31, 2 Kids, 100lb loss... Mommy makeover Tummy Tuck with Muscle Repair & Lipo - Mountain View, CA

After years of being overweight I had the gastric sleeve weight loss surger Dec 2011. I lost 120 at my highest but gained back around 20lbs once reality and bad habits creep back in. Generally however I eat well and make it a point to exercise.

However with this extra 20lbs came the highlight of extra abdominal skin. And I have always had thick thighs and saddlebags so if I was going for a tuck I was going for lipo too.

I will say: I've never experienced more pain and discomfort in my life. When I think that they only cut off 1.75lbs of skin for my tuck I question of it was worth it. Not the money... Just the pain and suffering part!

I'm post op going on a full week and just now starting to feel human. Day 5 was extremely difficult for me as I expected to start feeling better but only felt worse.

I will definitely update once drains come out and swelling goes down a little. And with all of this said I think my surgeon is fantastic.

Staying off Percocet is hard. But worth it I think. I was popping 2 every 4 hours and making myself sick in the process... After a hours of observation at my docs and a very kind anasthesiologist, they came up with a new plan for me. Daily Celebrex, my choice of Tylenol extra strength or 1 Percocet every 4-6 hours, and all the rest of antibiotics oh and a new steroid to help me heal. As much as a wimp as I am for pain, it has been worth it today. For one thing my stomach is much happier and I haven't had any nausea. Praise Jesus. Also the anasthesiologist highly encouraged me to be up and around around once an hour and with Percocet making me so sleepy that wasn't happening so today I was. And I just felt so much more in control. With that said: waking up this morning I felt like I had been hit by a truck... No more exparel, no more narcotics, nothing. I hobbled to the kitchen as fast as I could to make a piece of toast and take my Celebrex because that qualified as "take with food".... From that point I was ok. Then again late at night I woke up to pee (which is how I ended up typing this) and again felt like I'd been hit so I took 2 Tylenol extra strength before going potty. Also I'm finding that my body cannot relax enough in this stupid girdle to even empty my bladder completely... I have to unzip the sizes while I go in order to go. I feel like a baboon with everything hanging out. : (

Well, I'm day 8 or 9, depending on how you look at things and now that I seem to be over the hump I'm just here, home, with my dog. I still have my drains in and that means that I walk around 99% of the time in my girdle and a tank top with everything hanging out. Lovely visual.

However now that I'm over the worst of the recovery I finally have some time to reflect and really think of things I wish I had known. And since I'm here, alone, entertaining myself, I shall make a list! Haha!

1. Nothing can prepare you for the pain and suffering of a tummy tuck. I think the doctor walks a fine line of trying to prepare you but they still have to make their $$$ and you want the results. So how do you tell someone they will feel like death for a week???

2. Research. I found this site AFTER my surgery, go figure. I wish I had seen it before. I was just watching you tube vlogs on recovery where these chicks are in make up 3-4-5 days after. Yes I'm sure some of you may feel better and do so with your own journey, but I described my daily recovery attire above and makeup isn't on the list.

3. Start stocking up supplies. My joke now is that I have my own pharmacy. Probably 6-8 prescriptions, Gauze, aquaphor, colace, milk of mag, Prilosec, bendy straws, band aids, a medical toilet seat, compression socks, that antibiotic body wash, ummmm the list of everything we have purchased for this is astronomical but you know in the heat of the moment, when you're in pain, you have an ailment, you can't poop, you're swollen, etc.... It sure is nice to have walgreens at home.

4. Think of bigger things you might need. I am kind of sad my surgeons office never recommended a handy dady recliner. I'd say for a week it would have really helped. I however, couldn't get up into our bed and have thus moved into my daughters twin bed because I can actually sit on the edge of it unassisted. Ill explain the pluses of this later aside from the bed level.

4. Another "big ticket" item that I found essential was a geriatric raised toilet seat. The thought of the biohazard disgusts me (i keep lysol wipes about a foot away) but our toilets are super low and literally the day of surgery before they put me under I insisted my love go get one and I'm SO thankful I did.

5. Have someone to take care of you for about a week. For me, I needed the full week. Hell who am I kidding, even the doctors office was "babysitting" (observing) me while my love was at work about an hour away on Tuesday.

This is about half my list.... As I wean off drugs I'm hoping my writing becomes easier to read : ). And I just got a text that I get at least one drain out tomorrow thank god!