Great Doctor, Excellent Results - Richmond, VA

I had a tummy tuck, 9 years after having my youngest daughter (mother of 2). I am not the thinnest girl in the world so I was concerned about the results. I couldn't be happier!! My procedure was at St. Mary's hospital and I chose to spend the night (which I highly recommend). The first night was ok, the nurses and doctors made sure that I had the right amount of medication to keep me comfortable. The first morning, waking up in the hospital and getting ready for release was the worst day as moving around was a painful shock. However, once I learned how to move around with my new incision, it was tolerable (with pain medication). I was planning to be out of work for 5 days which was unrealistic. I ended up out of work for nearly two weeks. Plan at least two weeks. You need help during the first two weeks, which is the toughest. After two weeks, I could walk by myself, use the bathroom, change my bandages, etc. After three weeks, all of my drains were out and I really felt like I was getting back to myself again. Sneezing and coughing are not recommended. I would say that was the worst thing during my recovery. My four weeks, I was not taking any pain medication at all and no longer needed help with anything. I returned to yoga at 12-weeks. Now, my stomach is flat and perfect. No stretch marks, I even wore a bikini this summer, just 6-weeks after surgery. Recovery is tough but doable, I mean, we give birth to babies... we can do this too. It is the best thing that I have ever done for myself.