Setback at 20 days.... :( 4 Children, 15 Years of Hoping is Now Here!

Hi y'all! I'm sooooo excited to be here sharing my story! I'm 41 years old (turning 42 soon!), and I had my first child at 19, second at 21, third at 22, and my fourth at 33. I've also raised my two step-children, and feel very blessed to have six wonderful kids! But for about 15 years I have dreamed of, wished for and thought about having a TT, though I never thought it would actually happen. I'm now scheduled for March 26, 2014 and I'm THRILLED!

I'm 4'11" and weigh between 107-110 typically. I've always been in really good shape, but since my first pregnancy I've always had a large amount of stretched, loose skin, mostly below my bb. Of course, with each additional pregnancy it got worse and worse, and with my fourth pregnancy I was on bed rest from my second trimester on, couldn't exercise, had a lot of fluid retention, etc., so that one really did me in! I never got the experience of fully enjoying my "young body". Since the age of 19, I could never go to the store and just buy a bikini off the rack, much less order one online -- I've always had to buy a bigger bottom and had to try on numerous styles in order to find something that I could "tuck" all my skin into and that would cover/come up to my bb to hide all the stretched mess. Even when I could find something that worked, wearing a bikini meant "adjusting" it to pull it up every time I stood, sat, swam, etc.

This past year we planned, hosted and paid for two weddings -- one for my son, one for my daughter, and also had another daughter graduate high school. Then we found out that we're going to be Grandparents! I finally decided that it's now or never, and that it's time (after taking care of everyone else for 23 years!) for me to do something for ME. My husband is so wonderful -- he loves me no matter what, and my stomach has never bothered him (though I don't let him see it very often, lol), but he knows how badly I have wanted this, and he's super supportive. I'm so blessed!

The final "tipping point" for me was being told by both of the surgeons that I saw that I would only require a mini tummy tuck, skin only, no muscle repair. I was sooooo relieved! All these years I had assumed that I would need a full TT, muscle repair, etc. I wish I had actually gotten consultations years ago! I'm so looking forward to this new chapter in my life. I can't wait to be able to wear jeans and bikini's without worrying about this skin hanging over! :)

I've gone back & forth on which doc to go with, partly because of the dates/schedule. I have a trip to Disney planned with my son for April 26-May 3 and the dates can't be changed. After originally scheduling for 3/26, I realized that I need more time for recovery. Two of the docs I saw said that I'll be fine for the trip only 4 weeks out since I'm doing skin only, but I feel like I need more. I don't want to be restricted, and I want my son to have the best experience...not a Momma that is exhausted and can't do everything.

In the meantime, I've come up with a lot more questions that I want to ask...