Tummy Tuck in Maine - Maine, ME

So......a whole year! Thinking about what this tt has meant to me and what it hasn't......overall, yep, would do it again in a heartbeat. What it isn't is a miracle, perfect body fix. I still don't have super flat lower abs. At this point, I think I won't ever will, unless I lose 5 or 10 pounds and I seem to be at my setpoint. My body doesn't go lower than 126-128 without extreme measures, which I am just not willing do take anymore! So even a tt can't fix my body type, which is to have a bit of a lower belly (more common than not in women). I thought a tt would fix that, but no. Although, don't get me wrong....it is MUCH better than before.

But what it did do was tighten everything up. And no more loose skin! Everything fits better and I am not SO self conscious about my lower gut. And between the tt and my ab workouts, my tummy is rock hard. Love that!

Things that are still healing......nerves. I still have a strip of numb area maybe 2 inches wide in the middle, down to pubic bone. Still get those lightening bolt zingers even inches away when I touch that area. So strange! I can STILL feel it when I cough or sneeze, although no pain anymore. When I do a full out stretch, everything still feels too tight. Like doing a superman pose (lay on tummy, with arms and legs lifted up and stretching out). Those are still super hard to do. Scar is coming along....still a few read areas, along with the parts that are turning white. My doctor says it's fine to get a tattoo now, but tattoo guy says, no.....would be better to wait until it's all white. So we will see. Dog ear scars coming along.

My main concern was swelling all along. I think that has ended, at least for the tt part of swelling. What I do have now, I believe, is normal woman swelling before and during my period, or after eating, at the end of the day. But now....that everything is so tight and compact, I notice EVERYTHING. Even not going to the bathroom for a good while, I notice my lower abs pooching out. Crazy. But the tt "swelling" after working out or even walking around seems to be gone. I haven't worn my binder to workout in I don't even know how long.

So, will a tt give you a perfect body. No......but it can make what you got a whole heck of a lot better. Will your tummy stay "better" without work on your part. Again, nope. I notice every pound now for sure. The tt helped, but I work out six days a week and work dang hard the food thing too. So the tt wasn't a magic fix. But more.....part of the fix, if that makes sense. LOL. Between the tt, diet and my crazy workouts......I am feeling good. I won't be on the Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover anytime soon, but at 48, I am pretty pleasedl

Thought I'd add some pics in regular clothes. Feeling good today. Loving the definition I am seeing from working out, too. Course, next week is period week and I'll be feeling all bloated and yucky, but the good days are more often than they used to be!

So 9 months. I'd love to say it flew by, but not so much. lol! Maybe the last couple went faster. I am grateful to be this far out! OK, first things first. Swelling. I am happy to report it IS better. Not gone, but it doesn't rule my day anymore. Mostly it's an hour or so post workout and the few days before and first few days of my period. But it's still not to the extent it was. There are days I wake up and am just swollen for no apparent reason. But I think that happens to all women, really, I just notice EVERY little thing below my bb now b/c things are tighter. I have even experimented this last week with not wearing my Flexees while working out. It's been better than I thought. Only minimal extra swelling. On the days where there is no swelling--it is awesome!!!!

Numbness. I am still numb in the midline below my bb. It's a way smaller area, but it's still numb for sure. Doesn't bother me at all, though. If I run my finger along my stomach sometimes I will get a nerve type zinger on some section where my finger isn't even close to--weird!!!

Sneezing, etc. I can STILL feel that. Amazing. But it's not pain anymore an doesn't bother me.

I have added core workouts, but I am still way behind there---do not have the strength I used to, but it's coming. For those who workout, do not let swelling stop you. Your hard work will pay off and the swelling DOES improve.

Overall, am happy with where I am at. I expected a really flat stomach all the time (media, you know, makes it sound like a tt is the be all end all) but that isn't the reality. I have my flat times, like this time of month in my pics, but I have days where my lower gut still swells up and I feel like I'm 4 months pregnant. Getting used to just letting it be. I pretty much think what I have now is how it will be, but who knows. If the swelling continues to improve, I'll be happy, too.

I am looking at tattoos......but have to wait until December b/c I need to be 6 months past dog ear revision. Oh and that......I guess it was worth it. My dog ears were really small and it seems like I still have a small one on one side. And the other side has a bit to go with healing. Jury is still out on that, but it hasn't been that long.

That's all I can think of for now. Hang in there ladies!!!!!!