Tummy Tuck with Open Hysterectomy- Coming Up Soon... - Greensboro, NC

I just saw this on another RSer and HAd to share!!!
(please comment where you stand- your expected stage and your actual stage)

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STAGES OF THE ABDOMINOPLASTY EXPERIENCE

By Susan Hall and Renee Sullins

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STAGES OF THE ABDOMINOPLASTY EXPERIENCE
I. The Adrenaline Phase: Healthy individuals choosing to undergo elective surgery have to overcome the fear of "going under the knife." This willful act of putting oneself in harms way is only possible if rationalization ("the thinking brain") is turned off for a brief interval of time. The mechanism is relatively simple: The intense desire for an improved self-image ("The Quest") gradually floods the system with Adrenaline, a hormone that allows us to sustain the rigors of fighting. Adrenaline production will gradually rise throughout the process preceding the surgery and will reach a peak on the day of the operation. It is the most effective way to keep fear at bay.

II. The Surgical Phase: Once surgery is rendered, "The Quest" has been fulfilled. The goal that had been driving the patient throughout the process has been achieved and the production of Adrenaline tapers off. The entire stock of this hormone will typically be used within the ten days following the operation. As Adrenaline levels slowly dwindle, the "thinking brain" gradually emerges from its slumber and starts asking hard questions. This scrutinization of ones acts coincides with the period of physical hardship: Abdominal tightness; Uncomfortable posture; Visibility of the incision; Pain of surgery and the uncertainty of the outcome.

III. The Depressive Phase: This can happen between 10 days to two weeks following the operation and is short lived. The sudden realization that one has put her/himself in harms way and has paid money for such a reckless act can hit the unprepaired patient like a freight train. Common false assumptions run from: "I will never stand straight again" to "I am disfigured for life." These assumptions are mixed with questions like: "Why have I done this to myself?", "Was it worth it?" and "Will I ever be normal again?" Patients who do not have a strong support team (spouse; family; friends) can be overwhelmed by this line of thinking and rapidly sink into depression. The support network acts as the safety net for the patients, reminding them that they are loved and that they are not alone in this process.

IV. The Emergence Phase: Gradually, the veil of uncertainty lifts off and the patient regains her/his composure. The reasons that had mandated the surgery in the first place slowly come back into focus. This is helped by the regaining of an upright posture and the gradual elimination of the discomfort experienced immediately following the intervention. This is when the patient starts appreciating the fruits of the experience and finally realizes that her/his troubles have not been in vain. Typically, this happens three weeks after the operation.

V. The Excitement Phase: With the elimination of fluid retention and the resolution of swelling, body contour and weight change. Surprisingly, I see this in my practice more as a SUDDEN occurence rather than a GRADUAL one. Tales related by my patients are too similar to be dismissed as a mere coincidence: "I woke up this morning and my pants were too loose" or "I could not believe that my weight dropped by (X) pounds when I stepped on my scales." This phase is commonly seen around 6 weeks following the operation.

VI. The Ecstasy Phase: Three months following the tummy-tuck surgery, the patient is back in full control of her/his destiny. Any remorse about having had the operation in the first place is long gone by then and is replaced by "Best thing I have ever done for myself." Strange enough, this great joy and satisfaction of having had the courage to undergo such a grueling process coincides with the stage of maximal visibility of the scar.

VII. The Crying (from joy) Phase: When the scars have faded at six months following the surgery, I take the "AFTER" photographs and put them side-by-side with the "BEFORE" pictures for my patients to see. This is when everyone happily cries.

A few nights ago I was out late, and my stomach felt so tight and puffy and just horrible. I felt like I was pulling the ass up all day, as well as a weird sensation in the crotch area- like I could feel the wind or something... I was wearing the smallest jeans I have, so I just assumed they were too tight and I needed to put them away for awhile.. When I got in front of the mirror I realized they were loose in the waist -not my butt or gutt pulling them down!!! It's CRAZY how at the end of the day I felt like it was huge, and it was actually smaller......and to add to the crazy- last night, same icky feeling... measured a 34 in the waist. worse binder to bed, woke up with a 31 inch waist!!

Well, it's been 18 days. I can't say there have been any *huge* surprises along the way. I feel like I recovered fairly quickly- not necessarily to my previous, but I've been driving, out shopping, showering by myself, cooking, walking the dog etc since the beginning of the second week. I have a very bad arthritis in my lower back and sacroiliac joints, so I am used to not being able to stay still for more than 20 minutes or so (unless I'm trying to increase my pain and stiffness). …………………..I believe this may have contributed to my quick return to being almost completely un-hunched. I was explaining it to a friend that when I first get up in the morning, I am definitely hunched, but as I move around, I gradually unhunch. If I sit for too long- particularly in the recliner where my back is somewhat rounded- I end up getting re-hunched. If I keep getting up and moving around, there is no time for the re-hunching to happen. Gradually spending some time sitting in a regular chair has helped. Conversely, if I spend too long on my feet- especially late in the day, I start bending over little by little and I will be completely hunched over again. lol- it can be like a time-keeping device.. .. oH, look! Denise is at a 70 degree angle- it must be about 830pm!..................................................I did have a few moments where I thought I had developed stretch marks. Now I need to mention I had not a one, anywhere on my body. As far as genetics go- I got some pretty lousy crap- acne, cellulite, skin that only burns, bad enamel... so for me to not get stretch marks from a 9 then 10 pound baby, it was a miracle……………………………………….. I also felt I was pretty borderline in needing this procedure compared to others... you can imagine how pissed I was when I looked down and saw a 6 inch section of multiple pink and purple lines above the incision on each side……………………….. Just that morning I was talking to my mom about why the TT has one of the top satisfaction ratings. I told her if you just go through and look at other people's end result, you might not think it's that great, but when you look at the before and after- ESPECIALLY 6+months post-op, then you understand. I went on and told her no, you might end up with a scar that isn't symmetrical, maybe a little ridge above the incision, maybe a dog ear, and of course the 14 inch scar-no matter how well it heals…………….but the only question you have to ask yourself is: Would I rather have this, or would I rather have my skin back?............................well, at the moment when I thought I had a belly full of stretch marks, I nearly lost it- I did want my skin back!! I can't say I did everything I could about the belly, or that I'd been dreaming of a TT forever. I found out I needed a hysterectomy, and that it was highly recommended that I do it open and have the uterus and fibroids removed in one piece. I was down with that- I didn't want morcellation, wasn't sold on the DaVinci, and by no means did I want anything pulled out of my vagina!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It just made sense to go ahead and do it at the same time…….. I already had a hypertrophic scar in the middle of my pubic hair, and a few weird ridges above it, and a little something I called "[RS bleep] boobs" where the area next to the mons was extremely flabby and saggy -especially compared to the rest of my body. Now THAT I knew would not respond to diet or exercise, so my FUPA (fat upper pubic area) and my FMPA (mid- lol) is really what I wanted fixed- but holy crap!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! not at the expense of stretch marks!! I can't explain what happened- neither can my PS. These were not like the lines we get from compression garments. All I could do (besides whimper) is moisturize the heck out of my belly with bio-oil, and a few hours later it was gone…………… So anyhow, I told my PS about it, and he was like "hmm..I've never heard of that happening, but y'know, it IS a mystery why it doesn't happen. In a matter of an hour, your skin is stretched almost as tight as it is during pregnancy, and THAT had 9 months to adjust!"... .......*********So has anyone else had anything like this happen? I remember one of you beautiful ladies thought she had one, but it turned out to only be a scratch, thank God..