Tummy Tuck About Time! - Merseyside, UK

Hi I just thought I'd share my experience as I take my journey in to TT land!
I have been reading other reviews and experiences and It has sort of prepared me in a way and it has been lovely to see the results in the pictures.
I am 33 and a mum of 4 children, I have wanted this tummy tuck for 14 years since my 1st son was born. I went massive when I was pregnant with him and just never lost the sag on my stomach. I had two natural births and my 3rd was a emergency c section, so my fat now goes in to a little pouch were my c section scar is and tucks under its horrid I absolutely hate it!
My confidence is also terrible with it.
I am 10 1/2 stone at the moment which is above the weight I prefer to be, but even when I have been 8 1/2 I still had my "play dough" stomach. My surgeon said it will never go back naturally now. I am having MR as well as TT.
After returning from a holiday in August my hubby realised how insecure I was about my tummy and gave me the go ahead for the TT (yey!)
I have my pre op on Thursday and then go in Saturday for my op I am staying in for 2 nights.
I am worried that I am expecting more than I am going to get I keep thinking to myself what if I am not happy still after spending all that money? (I'm sure this is normal).
I am going to try and get the gym every day this week (I usually go 2/3 times a week) to see if I can lose a bit of weight before my op.
Does anyone have any suggestions or tips from your experience on anything that would be useful before I go in that would be great!
Also I am due to donate blood on Monday, should I delay this till after with having the op 5 days later?
Also I have booked 2 weeks off work as holidays, I know it probably depends on the person but when is the average time to return to work?
Sorry for all the questions, I just want to go in focused and without as much worry as possible(although I am leaving the hubby in charge of the house and 4 children, that's a massive worry in itself lol).
Thanks for reading :)
I will add before pics tomorrow.
Tabitha x

Hi went for my pre op yesterday and just had bloods and things done. They also went through the procedure again with me and dos and dont. At the end they asked to I have any questions, I did but my mind went blank so tonight I am going to write them all down for when I see the surgeon in the morning.
Eeekkk I am getting excited now, im sure the time will fly, I am at work doing my last shift, then taking the kids out for tea and bowling tonight after work then I will get to bed so I can get up early and shower I am sure I wont be able to sleep!
I will try and do a quick update in the morning before the op if I have time if not it will be after :)

Up early showered now just waiting.
Woke up loads last night think it was excitement!
Took a few more pics of my old tum will post when I am done :)

I had the op and I am just recovering in bed. I was I recover for 3 hours had really bad itching all over my face from the morphine I can out shaking and teeth chattering froze the the next half hour I was to hot pumping with sweat!
Last night I kept going to the toilet as I kept drinking as I was really thirsty I could not eat.
I had to keep buzzing the nurses for the toilet as I have leg pumps
On and needed the nurses to take them off ( im sure they were
Fed up with me keep buzzing!)
Overall I dont feel to bad it will be better when I get these leg pumps off!
I can definitely see a difference I can now see my bits when I look down were I could not before!

Today I have come home, I had a bit of a bad night last night and woke up feeling a bit sick and off. Had the drains out, wasn't as bad as I thought,glad there out and the leg pumps are off!
I have settled in at home now and I am glad to be back.
I'm struggling to have a number 2 (sorry) the hospital was going me lactalose but I have not been for 3 days and think I will feel better when I manage to go!
I am happy with what I can see and will be made up when I feel better.

Getting better, standing up a bit more.
Thank you to the lady who said I need lots of pillows, she was right the back ache is bad :(
I got the hubby to bring some for the journey home from the hospital and I think it helped.
I have lost my appetite and hopefully it will pick up in the next few days.
I am at the hospital again tomorrow to see the consultant, a I will keep you posted.

Hi, just a update on how I am getting on.
I saw my consultant on Wednesday everything was fine he changed my dressings and gave me a sick note, I am to return next Wednesday to take the dressings off hopefully, I didn't get to see the scar but I'm glad really as it will of healed more when I finally get to see it.
I am feeling loads better now my pain is not to bad I am just taking the odd codeine and my antibiotics, I am more or less stood straight and am doing mild household duties. I also drove yesterday and is wasn't to bad just like normal really.
I am going to have the next 2 weeks off work but I think I will be 100% better by then as I think I have recovered really quickly, but I can't just sit and take it easy I'm usually so active and always cleaning up so I think this as helped in my recovery as I am so independent and hate other people doing things for me!
I am happy with the result so far my consultant says I have a little swelling but I didn't notice, he said if I keep the binder on it will go down.
I have lost 8lb since the op and friends keep commenting on how slim I now look I am very happy that I had my op and wish I had done it years ago :)

Had my 2nd appointment tonight, I had my dressings taken off. I am happy with the result although a little concerned of the creases on each edge of the scar, my consultant said to massage with bio oil and they should fade in time. The scab on my belly button has mostly covered my new belly buton so I have not been able to see it proper yet it's still early days.
Swelling has been more in the past few days and one hip seems to be fattier or swollen than the other.
I have to go back in two weeks.
I am back to most household duties and tasks I usually do although the doctor has given me another sick note for the next two weeks with my job involving heavy lifting.
I am dying to get back to the gym, but the consultant says I have to wait six weeks :(
I had my first proper long shower tonight it was lovely!

Hi I had the op 2 weeks today and I must say I am nearly fully recovered I have no pain at all and the tightening is easing.
I am still not back to work but am enjoying my time off.
The swelling is very much there I find the more I do the more I swell.
On Halloween I took my kids trick or treating and was walking round for 2 hours and I swelled massively as I didn't have my binder on. And when I got home I put my binder on and I felt relieved! I don't wear it in bed just in the day, I feel more comfortable with it on.

Hi it's been 3 weeks since I had the big op! All still fine I went back to work yesterday and today and I am still ok. I am still swelling a fair bit and my bb is still scabbed over and. I can see some stitches but it seems to be healing fine.
I am still wearing my binder through the day and taking it off at night, I can now sleep on my sides and a bit on my tummy.
Through the week I had a annoying pain in my groin on the left side which felt a bit like a contraction but not as strong but that seems to of passed for now.
My scar as heeled over apart from the two ends were they are a bit creased but hopefully should eventually fade.
I can't. Believe I had it done 3 weeks ago today it seems like so long ago, I am glad I did it!