Surgery Date 5/9 - RE-surgery date 5/22. Hell, but still worth it!

I am 36 and have two children. My first left with me with stretch marks ALL over the bottom portion of my tummy. My second was 10 pounds, 3 ounces, and that really did me in. The stretch marks reached past my belly button after that one, and I developed a 'lump' above my belly button (so you can't even see it). I work out consistently and eat right, but there is no way to lose that loose skin (or the stretch marks!) I had my breasts enlarged in 2008 (also wrecked from my darling babies, lol), and I wanted to do the tummy tuck then, but thought the recovery would be too much. I am a confident woman, but my tummy is a HUGE insecurity for me. It was one thing when I was married, but being divorced now...uh, it's just not cool. I need to do this for ME and am so excited. My muscles are awesome, so I won't be having those tightened, just a normal tummy tuck. I am a BIG BABY when it comes to pain and pain pills make me sick, so this should be interesting!

Every time I change my clothes, I stare at my tummy, and think "Ha! Almost done with you!" ;) 6 days!

Two days until surgery! Starting to freak a little. Having weird dreams and stressing a little about the pain, etc. I just need to keep in mind that it's all temporary. If it's hard, it won't be for long! Eye on the prize!

Surgery tomorrow morning! I am excited to be getting it done, but also feeling a little nervous! Just took my first Arnica pill to help with swelling and bruising. I am not looking forward to not having coffee in the morning :/ I get somewhat grumpy without food and especially without coffee. Lol. Surgery isn't until noon! I'll try to update with some pics on Thursday :)

Day 2 post op. Everything went great. MUCH less pain than when I had my breasts done, thank goodness! Still quite sore, today is the worst so far. The drains are gross, not going to lie. I haven't really looked yet, I peaked down the top of the waist thing I am wrapped up in and saw my new belly button, looks good! Feels like I did 7 millions sit ups my belly is so tight. Changing the dressing for the first time tonight, will take a pic and post it later :)

Day 5 post op. Feeling MUCH better today. I would say yesterday and the day before were the worst. Having no muscle work done, I have been able to get up and down with no help, so that has been a relief. I am hoping to get the drains out on Wednesday. Fingers crossed! Posted a new pic, I took it from above while laying down when my sister changed my dressing. Looks tight! I haven't had a chance to take off the wrap and look at it from the standing position. Will take another pic on Wed :)

Day 6 post-op. Either I was too optimistic on my idea of healing, or I took a couple steps back today for some reason. Today was by far the worst pain-wise. The incision site is killing me today. It isn't constant. I can walk around fine with no pain at all. It's mostly limited to the left side, and when I stand up, sit up, or lay down, it's like a sharp, stabbing, hot pain. It's like the incision is burning. That's the best way to explain it. Still draining about 30 cc in the right drain every 24 hours, so they moved the drain removal appt to Thursday. My issue now is that the Percocet makes me so sick, I can't take it as much as I need. I asked my doctor for something different and she said no! She seems to think the Tylenol is enough at this point. That didn't sit well with me. Tomorrow I think I will push the issue. Anyone else have this issue with this type of pain limited to one side?

Day 8 post op. Yesterday was the best day so far, today is somewhere between that and Tuesday, which was the worst day. Seems to be random. Getting my drains out tomorrow morning. Want to pick your brains on a couple things girls - how bad does getting the drains removed hurt? I want to be prepared. Also, if you used a silicone scar sheet, which one, and why? Thanks!!!

So I went downhill bad on Thursday, woke up with 101.5 fever in the middle of the night. They had me rush in first thing in the morning, and took the drains out (which hurt because they were infected), but it mostly just felt like someone was pulling my intestines out bit by bit (it's creepy!) The drains were not ready to come out- in fact the drainage in the left had increased 2.5x what it had been since surgery on Wednesday, so I am on STRICT rest orders, or all that fluid will accumulate in abdomen. They gave me antibiotics and I finally feel halfway normal this morning. Also gave me Nor Co, which doesn't give me a headache like the Percocet, thank goodness! So I FINALLY (10 days after surgery) have a pain pill I can actually tolerate.

Went in yesterday for some swelling and was rushed into surgery. I had a small bleed in the left side, which turned to an infection inside me. The antibiotics were masking the fever. Worse, they had to leave me OPEN, so the wound can heal from the inside out. It's only 2 1/2 inches, but I have to change the dressings twice a day and shove wet gauze down in it. It doesn't feel great :/ This has been a nightmare, I'm not going to lie. I am having a very UN-NORMAL experience, unfortunately. I keep telling myself it will be worth it!!! It will be :)

Wound care is going well, it's painful, but it is what it is. I am SO thankful my sister is a nurse! Bless her heart for coming over twice a day to re-pack the wound. I am hoping it closes up soon! Heal, heal, heal! I posted a picture of the wound.

Day 24 post-op (original surgery) and Day 11 post-op from re-surgery. FINALLY able to move around. The open wound is closing nicely with twice daily dressing changes, and should be closed soon. My doc says 2-3 weeks. I don't see how it could possibly take more than a week and a half based on the healing so far. We'll see whose right. Hopefully me :) I already see issues with the left side not looking like the right side due this open wound and it not being sutured down tightly, but I'll stay open minded until it heals completely. My doc has also assured me she will fix whatever is not right until I am happy :) This has been tough. I pretty much had bad luck with this, it was so NOT a textbook case. Posted some new pics too. Still worth it though!

34 days post-op original surgery, 21 days post-op re-surgery.
The open is would is almost closed! I'd say another two days, max. Amazing how fast the body can heal itself from the inside out.

Will be so nice to not have to do the dressing changes and just cover it. My tummy is softening up quite nicely and I am still in awe of how flat it is. Feeling back to normal finally!

Finally almost back to normal! The open wound is scabbing over - took 30 days to get to this point, I am so relieved. I see my PS in early July. Need to find out what she plans to do to make the side that was left open look like the other side! It's not bad, but it's not equal by any means. I am just thankful for my health at this point :) Planning my tummy tattoo too!