47 Year Old Mom of Twins Ready for a Tummy Tuck - August 2016 - Raleigh, NC

I am scheduled for a full TT with lipo and MR on 8/8/2016. I interviewed 5 board-certified plastic surgeons and choose Dr. Pyle, based on his results, demeanor, reviews, and feedback from those I found on this website. I have had 3 appointments at Davis & Pyle Plastic Surgery so far, and have been very pleased thus far. The staff are friendly, well-organized and I can tell that they strive for excellence. Of the 5 practices I visited, this one was by far the most organized and professional. I have been particularly impressed with Jessica, one of the coordinators, who has been patient, honest, very professional and informative while answering my many questions. I also love that Dr. Pyle seems truly passionate about his work--both motivated and energetic and his results seem very natural.

SO...about me. I am 47 years old, 5'6", and Mom to twin boys (age 12), who were full-term and delivered via c-section (my preference). They weighed 14 pounds total, and I gained 62 pounds in my pregnancy. I always carried my weight in my belly but after having twins, it has never looked the same! Plenty of fat, loose skin, and my previously cute belly button is simply a "line" now and shows no sign of having ever been circular. For years, I just thought this was something that I had to live with--a war zone representing the birth of my healthy full-term babies. I don't know exactly what it was that triggered me to look into this, but decided in Dec 2015 to start looking for a surgeon and see if I might want to "go for it". After seeing so many impressive before and after pics on this site, I was SOLD. I am taking some time off from my career right now, and want to go back in Jan, so it's a good time for me to get this done. I'm not crazy about being swollen in the summer, but here in NC it's miserable in August, so I might as well be cooped up in the AC all month, right? My kids start middle school 3 weeks after surgery, so hopefully I will be feeling good enough to manage the transition. And if not, I will be able to rest during the daytime when they return to school.

With just over 3 weeks to go, I was hoping to have lost more weight than I have, but that will not deter me from moving forward. My goal is to "clean up the loose skin" and be flatter and I intend to continue to eat well and exercise after surgery (when able) so this is just a step in my journey to get back to a healthier, more attractive body. I have been eating well and exercising A LOT, with some weight loss success but it has been MUCH slower and much more difficult than it ever was in the past!! I developed Type 1 diabetes as an adult (yes--not just kids get it--I was 45!) so insulin, which is a fat storage hormone, has made it difficult to lose weight, but I have been exercising and am in the best cardiovascular shape I have been in a while, and my HbA1C is 5.4%--which is excellent. So, all this to say that I have been working hard to get ready for this surgery and cannot believe how fast the time has gone!

I'm grateful to those who have chronicled their journey here, making it less mysterious to the rest of us, and I hope to blog here as much as I can, so hopefully it benefits others and helps illustrate another trip to the flat side.

OK, that's it for now...will work on posting BEFORE pictures but it won't be easy (ugh)...

I had my pre-op appointment today and everything went well. It's starting to get really "real" and even though I am very excited, I am starting to get nervous about the pain and length of recovery. Because I am having lipo and need muscle repair, I know it will be more painful than if I was just having the straight up abdominoplasty. But, the extra time and patience will all be worth a more sculpted result (I hope). I took some "Before" pictures today. NOT FUN. But, hopefully I will look back in a few months and say, "Wow, I'm so happy that I did this!". I saw someone else wishing that they had taken before pics, so hopefully I'll be happy about them too at some point. Ugh.

It feels like this countdown has been going on forever (decided to do this in Jan 2016), and now it's just a few days away! Ahhhh! I'm mostly excited and a little nervous. I have been keeping myself busy and exercising a lot (gotta love those endorphins) and that is helping with the nerves. But, as so many others have said, all kinds of emotions come and go. I am a planner by nature so have enjoyed the planning of everything, but am just so ready to get this done. And then begins the hard part--recovery! Ha! Here are some things that I've done to prepare. Certainly, others prepare more or less, but this is how I roll.

-Rented walker & lift recliner for my downstairs so I can hang easily with family when I feel like it
-Set up recovery table near my bed with laptop, charger, magazines, TV remote, meds, medication checklist (so husband knows what to give me when and to keep track of it all); pillows; tray table.
-Made lists of how husband and kids can help around the house (a girl can dream!)
-Made list for husband of what to feed me and his "nursing responsibilities" (he will love this, ha!)
-I'm an adult-onset Type 1 diabetic (it's not just kids who get it) so have spent considerable time writing up instructions on how to mange blood sugar during surgery (hopefully I will be stable and anesthetist won't even need)
-Make a few meals and froze them for the family so dinner is easier for husband a few nights next week
-Bought all my supplies (I'll list those out too)
-Been exercising a lot and taking pre-surgical vitamins
-Cleaned house; took care of loose ends so won't be driving me crazy when I'm laying around recovering; had carpets cleaned; washed windows (I'm a nesting fool)
-Signed kids up for camp for next 2 weeks so I don't have to take care of anyone during the day except myself :-)
-Filled medications
-Got waxed so don't need to look at hairy legs during recovery
-Had pre-op appt with PCP (did routine tests) and pre-op appt with surgeon; paid the bill!
-Changed my CGM and insulin pump (diabetes-specific)
-Printed out list of emotions that TT'ers go through afterward to help as a reminder when I'm going through them
-Took my "BEFORE" pictures 2 weeks in advance
-Still to do this weekend: Go grocery shopping, get a pedicure, make breakfast foods so kids can reheat them before camp next week; start stool softeners; start Arnica; water plants; take my final pre-op measurements and weight.