Loving my Look - Chicago, IL

I am 2 months post op tt, I am still experiencing swelling every day. I was told after 8 wks I wouldn't have to wear my compression garmet anymore. But I still wear it when I am in the house or at least when I'm sleeping at night. It helps the swelling to go down by the morning. After going out side or just when I take the compression garment off. My body starts to ache I guess from to much movement. I can't wait to get home to put my garment back on , it helps to take a way the pain. I feel so much better, its like i have to wear it or else my body ache so bad that i want to scream. If I have a very strenuous day, I will still have take a pain pill. Tomorrow will be my first day back to working out. I'm really looking forward to it. I still haven't gained the pre-weight back. I'm tryn to eat healthier, less sweets which is my weakness. My clothing size has went from a medium to a small in my top and bottom. I'm on this exercise kick now and bc it's the new year the stores has so many cute workout Outfits. I enrolled in a new gym an I spoke w/ a trainer an he was telling me that my body looks like I have been working out for years. Another person that same day at a store said I look like a trainer at a fitness gym. So I'm loving all of the compliments. I'm now going to be concentration on my abs. Trying to get some definition b4 the bikini weather. Plus after paying so much money for this body an the pain I went threw an the pain that I still feel. I need to make sure that I maintain this look. I get so many compliments it just boost my self esteem, especially at 44. My God daughter that is 21, said ur body looks like nicki minaj. So I'm so very happy with the look of my body an it is improving by the day. So for me it was well worth the money an the pain.

Here is a few pictures 6 wks post op, tt w/ lyposuction. To the back an flanks.

What I wish I knew before the surgery. 1. That when u get a tt, the Dr. has to pull down the skin to stitch up the tt. In that process the breast are pulled down in the process. So now my breast are sagging. 2. That the body could possibly go through some trauma which could start your period early. 3. 6 weeks later I'm still unable to sleep on my tummy comfortably. 4. If you are very active during the day, it creates swelling. I also experienced drainage, that would break through the incisions that were in the process of healing, so I have scars that i'm trying to heal. So I would always have to have gauze or a pad. Bc while running errands my clothes are wet from the drainage. 5. You can not have a cold, bc u can not cough or sneeze bc u could burst your stitches an it hurts really bad. 6. Your age can affect the recovery process, though I am very healthy. I suffered a lot of pain. 6 weeks later I still feel pain if I'm too active. I had to find that out the hard way. 7. After my surgery bc of the pain, and taking the medicine I would just sleep. I had no appetite an I lost 13 lbs.after the surgery. I have gained about 4 or five of the lbs back. Which is a good look for me. I now have lost about 2 dress sizes. An I lost 10 lbs before the surgery. So in the whole process I have lost about 20 lbs. After the tt your tummy space is smaller an I found that when I would try to eat the same amount of food that I ate before the surgery, I was very very uncomfortable an it was not worth it. Plus the affect on your tummy is that above the incision begins to expand an I can see that the tummy could possibly get bigger in time, if you don't change your eating habits. I now am very conscious of what I eat and the amount. I now eat a kids size meals, or half of my meals. I will only eat half of a hamburger and fries. I'm also not eating any sweets. 8. I had a lot of pain in my chest and my arms, bc you will have to use your arms to lift your self up. You will not be able to use your chest muscles at all to get out of the bed. 9. You must take your medicine on time bc the pain is so excruciating that at times I thought I would faint waiting for the pain to go away. 10. Make sure to have cough drops bc your throat will be soar from the breathing tube bc it will scratch your throat. And again I am very very happy w/ my results. But if I had to recommend this surgery to anyone I would definitely explain to them that this process is very very painful and everyone's recovery is so different and that you must consider your age. And how healthy you are, I still haven't went back to work and it's been almost 6 weeks. So for me, I have been on bed rest for the 6 wks. I'm only able to do about 4 to 6 hours of work, before feeling pain and getting the swelling. So just remember to allow your self to heal or you can possibly have a set back and to listen to your Dr's orders.