Mini-TT with Flank Lipo - Reno, NV

I am 35 years old and a mother of a 5 year old. I am 5'6" 140 lbs. I had a C-section but have always had a gut no matter how tiny I was. I do pilates, yoga, or ballet conditioning at least 5 days a week. I work as a recovery room nurse so I am one with the surgery scene. A couple of months ago I looked down at my squishy muffin top protruding out from my jeans and decided I had to break up with this flab. I can't believe it had taken me so long to act on this. I met with my PS thinking maybe I would need liposuction. I had no stretch marks with my pregnancy and no redundant skin. I thought in-office liposuction would be awesome. Just throw down a couple of percocets, a valium, suck away and wham bam out the door. Uh, no. Wrong. She said mini-TT with lipo of the flanks. Thus, general anesthesia. Damn. Luckily I work for a surgery center and have an awesome anesthesiologist who is friend of mine. My PS did my boobs 4 years ago and they rock so I only got one consult. I let work know that I needed some OR time and some time off work. I paid my money and then let my husband know I was signed up for May 16. He is all for me looking like a hottie. Then I got the call May 12 that my sugery could be moved up to May 14. Cool. Lets get this done.

May 14--Wore my super cute zip-up robe from Goodwill to the surgery center with my flipflops. I almost didn't wear underwear but since I work with these people I thought I would be classy for a change. My hubby left to go to work as I ordered him to do. I didn't want him waiting around for me. My surgery took almost 4 hours. I don't remember hardly any post-op conversations. My anesthesiologist ROCKS--no nausea, very little pain. I opted for no pain pump. I was fine. Now what they don't tell you about is the amazing mess that was all over the sheets when I got up out of the gurney to go home. That is the only thing I remember. Like 15 dogs had given birth on that sheet. Gross. I was totally loaded on drugs and went home. Set my alarm on my phone for 4 hours to take my next set of pain pills and passed out on the couch at home (with lots of towels underneath me). I woke up, took 2 percocets, half a valium had a monster long pee. I dumped the blood out of my JP drain. I felt like a boy peeing all over the toilet--only I was squirting blood from a drain all over. Then decided to make myself a grilled cheese sandwitch. Yes, I was at the stove cooking myself dinner. I am crazy. It is how I roll. Then the drunk texting began. My husband just watched me go. I felt good.

May 15--Percocets and Valium working well. No complaints. I slept and drunk dialed everyone in my cell phone contact list. I called work and thanked them all--again. I laid on the couch and watched Bravo. Walking almost totally upright. Very little abdominal pain. My ass is huge. Like really huge. You could park a car in the shadow of my ass. Must be from the tumescent solution used during the lipo. The compression garment had made a permanent residence in my crotch. It wakes me up like it is attempting to cut me in half starting with the labia. I stuff washcloths in there so it won't touch my skin.

May 16--Had to attend my daughters new student orientation day at her school. Oh, joy. Only took one percocet mid-afternoon so I wouldn't look so loaded. I picked leggings and a shapeless dress for my attire. Figured the zip-up robe might be frowned upon. My ass is still huge. My mom drove me there and hubby stayed home with kiddo. My JP is putting out at least 25 every 8 hrs.

May 17-- First Post-op appointment. Usually she sees people the next day but I was given the ok to see her later in the week since I am a RN--works for me. I drove myself. No percocets after that one yesterday. Pain very tolerable. Anyway, hubby is out of town so I am back on mom duty. Took the garment off in the office. Holy cow! I look amazing! Absolutley flat lower abdomen. A little brusing on the flanks where the lipo was preformed. I have 3 stab sites to my lower lumbar where she lipo'ed my flanks. I can now see that the drain is in my mons. My incision is low and long. It looks good. Drain stays in. Ass is shrinking.

May 21--The area where the lipo was feels like there is hot pokers in my back. It doesn't hurt if I don't move. Still sleeping on the couch. Arnica gel is great for the lipo burn. Taking arnica tabs and bromelian pills, too. Still no shower. Sticking my head in the bathtub. I am gross. All I want to do is apply lotion to my hands. So wierd--I never use hand lotion.

May 23--Back to work. I have an abdominal binder on also. Just in case. Only taking the antibiotic, arnica, bromelian. JP still in place. My crotch is angry because of the garment. Shoving any form of pad or cloth in there. I am over the crotch discomfort.

May 29--I am now starting to cry all the time. I am a weepy mess. This sucks. Drain is still putting out too much. My daughter calls it my 'blood tank.' She has also learned how to milk JP tubing. It won't be out anytime soon No shower yet. I did shave my pubes because I couldn't stand it--big mistake--the crotch is as angry as she has ever been.

June 5 (Post-op day 22)--I finally got my drain out! That hurt--that hurt a lot. I swear that drain was wrapped around my esophagus. I pull drains all the time. I was so glad I didn't even try to pull it myself. I might have died.

June11--Sweet, I have a seroma. The crying had stopped. But now I have a reason to cry. I have a puffy waterbed abdomen. Where is that valium? I have been religious about the garment and an abdominal binder on top of it 24/7. But, I am really active so that doesn't help.

June 12--Seroma tapped. Not much at all. Very minimal--20 ml pulled out. No pain. I am now on a diuretic and told to drink lots of water.

June13--That diuretic makes me pee like a racehorse. Crossing my fingers that the seroma doesn't return. We will see. My abdominal binder is on tight. I seriously may never wear underwear again. My crotch is so tortured. It is pissed. I am not shaving my pubes until this garment is gone--I am rocking the 70s bush. I want nothing near my whorah. My husband is very cool--he says I look amazing. My ass has been back to its normal size for quite some time but is starting to look flabby. Now all I do is order exercise DVDs from Amazon. I am dying to work out. I will post some pics when I download them off my camera. I am walking upright with no more hot poker pain in my back. Only taking the diuretic.