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I posted my story in the wrong section so wanted to start it here so that I could share with others. I was implanted 18 years ago at the age of 22. I am 39 now and ready to say goodbye to them. I was very small before I got them a 32AA and when I got the implants I was a 32 C, after 2 kds and 20lbs I am a 34DD. I have never felt well sense about a year after the implants. Before them I was very athletic, active, entergetic and happy. I never knew the implants were to blame. After my kids and breast feeding I felt even worse and then after a strep infection a year an a half ago I feel aweful all of th time. I have cronic fatigue and generally feel aweful. I was told by a specialist that they should come out do to biofilms and how the strep can get attached to the implant tne implant and that there is no blood source between implant and scar tissue so the bacteria makes a biofilm and protects itself from antibiotics. Oh this was not just strep throat. Updated on 3 Feb 2013: Hello, everything went well. I have no pain at all and feel fine other than the antibiotics making me dizzy and sick. I feel like someone filled my head with cement. Can't wait to be done with them. All the pain post explant I had is gone and I am 7lbs lighter! That was a lot of boob. Anyway, I took before pics and will take after pics when I get the bandages off on wed. I will post them then. Overall feeling glad it is done and happy to have them out. Updated on 5 Feb 2013: Hi, I'm back. Still trying to navigate the site so I'm sorry if I don't respond to everyone....I have two little ones and it has been hard to recover and take care of them. Not a lot of time to get on here. I had my bandages removed yesterday and I am very very small...I was before so I'm not sure why I was so shocked. Maybe because I have had huge fake boobs for almost 20 years...lol. But I'm glad they are gone. Maye they will fluff a bit and won't look so strange. Time will tell. My PS said my implants were huge and that they were way too big for my body. He said if I wanted a tiny implant in the future he would put one in and I said "no thanks". Why would I ever have a non-medical surgery ever again? Now that I have children I realize the only thing that matters is being healthy and happy. My four year old said, "Mommy can I see your new boobies", I said sure and showed her. Then aked her, "What do you thing", she said "Well not what I expected". Kids are so funny. I will put up pic soon. Updated on 6 Feb 2013: Here are some before and 5 day post op. Hoping for some fluffing up top....
So sorry I actually went one day without updating yesterday. I must be losing my touch... I had my follow up appointment with my surgeon Dr Wotowic at 9:30 am yesterday. I was SO excited to finally see the incision! His nurse peeled off the tape, and I was actually surprised to see that it is NOT a whole line of stitches across me (like Jack's face in Nightmare Before Christmas, a round white circle with a whole line of leering hash marks). Instead, I simply look like I was circumferentially opened by a very large and sharp can opener. One stitch was taken out of each end of the incision (good call! You always want a stopper at the end of the zipper as far as I am concerned) and then the stitches in my belly button were removed. There was just one at the top and one at the bottom. Guess what? SURPRISE! It's the same stitch connected at top and bottom! So when they cut it and pull it out, you can feel the thread holding it's breath and swan diving UNDER your belly button as they pull it out, to finally surface on the other end gasping for air!!! Holly creepy feeling Batman. This of course begs the question, how the hell did they get that string UNDER there in the first place? What kind of cur Updated on 10 Oct 2012: Continued from Part One Updated on 10 Oct 2012: SADNESS!!! My whole last Update was lost forever in the bowels of cyber hell. 500,000 light years from now, aliens on the planet Gamma347 will receive the transmission and rupture their post-partum Cephalothorax Tuck laughing. I can state with absolute certainty it was my best Update yet. How can I prove it? I cant. Thats the point. YOU can't prove it wasnt, so there. I will have to get back to you in a bit after I put the kids down. Meanwhile, we can all try and guess what the ach ee double hockey sticks I was going to say after "What kind of cur" What in the WORLD was "cur" the first part of? Curious? Nope, wasnt that. I have no idea. :( WHAT was I saying next??? I can't remember. But dont despair!!! Just hold out for another 1,000,000 years and that will give Gamma347 enough time to beam it back to us. Updated on 10 Oct 2012: SEE MY ORIGINAL BLOG -- PART ONE -- IF YOU HAVE NOT YET SEEN IT. THEY JUST MADE ME MAKE A PART TWO. Alright. Kids in bed. Here I go, trying to remember the emotional roller coaster of MONDAY when today is WEDNESDAY. For crying out loud people, when you have a TT an hour is like a day, a day is like a month. We can't POSSIBLY go back to 48 hours ago! Yet, alas, I must. To continue my thought process from my stitch removal on Monday... "One stitch was taken out of each end of the incision (good call! You always want a stopper at the end of the zipper as far as I am concerned) and then the stitches in my belly button were removed. There was just one at the top and one at the bottom. Guess what? SURPRISE! It's the same stitch connected at top and bottom! So when they cut it and pull it out, you can feel the thread holding it's breath and swan diving UNDER your belly button as they pull it out, to finally surface on the other end gasping for air!!! Holly creepy feeling Batman. This of course begs the question, how the hell did they get that string UNDER there in the first place? What kind of cur".... ahhh.... uhhh... What kind of curved sub-oceanic Navy SEALS implement did they USE to get one damn stitch from the bottom of my belly button all the way to the top -- UNDERNEATH -- ??? Don't ask. It's better not to know. I had a whole list of questions for Dr Wotowic that he graciously answered. Can I increase my exercise? Yes, you can walk around the block. Can I go to a bar? No , I don't want you falling off a barstool. You know, the normal questions. I also opened my eyes in doe eyed pleading innocence and begged to get rid of my girdle. Sadly, he is immune to my charms. He said that I have not "shaped" as well as he would like (probably because of me stripping down too often to take pictures for all my BFF's on Real Self) and he wants me in in for 9 more days before he will fit me for a Compression Garment. :( *BOO HOO* He then used his nurse to help him wrap me back up, but NOW with a towel under my girdle, and a rolled up bandage right down my midline (he says to help further shape the feminine definition and curves that he created on my abdomen). So now my existence is reduced to being a frumpy towel burrito 23 hours a day, the 1 hour of respite being when I naughtily take pix for alls y'alls. He also admonished me to NOT PICK the little scabby wonkers that are on the incision line. GOOD WORD. Because we all know that is the first thing we would do. Remember in High School when some do-gooders would say "Don't pop the pimples on your face! They might scar! Let them recede naturally." Whatever DORK. I am NOT going to school with a friggin' white head!!!!! Well, naturally, we all want to look best for the ONLY people who understand us in the whole wide world -- the girls (and occasional guys) on RealSelf -- who are waiting for our next pictures with baited breath. But at the same time, you are peeps that I do not NEED to pick my scabs for -- now how is that for love??? So I have taken his advice, and you will see the pickless-image on my pictures. I also discussed my cramping legs and he said that would be alleviated by me walking more (he was right by the way, I can assure you with the wisdom gained by 48 hours.) So THAT is what happened at my stitch-removal appointment 2 days ago. But then that night, I had a super scary thing happen. The top of my right thigh was numb which was disconcerting. But then I shifted and got a SHOOTING pain across it -- like seriously horrid. I immediately decided I might be dying of a blood clot. But then I did not want to be a hypochondriac. So then I reflected on the meaning of the two simple words "Pulmonary Embolism." Yet then I thought about the effing emergency room co-pay. Help. So finally, at 9:00 pm I called Dr Wotowic's office number. An answering service lady promptly answered, and I explained my predicament in 30 seconds or less. She put me on hold for literally 15 seconds. And then..... *clouds part.... sunbeam illuminates my quaking form gripping the phone to my ear" DR WOTOWIC HIMSELF came on the line and said in a friendly voice "So, what's going on?" I just could not BELIEVE he came to the line like that! Talk about service! It was 9:00 at night people, and let me tell you when my crazy clients call me at 9:00 pm, it's voice mail baby. I never dreamed he would come on the line. I was HOPING for an advice nurse, so I could avoid the ER co-pay (or at least head there with assurance before I died of a blood clot because of my stupid effing selfish stupid TT that is now killing me my children are motherless it's all my fault selfish vain stupid) He listened to my problem, then immediately said "I would be ASTOUNDED if you had a blood clot at this stage of the game, at your age, in your level of health" and also told me that even if I did, it would almost certainly be in the calf not the thigh. He explained to me that a LOT of nerves got cut, and I would experience all kinds of crazy sensations and impulses in the weeks to come as it heals. He instructed me to loosen my binder, and then told me to come in and see him the next day if I still had any concerns. I HEART Dr Wotowic. There is just nothing else I can say. Okay, now I am going to post this one and see where my energies are for getting caught up... Updated on 10 Oct 2012: Ok so now its 10:42pm, and I am REALLY 14 days post op, just pretending to be 13 days to get us caught back up again after I couldnt post for 3 days. So! My new Veronique Compression Garment Pack arrived in the mail. You may recall that I have tried these [RS bleep] on before only to be turned into The Lorax. I am now trying a different brand, hoping for greater success. This pack ALSO includes a "Labia Support Girdle", which you may also recall I initially mocked but now shamefacedly admit perhaps I need. First thing I do is pull out the Labia Support Girdle. SURPRISE! It's a THONG. Call me crazy call me zany, but thong support is an oxymoron. Now we all know a thong has its uses, particularly when spandex is involved, but NO ONE would call a piece of bottom floss "supportive.". However, they did considerately adorn it with a cute little flower (see picture.) Perhaps I am being hasty. The PROBLEM is that I am, at heart, a granny panty girl. Sure I try. You know, I buy some nice stuff at Victorias Secret and I genuinely try to wear it. But I LIKE the 100% cotton full-bun comfort huggies! I would seriously still wear diapers if I could get away with it, just for sheer cozy puffy love value. Sadly, at age 38 I'm a tweener. You can do it at 2, you can do it at 92, but at age 38 socially you just cant wear diapers unless you are an astronaut. So anyway, here I am at 13 days post op in my cozy big bottom underwear and my huge girdle-towel burrito, contemplating the Labia Support Thong (mislabeled girdle.) What else is there to do but try it on? Perhaps my newfound labial compression will eliminate the post-surgical Gigantor Cooter of previous posts. Perhaps my skeptical sarcasm will be pressed away along with my edema. So I tried it on. What. The. Hell. First of all, is this a MAN garment? Because nevermind gigantor cooter, you would need serious elephantitis of the nuts to fill out this thing. It is CRAZY TRAIN! Look at the pix! It could not POSSIBLY be LESS supportive!! Who on earth is this thing made for??? Ok Im done. That was enough tranvestite granny panty fashion show in one day for ANYONE. Time to take a percoset and go to BED! Updated on 11 Oct 2012: Yesterday in my usual 2:30 pm boredom slump, I decided to try on the the Design Veronique #850 Zippered Abdominal Girdle that was part of the three-item pack I had ordered. I can tell you right now that I consider the design Tummy Tuck Friendly, because it actually has TWO zippers (one up each "quarter line" kind of up from your hip bones.) Also, each zipper line is first reinforced by a number of small hook-and-eye closures which is really smart. Clearly, they know who they are dealing with, because with that bad boy cinched down tight it is not only possible but probable that you could split a zipper walking around. The hooks make sure that the zipper is not taking the whole strain of our afternoon 400-lb weight gain. I managed to get it on by myself (score 1 !) without too much difficulty (score 2 !) I had a little bit of a hard time twisting to do the hooks and zippers, but then again I just managed to the the proper front-to-back wipe about 2 days ago (been feebly patting from the front for almost 2 weeks now WHO'S WITH ME ON THAT!?) I feel pretty squeezy, but not too bad. I walk around in it a little and decide that in all likelihood it's a keeper. So I reclined on my rented lift chair and stared musingly at my legs that have fatness swelling around the bottom of the compression shorts. (SEE PICTURE) It seems to me, that whatever compression garment you wear, you swell at the perimeters. It makes sense if you think about it. I mean -- the fluid has to go SOMEWHERE right!? Unless you make yourself pee it out by using dandylion tea, or Traditional Medicinals Weightless Tea, you are not ELIMINATING swelling by wearing a compression garment. You are simply re-distributing it. So it kind of makes me want to keep buying more and more coverage because who wants fat thighs? So I should get one that goes to knee. But then who wants fat knees? I guess I could get ankle length. But then who wants fat feet? Following my line of thought, I decided what you really need is a Spidey Suit that covers your toes and fingers and ends at your neck. But then what happens to your head??? The answer is, it will explode like a ripe tomato thrown onto hot pavement from a second story window. So not such a good choice after all. As I was lying there musing I happened to look down and.... WHAT THE HELL IS THAT???? There was...something....coming out of the "crotchless" portion of the compression garment.... WHAT IS THAT THING?.... I decided it was just bunchey underwear and pushed it back inside. Out it came again! I pushed it back in.... POP goes the weasel!!!! (See pictures) Remember my previous thoughts about how all the fluid went to anywhere that was not compressed??? Uhhhh.... yeah. *cough cough.* Suddenly it is all clear why the Labia Support Thong would be large enough to fit not only myself, but a suckling pig at the same time. Maybe I should stop bitching about my compression girdle towel burrito after all. Because my cooter is about to attack. Updated on 11 Oct 2012: I have to say that there is is totally bizairre mental illness that every single one of us shares here. Its some kind of surgery-induced amnesia. Let me elaborate. So, over and over, on every single Update I read, I see these unbelievable before and after pictures. I see physical transformations are are truly, genuinely, miraculous. I see women lose 30 lbs in appearance in the course of a 5 hour anesthesia. And I see us...EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US... undercut the after pictures by saying "I am swollen here." "I am really bloated there." "Swell Hell!" " I just hope the swelling goes down." And I scratch my head. And I look back and forth. And I think, "What in the world is she LOOKING at!!??" All I can see, as the casual observer, is this miraculous metamorphasis. Ive never yet seen ONE single picture on Real Self that I could even tell that someone was "swollen" or what they even thought that meant. They just look great to me. Yet today I got a little down because I felt kinda swollen. I could see a little edema puff all around above my scar line. I took a shower, then had to burrito-wrap myself because my husband was at work. I did okay, but it wasnt as tight as it should be so I got bigger. Then I had to put on pants and a shirt to look "normal" to go pick up my 3 year old at preschool. And I DID look normal... But kinda thick and fat. And instead of really, truly being okay about it because I know that I am wearing a girdle with a TOWEL under my clothing for peets sakes, instead I felt kinda fat and frumpy and sad. Is that the stupidest thing you have ever heard or what? Its RIDICULOUS. I look better, and YOU look better (and you WILL look better who are still pre-op) than we have in YEARS. For some of us....DECADES. How can we possibly be so silly as to feel unhappy even if we ARE a tiny bit puffy from edema? Even if we are a lot bit puffy? Because even at a lot bit puffy, we are SO MUCH SKINNIER than we were before. The apron is GONE for crying out loud. How can we lament some puffiness that only WE can see, when we just lost an apron of flesh that had to be tucked under belts? I know we all know this. But it amazes me how we all, including me, forget. Or even worse, its not that we have FORGOTTEN precisely -- its just that we dont yet see good enough. Im struggling for the words here because I dont want to say something trite or cliche, but also because I can see how people start down a road of nipping this and tucking that, getting more and more "done" chasing that illusion of perfect. And I dont want to see any of us start down the path of that addiction, because I DO care about you guys. I read your posts, I know about your families, I celebrate your victories, I laugh at your jokes -- just like you do mine! And I my hearts desire for all of us is that this Tummy Tuck is a beginning AND an end. The beginning of a new life set free from a major obstruction. And the end of being unhappy with the reflection and desiring to fix anything more. Ladies (and gentlemen), I pray for everyone who reads this that you would genuinely know in your heart that you are not only already good enough...but in fact, you are one of God's special favorites. He is particularly fond of you. :) And always has been. Updated on 12 Oct 2012: In the past 36 hours I have accomplished several VERY important things. 1) I listed 30 items for sale on Ebay. Considering how many cute things I have bought over the past 2 weeks (all designed to CLING to my belly! Oh yeah, you heard that right!!! CLING BABY CLING!!!! Drapey ruffley loose shirts be damned!) I thought I needed to offset it at least a little. I actually restrained myself from prematurely getting rid of ANY of my clothes. Why you ask? Well, since you're asking I'll tell you. Because WHY deny myself the pleasure of trying them on in a few more weeks when the incision is less tender and discovering how different they look! 2) I set up two personal training sessions a week (Mondays & Thursdays) beginning December 3rd. That date puts me 10 weeks post-op. I figure it's safe to assume I can do that by then, and even if I can't then I'll just cancel. But I am a GOAL PERSON. I need the goal to motivate! 3) I made my husband go buy me Monistat-3 because I got a #%>€#*#% yeast infection following the gagiriffic Cephalaxin antibiotics every 6 hours for 10 days. Man are those the STINKIEST antibiotics or what??? They smell like puke. Of course they did the job because I am not dead of a staph infection, but now instead I may die of a yeast infection. OR I shouldnt be blaming the Cephalaxin at all, and instead I should be blaming myself for all my recent nether-region anctics. NEW ITEM FOR ROCKINMOMS MUST HAVE PRIOR TO SURGERY LIST: Monistat-3. The Monistat-1 actually doesnt work very well. And I'm too impatient for 7, Im bored of it as soon as I feel more comfortable. 3 is the magic number. Oh, and be SURE to get the Jordan Almond-style. The little hollow sticks that you have to fill with paste and then dispense are just messy and too much work. Get the pods. 4) I went to my older two kids school for an hour with my husband for a book fair and pumpkin patch thing. I've never felt so alive!!! There were.,.. PEOPLE! And...and...COLORS !!! For a die-hard extrovert like me (shocking, I know) it was drinking nectar to be surrounded by hundreds of people like that. The world! I was out in the world again! It was even better than my first walk around the block that I was finally allowed to take on Monday with a chaperone. I was SO ectastic I sang at the top of my lungs "THE HILLS ARE ALIVE...WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC...AHHHHHHhhhhhHHhhh... WITH SONGS THEY HAVE SUNG .,.FOR A THOUSAND YEARS....AHHHhhhhhHHHHh" My long-suffering husband walked ahead of me shaking his head. True story. It's VERY liberating by the way. If you have never sung that song at the top of your lungs outside, I recommend you do it immediately. Start in your backyard if you're shy, then work your way to the front yard. Oh and by the way, not having a good singing voice has nothing to do with it. I dont have a good singing voice. Its all about moxy. That just reminded me of when I was pregnant and we were trying to pick names, I would always go open the front door and scream names to test them out. You know, like "JEBEDIAH!!!! YOU GET IN HERE RIGHT NOW!!!! JEBEDIAH!!!! DINNNNNNNERRRR!" Boy my husband hated that! "Stop DOING that!!" he would beg. But no, I had to test them out like that. Give them the real test drive. Good thing too, or I might have a kid named Jebediah. 5. I put on my dream outfit, which is just shorts and a jog bra. I looked so freaking awesome I was SO happy. The shorts covered the incision line, so right then and there I could have totally MILF'd out and gone to the store like that. (SEE PICTURES) I am serious this is my dream outfit! I have run either a marathon or a half marathon every single year for the past 8 years (first one was a marathon eight months after my daughter was born, and I've had a bet with my best friend ever since that we would each run at least one half marathon a year until someone wussed out. Our theory is that if you traverse a half-marathon at least once a year, fundamentally you can never get THAT out of shape...because you are always less than a year away from being fit enough to pull that off.) and I am always that runner with the baggy shirt. As you guys totally understand, this bet has gotten harder and harder and harder. The first year, 2004, I had a zip lock baggie on my belly bouncing around. By 2006 I had two kids, and a quart size baggie to haul around. But after #3 in 2009, I had one of those new 2 1/2 Gallon Jumbo Size ziplocks hanging down that I could feel jouncing really uncomfortably with every single step. Hey! Ive never told you guys how I ended up here! Well, I mean, the first domino in the stack. In 2011 I was training for a half marathon I was going to do in Napa (this one a trail half) and I was on a 10 mile run and my left knee started hurting. Well, without going into all the details (and yes I still did Napa), I got an MRI and all kinds of stuff. Then I started having problems with both knees, and then I strained both rotator cuffs. Finally my lower back was hurting when I was on my feet too long, and even when I rode too many horses. I just felt really depressed about it all. I felt like I was just getting old and washed up :( It didnt help that I saw doctors who told me that I was 38, with 3 kids, and that I really shouldnt be trying to do this stuff anymore. Maybe try swimming? It all came to a head when my husband bought this workout DVD called "Insanity." It's called that because... Guess? YOU'RE RIGHT!!!! IT'S INSANE!!!! (slap your knee.) Now, my husband is a rather strapping buck. He almost never formally works out, but he was a swimmer for half his life so he is permanently an inverted triangle, and he works outside all day so he's pretty buffed. At the beginning you have to do all these different timed fitness tests in a row to get baseline markers to which you can later compare yourself. These fitness tests are ASS KICKERS!!!! We both thought we would die of heart attacks just doing the fit tests (It was INSANITY I tell you! Haw!) Well, I seriously smoked my husband on every single measure except pushups where he killed me (it was something like how many you can do in a minute and I did like 12 and he did like 40.) But on literally EVERY OTHER TEST, I beat him by a wide margin -- like 30-50% better than him. THIS REALLY REALLY PISSED ME OFF. I was just flat out mad. I mean it. I felt like "What the hell?? I am freaking FIT. And Im tired of feeling like and being told that Im a washed up old has-been mom." I was expressing my madness and depression about this to my Coach the next day (horse showjumping) and she asked me if I had ever considered a Tummy Tuck and I said no, because of my daughter and wanting to be an example to her of worrying more about who you are than what you look like. Well, my Coach told me HER big secret, which was that she got some help in an area a few years back. I honestly had no idea and I was amazed. This started me down the road of considering this procedure, the agonizing about which I explain in my first post at the beginning of Part One. But the REAL clincher for me was when I finally saw a doctor about my knee and back pain who said "Lets see if you have diastasis." Dia-WHAT? I had never even heard of it! Well lo-and-behold, that was when I learned that I had EXTREME diastasis. That my muscles were so separated, I had a ventral hernia beginning up the front. And the doctor said he was ASTOUNDED that I have been jumping horses and running marathons and doing all this stuff with zero core integrity and everything falling out my front. This set me free. It set me free to fix myself, because it was the absolute confirmation I needed that I COULD NOT FIX THIS and my knees and back were just going to get worse and worse unless I let someone else fix it for me. I am so grateful to live during a time in history where we have the ability to do this thing! I am SO GLAD I did it, and I cannot WAIT to do my 2013 half marathon and feel my abs tight as a drum. And guess what ladies??? Here is my vow to you and I PROMISE that I will do this and that when I do, I will think of all of you, my RealSelf friends. I absolutely pinky promise that for my 2013 half marathon, I will wear my dream outfit. :) I can't wait. Updated on 12 Oct 2012: Quick question: anyone know if we can "subscribe" to people? I'd like to be able to subscribe to some of you and get your update alerts sent to me, rather than manually checking up on a dozen people every night! Updated on 14 Oct 2012: Here is how I feel at Day 18 Post Op: 1) Been driving since Day 12 no problems 2) Been off the raised potty since Day 8 3) Presently very active around the house. Folding clothes, making dinner, all that. That has gradually picked up over the past week. 4) Still way more fatigued than is EVER normal for me. An "outing" (like going to someone's house) for about 2 hours makes me feel super tired afterwards 5) Pain is managed fine by advil 6) Pain is hard to describe.... the incision feels tender. It may be more my body protecting itself than anything else. The skin of my abdomen is numb, but the muscles underneath get sore, which is a dual-layer weird feeling 7) My most pain it around 5 am every day, when I wake up because my back hurts. I think I am sleeping weird or protecting myself in my sleep or something, but my lower back hurts like a son of a nutcracker every single morning (but not at all during the day.) 8) My weight is the same TO THE POUND from before I got my surgery (163 lbs), but then again I did not get any lipo. I was still hoping to magically lose 10 lbs. :( But as many people point out, it doesn't help to be completely sedentary for 3 weeks 9) Sex is out of the question. I don't even want to! And my husband is scared to even hug me, he thinks I might rupture and violently explode intestines all across the room. I am ASTOUNDED by people gettin' busy within 1-2 weeks. I just feel way too... fragile. No thanks, not interested. 10) I am a high maintenance ho when it comes to the girdles and garments. I just hate them all. I feel constricted, thick waisted, weird, and annoyed. But I only have about 3 more weeks of wearing them anyway so I am just trying to deal with it and stop thinking about it because it can't be helped. So that is probably the biggest part of my daily suffering. 11) I can stand completely straight, and have been able to since the first day he told me that I could (which was about Day 12 PO). No one seeing me would have any idea that I had surgery, even with the girdle on under my clothes. 12) The only exercise I am getting is "progressive ambulation" and frankly that is enough. I walked a few miles yesterday taking the kids to the Farmers Market and the park, and I was wiped out by the end. That also makes my abdomen feel way more tender. 13) I notice a very minimal amount of extra swelling towards the end of some days, but really not enough to care much. If I didn't read so much about it here I might not even notice. Note: If you want to pee like a racehorse, get the Traditional Medicinals Weightless Tea (it is actually specifically to shed excess water.) Dandylion is supposed to be the usual tea to shed edema, and I have been drinking that too, but I swear to you when I drink one cup of that Weightless Tea I pee like seven times in a row. So I might not have much swelling because I am lucky, or because I am extra healthy, or because of my great grandmother's DNA. But it also might be because I pee out 72 gallons each time I drink that tea. I will post a picture so you can see it in case you want to try (and if it works for you too, let us all know!) 14) I have not gone back to work yet, but if I had to I could have last week part days. I think if you MUST go back to work before 3 weeks are up, then you should try to work half-days if possible. For example, you are better off working 5 days and working 4 hours each day, then working two 10-hour days or three 7-hour days. Try and do whatever you can to ease into it with short shifts, at least the first week. That is what I will be doing starting on Tuesday which will be Day 20. 15) I am going to send my recliner back earlier than necessary (sad!) because my in-laws are coming into town and I don't want to talk about it with them. And I don't NEED it anymore, it's just a convenience. (But I NEEDED it for the first 14 days.) 16) I put on a CG and I went in public today wearing jeans for a planning meeting for my church's Women's Retreat. The small group of girls there know that I had the surgery, so I thought this was a good test drive. By the end of 2 hours and eating a big brunch, the jeans were biting me and I could not wait to get home and back into my girdle and drawstring pants. The jeans button sitting down was NOT comfortable on my incision. So, I would say that you should plan on wearing soft, stretchy, yoga-type pants for the first 3+ weeks. 17) Stuff like showering has been totally fine alone since about Day 9 18) I have been able to put moisturizer on my own legs since about Day 14 19) I have been able to read to my kids and help them with homework, etc. since the first day. 20) I have been able to spend 3 hours a day on RealSelf since Day 2 PO, and I think I now need surgery for carpal tunnel because of doing so much of it on my iPhone! All in all I am ALMOST back to normal. I know I really will never feel normal again until I am completely out of any kind of compression anything. I cleaned out my closet today, but I was really conservative because I do not want to throw out a bunch of stuff and then be disappointed. I feel like I will not get the REAL clothes try-on experience until I am 6 weeks PO. And then I won't get the for real for real for 6 months PO, because I need to be cleared for exercise, feel normal, be running, be riding, be inspired by my hot new belly and so work hard on my legs and arms and lose 10-15 lbs overall.... I need all THAT to happen before I am done. And that my wee chickadees, puts me to March 26th as my real for realseys day. PERFECT TIMING! Just before Spring and Summer midriff bearing outfits take over my entire wardrobe!!!! :) p.s. I put on a full-side bikini that covers my scar to see what I would look like if I wanted to go to a beach today -- could I pull it off? The answer is YES I CAN!!! :) See new pix! Updated on 15 Oct 2012: I am going back to work part of the day tomorrow -- that will be Day 20. Today I took off my binder for several hours (naughty girl! Spank spank!) because I just wanted the FREEDOM again. What I ended up feeling after about 3 hours was.... stretched. I didn't look that much different that I could see, but I could feel a stretchy feeling across the scar line that was uncomfortable. It was like it was dried out, but I think it was just that I had expanded some without the compression of the girdle. I ended up taking a long bath with Epsom Salts in the water which felt good and reduced the slight swelling that I was having. I then rubbed Egyptian Magic all over my belly (it is an olive oil based moisturizer) and put my girdle back on. This is the first time that I have been glad to have it back on -- it feels like a nice supportive hug right now. A lot of people have been commenting to me lately asking for different advice and I want to say this first off: My list of things that I recommend is in my Part One, Date October 5 2012. Go check it out! But I also want to elaborate on something I have been thinking about now that my little mini vacation is ending. BEFORE the surgery, thank the Lord I found this website. I honestly am so grateful for the pictures, stories, wisdom, and humor (shout out to Cherrybabi!) that helped calm me down before the surgery. I am seriously not sure if I would have gone through with it without Real Self! There is just no one else, not even your spouse or mother, that wants to talk about tummy tucking all day. In fact they REALLY don't want to talk about it, because they start freaking and say maybe you shouldn't do it. That is the LAST thing you need to hear when you are already thinking about the expense and that you might DIE!!!!! So Real Self gives you this place where we can all [RS bleep], moan, anticipate, and endlessly ruminate with people as obsessed, scared, and excited as we are. And then talk about support! So many people cheering for your progress it's awesome! I have this running joke with my husband about all my best friends whose real names I don't know. I had him cracking up just before my surgery, pretending to be mad at him and saying "YOU don't understand me! YOU don't love me!! Only my imaginary blog friends love me! I don't even want to talk to you -- I want to type with my REAL friends!!!" :) So yes, clearly, I believe that this website is a important part of the process. I can also see that it has its' beginning (usually right before you set your surgery date and you start cyber stalking people on here), has a first climax when you set your surgery date and post some before pictures (pictures that you are letting all of your real imaginary friends whose names you don't know see of your belly that you have heretofore shamefacedly hidden from your spouse, best friend, siblings, and doctor), then it has a slight lull for about 2 weeks until you freak out about what you need to do to get ready. Then you start the cyberstalking again, have another climax when you have your blood work and/or pay your money (this is where Anesthesia Dread starts to really pick up speed.) Right about this time your loved ones make the mistake of reading something that makes them realize how drastic this surgery is (hopefully they do NOT watch any YouTube videos, and hopefully you do not either you sadomachochistic freakshow) and they start to get cold feet on your behalf. You reassure them and hastily shut them up because you really can't deal with opposition right now, but luckily you can retreat to the comfort of your real imaginary friends whose names you don't know. However, by this point you've still probably only done a couple of Updates (although you may have asked a lot of questions or comments on other Profiles) because A) there is not much to say except that you are scared that you are going to die under anesthesia and B) you actually still have a job and a life out there. Besides, with all your potty - chair shopping, it's not like you can spend all day Updating. Finally it's like 2 days before and you start to take the Arnica and Anesthesia Dread has gripped you in its' icy talons. If you are smart you got a Rx for a valium or a Xanax for the night before surgery, because otherwise that is a LONG night. Even though you have read 67 Profiles in full over the past 48 hours, you still can't wrap your mind around why in the world you can't shower by yourself for so long, and what is a Compression Garment EXACTLY, and what does "swell hell" feel like, and whether or not you can fry an egg for yourself by Day 6 and if that's enough time for someone to care for you. You're actually kind of sure that you will be able to do those things sooner than you have read about... but you actually are not sure at all... and the mother effing UNCERTAINLY is what is really killing you. Fortunately you can still post on Real Self that you are freaking out, and miraculously even 45 minutes before surgery someone will comment back "Way to go! Thinking of you! See you on the flat side!" Finally you get to the hospital with your little knapsack full of things that you won't use or wear, but makes you feel better and more prepared. You get quickly checked in because you already pre-registered, and you discreetly grab a few fistfulls of belly when no one is looking struck with a sudden nostalgia. In your private room, you strip down and put on the gown , someone plugs in an IV, and then the almost unbearable anticipation of waiting for the anestheiologist begins. Where IS that guy??? They are supposed to give you a "happy cocktail" but they missed the damn memo because you are actually NOT happy, and yes actually you would like a cocktail. At this point you CANNOT STAND WAITING FOR THIS DAMN THING ANY MORE AND IF ITS GOING TO KILL ME THEN KILL ME BUT I CAN'T THINK ABOUT IT FOR ONE MORE SECOND. Finally something happens, someone starts wheeling things around, you get taken to a different room, you see the anesthesiologist, you think about cussing him out for taking so long and then realize that you should NEVER get on the bad side of your anesthesiologist so you shut your pie hole.... and then....blurry...hazy... You open your eyes and you just KNOW that it is done. You are different. And your very very very first waking thought is "I am alive! I did not die! And the sheer relief and happiness of that is just the overriding feeling. You are totally schnockered from the drugs and painkillers and what not, you don't even know what-all is happening, you just know I AM NOT DEAD and that, my friends, is a fabulous feeling. Your loved one attendee is there and grabs your hand and says "How you feeling hon?" and at that moment you realize that actually, you might still die. You might die of cotton mouth. They bring you ice chips in a plastic hospital pitcher thing that is probably pink, and your loved one attendee helpfully spoons some into your mouth. It's reacts exactly like a drop of water falling on a Death Valley highway in mid-summer.... it evaporates before it even hits the pavement. "More! More!" you beg, but nothing slakes this demon thirst. It's like when Dumbledore was drinking out of that evil birdbath when he and Harry were getting the locket horcrux. You can even see that there is an IV in your arm, so you must technically be hydrated, but it's just a physical symptom that takes a long time and a lot of ice chips to assuage. Finally your loved one says they are going to get going home now, but you hardly hear them through the bleep of the machines in your room, the rhythmic whirr of the calf squeezey things on your legs, the occasional blood pressure cuff compressing, the oxygen monitor on your finger, and the tip toe of nurses like little elves as they keep coming in and sticking a needle in your left thigh (and ONLY your left thigh) to give you anti-blood clot medicine. Here is something VERY important to know. VERY important. DO NOT BE A HERO IN THE HOSPITAL. They are under strict protocols about how much pain meds they can give you for what level of pain. To get a full dose, your pain needs to be a "7 or higher." If you say "5" when they ask you, they will half your dose. This happened to me because YES I felt better because I was on PAIN MEDS. So when I said "Like a 3 or 4" they cheerfully halved my dose and did not tell me. 30 minutes later i called them back and said "I think you forgot my pain meds by accident" and they said "No we didn't" and I said "Well something is wrong they are not working." My pain started to climb higher and higher and then everything went to hell in a handbasket because they finally explained that they had halved my dose, but they could not give me more because they could only give me pain meds every 2 hours. Well, I am not exactly proud to say (but at the same time I think it's asinine that they are torturing someone freshly out of surgery) that I went mad dog on them. I was SO pissed! I said "MY PAIN WAS LOWER BECAUSE I WAS ON PAIN MEDS! THEY WERE WORKING! THAT WAS WHY MY PAIN WAS LOWER!" They still said they could not give me more so I demanded to see the Hospital Administrator. So then they did actually give me more pain meds. Harumph! How STUPID is that story? Really poor pain management in my opinion. So, the moral of the story is always say 7. I am sorry, I am sure there are nurses and doctors out there who will disagree with me, but I don't care I disagree with YOU. It is an absolutely proven fact that people heal faster when they are not in pain. When you are 4 or 6 or 12 hours out from a really gnarley surgery, this is NOT the time to play G.I Joe. This is NOT the time to worry about people becoming addicted to prescription pain meds. This is the time to ALLEVIATE SUFFERING. And the way you do that my friends, is with the magic number SEVEN. I wish that I had known that before. Don't try and impress them with your bravery -- take all the help you can get. And just for the record, I birthed all three of my kids vaginally and completely naturally -- no epidural, no pain meds, nothing. Just me and the field of corn I crapped them out in before resuming picking crops. That is 100% true. Ok, well, not the part about the corn or the crop picking. But the other stuff is true. I am just telling you that so you understand that I am not a wimp. I just don't believe in pointless suffering just because you accidentally said "Six" instead of "Seven." Somewhere in this stay you have a vey short mini climax because you use your iPhone to update on Real Self that you are not dead, because of course you know that your very very best friends who love you and understand you and who you actually have no idea what they look like although you could pick their privates out of a crowded football stadium, you know that THEY are standing by and waiting to cheer for your successful landing on the Flat Side. So you manage to Update them, the most important people in your life, and then drift away to la la land soothed by the whirring machines and the knowledge that you don't have to get up to go pee because of the world's greatest invention, the catheter. To be continued tomorrow my lovelies .... :) Updated on 28 Oct 2012: Hi everyone (especially SandySF!) I am so sorry that you have not heard from me in about 2 weeks!!!!! The truth of the matter is...and frankly, this is good news.... once you are able to go back to your "Real Life" you just don't have the same amount of time for "Real Self!" Not to mention, pressing issues like Halloween Costumes needing to get made, catching up at work, and all the things you neglect while laid up :) I want to write another post continuing the thread of my last one, mainly what it is really like hour-by-hour and day -by-day. But I don't have time right now, so I just want to tell you where I am at. 4 1/2 weeks! The time actually did go pretty dang fast, especially once I went back to work! People, do NOT try to go back to work too soon. You just feel SO TIRED. It's like that 1st trimester pregnancy tired where you fall asleep at the foot of your bed because you are too tired to crawl up to the pillow. Don't bag on yourself for "low energy" or anything like that. It's NOT low energy, it's your body putting its energy to the most important use -- HEALING. So understand that being "tired" is a good sign -- it's a sign that your body is putting itself towards healing. I went back to work right after my last post, I think that was Day 20. I stayed too long, and did not walk around too much (I was mainly sitting or at a desk or talking to people.) I meant to stay 2-3 hours and I stayed about 5. Anyway, I was just EXHAUSTED afterwards. Could hardly see straight to drive home. That has improved day by day and week by week. But still, even at week 4.5, I fatigue much more easily. My scar looks TERRIFIC. Really thin, beautifully symmetrical. I can't post pictures right now because my IN LAWS ARE IN TOWN FOR A WEEK and guess what? They have no idea that anything was ever even wrong with me! They can't tell at all, unless they secretly wonder why I have such heinous Visible Panty Line (VPL) all the time from my compression garment aka Glorified Spanx. There was a big transition for me between weeks 3 and 4. At week 3 I still felt.... fragile. But by week 4, I felt almost normal. My world's greatest surgeon, Dr Wotowic, continues to caution to me to really take it easy with exercise and physical exertion. He says "I can tell you are the type to wants to go out there and sweat bullets, not just get a little workout in, and I am telling you STOP IT!" :) He gave me a long lecture at my 4 week check up about how I seriously need to just TAKE IT EASY. He says that the more I can restrain myself now, the better long term results I will have. When I said that I feel like I am getting fatter from doing nothing but walking, he said for me to eat less food :) HA! Novel concept :) I did not get offended at this at all, because it was part of a discussion of my overall recovery and I 100% know that he is genuinely committed to me having the best results. It's not like I am going to rip myself open at this point, but the more you overexert yourself the more you swell.... the more you have swelling, the greater chance of a permanent thicker waistline.... He is trying to get me to keep the swelling down for the first 6-8 weeks, for the best permanent results. His point is that if you control your weight by eating less for two months instead of rip roaring around and causing swelling/edema, then 6 months.... 12 months.... 5 years from now you will look even better. This all makes sense to me because we do the EXACT same thing with horse injuries. And a horse that gets a thickened leg, for example, that is not controlled early enough by standing wraps (aka compression garments!) and cold hosing, etc etc etc will end up with a permanently forever thicker leg than the other -- long after the surgery or injury is healed. I feel good though. I have run around a little bit (not jogging, but just running to and fro) and feel totally fine. I tried a few incline pushups and did 10 no problem. Tried a few leg things (step ups, etc) and had no problem. Jumped up for a pull up and as I was dangling there it was like "Oh HELL no." I dropped down and didn't even try. I could just feel that was a bad idea. All of this was between weeks 3 and 4, when I started to feel less "fragile." A NOTE ABOUT ITCHING: I have not felt ANY itching at all whatsoever, but I got those Silicone Scar Strips and used them for one day, and when I peeled them off, I itched. I did not have that same experience with the Silicone Scar Gel. I am not saying I am not going to use them, I am just saying that if someone is really having a hard time with itching, maybe you need the gel instead of the strips? As another note, Dr Wotowic laughed at me with the scar gel stuff. He said go ahead, it's fine and it won't hurt you, but a good scar comes from a good incision. He says that there is no need to use that stuff at all and that the scar is the surgeons responsibility, not the patients by applying expensive stuff. Well, being a total American I don't care -- I guess I just want to waste my money! ;) More that I already bought it, I might as well use it, and even if it IS a placebo effect it makes me feel good to be "taking care of my scar." So there!!!! Also, I have personally noticed a good effect by applying a heating pad to my scar for at least 10 minutes, then massaging the scar gently but firmly with Egyptian Magic (its an olive oil / beeswax / hippy thing that comes in a pot.) I could feel there was a thickened line where the scar is.... almost like a rope or hose of thicker, more fibrous tissue.... and the heat/massage/EM therapy I have done a few times has made an obvious difference in smoothing that out and breaking that up. Only 10 more days until I can start weaning off the Compression Garment. I can't wait! You know how we all got this surgery because we are so sad about having to put a napkin on our lap to hide our big fat tummies when we are sitting down at a wedding or something? Well, guess what ladies -- you STILL have a hard time getting dressed for awhile post surgery, because now you have to hide that CG instead of that tummy! I was so bummed yesterday because I did have a wedding to go to, and I still had to try on a bunch of outfits to find one that looked good :( because I either had weird shoulder straps showing, or I had the most ridiculous VPL. I finally got one together and I felt good, but just so you know, don't expect ALL your problems to be solved immediately after surgery! Just most of them.... ;) Incidentally, I was on my feet all day and I did dance a little too crazy at one point. What was I supposed to do? "Pour Some Sugar On Me" cannot be denied. The good news is I did not split a seam. The bad news is, I really was more swollen than I have ever been before last night when we got home. Damn, I guess Dr Wotowic knows what he is talking about.... :) I promise PIX as soon as the the In Laws leave on Tuesday! :) Updated on 2 Jan 2013: I know all we care about are pictures, but I don't have any handy to show you my lovlies! :) I am 13 weeks Post Op. My scar looks good -- clean and straight, just still really red (of course! As I expect for at least a year.) Here is what I have experienced: I feel totally fat! :( I have gained 10 lbs on the scale. I really can't blame the holidays, as I have gone through 39 of them without gaining 10 lbs! I actually weigh more -- by a lot -- than I have ever weighed in my life except when pregnant. I THINK I HOPE this is just swelling or edema or something? Although my ass is bigger and I did not have any butt surgery! And my legs are HUGE something I have never worried about :( I had a massage 2 days ago for the first time, and she did some "work" on massaging my abdomen and scar. It felt really good in a weird I-am-still-numb-so-that's-creepy-way. But I have been wicked sore since that night -- very tender and puffy on my belly. I am not sure of that is bad or good. Is that a sign of healing or hurting? I am kinda depressed. I am hoping all this is normal. But I am bummed to have my tummy look so much better, but my butt and legs be SO MUCH BIGGER than they have ever been in my life even at 9 months pregnant!!!! What is wrong with me? I am really NOT eating that much (and have resumed gentle exercise) and I am so big. I promise you, I looked so much better at 4 weeks post op than I do at 13 weeks. :( I have swollen into a big fat tick. I HOPE so much this is the "swell hell" thing that people complain about, but I always assumed that only meant swelling on the abdomen. :(
I am 38 years old and the mother of three perfect children ages 8, 5, and 3 (my oldest is a girl.) My husband and I have been married almost 12 years. He is completely supportive of this procedure, because as he puts it, "I am sad every time we have to get dressed up and you feel so bad about yourself." Other than that, he has never said anything. This procedure is completely self-initiated. Like so many of you that I have seen on here, I am really strong and fit. I run a marathon or a half marathon at least once a year, and I work outside, competitively jump horses, and am constantly moving. I am 5'9" tall and am about 160 right now which is heavy for me. I would look like a crack ho at 140 lbs, so I am actually only about 10 lbs, max 15 lbs, overweight (because I have so much muscle mass.) I have never really considered a Tummy Tuck because I have always worried that I am sending the wrong message to my daughter. Plus, it just feels so vain. Finally.... there is always the remote possibility that I could DIE. How about everyone saying at my funeral "She died because she wanted to look good in a bikini again" ??? and my babies losing their mommy for that ridiculous reason? And as a final note, I have a very deep and true faith in God, and I have talked about this a LOT with God and again questioning my own vanity etc. I mean, spending $9000 on my belly when millions of kids are dying for lack of clean water???? This is a fierce moral dilemma for me. So I have never considered it until this year. But this year, I am realizing that I will NEVER EVER get back to who I was. I can starve, I can run 100 miles, I can beat myself literally and figuratively.... but my body has just given up on me. Three kids later, and my belly is saying "Oh HELL no." And what is hard, is I have not given up. I still think that I am hot :) I pull clothes off the rack, and think "This will look SMOKIN' on me!!!" and am genuinely astounded when I can't squeeze my belly into it. This happens to me over and over -- I feel like I am trapped in someone else's body. And it's a fat ugly body. So every single time I have to go to a wedding or a party or an event, I have clothes strewn across the room because they all look like crap on me. I choose a cute outfit, but it clings around my waist so horrifically that I am ashamed and do not want to go at all :( So here are a few things that have pushed me over the edge to actually do this thing. 1) I had a consult appointment with a couple of doctors. Yes, I "wasted" the fee at a few, because I wanted to be SURE. I only went to ones recommended by people that I knew that had used them. 2) The one that I have chosen (am I allowed to say his name? I am not sure so I will hold back) made me feel... beautiful.... for the first time in years. It was astounding. There he was, grabbing fistfulls of my belly fat and skin in a way that I would not even let my HUSBAND do, and he was the whole time talking about how beautiful the definition of my collar bone is, and now lovely the muscle of my shoulder, and how we just need to make the front of my abdomen match the trimness of my back. Instead of feeling like a fat deformed freak, I felt like a strong gorgeous woman who just has this little thing that is not her fault and that can be easily helped. He also confirmed that my stomach muscles are totally split apart, and will need to be sewn back together, but again -- it's not a matter of sit ups or crunches, but it's something that I cannot fix on my own. This was such an unbelievable relief for me. Finally, the more I have thought about it.... think of all the things that we do. I thread my eyebrows. I cut my hair. I get pedicures. Of course I had braces -- I almost consider it child abuse if a kid had bad teeth and their parents do not pay for orthodontics! How is getting a Tummy Tuck vastly different than braces??? For one thing, they cost about the same! Both directly affect your appearance, and thus not only how people view you, but how you view yourself. So my question to God "Lord, am I somehow not accepting the way you made me (post baby) if I get a Tummy Tuck?" -- is that any different than "Lord, you allowed me (or my child) crooked snaggly teeth and I do not want them to go through life like that, and so thank you Jesus for awesome dentists because we are going to fix that!" So you see, the more I have dwelled on this, the more that I draw a comparison in my mind between a post-baby (or three) Tummy Tuck and braces on your teeth. So here is the plan: Unfortunately I am committed to do Tough Mudder for the second time in Northern California on Sept 21. I really don't want to do it again, and if you know what it is you know why (a half-marathon with about 22 Special Forces obstacles along the way.) However, I am committed with a whole team so I just can't get out of this thing. SO... that has set me back. I am scheduled for Friday Sept 29th. I am anxious because I really need to be healed up for Halloween, because as a family we always all dress up together, and I want to be ok and healthy for my kids for all of that. That is why I wish that I could do BEFORE Tough Mudder (Sept 19th was open) but obviously that is an impossibility, unless I fake an illness to get out of Tough Mudder -- but I do not want to lie. It's not my style. So, Sept 29th it is. Which brings me to the final thing. I have read about so many of you who tell everyone what you are doing, but I am not like that with this thing. My husband knows, and my coach. NO ONE ELSE. Not even my kids, not my mom, not my friends. I don't know -- yes, I guess I am still ashamed at some level that I couldn't just fix my fat gut on my own. But also, I want people to see ME as smokin' hot again, not be whispering that I got a Tummy Tuck. So for me.... I don't want anyone to know except husband, coach, and you who are going to read this blog on RealSelf and help me through it :) Updated on 23 Aug 2012: Date change -- moved the procedure a few days earlier to Sept 26. Now that I am committed to do it I can't wait -- I wish that I could do it tomorrow. I have been walking around all afternoon in shorty shorts and a workout bra and every time I pass by the mirror I look at my belly and think "I CAN'T WAIT!!!!" Updated on 23 Aug 2012: CAN SOME GENIUS PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO ROTATE THESE STINKING PICTURES SO THAT THEY ARE NOT ALL SIDEWAYS!!!!???? I am so frustrated I CANNOT figure it out! Updated on 4 Sep 2012: Today is Sept 4, which means my TT is now 3 weeks one day away (the date was moved to Sept 26.) Now that I have committed I can't stand waiting -- I want it done tomorrow. This weekend I needed to get dressed up for a few different events (cocktail party, etc) and I just felt so awful with the material clinging around my belly.... I just can't wait until my clothes around my belly fit the same was as the rest of my body. I have also noticed how much harder it is for me to exercise this year. Has anyone else noticed that? It's a terrible cycle. I feel fat and hopeless, so I don't even want to go and run and exercise and do the things that I know for a fact WILL make me look and feel better (with or without a TT.) I really believe that this TT will break that bad cycle for me -- I will feel hopeful, like it can actually work again, and now I will want to make my legs and arms look even better to match the new stomach. That's what I THINK anyway! Three weeks and one day.... even though I am scared of dying, now I also can't wait to get it over with.... Updated on 6 Sep 2012: Just has the phone consult today, really the last thing before the pre-op appt Sept 25th. It totally freaked me out. She is telling me the following: 1) Following the surgery I will wear those tube socks for a week and a tight binder for three weeks. Once the binder is taken off then I will wear something better (more like spanks) for another few weeks 2) I can't take a shower for three weeks!!!?? She says not until the binder comes off!!!!! 3) I have to use a WALKER to get around my house for three weeks!!!! 4) I can't drive a car for 2-3 weeks!!!!! 5) No lifting anything or doing anything for 4 weeks 6) No responsibilities whatsoever for about 3 weeks WHAT THE HECK!? Of course I know about the drains, binders, and all that. But how the heck am I reading about people taking showers by day two? How are people even taking the post-op pictures that I have seen just days after surgery if they are all wrapped up like a mummy for three weeks using a walker?? Someone who has done this PLEASE tell me if my doctor is just being hyper-careful to be on the outside end of predictions. I can understand that they don't want to say you can drive at one week when some people are lying in bed for three. I do understand that everyone heals differently and all that. So just tell me how many days post tummy tuck before YOU personally: 1) Took a shower 2) Could read a book out loud to your kids 3) Could walk without a walker 4) Could stand up straight enough that you could see someone who didn't know about the TT and they didn't think there was something wrong with you?????? (This question is very important to me! I want to know how soon until I can "fake it") 5) Stopped taking pain meds 6) Drove a car 7) Could make dinner for your family Please let me know so I can wrap my head around this. Now my husband is freaking too because now he is realizing what a MAJOR surgery this is now that they are saying I need a walker for three weeks!!!! Updated on 7 Sep 2012: Thank you to all who gave me the 2-cents about what they actually went through, or what THEIR doctor said, about the post-surgery recovery. Not one single person was as bad as my doctor cautioned me! (e.g. a walker for 3 weeks!) so that really made me feel better. Also I went and purposely sought out the 5% negative reviews on TT to see why they said it, and actually from what I saw (and I did not read them all so there may be exceptions) it seems like a lot of them put that right after surgery when they were feeling like crap and then later on said they wanted to revise it to thumbs up! (Not sure why they never made the switch from thumbs down though.) Others had really bad experiences, from what I saw seemed to be with a cheap or inexperienced doctor (one lady used a guy who was only doing his second TT ever! Horrors!) Finally I saw people who asked for a full TT and then in surgery for some reason the doc only did a mini and they were not satisfied with the result. Well, since I feel pretty sure that I am not going cheap, inexperienced, or with a mini, I have decided that things will turn out just fine :) And since everyone seems to love their binders so much and since they apparently keep you from exploding like a just opened can of cheap pillsbury buttermilk biscuits, I am not worried about THAT all all! Or the drains. Or the pain, actually. I just want to stand up straight asap so that no one I know figures out that I got a tummy tuck.... but hey, no way to know until I do it. And even if I don't stand up straight for 5 weeks, I still get to get dressed for parties the rest of my life after that without six changes of clothes!!! :) Updated on 9 Sep 2012: Two weeks two days until my Tummy Tuck. Mailed off a bunch of checks today -- $4500 to the doctor, $1334 to the anesthesiologist, and about another $3000 still to come for the hospital. I bought the cough drops that I see are so highly recommended. I ordered an old lady lift chair for a month (only $135 for a month! Bargain!) I bought schmancy scar cream at Whole Foods along with homeopathy for post surgery, pain, and bruising. I have been nesting like I am having a baby. Cleaned out the entire pantry. Cleaned out half of the garage today. I know that my husband will be a fantastic Mr. Mom but I am still having nesting anxiety. I am packing the three kids lunches all for two weeks with little labels on them like "Now include a stick of cheese" "Add an almond butter and jelly sandwich and be sure to write ALMOND on the baggie because there is a peanut allergy in the school and we don't want the sandwich confiscated!!!" Understand that I am a CEO of my own company, AND a full time mom (being CEO means that you get to leave in time to get your kids at 3pm!) The prospect of being totally disabled is freaking me out -- will the world still revolve on it's axis without me?? I am also giving my husband as much time away as possible right now because he is going to be full-on for almost a month. So I am trying to get him all rested up by allowing him to have personal retreats (aka fishing) as many days as we can until TT day. I even arranged a sitter to come that night after my surgery so he can come and visit me in the hospital, now how is THAT for thoughtful??? ;) Meanwhile -- STILL -- no one knows. Again, I stand by my feeling that I want people to whisper how great I look, not whisper that I got a Tummy Tuck. I am going to have a HORRIFIC stomach flu in a about 2 1/2 weeks. Maybe even Salmonilla. My husband actually got Salmonilla when I was pregnant with our first child almost 9 years ago and I genuinely thought he might die and I would be a single mother. Nothing like pressing ice packs to your dying husbands raw butt while you are 7 months pregnant to lend a little reality to the marriage. Yes, the more I think about it, the more I think that I am getting Salmonilla in about 2 1/2 weeks. And YOU (and my husband, and my coach) are the ONLY ones that know. Updated on 16 Sep 2012: Today is Sunday night Sept 16th. The big day is Weds Sept 26th, 1:30 pm surgery time. That means in exactly 10 days from now, the full tummy tuck will be done, I will have woken up from the anesthesia, I will not be in pain because I will be happily tucked into my hospital bed to spend the night with round the clock meds, I won't even have to get up to pee because of a catheter, and my husband will be holding my hand gazing adoringly into my eyes and saying how glad he is that I am okay and popping chocolates into my mouth. (Or something like that!) Ok ladies, let's just hope that I am right!!! Because I am getting anxious about the surgery now. I could not wait for this thing to happen and now I don't have enough days left to get things done! I am nesting like I am having a baby -- I even organized the freaking tupperware drawer!!!! (Because let's face it, my husband can't watch the kids for three weeks without a neat tupperware drawer... ha ha) I have been under general anesthesia SEVEN TIMES and never had a problem, but I am starting to get anxious anyway. All the times before were not options, because this is "elective" I think I am worrying more about it. There was no point worrying other times when I had no choice, the broken hand had to get screwed back together, etc., so I didn't even think about it. This time I am thinking about it. But THIS is what I am worrying about the most -- Tough Mudder, which is the Saturday before my surgery (so I will have 4 days to recover before surgery.) I did it last year so I know -- it's freaking hard, you get really beat up, lots of bruises and scrapes, and super sore all over. My husband is really concerned that this is a STUPID thing to do right before I am going to beat up my body through abdominoplasty. His point is "Your body will have enough healing to do, it should not also be healing from Tough Mudder!" (Tough Mudder is a half-marathon run over a trail course at a ski resort with 22 special forces obstacles to complete) I don't know what to do because I feel trapped since I am in it with teammates (this was planned a year ago.) I just don't know, and I keep going round and round about it. What do you guys think??? Am I going to seriously jeopardize my chances of healing well from the full tummy tuck if I am going into it already sore and bruised? Or does it not really stinkin' matter because it's just a drop in the bucket of the thrashing my body will endure? And since I will be taking pain meds, antibiotics, etc anyway from surgery those will just wipe out any residue from Tough Mudder? Updated on 16 Sep 2012: Quick question -- what is MR? Is see people referring to their "TT" (ok, fine, Tummy Tuck) and "MR" THANKS Updated on 17 Sep 2012: September 17th, 2012, 8 1/2 days until surgery. I just had heart palpitations writing that! Regarding any kind of extreme sport events right before surgery, the answer is NO. I asked my doctor about Tough Mudder, and he clearly restrained himself as a professional from saying "HELL TO THE NO YOU DING BAT!" I guess since they will put off your surgery of you even have a cold, they definately put you off if you have bruises and scrapes all over! Increased risk of infection...lower healing...and so forth. So here is my main thought today as I read so many blogs: I really, really do not plan on telling ANYONE. I read about so many of you being abused by idiots who offer their unsolicited criticism of you. It makes me angry, and sad. :( Frankly I just don't have the time or energy to defend myself when it's NO ONE'S BUSINESS. And those same people will turn right around and think you look great in a bikini (just as long as you don't tell them you had a TT and Muscle Repair, in which case they will say you are fake like a Barbie.) Nope -- it is confirmed for me after reading what some of your have experienced. I do NOT want to tell anyone. The hardest part is my best friend -- I really feel like I have to tell her, but she is a personal trainer (and incredibly fit and thin even after 3 kids and no surgeries) and I know that she feels so strongly like working out is the solution to everything. Sometimes --- as you all know -- it's just not. So I am still working on this one because I can't NOT tell her. :( I will let you all know how that one goes. One final thing -- it is SO hard to plan because you see people looking and feeling pretty good at 10-14 days, and then you see people on here at 9 weeks Post Op who are still having all kind of problems with swelling etc.... I know you all know this because you have gone through it yourself. But there is just no way to know until you DO IT. And then you see. Maybe 9 days, maybe 9 months until you feel like yourself. Hard to plan your life with that much uncertainty following your TT! tick tock tick tock..only 8 1/2 days to go....tick tock tick tock Updated on 19 Sep 2012: Today is exactly one week from surgery date. In fact at exactly this time in a week, it will all be over (although I will be in the hospital for the night.) At today's appointment I pre-registered at the hospital, filled out all the anesthesia questions, paid them a lot of money, gave blood samples, got weighed (165 lbs! Yikes! I have put on about 5 pounds since I knew that I would do this. Most people seem to be smarter and actually lose weight beforehand. I think I am thinking "live it up!"), got to look at the drains and pain pump and learn how to clean them, and got handed a lot of papers to read. My final appointment before The Day is next Tuesday, where I see my actual doctor and he draws all over me with a pen. :) It was really encouraging because everyone I saw at the hospital gushed about my doctor. The nurse who checked me in confided that he is THE BEST and that he often does the "close" work on other doctor's surgeries, because his work is so incredibly small, patient, and meticulous. The nurse who drew my blood saw my docs name and said "Ah yes! The man with the golden fingers!" All of that made me feel SO MUCH BETTER for my nervousness. My whole extended Tummy Tuck and Muscle Repair is costing me about $8800. I just don't see how people decide to get a "bargain basement" doctor to save a few thousand bucks. This is your LIFE and your BODY (not to mention your scars!) Better to wait and save up more money and get it done right, then get it done cheaply and poorly. I am really pretty much ready now. Here is what I have lined up: 1) Made 3 weeks of school lunches for 3 kids in advance (minus perishables) 2) Pre-made and froze 14 meals for me and my husband 3) Ordered a lift chair (rental for one month with delivery & pick up is $180) 4) Bought a toilet riser with handles (at first I was looking for a used one on craigslist and then I realized that is gross. A little slow on the uptake! ;) (on Amazon $35) 5) Bought the NewGel+E Advanced Silicone Gel for Scars that was so highly recommended on here (on Amazon $55) 6) Mostly finished the family Halloween Costumes (since I don't want that to fall by the wayside for my kids!!) 7) Stopped taking any kind of pills about 2 weeks ago, even a multi-vitamin. There are so many things to avoid I am just avoiding it all. 8) Bought arnica that I will start taking 2 days before 9) Have been doing 10,000 things at work because no one (except my husband of course, who I own the business with) knows that I will be gone for at least 3 weeks. So I am doing all kinds of things in advance (payroll, etc) I feel good about my state of preparedness. I just need to buy granny panties. And even that, really, isn't such a big deal. I already have a few pairs anyway which I will never want to wear again once I have a smokin' hot tummy! I am now TOTALLY looking forward to my 3 week "vacation" of letting everyone else run the world without me. That will be GREAT! Updated on 24 Sep 2012: Only 48 hours to go. I just started taking the Arnica. My hospital chair arrived this morning (pretty comfy actually!) I have my final to-do list and am crossing each thing off. I DID do the Tough Mudder this weekend, but I did not do the obstacles. My surgeon absolutely forbade that. Apparently, a lot of bruises and cuts will make the surgery much more dangerous -- increasing risk of blood clots, lower healing rate, etc. So I hiked the entire course with my teammates and took a lot of pictures. I confessed to them the night before (that was Friday night) what was going on and why I could not do the course. I was really really nervous to tell anyone (as you know I have kept this 100% secret.) They were, every single one, extremely supportive. As one person pointed out "I can't believe that you have done all these things for years completely unzipped down the front! Your doctor is just going to zip you back up!" I explained to them about how since my 3rd baby 3 years ago, I just have not recovered. My belly is completely spread apart, and I am having knee and lower back pain this past year as I continue my really active lifestyle. I also have a huge risk of a ventral hernia, since I have extreme diastasis and am so active. Anyway, so unlike the extreme secrecy of before, I am now letting a few close people in on it, but I am still very private about it. Only 48 hours to go. My surgery is this Weds. I go in at noon, and the surgery starts at 1:30 pm. I am starting to feel very nervous. Kind of sick to my stomach. And as CRAZY as this sounds, I am grabbing on my roll of extra skin and feeling kinda nostalgic. Like "Gee whiz buddy, we've been through a lot, and now I am just cutting you off." It's a weird feeling. Like I will call "WILSON! WILSON!" after they take my stomach away and throw it in the garbage!! What is wrong with me? Did anyone else get a sudden weird attachment to this part of their body they can't wait to get rid of? Updated on 25 Sep 2012: So my surgery is TOMORROW. I need to be there at noon, and the surgery starts at 1:30 pm. As I write this it is 6:09 pm which means that my surgery will be OVER by now (although I may still be sleeping.) I posted the pictures of my final visit with my surgeon today. He drew all over me (see pix.) I am FREAKED OUT by that big pie slice he will be removing! Holy crap I will look like Pac Man!!!!!! I am seriously starting to freak. I just took half a Xanax (doctor okayed) and will take another half in a little bit if I am not less stressed out. I have never taken one before, so I am going a half at a time. LOOK AT HOW MUCH IS BEING REMOVED!!!! Holy freaking moley. Before I sign off from my final post before I "see you on the flat side" as they say around here, I do have to share my two favorite parts of the surgical site infections info sheet that the hospital gave me to review. Runner Up Favorite Part: "Family and friends who visit you should not touch the surgical wound or dressings" What the heck??? Who would even do that??? Come at you with their finger poking out??? FAVORITE PART: "Speak up if someone tries to shave you with a razor before surgery." WHAT IN THE WORLD is going on that that hospital!? Apparently they have madmen running amok, shaving innocent victims right and left. I just have this image of a hand coming around the corner .... holding a disposable Bic razor out towards me... Psycho music playing in the background.... If I never sign back on again, it is because the mad shaver man got to me..... Updated on 26 Sep 2012: I AM LEAVING FOR THE SURGERY IN 45 MINUTES!!!! CRIED DROPPING OFF MY KIDS AT SCHOOL THIS MORNING!!! SO AFRAID THAT I WILL DIE AND NOT SEE THEM AGAIN!!!! I wish the time would go faster so I can hurry up and get there and get my nice valium or whatever it is that they give us to calm us down :) :) :) I left a little present for each of my kids on the couch for when they come home from school.... there is a load of wash in the dryer luckily I can fold that.... Went to the store this morning and bought cereal that we don;t even need.... And I am also hungry. Ladies, go for the first thing in the morning surgery time if you can!!! This is tragic trying to pass the time until I turn into Ms. Pac Man!! THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU GIVING ME LAST MINUTE GOOD WISHES!!!! ONLY 40 MINUTES UNTIL WE CAN LEAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Updated on 27 Sep 2012: In my hospital bed. Its midnight. Having trouble sleeping. They gave me an Ambien which nothing for me at all -- too bad I didnt even think of packing Melatonian wich works like a charm if I ever need help sleeping! Oh well, its just one night and Im groggy from other stuff so I expect I will drift off soon.... I have on stockings AND calf compression massager machine (on calves) to prevent blood clots. And they injected me with anti coagulant. Blood pressure and oxygen monitors. Two drains inside the incision drain to the plastic grenade looking thngs that they ermpty. The blue fanny pack continually dispenses local anesthetic to the incision. I have a catheter, and an IV with continual fluid. One thng is for sure I will lose 50 pounds. I took few large swallows of water and the presure on my ab muscles hurt a lot!!!!! The incision does not hurt but the vertical mid line of my abs is very very painful. I will try and post pics. Sorry if they are upside down or anything I cant fix that from my iphone Finally my husband is so wonderful. Was there when I woke up and held my hand feeding me ice chips and arranging my blankets until they made him leave at 9:30 :) I love him so much and am so blessed. And I am SO GLAD to be alive! That first minute of being alive and knowing its over is the best! Whoops -- sorry . Looks like no pics at all until Im on a real phone Updated on 27 Sep 2012: Hi everyone. Well, at least Im home (just got home 2 1/2 hrs ago.) I had the worst and most unexpected complication. I never heard of this happening to anyone! I COULD NOT PEE. It was terrible!!! I guess my urethra went into shock or something. Obviously they would not let me discharge until I could pee, but the urine would try to get out and... The door was shut!!! They finally had to put a catheter back in because my bladder was about to explode! I was just crying and crying because I wanted to get home and I felt like I screwed up my body and I would never pee normally again. :( After that we tried again. I will tell you my gross secret in case you need it. I would spit on my fingers and rub my urethra and it would wake up my pee hole enough that I could dribble out a few drops. Over and over I repeated this, and after about 7 hours I was dribbling well enough that they let me come home. :( Its still not great though -- I still cant just sit and have a nice long pee. :( I am home and in a lot of pain. Very uncomfortable. My binder is so tight it feels like it is bruising my lungs and I cant get a deep breath. I am just trying to get to tomorrow because you all say every day gets better. I hope thats true because today really sucks. On a positive note, my surgeon said that I have absolutely beautiful "tissue" (who knew?) and that he expects absolutely gorgeous results. He is adamant about me maintaining 90 degrees for a full two weeks so that I do not stretch the incision and I have an invisible scar. Sounds good in theory, but right now I hurt and pee so badly that future seems a long long long time away.... :( Updated on 28 Sep 2012: Now its about 38 hours post op. I am a tiny bit better today after being home all night instead of the hospital. All I am doing is lying in my chair bundled in pillows. The big excursion is to the potty, which is a nightmare each time, so trust me Id rather just stay in my chair taking pills. My husband is taking wonderful care of me and the kids. I fell asleep listening to him reading Harry Potter to the kids last night and actually slept all night, only waking up for my pill alarms. One day at a time, one day at a time. Today is better than yesterday and tomorrow will be even better. Updated on 29 Sep 2012: It is Saturday 6:15 am, and my surgery ended around this time Wednesday. Im getting the new routine down -- alarm sounds at midnight, 6am, noon, and 6pm and I take a Cephlex (antibiotic, and a STINKY one!) At 9pm and 9am we empty my drains ( I keep having 60cc in the right one and 20cc in the left one.) Every four hours I take 2 percosets (no need to set an alarm for those! The returning pain alerts me and sometimes I have a hard time counting off the minutes of the last half hour.) The first night home after the car ride and our amateur bumbling, I couldnt get on top of the pain -- was about a 7 or 8 even with 2 percosets! Now, though, Ive stayed ahead of it. Usually I hurt for awhile after scrooching around with my walker. I know I could be standing up more already, but my surgeon has expressly forbidden me to! He wants me hunched over 90 degree hip angle for 2 full weeks so that there is NO stretching of the incision and I have an invisible scar line. Frankly I dont mind -- it doesnt hurt my back (thanks to leaning on the walker) and after going through all this I want the end results as perfect as possible. I HAD A BAD DREAM LAST NIGHT!!!!! I dreamed that I was at the doctors office smd he wasnt there so they told me to come back in a few days. I said "cant I please look under my binding?" and they said "NO -- not without Dr Wotowic!" but as I was hunchbacking my way out, my binding caught on something and fell off. And I looked down and I was exactly the same as before, just a bunch of stitches across it!!! You know my bikini picture where I look 6 momths pregnant? Well I looked like THAT only with a big line around the middle and stitches. NIGHTMARE! I dont know when I can actually see -- sometime next week I guess. I am supposed to call them Monday to update, but they wont schedule the follow up appointment to remove all the schrapnel dangling off me until my drain tubes are only 5-10cc each. At this point I assume that is a long way away! I think the worst part for me are the edges of my binding (just so uncomfortable!) and my BUTT. My butt is so numb and sore from lying on it all day and all night. Last night I massaged it with a hand massager tool amd then rubbed Traumeel all over it! Seriously, the butt hurts worst of all. I have zero incision pain, but I assume thats from that Ono pain pump thing that is directing local anesthetic directly into the incision line. My ab muscles hurt, particularly when I accidentally use them. Last night my 3 yr old son elbowed me in the side, and I had a total involuntary response of jerking and clenching all my stomach muscles!!! Holy smokes I thought I would die!!! As LsuKid said about coughing, "It felt like every stitch was popping out!" AGONY. I cant even imagine sneezing. Sneezing after this surgery must be hell on wheels. So Im just doing this thing one day at a time. I personally have not felt any depression or regret like I have read from most of you, I am so lucky to say. I am just glad it is OVER -- for me the anticipation was the worst part. Right up until being wheeled in I was wanting to change my mind and freak out. Once I opened my eyes again I was all good, and once I got through my initial terrifying pee-stipation, I figure each hour is more healing and closer to being at full capacity. But for now I am enjoying the totally unfamilar feeling of helplessness and dependence :) Its good for me! :) Updated on 29 Sep 2012: Well, I had some leaking coming from the front of my binding today so my doctor asked me to come in. They removed the Ono pump (the black fanny pack pain medicine dispenser) that was leaking, removed all the soggy wrappings, replaced it all with fresh and wrapped me up tight again. I feel SO MUCH BETTER all freshly and smoothly wrapped with with at least some of the stuff hanging off me gone. ALSO, I am so happy that I got a sneak peek under my wrappings! You can see the drains are still in. I thought I didn't look that different by my husband said that I am CRAZY I look totally different already. Anyway, I am just super happy to be more comfortable, and excited for next week whenever I get the final drains out. But for now you can see what I look like exactly 72 hours after surgery ended! I probably won't get another picture for about 5 more days since they thought I wouldn't get my drains out until Thursday Oct 4. Oh my I am crazy, I just looked at my before pictures here, I DO look way different already! :) Updated on 30 Sep 2012: Id say overall Ive had as good a surgery experience as possible. My pain has not been bad (although I dont mess around! I take those pain pills every 4 hours round the clock!) and I have not had any of the roller coaster emotions of regret and remorse that I see so many of you suffer with. But I AM going to [RS bleep] about one thing -- the damn binder. What the heck? They csn put a man on the moon, why cant they make that thing more comfortable??? For those who havent done the procedure yet heres how it works: you have this wide band of elastic and velcro that they wrap around you as tight as possible from just under your boobs to your hips. The TIGHT part is annoying because you cant take a really deep breath....but that part I can kinda live with as long as I think about Scarlett OHara a lot. The WORST part is how your skin gets creased into ridges and bumps under the elastic. Like how if you wear a tight pair of socks all day and you find the elastic has bitten into you and caused indentations? Well my whole torso is one big indentation and it not only HURTS, but it ITCHES!!!!!! I keep pulling it away from my back and hips and scratching like mad. I cant wait for the next phase (apparently some kind of "garment" which sounds mysterious) just get me away from this ELASTIC. Why cant it be made of something soft and silky!? Oh, and let me also mention that at the front where your crotch is, the two drain tubes also emerge. So its not only totally uncomfortable, but Im personally scared to mess with it too much as long as those sinister tubes are there too. 4 days post op. I know not long until the twin [RS bleep] of tubes and binder are gone forever and they will just be a distant memory. But I FREAKING HATE THEM BOTH!!!!! Any good recommendations of what is comfortable to wear that I can buy on my own if I hate my "garment" just as much??? Updated on 1 Oct 2012: DAY FIVE OF MY INCARCERATION Im sad and lonely because Husband and kids are gone. To make matters worse Im running low on Percoset. Husband charged the mini DVD player for me, today is the day I start watching movies to pass the time. The thrill of being incapacitated has worn off. It would be one thing if I could be here alone doing things. But I am here alone not doing things. *sigh* AND house cleaners are here. Im hiding in my room with a sign on the door saying "NO ENTRAR! Estoy enferma! Gracias!" so they know I am here spying on them and their movements are self-conscious and furtive. *double sigh*. My binder hurts. My drains hurt. My butt hurts from sitting on it. *sigh sigh sigh* No wonder people say they wished they learned how to crochet. I pretty much have never felt the sensation of boredom in my life (as Metallica says, "Boredom sets into the boring mind") but this is a whole different ball of crochet yarn that I dont know how to use. IM FREAKING BORED SO F*** YOU METALLICA!!!!! YOU NEVER HAD TO SIT IN ONE CHAIR FOR A FULL WEEK STRAIGHT YOU SELF RIGHTEOUS [RS bleep]!!!! Maybe hospitals should offer traveling crochet instructors. Is it a sign you are losing your mind when that becomes your most vivid fantasy, and you start cursing out aging rockers??? Updated on 2 Oct 2012: 6 Days Post Op. Today was a hard day for feeling uncomfortable. I was all chafey and weepey by the afternoon. I finally got so mad I just peeled off the binder and lay there on my recliner letting the blood get back into my skin! That was the right choice for me, I felt so much better after 20 minutes of freedom that I even changed into a bra and panties and took some pictures to show all of you. I wish that my scar were lower, but then again I don't care all that much. I am relying on my doctor to give me the "invisible scar" that he thinks we can achieve. And what the heck, even if it still shows and I have to get creative with my bikini shopping, I did this for every single moment of my every single day wearing clothing, not for those few times that I am at the beach. I am SO glad that I did this. I only wish that I did it sooner! Three wasted years of holding napkins and sweaters across my lap at parties and never feeling good about how I look because of things clinging to my belly! THOSE DAYS ARE OVER LADIES!!!!!! :) :) :) Updated on 3 Oct 2012: I just got the drains removed. Holy crap it is the worst weirdest feeling ever. I almost puked. They were SO LONG and wound all around my torso under the skin like flexible french drains!!! The opening was totally sore and hurt as they were being pulled out, but the worst... I cant explain it... This totally horrible creepy sensation of the tubes sliding under my skin like snakes.... It felt like they were being unwound from my intestines!!!! And each tube was about 18"-24" under my skin wrapped around!!! I seriously almost barfed. Updated on 3 Oct 2012: Ok heres my update 4 hours after drains were removed: best freaking thing ever. WHAT. A. RELIEF. So yeah, the snakes-under-the-skin thing is terrible. But it only lasts 20 seconds. And then WHAT RELIEF. I personally had a lot of irritation and soreness at the drain sites, so having that gone is like having 3/4 of my problems gone. Plus, now I can appear in public and I only look like a hunched over feeble old granny, instead of looking like a crazed hunched over zombie about to attack. Nothing like active and visible internal body fluids draining out of you to scream to the world "SEXY!" Plus, I can try sleeping in bed tonight instead of the recliner! Our 3 year old is always climbing into bed with us and Ive been too scared to sleep in there because Ive been afraid his crawley little monkey toes will rip out my drains in the middle of the night. If you have ever had a 3 year old boy you know this is a very realistic and valid concern. Updated on 4 Oct 2012: In celebration of having my drains removed I tried to sleep in bed last night. The attempt was entirely unsuccessful. First off, my little 3 year old monkey boy was complely insane last night. 10:30pm and rolling all around talking and babbling until I wanted to hold a pillow over his adorable sweet little face to SHUT HIM UP! I dont know what got into him -- his bedtime is 7pm usually! I was trying to give my husband a break and let him go out for some "alone time" but I finally had to cave in and call him to come home and save me from the 3 year old terrorist. So what happened? Of course you know the answer. 27 seconds before my husband arrived back home my baby fell asleep with his head on my pillow. But that wasnt even the worst problem. The worst problem was I couldnt REACH anything. In my lovely naugahyde recliner (you do realize how many nauga's they have to kill to make one of those, don't you?) I have a side table right next to me with easy reach for my iPhone charger, medication basket, books, pens, papers, thank you cards, candies , homeopathy, and dvd player. I can adjust my angle with the touch of a button, and I dont even have to stand up to go to the bathroom because the thing levatates all the way up until it puts me right on my feet with no effort involved. In the bed, I just managed to get settled with a body pillow when I realized I wanted to turn over. You remember turning over when you are 9 1/2 months pregnant right? Grunting and straining and inching and heaving and keeping your knees in line with your torso. After 3 gasping minutes I made it. Next I realized I wanted a drink of water, but that involved REACHING which is turn made me feel like my bowels would come pouring out my belly button in a tidal wave of intestines. So finally I gave up and lay there thirsty and uncomfortble until I realized.... HELLO.... My friendly naugahyde Space Station is just waiting to receive me back. Why did I think I wanted to sleep in the bed again anyway? Between my 1/2 a melatonan and my rented hospital lift chair, Ive slept through every since night since surgery. If it aint broke, don't fix it. Updated on 4 Oct 2012: Hey I just realized I should tell you all what I did yesterday -- went online and spent hundreds of dollars at Classic Shapewear. Since Im not really sure what size I am now (especially since I know it needs to be super tight) and since I dont know what style I will like, I bought a variety planning to send 3/4 of it back. I HATE my binder way more than most people I think. Its so uncomfortable for me because of the chafing (although a long tank top under helps LOADS), and because it bunches up and gets uneven pressure. And I hate how I cant deal with it myself -- my husband HAS to put it back on me. So in my mind, if a person is willing to spend a little money, why shouldnt there be a more comfortable binder out there? Im assuming I was given standard-grade military issue abdominal surgical binder. Im also assuming that can be improved upon if you are willing to pay extra for it. I bought only the extra supportive post-surgical garments (because of course I have to talk my surgeon into letting me sub out my Iron Maiden) but I am still banking on them being a massive improvement over the Elastic Death Corset. I will let you know when they arrive. And hey ladies, maybe we can have a little fashion show!!!! ;) Updated on 4 Oct 2012: Oh and a P.S. about the drains.... Ive noticed from pix that diff docs do diff drain sites. For example, Cherrybabi had one on her side. I had TWO put right into the top of my pubic hair area. Which is really ironic, because that means someone really DID shave me while I was under general anesthesia!!!! Just the very thing I was warned about!!!!! Anyway, the point is that my drains were removed yesterday (DID I MENTION MY DRAINS WERE REMOVED YESTERDAY!!!!??? GLORY HALELUJAH!!) So today I decide to take a REAL shower. But when I peeled off my binder, and peeled off the gauze pads and garbage that I have going on underneath there, I think I peeled off the brand new soft baby scab forming on the right drain hole. Did it hurt? Not at all. But I was greeted with a gush of warm pink fluid that continued to expectorate to the extent that it ran down my leg even after I patted it off a few times. How GROSS is that!!??? I have a body juice geyser coming out of the top of my cooter mound! Disgusting! I would post a picture but you would all probably lobby to toss me out of here, and I cant let that happen since you are the ONLY ones that I can talk to about all these details!!! After showering the drizzle had abated so I gobbed on Bacitracian and covered back up. I didnt bother to call the doctor. Speaking of cooter mounds, WTH with the swollen va jay jay??? Seriously. Its creepy. I am NOT getting the satisfaction I want from my husband as I chase him around pointing and saying "LOOK HOW SWOLLEN AND WEIRD IT IS!!" and he barely looks at me and says "Yeah" then scampers away. I think for him it's like the dreaded "Do I look fat in this dress?" question. He feels like he's on tricky ground and he's not sure which is the wrong answer that will get him clobbered, so he freezes like a deer in the headlights hoping me and my Gigantor Cooter will leave him alone. Anyone else have spurting drain holes? Updated on 5 Oct 2012: In response to Hello_From-Chicago, I am going to make a list of what I personally consider Tummy Tuck Essentials. Please note that I am NOT A DOCTOR and you should make your own evaluation, along with your doctor, whether the following items are going to be good for you in your particular situation. 1) Reclining lift chair (rent from a medical supply place for about $150/mo) 2) A walker (so your back doesn't hurt so much) 3) A lifted potty. It's not the end of the world if you don't get one, but it helps. Be sure to get one with handles. 4) I did NOT get a shower chair, I stuck one of our plastic yard chairs in there, but you WILL need something in the shower 5) A wand attachment to your shower head if you do not already have one 6) A side table RIGHT NEXT TO YOUR LIFT CHAIR, and also and easy on/off reading light 7) A water bottle that you like drinking from that is large (like over 20 oz) because ironically the more you drink water, the less water you will actually retain and swell. And you don't want the people helping you to have to fill it up every 5 minutes. I have one with a snap close lid and a little loop I can hook my finger through which helps a lot when you need to take it somewhere else in the house with you and you are on your walker. The one I got is PERFECT. I got it at Target for about $9.99 it is brand "aladdin" and says BPA Free on it, 24 oz. 8) 3 or 4 of those Clif 20g Protein Bars called "Builders." First off, they are as delicious as a candy bar. Second off, you will have no appetite the first 5-6 days which is GOOD (because we all want to lose weight, right?) but it's BAD because your body physiologically needs protein for tissue repair. So if you have a few of those next to your recliner, you can eat half of one for a meal even when you have no appetite (or if you actually DO want to eat but there is no one around to help you, or it's 2 am, or something.) 9) A package of Original Ginger Chews. They help with nausea. Also, I like them because they ARE sweet like a candy which satisfies that craving if you want a little num-num, but pretty much no one is actually going to eat the whole bag (like you would with a bag of chocolates) because they are too strong and gingerey. So one will tide you over for a long time. 10) Homeopathy -- Hypericum Perfortum -- for nerve pain after surgery. These are really helpful in the beginning when it can be hard to wait for the next pain pill. 11) Homeopathy -- Arnica -- for bruising and pain. Start taking these 3x a day starting 2-3 days before surgery. 12) Homeopathy -- Staphysagria -- for surgical wound healing. (Personally I took all the arnica, then I took all the hypericum, and now I am taking the Staphysagria. You are not going to HURT anything by taking "too much" Homeopathy, but the principle is that you need to let one element work at a time. Oh and by the way, don't touch the pastilles with your hands [the caps dispense in such a way that you don't need to anyway] and take them separately away from any food, drink, or tooth brushing that will affect your body detecting them under your tongue.) 13) Bilberry extract -- for healthy connective tissue formation. Take 3x a day. 14) Hawthorn extract -- to increase circulation and reduce bloating and edema. Take 1x a day 15) Dandylion Leaf tea -- to reduce bloating and edema. Drink 3 cups a day. 16) Traumeel. This is similar to Arnica gel but with extra items in it. I have found it very helpful to rub on all the sore spots that develop (butt, back) that were NOT operated on (do not put on an open wound.) It is not at all like Ben-Gay -- it is NOT a menthol. You can mind it next to arnica gel in either Whole Foods or in a health food store. 17) A few boxes of large sterile surgical dressing pads. These are to tuck under your binder the first 1-2 weeks to alleviate the chafing and pressure points. 18) A little present for your husband or caretaker. I left a surprise 1/2 gallon of Cookie Dough Ice Cream in the freezer along with some raspberry candies that are my husband's favorite. I never pointed them out, but in the course of caring for me and the kids he found them, and it made him really happy. 19) Thank you cards. This might be the first time in your life you actually have time to write them :) And when people do nice things for you (even just the nurse at your doctor's office giving you extra help maybe) you can write a little thank you note. It makes the day go by way easier to have nice things like that to do. 20) A portable DVD player and a few DVD's 21) A little present for your kids who are going to be scared to death of you. My 6 year old son kept crying and crying and saying "What's wrong with mommy?" It's nice to have a happy reason to call them in to see you. I also had them read me books and that seemed to help a lot, they got to "help take care of mommy" and in that close time together they could see that I had not really changed. 22) Some tampax, because you WILL get your period within a week of the surgery. Even if you are lucky it will be within 3 weeks right? So be ready, because that's just one more thing you don't want to have to make someone go buy for you 23) A long (below hips) very thin tank top to go under your binder, and a pair of really loose comfy PJ pants 24) Granny panties. Get a size larger than usual, and get the cheap ones at CVS or Walgreens. Get non-elastic bikini or low rise style. 25) For after care, I got NewGel+E Advanced Silicone Gel for Scars because it was highly recommended on here by other ladies. I have not used it yet or even discussed it with my PS yet. I don't have my stitches out yet, so I will cross that bridge later. 26) Anti-Itch cream. I always use Cortisone cream and have that on hand, but I also got a non-steroid one made by Gold Bond because I thought I probably wouldnt want to be using too many steroids over a big area for a long time, and I understand that once the stitches are out the itching begins. 27) Hydrogen Peroxide and Rubbing Alcohol. Just because. 28) Bacitracian. I have ALWAYS used Neosporin, but apparently in this situation when they KNOW what the bacteria is that they are worried about with surgical openings (specifically, Staph) then you should just use the one antibiotic ointment specifically for Staph (Bacitracian) and not use a triple antibiotic ointment. 29) Go online to Classic Shapewear and at least start to think about what kind of compression garment you might like 30) Two bottles of Knudsen's ReCharge, or Alacer Miracle Water, for electrolyte replenishment the first week. 31) Kefir and/or a high quality probiotic because you need to help your intestines after all the thrashing from antibiotics and painkillers. 32) Metameucil. Take three teaspoons daily stirred into a small cup of water and drink it down. Why not? It makes things light and fluffy. :) As an overall eating policy, you should try and emphasize a fresh foods as much as possible, leafy greens (for Vitamin K), cucumbers, parsley, celery, and alfalfa sprouts. Also try and emphasize sea vegetables (sea weed) for new cell growth, iodine, and minerals. Miso soup from a nearby japanese restaurant is a great thing to have. If you like it, even better have miso soup, seaweed salad, and a salmon/avocado roll as a healing dinner. Try and put a scoop of greens and reds powder along with a scoop of protein powder (whey protein is good for post surgery) at the very least as your smoothie breakfast each morning. Feel free to add in black strap molasses, wheat germ, organic fruit, psyllum husk, and brewers yeast if you like. If you want to know more about this hippy crap, then buy the book Healthy Healing by Linda Recor Page. Good reading during your recovery :) Finally, I am fortunate to live in the San Francisco Bay Area so all this stuff is really easy to find. Try a Whole Foods or any good health food store. Worst case, you can always order online. Updated on 5 Oct 2012: My Compression Garments arrived today. I was super excited. As you know, I can't WAIT to get out of my binder. So here's what happened. The FIRST one is like a black wetsuit that I can't even get past my knees. It is a size Medium, so I think I should get able to get it on. Not even CLOSE. What the hell is this thing made of? I decide that it's probably just because I am scared to PULL it on (it does have a zipper front, but the point is I can't even get near the point of when I would zip the damn thing) so I go on to the second one. The SECOND one is beige, and much softer, so I manage to get it up to my hips. Then I wiggle into it really slowly and carefully, afraid of hurting my stitches (because I am totally breaking the law by doing this you know. I am supposed to be in the girdle for WEEKS and them my PS is going to actually give me a Compression Garment, I just didn't want to wait any longer so I am cheating.) I still left one protective pad over my front where the drain holes and belly button are. After much effort, I manage to zip it up. I am squeezed very very tight. Yes it IS putting on as much compression as the binder, maybe even more, and over a bigger area. So I lie down for awhile because I feel so squeezey. Finally I get up and look in the mirror. WTF!? I invite you to please look at the pictures above so you can see what I mean. 1) Picture One -- this is what SHE looks like in the Compression Garment (that bi*** never had a TT I can tell you that!) 2) Picture Two -- this is what I look like in the Compression Garment. I LOOK LIKE THE LORAX. 3) Picture Three -- VISUAL AID I think I am too disgruntled to try on the remaining two. I need a time of mourning first. Updated on 6 Oct 2012: I have managed to recover emotionally from the disappointment of being The Lorax. However, I then looked at the other two Dr Rey garments I ordered (apparently I was madly optimistic because the final two were a size Small) and I could -- literally -- not even get my two arms into the torso to stretch it out. I guess I assumed the sizing was for us AMERICAN full-blooded women, not for 76-pound Filipino women. And I think I was also living on Fantasy Island thinking that one week after my TT I was going to be auditioning for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and all my problems would be solved. Alas, enter reality. With the post surgical swelling I am JUST as fat as before. Maybe fatter. So the moral of the story is STAY THE COURSE LADIES AND GENTS! This is a six month solution not a six day solution. And I think the people that get all crazy and depressed are the ones that are too bummed that it's not a six day solution. SIX MONTHS PEOPLE! Let's re-define our goals! So with that in mind, I just re-shopped this morning. Taking the advice of TT_for_twin_mom (who is such a weirdo that she LOVES her CG! What the heck! That is a sado-masochistic fetish if I ever heard of one), I went online and looked at Design Veronique post surgical garments. I do think the Classic Shapewear is a great site because they carry dozens of brands and styles. But they don't carry Veronique so I went directly to their site. First of all, it is very fun to look at all the different crazy compression garments you COULD be wearing and are not. It's like -- Ha ha! Look at that person! Who would operate on THAT!!!? It's the same kind of small victory that you have when you have to answer those "Health Questionnaires" before donating blood or going to the doctor. You know what I mean, when it's asks a question like "Since 1970, have you ever had unprotected sex with while doing intravenous drugs?" And you victoriously proclaim "NO I HAVE NOT!!!!", filled with the smug satisfaction that you are NOT nearly as screwed up as other people out there! Well, I was having that same kind of smug satisfaction looking at all the body parts that are compressable. Finally I come across item #1052 "Labia Support Girdle" and I was like "Ha ha ha! What the heck!!!?? What is going ON for that person!!? They are a HOT MESS!!! Ha ha ha!" and then I merrily moved along. And then about 3 minutes later it hit me. Um, HELLO. I am the freakshow posting online for millions of people to see that I am chasing my poor terrified husband around the house waving my Gigantor Cooter in the air. Talk about a plank in my own eye. The Labia Support Girdle is designed for ME!!!!! So I am now ordering Style #C50 "Abdominal Recovery Kit", which includes one Zippered Abdominal Girdle (sounds good for now when I am all fragile and vulnerable), one Non-Zippered Abdominal Girdle (sounds good for the future when I am ready to be yanking things on again and don't want the zipper ridges) and the LABIA SUPPORT GIRDLE because now that I have recognized my hypocrisy I am ready to fling myself full-bore into a Cooter Reduction Strategy. The whole kit is $219.85, and I look forward to posting successful photos next week. Perhaps this time I will look like Humpty from Puss n' Boots instead. Updated on 6 Oct 2012: Woot woot! Hands in the air people! I had to peel everything off to measure for the new Veronique compression garments and GUESS WHAT!? I AM SMOKIN' HOT! This is a good thing to do first thing in the morning when you are less swollen!! I am just going to sit and admire myself all day today. Look at my new bikini comparison pictures!!!! This is only TEN DAYS POST OP! (Note: yes my scar is rather high. I don't even care. Wotowic says the scar will actually end up being invisible because of how he cuts and sews and I believe him.) Updated on 7 Oct 2012: I need to add TWO very important things to my list of "Things I Think You Need." One is Melatonan, to help you sleep in a non-drugged fashion. The second is Emergen-C..... but NOT to keep you from getting sick! The past two days I have had the most horrible leg aches at night when I am trying to sleep. I could almost use the word cramping. I could not figure out what is going on other than I just suspect that I am so used to being very physically active all day long that my body is not doing so well with the inactivity. The agony subsides the moment I get up and walk around, but that is not very useful when you are trying to sleep is it!!?? So last night I pulled out the Healthy Healing book that I previously recommended. I looked up what to do for Muscle Cramps and Aches. There were some immediate physical practical things such as rubbing Traumeel on my legs (yay! I already had it) and having someone slap the bottoms of my feet really hard (which my husband somehow was perfectly happy to do....hmmmm...) But she also recommended taking an Emergen-C (by Alacer) for almost immediate relief. Guess what? Almost immediate relief. Did NOT fix it entirely yet, but I am taking two more today and hoping things will be better tonight. Emergen-C many years back was only available at Health Food stores, but now it's totally mainstream and you can get it at Trader Joes and even Safeway. My working theory is that aside from lack of activity, I am also depleted from drinking so much dang water to try and keep myself from bloating or swelling (sounds counter intuitive but it's absolutely true.) So I think I needed more electrolytes and minerals. I am also going to go and get another Knudsen ReCharge, because I only drank one back around Day 3 and it tasted like nectar it was so incredibly delicious. That should have tipped me off right there that my body was needing more electrolytes!!! By the way I see my PS tomorrow and I am supposed to get my tape off and stitches out! I can't WAIT to see the real incision, and I will be sure to give you all a photo shoot!! Yippee!! Continued in Part Two
36 Year Old with 1 Child - San Ramon, CA
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