Gerald Foster Conner

I am having a hysterectomy with tummy tuck on 4/21/15. I am 5'4 and weigh 206 so I was expecting to be turned away by the ps to lose weight but he said I was a good candidate. I am a true pear shape and carry most of my weight in my hips and thighs. I had always had a fairly flat stomach with small waist until I quit smoking and then went through years of infertility treatments. I luckily had 2 daughters via c-section and now I also have the lower stomach roll. The ps said I also have diastasis so I am getting the full TT with MR. I am really excited about this! No more yuck periods and a new body!!! My ps won't do lipo with TT because he thinks it's too risky. I am ok with that. I will just be happy to get this big bulge off! It will be so nice to fit into all of those clothes hanging in my closet that used to fit! I'll post pics when I get up the nerve.

Updated on 5 Apr 2015:
Here I am in all my glory! Side poses are weird. It is hard to take a normal side pose without twisting. I would love to get some lipo on flanks hips and thighs but will wait and see how this goes first. I have always had a larger lower half and it is hard to lose! Does a regular TT pull up on hips at all? I have that roll that extends around to the side and I'm hoping when that gets cut it will pull up on my hips. I go for pre-op on 4/14. I'll guess I'll get all of my questions answered then.

Updated on 21 Apr 2015:
I am here! In some pain. Have dilaudid pump demand only. They had to increase the strength earlier because I was hurting so bad. More comfortable. Have a Foley catheter so can't get up until tomorrow am. So far I've seen only the bandage from the hospital bed. GYN said he saw final result and it looked great! Can't wait to be one week out from this. Will post later. Thanks for all of the great support and hope all is well with everyone else.

Updated on 23 Apr 2015:
Well I'm home and I can tell the Exparel is wearing off. I'm pretty uncomfortable and one of my drain sites is leaking and making a mess. My GYN stayed and watched the TT and told me how impressed he was with his technique. The PS told me my diastasis was about 6 inches and my waist will be that much smaller!! I haven't gotten a good look but I think he gave me a real hourglass shape. Can't wait to feel better and take pics! Happy healing to everyone else!

Updated on 24 Apr 2015:
Went to the PS today and he pulled the leaking drain. He said it had been pulled out of place is why it wasn't working. I still have one drain on the right side which should be fine. PS was very pleased with himself when he saw my shape! He said I will probably want lipo on my hips but that my waist was awesome.
I am feeling good today. I did need the wheelchair to get in the PS's building but just because it would have been a long walk. I feel like I am walking about 80% upright. Back is achey but manageable. Only taking Percocet about twice a day. Keeping Motrin in my system three times a day. Also got flexeril which helped my back. I felt a few spasms yesterday.
Overall I m pleased with my experience. I'm swollen but what I exected.
Hope everyone is well! I haven't been able to check in as much as usual because my internet service has been fickle. Not sure why. Will post pics later.

Updated on 26 Apr 2015:
I am feeling swollen and my back hurts. Only pooped once last night. Probably need to take something else for that. Today was blah. I walked outside a little but I don't have much stamina. i think I'll be happier when this other drain comes out. I still haven't taken pics. I Think I'll wait until the drain comes out. Blah blah blah. Sorry for the whining.

Updated on 27 Apr 2015:
Here are some pics. I am swollen of course and have marks from the ribbed tank I wear under by binder. I ordered a CG to wear after the drain is removed. I think it looks really good considering where I started and considering I am still swollen. I need to lose weight and tone up my hips and thighs but man am I happy about my abs!!

Updated on 27 Apr 2015:


Updated on 27 Apr 2015:


Updated on 27 Apr 2015:


Updated on 28 Apr 2015:
Well I went to my PS office for the one week f/u and to have this drain removed and no one was there! Well no one except the other 5 pts that had appointments. Thank God it's only a 20 minute drive through town or I would be hot. I can't believe some of yall have to drive a few hours one way to see your doc. Anyway I waited for 45 minutes and then just left. They wouldn't answer the phone and the door was locked. He must of had some sort of emergency. One of the nurses was waiting with us. I still haven't heard from them but I'm sure I'll go another day this week. Well I really wanted this drain out so I called my cousin who is an RN and had her come over and we cut the stitch sand pulled it out! Before you lecture me I will let you know that I am a NP so I guess that makes it a little better. Haha! I survived. Now I have to work on pooping. I have only had one poop and that was on PO day 4. None since. Taking miralax and stool softeners daily. I'm getting ready to drink some hot tea and I may drink some mag citrate. Gross. Otherwise I am well! I am standing straight and moving around real good. Pain is minimal other than feeling like a balloon. Back pain is even minimal. Hope everyone else is well and happy! I may take another pic after I deflate.

Updated on 29 Apr 2015:
I am soooo tired today. Yesterday was pretty hectic and stressful so maybe I exerted more energy than I should have. I also have had a headache since I woke up. Took Motrin, excedrin and finally a Percocet with no relief. I've been laying down most of the day. I have gotten up to do some laundry and to eat. My belly button is worrying me. The Inside is red and draining some. I wear a white tank under my binder and it has drained through it. I cleaned it with peroxide and put neosporin on it and covered it with gauze. It's not painful and I haven't had a fever. I'm pretty swollen so that's uncomfortable but otherwise pain is minimal to none. I spoke to my PS office this morning and they had to go to training with the hospital and the scheduler didn't reschedule any patients. So I'm going Friday morning. If the redness spreads or I start running a fever I am to contact him sooner. I hope that's not why I so lethargic today. It's rainy and gray here so maybe that's why. Hope everyone is doing great!!

Updated on 1 May 2015:
I went to the PS today and showed him my swelling. He immediately took me to the procedure room. He said it was a seroma and it was way too big. He tried to drain it from three different areas by inserting a needle with syringe but nothing would drain so he had to open the incision. The opening was about 2 inches long I think. Then he "kneaded" my abdomen! I don't know why it didn't hurt like hell. He had injected some lidocaine into the area he opened but man oh man. He squeezed and pushed for about 10 minutes. He was able to drain most of it but closed it up with looser stitching so it would continue to drain and not reform a Seroma. He also said that seromas cause you to feel bad like you are going to get the flu. That's makes since because I have been sleeping like crazy these last 2 days. So glad that he was able to drain that fluid. I Still have a big dressing on my tummy so I haven't really seen it but they told me it was flat now. Yay!!! Will try to take a pic tomorrow

Updated on 4 May 2015:
Well it's back!!! I had the Seroma drained on Friday and by Saturday night it was back despite wearing a CG with binder on top and limiting activities. I think the Seroma is actually larger now than the first time. This morning I was trying to express some fluid out from where he loosely stitched it back and I had blood and some pus drain. I haven't had a fever but I'm worried. I am waiting on a call back from his office. He is in surgery all day today so they had to get in touch with him for instructions.

Updated on 5 May 2015:
I saw my PS today and he said the fluid I have was less than last week and he didn't want to open me back up because of the risk of infection. He actually said most of my swelling was soft tissue swelling from where he had to mash so hard to drain all the fluid from last week. I am relieved because I just knew he was going to have to put a drain back in. I feel bloated and swollen but I would guess the soft tissue swelling will resolve within a week or so. I feel like to fluid might last for months. I'm just glad everything is moving in the right direction. I was getting discouraged. Hope everyone is healing well and looking flat!

Updated on 23 May 2015:
Sorry for the absence! I have been busy lately going back to work and with kids birthdays! I'm doing really good. Im still swelling of course but feeling really good in clothes. I measured my waist the week of surgery and then at week 3 and I had gone down 4 inches! I'm back up one inch but I also think I'm more swollen than I was last week. I have not been watching my diet at all. I'm not eating crazy but not paying attention to salt. I plan on straightening up soon because I still have a lot of weight to lose. I will post pics soon.

Updated on 24 May 2015:
Still with some swelling. PS said I will go down more. Also need to lose weight. Hoping to lose a good 20 by end of summer.

Updated on 22 Jun 2015:
Doing great! Swelling most of the time though. I assume that will get better in time. Still numb in center from about 3 inches above incision to about 2 inches below. Most swelling is right at incision line. I sneezed the other day and felt a pop with pain. No more swelling and no bruising. I researched it and think it may have been a scar tissue band?! Anyway I am great and so happy that i made the decision to have the TT. It has made a world of difference in my self esteem as well as my outlook. I will take pics soon. I look about the same but my dog ears look pretty weird. Those have worsened since I last saw PS. He thought they would lay down on their on but it's looking like that will not happen. I go back in August and wonder what he will do to fix it.
Hope everyone is doing great too!!!

Updated on 11 Aug 2015:
I'm going to see ps this morning for f/u. I'm sure he will want to fix these dog ears. I wish I could rip them off! I'm doing great! Good summer and felt so much better in a bathing suit. Just have to work on my hips and thighs now! I didn't lose anymore weight. Hopefully I will commit to this and drop some before Christmas. How everyone is doing great and good luck to those starting their journey!