So Far So Good and SO WORTH IT! -Atlanta, GA

Ugh. I have hit the ropey, hard, lumpy mess I kept reading about. :/ I just keept trying to remind myself it's temporary and if I keep up with the daily massaging and staying active it will diminish. First night back to dance class and I forgot that hard-hitting professional level hip-hop dance uses soooo much core movement and strength.. No major complaints, but it made my skin itch like crazy. I'm assuming nerve endings are reawakening and blood is flowing to the area. Refrained from any jumping whatsoever and stuck to just one class. Still impressed that even with the lumpiness that has set in during healing how good it still looks. For the first time at the studio, I didn't feel humiliated about my belly fat. I didn't worry. I felt more confident. I looked like someone who works out as hard as I do. So grateful!

I'm 3 weeks post-op. Hooray! Just started massaging the area with a hand held massager for 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at night. Also, started wearing the stage 2 garments. I bought two additional ones since the first one ordered for me (a girdle type with no legs) rode up my rear end ALL. DAY. LONG. It was horrible. It's not exactly made for anyone with a back side or muscular thighs. Still getting some swelling on and off, but all the bruising is gone. I still have trouble wearing heels to work. I tried it one day and it hurt every time I walked because it jiggled my skin. I did go clothes shopping for the first time since the surgery and was so happy that there was NO muffin top and no jiggle-jaggly belly. :) Also, I finally got my some of my before photos off my old Android phone. Thank goodness I upgraded to an iPhone because that stupid thing would no longer load my saved photos. Upgraded belly and upgraded phone. lol

Day 11
I am pretty much OVER this compression garment that makes me feel like a sausage. This thing is freaking TIGHT!!! I can tell when I swell because it gets so tight I can barely move or even breathe. My legs are swollen too by the end of the day. This is far worse than the procedure was because at least I couldn't remember the procedure! Waiting on my stage 2 garment to come in the mail because I hope it is way more comfortable than this. I've been having sharp pains on occasion when I bend over of if the compression garment pulls on my skin. Reminds me a lot of some of the ever so *fun* days I had in physical therapy after my knee surgery years ago. It's that same feels-like-scar-tissue pain. Basically, it feels like your skin pulling off the bone when you move. I've had way too many injuries if I can tell you the type of pain...like I know cartilage tearing pain versus scar tissue pain. Yes, I'm weird. I will say, it still looks crazy good even with swelling and bruising. Did I mention I still have the pen marks on me? It hurts too much to rub them off. Plus, touching my own skin when it's numb freaks me the heck out. I can't do it! lol Okay, I will get my old phone to get my before photos off of it. BTW, I wore a dress today that always used to show off my preggers-looking belly and it was so crazy seeing a flat stomach there. Wow.