Male Tummy Tuck: Stories

Just the term Tummy Tuck grossed me out. As soon as I created the new terminology I was more apt to move forward with investigating this procedure. When I heard that only about 6000 men had this procedure last year it made me think, then I looked around at all the dudes and realized they don't seem to care what their gut looks like. two years ago I weighed 225 pounds on a 5'11" frame (52 years old).
I hate dieting, even the word annoys me. I saw on some "Dr." TV show that reducing my daily intake by 500 calories and exercising 3 times a week would result in natural weight loss. I identified the 500 calories and went to a local athletic facility. I even changed that terminology from "working out" to "goofing off" 2-3 pounds a month started disappearing. After a little more than a year of nothing drastic I was buying new pants.

I was still drinking more than the average bear and decided to get active in a local 12 step group. Without 2000 calories a day from a bottle another 20 pounds literally fell off in a month. I weigh 175 and have maintained this weight for a year now. Since I didn't diet, or do anything drastic the "lifestyle change" stuff doctors and dieticians keep telling me turned out to be true, and permanent.
So how I got the idea to consult with a plastic surgeon about my loose belly skin and round abdominal physique behooves me but on the fly I made an appointment. I didn't even know the term tummy tuck at the time. I had heard of this PS office on public radio and went in. The journey thus began from that wow moment, I can look like I did when I was 12 before I became the fat kid!

This all started in January of 2012, and now my "abscape" surgery is scheduled for July 19, 2012. I consulted with 8 plastic surgeons and read almost every review on REALSELF.

I guess before a major surgery like an ABSCAPE the patient wants something to do. I did find a few abdominoplasty websites that have different forums and information. I am searching for recovery supplies. I don't want to buy stuff I don't need and want to have on hand supplies I will need. I contacted some previous "abscapers' but haven't heard back. I would think my doctor would reply much quicker with my requests, but maybe they are so trivial a reply isn't warranted.

Researching wound healing and scarring was helpful at squidoo.com, (http://www.squidoo.com/tummy-tuck-scars) people basically blog about areas of expertise. I thought the article on medical honey for incision healing was rather interesting. I did a lot of reading on recovery, and of course scar care methods, treatments, and supplies. The easy access feature to Amazon.com is either an asset or a curse.

Make-Me-heal had a lot of information on binders, compression garments, pre and post-op vitamins. I did find some better pricing at amazon.com. PlasticSurgerySpot.com is also helpful but I felt a lot of the forums and posts were out of date and not easy to navigate. REALSELF is by far the easiest once you get used to how a search is conducted. I found a lot of the best reviews by clicking on the surgery costs link at the top. I also like on the right side all of the questions answered by surgeons.

Nobody except my personal doctor knows I am doing this. She said I would be honest in telling anyone that it is for a hernia repair, which it is, basically. My abdominus recti muscles are herniating out since I was pregnant with a beer gut for 30 years. My PS did comment that he wished his core was as fit as mine.

After parting with a lot of my hard earned cash savings, I have a new character defect: I have a very critical eye for protruding guts on other dudes. This must be some form of self psychology or rationalization for what I am about to do. Taking other peoples inventory is not something i usually do, but now it is rampant, at least in my thinking.

Here's some explaining on the irrational and critical thinking part of the pre-op process. My surgeon (as most) will not perform the abscape procedure on a smoker. I have to be nicotine free for 30 prior to surgery and 30 days post-op. Quitting smoking was helped by accessing a cold turkey website called WHYQUIT.com. There was no way to do this quitting thing without cold turkey since it is nicotine that screws up the healing process. Nicotine constricts the blood vessels inhibiting circulation, which can lead to tissue death (necrosis) and a myriad of other nasty complications.

I knew I was addicted to nicotine and the withdrawal would be difficult but I "12 stepped" myself through it. One of the side effects (2 weeks now) since quitting is the mental stuff that goes on in the brain. One of those is short temper, irritability. That is probably the underlying reason I am critical of other people, especially protruding guts on other dudes. i have never been like this as a person and am being very conscious of my thinking along these lines. I also need to prepare for the inevitable mood swings I've read about before and mostly after the procedure is completed. I am considering asking my doctor for Wellbutrin to deal with all of the emotions I am going through. I do know, "this too shall pass" and it sticks with me that it's all "One Day At A Time."

*$7085.00 is the initial cost: surgeon fee, anesthesia, surgery room (hospital), overnight stay (hospital), unlimited consultations, ab. binder, supplies.

Today spent $105.00 on labs: CBC, chest x-ray, and EKG. Yesterday spent under $200.00 for additional compression garments, pre/post-op supplements, silicone scar stuff, wedge pillow, and "recovery stuff to have on hand (i.e., Neosporin, MOM, etc).
CURRENT TOTAL: $7,390.00

The isolation feelings are creeping in; the mental stuff I have been reading about. When this happens I flex my abs and grab all of the loose skin on my belly and stare at it. Then I remember I might live another 20 years and I want a flat ab and not an old fart pouch.
Some reviews make recovery sound excruciating and some reviews make it sound like an uphill walk in the park. I am convinced I am going into this in the best shape possible; it's not like I am just jumping up off the couch and heading to surgery. I am exercising full tilt until the day before.

Thanks to REAL SELF I've read enough to know to follow the dr.'s orders no matter how I feel. My mind is focused on July 19, 2013, a year from now.

All of the Seroma questions are getting me edgy. The questions are posted on the question board, but I haven't read too much about seromas on the TT reviews. I am contacting my PS to see if I am getting overworked on this topic.

the REALSELF discussion forum on stopping smoking before surgery was helpful: http://www.realself.com/forum/quit-smoking-before-your-mommy-makeover?#comment-408662

I was inspired by others experiences to see how to make myself comfortable with the wedge pillow, knee pillows, recliners, sleeping on my back, and all that stuff BEFORE I might be sore and have trouble moving around. So tonight I am going to "practice" that I am post op and see how all the fluff I bought will work out. I don't want to discover that the wedge pillow for the bed is nasty while I am laying there with no way to move it. i'll keep you posted.

this forum area: Calendar for Upcoming Surgeries, is really cool. You can see who had different surgeries this week, last week/month whatever and "see into the future" is a sense.

I am looking at ways to stretch or exercise the lower back to help prevent some of the recovery pain from being stooped over. I am investigating if heating pads or ice packs are acceptable on the lumbar region. I know heat is forbidden on the abdomen after abscape procedure.

THE MENS ROOM; a place for guys to post their thoughts on plastic surgery, here on REALSELF (forums).

http://www.realself.com/forum/mens-room-guys-want-good

On the flat side now. Just got home into a comfy recliner. I now have the answer to my biggest question: "does it hurt ?" the cycles of pain vary but it is tolerable if I take the medication early, don't cough or laugh and keep in mind this too shall pass.

The pain level I have is 4-6, so now I know to take pain Meds now before it gets to 7-9.

PODay 2:
1. Physical fitness is a recovery asset. I can leg squat to the floor to pick up a piece of toast. My shoulders and upper body help me maneuver in the recliner; ever mindful of isolating my abs.

2. Refrain from all comedy on tv and youtube . Sneezing, coughing are definitely laughing are prohibited at this point in time.

3. Keep the drain sites moist with neosporin. They burn when they dry out.

4, add baby wipes to recovery supply list. A little "freshening up" does a lot for self.

5.use a recliner, I lucked out with a power one and it is a blessing.

6. Drink water water water and then drink more water.

7. Dump feeling guilty about letting someone help out. It's not worth a painful setback doing something you should have asked your helper to do.

8. No matter what you read on here, your doctor is the only god you follow. It is your doctor who "looked under your hood" and based on board certified experience knows exactly what you need and are capable of. No one on this site had your flesh in their hands like your doctor.

9.sleep, rest, relax: HEAL.

10. Keeping an eye on the one year prize. A year ago today I had a loose flabby deflated beer gut. A year from now I will have endured pain, swelling, fluid, tenderness, and a myriad of other possibilities. A year from today that will all be part of the past and I will posses a torso unlike any other dude my age.

Magnesium citrate for constipation. Drink half a bottle and start the countdown. DO NOT stray too far from the bathroom.

I might have been a little self-righteous when I posted the response below to a fellow TT who was upset that the drains were still in, and there is swelling, while commenting about feeling too good to sit still and just recover but would rather the doctor grant " a miracle".

You won't need a miracle if you will listen to the person who spent many years in school, residencies, training, endured Board Certification, whom you probably paid several thousand dollars to, and held your life and flesh in his hands, that person, your surgeon told you to take it easy in recovery but now you feel too good to listen? I have been reading similar posts: someone will post " ...then I went to lunch, then shopping for a new bikini, then watched my kids soccer game..."
A few days later that same person posts about "swell hell, sore gut, seroma fluid..." we have to listen to and follow our doctor's orders. "if I was raising chickens, would I go around cracking the eggshells or just let the chicks hatch?" I am going to sit right here and incubate my new body which cost me cold hard cash saved 20 dollars at a time. I can see my surgeons blue eyes staring right at me and hear his exact words: "I don't care how good you feel in a few days; you have got to act like you felt on day 2 post op. for at least 2 weeks. THAT will be the hard part!"

Day 4 PO:
Slept in a bed last night with the ubiquitous wedge pillow and myriad of assorted fluff. I am thankful the nurses trained me and practiced getting in and out of bed. I read on tummytuckman about a trick that feels like you are sleeping on your side but you are really on your back. It tricked my brain so well when I woke up at 3 am for potty I thought I was on my side.

Today the drain fluid is minimal (5cc each every 12 hours). My surgeon, John L. Williams of Scottsdale said he likes to remove the drains usually on the following Monday (day 4/5). He mentioned something to the extent that they become useless after a few days and a source for infection risk. Caveat that with "but each patient is different".

The pain is subsiding daily from ouch to nuisance. Magnesium citrate is the BM maker, the of the must have items for recovery.

I can see that in a day or two I am going to feel pretty normal, putting my recovery at risk by increasing activity resulting in a painful, ugly, uncomfortable setback.

I must hold dear to the advice to treat my body like I did on day 2 so in a month I can be ahead of the game since I won't have setbacks.

REALSELF has been such a first hand resource of information and experiences. Being a part of the same experiences others are going through vicariously promotes my own healing. I find myself caring and thinking about all the other people who are anonymous but still a part of my life at this place and time.

Took my binder off again this morning to check things out. "oh honey!" I cannot believe my eyes! A flat abdomen with a big dose of 6 pack added in. My core was there, it just took the skills of a talented, dedicated, trained, understanding, and board certified surgeon to reveal my results!!!

I can't imagine what this is going to look like a year from now when the healing process has run its course.

PO DAY 4 EXAM
Dr. Williams removed the drains (2) and the bandage over the incision.

Instructed me to clean BB with Hyd.peroxide then a light coating of neosporin on incision and BB.

Shower every morning and wash everything with regular soap.

Clean up any old blood or scabs since bacteria like to live there.

Cover the incision with a light single layer of gauze to keep clothes from irritating it.

Keep the binder on but not tight for two weeks and I'll see you then. That's when we'll talk about scar care and other types of compression garments.

Day 5 PO mid day.
That first half hour of the day is rough, it's like a case of rigor mortis.
I forgot to mention something my doctor told me about walking straight up. He said my goal is to remain hunched over as long as two weeks. The reason for this is to give the triple layer incision time to heal. He pulled the skin down very tight. If I stretch it all out too soon I'll have a wide stretched out scar and looser skin on my abs.

If I wait until the incision is healed well then it will have the strength to pull my ab skin taute for best result.

PHANTOM nerve pain. I read about some of this phenomenon on various reviews and other TT blogs. Wether it's phantom or not it hurts. On my left chest, under my arm if I move a certain way or touch the area like scratch it it feels like I am being bitten by a red ant! It lasts 15-30 seconds then passes. I keep looking for red welts and gave up the 10th time this happened.

A lot of neuropathy comes into play with this surgery and this must be one of the effects. I do hope it's temporary.

My surgeon gave me a heads up on upcoming odd sensations like:
As the nerve and nervous system regrow and repair I'll feel ants crawling on me, phantom sharp pains, deep itching, aches that migrate, and the really weird one is electric shocks!

I was told about this at consult and pre-op
And now that they are here it's reality.

When dining out early in recovery a MUST AVOD: black pepper!!! When you choke on it after surgery while in a fine restaurant you will never look at it the same again. What used to be a little cough is now a scarey event on par with lightening near by. (I'm sure you already know to avoid comedy clubs; laughing with tears in your eyes will also take on a whole new meaning).

My doctor replied to my email inquiry as to why I had "fire ants" nerve pain on my left side under my arm. Knowledge is great medicine:
 
The nerve pain is a common temporary side effect. It will go away. The reason it hurts so high up is because the nerves that supply sensation to the abdominal wall come from the spinal cord, wrap around the body and descend down the abdomen. It will go away, but in the meantime some people find relief with warm, moist heat to the area.
 
Dr. W

The first blog review I had read was this one before I discovered REALSELF . This guys story was almost identical to mine.

It was helpful reading in the decision making process in the beginning.

Here's the link to tummy tuck for men:
http://www.tummytuckformen.com/

I only had TT and was really glad my surgeon did the work in an accredited hospital's op surgery center that had a ten bed unit upstairs. I relaxed, watched movies, and learned how to get in out of bed, chairstoilets etc. they had great pain Rx too. Total cost in Scottsdale, az was $642.00.


Today is day 8 PO : sleeping in bed is an uncomfortable nuisance . Can't toss turn cuddle nothing. The surgery is sore, the incision burns, the drain sites are closed but burn at night. I forgt to take Tylenol got very uncomfortable had to lift myself out of bed to get Meds.

During the day my binder gets damp and steamy which worries me about infection. I now wear a cotton tshirt under the binder. There is a light layer of regular gauze over the incision and bb. This is very comfortable.

One thing I didn't think about is belly hair (I'm a guy if you didn't know). Of course the incision traversed through my belly hair which had been shaved. Now it's growing in an odd pattern and in through the incision. I'm just going to keep it "manscaped"(shaved) until further notice.

I'm generally stiff and sore but it's low level (except when I sneezed yesterday OMG!!!!!!)

The best part so far? MY GUT IS GONE!!!!

July 30, 2012
PO day 11: this is my reply to another male " Abscaper"
Who wanted to know if a hospital stay is a good idea since he might be required to stay 4 days.
I REPLIED:

Most of the time patients go home the day of surgery. Thank God my surgeon insisted on an overnight stay.
I was very comfortable, relaxed, and pampered by nursing staff who are used to taking care of PS patients. I felt guilty asking for this, that, help me here, etc. until one nurse grinned and said "sir, if you and others like you had not chosen to have this surgery, there are four of us who wouldn't be working tonight!"

They told me about and taught me about all the things a patient like me would need to know.
One overnight was plenty though. I am a believer in the philosophy that the longer you stay in a hospital the sicker you get. I had a Ziplock bag filled with sanitary wipes and when no one was in the room I sanitized every surface and device I came in contact with.

I did have some pain of course, I had my gut amputated; and hospitals really know IV pain mgt.
I stayed at a friends house and it was great being able to ask someone to fill the water jug, fix food, etc. if push came to shove I could have handled it by myself; since the dr. Required me to get up and walk around every two hours, plus I was pissing like a kid in a pub (unlike in the hospital my bladder was full, all the way full and I couldn't piss. I didn't want to tell the nurse or they'd shove a rubber hose up my wanker.
I just got that little jug, relaxed,visual imagery, all that and started off loading pee a little at a time. Pretty soon (couple hours) it was "nurse, the jug's full again").

Anyway, I'm PO day 11 now and the mirror used to be my enemy is now my friend. Everything is healing nicely, progressing quicker than I expected. I can only attribute this speedy recovery to 3 things: Gods grace and blessings are abundant, Dr. John L. Williams the surgeon of Scottsdale is excellent, and I went into this thing hot out of a year in the gym (not fresh off a sofa).

Being discreet about this procedure is no easy task. mention surgery and people immediately ask "what for?", "what kind?". I was ready to write Dear Abby and set the world straight that I am having the NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS kind!

So when I spoke with my primary doctor about this, I'm a guy and she's a she, the look on her face was worth a couple extra quarters in the slot. She said I should spend the money on travel. I told her I have traveled everywhere and lived in 3 foreign countries, speak 2 languages but I travel to the bathroom mirror everyday and it's a trip I hate.

After I picked her up off the floor she said well, your muscles are all stretched out so basically you have a mild hernia which you should always have fixed before it gets worse and becomes emergency surgery. The matter was settled, I am having a hernia repair (had). I really wanted to tell people I am having my beer belly amputated, maybe I will now that I heading into PO week 3.

I did think of a few other answers when people got nosy:
"Surgery? What kind?" answer:
The Painful Kind.
The kind where a doctor takes a scalpel and cuts the flesh, reaches inside the body, and fixes stuff.
The kind where your asleep and have no idea what happened.
The kind that cost a lot of money...

"Surgery? For what?" answers:
A brain transplant with a Mormon so I can learn to behave.
The Plastic kind, take a good look cause you may not recognize me when they're done.
Penis reduction, wanna look?
There's something odd under my belt buckle, it might be an alien.
My favorite one:
A hysterectomy, I was feeling left out.

I have decided though not to tell anyone that I had an abdominoplasty. I did elude to a couple friends that "one surgeon who looked at my hernia said he knew a board certified surgeon also certified in plastics and for a few extra bucks could remove all the loose skin from my 50 pound weight loss while doing a hernia repair ( little do people know but that procedure is called a TUMMY TUCK, ha,ha,ha).

Any way, I did this for me and am HAPPY. Thank you for being there for me.

Tomorrow August 8 I see Dr. Williams for the first PO follow up. We'll discuss healing, garments, scar therapy, acupuncture, lymphatic massage, exercise, and what the next month has in store. I have no issues outside of the little recovery steps I was told about. I looked at the surgeon profiles of other RS reviewers. If you are still considering this, consider traveling to Scottsdale, AZ. And seeing Dr. John L. Williams.
I can't believe my current positive outcome
and attribute a lot of it to him.

POST OP WEEK 3 Seated in front of me standing, my doctor looked at my torso and said Wow!!!
Dr. Williams seemed very happy with the outcome so far. I asked him when the swelling is going to happen and he said "this is it. When this goes down with time you are going to be even flatter than you are now".
He asked what was on my mind and I first mentioned the odd sensation of touch at various places in the area. He explained that the new nerve growth is like "newborns" as in they are still reacting to everything around and each sensation is new and they haven't been able to send the proper stimulus to the brain as to what feels soft, hot, cold, rough, dry, etc. When he used to do hand surgery the nerves in peoples fingers would respond with excruciating pain when the patient touched a soft velvet cloth. The nerves have to essentially be de-sensitized through repeated exposure to a variety of tactile sensations. Using any oil or lotion I prefer begin the gentle massage in a circular motion over the entire area. Some areas will feel strangely sensitive but keep at it until the nerves get reprogrammed that this sensation is good. This will reduce the swelling and provide the scar therapy.

Patients want to spend money on certain oils, lotions, and silicone for scar therapy all of which have one thing in common: the massaging of the product onto the scar. You could use a $2.00 bottle of vegetable oil and get the same result as long as the circular massaging of the tissues is involved. The surgeon said if it makes me feel better spending money on expensive cocoa butter over the Walmart lotion, go for it. The key is the massaging, it reduces the scar, breaks up the adhesions and connective tissues, and reprograms the nerves.

Tomorrow I am going to have a consultation with an acupuncturist who spent 10 years in a hospital providing post surgical acupuncture treatments. On the telephone she described prior experience with abdominoplasty. I had an acupuncture treatment for a chronic arm pain that no doctor could fix. In one session, on a whim, I was healed of the nagging sharp pain that I had endured for several years. I would like some acupuncture treatments to improve lymphatic flow, nerve regeneration, and reduce swelling (which I didn't even know I had). I am more than willing to stick with my original plan of keeping my abdominoplasty eye on the ONE YEAR prize. but if i can have just a little boost in there somewhere I am open to it.

I posted 3 week PO pictures. The scar looks a lot more menacing than it really is; I believe it is the shadow of the overhead light making it look dark and very raised. The scar is nothing like that in reality.

This process is everything I expected, and I am still happy I did it. My gut is GONE!

CURRENT 3 week Post Op Regimen:
I followed the instructions from my surgeon as I wrote above. When one of my kids became quadrepeligic we had to be careful with h- peroxide because it can destroy healthy cells. There is a point where the amount of nasty dead cells are creating a breeding ground for bacteria to thrive; which in that case some healthy ones get "sacrificed".
I am 3 weeks PO and my navel has no red tissue, oozing, scabs, at all. There is no need for HP anymore. I am using a modified ear plug to shape my navel ( its really tiny, perfect for a chick, not a dude) and I use an antibiotic ointment during this process.
During the day I have on the binder, silicone ScarAway strips on the incision (more for comfort on clothes rubbing), and bb shaper in place with micro tape.

After showering at night I massage cocoa butter oil on the incision and and do a lymphatic self massage over the abdomen, groin, hips, chest and incision area.

At bedtime I am free and clear of all products and recovery related supplies (no binder at night after 3 week po since i didnt get lipo) .
In bed I lie on my back and do the lymphatic deep breathing techniques before sleep, and upon waking.
We all recover differently for a variety of reasons. Everything I am doing now are things my surgeon advised on or is permitting. Next week is my 2nd acupuncture treatment; performed by an experienced post-surgical practitioner. My first visit yielded a great reduction in swelling and tenderness!

4 WEEKS PO: Had a third acupuncture treatment yesterday, and it seems that the healing process is accelerated by comparison reading other reviews. Technically since I didn't have lipo I only used the binder but did buy a SPANX compression shirt when wearing different clothes since the binder can be obvious underneath. The compression shirt from SPANX squeezes the S%$#@ out of me. I cut off the top part with the v-neck and short sleeves and just use the abdominal part by stepping into it rather than tearing my shoulder joint trying to get it on. Good Lord it's like removing skin getting it off at night, I almost have a panic attack when it's around my head. Spanx, Spanx, no thanks, Jiminy Cricket.

The incision is healing great with silicone strips and they are so comfortable under the clothes. Nightly I do the Cocoa Butter porn star massage inches away from ruining furniture with all that oily crap; geesh my hands are covered in Palmers oil then I can't get out of the damn recliner without herniating the doctors work. Should be a warning label on the bottle about that.

The healing pains are ever present but shifting and subsiding. The newest weird pain is the placation of the muscles just below the sternum; just want to scratch that itch but it's way down deep inside.

I can exercise for over an hour and since I've been massaging the entire area with what feels like cooking oil then paying a Chinese medicine witch doctor to put pins in me like a voodoo doll there is little to no swelling, and the firmness of the abdomen is reducing at a noticeable rate.

Yesterday I read a review on here that was just updated about THE BIG PICTURE (my mantra), posting comments eight months PO. It was very interesting reading her posts over the course of that much time. That was a very enlightening review, my eye is on next March when the desert is in bloom and while the Midwest is still scraping ice the Arizona desert is shorts weather.
I love the mirrors in my house now, they are really handy now I have something cool to look at.

Ladies this next bit is just for guys, sorry, go read another review.

I guess some men are concerned that abdominoplasty will affect the "size appearance" of certain favorite body parts that can go un-named. Well, what you heard is true and I am here here to tell you that the "male enhancement" side effect was not listed in the sales pitch, but had it been my doctor could have charged me double!
The lifting of the pubic flesh from it's years of sagging create shall I say a "sip from the fountain of youth (wink, wink, nod, nod)"
For some reason the functionality of a marginally operating "engine" has been restored and I have no idea how.

I've just been reminded about an interesting side effect of the Palmers E oil and all that other goo I have been putting on my scar: a planters wart on my thumb for 15 years is gone! One day I was walking to the store and usually rub the wart out of habit and like" holy sh## that wart is gone! (I gave up freezing, scraping, cutting, burning this wart years ago).

Not even a scar there. I can only think it was the Palmer E Oil, Palmer Tummy Butter, or straight Vitamin E oil from Walgreen's. In a few months the surgery scar will be hardly noticeable if it keeps healing like this. I do use silicone strips on it when its not all slimy from that cocoa crap. That smell is not on my list of car fresheners for sure. If someone walked in on me with all those products laying around during the massage process and my pants down...their minds would go right into the gutter before I could get a word out (IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK!!!!).

I have said it before and will say it again, this surgery is a life changer. Each day is something new about me I never realized before. This is not just vanity, it's something else I can't put my finger on. I have looked at a fat gut for over 40 years and still cannot believe what I am seeing (not seeing) in the mirror. "Is that really me?!?!"

I eat right and exercise right because it's as if I have been given a second chance to do the right thing. I have received something precious and it's my duty to be mindful in caring for this gift. I had no idea a deflated sagging beer gut affected my life so much until now. WOW. Thank you Jesus!

2 mos PO.
I remember looking forward to healing and this morning it dawned on me "Oh yea! I had major surgery 2 months ago."
The sensations around the surgery site I would not describe as pain but a type of "sore" that is tolerable and subsiding.
There is migrating numbness and odd sensations come and go.
If this progress after 2 months is a good indicator of things to come
Next summer is going to be fabulous. I still don't know if the firmness is residual swelling or presurgical conditioning.
This surgery is a life changer for sure.

Pictures 6 months post op. All healing is great, the scar looks redder in the photos than it does to the naked eye; probably because I'm wearing tight jeans and decided to jump up and take pictures. The scar has gone from deep red to deep pink. Nerve sensations are 95% back to normal, with just some very slight numbness at certain times in certain areas.
I do believe that the acupuncture really expedited the healing process.
I'm also sure I said this before but it bears repeating that I wasted more energy thinking and worrying pre-op than I did post-op. I knew that was one of the uncontrollable phenomenons of the surgery and it was all true. I look back six months and remember some of the soreness and inconvenience related to the recovery but in all actuality my brain just kept the good stuff. I laugh now thinking about the whole thing. It really was a lot of fun; saving the money, shopping for doctors, asking for discounts, pulling my pants down in front of men, nurses, surgeons, cash discounts at hospitals. The overnight stay was too much fun. I look at my physique now and am amazed at the transformation. It has been one year since the idea of a tummy tuck popped into my head. By the time I am one year out (July 2013) I am sure the scar will have disappeared; which is really no concern anyway because it is well hidden by underwear or swimsuits.