53 Year Old with a 75lb Weight loss, Breast Reduction and Tummy Tuck - Idaho

I had my breast reduction and tummy tuck yesterday, October 19th. I have wanted the breast reduction since I was a little kid. My "training" bra was a cupped bra. I think a B. Guys either loved it or hated it when I went though my teenage and college years. I met the love of my life in grad school, had 2 kids and we went about raising them. In the meantime, my boobs started sagging and growing even more. Then I gained a lot of weight because think it is a coping mechanism to hide the extra large breast and all my stretch marks.
I started to finally take care of my self in May 2013. Found a wonderful functional medicine dr who helped me lose the weight. I started running and even ran a marathon (never again) though. Half marathons are my speed????.
But now I had super saggy breasts that had to get crammed into a sports bra 34DDD (I'm a 32 ii)! because that was about all that you can find,also super sagging skin on my tummy. I needed to do something because of the shoulder pain from running with all that and I'd develop rashes under my tummy and breasts
In August 2015 I finally got the nerve to go in for my consultation. The dr. said I was a great candidate. I decided I wanted them both done at the same time. The insurance denied my coverage and I won't bore you with the frustration that caused. So I said, I need it not and I'll just pay for it.
October 9th Pre-op I got all all the lists of things to do (2 procedures) and started counting the days
My doctor actually has a surgery in his office so no hospital which lowers anxiety for me. I wasn't intubated, just an IV sedative, the dictir as a little late because he had another surgery but not to bad.
When I awoke I cried teas of joy. My husband stayed the entire time the waiting room and got to talk to the dr. My husband say between the reduction and the tummy tuck I had 15lbs taken out. Can't wait to see how is speeds me up in my running????

Tonight I'm post op. Only sleepy n snatches because I always need to pee. The crotchlees tummy garment is one pain in the neck when trying to go to the bathroom but other than that I feel sore but nothing I can't handle. No meds so far and I've been home 8 hours.

So yesterday was my first day in my new body. I was sore but only stuck to Tylenol. My biggest difficulty was how to pee without getting it on the crotchless garment. My husband came through with a great idea of using an old plastic funnel. Yay for ingenuity!
I took a look at my bruising around my breasts and it was pretty severe but not really painful. My pain was trying to straighten up. I start out bent in half but if I stay standing I can almost get all the way vertical. I walked down to the end of my street and back about 2 tenths of a mile.
I slept pretty well, I wasn't getting up every hour to pee, so that is great. Today I'm pretty sore on my breasts and on my tummy tuck area. I'm trying to be out of the reclining chair for longer periods of time. I ate lunch at the dining room table and the best thing was that I pooped! I had been reading about others and was worried about when I was going to go. Normally I'm very regular everyday. To make sure I would go I bumped my magnesium and it worked.
Tomorrow is my shower day and my doctor appointment so I will post some pictures when I take my shower. I'm still so happy about what I see and can't wait to see more tomorrow.

Today I got to shower. Yay!! It was quite a process but I had my husband who was a champ through the whole thing. We got upstairs and decided to remove my tummy tuck garment first. I was standing up by the bathroom sink as we started the undo the zippers and hooks and eyes. It came off pretty easily. The bra was easy too just hook and eyes down the front and it was off. But then I got pretty light headed and had to sit on the toilet. My light headedness cleared up with in about 5 minutes. It was a bit scary though because I have never passed out before and I thought I was going to. My husband took a couple of pictures and I can't believe how little I look even with some swelling. Then my husband put the garments in the wash. Yay! I showered/ sponge bathe on the side of the tub. I washed my hair in the sink and now I feel so clean. It was a little rough getting my tummy tuck garment back on but we did it replacing some of the gauze that fell off when it came off. Now I'm resting up before my doctor's appt. waiting to hear from him on how I'm doing. I'll let you all know.

So even though I got light headed and turned green when I first took off my garments, I turned around and did it again at my 11:30am doctor's appt. this time it was not a problem. The doctor and his nurse thought I looked excellent and even approved me going into work this afternoon. I told the doctor when I looked at myself and saw how small I looked I cried with joy. He said if you like this just wait until all the swelling is gone. So excited! My stitches should all dissolve and I don't have to go back for 2 weeks. My job now is to get more vertical. He said he did a lot of muscle repair so it will be very tight but I'm working on it. Only 3 days post op and I'm sooooo happy!

Well it's 6:45pm and I'm pooped. No regrets on heading to bed though because my day started at 5:00am. This morning was the first time I went to get out of the chair I was sleeping on without thinking and planning for the pain for 10 minutes. Great way to start the day! I had a successful half day of work yesterday so I woke planning to go in again. But this morning I was able to wash and dress myself (still wearing very baggy outfits to cover the binding garments). I did wake up in the middle of the night because I had forgotten to take my Tylenol and I was a bit swollen, but that was under control by morning. My husband only had to help with my shoes.
We have only one car (by choice) so I had to first drive my husband to work. I say it so casually, it was my first time driving after surgery. I never took any narcotics so I knew my head was clear. Once I got in and started I didn't have much pain steering so it was a success. After I dropped my husband off I stopped at Walmart to get a second sports type bra so I can rotate them more often easy find size 34:). I also looked for some spanx for my tummy tuck. The doctor said I could use them. I couldn't choose one though they all seemed so difficult to pull up over my incision so I chickened out. After that I ran to the post office and then to work for 4 hours. I was feeling really good. After work I had a little down time so I went home, sat down and fell asleep. My body seized the opportunity. Then I awoke to pick my husband up and head to our functional medicine doctor for my husband's appt. she didn't know I did this but once she found out I had just had surgery on Monday she was amazed and agreed with my husband that I was tough. By to time we got back into the car it was after 5pm so we stopped at the Co-op and got some freshly made sandwiches and headed home. I was only able to finish half my sandwich before I became too full(nice side effect of the tummy tuck I guess). Now I'm in my own bed propped up on pillows for the first time. Looking forward to a wonderful nights sleep after an eventful but good day.

So since my last posts my days have been up and down but mostly because I pushing myself too hard. Today I'm feeling fairly human and was able to take my garments off without getting faint. I also showered by myself. So much independence! It felt great and I was even flexible enough to do some leg shaving. Not perfect but most of the hair is gone. I'm amazed I felt so great after yesterday where I put in a full day of work (just had to at the one week mark. Haha) and then ended up with a 10 hour day because of a late meeting. By the time I got home I was tired and sore and about cried trying to pick my dogs' bowls off the floor to feed them. I hit the wall. But I rested and ate a light dinner and went to bed. Work was much easier and the shower after work did wonders. I took a couple of shots. Still swollen but not as bad as Sunday and Monday. Happy????

So I've been healing. Just past 9 weeks. My doctor said I was off restrictions at 8 weeks. I've run a few times but the weather is not cooperating here so that is limited. I love my look even when I swell a little by the end of the day. I'm a 34B right now and I LOVE it! It is a dream and everything I've tried on hides my incisions so no problems for this 63 year old. The biggest surprise is my husband's reaction. He is so excited about the change. He has always loved me and my body (big or little) but he really loves the new me even after having to take care of me after surgery. I feel great! Most of my stomach is still numb but the feeling came back to one small section yesterday so that is improving too. I still have swelling under my arms from the breast reduction so I'm still wearing a 34 and not a 32 yet. With the much cheaper cost of bras now problems there:) My husband and I went away for a few days for our 30th anniversary and I got some new clothes. Not too many because of swelling but a start. It was great!