After 10 Years and Two Kids, I FINALLY Have "My" Tummy Back! - Folsom, CA

I am a 30-year-old mother of two amazing children; they are nine and ten. My husband and I started our family at a very young age, and I rapidly gained 80 pounds during my first pregnancy. Four months after our first was born, I became pregnant with our second and gained even more. Both of our children were delivered by cesarean section. I am 5'8" and have always been an avid runner and very athletic. Before I became pregnant, I weighed 135 pounds. My highest weight during pregnancy was 225. Needless to say, my own body was unrecognizable to me after our second child was born. As overjoyed as I was to have two beautiful, healthy babies, inside I was mortified about the changes my body had gone through. We were the only couple in our circle of to have children, and I felt embarrassed and insecure about my body during any social event, mentally comparing my body to others my age. Throughout my twenties, I felt like I had missed out on my "prime." I began running again soon after I was healed from my second c-section, and while the weight came off, my skin was loose and flabby. Over the next 8-9 years, I started going to the gym religiously, attended regular spin classes, ate clean, became a CrossFit enthusiast, and continued running. While I felt strong, I still did not feel like myself. I felt like my body had betrayed me.

A tummy tuck had always been in the back of my mind, but I felt like if I worked hard enough, I could fix my body on my own. About six years ago, I began really looking into getting a tummy tuck. I researched online for hours on end, but had mixed feelings about the procedure. When I came across Dr. Kaufman's profile, I just knew that when I got up the courage to finally go through with it, he would be the one. His credentials far surpassed other doctors I'd researched, and his before and after pictures were remarkable. Over the next five years, I dreamed about the day I'd have a flat tummy again, but life happens, and the timing just never seemed quite right. I have some time off this summer, and decided that there is no time better than the present. I called his office in May to schedule a consultation, and was able to meet with him in June. Although I thought I was impressed with what I saw online, that did not compare to meeting Dr. Kaufman and his staff in person. As soon as I stepped into their beautiful office and met them, my apprehension melted away. Dr. Kaufman was extremely warm and personable, and as we talked, it was clear to me that he genuinely cares about his patients. He sat down with me and took time to get to know about me and what I hoped to achieve, and thoroughly answered all of my questions. A friendly, knowledgeable nurse was always present when Dr. Kaufman was in the room with me. After our first meeting, I could not have been more excited to schedule my surgery. After meeting with Dr. Kaufman, I met with the Patient Care Coordinator who told me that they could schedule the surgery six weeks out, or they had a last-minute opening later that same week. I did not hesitate to schedule it as soon as possible, and scheduled the surgery for a few days later. As I was leaving the office, Dr. Kaufman met with me again, told me how happy he was to be performing the surgery, and urged me to call or email if I had any questions or concerns at any time. I left the office feeling ecstatic.

Last Friday, Dr. Kaufman performed a full tummy tuck, along with liposuction on my flanks and thighs. That morning, I arrived at the office an hour before surgery, and an amazingly warmhearted surgical nurse prepared me for surgery. She gave my husband and me clear instructions about postoperative care, and answered another list of questions I had come up with since my previous visit. Dr. Kaufman met with me once more before the surgery to confirm what we had talked about earlier that week, and told me exactly what he would be doing. The anesthesiologist also met with me before I was given anesthesia, talked me through what to expect, and asked if I had any further questions. After I awoke from surgery, I was groggy but not in much pain, and my husband and I spent the night down the street at the Courtyard Marriott hotel down the street. Dr. Kaufman called that evening to see how I was feeling, and again encouraged us to call at any time, day or night, if we needed anything at all. The next morning, we went back to the office for a follow-up and a reveal of the post-op results. Dr. Kaufman and his staff had told me in advance that I should not feel discontent with the immediate results, as I was extremely swollen following surgery and would be for the following several weeks or even months. However, as soon as they removed the dressings, I was elated. Although I was swollen, my tummy looked 1000% better than it had before surgery, and I couldn't believe that it would only continue to improve.

The first two or three days after the surgery were the most difficult, but not extremely painful. In my opinion, the c-sections were much harder. I slept in a recliner for the first week, took the medications as prescribed, stayed hydrated, and slept more than I thought was possible. I met with Dr. Kaufman again one week after the procedure, and he was very happy with the healing up to that point. They removed my drain and the tape on my incision, and again talked to me about how I was feeling and answered even more questions.

Today marks two weeks since the surgery. I'm still resting a lot, but I've been sleeping in my bed and walking more. I haven't taken any pain medication in a couple of days, and the pain is really minimal. I had my two week follow-up today, and again, Dr. Kaufman said that everything is progressing exactly as it should be. I realize that I still have a lot of healing to do, but I am feeling amazing. My confidence grows every time I see my increasingly recognizable self as I look in the mirror. My only regret is that I waited so long. I wish I had done this for myself years ago. I am so incredibly happy and so grateful to Dr. Kaufman and his staff. I cannot thank them enough.