5 1/2 months post op from TT / doing well.....small revision needed!

Pros

• Insecuritiy of weighloss reminder perminently removed
• more self-confident as a Personal Trainer
• Flat tummy after 3 kids & 3 c-sections

Cons

• Recovery time is longer and results take a while
• Hard to do a lot of normal every day to day things
• time away from family and kids

It has taken me a long time to write anything about my weightloss journey and then I saw this website and feel like I fit right in! In 2005 I decided to lose weight after my second child through diet and exercise, fear of a doctor telling me what health problems I might have so I started on my own and was very successful! I lost the first 125lbs in 1 year and it took me another 8 months to lose the last 35lbs!

Today I have 1 more child and 3 c-sections later and I now have my Personal Training Certification! I never thought this would be my love of life, but I am proud of every accomplishment thus far....I cannot say that this hasn't come without any struggles as I have had a really mind altering experience with food and maintaining my weightloss....your mind plays so many games, it is trying to conquer mind over matter at all times! I have learned to love weight training and tons of high Interval training, it really makes me feel very powerful and that I can do anything I want as long as I set my mind to it! So long story short, I have all this extra skin leftover and it really makes me feel insecure in many ways! I wanted to have this done in 2008, but the doctor told me to make sure I was done having children first.....so YAY, my time has come! I am now 34yrs old and loving wife and mother of 3.....ready to make this dream a reality! The last step of my weighloss......woooohooooo!!!!

Day of Surgery - was in pre-op for 6am, went into surgery at 8:30am, I wasn't intially scared of surgery as I have had 3 c-sections already, I was afraid of waking up after and all the aftermath! I felt ok waking up 2hrs later beside my husband, I was terribly itchy......it is the side effects of the anesthsia they told me....drove me nuts! It hurt so bad to have to stand up and walk to the bathroom for the first time, shortly after I was able to go home so I arrived home at 4:30pm. My mom was with my kids and had dinner ready, so I ate, that felt fabulous I was so famished as I was fasting for so long and had to drink that Magnesium Citrate the day before! So I got some good food in me and drifted off to sleep.....faded in and out sleep the rest of the night!

Day #1 Post OP - Ok so I learned that lastnight I had to figure something out with the sleeping arrangement....lots of pillows and a big pillow under my knees help tremendously! I love my bed so that is where I was sleeping! I had a wonderful day I felt so good....sore and hard to get around but I felt great...probably because of all the sleep I had, sometimes that is all we need! I ate well, got up and down the stairs and read lots, I am an active person and am very intune with my body so I was really amazed at how good I felt!

Day #2 Post OP - I got up the same as yesterday and carried on, but today I felt yucky....got very light headed and dizzy and thought I would vomit.....I was able to get up to my bed with a bowl beside me and rest all day, which really helped! I was going stir crazy by now as I am usually out and about most days and do lots with my kids! The drains are in and driving my crazy too, I am not one for blood and they aren't filling up too much so I am really not wanting them in! I am only getting between 5ml-20ml in each drain which is a little amount, wish I didn't have them in, and now I am getting some signs that my period may be coming.....I don't have big enough underwear to wear right now for that whole thing! So I asked my husband to take us for dinner and then we went to walmart for underwear....LOL, that was an experience, but it felt so nice to get fresh air!

Day #3 Post OP - I am getting around so well, I am feeling like this is a wonderful experience, I am so glad that I was such a fit person before this procedure, it has made it easy for me as having a lot of body strength from all my training has totally paid off! I can say that being able to get to my kitchen is a downfall as I have a huge appetite and I just wanna eat everything, I need to be careful, I wanna look good when the swelling goes away! When my husband came home we went for a drive and did a few errands and I got to stop into my work and say hi to everyone, that was fun! I also took my first shower tonight....I made this contraption to cover my dressings out of 2 ziploc bags and lots of bandage tape....but hey, I had a shower and I felt great, I even shaved my legs as I forgot to the day before surgery, how embarassing!

Day #4 Post OP - I had an ok day today, talked to people on the phone and rested, I swept the kitchen and brushed out my dogs hair! I am not in a lot of pain as long as I move around appropiately, I find bending my knees in towards my body and using my arms to lift and turn helps tons! Drinking lots of water and herbal tea is so good for my body, well I gotta go to the bathroom lots that is the only downfall! My 3yr old is coming home today as he has been with gramma all week so I am excited to see him! I am sure wanting these drains out ASAP, I hate them, they are annoying. I have it cleared to get them removed on Monday, that will be the 1 week mark and my home nurse is allowed to remove them, and then I have my 1st Post Op Appointment with my doctor the following Wednesday!

My husband and I took the kids to see a movie tonight....they wanted to do something with me, at least I can sit there and not be moving around too much! They were so well behaved for us...even the 3yr old! Was a great day all in all....oh and I had another shower tonight....washed my hair too.....I feel so pretty now!

Day #6 Post Op - I had such a terrible back ache I had to get out of bed, so I got up and got ready for church, I went with my 2 older kids as my husband and 3 yr old got the flu......I better not get that! I left church early, was getting over tired and sore, I'm having a problem remembering to take something for pain....not until I hurt do I remember, this is not good, it is catching up to me! Came home and had lunch then napped, that felt great! Had a girlfriend call and come take me out to a movie later that night......before I left I swept and vacuumed my mainfloor and got my kitchen in order. I took off my binder as I am getting really itchy from it, when I came home later I regretted not wearing it as I got really swollen and I was hunched over in pain more so! I had a shower after making my homemade plastic cover for my new friend on my tummy........works good, looks funny but so worth it when I feel so good after a shower! Tomorrow is 1 week post op and gonna get drains removed as I have only been draining 8-10ml in each every 8hrs.......so excited! I'll update and take photos when I take off dressings!

Day #7(1 week) - well I am feeling quite well and a lot more myself and things are slowly getting back to normal around home! We took our kids out to the mall to go on Rides and did a bit of grocery shopping.....but the best thing about today is that "I got my Drains Removed"....I did a happy dance...well the best I could! It is much more comfortable and I am finely feeling like this is not as bad and I look way better, no more huge reminder of how big I was before I lost weight (301 lbs)!!!! I need to remember not to overdue it as I need to remember to still rest as my body is still healing, who would want a tear in any sutures...I have heard that it isn't any fun and can slow down progression! Anyways, I hope the rest of recovery gets even better! I go for my 1st Post op appt with Dr on Wednesday...I have so many questions and can't wait! I posted some of my pictures, I am so thankful I have had a journey like this in my life as it has made me feel strong and full of life for me and my family and all the women on here as well!