“Had Tummy Tuck 2/24/2011 - Michigan”

I am scheduled to have a tummy tuck as well as liposuction on Thursday, February 24th. I am 31 and have two children and a step daughter. I having been contemplating a tummy tuck for 4 years. I finally made an appointment and scheduled it.

I am so worried about my body having a reaction to the anesthesia and something happening to me. I don't want my kids to be without me.

I am also scared about the procedure. I have 10 days to recover before I have to go back to work. I am a teacher. I am so nervous.

My doctors office called me a couple of weeks ago and told me that they were closing because of heating/cooling issues in the OR at their facility. They called back a week later and told me that the heating and cooling issues have been resolved.

I really like my doctor he has answered all of my questions and makes me feel at ease. I am just so nervous about this. I know I am making the right decision. I am just completely scared right now.

Updated on 17 Feb 2011:
I have added pictures of myself pre-tummy tuck. Ugh, how embarrassing.

Updated on 20 Feb 2011:
4 days until the big day! I am experiencing an array of emotions. I am getting to the point now where I just cannot wait to see my new body.

Now, I am starting to feel worried about the emotions I will feel afterward. Am I going to have feelings of regret? WHy am I going to experience different emotions?

Updated on 22 Feb 2011:
37 hours

Surgery time in hours now. My stomach is in knots. Trying to breathe, relax. I could really use a glass of wine right now, or the bottle :)

How are you ladies doing today? Any advice on things that are working to keep you calm???

Updated on 24 Feb 2011:
It's 4:20 am. I am getting ready to head out for surgery. Will update you all when I can. Oh goodness.....HERE WE GO!

Updated on 25 Feb 2011:
Surgery went great! I am home with my kids :) I am walking almost upright already. I have no drains. Feeling a bit of pain. I feel like I just got the crap beat out of me. I had a lot of Lipo done. Almost 2 liters. I also had a lot of muscle repair done.

I am wearing the binder right now. It feels nice though. I feel like it is keeping me all nice and tight. I can already see the difference. I want to take the binder off, just to see the results. But scared it will hurt so bad to put it back on. lol

I will take pictures and post them for you. Thanks for the support. So glad that this is all over :)

Updated on 25 Feb 2011:
Hello All,

I am 1 day out of surgery. I haven't seen my results. I am wearing a binder. I took the binder of today and literally 10 seconds later I told my hubby to put it back on. I go to my post-op appointment on Tuesday. PS will take off my bandages and I will be able to see my results. I am so excited to see. I already feel like a new lady. As soon as I can post pictures I will. I do not have any drains. PS said I did not need them. Feeling well. Tired and just feel like I had the crap beat out of me :)

I am excited to see what I look like for sure.

Please ask me anything. Having gone through the surgery, I would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

Updated on 26 Feb 2011:
Today, I decided to stop taking the vicodin and switch to tylenol. I am not feeling a lot of pain right now. I just feel like someone punched me in the sides and in my stomach.

My neck and chest muscles hurt really bad. But I think it's from trying to life myself up from the couch without using my stomach muscles. I have no upper body strength so this has been difficult.

I also have not been able to go #2! UGH, I am taking a stool softner. I am hoping that I can go today :) I am having gas pains and bc I can't push (muscle repair) it hurts a lot. That is probably the one thing that is bothering me the most right now.

I can't wait to see my new body. I am wearing the binder and I feel like a whole new me. I have a lot of dressings on my wounds. I don't want to take any of that off. My appointment is on Tuesday. I will let the doctor do all of that.

I wanted to keep you all updated on my progress post-surgery. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Updated on 27 Feb 2011:
Its been 4 days since my surgery. I won't lie, I am so glad that surgery is over. I was so scared to get this procedure done. I am so so happy that this is not plaguing my thoughts anymore. The past month, whenever I was all alone with my thoughts I worried myself with the effects of anesthesia and the what if's.

Today I feel a bit woozie. My head feels like it is floating. I ate oatmeal and a banana. I just feel strange. Not bad, just different. I still have not been able to have a BM. Perhaps that is what is wrong I am full of S#&T. ~lol~ I really want to be able to go potty. It's probably the most bothersome right now. The gas in my belly keeps building.

I had muscle repair on my abs and also on my obliques. So trying to push gas out, is very hard to do.

I have been sleeping on the couch since Thursday. I really want to sleep in my bead, however my bed sits about 4.5 feet off the ground. I cannot maneuver my body to get into bed right now.

Ok, I am writing a book. I posted a picture of my tummy. Hope you enjoy and I hope I am helping by posting a daily log for you.

Updated on 28 Feb 2011:
Day 5....

Woke up this morning and helped my husband get the kids ready for school. Well I brushed the girls hair and out their hair in pony tails :) Went for a car ride. Was a little uncomfortable. Came home and my hubby washed my hair and helped me take a sponge bath. Took off my binder. A lot of swelling and I think I still have a fat pocket above my belly button. However, huge difference everywhere else.

I know I am EXTREMELY swollen right now. When will the bulk of the swelling go down?

In 6 weeks we are going to Kalahari indoor waterpark. I am so afraid I am gonna be a huge balloon by then as well.

Feeling a bit of pain. Not much. I am taking milk of megnesia. Still have not had a BM. This is my second day taking the milk of megnesia. I am hoping it works miracles and can go potty.

When will I be able to wear jeans? Right now, I feel like I am bigger than what I was when I went in. I know I am being impatient. This is day 5. I am just worried that I went through all of this and I am not going to be 100% happy.

I guess I am having some different emotions right now.

Updated on 1 Mar 2011:
Day #6
Saw the PS today. He said everything is looking very good. I am feeling good. I just get SOOO tired after being up for a few hours. I get to shower today and I am so so excited about that. I feel like a new lady. I am already wearing shirts that I was steering away from bc they looked so terrible on me before. Today I wore my favorite red and white polk a dot shirt. It reminds me of the 50's :)

Anyway. Feeling really great and so happy with my results so far.

Updated on 2 Mar 2011:
Today I am so so sick. I am very weak and nauseous. I am so scared that something is wrong. I have no energy and I am shaking. I have slept since 900 this morning. I tried eating oatmeal and thought I was going to puke it up. Slept all day. Woke up and had a bowl of sherbet. I feel terrible. I am not sure if it is the TT or if I am getting sick. Should I be worried about something?

Updated on 5 Mar 2011:
Today is day 9. I am feeling good, just sore. I went out for a beer last night with my girlfriends and it was so nice to get out of the house. When we came home, I had to take a pain pill. I felt very sore. Still very swollen, but I am happy with the results. I wore a tight fitted shirt last night and that felt pretty good to be able to do. I haven't wore a fitted tee in years. We are taking our kids to an indoor waterpark in April! Can't wait to rock out my new body :)

Updated on 5 Mar 2011:
I added some new pictures.

Updated on 6 Mar 2011:
Today I decided to weigh myself. Didn't know if I would lose any weight, but thought I would check it out. I have lost 5 pounds since my surgery. I went in weighing 143 and I am now at 138. I am so so excited about the weight loss. I was stuck in the 140's FOREVER! Such a great feeling. I feel good about my body, I am getting to my goal weight. WOW! What a lifestyle change. Last night my neighbor looked at me and said, "You are so Skinny!" I am not gonna lie, it is such a great feeling to be happy with myself again. I absolutely am 100% happy with this decision. It just feels so great to feel good about ME. I hated looking at myself in the mirror before my TT. I feel like a brand new person.

Updated on 10 Mar 2011:
I am two weeks post-op! Wow everyday you feel better and get stronger. I am back to work, however by noon I think I could crawl into the corner of my classroom and take a snooze. In the evening I am very sore. But more like someone is constantly pushing on a bruise kind of sore. I will take pictures tomorrow morning and post for you. The bruising has improved by leaps and bounds. I am feeling like myself again! I am so happy with my decision to get a tummy tuck. I feel like a whole new world has opened for me. It is a great feeling!

Updated on 14 Mar 2011:
Here are 3 week post-op pictures. Healing really well. Still very swollen on my right side. Riding in a car and doing things is getting much easier. Still extremely tired at night.

Updated on 25 Mar 2011:
I am one month out. I am now wearing size 6/8 jeans and feel amazing. I started working out on a treadmill. Just walking. But I feel amazing.

Updated on 27 Mar 2011:
I am one month and 4 days post op. I am living my life pretty usual. I am still wearing the brace, but because the swelling only happens in certain place, the brace becomes very uncomfortable. I am thrilled about the results. I have lost 5 pounds since the surgery and am fitting into my size 8 jeans quite comfortably. I was wearing a size 10. Some of my pants were 12's. I tried on a pair of my dress pants to day and they were HUGE on me.

I find that I get full very quickly. If I try to eat like I used too, I feel very uncomfortable. Almost like I gorged myself. I hate the feeling. My belly feels like a 1000 pounds.

I am finally now this week able to sleep on either of my sides. I haven't be able to do that at all. It stretched my side muscles and I had those repaired. It hurt when I tried to lay on my side. I am so thankful that I dont have to sleep on my back anymore. I havent gotten a real nights sleep in quite some time. So thankful that I can start resting again.

We are taking our kids to an indoor water park the first week in April. I will be 6 weeks post op when we leave. I ordered a bikini from VS. Can't believe I am going to where a 2 piece out in public.

I am anxious to begin running again. I started walking, but with a runners heart this has been difficult. In December I weighed 150. I joined WW and got down to 143 by my surgery. I know not a huge weight loss. More than the weight, it is just great to put on clothes and feel good about myself :)

Updated on 21 Apr 2011:
I have been really upset this week with my stomach. I so swollen so bad and it's like you can't even see a flat tummy. I swell up anytime I do anything. I try not to wear the brace, but if I don't I swell up. I am numb on my sides still. I guess I expected a miracle. I lost weight after the surgery, but now I have gained some weight. Which is frustrating. I joined Weight watchers again. The swelling a fat belly is making me sad. I know it can take up to a year, but I am so impatient.

Updated on 27 Apr 2011:
I see my ps in june. I am going to have to address some problem areas... Sigh

Updated on 27 Apr 2011:
Well I just broke down. I don't feel like my results are great. My right side is very swollen and looks like something is wrong. I am so sad bc my initial results were beautiful. The results now are far from. I have a fat pocket above my belly button. I can still feel the hernia and my belly hangs when I lean over still. I am just so sad. My hubby says I am swollen. But I dont think it is swelling at al.

Updated on 28 Apr 2011:
I added some photos. Yesterday was an emotional day for me. However, I am just very SWOLLEn on my right side. I bought a string bikini today. Never thought I would do this. Here are the newest pictures.