdomen!). Now, recall I had the abs made smaller, and the bum made a bit bigger (fat grafting to bum), so I wasn't sure what to expect. Sure enough, jeans fit, and I do fill out the trunk of those jeans better with the new junk (haha), but ouch, the front of the jeans presses on my tummy tuck incision at the level of the outer hip bones. I am going to stick with the Old Navy soft XL fleece PJ pants I bought for recovery and which I have been living in since POD1. I LOVE them. It may be hard to go back to regular pants!!

On another note, on the way home from getting my 2nd drain out, I made a victory trip to the Macy's and Victoria's Secret to get my bra size measured (yes, I should have just gone home and had a nap, but I did do that later). Both gals at measured me at the 2 stores said I was a 34D, and when I pressed them about it (closer to D? closer to C?), and said how I have quite a bit of swelling, they both told me I was definitely closer to a C, so that is probably where I will land when all the swelling goes down. Yay. Sounds good to me!

Victoria Secret has like 3 places in their store where they have "NO underwire" bras. That's it. Really? Yes, really. Who has suggestions on their favorite non underwire bra brand/style? (For readers not understanding why this matters -- apparently post-breast augmentation, the surgeon won't let you wear an underwire for awhile -- probably too much pressure on that incision under the breast).

Yay! My second drain is out. This time, no pain, just a pinch at the end as it exited the skin surface. Apparently they do lightly stitch the drain in (which makes sense because it is like a noodle, so it would slide all around in there if you didn't) and so - mine was in there pretty well (both of them). I can shower in 24 hours. Yay me! Hope everyone is doing well. I feel like a free woman, and now will have to be especially careful not to over do it. Oh happy day.