Tummy Tuck: Stories

Please read part 1 of my Tummy Tuck journey, by clicking here.

 

Updated on 19 Sep 2012:
I woke up this morning waiting to feel my throat hurting, my chest tight with congestion and for my nose to be clogged up..............yet I woke up feeling pretty dang awesome! And sexy! And guess who gets to benefit from this feeling since I don't have a husband/boyfriend/booty call/maintenance man/suga daddy to take this feeling out on? You do my realself lovelies! So just for you I grabbed my Nikon buddy and two whorish outfits and got to snapping. Now you will notice 3 things in these pics.

1. I am ashy (Hey I am tired, it's early and only God can judge me)

2. You can see marks from my compression garment indented into my tummy and booty!

3. My swelling has gone down a lot from my pics from last week!

So these are my 19 day post opt results! I LOVE IT! I don't know about you but I can't wait to hit the gym! Oh it's going to be on. Hide your son's ladies (18 and over) because Cherry is back in action!

Well I gotta go look at my butt in the mirror some more!

Til later my beautiful barbie's!

 

Updated on 19 Sep 2012:
WHEW! I just came from the mall where I bought........makeup! Yep who in the whole, wide, world of sports gets a TT and goes to the mall and only buys makeup? ME!

OK WELL THIS IS WEIRD! I now have two profiles! Part 1 of my journey and Part 2! Well it's actually kind of cool now that I stop and ponder on it....I am like the Kill Bill series or something like that.

The Tummy Tuck Chronicles Volume 1 and Volume 2! Suspense, excitement, humor, pain, glory and oh yes there will be blood!

So if you are a first timer to my profile please read part 1 first! If you are early post opt I apologize in advance.....you'll understand :)

So now that I am up and running again lets get this party going shall we! Well mother nature is in the house and I will say this. To me this tummy tuck was a piece of cake.........call me Zena Warrior Princess but cramps............yeah I ain't the one! If I make it to heaven I am going to find Eve and walk her like a dog on a short leash! Lord forgive me but this curse you put upon us is the real deal! But I am glad to be going through this at 3 weeks post opt versus 1 week post opt.

3 WEEKS! I am three weeks post opt. What an accomplishment! And what a reason to celebrate. I am so very truly happy with the results that I have so far. I have been extremely blessed to have had such an easy and comfortable recovery. My journey is far from over and I can only hope that things continue to proceed as they have been. And with that said, to all my sugar plums out there PLEASE do not base your recovery off of mine. I have been fortunate and aside from that I am also somewhat psychotic in that I can handle huge amounts of pain (except cramps) and I could still run into complications although I pray for different. Always seek true sound advice from your Doctor and take this to heart, he/she is the expert. I am just a girl, with a kid... a cat... and a laptop that finally had a TT and found away to make my recovery joyous and humor filled. So with that said I am going to pop a Valium........I meant a Motrin for these false labor pains and hopefully take a nap!

Have a uplifted and positive day my friends even if today seems rough there is always tomorrow and with each passing day you will be a better you!

LOVE YA!

One thing I have noticed about people that are aware that I had a TT is that they seem afraid to look at my stomach. They stare directly into my eyes the entire time we hold a conversation like they are terrified to try and check out my results. It's creepy, weird, awkward and strange as hell. Like when you run into your ex and he tries to introduce you to his new knocked up girlfriend. I don't know what to say to these people. Has anyone else experienced this? Well if you have it's creepy..........and if you haven't it's still pretty freaking creepy. At least for me it is. LOL!

Oh by the way! If you are new please read Part 1 of my tummy tuck journey by using the following link or by clicking on the link located beneath my picture gallery.

http://www.realself.com/review/rockville-md-tummy-tuck-scheduled-for-31-aug-exctied-and-nervous

Love ya all!

Hugs and kisses, drains and stitches!

Well hello swell hell.......we meet again! 23 days post opt and I am swollen like I lick salt as a career! However I have no pain, just the occasional bloated feeling that makes me hunch back over like a lil old lady. I still have some tenderness in my lipo areas and my tummy is still somewhat numb in some areas but overall nothing of major concern! I can tell that my swelling is changing it's direction and moving further down and my incision is starting to get hard....all normal. But with all the changes the one thing that is not changing is my reaction when I see myself in a mirror. I LOVE it. I think my TT is the best work Dr. Tattelbaum has ever done in his life. I swear that man put his entire heart and soul into my procedure! He is a truly skilled surgeon and I was extremely blessed to have found him.

Team Tattelbaum raise your lighters!

Now in other news I have lock jaw and It's a good thing I am single because I tried to eat a banana earlier today.....

MOMENT OF SILENCE

Poor banana he meet a terrible fate.

So I am back to eating soup, apple sauce and drinking protein shakes. Booooooooooo! Two thumbs down to this. So enough about me....how is your day going pumpkin?

OK my sweetie's! I have been off the scene for awhile spending time with my family and getting ready to return to work in the A.M. I have been on leave for an entire month and I am praying that I don't swell up to bad tomorrow in my uniform while walking around in high heels. Come to think of it my feet hurt already just thinking about it. And now that I have reread that last sentence maybe I should clarify that I am not a stripper ! LOL!

So let me see what do I need to catch the crew back up on. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm OK

I had my 4th follow up appt this past Thursday and everything looked great, no issues, no problems so now I go to once a month appt's. Now I can't speak for anyone else but whenever my PS touches my stomach I start hyperventilating. Because well I don't even touch my stomach and I am in constant fear that I am going to get hit in it so my check up freaks me out.This last appt I put my back against a wall so that I couldn't get away from him and if anyone could hear outside the door it probably sounded like we were beating the crap out of each other. My lipo area's are soar and the ends of my incision are tender so whenever he has to check me I go into labor. But he is so sweet and kind and he is as gentle as he can be but it just feels weird when he has to press on me. (shivers)

I got cleared to do light workout's without any ab work so I am thinking of taking a slow walk here in a few but then again it's chilly so a nice walk on the treadmill would probably work also! Because I don't know if I am just paranoid but I think I am gaining weight from just sitting around eating all day OR I could just be getting use to how I look now either way I feel chunky but a good chunky. A sexy chunky! OH OH! I went to a retirement ceremony after my follow up appt and I wore a pencil skirt! HOTNESS! SIZZLE! SHUT IT DOOOOOWWWNNN! I really do look great now and yesterday I tried on a gown that I wore to a ball in 2001 and it fit except my boobs are bigger because I had just finished breastfeeding the greediest baby ever born onto earth at that time and the girls have filled back out since then. But my butt really is smaller. It really is! WHY? WHY HAS THOU BOOTY VANISHED? Will it come back one day? :( If you are reading this I miss you booty. Please come back soon.

So to the lord's of cosmetic surgery I will trade you swelling in exchange for my butt back and I want it bigger than it was before I want for girls to see me and say "oh my God Becky look at her butt"! But oh well beggars can't be choosy but they can pout.........so there! :)~

Tomorrow the 31st of Sept will be one month post opt for me and I am sleeping on my tummy again! Ahhhhhh it feels great! Maybe my booty will catch me sleeping with my rear end up and reattach it's self!

LOL! I'm on a roll! And with that I have to run along and get things together for work in the morning! Wish me luck sweethearts!

KISSES!

Today was my first doing the deeds that pays the bills after being on leave for an entire month! It was so uneventful and to be honest I did fine. Now did I swell......you beat your sweet candy canes I did! I was so swollen that I actually felt bigger than I did before surgery and that is INSANE! I kept looking at myself in the mirror in the ladies room until I just couldn't take it anymore. But I will admit that my blue's uniform is not the most flattering uniform (my fellow military/vet sister's know what I mean) so expecting to look all diva'ish in a uniform that wasn't meant for hotness was my first mistake. And my second mistake was drinking water because I had no idea what was in store just to take a tinkle. Now I wore my asset's compression garment which meant that in order for me to go potty I had to

1. Pull down my stockings
2. Pull down my vickie's secret
3. Pull down my CG
4. Take off my skirt
5. Tinkle
6. Wipe
7. Then pull all that crap back up while swollen!

I am thinking of investing in some of those astronaut pampers! At least tomorrow I will be in my ABU uniform and boots which should make things easier.....hopefully!

I am also just coming back from a walk. I did a slow stroll twice around the neighborhood and was going to do one more loop but it started to rain and me no like rain! Now I am sitting here watching my son eat pizza, cheese sticks and chocolate chip cookies.......I want some so bad I am tempted to throw the cat at him but I feel like I gained weight the last 2 weeks when I was just laying around all day barely moving while watching every season of "The West Wing" so I am restraining. I will have some nice low sodium soup instead because we all know that soup is much tastier and fulfilling than pizza. And if you don't believe this to be true just nod your head in agreement anyway for the sake of my sanity!

You are all to sweet!

AND WHO DROPS THEIR PHONE INTO A BOWL OF SOUP! CHERRYBABI! Yeah that's how I roll!

Ladies.........I am sitting here watching "Say Yes to the Dress"....... and answer this for me. Why do these women allow family and friends to bully them and have so much influence in a decision that is so personal and intimate. Do they not know what is best for them, or what makes them happy? Are we as women really that much of a push over when it comes to the opinions and judgment of others? Is this why so many of us are afraid to tell people that we are thinking of having a TT or that we are actually going through with the procedure? OK a wedding gown.......sometimes parents or grandparents may be footing the bill and thus feel that they are judge and jury however your body is your own and you and you alone should have final say so in your decision to have a TT, implants, nose job or acrylic nails on your big toes! IT'S UP TO YOU and no one else. Yes judgment and non support hurts especially when it comes from husband's, parents, siblings, dear friends...pretty much people that you expect to support you by default due to their bond with you. But don't be discouraged! Stay uplifted and understand why this decision is important to you? Is it a wedding gown....no but you deserve to feel and look like you are ready to walk down the aisle every time you glance in the mirror. So do you boo boo! :)

Now I will take the time to apologize for being M.I.A. being back at work means that life is back on track and back to normal which means I am back to wearing many hats.......ugly hats at that! But I feel great and I look great! I have had several individuals ask me....How was your leave.....my response? LIFE CHANGING? LOL! And that is true my life has changed. 2012 has been a very meaningful year to me, I will honestly say that this is the best year I have ever had in my life. I have grown in many area's and healed in others and my TT was the final step that I took to reclaim me! Who knew that physical pain could be so fulfilling and could mean so much to me emotionally, mentally and personally?

Ok now on to the current TT stats! I am 5 WEEKS POST OPT! Back to work full time, doing light workouts, and making it do what it do baby! I get email's from a lot of people asking how I am feeling and I am honestly fine! I have no discomfort, I do have swelling and my incision is still soar but I don't feel it until I am rubbing in my cocoa butter which smells divine by the way. I almost want to eat it on toast. LOL! I feel like my normal self for the most part, I do not feel tired or wore out, I am no longer walking bent over, but I can feel my MR when I sneeze or when I bend over to lace up my boots or shave my legs. It doesn't hurt at all the only thing I can think of to describe it is when you were pregnant and starting to get big and it's difficult to bend over? Not painful but hard to reach. And I can still feel where I bloat up a little more when my compression garment is off versus when it is on but overall I am beautiful and healing wonderfully! I need to post some updated pics but I have been so lazy lately so please forgive me! But I will try to make great things happen this weekend in terms of pics!

Now I must run, there is a fiance on "Say Yes to the Dress" that is being a major "male sexually organ"and I am waiting to see Randy and Lori but that arse in check!

Toodles!

It is 8.00 in the morning and I am awake? Why? I got my flu mist on Thursday and it always make me feel all icky and sickly so I didn't rest well last night. So since I have nothing major planned at 8:00 in the morning I guess I will check in. I am sure many of you are reading this while feeling like you had a blind date with Jack the Ripper last night. Never fear all gets better with time. Has anyone hit the wall yet? That big huge concrete wall made of doubt, depression, back pain, constipation, loneliness, self pity, regret, fear of coughing, cabin fever, helplessness, swelling, bruising, gas and Percocet .....all wrapped up in a tight ass compression garment with a drain dangling from it? Yeah that big looming wall! And yes even I with my humor and high tolerance for pain embraced the suck when I was 6 days post opt and well it SUCKED! I will even admit that on day 6 I looked at myself in the mirror and wanted my old tummy back. Then alas the sun rose on the 7th day and I realized that I was high the day before. It's the drugs ladies. Ever heard the song "My Minds Playing Tricks on Me" by the Ghetto Boys? Percocet is a hell of a drug and it induces thoughts and feeling's that are not true. So let's cover a few things!

Your hot! Your husband thinks so, your boyfriend thinks so, your finance thinks so, if you have a girlfriend she thinks so also. Your friends think so, your mom thinks so...that is why every time you take off your CG they all gasp not because you look like you just got shanked in a prison cafeteria but because your results are night and day! And if you have a significant other this is also why they keep trying to touch your butt and kiss your neck when they are suppose to be helping you take a bath. Really.... how many of you have had that special someone already whisper perverted things in your ear even though you feel like you just got ran over ran by a bull dozer? Show of hands........I rest my case your honor!

Trouble don't last always! You will walk straight again, you will wipe your own butt again, you will laugh again, you will have sex again (this is more for me than you) you will cook dinner again, you will pick up your baby again, you will go hiking again, you will drive again, you will be YOU again! When will you regain all your strength and no longer feel like a zombie? Everyone is different and each of our journey's to recovery is unique and personal! So in the mean time PLEASE don't compare your recovery to the next woman with a really cleaver user name. Relax, heal, accept the crazy and for sake of all that is sacred put the cocoa butter and mederma back on the bathroom counter until your PS gives you the green light to start scar therapy! Yes I see you......now slowly put it down! Back away! Now go back to the recliner, yes I know it hurts, don't cry sweetie.... now light's out pumpkin!

I will be here when you awake!

All my love! MUAH!

When is realself going to fix the problem's with the comment's sections? My stuff is all over the place, I can't keep up with who commented on what or who is who. I'm not very smart to begin with so please realself don't make life harder for me than it already is! LOL!

Thank God for government employment which means I get another day off from work to chill out and do nothing but look at my swelling in the mirror (big sigh) life is wonderful! So who can remember after giving birth how you would occasionally still be haunted by the feeling of being kicked or the baby moving? Well this phenomena is called "phantom kicks" and why am I having them? I dunno? It could be my nerves waking back up or I could just have gas but this recovery has been awfully familiar to when I had pooh bear. Since having my surgery I have produced colostrum (don't ask), developed a camel toe that would make a porn star blush, been low on energy, obsessed with my tummy, paid a care credit payment that is equal to daycare, felt twists and turns that I shouldn't be feeling and awoke many times during the night to baby myself. YIKES! But I have graduated from the couch back to my bed and it feels absolutely foreign.....and arkward like the first time you try to doze off while laying beside a new lover.....while sober! However I have more room and I am back to my active and violent sleeping pattern and yes this includes sleeping on my new tummy with one of my legs pulled up while hugging a luke warm pillow. PURE UTOPIA! (rings bell) UMMMMMMMMMMMMM! This is the only moment that I sleep peacefully but the second I roll over you would think bee's were trapped under my comforter from the way I fight my bed covers! LOL! Sooooo off I go now to battle me some of them dang bee's!

Goodnight my sweet honeycombs!

Why is my vagina swollen after my tummy tuck?

EXPLANATION

As I type this out I am currently experiencing the camel toe from hell! Every time I look at it appears to be angry and ready to attack someone which is not only annoying but 0 sexy ! Now is this normal after a TT? Well yes it is! And as the weeks go by your swelling will being to move down and your incision will become hard and puffy. Nerves will begin to wake back up and all kinds of good stuff....now what does this have to do with your island of joy? I will explain it like this....

Imagine buying a cozy, comfortable and quaint little cottage. It has a nice patch of grass that you take pride in mowing and you are constantly cleaning and making sure things are in order. And occasionally company comes over for quick visits or long nights of partying. But overall you are proud of your cottage and you take great pride in it.

Then one day the state decides to add a commuter train to the transportation options and according to the blueprints the tracks for this commuter train will run directly adjacent to your cottage? Once completed you are suddenly forced to deal with non stop noise, rumbling, irritation and madness. All things that you are not familiar with and want to go away!

The cottage = your most private area
The train tracks = your tummy tuck incision

We all want for our incision to be as low as possible which means that it will run directly across our private area which means this area will experience swelling and shooting pains by default. It comes with the territory but never fear you have not been compromised and this to shall pass. Just as your swelling from your TT will begin to decrease over time so will all the additional swelling in other areas. So having a swollen private area is normal but if you feel that something is indeed wrong you should contact your Dr. ASAP. But for the rest of us swelling is part of the checklist....so carry on people there is nothing to see here!

What is the deal with realself lately? I no longer get email notifications when I get comments or emails.... and now my realself inbox no longer exist? What in the heck? When they start doing that?

Heeeeeyyyyy girls? I am now 6 weeks post opt and yes I am still swollen. GRRRRRRRRR! But I am looking and feeling wonderful even with the swelling and to show you my progress here are some brand spanking new pics of yours truly! TA DA..... as you wish Rockinmom! You will notice that I still have some stretch marks but that is OK! Stretch marks are like a road map to the good stuff! So why we are worried about them men are thinking "she's letting me see the stretch marks.....I'M IN THERE!" LOL! I hope everyone is feeling good and healing well! For those that are set to blast off this upcoming week (MrsPsychoman) know that nerves are normal and that we all love you! :)

So why did my ex boyfriend from year's past suddenly decide that he and I should get back together? CHILD BOO! I need for him to log into www.bypassmewithyourbullshit.com and write his feelings there! I have come a mighty, mighty long way and I have no time to try and change the past or to change him. Inner change is a personal journey and something that one has to decide to do on their own and I learned a long time ago that allowing his trifling ass to jump up and down on me is not going to change him so with that ladies. CHANGE is good! CHANGE is wondeful so let this change be about you and no one else. Find your inner happiness to go along with your new hot body and hold your beautiful face up high!

Muah!

I make tonight's post in an effort to put my feelings about this past weekend out in the open! And YES you read the title correctly and let me just say that this past Saturday night was a great reminder as to why I don't drink.....seriously it's true I dislike wine/beer/whisky/moonshine/drano you name it. So if you were wondering I have actually been posting on realself 100% sober! But anywho back to the story soooooo I have a friend that will soon be leaving for a two year assignment oversees so in a last hoorah my wonderful entourage decides to go and behold the sight of male exotic dancers as a way to tell her goodbye.... we will miss you. Now because I don't drink I of course become the DD by default. I don't mind being the DD but I do mind babysitting all night. Being a non drinker means that I always spend girls night out, watching drinks, watching purses, watching coats and watching my friends to make sure they don't wake up in the morning in a tub of ice....missing a kidney! Now understand I am not a virgin to male exotic dancers however I have never gained the attention of a dancer unless I had a dollar bill between my teeth but this past Saturday night/Sunday morning I gained the admiration of two seperate baby oiled strippers! And due to be being sober I remember each encounter in great detail and these men were seriously attracted to me! Flattering.......ummmmmm sure but I don't know how I feel about this. And did I mention that the last guy happens to be an extremely popular dancer and I happen to greatly admire his work ethic? This dang tummy tuck is going to get me in trouble. Not because I am going to smash some strange stripper but because it's bringing UNWANTED attention! Damn you Dr. Tattalbaum for being so good at what you do. (BIG SIGH)! So beware ladies tummy tucks come with many side effects like back pain, constipation and unknown to me..... Magic Mike!

Hello ladies, sorry that I don't post as much as I use to but trust me when I say that I miss all of you and would much rather chum it up here all day versus going to work. However my bills must be paid somehow so to work I must go. I hope everyone is feeling well and healing beautifully. Things for me have been uneventful in terms of my recovery and uneventful is fine with me! Now I will say that things have been somewhat different due to me being so open with the fact that I had a TT... many people are aware and because of this I have been on the receiving end of many colorful comments. Such as.

DRUM ROLL PLEASE

"You know just because you had that surgery you still have to workout and stuff"

......REALLY! You mean there's no magic surgery that will completely eliminate the need to eat healthy and work out. DANG IT! I'm calling my lawyer right now! This is ridiculous!

"WOW I didn't even know you were THAT fat"

........Hell neither did I? LOL!

"You are so beautiful.....NOW"

......Was I really that ugly before? Besides I had a tummy tuck not a face lift.......my face is the same? LOL!

"You know all that fat can come back"

.......What is with the fat obsession? I needed to remove a massive amount of skin and repair my muscle's and if my stretched, saggy skin does come back...for no reason... something is wrong.

So I have been on my own campaign lately educating the masses concerning my procedure. We as TT alumni need a voice to silence the big misconceptions behind our choice to have surgery because it seems that the popular belief is that a TT is for lazy people that don't want to work out who also happen to be fat and are looking for an easy way out. An easy way out indeed because paying for, going through recovery and maintaining my results is so much easier than just going for a walk and putting down the Cheetos's! But I digress and sum it up to naiveness rather than judgement because I am nice like that. So vote for Cherry as I attempt to pound knowledge into the thick skulls of the nay sayer's. But on the flip side I have had many positive encounters as well and I was actually shocked at how many co workers have pulled me into the ladies room to admit that they want a TT, breast reduction, breast lift, breast augmentation, nose job, brow lift, botox, teeth whitening and on and on! I am like the Yoda of cosmetic surgery at my job? And I have given out Dr. Tattelbaum's number more in the past 4 weeks than I have given out my own number in the past decade! But just out of curiosity has anyone else received any strange comments? Or do these sort of shenanigans only happen to me?

Hey Diva's!
First I would like to say welcome to all the new realself hotties that have been joining lately. Each time I visit the TT reviews section I see so many new beautiful women with wonderful stories to tell. I try to reach out to as many as possible but because I no longer receive email notifications when someone responds to my comments it is hard to keep up so I apologize if it seems that I have left anyone hanging. I hope you are all doing well and I enjoy reading your progress in the moments that I am able to check in. Keep your heads high and keep taking those meds....it WILL be worth it in the end darling.

Well today was my 8 week post opt appointment and everything is healing wonderfully. My belly button looks great and my incision is moving along. My swelling has gone down dramatically this past week and I am starting to see where my figure is coming out. My long lost rump made a guest appearance last week and decided to hang around and my flanks are starting to smooth out and turn inward giving me a very sexy hour glass shape. My upper abs are starting to relax some which to be honest I really like! Why....well I think it looks more natural and becoming. I am still flat but not comic book vixen flat. My results are indeed attractive but I will never look like some horny nerd drew me....no offense to horny nerds!

Now Dr. Tattelbaum does have some very slight concern with my incision and how it is healing over my kitty. It is sort of thick in that one area from tension but he feels no reason to begin steroid injections or anything just yet. Overall he is stressing my results more than I am! LOL! I explained to him that I am truly happy with my results and even with the slight thickening of my incision in one spot I have to say that compared to how I looked before I would pose for Playboy tomorrow if the opportunity presented it's self....swelling/incision and all would be front and center with no shame! LOL! Today I was able to honestly thank him and bestow upon him praise and compliments. But if you know Dr. Tattelbaum he is extremely humble although he has some major bragging rights but he always remains the most down to earth and personable individual I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. "IF" I ever get married I swear I want for Dr. Tattelbaum to walk me down the aisle and may I mention that my father is still living and I happen to ADORE him but if I had to choose one over the other...... at this point....... I would lock my father in a broom closet. LOL! Shhhhhhhhh don't tell my daddy that I said that.

Now my blood pressure was through the roof which naturally made me feel like I was going to pass out so I came home early from work to rest. I walked into the house took off my boots and was headed to the kitchen for some water when my cell phone rang but by the time I could pick up the call had dropped. I check and it was my darling teenage son...........you all know him as pooh bear. So I call pooh back and the conversation went like this.

Me: Hey babe what's wrong?
Pooh: Nothing.. sorry I dialed you by mistake
Me: No biggie, hey where are you?
Pooh: I am getting ready to leave the house right now to go hang out at _______ house
Me: Your home?
Pooh: Yeah!
Me: Your home right now?
Pooh: Yeah!
Me: I'M HOME RIGHT NOW! YOU JUST LIED TO ME! BRING YOUR BUTT HOME..NOOOOWWWW.

MY BLOOD PRESSURE WAS ALREADY HIGH! Grrrrrrrrr I am so not ready for these teenage years! But I must adapt because there is no way I am going to prison with my new body especially since I am so beautiful.....NOW! LOL!

I don't always confiscate my child's possessions but when I do I wear sexy clothes. Stay thristy my friends!

Hello loves! I am 20 minutes from taken my pt test. And I am extremely nervous. It is waist circumference only but I have so much swelling still :(

Oh yeah today I am 10 weeks post opt! And I am soooooooooo happy! :) still no issues or problems just this swelling. So take it from me. When your doc says that swelling will persist for months it's the truth. Lol!

Guess who's back? Cherrybabi! Hello my loves. I checked in real quick yesterday because I was super nervous over my Air Force Fitness test....but I passed! YAY! I am so happy! So because I am post opt I was exempt from running, pushup's and crunches so I was only tested based on my waist circumference and yes I was nervous. I am 10 weeks post opt but I am still swollen AND I have always feared the waist taping portion of the fitness test. Even when I would watch my diet, run like a criminal and try every trick in the book I would still be a 35 inch which takes points away from my overall score. I would even go to drastic measures to get my waist down.....working out with a garbage bag duck taped around my waist and I once smeared Preparation H all over my entire waist and had my son wrap me in siren wrap because it's a trick that is suppose to shrink the waist.....it's didn't work and I smelled like nursing home for an entire day. LOL! But what would make me so freaking angry was that it WASN'T fat.....it was all the excess saggy skin that created flesh folds which in turn added to my measurement. (BIG DEPRESSING SIGH) But not anymore...I knew I had swelling but I had been consistently measuring myself at a 32 inch and sure enough the test facilitator got me at a 32....so bye bye fitness test see you in 6 months! I am down 3 inches...and that is with SWELLING! Now I have a short stocky waist so I will never be anything below a 30 but that's fine with me.

Now did I mention that my PS cleared me to being light ab work at my last follow up? But then he added that I needed to start slow and that I would hate him. I laughed....and he said NO REALLY YOU ARE GOING TO HATE ME! I said no big deal.......do you know who you are talking to? I gave birth without an epidural dude! So I started my hard core workout again the very next day......but when I got on the floor and attempted to do one crunch I COULD NOT lift myself up. My core was just not responding to me when I tried to lift. And the pain...........it was like muscle repair all over again and my upper stomach swoll up for 3 days! Dr. Tattelbaum was correct I DID hate him, I even went to his website and cursed his picture out and that is a huge feat for me because I love everybody! So I have decided to wait awhile longer before doing ab work......oh just thinking about it is giving me the hibbie jibbies! aaaaaahhhh!

Now the one thing I was found myself looking forward to when I was pre opt was being able to fit my jeans and to be able to wear them without them embarrassing me. See my rear end sits up on my shoulders... I have a high jacked ass which is something I inherited from my daddy's side of the family. (Break for quick funny story)

My ex boyfriend wore contacts/glasses but he hated how he looked in his glasses so even if he couldn't get his contacts in he would rather pat the floor like Velma on Scobby Doo than wear his glasses. So one morning I went to the gym not realizing he was there. I went upstairs and began my run and on my second lap to my surprise he feel in beside me and began pacing me. I said "hey I didn't know you were here" and he said "yeah I just saw too"...all the while he was squinting. I said "you don't have in your contacts do you" and he said "no" and I said "so how did your blind self know it was me up here" his reply "I don't know of anyone else that has an ass like yours".............dead! So even a blind man knew me from the shape of my rear end!

So whenever I use to wear jeans because of my high jacked ass and my tummy the two made a deadly combo that when working together would miraculously unzip my jeans. Yep.... so I have had many, many embarrassing moments in my life but not anymore due to flashing random strangers but now because my tummy is so flat my jeans that use to accommodate the deadly combo now just fall completely down.

I QUIT!

I can never win! LOL! I hope to get some new pics for you all but I over did it last night in the kitchen so that want be happening today. I hope you are all healing well and enjoying your new bodies even if it's wrapped up in a compression garment. I have to run to the mall now to find some jeans for girls nights out so stay sweet my ladies......and gentlemen ;)

Kisses!

Guess who's back? Cherrybabi! Hello my loves. I checked in real quick yesterday because I was super nervous over my Air Force Fitness test....but I passed! YAY! I am so happy! So because I am post opt I was exempt from running, pushup's and crunches so I was only tested based on my waist circumference and yes I was nervous. I am 10 weeks post opt but I am still swollen AND I have always feared the waist taping portion of the fitness test. Even when I would watch my diet, run like a criminal and try every trick in the book I would still be a 35 inch which takes points away from my overall score. I would even go to drastic measures to get my waist down.....working out with a garbage bag duck taped around my waist and I once smeared Preparation H all over my entire waist and had my son wrap me in siren wrap because it's a trick that is suppose to shrink the waist.....it's didn't work and I smelled like nursing home for an entire day. LOL! But what would make me so freaking angry was that it WASN'T fat.....it was all the excess saggy skin that created flesh folds which in turn added to my measurement. (BIG DEPRESSING SIGH) But not anymore...I knew I had swelling but I had been consistently measuring myself at a 32 inch and sure enough the test facilitator got me at a 32....so bye bye fitness test see you in 6 months! I am down 3 inches...and that is with SWELLING! Now I have a short stocky waist so I will never be anything below a 30 but that's fine with me.

Now did I mention that my PS cleared me to being light ab work at my last follow up? But then he added that I needed to start slow and that I would hate him. I laughed....and he said NO REALLY YOU ARE GOING TO HATE ME! I said no big deal.......do you know who you are talking to? I gave birth without an epidural dude! So I started my hard core workout again the very next day......but when I got on the floor and attempted to do one crunch I COULD NOT lift myself up. My core was just not responding to me when I tried to lift. And the pain...........it was like muscle repair all over again and my upper stomach swoll up for 3 days! Dr. Tattelbaum was correct I DID hate him, I even went to his website and cursed his picture out and that is a huge feat for me because I love everybody! So I have decided to wait awhile longer before doing ab work......oh just thinking about it is giving me the hibbie jibbies! aaaaaahhhh!

Now the one thing I was found myself looking forward to when I was pre opt was being able to fit my jeans and to be able to wear them without them embarrassing me. See my rear end sits up on my shoulders... I have a high jacked ass which is something I inherited from my daddy's side of the family. (Break for quick funny story)

My ex boyfriend wore contacts/glasses but he hated how he looked in his glasses so even if he couldn't get his contacts in he would rather pat the floor like Velma on Scobby Doo than wear his glasses. So one morning I went to the gym not realizing he was there. I went upstairs and began my run and on my second lap to my surprise he feel in beside me and began pacing me. I said "hey I didn't know you were here" and he said "yeah I just saw too"...all the while he was squinting. I said "you don't have in your contacts do you" and he said "no" and I said "so how did your blind self know it was me up here" his reply "I don't know of anyone else that has an ass like yours".............dead! So even a blind man knew me from the shape of my rear end!

So whenever I use to wear jeans because of my high jacked ass and my tummy the two made a deadly combo that when working together would miraculously unzip my jeans. Yep.... so I have had many, many embarrassing moments in my life but not anymore due to flashing random strangers but now because my tummy is so flat my jeans that use to accommodate the deadly combo now just fall completely down.

I QUIT!

I can never win! LOL! I hope to get some new pics for you all but I over did it last night in the kitchen so that want be happening today. I hope you are all healing well and enjoying your new bodies even if it's wrapped up in a compression garment. I have to run to the mall now to find some jeans for girls nights out so stay sweet my ladies......and gentlemen ;)

Kisses!

I have to be the absolute worst realself buddy in the history of realself! I have been extremely busy lately and therefore I have been neglecting this page. Sorry my loves. But if you are wondering how I am doing I am wonderful! I have been studying for my next rank and staying busy with my son who is entering his teenage years in rare form............internet porn...........if you are going to be sneaky remember to delete your browser history! But anyways....onto the TT stats! I am...oh wow let me count.....14 weeks post opt? REALLY? Has it been that long? OK! I'm fine with that. 14 weeks it is then. Well I am still suffering from swelling which is NORMAL. I don't know what I am going to do when I no longer have swelling. I have made peace with it now... it's like living next to an airport you just get use to it! The one thing I am not use to is the fact that I can't feel my upper abs. This area is still numb which I need to STOP because without me having any feeling I am stiff as hell when I try to dance. I was cleaning the house recently when "Poison" by Bell, Biv, Devoe came on the radio and I started busting out some serious dance moves. However my torso was about as responsive as drywall. And then I swoll up....WTH? Does anyone else feel that they can't move the same when dancing or doing other activities that require sexy body movements (ahem)! Now onto my scar this bastard is starting to wake up and holy itching batman! I swear to you the other day at work I used a pencil to dig into my uniform fabric to scratch my scar and let me confess it felt freaking wonderful! Now if you have ever worn or seen a military uniform the fabric is thick and coarse so I have also developed a liking for corners. I lean against them and rub my hips back forth....think of how a cat rubs back and forth against things and that's pretty much me! Professional? Not really but it's a lot better then digging down my pants in the hallway. I also have these stinging pains that hit me every now and then from my nerves waking back up . It's not crazy painful but I am aware of it when it happens. Nothing scary and it only last a few seconds. Sometimes it happens a few times a day then sometimes I go days without anything but it's all apart of the recovery!

Now due to it being the holiday season everyone and their kid wants to feed/sell me something. Girl Scout cookies, Boy Scout popcorn, peanut butter cookies, homemade mac n cheese. Food is everywhere and I feel like R. Kelly

My mind's telling me no!
But my body! My body is telling me yeeeesssss!

And I have been trying really hard to be good, I swear I have but I always find myself somewhere eating large amounts of tasty food that some idiot offered me without realizing that they were waking up the hulk. And hulk smashes! LOL! Fortunately I'm not a big green man but I am big! I have gained weight over this past month but for the first time ever I am thicker... but it looks OK because I don't have the monster tummy jiggling and hanging over my pants! But I could do without the chipmunk cheeks. So there you have it. My 14 week update! I hate to run but it's 10:00 and I still have tons to do before bed.

Smoochies!

Heeeeeyyyy sexy ladies! OK so I am 20 weeks post opt which I keep counting over and over again because it seems like it's been longer than that. But I keep coming up with the same number so 20 weeks it is! And just to let you all know I am doing FABULOUS! And just so you get the picture imagine Demi Moore's body from strip tease with the face of Beyonce.....can you picture it? Well I don't look anything like that but I'm still happy as hell! LOL! I feel so beautiful and so extremely confident who knew life could be like this? Who knew that when I was doubting and debating for years that I was really holding myself back from the truly joyful life that I deserved! I always thought that I understood what it meant to love thy self but my new body has taught me how to love me UNCONDITOANALLY! So YES this is still the best decision EVER and YES I would do it all over again!

Now onto the stats because I know you all want to know! Cherry? Are you still swelling?

HELL YEAH! But nowhere near as bad as I once did! As I have shared with some of you already 16 weeks was the beast of my swelling! I woke up that morning looking like the Stay Puff Marshmallow man and it just so happens that 16 weeks was smack dab in the middle of all my holiday parties! YIKES! But I pulled it off by wearing black and I got rave reviews. Now on the day of my division holiday party I felt extremely swollen and was sort of feeling fat but I sucked it up and noted that 4 months ago I would have avoided attending altogether due to looking like a bag of ass in all my clothes! However things went great but I eventually snuck off to the ladies room because while I was trying to open a packet of ketchup I accidently ended up squirting myself in the eye (I have a long history of doing stupid stuff) and while I was wiping off my face another young lady came in and leaned against the counter and it was obvious she was having some discomfort so I asked if she was OK and she looked at me and said "my back hurts, I just had a tummy tuck two weeks ago and I think I'm overdoing it"......NO LIE! This poor doll has had no support other than her mother and she had no idea that sites like Realself even existed and she and I ended up staying in the ladies room for almost an hour talking! And because of all your stories and shared knowledge I was able to give her a lot of advice and comfort. So even when you are feeling your lowest you can still be someone else's inspiration! So for all of you that are drugged up, fed up, and bent over it's all going to be OK! It may not seem like it now but it will be! TRUST ME! I wouldn't lie to you and I promise that you will walk like a human again, you will be able to cough without cursing, and you will be able to lift yourself up off the couch without needing help from your husband, mom, 3 year old and the dog! And most importantly you will be able to shower again, and no you don't smell as bad as you think! And if you are considering and researching and want my opinion.......my ONLY regret is not doing it sooner. And my one bit of advice is to find a doctor that makes you feel comfortable, has great communication and is honest with you. And with that I must run, we are suppose to get snow and I need to run to the store to get "bread and milk "because apparently that's what you need in a snow storm? I have never understood that but it's true. One mention of snow and the only thing left on the shelves is a packet of wheat bagles and strawberry milk?

DUECES!

OK so here are my latest pictures at 20 weeks 3 days. I was inspired to post by two other lovely ladies that also happen to be from Team Tattelbaum....they blew me away with their recent results! I hate to say it but I want lipo in my back and I am holding weight in my midsection as usual. I think it's only a matter of time before I go back to Dr. Tattelbaum for a lipo party! BUT I AM HAPPY WITH M Y RESULTS! I am thrilled and I am proud to show you most recent pics! So there you have um ladies!

Love you all!

Hey love's! I have a story to tell..... today as I was sitting at my desk pretending to work I suddenly had a burning sensation on my left side. It started off slow and grew more intense after a few seconds until I literally jumped up from my desk and started jumping up and down. My co worker's came running to see what was wrong with me and all I could think to say was "did someone just tase me"? Of course the answer was NO but it sure felt like it. My nerves are starting to awaken even more but it's never felt like this! Ay yi yi! LOL! But from my research and doctor's advice this is normal and this too shall pass. Now how bad was it? Well have you ever been bit by a toddler? If so it didn't hurt nearly as bad as some kid chomping on you with newly formed sharp teeth but it got my attention. However it ended just as fast as it stared and was located around my incision. Is anyone else having twinges and creepies?

Hey girls and boys! Gather on around while I fill you in on what life is like at almost 7 months post opt!! WHOOOO HOOOOO 7 MONTHS! And guess what my swelling is GONE! I never thought I would be able to say that but it's true. I may swell just a little in the evening or when I really go over board with the salt but overall I am flat! This upcoming summer is the first time I have ever looked forward to shedding my clothes.....well I take that back because I still have big, ugly man feet and I cringe at the idea of flip flops! But the last I checked there's no surgery to correct being born with feet like Rupaul so I will just continue to deal with that flaw! I still think this was one of the best decisions I have ever made and I still encourage anyone that's on the fence to hop on over to the flat lands. It's fab, it's liberating, it's sexy and it's free! OK I'm lying it can be pricey but so what if you have to eat hot dogs for a year and dye your own hair with peroxide you are worth it. So just go for it! DO IT! DO IT! DO IT! Well I have to get back to studying now so til next time my loves!