27 Year Old That Finally Took the Plunge! I Have Been Waiting Many Years - Prague

Okay so I am now over the 3 weeks mark. I have not updated as I have not had a lot to say. Day 10 I got to shower, but wow I was not expecting the swell hell after it. I didn't have anyone to help me and I have to admit that it really took it out of me physically I was drained. It felt so good to be able to wash myself. Showers since have been a lot easier. I tried to drive at day 10 and was still very sore, however by day 14 it was much easier. Have to admit my bf was here to see me just over the 2 week mark and we did decide to have sex. Took it easy and all went good. I have taken no pain, every day things get easier and the scar isn't as tight. The swelling is terrible after a long day. No one prepares you for it. I am back to work now since Monday and swollen so bad every night. I am finding myself coming home and taking my binder off for an hour or so to let my tummy breath and put some cream on my skin and it's dry and flaky. My bandages only fell off two days ago. Nothing prepared me for seeing the scar in full for the first time, it was very emotional and I questioned why did I do this to myself. However, I just let the feeling be there and told myself it was normal to feel like this. I had to run to make my train yesterday morning and when I got home in the evening I noticed that a little of my scar had opened up on the left hand side. I called out of hours gp and got seen right away. He said it was only small and bandaged it up and said should be closed in few days.

Everything in general is easier, walking, driving, sitting. I can now sleep on my side at night and get up with very little discomfort. The only thing I honestly can say at this point is just the swelling and that's normal and I will have to wait for it to pass. I have put up some pics.

Okay so I am officially over the week mark! So have a little bit to update on. The itching at night drove me mad on night 6! But luckily last night wasn't as bad. Yesterday I went to the post office to do a few chores, went to the doctors for a check up. She said that its healing lovely and that the swelling I had was appropriate and that my belly button looked great. I then went to the shop and got a few groceries. I didn't drive I took a taxi as felt it was too soon. I also removed my compression stockings yesterday. Pain is minimal, only when I cough etc. Now last night I was on the sofa and when I got up I felt very light headed. This happened twice and I started to get the sweats, then I got a pain in my left calf and it got warm. Alarm bells went and I thought DVT. Straight away I rand emergency services and they advised to to go to a&e. So I spent a long time there. They done a physical exam, a x ray and bloods. My doctor was lovely and told me that from physical exam I didn't have one, however as I am only a week out of surgery he was sure my blood was going to test positive for a clot, apparently it does so for 3 weeks! So he said if this was the case I would be treated and would get an ultrasound on my leg in the morning. 5 hours later, to his amazement my bloods came back negative, he couldn't believe that my body had processed all the stuff from surgery and I came back with a negative reading. He said my chances of having one were now .1% or something. I knew my anxiety added to it, but everyone in a&e said I done the right thing to get checked. He said it was only my muscles. He advised me to wear my stockings at night for another few days which I done when I got home. My scar was so painful last night by the time I got home, I was sitting upright for easily 4/5 hours in a&e. As a result I have not left the house today in order to try and ease it.

Took my last antibiotic this morning. I am thankful for that as I think there reacting to me now. Again no pain meds. Now I am a bit concerned about my heeling! Coughing, laughing and sneezing used to hurt like hell and now not so much, I have virtual no pain, minimal swelling and no brusing hardly. I even wrote a question to the doctors on this as I was wondering am I after doing damage to myself and not realising it.

Now something which I am trying not to worry about it the skin around my belly button. I can still grab it, it looks a little loose and has stretch marks, which I knew it would from my old skin. I am trying to stay calm and say to myself you still have swelling and you also are still bent over so this will add too it. I still am not 100% upright. Has anyone else noticed this a week post op? I am starting to worry and I know it's only early days! I have attached some pics from today!

Hey ladies, okay today has been a hard one. I got a good nights sleep and got up about 10.30am, packed and checked out. I got a taxi too the clinic as decided to see the nurse before I left. All was good. I was then collected at 1.30 pm and taken too the airport. I had to walk with my bag from terminal 2 to terminal 1. I could feel the binder was rather tight so I stopped twice and loosened it. The lovely man in check in put my carry on bag into the luggage free of charge so I wouldn't have to carry it. I went for some food and got on my flight at 4.15pm. I was lucky no one was in the seats next to me so I put my feet up. I walked and got up a few times on the flight and kept my stockings on to be on the safe side. Landed home and got a taxi to my house. I honestly have to say it's taken it out of me. I could feel my tummy getting sore and me walking much hunched over and I could feel it swelling. So glad I am at home and can relax the next few days. I still have not taken any pain meds which I am very happy about. I finally took off my binder and took a look at what I am standing! Wow is all I can say! I can't believe I look like this. Now please take into account I am swollen in these pics and also I noticed some loose skin around my belly button, this made me freak. However, I started to think logically, how I am swollen from today and also that I am bent over which will make some of the skin full of fluid appear more loose. This I will keep an eye on, but I am aware that it takes a few months before I will see the end result so I am not going to worry! The way I see it is that anything was an improvement from what I had. I have attached some pics! One of them made me cry as I can't believe this is me! I am in shock at my figure