Mama Wants Her Body Back! -Riverside, CA

Thank you! :)

I’m not sure if you have had your preop yet or not. I had mine about two weeks before my surgery date. Narsel went over in detail what to expect before and after my procedures. I love her and she is super nice!! I was also given several prescriptions to have filled a couple of weeks before my surgery. Luckily, my insurance covered the majority of my prescriptions but do be prepared to pay for a couple of them. I was given Arnica & Bromelin, which were given to me in the office as well as Valium, Ambien, Keflex, Percocet, and Transderm Scop. All the medications were explained to me and how to use them. I rarely take medications other than vitamins and the occasional Advil/Tylenol. About three days before my surgery, I was contacted by the Surgical Center where my procedures were going to be done and was told I could take the Valium the morning before I left for the surgical center. I debated on whether to take 1 or 2 valium but opted to take 1 because it was explained to me that sometimes it’s harder to wake up after being put under when valium is taken beforehand. I was so super nervous and wish I had taken 2 just to relax me a little more before my procedures. I felt ok, but I just wish I had been more relaxed, if you know what I mean. I finished all of the Keflex (antibiotics) but weaned myself pretty quickly from the pain meds. Ashley, the P.A. that I did most of my follow-up visits with wrote me a prescription for Motrin 800 after about two weeks which I felt a lot better about taking. I never had to take the Ambien (to help me sleep). Also, to my surprise, Dr. Hardesty called me at home the evening prior to my surgery to give me reassurance and to explain everything that would be done the next morning. I was so thankful for this phone call because it proved to me that he truly cared!!! After I woke up from my surgery, I kind of felt like I was rushed out of the surgical center but my husband thinks it was because the nurse wanted me to get home so I could take the Percocet before the anesthesia and meds totally wore off. I get that now, but at the time, I didn’t really understand why they seemed so eager to “get rid of me” – lol! I had the pain pump, and when I got home I took only a half of the Percocet. I totally wish I had taken a whole one. I was just afraid of nausea, vomiting, and how I would react to strong pain meds because of my inexperience with them! I set an alarm on my phone so I could take pain meds every three hours. I would take a (whole) Percocet, three hours later I would take Motrin, like piggybacking acetaminophen and ibuprofen. (Dr. Hardesty will explain this to you too, I’m sure). I did this just so I constantly had pain medication in my system and I didn’t want to have to try and “catch” or “chase” the pain. I know this sounds strange, but this is what I did and it worked for me! The day after my procedure, which was on a Thursday, I went in for a checkup in the office. I had no idea how I would walk in there, but Narsel explained to me at my preop to call the desk and tell them I was in the parking lot and they would send a wheelchair down for me. I did have a reclining chair/small couch that I borrowed from a friend. It is very, very helpful to keep you in the laying with the feet elevated position, but I never was able to push the chair to upright to get up, obviously because of my tummy muscles. My kids and husband still had to help me up every time. My abdominal muscles are still a little sore and it has been five weeks. (Sneezing is still pretty uncomfortable), but obviously not as sore now and they have been getting progressively better. I have started moderate exercise again, too, which makes me really happy! I got up right away to walk around a little here and there but did tire out pretty easily. I wanted to mention to you, in my opinion, what a super big nuisance the drains are!!! I would say this is the worst part of the whole tummy tuck surgical experience! Three weeks is the max that the drains can be in. They drain the fluid/swelling that would otherwise be building up in your tummy so obviously you need them. You have to wait until they drain less than 25 cc in a 24 hour period before you can have them removed and then they only remove one at a time (meaning one per visit). I had two drains, one I had for two weeks and the other one I had for three full weeks, and even then, it was draining just about 25 cc in 24 hours! Try and look at pictures if you get a chance and look at tummy tuck surgical drains-they are actually stitched (ouch) to the outside of your skin and enter (about a foot or longer) into another part of your skin – way down there!! This makes getting dressed in anything other than a dress very difficult. And even then, it looks like you had something flapping underneath if you know what I mean. I got some strange looks while out in public. Life was better once I only had one drain and boy was it way better when I was drain-free!! I felt after I had the second drain removed, then I could actually recover and get around more freely. Also, one more thing I wanted to mention, sorry I keep rambling on and on! When I woke up from surgery I had a binder around my waist that has to be basically worn 24/7 besides washing it and while showering. I wish I had known to go get a couple of more of these (as well as sports bras) on my own so I had them on hand. The sports bras I got were from WalMart. They come in small, med, large, and I didn’t know what size to buy because I didn’t know exactly what size I would turn out. I would buy all sizes and then take back the other ones so you don’t have to make the trip out within a few days after surgery. I think of the one they give you postoperatively is as more of a temporary one. Also, from WalMart, I got a few compression garments-I am wearing one of them in one of my pictures. I wear these all the time, even now. I go back next week for my six week check and I think I can actually go back to an underwire bra and no compression garment, but I think I will continue to wear the compression garment, probably at least to sleep in still. It’s kind of hard to explain but I feel more secure in it and like I can move better and my abs hurt less, kind of hard to explain. At first when I got it, I could hardly breathe in it, but I’ve gotten used to it. Not to mention how difficult it was putting on the with the drains!! I got size small, which was very hard to put on at first, so I also got a medium, which was more comfortable because of all the swelling, but now I sleep in the medium and wear the small during the day. The brand is Maidenform, Sweet Nothings, I believe. Nothing expensive, like I said, I just picked them up from WalMart. I also have a Spanx brand one that I had from before that I wear occasionally too, and notice no difference in the cheaper and more expensive brands. Anyways, there are a few things I wish I had known beforehand! You must be super excited, your day is coming real soon! Please keep in touch, I would love to know how everything goes.

The binder you see in one of my pictures is from (believe it or not) Wal Mart! It is called Sweet Nothings by Maidenform. I bought several of these in different colors. I had also ordered some off the internet but I prefer to wear these. I believe they are about $12 or $13 each.

It has only been 9 days but I am very happy with Dr. Hardesty and his staff. I feel like I've been MIA not posting lately or uploading pictures, but the recovery is pretty difficult. TT scar is very low like I wanted it!! I am still walking hunched over and still have two drains in which are the most annoying part of this whole recovery in my opinion. I was hoping to get one of them out (they only take out one at a time) yesterday but they are still draining too much. I have another appointment scheduled Tuesday and I am praying they take one out!

I am actually doing GREAT! I am just not as disciplined with posting my status and pictures. My life is now pretty much back to "normal" so I've been busy with work, kids, life, etc-lol! I have had a great experience with Dr. Hardesty and his staff! I've had a few more follow-up appointments (almost weekly) than originally scheduled and expected because of my belly button not healing up as fast as my other incision sites. Some of my "absorbable" sutures haven't been absorbing-they actually started to come out of my belly button. At first I thought it was infected come to find out there was no infection, it was just that my skin started to "heal" over them. I think the problem is I have a deep belly button (Dr. Hardesty keeps our original belly button, unlike some other surgeons). Everything else is healing as expected and I am so, so, so happy with my results. My TT incision line is VERY low! I know, I need to post some pictures soon. Today is my 4 week mark and I do still have some swelling. I can't wait to start exercising again though, but I am listening to my body and taking some extra time. Just wish I could swim, but I'm sure this warm weather will be around for a while! Have you decided what procedures you are going to have done? Are you going to be posting some before pics as well?

Thank you so much for your reply. I was starting to get worried because there are two of you that just had surgery with dr hardesty and I was anxious too hear that you are doing well. So thank you, you put my mind at ease. I am glad you are doing so good! I just added a review and my pictures but they said it would take a day to post. Take care and happy healing :)

Im finally posting some recent pictures

Thank you! Hoping to get some rest this evening! I am exhausted trying to get everything in order last minute!