Happy Early 40th - 31 days PO - new pics

PO Day 31 - It's been awhile since I've updated. Life is back in the fast past for me. I am back to full time Mom, wife, cook, maid, taxi service, laundromat, etc, etc. Thankfully I do not have to go back to work until April 1st! I got clearance to go to the gym and last week I went, and silly me - pushed myself way to hard. That night I was absolutely miserable. So I have been a big chicken and have been too scared to go back. Instead, Chase and I have been taking morning walks (about 3 miles) and of course he has to stop and pee on every tree or bush, so it's not marathon walking. My stomach is still soooooo swollen everyday, but I know for a fact that my MM has made such a HUGE difference. I am in a size 2 petite (even with a binder on)!!!! Before the surgery, I used to wear baggy clothes to hide my pooch, and now that my body is almost where I want it, I'm for the first time since pre-kids, wanting to wear close that fit and show it off. Saturday, my son had a soccer game, and I wore jeans, a ribbed tank top, and since it was a little cool when we left the house, a zip up sweatshirt. By the time the game started, I was roasting in the sweatshirt, but too self conscious to take it off. My husband kept reassuring me that I looked great, but my mind was too "fubar'd" and I was miserable. When I got home, looked in the mirror and laughed at myself! My husband was a little mad at me (because I wouldn't take his word for it) and I told him - outside of me is fixed, now we got to fix the inside of me! (Although I have no mental issues with the boobs - LOVE them!!!). Hope everyone is healing well, and for those wavering on the MM - all I can say is I wish I would of done this years ago! So so very worth it!!!!

Today I hit the gym! Did 20 min on the eliptical and I know it's not going to produce results physically, but mentally it felt WONDERFUL! For 3 weeks I have felt like a blob, and since I've been home (4 days), I've been baking cookies for the kids, and eating "naughty"! I'm a little hunched over right now, but I didn't push myself too hard, just enough to break a decent sweat. The eliptical is perfect, no bouncing, and it doesn't push my thighs up too high (was going to try the bike, but that wouldn't of worked as well) with the binder on. Hope everyone is healing well!!!

PO Day 22 - Well I'm home!! :-) My house is still standing, my kids are functioning, and my animals are alive! The only casualty was a house plant they forgot to water. My husband did a GREAT job of playing Mr. Mom for 3 weeks. He had to deal with carpool, homework projects, sleepovers, both kids sick at different times, cooking dinners, packing lunches, laundry (which in the almost 15yrs together he has NEVER done/ didn't even know how to work the machine) cleaning, caring for the animals, and out-smarting my kids (who knowing I was away - tried to pull fast ones on him). I cannot begin to explain how wonderful it felt to sleep in my own bed! It's only been 2 days since I've been home, and by night time, I am exhausted. 2 days, 2 soccer games, tumbling, birthday party, trip to the mall with my 12 yr old, grocery shopping, etc. - my recovery/vacation is over. Chase is even happy to be home, and our other two little dogs went nuts when they saw him. It was a blessing to be able to stay with my parents while recovering, and I'm thankful I was able to do that. I wish they lived closer. They are getting older and their health isn't what it used to be. I mentioned earlier that they both ended up sick while I was there, and my Dad ended up going to the doctor (which he never does) and they think he has the beginning of emphysema. He's been a smoker since he was about 14yrs old, and his father and grandfather both died from it. They gave him antibiotics to clear up the fluid in his lungs, and they are going to do more extensive testing in a couple weeks.

My last post op appointment, my PS gave me the clearance to work out, limiting me to non-bouncing activities. So....elliptical machine, here I come! I feel like a big blob of jelly! I'm still sooooooooooo swollen in my lower abdomen. I can fit into size 4 jeans, but my stomach still looks like I'm 3 months prego. I do notice a big difference in the lipo'd areas, and to be honest, I think that is still the sorest part of me. The bruising is just now starting to disappear. My boobs - I absolutely LOVE! (And so does the hubby). PS said to keep the strap on for just a bit longer, he would like to see them drop just a little bit more, and then I'm clear to start wearing an underwire bra. I still have the pouch above my belly button that has to be fixed at a later date, and PS said the longer I wait, the better the result will be. Which means = prob no bikini this summer, and I'm fine with that. (Shocking, considering I've waited so long to be able to do so, and my patience is basically non existent). The way I figure, is I can hopefully lose another 10lbs and tone my body back into shape, and what doesn't tone, gets to get lipo'd out when I do my revision.

I've posted a couple pics and you can see my scar line, pouch, swelling, and new "hooters" (lol). Hope everyone is healing well!