48 Yr Old Mother of 2 - Walla Walla, WA

I had a lap band placed 8/25/2008. I was very successful for the first 8 months after the procedure and lost 65 lbs. I started out at 260 and am 5'8" tall. I would have liked to lose another 30 lbs or so but it did not happen. My original surgeon for the WLS moved out of state after my first 6 months and I have not really "bonded" with the new office I go to. Also in March of 2009 my husband was deployed to Iraq and life got in the way of me concentrating on my weight loss. So here we are 7 yrs later and I am at 203, the lowest I got was 192. My husband is retiring from the military and our insurance will be changing. I decided to check into what my insurance (tricare) would cover. I figured that after 7 yrs the chance that I lose any more weight was not going to happen and I have been very stable with my current weight. I made an appt with a local plastic surgeon in Walla Walla, WA. He agreed that he could help, he wanted to do the panni as well as a tummy tuck. I figured that Tricare would possible approve the panni, but not the tummy tuck. But my husband and I agreed that we would pay out of pocket for the tummy tuck if insurance would not pay. After the consultation, pictures and a letter from the surgeon, Tricare approved both procedures. I was over the moon happy about this. As well as scared beyond belief, I don't tolerate pain well and don't do well coming out of anesthesia. Fast forward to today 5/8/2015, I am 2 1/2 weeks out from surgery and feeling pretty good. My procedure was done at 12 pm on Monday 4/20, took about 3 hours and I was released from the hospital at about 7pm that evening. Sweating profusely and nauseous, which is actually normal for me! I was sent home with 3 drains and a binder. I had already filled prescriptions for and anti biotic, colace (stool softener), alprazolam (muscle relaxer) and oxycodone/acetaminaphin (pain killer). Under the binder everything was completely covered with gauze. I went home and got into the lift recliner that I had rented (would not have done the surgery without it, it saved my bacon!) I did not really move out of the chair for the night or most of the next day. I had to go back to the doctor on Wed morning for him to look at the incisions. At that time he said everything looked great and removed all of the gauze, but left the drains. I had instructions to take it easy and rest, not really a problem since fatigue had pretty much taken over my life! I went back the next week and he removed all 3 drains and told me that I could shower. Best feeling in the world, to be able to shower and feel clean after 8 days! I went yesterday to a follow up and things are progressing as they should, all stitches are out except for some that will desolve in the my main incision. I am using neosporin on some of the incision that had not healed and am now using Mederma scar cream on the one's that are completely closed. Don't have to go back for 4 weeks. Still wearing the binder, which is becoming a pain, but was told I could switch to a compression shirt/tank such as spanx which I am going to look into this weekend. I go back to work on Monday, but I work at a desk so am not too worried. Still having fatigue problems, almost any activity wipes me out, but the doctor has assured me this is just my body working hard to heal. I have included my before pics but have not taken any since the morning of the procedure. Will take some soon.