december 22, 2014 - my tt dream finally became my reality!!! :))) - Greenville, NC

MY DREAM HAS FINALLY BECOME MY REALITY!!! :)))

I'm 46, mother of two adult children, divorced for 6 yrs. and finally gaining my self esteem back - and happy (only took me 46 years! Lol).

I've wanted a tummy tuck since my daughter (the youngest of two) was born 25 years ago. I had a ruff pregnancy with my Brit, preterm labor at 6 months, in the hospital on bed rest for 2 months and loads of steroids to help develop her lungs. WELL, MY LUNGS, TUMMY and BUTT DEVELOPED TOO!! Lol... I was left with a horrible looking body and especially my tummy.

October 2014 I started my research looking for a highly rated surgeon and found the greatest ps, Dr. Richard Rizzuti @ Greenville Plastic Surgery in Greenville, NC!! Love him and his nurse Annette!! Dr. Rizzuti's practice is over an hour away but well worth the drive.

I was so excited that I had actually scheduled a consult, I went ahead and drafted funds from my IRA account!! I knew this was MY time and was going to do this even if I had to keep searching for another ps if I didn't like Dr. Rizzuti. WELL I LOVE HIM and his nurse Annette.

Before my consult, I had researched like a mad women and saved pics from the Internet similar to my body to show him. I wanted to know if he would be able to get simular results for me. I took a long list of questions to my consult. He answered every question and I felt very at ease. My tummy tuck was my main objective but also wanted my deflated boobs restored and the fat sucked out of my neck. YES, I HAD A MAJOR OVERHAUL!! Lol...

I scheduled my surgery for December 22nd, right before Christmas so I could use the Christmas and New Year holiday as part of my recovery time. The days seem to drag by till surgery. It couldn't get here fast enough!!

The night before surgery my best friend and I stayed over night in a hotel which screwed up our wake up call!! I was in a major panic. Was 5 minutes late coming in for surgery!! lol... The anesthesiologist told me to relax, I was about to get some really good drugs! Lol... By the time Dr. Rizzutti came in to do my pre-surgery markings, I must have been high! I remember him coming in to my room but nothing after that till I woke up from surgery. Wow!! Those were really good drugs! The first thing I remember after surgery is being on the toilet and my nurse telling me I had to pee before I could go home. I have NO IDEA how I got to the toilet! I don't remember getting up to go to the bathroom much less sitting on the toilet. It was then that I was in serious pain!!

Apparently the ride home was interesting. I don't remember much but my best friend said I cried like a baby and laughed about random stuff. THANK GOD SHE DIDNT THINK TO USE HER CELL TO RECORD IT!! If she had thought of it she would have!!

The one thing that I clearly remember the day of surgery was getting home and trying to get out of my SUV!! Thought I would die!! My best friend got a stool to help make it a little easer and less painful to get out. After that, the rest of the night was a complete blur. Doc sent me home with Demerol! Yep, I was out to lunch and dinner and breakfast and.... Lol...

The first week was complete hell. I had a lot done, full tummy tuck, boobs, lipo to my flanks, back and neck. Geez!! What the heck was I thinking!!?? Duh!

I'm now 1 month and 3 days postop. The f1st week - hell, The 2nd a little better, the 3rd much less pain and starting to stand up almost straight but I deveolope a seroma. It's a big pocket of fluid between the layer of skin and the muscle. The 4th week (this week) I can stand straight and my body has shrunk from all the swelling. I still have swelling but NOTHING like the first week and a half!!

*** SEROMA HELL ***
I called my ps office and told the nurse about the left side of my stomach being so much bigger than the fight. It was so swollen that it pushed my belly button wayyyy off to the right side!! I went in that day and my ps aspirated 4 huge tubes of fluid and blood... NEARLY A WHOLE CUP OF FLUID!!!! My tummy immediately shrunk with every tube he drained out. Shwwww!!! Felt better!
I had to go again again and he drained 2 big tubes and this last Monday he drained only a half syringe. Well it's Thurday morning and fluid has accumulated AGAIN!!

Everything looks great accept when the fluid builds back up. It's not as much as the first, second or last time... THANK GOD!! Calling my ps again to reschedule another draining. UGGGG...

I will keep you guys posted about my progress.

Hope you all are healing well and enjoying your new body!! :)

Finally got up the nerve to do new updated pics. I'm thrilled with my results. However there's a tweak here and there to be addressed (my puffy girl part)! UGGGG....

UGGGG... Hate these pics!