One day at a time but happy this New Year - Dothan, AL

*Sigh* I am one week from having a belt lipectomy with vaser liposuction and more nervous that when I went to combat for the first time. I am a military mother, I have two birth children and my step-son. My oldest child I had when I was 19 and on top of horrible eating habits, I was preeclamptic, and he was over due- 41 weeks 5 days. That was 14 years ago. My middle child, I was a healthier eater, actually staying a healthy size with her but at the end of the pregnancy I once again was preeclamptic....My body was "trashed" as far as looking like my idea of normal. I have spent most of my military career dreading the height and weight standards, especially when they changed in 2007. I have no desire to weight what the service says I should weigh because I think for my height, 68", I look sickly at 168 lbs. I am comfortable at 180-185. What I am not comfortable with is the fact that I have not had a waistline in years and have this skin that I have to tuck into my pants. I went to my PS thinking what I wanted was a ETT and he instead explained to get the results that I was looking would need the BL because he could lipo my side all he wanted but if the skin remained I would have the problem for tucking the skin in on the sides like I know have in the front. After long talks with my husband about what is really going to help me feel like me and understanding what my PS said...I am ready but so nervous. My husband has been super supportive and cracking jokes to try and get me to calm down but the idea of not being able to do anything make me pretty paranoid. I came across this site and was up until 3 am one night just reading about everyone's experiences. I hope, after waiting all this time, that I am making the right choice for me, I am sure I will love it but the fear is taunting me. I guess I will update this post surgery. Wish me luck :-)

Well I am 6 days post op and am overall very pleased with the results that I can see. I have 3 drains right now that that hopefully will be reduced to zero or at least one on my first follow up. The one unexpected thing I have encountered was severe constipation, which laxatives did nothing for. After my embarrassing ER visit after a 5 day "back up" I have stopped taking my pain medication, a narcotic, which was likely to cause my problem. Pain actually hasn't been too bad, except for coughing, sneezing, and laughing (all of a sudden my husband is a comedian!) I will post pictures once I have the drains removed, and good luck to everyone on their