“On the other side and doing great!!”

Like many of you I put my family first; to the point of sacraficing my body and my health. After 1 year of great healthy habits. I am back in shape, but the belly fat is not going away. It is never going to go away, unless of course I become anorexic. I am not willing to that.

I am married, about to turn 50 in December and have 3 children all adults now. They go braces, dental implants, accutane, lasix surgery. I got streched out belly, weight gain, type 2 diabetes. Now I can put myself first. So here I go, in one week I get my Tummy Tuck. I am scared and I am excited at the sametime.

I'll post my before pics as soon as get that figured out.

Updated on 26 Sep 2011:
I was so reluctant to join, but now I am so glad. WOW!!! what great support. Met with PS and he gave me my pre-op education, but this group is what has calmed my anxiety. I am now like a kid a Christmas, can't sleep because I am excited. I think everyone has helped to have realistic expectations. I am now running around work and home finishing projects before I a laid up. Don't want guilt calling me out of bed or pushing before I am ready. My husband is taking a week off from work to help and thank goodness the kids are all grown. Thanks everyone. I will post my before pics this weekend.

Updated on 28 Sep 2011:
I go back and forth between excitement and anxiety. I find myself trying to keep busy so that I am not to get worked up. I took my before pictures and now I'm going to try and upload them. HT: 5'5", WT: 130 lbs.

Updated on 29 Sep 2011:
I went to see my GYN today because he is going to do a bladder sling at the same time PS is doing the TT. He says to me: "I can't believe you are doing a TT." "You don't need one." "It is the most painful thing you can do."

So, now I am having a lot of guilt and anxiety about the TT.

Updated on 1 Oct 2011:
Spent today cleaning the house, running errands, and waxing. I was told to shave the top 2/3rd of pubic area. Decided that I am not going to deal with the itch of regrowth 3 days post op. So, I waxed instead. Tomorrow I relax, eat light, and get a good night sleep before surgery 7:15 am Monday. I am ready!!!

Updated on 4 Oct 2011:
Day one post OP - Doing well, pain is similar to the pain I get after a good workout (lactic acid). It is managed well with Motrin alternating with Percocet. I got a quick peek this morning when the PS changed the dressing and I was very pleased. I did have to stay overnight in the hospital because I could not wake up from the anesthesia, so PS decided to just keep me overnight for observation. Can't wait to jail break out of the hospital.

Updated on 5 Oct 2011:
Day 2 post op: I am doing really well. Pain has not increased, off of Percocet. I am able to move around on my own. Took a peek and I am amazed with the results. So far the worst thing about the process was immediate recovery because of nausea, vomiting, and just feeling gorked out. It is just sooo nice to be home. I have done well in my own bed with one pillow under my knee and my head propped with 2 pillows. Good luck to those of you waiting on your surgery and are in recovery.

Updated on 6 Oct 2011:
Day 3 post OP. I am able to go 8 hours without any pain medication. Sleeping through the night and able to sleep on my side. Shampooed my hair at the kitchen sink and gave my self a sponge bath. I am so glad I bought bath wipes. If feels great o be cleaned off. I'm almost able to get to full upright position. I am planning on stopping Ibuprophen and switching to Tyleno or Tramadol. I know Ibuprophen delays clotting and I hope that by staying off of it drains will come out by 3 weeks.

Today my healing goal is to pay attention to my fluid intake, walk around the house every 1 - 2 hours, rest, rest, and rest some more.

Thanks everyone for the support.

Updated on 7 Oct 2011:
Day 4 post op: The most annoying thing so far is my lower back ache. One of my children years ago gave me a chair massager that has been helpful. All in all I am amazed at how I am feeling. I rarely need any pain meds. My drains are putting out 60 ml and 20 ml total for the day. The requirement to have them removed is 20 ml or < for 3 consecutive days. Look like I am on my way to get my right drain next week.

Some helpful things: taking semithicone nightly has help me avoid bloating and excessive gas. Miralax has help me avoid constipation.

I have noticed that no matter how bad I feel, I feel much better after I sleep. My health goals for today is to continue walking, drinking fluids, eating healthy, but I am going to add "accept napping." Yesterday I had so many phone calls, today I am turning the phone off.

Thank You all for you support. It has been a mainstay in my recovery.

Updated on 8 Oct 2011:
Hello Everyone,

It is the end of my 5th day Post OP and I am amazed at how well I am doing. There is some numbness and tight feeling through my abdomen. As you can see in the pic I have bruising from the Lipo.

So, far my only concern in the amount of tightness; it keeps me from standing straight up comfortably, but otherwise doing great. Drain #1 is still putting out 30 ml /day, but Drain #2 is barely at 10 ml / day. Expecting to have it discontinued on Tuesday.

thanks to everyone for your support.
I do not know why I put this off for so long.

Updated on 10 Oct 2011:
Today is day 7. I have some discomfort with my low back muscles tightening up and my abdomen feeling uncomfortable, but tolerable. It tingles and twinges all over. It reminds me of when my foot goes to sleep and the circulation suddenly comes back. I see my PS tomorrow and I hope the drains are going. They don't necessarily drive me nuts, but the site of exit is tender so, when the tube wiggles I get a twinge of pain there.

I have pre-diabetes and tend to gain my weight in my belly especially if I eat carbs; does anyone know if the TT will effect how I will gain wt. I don't plan to gain anything, but even fresh fruit can elevate my blood sugar (not too high). Elevated blood sugar can lead to belly weight even if calories are okay.

Updated on 11 Oct 2011:
Just got back from seeing my PS both drains are ready to come out, but he recommended leaving them in 2 more days. He says that drain #1 meets criteria at 19 ml and drain #2 is absolutely ready. However, if he removed drain #2 then drainage to drain #1 most likely will increase (they share in draining process for total area) and I would end up with drain #1 in for longer than 2 days, maybe a week. So, I am all for leaving both in for 2 days and taking them both out on Thursday. Regardless both drains will be out in a week for sure!!! WOOT! WOOT! getting closer to wearing pants that really fit (no muffin top). I am still going to lay low for 2 days.

I also got to see myself in his huge wall to wall mirror. I am so pleased with the outcome.

Updated on 12 Oct 2011:
As tempted as I was, I turned down a lunch date with friends today. While I am feeling good, I have one chance to heal right. So, I am listening to Squishy and all the others who have advised laying low and not pushing the recovery.

I am learning that patience is one biggest recovery tool. This process will test ones patience more than pain tolerance. Dealing with pain is EASY compared to learning and implementing patience. There is no pill for learning to wait, accept, and surrender. This learning is part of my transformation.

Updated on 13 Oct 2011:
Woot! Woot! Yipee! Yeah!
The drains are out!!!!

Updated on 17 Oct 2011:
I am 2 wks post of today. YEAH!!! I am feeling great and see my PS tomorrow and hope he releases me to go back to work. The steri strips have fallen off both sides of my hips and I am impressed with the scar. It is just a hairline. I have started scar treatment.

I found these great compression pants. They are called ipant and they are embedded with microcapsules containing caffeine to promote fat destruction; vitamin E to prevent the effects of aging; ceramides to restore and maintain the skin’s smoothness; and retinol and aloe vera to moisturize and increase the firmness of the skin.

The iPan releases these ingredients into your skin while you move throughout the day. I think this ipant combined with ScarWay and Vit E and my incision is going to heal beyond my expectations.

Happy healing to all!!

Updated on 26 Oct 2011:
Okay I just read Bella83's update. No one told be a year, really a year before numbness goes away!!! I am doing okay except for the tight and numb feeling in my abdomen. It is bordering on painfully uncomfortable.

Updated on 29 Oct 2011:
I was doing great, up until Thursday. My PS said that was the day I could stop using the binder. By 5 pm I was in swell hell, running a fever, chills and spots on my left incision were hurting. This is the worst I have felt through this whole journey. I was able to see my PS on Friday and he discovered I was not dissolving all of my stitches. My body is reacting to them as a foreign object so, he manually pulled a few out and put my on antibiotics. I would send a 4 wk pic, but I look like a Ken doll right now and I don't want to freak anyone out. I will say this with swell hell my waist is at 28 inches, before TT it was 32 inches.