PART II of the Journey! Fleur-De-Lis Tummy Tuck & Laser Bra Breast Lift - Columbus, OH

I've not been back in a very long time. I guess once I got this done, I just sort of moved on with my life. Looking back across the past close to three years now, I have to say that there has never been a half of a minute that I ever regretted doing this. I may still be paying off the loan, and I'm still a bit touchy when lying on my tummy, but I will tell you, that it has been 100 % worth it.

If you are trying to decide if you want to do it, all I can say is you just have to decide that you are worth the investment. We spend much more on a car, and we are not even in that all of the time like we are our bodies.... so it sort of just makes sense to get a bit of bondo on the old bucket, if you ask me.

Good luck on your journey. If you do your homework and get yourself a great plastic surgeon, I have a feeling you will not regret it!

Six month anniversary!

Well last weekend I hit the six month mark. It's been months since I've been back here so I've been terrible about updating. The healing process continues, but I almost never think about it anymore. The only time I feel anything is when I have been bad and have over indulged when I've eaten. It does not cause any pain, but it does feel like a "pulling" sensation or feels swollen in my abdominal area. This does not hurt though, just feels funny. I still am not really comfortable lying on my tummy, so I just don't lay on my tummy. Other than that, all is good.

I am a bit disappointed to learn that my thigh area may not get done. My surgeon told me that he would prefer to refer me elsewhere if I'm having a thigh lift. He tells me there is not a great customer satisfaction rate in thigh lifts. I really wanted to get those done next, so I'm in a bit of a quandry over that. He is able to do my arms though, and I may still get that done. Cost is a huge factor of course, and I've still got lots to get paid off with this loan I took out for this year's surgery.

I still say it's been worth it. My scars are fading, and I'll get a picture of that up here soon. Since I have the most invasive of the tummy tucks, my scars are going in both directions. I'm pleased with the way they are healing and fading; even though they will never fade completely.

The holiday season has been a tough one. I've wanted to go to town on some christmas cookies but so far I've refrained. I keep reminding myself of the project I begun on my exterior self and the maintenance and upkeep on that is something that is part of the deal I made to myself. So I try to stave off the carbohydrate feeding frenzy that I would love to go on. My interior self continues to keep vigil over the palace gates as a barrage of cookies, cakes, and carmel corn make their way to the office this season. Come on January, hurry up and get here. It will calm down a bit then and I can relax my guard a bit. I have come too far to get taken out of the game by a snickerdoodle! :)

Post Op Day 32: I hardly took any tylenol yesterday for the first time. The night before last I slept through the night without waking up for any tylenol more than once. I still get pretty tired out and I really had some swelling yesterday afternoon and into the evening. That seems to be what causes hunched afternoons. I looked down at my belly towards the end of my work day and it looked like a little pot. I looked three months pregnant. Not totally swollen, just pouchy. I am getting around very well now though. I think since I am four and a half weeks post op, that it makes sense that I should get around better now. :) I do get tired pretty quickly still. I still have a few scabs where my vertical scar meets my horizontal one just below my belly button. Other than that though, my skin has healed nicely and evenly everywhere and the scabbing has gone away. Again, I have to say I've seen a markedly different appearance in my incisions since I started using the Bio Oil twice a day that my PS suggested, and I've only been using it now for six days. Great stuff and can be bought right at Walmart! Who knew? I will be glad when I can lift so that I can go back to my morning routine around the farm before going into the office. I may try to find a way in which this can happen without me lifting much.

Each day is a new journey and learning to view my body in it's new packaging is a work in process for me. I have fought a weight problem since I was 7 years old. This is a lifetime of self imagery issue that does not go away easily. I am working on it though.

Happy healing everyone!