32 Years Old, Lost over 80 Lbs, and the Road to Removing Extra Skin and Stubborn Fat. Schaumburg, IL

So much has happened over the last several days.

I went into my 2 week post op appointment on Thurs excited to report I've been completely off any pain meds including Tylenol, I felt like I was standing up almost perfectly straight, I had managed a short walk around the block and was feeling well enough to even be able to drive again as soon as my drain was taken out. I had been keeping my garment on all the time as instructed during my first week post op visit and felt great about being able to move more and more each day. I was really looking forward to being able to have that drain finally taken out. I went into my appointment feeling like I was progressing nicely.

That was all before I had a chance to see the doctor. I did have a few lingering questions that I wanted to ask before after major poking and before the discomfort of the garment being taken off. But I had my questions written down. What happened? The nurse had me take off my garment first thing and was told the doctor would be right with me. I thought Ok. Fine. I have my questions written down so I can do this. I'll just make sure I do that before my drain comes out. I had to sit there alone for over 20 minutes!! Remember at this point I had kept my garment on all the time as instructed so having it off all that time was more and more uncomfortable the longer I waited. I felt lightheaded and unsupported. Then someone finally comes back in, not my doctor but I was determined to ask my questions while I could still think. I had barely begun when the doctor walked in. He actually seemed annoyed that I was asking questions!! He immediately started poking and looking at my incisions even though I kept asking him to wait. He was angry that I had not been applying ointment to my belly button all this time. Because this is the first time I'm being told of such a direction. That immediately led to a few other questions to clarify what kind of ointment, how often, etc. While I was trying to ask those questions he yanked out my drain! Whoa ouch! (Momentary ouch, but ouch! And he yanked it out of my crotch area. Double ouch.) He then has me stand up and move right away. I'm slow and shakey to stand. Can anyone blame me? I'm lightheaded from having my garment off for the longest time to that point, I just had a drain yanked out, and I'm frustrated with his poor bed side manner. And then he's annoyed that I can't straighten up and am struggling to stand!! From there he assumes that I have not been moving at home and am so far behind where I should be!! He claims I should be more than comfortable with having my garment off all day long and only be wearing it at night. He says I should almost be back to completely normal after two weeks. Now wait a minute, but wait where are you going? He left the room!! I was left a nurse and Angela, the consultant that had really gotten to know me before surgery came into the room as the doctor was leaving. What horrible bedside manner. If you notice I changed my review of my plastic surgeon. I am happy so far with the actual work, but after all that...well all I can say is thank goodness that nurse and Angela gave me the time and understanding I should have received from the beginning. Thankfully they were able to answer my questions. They were able to listen to what I have been able to accomplish to this point and tell me when he said I should be close to normal function that I really was close to where I am supposed to be in this process. My normal pre surgery routine of spending 10 hours in the gym every week and then walking an hour or two each day on top of that is not expected yet. Being able to get around the house and do simple self care tasks and start to be comfortable with getting out the house for short trips. That's where I should be and that's where I was. Thank goodness for someone that treated me as a human.

The next day after I woke up I tried taking off my garment like I am supposed to be able to do. Aaaannndddd I fainted! Yes I was sitting when I took off my garment, but apparently that was not enough. I got a sore ankle and a scrape above my eye in the fall. Looking up other people's stories I see being lightheaded and even fainting is a common thing when you take off your garment for the first few times. Thanks doc for warning me and/or recognizing this common occurrence might be happening to me.

Now that I am used to being able to take off my garment for extended periods and my ankle feels better. I am back to being able to walk around the block. I've driven my car for short trips to the grocery store. I'm back to being able to move more and more each day. I'm trying to figure out the balancing act between how straight I can stand and feeling some pulling/stretching. That sensation will go away eventually, right? I'll get used to it somehow eventually? Right? Well, everyday tasks might still take me a little longer to accomplish, but I am able to get around and take care of me on my own.

I got copies of my before photos while I was at my appointment and have uploaded them. I also took some photos of where I'm at now. There appears to be a noticeable difference. A lot taken off my waist (no wonder that's where I often feel the pulling). I do hope there is a little swelling still left, but overall it's a far cry from where I used to be even if most of my clothes still feel tight. That's surely due to swelling I hope.

Anyway those are my updates for now. Until next time...