57 Yrs Old and on Step One of my Remodel! Full Tummy Tuck w/Muscle Repair on 10.16.14 - Grand Junction, CO

Hello Realselfer's!
I'm happy to have found this site and I'm looking forward to sharing with you our journeys along the way! I hope to find others getting a TT the same week as me so we can give each other support during our recoveries. I'm less than one week out from my Tummy Tuck. I've already had my pre-op visit and It's all paid for. Per PS instructions I have stopped all supplements 14 days prior to sx. Every morning I wake up and ask myself why I am doing this and especially at this advanced age. I have a brief moment of fear and doubt. I then walk straight over to the full-length mirror lift my night gown and gather all of my loose skin into my hands. I look at my profile and imagine myself with a smooth flat tummy. I think about how my undies will no longer roll down when I sit and how I will look naked. My fears are based on the bad things I have read here on RS. I try to avoid them but somehow I allow them to suck me in. Prayer is huge to me. I believe in the power of prayer. I try to push the thoughts out...you know the ones I'm talking about, I know you do. The ones that say if anything goes wrong during recovery that it is my own fault, that I was stupid in doing this cosmetic procedure and that my people may say that it was my own fault..... I then promptly remind myself that many, many women and men have done this, that I am very healthy, and that I must keep a positive attitude and believe that I will have a great recovery and that I will be so happy with my results. I take a deep breath and get busy with something to stop thinking about it. Thank you RS people for taking the time to read my review. Pictures to follow some time in the next few days.

I got my call from the pre sx nurse last Thursday. I was told to shower with an anti-bacterial soap of any kind and that Dial was a good one. She asked if I had any allergies to latex, medications, or food allergies. I was asked if I had prior surgeries to know how I handled anesthesia. I did have a D&C after a miscarriage in 1980, but don't remember much about it. Also asked it had been taking any medications and supplements. Zyrtec is okay to take for allergies if needed and no problem with me taking my bio-identical hormones. Wear loose clothing and no jewelry or contact lenses. Stop all food and drink (including water) after midnight and okay to brush teeth but do not swallow any water. I have to be there at 7:00 a.m. and surgery will be at 8:00. Hubby and I will have to leave our house at 5:15. I will be spending the night in the hospital and we will see if hubby can stay in my room with me. If not he may get a hotel room nearby or drive the 1hr and 45 min. back home.
My prescriptions are: Dilaudid 2 mg. for pain, and Zofran 4 mg. for nausea. No muscle relaxer (?)
I will have a pain pump.

I just had my 57th birthday. I'm 5'3" tall and weigh 138lbs. I've been married 33 yrs. and have two kids ages 38 and 31. I was a skinny kid, average weight teen and went through my first pregnancy at 18 without gaining much weight. I began overeating in my 20's and ultimately gained 100 lbs. At my highest weight I was 236 lbs. I struggled with diets going up and down with my weight for several years and finally with healthy diet and exercise lost 100 lbs. over a 2 year period and have kept it off for the past 14 years. I've gone as low as 128 lbs. but found that weight very difficult to maintain and have pretty much decided that about 135 is a good weight for me. I do a cardio work out with light weights for one hour per day 6 days a week, eating no more than 1,200 cal per day. I'm almost 3 years post menopausal and find it much more difficult to maintain than before. My research shows that I must begin a strength training program to build more lean muscle mass. I have lost fat in places like my face, neck, ear lobes, and upper arms making me look a bit skeletal up top and I have loose skin in my upper arms, upper thighs, and tummy. My breasts have fared pretty well as they were very small to start with and although a bit deflated at the top they really don't sag, they are not pretty but not horrible either. My bottom is larger than most, hahah, and again not horrible and can probably firm up with some weight training. I do have a lot of cellulite in my thighs. This is the first of many cosmetic procedures that I am considering. I'm starting with the tummy, Considering a breast aug (but must do more research), botox in forehead, possible filler in cheek area. I'm taking a year to work on firming up my thighs but will consider lipo next year if needed. I may also consider having my arms done. I'm starting with the most lengthy and difficult surgery (for recovery) and the area that bothers me the most. I am so looking forward to a smooth flat tummy!