Wanting a Positive Body Image - Jacksonville, FL

I haven't posted in quite awhile but I got Smart Lipo done to my inner thighs, upper arms, & knees yesterday. It's been 4 weeks since I got Smart Lipo & a mini tummy tuck to my abs. I've had ups & downs with my abs....mainly due to my own impatience with wanting faster results. I can honestly say that wearing the CG is a key factor in reducing the swelling. If I go too long without wearing my CG, my belly swells terribly. Still, I'm seeing positive results & only expect things to get better, despite the swelling. I went back to work 10 days after my abs were done & started running on the treadmill about 2 weeks after my abs procedure. I've had days where I've lapsed & ate too many fatty foods but my weight is holding steady at around 125 lbs. Today I've been naseous & I'm absolutely disgusted by all of this drainage. Even though I'm a nurse, the drainage is just too much & I feel dirty. I've soaked thru my post-op pads & chuks. None of it's frank blood, just sero-sanguineous fluid. I'm afraid to eat because of the nausea but I've got to try to eat some soup or something in order to take the antibiotic. Taking meds without food will make me feel worse. Funny thing is, I didn't have any nausea after my abs were done. My thighs, knees, & arms don't hurt too bad either. The worst part of the procedure yesterday was the numbing. It felt like I was being stabbed to death! If I wasn't so drowsy from the xanax, valium, & hydrocodone, I probably would've jumped off the table. Lol! My PS said that I can shower today but I've got to wait until my hubby gets home from work. I don't want to get lightheaded/dizzy & pass out in the shower. I'll try to post pics in a few weeks. It's been hard to stay away from the mirror & not obsess over every little bump, lump, & the swelling. But, in order to stay sane & patient, that's what I've had to do. I haven't taken any pics since my before shots. I'm hoping that after 6 more weeks of wearing this CG, I'll see some worthwhile changes in my body that I'll share with you all. If I haven't said it already, I'm grateful for all of you in this forum. It's nice having you all to share your experiences with me and totally relate to what I'm going thru. My husband, though supportive, is absolutely clueless!

POD #3: For the most part, I'm feeling good. There's just a little soreness at the incision site but no real pain. I've been so antsy because I'm not use to sitting around this much....just doing nothing. I miss my workouts & I'm worried about gaining weight because I eat when I'm bored. Even though I'm not cleared for exercise, I'm thinking about taking a slow walk around my neighborhood tomorrow if it's nice out. Also, the sooner this JP drain comes out, the better. Taking a shower with this thing in makes me so uncomfortable. I'm terrified I'll accidentally pull it out & be in a world of pain. Trying not to focus on wanting immediate results has been a bit of a problem too. I thought I was mentally prepared for weeks....even months of swelling. Nope! I analyze every curve of my waist & stomach every time I'm near a mirror. I do see some difference but I want more....NOW! Lol!

POD #1: Other than the fact that I woke up this morning & tried to get out of bed as though I hadn't had Smart Lipo & a mini-TT to my abs yesterday, my pain has been minimal. I'd forgotten about the procedure when I first woke up this morning but the jolt of pain when I tried to get up was a rapid reminder. I've been up walking around but not doing any housework nor anything strenous. My 1st post-op appointment with the PS was today & even with the swelling, I couldn't believe how small my old jelly belly has become. In fact, I no longer have a jelly belly. There was yet another surprising discovery...my pubic area swelled too! Sorry if that's TMI for some of you but I really didn't expect THAT to happen. I've taken the lortab only twice for pain and started taking extra-strength tylenol today. I've got enough abdominal pressure with the swelling and don't want the lortab to make me constipated on top of all that. Even though I'm quite familiar with drains, including this JP drain I've got clipped to my CG, they are a pain in the butt. Because my output is still a good amount, the JP stays in until my next post-op appointment in a week. Well, at least I can start to shower again. Sooooo, because my ab procedure went so well, I've scheduled Smart Lipo of my inner thighs (cellulaze to inner thighs as well), knees, & upper arms for Dec 20th. I was going to try to get the rest done sooner rather than later but I think I want to give my abs & waist more time to recover. So far, this has been totally worth it, even with the $9K price tag for all of this work. I'll put up some after pics soon. Thanks again for your support!!