Patience is a Virtue.. & Work in Progress..- Neptune Beach, FL

I had been debating and going back and forth for 10 years about having a TT done. I called and spoke on the phone for 45 min and the great lady answered all my questions. Those that she could not she got answers to and got back to me. I had a muscular seperation and excessive extra skin that even through the military I could still never get rid of my "butt in the front"!
Long story short I did it and feel great I made the choice. I just wish I can hurry up the recovery process and bypass the soreness.
I am 16 days Post Op and think the only thing that sucks is I can't stand straight yet and get tired fast though I am resting alot and taking it easy. I do not know how to sit still this long!!
The staff have all been wonderful, attentive and sympathetic to me and answered every call and question I had. My follow up appointments have been great (minus pain/drains) but am healing very quickly.
Like many others I had a million questions and was doubting my decisions to have such a major surgery. But I feel that I have all this time on my hands to share and document my experiences so that I may be able to help others.
More to follow soon..

I was cleared to go back to driving and normal simple light duty activities. The incision is pretty well healing at a fast rate. Most stitches are out and the swelling has began to really subside. I can stand up a lot straighter now. Still not 100% but getting there every day a bit more.The main thing I am learning is to stay totally in tune with my body and not to do too much at once or all in one day.
As I went about a normal day, getting something new for a party and haircut (2 hr) I was so tired and began to feel the pressure and cramping in my belly and south as the day moved on. I feel all the muscles stretching about, here and there all the time, but the bellybutton area was the most sensitive to me all day. I had to go home and put my feet up on the couch and force myself to do nothing once again. :(
I finally made it back to the bed after 3 weeks of recliner and couch. It is rough to sleep on my side still. Its rather uncomfortable and I have to be careful when getting in and out. The hubby helps to sit me up and lie down. I have pillows under my knees still and sleep on back and try to adjust to the firmness and straightness the mattress provides. I do feel like the bed helps to stretch the ab and other muscles as I sleep. I wake up each day and I am standing a bit better.
On a down side however, all the medications I have been on for three weeks has finally caught up with me and I have been not really sleeping. Up until about 4am and then only dose throughout the night. Nothing solid like I always had before. But In due time I suppose I will be back to norm on that.
As a prior medical background I have been able to make a few calls on things myself. I have not taken the pain meds unless I REALLY need them. I have cleaned the wound area with iodine like a mad woman. I have kept all the areas dry and cool, and stayed out of sun or hotter rooms of the house (helps to prevent yeast growth and infections).
The iodine does not work until it is fully dry. I then, over the breathable brown tape that Dr Palin provided, placed neosporin/ bacitracin to help keep the incisions clean like I would on a normal cut or burn. I didn't take the tape off between visits or when showering. I let them dry completely after my shower before putting iodine on, let that dry as well and then put bacitracin over it. I did this 3-4 times a day as I felt it needed. I would keep the areas free of lint or hair and if something began to sort of crust up I would clean it out with q-tips dipped in iodine to get the junk out. If needed I would use tweezers that were cleaned in rubbing alcohol, to get the nasty stuff out. Certain areas of wound and bellybutton will drain and I just kept the area super clean and the drain holes free of [RS bleep] so I can let the stuff drain as it needs to. Totally normal.
I am wearing my spanx as I go out to do things but if I am at home I am lying on the couch letting it air out and my husband has been helping a lot so I can focus on healing and getting back to work and life. I wear a lot of sun dresses so I do not have anything tight on my belly, and if I need to wear shorts, I have a few that are loose now and a comfy t-shirt.
We all have our own things and need to do what is best for us but I listened to my body and the Doctor and nurses. It will be a long road to full recovery but I still feel like I made a good choice in the TT. I have noticed a huge change visibly in my body and I do love it, and feel like I am going to really love how I look even more in about 3 months when I am bikini worthy!
If I can help anyone getting ready or going through, I am more than happy to assist as I went through it and can very much relate!

WOW!!! I cant believe that it has been a month already! The first week was a blur and I don't remember anything except pain and sleeping..
Walking has become 99% normal. As the day grows I find myself hunched over about 17:30 or so. I get home and put my feet up for a bit before continuing on. I am forcing myself to do a little bit more each day.
I finally got the go ahead to vacuum and that was a chore literally. It took a few hours to do it, but I stopped to take a break after each room. I made dinner finally, a roasting chicken and I have to say it felt great to eat my own cooking!
The incision has started to heal up for the most part. The areas I had complications in have scabbed up and are beginning to heal up on their own. I have the tape over the sides of incision to keep them flat. I still cover it in iodine 3 times a day and keep it as clean as possible. I noticed that part of it has started to drop like I was told. In about three months it should have relaxed a bit more and dropped enough to wear a bathing suit! I look and see the belly I had when I was 19 and pre-baby! Totally worth it but the sadness and downtime has hit and had it's moments the last week here and there. But I just start doing something and it passes.
The only downfall I have had in the last two weeks is the muscle spasms I get at night when I am sleeping. I was given some medication to keep the spasms down so I can sleep through the night. In addition to that, the muscles on the sides of my sternum are really sore still. I have a hard time sneezing and trying not to pop stitches. It is still a bit hard to move in bed and it takes a bit of work but it is getting easier each night.
I go back to work in four days and although I am looking forward to it I am sort of dreading it. It was nice to be home and relax and nap as needed, and not overexert myself, but I want to get up and back to riding the motorcycle and jet skiing!. not to mention function like I did 32 days ago! lol