MMO - Jacksonville, FL

Intense anxiety so far despite knowing I picked an excellent Dr. I've known I've wanted this for a long time but wasn't prepared to be this nervous. After four c sections my mid section is a mess and doesn't respond to diet and exercise. I've been working out and dieting for two years and am looking to fix what the gym can't.

My preop appt is in two days. I have a list of questions, yay and nay pictures, and a bad case of nervous jitters. I know I am in great hands but there is still a highly emotional anxiety. One minute I am ready to do it, then the other I am questioning everything. I've been stalking this site and it has been so incredibly helpful to read responses from Drs and patients alike. I really don't know how I would have managed without it! Another thing is reading the varied responses in recovery and seeing the pictures of wound separation, necrosis etc. I just pray I have a smooth recovery and don't have to go through any of those complications. 3 weeks until surgery, I hope I can manage my anxiety well enough.
There was a tragic story out of Miami this week and I had a little panicbc was considering going there at one point. My husband is the one who said no way, this is not an area to try and save. Pay for whoever is the best and will take the best care of you. I assumed it was safe bc it's here and not in a foreign country. I feel better knowing I am going to a highly reputable surgeon whom safety is paramount. I also was underestimating the need for quality aftercare. I kept thinking of once you make it past surgery it will be no problem. Well, not so much. There can be a lot to go wrong in the following days and I want to be able to get in contact with my surgeon as well as be close to them for a visits as needed.

Stress eating has commenced. Ugh!! I need to focus because I've worked very hard to get to this point and don't want to backslide. I'm posting my 2yr pics of dieting, lifting and some cardio. I've been amping up the cardio to prepare but u can't say it's helped much :/

I pretty much have everything ready to go! All that's left to get are soft foods and grocery items. I could go a week early and be happy about it. All nervousness has been replaced with excitement. I know it will be a long recovery but I think I'm mentally ready for it. Going to rent a lift recliner this week too. My focus will be on nutrition and getting to the gym for the last two weeks. I will miss gym a lot. Hoping I feel full like everyone says and don't eat cookies the whole time!

Then by all means schedule a mommy makeover LOL. After spending the first half of my pre-op time worried about safety concerns, now I'm worried about being satisfied with my results. The hardest part is not knowing exactly what you're going to come out looking like. I've been second-guessing everything, did I explain myself well enough to the doctor, does the doctor I understand exactly what I'm looking for, do I need to go back in and discuss everything all over again? It's definitely mental torture. I think part of the problem has to do it I've always felt betrayed by my body, that my body has never responded to diet exercise like I wanted it to. And I have never looked like how I wanted and now I'm just so paranoid that even with plastic surgery my body won't do what I want. Then I feel guilty that I'm doing this and should just be happy that I can get something done and be healthy while having so many other things to be thankful for. This process has definitely got me on an emotional roller-coaster and it's not easy. I hope the physical recovery is easier than the mental part!

5 days out! Trying to get my house in tip top shape. Don't want to go crazy sitting in a recliner looking at dust or fingerprints lol. Other than that I feel peaceful.
I made a rice sizer and ummm yeah it looks pretty big. I know the lift will reduce things a bit so i hope i made the right choice!

4 days of out and I'm feeling good. I get snippets of anxiety but I feel peaceful for the most part. I've been going a little overboard getting to get my house in order, very similar to nesting before baby comes. So right now every room is in shambles bc i haven't finished much of what I started. Yesterday i played around with a rice sizer and it looks to big but I am getting a lift so that should reduce it some. I know my dr will do a great job so I'm going to stop worrying even though as women that's easier said than done. I'm posting the rice sizer pic. The left is me naturally and the right obviously has 400cc of good ol mahatma white rice :)

Feeling better and loving the results. Surgery went well, love everyone that was there taking care of me. Definitely had an all star cast!

Aside from swelling and compression garment issues everything is going great and I'm so happy I did this. Recovery is going well albeit long.

Forgot to post my chin before and after. This has been the most gratifying bc it looks so much better. Everything else healing and dropping so not looking 100% yet.

I got in the faja bandwagon for two days and noticed extreme swelling. I took it off and alternated between light compression garment and my binder. In 18 hrs there was a significant improvement. So either 2 weeks post op is too early for tight compression or less is more when it comes to compression. Thought I'd share bc it's a confusing topic for many. There's the idea tighter is better but in my case it was the opposite.

Feeling great! Made it back it to the gym and was sore despite going really easy and light. 4 weeks on your butt is like starting over. Swelling seems to have leveled out, yay!! Started silicon tape on incisions.

Been back at it. Doing mostly dumbbells and machines followed by light cardio. I tried spin class but my most swollen area started hurting and i had to lay down the rest of the day. It's hard to take it easy but I learned my lesson.

Upper abdominal swelling is minimal and just that area under belly button is still puffy. Only wearing compression at the gym and feel good. Implants have dropped a lot and waiting on the fluffing. So happy I did this even though it was a long process!

Almost 12 weeks. Swelling comes and goes and I think I've mostly dropped. Not sure about the fluff part. I wish I could get lipo on my legs and arms next!!!