48 and finally getting a Lift with no implants, also a no drainage Tummy Tuck - Danville, CA

OK, so I can acknowledge there are changes and improvements. I see the before and after. It's been almost a year and a half since my surgeries and to be honest - I'm not certain I would do it again. Or if I did it would be with more thought or questions.
My breasts were great for about 4 months, but they do what they did before just with less skin. I would have had small implants put in - not to make them bigger but to retain the volume and perkiness that the initial surgery showed. If I lay down, they go to the sides, if I bend over they hang, I can't go braless so all those cute dresses and tops I'm still hunting for a strapless bra for those.
There is a lot of scarring which I don't really mind except that now my boobs are square shaped, and when I raise my arms, the right one in particular bunches where the incisions were. One of my nipples is much higher so I have to be mindful of bras or tops because it pops out. That was embarrassing in a swim suit... yikes! They probably should have been a bit lower but... again, hind sight.
I've never had a flat tummy - every one says "see you on the flat side" and I never did get flat. I kept pointing out the pooch and the side bunching and was told it was swelling and would go away. It never has. At my one year mark a couple of months ago the doctor looked at my pooch and said I "had an unusual amount of fat" - which didn't make sense since he originally said I had very little fat in my stomach and mostly skin. He recommended liposuction... and fat transfer to my breasts to round them out. I don't want to do another procedure to fix what I thought was going to be fixed with the first round of surgeries. It wasn't even at a discount! Another 11K , yea just can't so I have to be content with this. I've gained 15 lbs since last year. It's not what I expected and I'm glad it's worked so well for others. I'm not super happy.

I confess - I've avoided posting an update on here. First because the changes aren't as frequent and also because as I head into this stage, other than nerves firing off that make my boobs feel like a hot iron is poking at them now and again - there isn't much to report.
It will be 4 months for me at the end of this month; I have a follow up with the PS next week (the first since early Feb). He urged me to give it 3 months at least, he said my body was going to go through many changes and healing; he didn't want me to freak out like I was. He was right about that. The spitting stitches were common, and they eventually went away. My scars were scary at first but they are all healing nicely (no scar therapy yet, just letting them do their thing) - my nipples did NOT fall off as I thought they might.
I made myself look at the photos and see my before and then progress. I think it's my expectation about things. I am second-guessing my choices. I am still having swelling on my lower tummy - its always there. I still wear a compression garment during the day, and I wear spanx under some clothing. The PS said swelling could last months, and I see it on here all over about swelling but... it's not swelling like mine. It's better; no doubt, I can look at it and see some difference. Just not where I thought I'd be at 4 months. Mine looks like all the top part got moved to the bottom - I am trying to work out again and do it on a regular basis. It hasn't been easy to get back on track after more than 2 months (my fault) and the core work outs are harder but I am still trying so I can get my strength back and get all on track again.
My breasts are natural feeling, and I don't have that crazy hard knot on the top of my left boob anymore! I was looking forward to wearing a strapless dress, going braless now and again!! I could wear a sweater dress or stretchy one and not have to squeeze into a thigh to chest spanx for smoothing. ...Oooh I might even be able to pull off a mid drift top??!!! The possibilities seemed endless and presented ones that I had never been able to think of in my adult life.
My boobies have healed nicely, and I might get some feeling in the nips later but ... they have fully settled at this point. So when I lay down they go to the sides; when I bend over they hang - there just isn't as much skin as there was before so they don't hang as much. I wear an underwire during the day, and a sports bra during the night, just like I always did. They are higher up, and there is less skin but I feel like they are smaller versions of what I had. I could be wrong, I mean like I said - I totally SEE from the before to now. I sound ungrateful but I expected they would stay perky and full for at LEAST a year maybe two... not less than 4 months. I didn't get implants because I didn't want it to be unnatural looking or larger, but in hindsight maybe I should have gotten small implants to fill them a little?? Too late now but I do think of it.
All the pain, all the discomfort, the waiting, the healing, the time, and the expense - I was hopeful that I would be some place else in this journey. One of the many women shouting "I'm on the flat side!" and "I am shopping for all my new bras and clothes because I love my boobies so much!!"
Next week follow up, maybe I'll post another update, depends on what we end up talking about. I'm like friggin sad sack!!!! (Made all the worse because Prince died today and I'm heartbroken about it, I thought this would take my mind off of it.)

OK so 2 nights ago I woke up at 3am with the sharpest pain in my right breast. Really stabbing ouchie pain from underneath and then on the top right and into my underarm. I would move or turn and it would hit me again!! The next day, just sore. On the top right and into my under arm. I know nerves have to reconnect so the stabby thing I figured was nerves but two days later my right arm is super sore and its sore into my under arm and down a bit. I have some fleeting pain in my breast here and there but not at all like it was. Since I'm right handed I have been conscious of limitations with doors, typing or moving something. The later in the night the more sore I get - right now it is hard to lift my arm up too high.
I called the PS, the soreness they think is likely to a pulled muscle and I can take aleve for it, as well as ice it. It does help when I take some and I've pulled muscles before so it takes awhile.
I have to admit this has thrown me for a loop. I didn't have pain with my BL, the itching was the worst part of it. I was taken by surprise when the pain hit me and the discomfort and soreness of the last two days has frustrated me.
Anyone else experienced this or similar?
On a lighter note, I bought a bathing suit top at Target and I've NEVER been able to do that. I also tried on other dresses that I wanted to wear but couldn't. My spitting stitches have all come off, the incisions are healing well, and I have a small drawer of bras. I'm back to wearing all my regular clothes, I'm 90% back to normal. I got the clearance from the PS to get massages, chiro and do work outs again. Of course the workouts have to be no core work, careful of the weights (esp with the boob thing now and no, I haven't done any work outs yet so that isn't the cause of it). I'm looking forward to making more progress.