44 Year Old, 2 Pregnancies, with the Second One Resulting in the Condition of my Body...22 Years Ago. - Pittsburgh, PA

My story: had my first baby at age 20, second baby just 2 weeks shy of 22. I gained a lot of weight, especially during my second pregnancy. I lost the weight, and gained some, and lost some, and so forth. I keep gaining and losing the same 20-30 lbs all of my life. I am currently on the upward end of those 30 extra lbs, weighing in at 159 lbs. I am 5'4". It's harder and harder to lose as I get older. I quit smoking over a year ago and have not been able to get my head out of the fridge since, particularly with night time snacking. I am on weight watchers now. Again. And hope to lose 10 lbs before my mommy make over in 36 days. I AM SO NERVOUS. I've been reading all of these wonderful posts about other's experiences. Thank you all for your honesty and all of the photos. Currently, I am way too embarrassed to show you my body right now before my surgery. Mortified would be the word actually.

I am scared, excited, doubtful, grateful for the opportunity, did I mention excited. I want to go to sleep 44 and wake up 19 again. That's not true, really. I didn't know much at 19, and I was a bit of a scrawny girl at 105 lbs. I'm good with 135 lbs, so I have some work to do.

Will post as I get closer to the big day. Peace.

34 days to go. There are a lot of things I forgot to mention. What I am scheduled to have done is a TT, BA, and lipo of my ridiculous flanks. I am disproportioned with a bigger middle, it's hereditary. I have my dad's and brother's shape. Isn't that terrific. I wear a size 8 pants, but I'm just kidding myself. I should be wearing a size 10 to fit my waist. I have been wanting a TT for more than 20 years, but as a young, single mother with no money in my 20s, it was never going to happen. It hasn't been until recently that I could comfortably afford this kind of procedure. I have 3 daughters (I gained a 3rd daughter through remarriage to a wonderful, supportive husband). So, here I go. Off to the OR for a new me...at long last.

Really, I am obsessed with my waistline. I try to find clothes that enhance other parts of my body and hide my stomach. I look at my reflection constantly to see if I look large. Most of us are all medical people in my family so I have my caretakers lined up. My sister is expecting a baby at the end of May and I am having her baby shower in April so I am hoping I can be over the worst by then. I will take 2 solid weeks of work off, but will work from home mostly on the 3rd weeks. I plan to manage my pain, hard core, for the 1st couple of days, then try to move around a little more each day with minimal pain meds. In reading other's stories I can see that it's do-able, so I am hoping I can be that lucky.

My PS is great. She has a beautiful, caring spirit. When I worked as a secretary at our local hospital, way back when, I would see her pass thru our unit and say "that's who is gonna do my TT one day". I didn't know how or when or even IF it would ever really happen. Bit I guess I put it out into the universe and it came to be true.

Peace.

26 days to go! I paid the surgeon & anesthesiologist today. I will pay for the OR room tomorrow, buy some supplies, and hustle at work so I can peacefully take 2 weeks off without having any issues to interupt my healing process. I am still too embarrassed to show any pics just yet, but I'll get the nerve up eventually. I know I love seeing others before and afters, but feel weird putting my own naked pics on the internet. Peace and God bless.