44 Years Old, Tummy Tuck with Muscle Repair, Lipo, bbl/grafting - Dr Pantoja, Tijuana January 2015

I honestly can't believe it's already been six weeks since my surgery! I was hoping at this stage to be posting before and after pics and be playing dress up to show off my flat tummy, but I'm not quite at that stage yet. Unfortunately I had to have another emergency surgery last week for my kidney stone so my ps healing is a little behind where I'd like to be. * I am driving again and dropping the kids at school etc. I'm still a little hunched over and I can't walk fast at all, so I have to build in extra time. It takes me longer than I would like to climb in and out of the car but I'm hoping I'll be 100% by next week. I've really been knocked over emotionally and physically by the 2 unexpected kidney surgeries but each day a little better. * I have not worn my surgical cg for a couple of weeks now, except for half a day here and there. It was just not practical while dealing with recovery from my other surgeries. I have switched to wearing the Maidenform "Self Expressions" hi-waist boyshort - it's easier to manage and I think adds enough compression. I bought about 20 shaper type garments at Target, and this was the 'magical' one for me! It was $13.99 and I'm wearing an XL but might move to a size L. * I've not had any weight loss yet. I'm hoping that's just because of the trauma my body has been through with the additional surgeries and meds. I was 130lbs before xmas, ate like a pig and was 142lbs the day of surgery. I'm sitting at 140lbs now. I have not been trying to lose weight, but I was hoping some might just magically disappear...lol! Now that I am more mobile, hope that starts to change. I will also check in with Dr P to see when I can start doing squats and easy weights. I don't feel like my body is quite ready but maybe it's just a mental block. I can't wait to start getting some shape and muscle tone in my body! * At night I am mostly sleeping on my sides but I do get a lot of discomfort and stiffness. I can get in and out of bed pretty easily, but the stiffness in my hips and back makes me do a bit of fake lamaze breathing to help me push through the discomfort! * My steri strips are off and I can finally see my full incision and bb. Tomorrow I have a follow up with my local ps to see how things are healing and get instructions for next steps. Dr Pantoja's office has also been calling me and I will follow up with them. If you are doing ps with Dr Pantoja and can find a local general surgeon that you can work with, I highly recommend it - unless you have someone that is good with wound care and can help you out. My incision at the front is looking great - it's healing well and is low and clean and thin. My incisions on the hips and around my sides are not looking as good - they are more 'open' and stretched. Hopefully there is way to fix that up, as that will be the area that 'peeks' over the edge of my underwear so I want it to be as clean as possible! * When i was taking a few quick pictures today, I realized my inner thighs still look flabby an there is no triangle gap which I was expecting to see by now. I will be reaching out to Nadia ask about this, and also about my upper arms. They also look flabby. Not that I was expecting perfection, and maybe it's a case of tonining up, but defintely not looking like some of the other post-op pics I see on Real-Self. * As you can see in the pictures, I have a lot of swelling in my stomach area. I'm not sure how much of this will 'deflate' over time, and how much will need to be reworked at some point with lipo. I will ask Dr P for his thoughts. I'm planning on breast lift, breast aug, abdominal lipo and chin lipo later this year. I'll recycle the fat again and have Dr P boost up my bbl where it's needed. I guess maybe I'll be adding more lipo to my inner thigh and arm lipo depending how my body changes over the next few months. Ok - enough of my random thoughts, time to post some pictures! Hugs to everyone wherever you are on the journey!

CHB97 - here's a picture from a week ago (possibly more) but it shows how deep the indentations are on my sides as a result of wearing the cg. It still looks the same today - I assume it gets less as the swelling goes down . I get a little bit of indentation lines from the cg under my boobs, but everywhere else is comfortable and fine. Hope this helps!

I just had my 2nd follow up today with a local plastic surgeon (the same one who removed my drain and stitches last week). He is super super nice, no judgement at all about me going to Mexico (and when you think about it, they would have every right to be since it's really their competition!). Anyway, they checked out my incision but didn't take off the steri strips. The nurse and the doctor were both like "wow, you look great - your surgeon did a great job!" So that made me feel fab because this guy is a top guy and knows his stuff. The nurse said my belly button looks amazing (although I've not seen it, I'm squeemish, and happy to just not look when the steri strips were changed!!). I am still walking hunched over, but a little less today. I have a hard lump on my right side, just above my incision. I'd say it's about 3" long and 2" tall. I thought it might be a seroma but the surgeon today said it was probably fat necrosis from the lipo and nothing to worry about. he said nothing you can do - the body will absorb it but it will take a few months, maybe as many as 5-6 months. I'm hoping sooner, as I really feel that's where I'm having most of my 'discomfort' - mostly where my cg is digging in there so it feels extra bruised.

I'm still walking really hunched over, but today a little straighter. I'm also walking really slow - just so much stiffness. The nurse today said it's likely related to my kidney stone and will resolve in a few weeks.

I'm still taking percocet in a morning (5mg) and Ibuprofen for the inflammation (800mg). I'm trying to remember to rub arnica cream on my shoulder blade area each night - its still very tender there from the lipo. I have no pain on my upper arms where the lipo was done - I barely bruised there either, so maybe he only did a really tiny amount - but I had read a lot of reviews where that was so painful during recovery so I'm happy to have scored a break there! I also have no pain on my inner thighs from the lipo there. The bruising is gone but still a lot of swelling.

Sending positive thoughts to all of you out there in recovery or about to have surgery!