Tummy Tuck - my Journal

Day 7 - Crash and burn. I couldnt make it into work today. Just exhausted & in pain. got up at about 6:00, the kids off to daycare, feel asleep at 9am till 2pm. Got up, worked some, fell asleep again at 3-4:30. Was still ready for bed by 9pm!! Day 8 - I guess thats exactly what I needed because I feel excellent! Off all narcotics, full of energy (well...sort of...). But when is this swelling going away?? I'm getting anxious because, my tummy is still not flat? Day 9 - Feeling good. Lower back hurts from walking haunched over, I've NEVER had back problems. but Tylenol does the trick. Day 10 - Feeling better every day!I can comfortablly lay on my side now!

For those of you with up comming surgery, I thought it'd be helpful to read a real experience: Day of surgery I'm THIRSTY! and so very tired (my own fault, I voluntarily stayed up too late ;))and nervous. A little. Just about the IV line, really. I've done so much research Im not at all afraid of the proceedure. After being prepped by the nurses, drawn on by the Dr., I am given anesthesia and I'm out. I slowly wake in the recovery room where I am in and out of sleep. The nurses are there and so is my mom. I stay in recovery for about 2 hours, given meds and then am sent home. I'm awake and aware, but very sluggish. Still so very thirsty, i drink so much water. The remainder of the afternoon, I'm not feeling much pain at all. Day 1 - I feel pretty good. Not too much pain, but I stay ontop of takin my meds. I'm able to move around quite a bit. but I am SO thirsty still. I drink tons of water and gatorade. I dont have an appetite at all. I notice a bit of swelling in my ankles. I walk haunched over because of the skin tightness and the elastic garment. otherwise I really feel ok. I rest most of the day. Day 2 - Ok, this is paybacks i guess. Today I feel like total sh*t. My guts feel like they are going to explode. Not like I need to throw up, just uncomfortable, gassey-like tightness. I take simithicone all day, and a stool softner. I just feel awful. My incision area hurts, the lipo area burns like he**, the sutures in my muscles are painful. I'm in alot of pain. I begin taking One percocet every 2 hrs (nurse said that was ok). I'm exhausted, cranky, cant eat anything. I dont even want to drink water. Of course its the weekend, so the kids are around and I cant just lay in bed. :( I cant get comfortable no matter what. I make it a point to walk around even though I dont want to. Day 3 - Much, much better. I knew it from the start because when I woke up I felt better. I slept decently. I've regained some energy and some of my appetite but I still get very tired and achy. i still try to drink alot of water. My legs are really swollen as is my belly. it doesnt look as flat as it did right after surgery! Oddly, the top of my legs at the hip joint, in front, are numb still. The nurse said this was pretty normal and to loosen up the elastic garment plus keep chuggn water. Keep ontop of meds, rest most of the day, nap at least once. Day 4 - every day gets better. Every day my range of motion expands. I can do stuff for longer, I can even stretch the pain meds out more. I continue the stool softners. My appetite is back. I'm walking and moving around in general alot more. My lower back is getting really achy from being bent over all the time though. Day 5 - once again, gettn better each day. I was able to get into bed without help today. Range of motion is better still. Walking is still more of a shuffle, and I get really stiff when the meds ware off. Belly is still swollen :/ . I'll be so glad to see when that goes down more. Day 6 - back to work (desk job). It was rough. Hard to focus and very tiring. But I'm glad to be there, it helps urge me to do more than sit around! Getting the kids up and out in the morning is the hardest part (I'm a single mom!) Will keep writing entries and try to get pics posted...