“I am so happy with my Tummy Tuck! Nearly bikini ready - Port of Spain, Republic of Trinidad”

Hi
I am so glad that I have found this site. i am booked to TT & lipo on 1 Dec in Trinidad. My first consultation will be the week before. The surgeon was recommended to me & I have emailed pics. Two years ago I saw 2 surgeons in UK for same procedures, one quoted nearly 10,500 pounds & the other quote was from a clinic where they expected me sign up for op there & then without any idea of which Dr would do the surgery! (they are one of the ones that advertise in back of womens magazines)

This summer I decided to go ahead with first Dr but then got recommended this new one inTrinidad by friend of my sister. As i am traveling there anyway later in the month I deciced to go ahead. Now I am so excited. I am buying compressions pants etc in UK before travelling so that I will be prepared for post op.

I have a very good feeling about op & am looking forward to being able to wear a bikini. The last time I wore one was 24 years ago before my son was born. Every year I say "On the next holiday I will be able to wear one" But wobbly, jelly belly is still here.

Forlast 5 years I have struggled in the gym with apersonal trainer twice a week & while I feel fitter my middle section doesn't look any better. The amount of money that I have spent with him would fund a complete top to toe makeover with a PS!!!!!!!!
IMy son is very anti cosmetic surgery. My exhusbands sister had very bad experience with bypass surgery 30 years ago & he blames tat for her death, therefore my son & his step sisters & brother have been indoctrinated against surgery by ex & his Mum. I am not telling son what I am having done for this reason. At last I feel free to make my own choices &be myself. ( divorced 5 years)

Sorry for rambling on & on but this is the first time that I have written about what I really want & how I feel. This is a wonderfu; site & I am so glad that I found you.
Having now read therest of the form, I hope that I am posting in correct section as op not done yet. The form says I need to fill in all sections to let me post so I guess I can update it when surgery done. I really want to write my TT diary. Never written a diary before. sorry if I've done this wrong.

Updated on Nov 3, 2010:
This morning I ordered the compression pants. I have spent ages looking at all different brands & styles. I phones this firm & a really nice guy called James talked me through styles & how to measure correctly.

My appointment is not for 22 more days & surgery for 27 but I am so excited! Its like having christmas early.

The replies from this site & reading other posts are so encouraging. I start reading on here in the morning & before I know it, hours have gone past!!!!!!!!!!

Updated on 6 Nov 2010:
Well, My sexy compression pants arrived yesterday. I struggled into them & had to pull quite hard to do the hooks up. Now I am worried that I should have bought a larger size. I am posting a pic of me in them so any feedback will be glady received. Ham wondering how tight they should fit. maybe I will be a larger pair just to have in case I swell up a lot.

Updated on 28 Nov 2010:
had pre op appt yesterday. will update all details later in the week. surgery scheduled for wed. Been really busy having fun.

Updated on 2 Dec 2010:
Hello everybody.

Thank you so much for all good wishes. I am home recovering from surgery yesterday & feel fantastic. Here is the story of my day. My sister drove me to the clinic for 7.30am & I was admitted straight away.The nurse gave me thesexy hospital gown to wear & the surgeon came to do the markings. That took him about 20mins. He said that I would be having a slightly longer scar as he was going to do an extended tummy tuck & had never come across the 'handlebar" hips of mine before. He said that lipo alone on them would leave me with saggy pockets there so extending the incision would be the best thing to do. shortly the anaesthesist came & chatted. There was one man having a short procedure before me, I went down to theatre just after 9am.

The next thing I knew was waking up in recovery & felt fine but sleepy. They moved me back to the room & I promptly fell asleep for a few more hours. Around 5pm my Mum brought me soup & crackers, some chocolate & coconut water to drink. I started my antibiotics then & had another pethedine injection for pain.
I sent my visitors away around 7pm & settled in for the night. I was sharing the room with another lady who had the mummy makeover after me yesterday. We had 2 nurses dedicated to us alone.
My last pethedine injection was around 2am & I was able to get out of bed & walk about & use bathroom etc.

This morning the woke us up at 5.30am (don't quite know why but every hospital that I have stayed in has also done this) I had a wash & a cup of tea. My sister brought me breakfast from home. The surgeon came at 8am to remove the drain. He gave me his cell phone number in case of emergency over the weekend & arranged to see me in office on Tues.

Now I am at home reclining on bed & feel great. I hope that I haven't said that too soon. Drinking plenty of water & trying to eat healthy & do nothing.

All the advice that I have read on here made my journey so far much easier for me. That is the reason that I am going into such details in my story.

Updated on 2 Dec 2010:
I have posted some pictures of Day 1 after TT. I feel great. Only takingPonstan Forte tablet every 4 hours. I am walking about the house restraining myself from doing anything. Surgeon says the heaviest thing I should pick up ntil Monday is the TV remote control. I am glad that I stayed in clinic last night, getting in & out of bed there has given me a lot of confidence in moving about.

Updated on 6 Dec 2010:
It is now day 6 since surgery last Wed. I was bored this morning & started trying on clothes! I have added a pic of me wearing white pants that I have never gone out in public in before. They are still quite tight but tummy is looking nearly flat in them!

I need to cut down on my eating otherwise will have weight gain by the time I am allowed back in the gym. I have been eating lots of healthy foods & drinking lots of water. metamucil stool softener has been really great, no problems there at all. Had a glass of champagne last night with family to celebrate the TT.

To-morrow is unveiling of tummy at Dr office. It will be the first time that i will see what it actually looks like. I am a little aprehensive about it. He didn't do any MR & I feel that he should have. He said muscles in good condition but if tummy not flat enough I will be upset.

I am having a little outing to the Mall to buy some prettier pants & to prevent total boredom this afternoon.
Will post new tummy pics to-morrow.

Updated on 7 Dec 2010:
Had bandages off yesterday at Day 7. Very happy with results so far. Mum & sister came to the great unveiling with me, we had such a laugh. ther was I lying on the doctors couchwith all these expectant faces looking at my belly as they unstrapped the layers of heavy duty stuff & as belly appeared all I heard was a collective gasp & WOW!
i tried to lift my head up to get a good look & must admit was pretty happy.

Also happy to have a proper shower for first time in a week & wash hair in it. For last week I have been doing a 3 part wash. ( hair over bath, middle bits in basin with flannel & feet in shower!!!!!!!)

Healthy eating must start inearnest now(says woman munching a handful of peanuts)

I am going to try & upload photo but I have done something tocomputer & can't see iphoto where it normally allows me to click on pic to choose, so if wrong pic gets uploaded-sorry.

Updated on 10 Dec 2010:
Day 10
Stitches out today, No problems, Need to go back next week for a check up on healing. while I was in Docs office this morning he also removed a lump from my lip. Going to slowly work my way around the body. Ha Ha!
feeling great. I went to Vinyasa Yoga with my sister & spent the 2 hours lying down on a mat with cushions under my knees listening to the DJ play reggae music for the class, it was a wonderfully relaxing start to the weekend.

Updated on 16 Dec 2010:
It is day 17, having a review at doc office in the morning. I feel great. I had a massage this afternoon & I laid on my front for the first time. I felt very comfortable, might even try sleeping that way to-night. I really am a side sleeper but am worried about ending up lop sided while swelling settles.
I know that not needing the MR has made this surgery a lot easier & made me feel better about the amount of money that I have paid the trainer at the gym over the last 5 years. I did the math in my head the other night & I worked out that I probably could have had a top to toe makeover at least twice for the amount I have given him!!!!!!!!! £70 a week x 45 weeks x 5 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Updated on 17 Dec 2010:
Had review with doc this morning. All is great. He says to send him pics by email throughout the years to see how I am progressing. I will see him again when I come down here next year. Tummy is lovely & smooth.
Will do pic in morning.

Updated on 20 Dec 2010:
Hi Guys, Thanks for all your safe trip messages. I am now back in "frozen Britain" It is not as bad as the TV & papers reported. Luckily my flight was not one of the cancelled or delayed ones. The Transatlantic flight was good. It had 1 scheduled stop in St Lucia but we did not have to deplane. I di a bit of forward planning, Mum made me food to travel with, so I did not bother waiting for the airline food. I travelled business class because of the flat bed offered on British Airways. Once we had left St Lucia, I swallowed a valium & a painkiller, flattened out my seat ( the hostess gave me an extra pillow to put under my knees) then put on eyemask. I woke up 7 hours later. I felt great when I woke up.

Britain as usual was not prepared for snow. My hubby was waiting for me at airport & has now adopted the role of "nurse Ratchett" he won't even allow me to make a cup of tea! I hope all this nursing skill of his will wear off soon otherwise he will really drive me insane. He is very complimentary about new shape. I will wait until to-morrow to add a new photo because I am quite swollen from flight. ( or could be swell hell?)

Thank you everyone for all your nice comments. I haven't caught up with all the reviews on here but have lots of time now the OH has got me on enforced "bed rest"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Updated on 22 Dec 2010:
Tummy is still really swollen from flight & I feel quite uncomfortable. My sons fiancee has lent me a bikini to try on & I have posted photo in it!!!!!!!! Still plenty of weight to lose!!!!!!!!!

Updated on 30 Dec 2010:
Hi Girls

Have had a very emotional christmas as you probably know. I stayed at sons flat last night & they all seem to be coping as well as can be expected. Death is hard to accept especially when the person is so young. Swine flu is a bitch. But young people are all looking after each other, being thoughtful & caring.

On a happier note, I returned home this evening and hubby had booked a table a favourite restaurant a night early to celebrate new year on our own because of circumstances. It makes me feel so good to know that he is really thoughtful inside! He has been a star during my whole operation journey.

Tummy is settling down quite nicely. not as tight as itvwas & now I am worrying that it is not tight enough! It is funny my body shape has changed dramatically. whenever I read those magazine articles that asked "are you an apple, pear or rectangle shape?" I never fitted into any categorary. Now I can see that I am a rectangle. ( I had thought I was a pear but my sister says all our family are straight up & down with little waist definition. so there goes my theory that I was the milkmans child!!!!!! only joking, British sense of humour!!!!!) I will post new rectangle pics in the next few days.

Anyway, HAPPY NEW YEAR to all my Realself girlies & heres to a shapely 2011!

Updated on 7 Jan 2011:
Went to a big shopping Mall near me & spent hours trying on stuff. ended up actaully buying a bikini! It was so much fun trying them on. Of course I didn't plan my outfit very well ( I was wearing jeans,lace up boots & 2 layers on top) It took forever to get undressed in the changing rooms.

I am hoping that buying the bikini will spur me on to lose half a stone before holiday in March. Was thinking of sticking my photo on fridge to frighten myself everytime I think about snacking!

My sides are not as smooth as I had hoped they would be. I still have pouches. Not sure if maybe some lipo would sort them out. Tummy at front is still quite swollen. Scar is nice & smooth. I'm still putting the micropore tape on it.