45 Yr Old with 4 Children All Big Babies and All C-sections - 20 Yr Dream Coming to Life (TT, with MR and Hernia Repair) - NY

I have been reading and reading all the great info on here for some time now. I didn't really think I would ever write a review , but all of the info here has been so helpful and there are hardly any reviews for my dr, so hopefully this will help someone in the future who is considering him as their surgeon.

I have 4 sons, all of them large babies (my second son was my largest at 11lbs 11oz!!) and all c-sections. My tummy is a mess! You all know that feeling real well :)! With my fourth, about a week after his birth (he's 5), I developed a hernia, which has grown in size. So my husband and I decided to go for a consult and see what could be done. We walked out with a date scheduled and a dream for me coming to life.

I'm scheduled for Jan 23rd which is coming real quick! Pretty sure I'm mentally and physically prepared, but there are so many different stories here it's hard to know what exactly to expect. So I'll prepare for the hardest and hope for the best :). I did well with all 4 c-sections. My incision from my second son is almost hip to hip, and I had extensive internal repair after my 4th, so my dr says it is not so different from that. I guess we will see ;)

I didn't think I would take any photos until the day before, but this morning I feel at such peace about it all and honestly photos are more realistic than looking in just the mirror. They will help me stay calm this week, I hope :).

I feel pretty prepared. My sx gave me a vitamin recovery support program to start two weeks before surgery. Another part starts 3 days before surgery and then arnica to start taking immediately after. Love that it is homeopathic remedies. I also purchased a few essential oils to mix in with some lotion for after surgery massage to help recover loss of feeling and numbness on the tummy. I've read great reviews about this mixture with people who have circulation issues caused by diabetes and other disorders. We are also going to try it on my son's hands for Reynaud's Syndrome he has. I got a toilet riser (my toilet seems pretty low, even though my husband insists it isn't, lol), and a bed wedge system from Brookstone. We don't have a recliner and my bed is pretty high, so I felt stepping up a little step on a stool would be easier than trying to get out of a recliner. Going to make a bunch of freezer crock pot meals this week. Even my 11 yr old will be able to plop into crock pot and turn on.

Thanks to everyone for all of the info posted on here. Great help when you just have so many questions in your head about the unexpected :)

Time really went so fast! I feel almost like it isn't tomorrow. Just waiting for the hospital to call with my surgery time. All I know is it will be in the morning. Watching the weather closely. We are supposed to possibly have a coastal snow storm coming Saturday (I'll be overnight in the hospital). I love snow, but don't want to be driving home in it. We live in the mountains about an hour from the hospital, and the main highway tends to shut down. Anyway, super excited, super nervous!! Going to make some meals today that the family can take out of freezer and throw in crock pot. My husband will be off until next Weds, then one of my older boys took off of work on Weds to stay with me. And thank goodness I don't have to start work anytime soon. I have my own business and scheduled this to be done during the slow winter time so I could rest and have lots of time to heal. Two questions, any suggestions for what type of underwear if the drains will come from the hip side of the incision? And is it better to come home in button up shirt??