Ready For a Change in Life Style - Virginia Beach, VA

I'm 40 yrs old, mother of one 14 yrs old, married for the 2nd time with a guy 10 yrs younger. I had a good body until I decided to have a child, I have to go into fertility clinic treatment and in fertility drugs I gain 18 pounds in 3 month, from 111 to 129, then when I finally got pregnant I gain 24 more pounds on pregnancy from 119 to 143, and I have keept the same weight ever since, the most I have gone down has been 136 and that felt great.

I had a C-Section with my sons birth and I'm tired of having the x-tra pounds. I don't have a big problem with my lower belly my problem is my upper stomach above my belly button. I can wear jeans and look great and flat just below my waist but above it I get that nasty muffin top. I'm 40 I have a reach a mile stone in my life and I have to say enough, enough with feeling self consious about my self and my younger husband.

My hubby is Peruvian and I have the oportunity to travel to his country and have surgery done over there. My plans are full body lipo, tummy tuck,my thighs, breast and butt lift, I know is a lot but since I'm going I might as well take advantage of my 3 weeks there, I will also add deep tissue massages to breack cellulite in my thights and butt... Lets see how things go. I'm leaving March 2nd and hopefully have surgery that week. I will keep a jurnal in my iPad and try to update as WiFi permit my connection there.

Updated March 26th:

Good Morning:

I'm back from my 3 weeks down in Peru and I will try to do my log for my procedure:

- Saturday March 3rd: @ 0800 I have lab. work done and EKG / @0900 I went by the surgeon office to have my eval. done and to have the procedure plan disclose for me. I decided to have full lipo including arms, back, sides, tights, abdomen ect.,have my fat transferred to my gluts just to make them fuller and rounder and the full TT. Procedure schedule for Monday 03/05

- Monday morning arrived at the clinic @ 1000, got a ultrasound massage to lose the fat on my abdominal area and went into the OR @ 1100 / Procedure ended @ 1900 and I was moved into the recovery room where I spend the night (my husband got so scared after he saw me in the recovery room, he said I was so pale and look weak) well what could he expected after my full procedure. BTW I was going to have my breast done but the surgeon told me that I have a good drop and with the lipo on the sides and back they will look perkier.

- Tuesday 03/06 I have a good rest with the meds. and with the anesthesia that still on my system I barely feel any soreness on my body. By 1100 I was on my way home (my husband uncle's house). F/U appt. will be Friday to have the drain removed. My hands, legs and feet are swollen.

- Friday 03/09 went for my F/U and to have the drains removed. I'm so glad that in not carrying around that drain anymore, that has been the worst part not taking a full shower and having the drain attached to me. I have a good week a little uncomfortable to sleep but not that bad. Drains are off and it didn't hurt at all. F/U Monday, to start massages and start taking the stitches on my body off. The swelling in my hands resided, but the legs and feet are swollen.

- Monday 03/12 Arrive for my appt. and started that 1rst massage treatment and have my stitches on my upper and lower back removed, the ones on my elbow and the ones under my breast. The surgeon said that I'm healing OK, to keep the after surgery compression garment on at all times. Instructions from nurse I can start sleeping on my side. Next F/U Wednesday. Legs swelling is gone just waiting on my feet to get better.

- Wednesday 03/14 I have a miserable 2 days the compression garment is not letting me sleep and I took it off twice during the night. I have my new bellybutton stitches taken out but well bad news I built up fluid between the skin and the muscle wall and I needed to have it drain. Note to self follow up Drs. instruction to the fullest stay with the compression garment on at all times and with the sponges inside to make pressure, now I have to come and see him every other day... :-( Instructions from nurse I can sleep on my stomach and I need to try and do it every night YEAHHH ;-) / Dr. Dejo-Prado stood me up in front of the mirror with the camera and the before pics. I really didn't want to look at them but I have to... WOW what a difference in my body I can't believe that I have let myself go and what I have been missing by looking this great (a little ego boost is good)

- Friday 03/16 F/U I still have some fluid in the lower pelvic area and needed to have it drain again, otherwise massages are OK and I'm healing and not complaining from pain in the incision at all. The only thing that bother me and that is uncomfortable in the bruising sensation all over my body, it feel like a truck hit me straight forward, otherwise the incision doesn't hurt and the bellybutton is healing good. This weekend I'm traveling 5 hrs to spend the weekend in my mother-in-law house. Next F/U 3/20

- Tuesday 3/20 This is my last week I have a good weekend, I notice that if I sit down my legs swell up really quick but if I walk the swelling goes down, so I been exercising and taking walks around. Back at the surgeon's office I still have a little bit of fluid that needed draining but nothing much (yeahhhh), massages are good to go. Sleeping is great since I'm sleeping on my stomach. Next and last F/U Thursday hopefully the Dr. will let me go home.

- Thursday 03/22 My last appt. well I got my massage 1rst and my Dr. came over to check my surgery and the fluid buildup witch I didn't have any and he told me that I can go home (Home Sweet Home), I just need to make sure to follow his instructions, keep pressure on my belly for another week with the sponges, then after one month I can wear the compression undergarment for another month and the for 2 more months just during the day. I can start exercising by 6 wks. with none impact exercises and by 8 weeks I can start to do some impact exercises as I can tolerate and maximize the exercises as the weeks pass.

- Arrived home 03/24 to NJ and finally home in VA 03/25. I feel tired from traveling and soared. My husband did my massages today and I feel better. Back to work tomorrow 03/26. I will download pics. from before and after once I receive that ones from the clinic.

Good luck to all of you out there that have decided to do something for yourself. This is a tough procedure and we, the ones that decided on doing it we are so brave... It is so worth it and the results are amazing. Thanks you for the support!