TT with Lipo on flanks & chest - West Des Moines, IA

Second drain was removed today! I feel like a new man without hoses hanging out of my sides! 2 weeks of recovery down and can already stand up 90% straight. I know I will only feel better and am looking forward to the continued recovery from here.

Oops, I guess I provided a few updates in the wrong area, previously I used the comment area. i'll start posting here as I should have from the beginning :)

Being so inactive is driving me nuts. I have left my home just once in 11 days and that was for a post-op visit with the Dr.

Today I'm going in to get 1 of the 2 drains removed. My right drain has an output of less than 10 in the last 24 hours and my left drain seems to keep on pumping. Otherwise my recovery is going well and on track, just seems like it's taking longer than I'd like. I bought Palmers Vitamin E Oil & Palmers Belly Butter anticipating doing massage in the evening after I get the "okay" from the Dr. to begin. I also bought Kelo-cote Advanced Formula Scar Gel to massage in the morning. I'm also looking into the benifits of acupuncture to increase blood flow, nerve regeneration, reduce pain, and reduce swelling. I can't wait for the next phase of my recovery which at this point is getting at least one and ultimately both drains removed.

I weighed 350 pounds in 2008 when I decided to start my journey. I had watched The Biggest Loser show and for the first season found it entertaining to watch fat people grunt in the gym as I ate a pizza dinner. After a couple seasons of The Biggest Loser I noticed it became less entertaining to watch fat people work out. What I watched for was the moment Jillian would make someone cry and she would ask the question, "Why did you allow yourself to gain all this weight?" I came to ask myself the same questions and realized I was too externally motivated and didn't place enough value on myself internally. I had not external reason to lose weight, I didn't have a bad back, didn't have diabetes, no sore knees, blood pressure normal, cholesterol normal...the outside world didn't tell me it was time to lose weight so I haven't been motivated.

Fast forward, after realizing I needed to value myself more physically I came to lose 125 pounds though eating less and exercising more. Over the course of the last year I have gained about 10 pounds back and maintained from there.

At 235 pounds I was left with lots of stretch marks and lose skin about my abdominal area. I came to the realization that I was going to be permanently scared with loose skin or the incision scar of a tummy tuck. I was tired of having to tuck in my panis in my pants every time I stood up. After extensive online research and visiting four different surgeons I made the decision to get the surgery. I opted to include liposuction of the flanks and chest. Since childhood I have been embarrassed about the size of my chest as it has always been larger than the average male.

Today I am 3 days post operation and very pleased with how things have gone. I know I have a long road ahead of me and hope to have minimal swelling. Since the surgery I have been drinking in excess of 7 liters of water a day. Also I have been using an Airlife inhaling measurement device my Dr. provided me for 10 minutes per session 3-6 sessions a day. My theory is that oxygen and water are going to help me heal quickly.

I consider this to be my last chapter to gaining physical self acceptance. I learned at a young age I was not worthy physically by example of being picked last for every school yard playground sports pick. After losing all my weight all I could see was the loose skin and a fat man, I realize I will never have a perfect body and there will always be something I don't like. Today I am 3 days into recovering with a body which doesn't carry the loose skin and the painful reminder of someone who struggled to love his physical body. All I want is to be able to look good in clothes and I know this surgery will allow me to do that. Today I am beginning to I accept myself as perfect with all my imperfections.