Very Young 62 Year Old, 2 C-sections, 1 Abdominal Surgery, Wanted to Do Since the Age of 25

Tomorrow will be two weeks since my breast lift and TT. I am just now beginning to feel back to myself again. It has been quite a journey, and until my swelling goes down I don't think I can really say if it was worth it. On day 1 after surgery I was sent home with oxycodone 5/325. I did ok that night other than being in and out due to the great drugs they must have given me during surgery. I went back for my followup the next morning feeling great and the doctor even commented on how refreshed I looked. However he wasn't happy with the results of my breast lift. He explained to me that my breast skin was very thin (due to previously having above the muscle implants which were removed in June) and that for that reason was unable to close the incisions around my nipples. He had left a half dollar size hole on each breast with the nipple being placed in the middle of the hole. He said the tissue left uncovered by skin would heal and grow new skin which would reconnect to the nipples and would look normal. This didn't worry me because I had occasionally watched "Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery" and seen this happen in one of their cases with a successful result. Even with the open wounds I have to say I never had a single bit of pain from my breast lift. Thank God for small miracles. Unfortunately at my "morning after follow up" it did not appear that my nipples were getting an adequate blood supply and he sent me immediately to a hyperbaric chamber for a two hour treatment. It was 50 miles from home, and I'm not sure when the really good drugs wore off but it was either on the ride to the hyperbaric chamber or in the hyperbaric chamber itself. The real pain set in. It probably didn't help that the tech at the hyperbaric chamber upon noticing I was moving slowly getting up on the hyperbaric bed (never mind the drops of blood dripping of the scrubs I was required to change into) decided to take it upon himself and swoop me up and plopped me down flat on the bed. Needless to say I let out a blood curdling scream. His comment was "oh did you have a tummy tuck too? I thought you just had a breast lift." I have heard that most people enjoy the hyperbaric chamber because of the extra oxygen, but by then I had a fever over 101. I remember getting off the table at the end of the treatment and slowly making my way to the front door with fever raging, leaving a trail of blood droplets on their floor and ruining their scrubs which they kindly allowed me to wear home. It was the walk of the living dead or at least it felt that way. We drove 50 miles home. I had no one to help me so I was on my own other than for transportation. I remember the painful nausea ridden second night. I managed to take my pain meds on time - not something you would forget on day 2 of surgery anyway. Then it was 6 am on day 3 and time to take the 50 mile trip back to the hyperbaric chamber. My surgeon did not give me any antibiotics after surgery/and said they weren't necessary at 101.3 on day 3 when I called the after hours line which is probably the only thing I question to this date about my care. I had some left over antibiotics in my medicine cabinet and had began taking them to keep my fever down. It worked well enough and it never went over 101 again. For me it was practically impossible to function and heal with a high fever. I had also developed a deep hacking cough immediately after surgery which after two weeks I am still fighting. So back to day 3, having returned from the hyperbaric chamber I made a bee line (at a snail's pace) for my recliner. I made a pit stop to get my bag of frozen peas out of the freezer, wrapped them in a kitchen towel and hugged them to my face to lower my fever. I somehow made it through the night but couldn't help thinking of all you ladies who were obviously much tougher than me who at day 3 were already posting bikini pics with your new flat tummy. "Wonder Women" was all I could think of to rationalize my current situation with the ladies in those pics. At 6 a.m. on day 4 it was time to head back to the hyperbaric chamber and after the usual hour's drive we arrived. I had quit taking my pain pills on day 2 and switched over to extra strength tylenol which was for the most part sufficient. The highlight of my trips to the hyperbaric chamber was being required to eat at least two cookies and a little juice to raise my blood sugar (I am not a diabetic but the hyperbaric chamber requires your sugar to be at a certain level.) The finger pricks for the blood tests added insult to injury. I would rather give blood than have to deal with the anticipation of the "guillotine like" razor point slicing into my fingertip. Other than the couple of cookies each of the three days at the hyperbaric chamber I had no food for five days being unable to eat due to the fever and lack of appetite. To date I am 10 lbs. down from my pre surgery weight. No complaints here. Thankfully on day 5 my trip to the hyperbaric chamber was cancelled because Hurricane Irma had made landfall. On day 6 I went back to my surgeon (a two hour drive one way), and he was very happy with the results of the hyperbaric chamber; my nipples were very pink and the blood flow was good. No more hyperbaric trips required. I began eating yogurt, popsicles, cheese sticks, jello and pudding. It helped tremendously with my energy level. By day 9 I was able to do a couple of light loads of laundry, strip the bed and wash the sheets (was so nice to sleep in clean sheets again). My first shower was actually around day 6 when I could no longer stand my nasty hair. I took a kitchen garbage bag and cut a head and arm holes in the bottom of the bag and attached my drains at the bottom. I was attempting to protect my unhealed nipples but even though they did somehow get wet no harm was done. Yesterday was day 13 and I drove myself two hours to the doctor and back. I knew my drains were coming out so a team of wild horses couldn't have held me back. Truthfully a small gerbil would have tripped me up but you get the picture. Having the drains removed really wasn't painful but feeling the long drain tubes roll around inside your abdomen while being removed was like feeling a snake taking a tumble in your belly. Interesting is how I would describe it. So here I am at day 14 which is 2 weeks. I am feeling pretty good, I slept great last night and am looking forward to the swelling going down in my abdomen so I can see what the end results are for the TT. The lift results will take a while longer as they are still scabbing over and the new tissue is still growing. I can honestly say I am so happy that I survived those first two weeks. Since at day 3 my suffering seemed almost unbearable, I cursed myself for not being happy with what I had before surgery. I reasoned that "hey I'm 62 so whats wrong with a body that looks 62? What have I done to myself??????" Well as with most things time heals all wounds (and memories of them) so I am rethinking my position and awaiting the true reveal when all swelling is gone and my nipples are healed to make my decision "was it worth it?" I haven't added any photos because I am still a little traumatized at the sight of them. Enough blood and gore for me for a while. If I get the nerve I will post the after pics. I never got around to any before pics. I am deliberately not posting my surgeon's name because even though I think he did a wonderful job, he hasn't asked for the publicity and I have not asked him for authorization to write about my experience with him and his staff. I can say they were wonderful in every aspect of my treatment. I'm not sure my experience will be helpful to anyone, but I appreciate you ladies listening. It took me a while to work up my nerve to write it all down. Best wishes to you all on your journey and may you all be a Wonder Woman on your road to recovery.