56 and Finally Going to Get Rid of my Big Ugly Tummy!

I forgot to mention - my PS's opinion is that Bio-Oil is a waste of money - he says just to massage moisturizing cream all over it daily...just his thoughts!

So I had my last appointment with my PS today. He was very happy with my results, actually said he got a better result than he had expected to!! So that felt real good, especially when he showed me my before pictures again, holy s#&% how horrible it was, seriously! He took some after pics today, although I never saw them. They will email me both pics within the next few weeks. Now that's a set of pics I will put on the fridge. I'm sure it will help deter me from those extra pieces of chocolate, lol! He also asked me to sign something giving my ok to post these pics on his website!! Now that will be pretty amazing if he does, but it's not for sure, I'll keep you posted. He said it will take about a year for the scar to fade to the color and appearance that it is likely to stay, he says 3 1/2 months are still early days. So everything to look forward to, it's a great life these days! Here are couple of pics of my "after" panties I wore today, sure beats the 1X size granny panties I was wearing in my "before" pic :) Good night all, God bless and talk again soon! xo

Hi everyone, I feel so guilty and sorry that I have been away from RS for so long. No reason, except perhaps I am disappointed with myself recently for allowing myself to go up about 5 lbs. It is absolutely my doing, just being careless about what and how much I eat. I mean I eat a lot of veggies, fruit, chicken, fish etc...but I still can't keep myself away from sweets and carbs (bread, chips etc). I don't know how to explain it, but once I think I've blown it for the day, I seem to just let go. I am really angry with myself. I mean all the money and suffering just to blow it? I do feel "fat" again :( Tomorrow I see my surgeon for the first time in 2 months and I am afraid he'll be mad at me. But tonight I decided to catch up with you guys and rely somewhat on RS to get me back on track. I haven't worked out for a few years really, due to the severe back, leg pain etc. Before spring of this year I could barely walk and needed to hold someone's hand to even go up one or 2 steps, it was horrendous. I also have battled severe depression for several years. I lost some friends and family (passed away) that I was very close to. I eventually had to stop working in 2011 mostly for depression but my physical pain only continued to get worse. Losing my job meant losing my salary which was not bad ($65 G per year). We had to sell our beautiful detached home with a pool etc and move to a 50's type of community where the homes are literally modified mobile homes. It is a house we own (not a trailer), and it's paid for which is good. The physical and mental anguish I was going through led me to start abusing alcohol, you know to numb the pain and forget about the bad things in my life., laying around at home not able to move, and I allowed it to get out of control. I still had some pain before surgery that must have been caused by my extra skin sitting on a nerve. Now however, since diagnosis and medication and recovery from addiction & surgery I am more than capable of getting myself into an exercise routine. So although I have been walking my 4 dogs, I need to step it up a notch! Longer walks, we have access to an an indoor pool so Id like to find some muscle strengthening and cardio exercises for the pool. It's within our community resort (as they call it) so only a couple of hundred yards away! I also will make a point of no junk food at all through the week and allow a small splurge on weekends. I always drink water but have slowed down on intake so need to bump that up again. So good news, I have started to volunteer at a charity shop around the corner basically. I usually work 1-2 days a week and am loving it. I am on my feet most of the day and up and down stairs a lot! The charity is in support of a transitional home for women and children in crisis to stay and prepare for when they move somewhere independently. Very good charity! I also drive now since spring, where I had no car for over 4 years before that. (Unable to drive). I now have my alcohol abuse under control....only a glass or 2 of wine at special occasions and dinners etc. No more drinking through the day and never by myself anymore and sleeping to forget all my woes. I had proceeded to hard liquor...not good. So now I have let you into some deep dark secrets from my past. Never intended to, but you don't know me and I feel some of you are my friends and hope you don't judge me. So as my health and lifestyle has improved in so many ways in 2017 I am extremely happy for all my good fortunes that have brought me to where I am now. So guess what? I even feel better after getting some stuff off my chest lol. Re: alcohol - I had not drank anything at all for just about a year and it's at that time that I picked up my sweet cravings. Before that I could take them or leave them! So, I am sorry for the long sob story and I didn't even talk about my TT yet, lol. Well as you know I had a "tear/hole" in my incision, you can see above pics. It did eventually close up but it took about 7 to 8 weeks to close. I stopped putting any dressing on, and kept the binder off to let it air out and it then took only a few days to close! My incision is still pretty red and the scar from the hole and a couple of other spots still stand out, but I'm ok with that. Bathing suits and panties cover me and that's just fine with me! My intention was never to be a super-model, just to take that ridiculous blob of fat off me and no more rashes. I am so much more comfortable physically, it's not funny! I stopped wearing my binder after the hole. It didn't take long for me to not want to wear it anymore, I was shocked as I loved it so much before! I'm wondering f bio-oil may help with redness and scarring, does anyone know? It's like my surgery was so long ago now, it's not the first and last thing I think about in a day. For anyone still waiting surgery I would say don't be scared, but be prepared for real bad pain for the first 3 days or so. I never really expected it after reading other people say it was almost painless. The pain is NOT where it looks ugly, bleedy, bruised, red. Its from the lipo that seems to pound under your ribs and make it painful and hard to breathe. At least that's what I found. This did start healing in a few days, and I honestly can't complain about much "holding me back" after that. Well of course having the hole stopped me from swimming etc, but that was ok. I was driving myself one week after, and did do a little light housework like dishes, wiping a counter clean etc, after 4 days or so but not much more for a few weeks. Bending was (and still is) difficult. I still hold hand rails to be safe. So was it worth it? yes. Would I do it again if I knew how bad I would feel in the beginning? Yes I would. But I would be more mentally prepared! So have a good night and pray I can find the willpower and "push" to get more active and eat better to drop about 10 lbs in about 6 weeks, I promise to try. Oh one last thing - my husband has been my absolute rock with me through all the pain/depression/alcohol abuse/loss or employment/sadness of losses/crying about my weight/and surgery before after and still! He never ever wavered in his commitment to take care of me through good times and bad, and sickness and health. I don't know 1 single person who would have put up with me, encouraged me and just loved me for me. He's one exceptional man! I am truly blessed and so content and happy. Sorry for huge post and kinda all over the place, luv ya all, nighty-nite xo (pics from last week)