Tummy Tuck: Stories

I'm 52 years old and I had a tummy tuck with laser lipsuction of love handles and a little "waist sculpting" two weeks ago. I was in sad shape for a couple of days...painful, stiff, sleepless, but I was very careful to follow my doctor's orders to a tee (eating/drinking right, no nicotine gum which I chewed for 6 years since quitting smoking, drinking LOTS of water and getting up (EGAD!) every 45 minutes to pee and to move my pitiful body around.

By the end of week one I was a whole new person. Only taking Advil twice/day. Now, by end of week two...I feel MARVELOUS! I'm doing whatever I want to do (without lifting or without going off the deep end and getting crazy). I don't have pain, just an "all of a sudden" tiredness that hits me in the late afternoon/early evening and let me know I am DEFINITLY done for the day.

I lost 6 pounds over the course of the surgery and these past two weeks. My scar is still swollen (heavy ridge)but my drain tube was removed 4 days ago because swelling was (medically) minimal. I can stand up straight now. Almost. Can't do that book on my head, boobs out, hips in great posture glide yet...but I'm getting there. I can stretch full-out (oh joy!)in my bed. And, WOW, do I feel great in my clothes!! Invested in comfortable/pretty support garments that will carry me through the 8-10 week mark (at least)...to help with the thorough healing and flattening of my scar, not to mention the swelling. It's a lucky time for me, it's fall and leggings and stretch pants are in fashion...both are cute and comfortable. At home painting (I'm an artist), I wear yoga pants. I feel so good about my new tummy...I feel like I look good in most every thing. (My old tummy was a kangaroo pouch of stretched out ligaments, stretch marks and fat, with a nice long vertical tubal ligation scar running from belly button to pubic bone. That old tummy looked like a big, saggy, ugly BUTT. I lived with it for 30 years. Bye-Bye Butt Belly, Hello Military Corners!

I know I still have many months of recovering, but I'll be pleased as a peach to do it. Am so, so happy with my results. (P.S. My surgery took 5 hours. Apparently you can get cheaper/shorter surgeries...but take it from me...you SHOULDN'T. My surgery also included all my aftercare and 2 support garments and who knows what else she'll throw in there. She's wonderful.)