Loving my results - Active 38yo w/17yo son (via c-section), TT w/MR

Where to begin? I've read a lot of the "reviews" here and am thankful for the online community. I had a breast reduction almost 10 years ago, and these types of sites didn't really exist back then (or if they did, I didn't think to look for them). I'm already so grateful for the firsthand accounts that people have posted.

A little about me ... I'm 38, married (second time, got it right this go round) and have a 17 year old son from my first marriage. My weight has fluctuated over the years; I was always active in gymnastics and then competitive cheerleading in high school. I weighed about 120lbs. After high school I quickly realized that my lack of activity didn't allow me the luxury of eating and drinking without consequence, like I had once enjoyed. When I got pregnant I was up to 160lbs and when I gave birth I was 205lbs. The baby came out but the weight stayed on. I started working for Canada Post as a mail carrier/driver and, after adding healthy eating to the mix, I 'slimmed' back down to around 160lbs. The breast reduction (which was covered by our medical system) allowed me to start jogging and over the years I worked my way up to a full-fledged RUNNER. 5 years after that, at the end of a bad marriage and a half year of marathon training behind me, I bottomed out on the scale at 125lbs. I've stayed around 135lbs since then, run 3 to 4x per week, do yoga and weight train. My love of beer keeps me from getting to my high school weight. My taste buds are ok with that. ;)

Not news to anyone here, but no matter how hard I work, the 'belly blubber' stays. Though I can out crunch everyone I know, you'd never know it to look at me. It jiggles when I run, bulges over my panties and is gross to look at. I want to me comfortable with my WHOLE body. I want to wear a bikini. I want to look down and NOT see a bulge, even though others think I'm crazy. People will say "You're so skinny" and I want to lift my shirt and say "NOT HERE!!! You like that?!?! Yummy, huh?" I want to lie on my side and have my husband run his hand down my body without freezing in fear that he won't stop before he hits my stomach, which is pooling on the bed. My regret is that I didn't do it sooner, but I'm super excited to be doing it now.

Thanks to everyone here, I know that I have a long road ahead. I had a pretty brutal C-section (they almost had to break my pelvis) and a breast reduction, so I'm no stranger to the pain that comes with major surgery. I've got a list going to the things I need to get to make my recovery that much easier. My husband is very supportive and has taken time off work to be home with me after my surgery. A close friend has taken the following week off, so I'll have lots of help.

I have gone for two consultations so far. The first was with the surgeon that did my breast reduction. He has also performed two minor arm surgeries to release trapped nerves. I'm familiar with him, he's fine. Probably not the glowing review I should be giving. A friend of a friend had a tummy tuck and offered up her surgeon's name, who she RAVED about. She's a nurse and had several consultations, including one with my surgeon, and decided on the surgeon she recommended. Another person here had been to the same surgeon and also raved about him. So, despite having booked with my surgeon already, I went for a consultation. I realized that when I went for my reduction I did ZERO investigation, pretty much went where my family doctor recommended. New guy was night and day to my current surgeon who, now that I've seen someone else, is a bit of a d!ck. New guy was super nice, took so much time, explained a lot, was funny and kind. My guy kinda treats you like he's doing you a favour and that you're probably an idiot. I'm not looking for a new friend, just a good surgeon ... but still.

My big confusion now is in comparing the two "quotes" I received, because they're a bit different:
Surgeon #1 (my surgeon) is offering tummy tuck, lipo on flanks and a small amount of lipo on my chest side (some post reduction clean-up), NO dog ear fixes and surgery is done in his private surgical suite. Bit of a d!ck.
Surgeon #2 (new guy) is offering tummy tuck, NO lipo, a "lipo + tuck" procedure on my chest side (this would involve a new scar, but he claims it's better than just lipo, which might leave flabby skin), dog ear fixes if necessary and surgery done in hospital. Kind man.
Quotes are almost identical in price.

My stumbling block now is which is the "better" surgery? Though I really felt more comfortable with new guy, I think that my surgeon's results might be better because of the lipo on flanks??? New guy was adamant that I wouldn't be happy with just lipo on the chest sides (he didn't know I'd already had a consultation) but my surgeon said it was all I needed. I feel like I need to find a surgeon who can compare the two and tell me which one to go to.

Another issue is that the photos on my surgeon's website show results with a belly button style that I absolutely HATE. New guy, on the other hand, has a style more to my liking. I called my surgeon's office today and the receptionist pretty much said that I could ask the doctor about the belly button style at my pre-op appointment, which is end of May. When I said that I wouldn't want to proceed if that was his ONLY style she said "Yeah, that's what the pre-op is for". New guy's office, in contrast, took down my questions and got back to me later in the day with answers.

As it stands now I have surgery scheduled with my guy for July 14th ... and am awaiting availability for the new guy for July 10th. I have a very tiny window of opportunity due to work commitments in the early fall. So it's either these dates or I wait until September.

More to come. I would love to hear anyone's feedback on how to proceed with making a decision.

Jeez, been a while since I first posted!!! Been busy with my husband's 40th b-day planning, and then a vacation right after. I must say that it was GREAT to know I was on my last vacation where I was covering up my gut and making sure my tankini top didn't pull up to show my nasty belly.

Surgery update: I was really confused between my two quotes and wanted to make sure I was getting the same TT from both surgeons. I also wanted to know if my surgeon could do a different belly button style than those posted on his website. That was make or break for me. I did NOT want that belly button. It looks like a pie vent. As my friend said 'it looks like 4 and 20 blackbirds are going to come flying out of that thing!' Lol.

As for the quotes, my surgeon specifically called out lipo on flanks, where the new surgeon did not. I called the new guy and the receptionist got back to me saying that the procedure did NOT include lipo on flanks. Hmm. But I think I want that?!?! I turned to the msg boards here and everyone said 'you want that!!!'
A few days later I called the new guy back and explained my dilemma and how I was trying to compare the two quotes. Receptionist said she'd get back to me the next day, that the doctor wasn't in that day. No problemo. 20 minutes later she called back and said the doctor called in for something and he wanted me to call him on his cell phone to discuss. Wow! So I did, and he explained that he WOULD lipo where needed, but it wasn't a full out lipo procedure because he wouldn't flip me on my sides. He also confirmed that he'd do muscle repair as needed. Phew. Confusion no more. He also said to call him with other questions or make as many appointments as I needed to feel comfortable.

Now, the belly button issue. I called my surgeon to ask about this critical issue. Receptionist says 'You can ask him about it at your pre-op'. I explain that it's a really critical issue, and I'd like resolution earlier than later. She says 'Yep, well that's definitely something you can bring up at your pre-op appointment.' Hmm. She's not getting it. I ask if she can just ASK the doctor and get back to me BEFORE a my pre-op. Because if the answer is that THAT is the belly button style ... then there won't BE a pre-op ... because there won't be an OP to PRE. 'That's not generally something we do, but I can make you an appointment to discuss with him.' ... and then she offers me an appointment date AFTER my pre-op appointment. So frustrating.

In the meantime, new guy called back to say that the date I requested WAS available. He had been waiting for the hospital schedule to make sure he could get an anaesthetist he liked/trusted for the day of the surgery.

After weighing both options, I ended up canceling my original surgery date and booking with the new guy, Dr. Drakos in Brantford. Many factors led to me making the switch, but the biggest would be overall level of comfort and, I guess, 'bedside manner' of the new guy. His overall price was actually LOWER (not that I'm looking for cheap, it was mostly due to taxes) and I got more (he includes post-op dog-ear repair if needed). Because of the lower price I will also have the procedure to remove excess skin and fat deposits from the side of my breast, leftover from my reduction. I also DID like that he performed surgery in the hospital, and this made my husband more comfortable as well.

Sooooo...my surgery is July 10th. Eeeeeeee!!!!!

Now the pressure is on to ditch the vacation beer belly. I'd like to lose as much weight as I can before the big day. I will post pictures soon.

I've been treating my body like a dumpster lately, thanks to a lengthy vacation and a long weekend thrown in. Oh, and did I mention my lack of willpower? I'm an 'all or nothing girl'. If I'm being good, I'm 100% and you cannot sway me. But boy oh boy, when I cheat...look out! Way too much booze and food this month. So, with just over 7 weeks to go before surgery, I am almost through one day 'clean'. Haha. One day. Where's my ribbon?! ;)
To help prepare, my husband and I spent the weekend drinking all the booze in the house. It was pretty fun, I must say. But that's all over. I want to be in the best shape possible come surgery time.

My starting weight is ... (how did this turn into the Biggest Loser all of the sudden?) ...147lbs. I was recently 130lbs...but beer took care of that. I'd like to be back around 130lbs come surgery time. Started out slow today, ran 2 miles.

Without further delay, I present...my 'before' pictures.