Day by day, getting better and better

Almost 3 weeks PO, and wanted to post a couple more pics. Still an awful lot of swelling in front, above the BB and over the hips, but I took the dressing tape off and got a pic of the incision, which I think will look beautiful in time. My left drain hole is still oozing from time to time which is extremely annoying--last night quite a bit in fact, maybe because I overdid it with packing and moving stuff? Can't wait to be healed and totally back to myself again!!!

So I've been waiting to update my review until my drains came out so I could take a few early "after" pictures. Got them out yesterday, Hallelujah! They quickly became the most annoying thing about the surgery. My recovery has gone very well--I've had little pain after the first couple of days, and didn't use any Percocet after 48 hours PO. I was up and moving around pretty well by day 3, and little by little getting more upright. Still not 100% upright, only about 90%, but close! Went to the PS yesterday to get the drains out and got a first look at the incision- I was really surprised at how thin the line was, and not at all red or angry. It just looks like someone folded my skin over, and sewed it together. I'm hoping this will mean the scar won't be too bad, but I suppose it's too early to tell. I'm definitely swollen above and below my BB, and also over my hips- it's a firm swelling, but my PS said it will take a while to go down. By BB looks beautiful! I also did some research into the binder issue (pro/con), and I learned that not using post-op binders is a more recent trend. While binders do help the swelling stay down, they also are extremely uncomfortable, they interfere with circulation and the healing of the incision and lipo areas, and they increase the risk for blood clots. So right now I may not look as pretty just yet because of the weird swelling, but I'm really happy that I ended up choosing a PS that doesn't use them. I think I'll be really, really happy with the results once everything finally heals!!! Posting a few pics here-- will try to update with new ones as things change.

Well it's done! So glad to get started on the next leg of this journey. The surgery went very well--we arrived super early, my PS marked me up, met my hilarious anesthesiologist, and next thing you know he was joking to me about something, waking me up from a dream. The first few hours weren't bad at all-- I was all numbed up so not hurting very much, and I had "deep sedation" anesthesia, not general, so wasn't sick at all from that.

My PS doesn't use or recommend binders--he doesn't want anything putting pressure on the area and interfering with circulation and healing. It's a little swollen but not too bad, and I can see what it looks like! And surprise, my PS did lipo on my hips and flanks too, even though I had elected to pass on that because it was too expensive! I'm so happy about that because I kept wondering if I was making a big mistake not doing it, in spite of the $$. My husband was sort of taken aback though, because he didn't understand how he could just go ahead and do it if we "didn't pay for it and didn't ask for it", but I'm not complaining. Dr. Sullivan has been wonderful, and I just keep hearing so many good things about him, what an artist he is, how meticulous, etc. He also called me at home the night before surgery, again in my recovery room last night, and then stopped by to see me today.

The worst part about this right now is having to get up and pee, which I seem to have to do every hour. The pain isn't too bad when I'm lying still (no recliner but tons of pillows on the couch, which is fine), but when I have to walk it really, really burns. I don't want to get dehydrated, and I've been working a chocolate soymilk protein drink all day--I guess it forces me to get up and walk though, which is good. I tried at first to skip the percoset and just go with extra-strength Tylenol, HA! That was a joke. I'm taking 2 percoset every 6 hours, which isn't making me as dopey as I had feared but is controlling the pain pretty well. But now writing this much my eyes don't want to stay focused anymore, so stay tuned for more updates. But oh yeah, I'M FLAT!!!!!!!!!!