Loving the New Look

Last summer at the beach, I met a woman who lost 100 lbs and had a tummy tuck and body lift. This woman opened my eyes to a better me.

From the beginning. All my life I have been thin thanks to my metabolism (courtesy of my day). Even after 5 children was I able to wear a bikini. Fast forward to age 37 and my 6th pregnancy. This baby didn't weigh any more than the rest but my abdomen grew to huge proportions. Several months later I realized that the extra skin was here to stay. I hated the extra skin, but because I looked great clothed I just looked at it as a sign of motherhood. I'm not a fitness nut but I focused on my walking and hiking and took pride in the parts I could control. For the most, I was happy with myself. Summers were a reminder when I'd wear my modest, mature swimsuit with bottoms that reached my belly. How great it would be not to be on a constant look out of my bottoms revealing my "little" secret. And secretly, that extra skin bothered me when I was intimate with my husband.

Two months after meeting my beach friend. I made a consultation with a PS. It was near my 51st birthday. The Dr was recommended by a friend who worked at the surgicenter where he did his surgeries. I loved him from the get go. Soft spoken, explained that all the situps in the world wouldnt help my soft stomach, due to the stretching of my muscles 6 times over. After two months of pondering it, I scheduled my surgery for two months after that.

My surgery was on March 7th. The cost was $10,600. Part of that included $800 for the overnight stay in the surgicenter. It was money well spent. Surgery lasted 4 hours and included muscle tightening as well as lipo of the flanks. The first three days were a drug fueled haze, although my husband says I got up to the bathroom, did my breathing exercised, walked and ate just fine. He gave me one Percocet every four hours for 3 days. I am at POD 22 and I can tell you my hardest moments were that back pain I had for several days, the inability to get comfortable at night, and the tired, lack of energy. POD 18 I had the best nghts rest, and on POD 19 I felt my energy returning. Not completely but everyday getting better. There were moments when I felt depressed for my lack of energy, my swollen belly that I regretted my decision for a tummy tuck. Even then did I know it would be short lived. I think of when I saw my belly button for the first time. The joy and near tears. My doctor made my belly button look like the original. On POD 22 it is frustrating the my clothes are still snug. I do my best to focus on the positives like my "beautiful" abdomen and belly button.

I wish I would have discovered this website before my surgery and I wish I would have taken my own before pictures. My doctor will give me a copy at my 6 week checkup. I think before pictures would be a great motivator during my recovery.

I love my doctor. I haven't always liked his decisions such as keeping my drains in for 10 days, but I trust him and so far everything has gone well. He and his staff have been available to answer all my questions before and after surgery. At POD 22 I've had 4 follow-up visits