The Final Touch. - Albuquerque, NM

Today is post op day 13 and I'm feeling great! I've been a slacker and I haven't updated in a few days, mostly because I've just been so busy. I've been up and about running around doing just about everything that I did before since last weekend, day 9 and so on. I'm really quite surprised by how easy this has been for me, given all of the reading I've done I know full well that many of you ladies had a really hard time with this surgery. Which is to be expected, ITS MAJOR SURGERY!

I had my first follow up with the surgeon on Monday and he seemed really pleased with my energy level and said that everything looked really nice, but of course there was lots of swelling. He thought there might be a little bit of fluid retention on my left side above the incision, so he tried to drain it. Almost nothing came out. He said to call if it seemed to be getting worse, but it hasn't been so I'm not worried. He also gave me another wrap to wear in addition to my binder to keep the swelling down as I'm up and about so soon its making the swelling more apparent? He called it a burrito wrap which made me chuckle, but it just looks like a giant ace bandage. He also said that I'm a part of the small percentage of the population that is allergic to bacitracin ointment. So, while I was religiously applying ointment to my belly button and covering it as I was instructed to do, thinking I was being a grade A patient, I was actually having a reaction to the stuff and I've got a rash in my belly button. Its been red and angry looking the whole time, so I assumed it was normal after surgery inflammation. WRONG. He said to stop using it and that it should clear up on its own rather quickly.

Laughing, coughing and sneezing are still not my favorite parts of the day, but they aren't panic inducing like they were the first week. I really feel like I've got most of my mobility back, but getting out of bed in the morning is still a tuck and roll process. I've been sleeping on my back for the most part, a little on my sides, but I seem to almost always wake up on my back. I really miss sleeping on my tummy but I'm just too afraid to even try at this point. I'm going to give it a few more weeks probably.

TMI portion: Although I know it wasn't really advisable, my fiance and accidentally forgot about the whole no "you know..." for 4 weeks. To my surprise, everything went just fine. One small muscle twing, but really just fine. Post op day 8. I'm telling you, I feel like my normal self! Also, I have no idea if this is related, really, but I'll let you all about it anyway. Before surgery I had issues with irregularity, think Jamie Lee Curtis. After surgery, once I got past all the narcotic backup issues, totally regular...I haven't changed anything else. I'm not sure if maybe it just has to do with things being back in the right place? The muscle tightening maybe? It's kind of freaking me out, I'm not complaining, I just don't know what to make of it...

I'm placing my order for silicone strips as soon as I get paid on Friday and I'm cleared to start using them as soon as they arrive. I'm still stuck with the burrito wrap and binder until further notice, next appointment is on Monday. I hope they'll tell me then that I can switch to spanx. This binder is bulky and itchy, I can still get my size 4's on comfortably, but spanx would be a lot easier to conceal.

Happy healing ladies!

Post-op day 8

So this is why they call it swell hell! I think I can honestly say that this swelling is bothering more than any pain I've felt thus far, super uncomfortable and annoying. But this too shall pass. : ) I wish I could figure out how to post pictures from my iPad, I hate having to drag out my old school computer. Aside from the swelling, things are good. Oh wait, I forgot to mention that I'm spitting out a suture already! I've had one spot on my side that has been killing me since the day after surgery, pinching when I move. It stopped hurting on Tuesday and I sort of forgot about it, then last night it flared up again. When I woke up this morning there was a nice little piece of black plastic shooting out of my side. I called the nurse just to be sure, she said "Yup, that's a suture!" Woohoo! At least I know what that annoying pain was, I kept telling my fiancé to look at it again, something must be wrong with it, hahaha. I started yesterday taking both Arnica and Bromelian to help with this ridiculous swelling. I'll let you all know if it seems to be helping.

I hope you all are having good days, happy healing! xoxo

Today is 1 week post-op, altogether I'm not feeling terrible. I feel like a big swollen blimp, which I'm having a really hard time with. It seems worse today than it has been so far. It'll go down, right? I haven't been doing anything specifically to help with the swelling, should I take something? I've been doing some research on bromelain but when I asked my doctor he said there wasn't really any conclusive evidence one way or the other. He didn't say that I couldn't take it tho, so I might go pick some up. I haven't driven yet, I'm a little nervous...
I've been off the narcs completely since Tuesday. I had a really hard time with that. Light headed, dizzy, nauseous, dialated pupils, cold sweats. It was so weird! I'm struggling with the fact that I feel so weak and tired. I'm bored out of my mind, sitting and taking it easy, trying to be a good little patient. Even with a nap I'm falling asleep by 9:30. I guess my body is probably working harder to heal than I realize. Also, trying not to ruin my new tummy with a bunch of really poor eating. Which is hard to do we you're stuck home with orders not to do anything and a fully stocked fridge. Resist the spice cake!

Happy healing ladies. : )