Waited 10 Years to Do This! - Maine, ME

It's hard to believe that 12 weeks have gone by!!!! Im back doing allllll my normal stuff.....running, lifting weights, swimming. I haven't worn a compression garment of any sort since about 8 weeks. I can sleep on my tummy and stretch out on my back. I still get sore (mostly in my upper abs) and am really really numb below my belly button. I still swell on a daily basis and that is sooooo annoying! I am just praying for the day that it will end! My weight is up..... :( And that really sucks, but on the other hand, Ive been eating and drinking like crazy this summer!!!!! Cant seem to stop the fun!!!! My scar is looking pretty good.... using cocoa butter with vitamin e in it twice a day and am massaging it into the scar. Belly button is still off center, but my belly is a tad bigger on one side, so I am wondering if that has anything to do with it? I don't see my PS again until the end of August. At that time, we will talk about belly button revision and about scar revision (I have one area on my left side that is one big bunch of scar tissue). So, all in all, things are good!!! Glad to see all my other May peeps doing well too!!!

Its actually been 9 weeks since my sugery but these pics are from 8 weeks. I have been sooooo busy that I haven't had time to post or check in at all! All in all, Im doing well. Started running again and have been to work out with my trainer. That all feels GREAT!!!!! Having a bit of a hard time getting back into a routine with the working out though. My eating has gone to hell!!!!! I have gained back a few pounds and can definitely feel it!!! NOT good! Its sooooo hard to get back on track in the summertime. There is always an excuse to eat/drink!
Belly button is still noticeably off center....especially when Im in my bathing suit, lying down. I have been assured that it is an 'easy fix' but I don't really see how that can be true, especially given the fact that none of this has been easy for me! The rest of my scar looks pretty good. There is one area that is puckered and has a lot of scar tissue down underneath (also another 'easy fix' they say) but it really doesn't look as bad as it does in the picture. Not sure if Ill 'fix' that area or not. Numbess is still present in a good portion of my lower belly but it is slowly starting to come back. I still get sore and pretty swollen at the end of each day but wearing my ratty old binder at night seems to help. I don't wear a binder or spanx or any kind of compression other than at night. Stopped all that around the 8 week mark as well. Kinda started weaning myself off at about 7 weeks. Im not really using anything special for scar treatment....just massaging it twice a day with cocoa butter/vitamin E.
So..... all in all, Im doing pretty well. Happy with the results for the most part but not fully satisfied. As I said before, I know that it takes a full year to reap the rewards and I am trying to stay positive until then!!!! :)

Woooohooooo!!!! Made it to six weeks! I made it through my first week of work and Im still alive! So, that's a good thing! :) I got on the elyptical the other day and then again today..... it felt GREAT!!! Really wanna run, sooooo... when I took my 6mile walk yesterday, I jogged a little bit between a couple of telephone poles, and that felt ok. Been using some light arm weights to try and build my strength back and that's been ok too. Just really ready to get back into some kind of workout routine and really want to run!! I have a half marathon in September and will need to get training for that.
Still wearing my binder (as ratty as it is) at night, and some sort of compression garment during the day. I do take it off for a bit in the mornings and in the evenings when Im just sitting relaxing. Its kinda a love/hate relationship with the damn thing. I hate wearing it but I feel lost without it. I don't see my PS until next Monday and I was told that I needed to wear it for 6 weeks from my second surgery, which wouldn't be until a week from this Friday. ugggggggg........
Feeling pretty great though really. And, Im feeling better all the time about how I am looking/healing. I do have a bit of a dog ear on the left but it seems to be self correcting itself. My left side of my abdomen seems to be a bit more swollen than the right.....hoping that will resolve. The off center belly button is looking a little bit better too. Not quite so noticeable I don't think. We will see how that looks as the swelling goes down.
Bills for the second surgery are now coming in....... this surgery is turning out to be a LOT more expensive than it was supposed to be. :( Jury is still out on whether the whole thing was worth it or not. Ill let ya all know after the bill comes in and a year has gone by...... :)