Mommy Makeover: Stories

I'm a 36 year old mother of 3 kids all under the age of 10. I was scheduled for my mommy makeover originally 2 years ago. I made it all the way up to one week before surgery and....SURPRISE! I found out I was pregnant! I literally almost fell over when that test turned out positive. So I had to cancel the surgery and ended up with new boobs anyway! Ha!

Fast fwd 2 years and here I am! 2 days before surgery. I am getting a BL/BA. TT and lipo to inner and outer thighs. I figured may as well go through all the recovering at once! I gained between 55-70 lbs with all of my pregnancies and had 3 c sections. I am 5-4 and about 140lbs.

I'm so freaking nervous! I had to go get some tylenol pm just so I can fall asleep at night. My husband thinks I'm obsessed with my preparations. I don't think you can ever be too prepared for something like this. Here are a few things I have prepared for recovery:

Rented a electric lift recliner
Shower seat
Toilet seat riser
Walker
Several zipmup nightgowns
Extra compression garment
Spanx for after 3 weeks
TED hose
Airplane pillows( for comfort and for when i cough)
No slip socks
And all the meds/ supplemts dr recommeded.

2 more days! I have to be at the surgery center at 7am Monday morning!! I'm going to try and post before pics from my phone.

Going to attempt to get some sleep now! Surgery center at 7am tomorrow! See everyone on the flat side!

Doing good ladies. I'm going to write down the full experience I've had so far once I get my laptop charge:). FYI- I had full andominoasty with lipo to flanks and lower back. Mastopexy with augmentation (200 ccs) LOVE THEM! And lipo to inner and outer thighs. By far the worst pain is coming from my boobs and thighs. Haven't had any pain from tummy tuck and doc doesn't even use experel.

Best items so far: my electric lift recliner!!! Worth every penny to rent it. Also- my walker. Really helps to get to bathroom and back. One thing that did not work for me is my raised toilet seat. It was so hard my legs would go numb and it never felt steady enough.

I have a nursing service that stays with me around the clock and that had been a tremendous help. My hubby had to go out if town and my mom is busy taking care of the kiddos so I just needed someone to take care of me. I can get up and get to the bathroom myself but need help getting pillows, etc situated. OH- another thing that I'm loving is my travel neck airplane pillow. I sit on it in my recliner and it really helps support my back.

Ill update today the whole surgery day experience. Good to be on the flat side!!!

Ps..dr removed 7 lbs of fat! Gross!!

Day 3 post op and feel pretty good. Has been better every day. I stopped all narcotics yesterday because I was getting a terrible terrible headache from them. I thought I would be in agony without them but I'm surprisingly just fine! Taking 800mg of ibuprofen 4 times a day. I've been taking colace and just took a dose of MOM so hopefully things can get moving in that department. What bothers me yhe most is my knee. It's like the swelling is all being pushed down from my thighs to my knees and making them ache. I I didn't have anything done to my knees! Has anyone had that happen??

For some reason I'm extra sleepy today. I think it's a combination of getting the narcs out of my system and finally getting some restful sleep. Doctor said I could unzip CG and bra while I slept. Wow! That's heavenly! The girls are so tight pushed in this bra it's so nice to open it up.

No pain on tummy tuck incision. Mostly just soreness on thighs from lipo and boobs are sore. That's it! Ok. Off to dreamland again....

Day 6 post op- really sleepy today fir some reason. I think because I felt so good yesterday, I overdid it and I'm paying for it today. One big step though was I was able to nap today in my bed! It was sooooo great to finally stretch out! I'm only taking motrin 600 mg 3 times a day now. I'm not really in any pain, just a lot of soreness on the lipo areas. I honestly think if it wasn't for the lipo areas I would feel almost normal:).

I think I overdid it on the MOM and it's finally ALL hit me today. I've had to stay close by the bathroom all day! I dont quite trust a fart yet! Hahaha It's been a learning experience learning how to use the bathroom all while keeping these damn drains from falling into the toilet and learning how to use my ab muscles again. Ahhh, the little things....

I go back to the doctor on Monday and hopefully can get these drains out. I really think things will be so much easier once I don't have these hanging from my body and getting in the way of everything. I will say though that every time I get a glimpse of myself in the mirror I realize that this will all be worth it!!

so i had my one week post op appt this afternoon. Dr said all looks perfect! He did give me a larger bra though bc the one I had was cutting off my circulation. I usually wear a 36 bra and the one they put me in after surgery was a 32! No wonder! Lol. They looked at my drain chart and while I've only been getting around 5-7 ccs of fluid a day they said they still only would remove one and if the other one continues to be low for another couple of days, i cam come I. For a nurse visit and have that one removed too. I was disappointed but getting o e out was better than nothing. I have been off the pain meds for several days now but I decided to take one before this appt just in case. Boy am I glad I did!! I've read both reviews, good and bad, about having the drains removed. Unfortunately mine was the latter:(. It hurt like a SOB! Felt like a burning sensation and she also pulled put a quarter sized blood clot along with the drain. Lovely. As bad as it hurt it only lasted less than a second.

Dr also cleared me for wearing spanx if I wanted as long as the compression was as strong as in my garment. I've been having problems with the garment bc I can't make my binder very tight on my lower abdomen when I wear it. The zippers dig right into my incision area and it hurts! So once this second drain is out im going to the spanx. I bought the super duper compression spanx that a lot of ladies have recommended on here. They even have a crotch hole! Hee is the link. http://www.spanx.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2990122&cp=2992553.4058787&parentPage=family

One funny thing- i noticed this tiny scar looking thing right above my incision line. I asked e dr what it was today when i saw him. He said it was my OLD BELLYBUTTON RING SCAR! I about fell over. So now I can see exactly how much skin he pulled down. Crazy!

After my appt we went to target. Not a good idea. I was beat and not in the mood to shop. So now I'm back home and keeping feet up the rest of the night!

So its been a few weeks since I have updated. Just wanted to say that Im doing great! I will get some new pics posted ASAP! I go next week for my 6 week post op so I will know more then about what I can begin doing again. Im still pretty sore in my tummy and on thighs and it is NOT comfortable doing anyting without my binder on. But only being 6 weeks out Im sure that is normal. I have a few areas that are spitting stitches on my breasts but there is no ooozing or anything so Im not concerned about those. I am slightly concerned about an area at the end of my incision on my hip. Its a little painful and has been draining some. All in all, no big deal. My scar is low and belly is flat and boobs are perky! Im a happy girl!
We are going to the beach in April so im hoping by then im done with most of the swelling. Its just over the incision and I hear this is the last to go.