Booked my Surgery Today - Now the TERROR Has Set In! – Paramus, NJ

After losing 60 pounds 2 years ago and working out 6-7 days per week for the last year, I am in the best shape of my life and my muscles are defined and hard & my core is strong. However my tummy skin is droopy, wrinkly and my bellybutton is sad. I have been thinking about TT surgery for a while, first as a pipe dream, then more realistically, then researching it, then REALLY researching it. Until these past two weeks - I met with 2 plastic surgeons, decided on one, and finally booked my surgery yesterday. Got my pre-op packet today via email, read it and now I am super scared. I am most afraid of the recovery, the pain and losing my fitness that I have worked so very hard for. The only thing making me feel better are all of the "Worth It" reviews on RealSelf and a few TT reviews from women my age who have recovered more quickly than what my doctor says to expect. I will be having tummy tuck with lipo and additional lipo of my hips (that's what they call it, but its really more the rear muffin top area).

I'm finally posting a few "before" pictures since its only a few hours until "after" (surgery at noon today!). I was so hesitant to post photos because I am SO self conscious about my body - I never really even give it a good look in the mirror myself - let alone post pictures on the Internet! But this site has been so helpful to me (especially the photos). And what good are afters without befores anyway??? Well...here goes! 4 hours left! I'm so nervous.

So I am 3 days post op & seeing definite improvement since I got home on Saturday. I had no real strength, couldn't get in/out if bed or the chair by myself and I was getting dizzy from the littlest bit of effort and my blood pressure was dropping really low. No more dizziness - thank goodness - that was scaring me and my husband. I am chalking that up to residual anesthesia in my system. Today, I took a lot more short walks around the house (and wasn't as tired), got in and out of the chair by myself and was able to make it thru to my next dose of pain meds without trouble. I'm taking 1 Percocet and 1 extra strength Tylenol every 4-5 hours during the day and 2 percocets before bed. Still haven't slept more than 2 hours in a row - I think I wake up when my body wants to roll over and I can't. I'm still pretty hunched, especially when I first get up from sitting. Tomorrow is my first post op - I am anxious to hear if I am doing well from the doctor. I don't think he will take my drains out - its been drastically reducing each day, but I've already hit 30 for today on the left - so at least another few days with drains. The drain stitches really bother me - they're kind of stiff and wiry and they rub on my underwear and its a really uncomfortable sensation. And the binder is rough... I had cold numb feet on Sunday morning, but I texted the nurse and she said to undo the binder for a few hours - and that did the trick. Today it was cold, numb hands (and no, it's not on me super-tight). 2 weeks with this thing? Yikes.