Wasn't expecting my tummy to droop 10-18 months later

Let's just say I think I made my biggest mistake ever! I want to cry because of the bruises on my stomach. I've never seen myself this way.

I had a consultation with Dr. Taerri a week before my procedure to do the full torso package (abs, sides, and back). My procedure was scheduled for Easter day at 2 o'clock. The times were changed to 3, then 5... at about 7:45 I informed the nurse that I was growing impatient with the wait. She told me that Dr. Taerri was a bit of a perfectionist and was working on a butt aug.. Me being understanding I decided to wait patiently. He told me I would be awake for the procedure but after I took the meds I don't remember ANYTHING except that I was in a great deal of pain crying... laying on my back and the pregnant nurse was trying to calm me down, telling me it would be over in a little bit. The pain/burning sensation was right below my chest where he was using the lipo tool. I swear... I don't remember walking into the room, getting on the table... nothing! But I do remember that and them telling me to lift up to slide into my garment. I remember telling them I had to pee when I got to a door and they did not let me use the restroom before my sister had to drive me back home (a hour and a half away). I called the next day because the medicine he prescribed me (percoset) was not filled at cvs because it was an "out of town prescription for narcotics". He then prescribe me other meds and while I was on the phone with him I asked him why all I remember was crying in pain. He told me it was because the local anesthesia was not on those areas he liposuctioned.... ? (WTH?!) That by far was the scariest experience I never want again! I thought he did an okay job because I was standing in my mirror and my back fat (biggest problem) was completely flat! I thought it was worth it until I took all the tape off. My stomach looks burned! I still have back fat, in fact I have more back fat on the right side than on the left now and my stomach hangs. The swelling has gone down a little so I do notice a change in my rib area. It's much flatter but my stomach is still big for someone who said they specialized in lipo and they would remove all the fat till the point I could pinch only skin! I've done research, I asked questions and I've seen his work. So why am I unhappy?! I feel like I made a HUGE mistake and something isn't right. Please do not bash me for my mistake, I just want people with experience or doctors to let me know the honest truth about Dr. Matteo Taerri's work.

I spoke to the doctor and two of his staff and they explained to me that I'm suffering from post op. Lymphedema. My body feels like a huge brick and I'm in so much pain because my body needs help breaking down the lymphatic tissues in my body. He says he really did remove 6 liters of fat from my body and I'm body is going through trama. It's important for me to massage to break up the bricks in my belly and I should feel much better and see great results after a few therapy sessions. I feel like an idiot because they were still nice to me after I requested a refund lol But I'm still unsure at this point. I hope what he has instructed me to do works. I pray it does.

Okay, so last Friday I went to Dr. Parker (a plastic surgeon) for a second opinion. He said what I am experiencing is common, apparently there were some complication during the procedure that caused the burns on my tummy (I though they were bruises at first but they got hard & started peeling last week), but the trauma that my body is experiencing is normal during large volume liposuction and so is the hardness of my belly and swelling. I was glad that he didn't see me outside of my garment and go "OMG!!!! WTH?" and that everything I'm going through seems normal or common. I bought arnica gel & more pills. Thanks to my girl @wantitdontneedit I've been enjoying my pineapples carefree lol

Anyway, I ran out of antibiotics & pain meds last Sunday... good thing I had my Tylenol ready. I've been doing my own massages daily, sometimes twice a day and my mom gave me the best massage ever last week. Before I started massaging the lymphs I could barely move around, stand up or sit down and the massages are very important after lipo! It's not a Joke! As a matter of fact if I don't do my massages for a while it seems like the lymphs build up and swelling takes longer to go down. Swelling has gone down a lot starting this week. People are saying they can see my hourglass and asks me the prices of lipo. Not too many of my family and friends know because i prefer to keep the hating to a minimum, if you know what I mean. Some people no matter how good you're doing will find something negative to say and as bad as I was feeling the first two weeks, I didn't need that. Before this week, looking at myself in the mirror at the burns and swelling (especially the swelling) was depressing but I always remembered you guys said it would get better and I would see results after two weeks and then again after a month. I appreciate you guys so much because I probably would've gotten real dramatic and went off on Dr. Taerri for no reason, because even though I did research on "how lipo works", "what is lipo", "who's a good candidate?", and checked Dr. Taerri's background, for some reason how all the surgeons explained the easy breezy, walk in the park, get up the next morning and go to work lipo procedure and how the people who actually had lipo were totally different. Yes I knew he would sucked the far out but I didn't know that that actually meant that he would peel the skin from my belly and that ls the real reason I would be stuck in a garment for two weeks (to mold me back together) lol sounds more painful than just removing fat, right? Thank God for pain meds!

Anyway my back fat is almost completely gone. I mean, that was the part of my body I could never get rid of and hated the most. I'm thrilled to stand in the mirror and see what I used to have to hold in with my hands to imagine. BYE BYE BACK FAT! YOU WONT BE MISSED! The sensation is coming back in my belly. It was so numb I could barely feel the pressure of my figure tips before but I most definitely have more feeling now... still not all, but progress, ya know?

My gut in the front is getting smaller, the lymphs (knots) are not building up as quick anymore but I still massage daily and also... I use Shea Butter and aloe plant in rotation with the arnica gel and hydrocortisone creams. I ain't playing! Lol your girl is trying to get her sexy back! That little mild depressing feeling is gone... yeah, thanks again! Now I'm like damn, I shouldve gotten my bra line and arms done too lol smh. OH! And it's most definitely time for a smaller size garment. This 2x is way too loose now and bulks up in the sides. I'm excited now because if I look this good already, I wonder how I'll look in 3 months. I've been dieting, but I need more exercise in my life. I'm not as tired now that I'm off the meds so I'm feeling more energetic and I move around a lot more. I squat down and I bend very slowly to pick things up. now all of a sudden everything wants to fall on the floor so I have to go in split form or squat down or even lean to the slide with one leg up... anything to pick it up lol yeah, it gets crazy! Lol if I sit down or stay in one position too long I'll stiffen up but I'll massage the stiffness out and keep it moving. I can't wait to see how I look week 6!!! I will upload pics soon.