3 Weeks and Working Out, Scars Slowly Healing from HappyMom - Tijuana, Mexico

3 WEEKS

Between week two and now I have hit these healing milestones...those of you who might wonder when your body recovers with different things, I wanted to update with this-
- Numbness is gone except in a small patch on my lower left boob around the edge of the crease
- Gently able to lift arms fully over my head
- Tonight I did a full interval training, not total intensity but I did do small push ups and ab leg lifts without pain
- Stitches are nearly all dissolved I can just barely feel them in three places
- scar is red all around the edge and just starting to itch a little
- breasts are moveable, yay
- stopped the compression bra and now can wear a wireless bra

I mentioned this before but wow my abs and ribs were surprisingly the worst as far as pain and healing. I wish my doctor would have told me to stretch my abs and side and back muscles out more. This probably would have prevented some of what has taken me so long to get over as far as pain goes, And that has been the intense stretching of my muscles and skin all along my ribcage. I had strong abs from doing all my interval training so if you are a trainer or have developed your abs then I suggest you really stretch out these torso areas a week leading up to surgery.

I am loving my new girls, and it feels so wonderful to have curves on top after having just curvy hips and nothing up top. I am so happy I did it, although I planned for plenty of time off...two whole weeks...no one told me about the hunching and skin issues that I have experienced as my chest adjusted to a bigger thing inside me.

So having learned all this another thing I suggest is getting back to modified exercise and physical activity as quickly as your body lets you. It helps with getting your insides going, helps you sleep, and helps your metabolism.
I am not an expert on phys Ed so a lot of doctors say no exercise or only walking. I just know for me that I regained my strength and energy once i started doing gentle and modified workouts.

I am waiting to post new pics until its been a full moth, then we should see some dropping.

2 WEEKS POST:

Hello enthusiasts, my routine for the past week is Arnica cream, Neosporin, Almond Oil, Strap it all into the compression bra. Wait 4 hours, redo, 3x/day. It's been working though. Good news is that my bruises are slowly fading. Especially the less beat up right side.

My left is still higher and numb on the bottom half of my boob.

Guess what? I've started doing my interval training again but leg and thigh only. So if any of you wonder when you can safely start working out, 2 weeks seems to be fine with me. I feel so much better and stronger. I do squats, leg lifts, sumo squats, lunges, etc. I think it's because I was doing interval training right up until my surgery night and so my body is really snapping back into shape. I have to admit it has been more of a mental thing, not wanting to gain weight while healing. But you know we are MORE than our looks and that's been true even before my surgery, so as I realized that I was beautiful on the inside and out just the way I was - and am - then my weight is okay. In fact I didn't want to push it and mess up any healing or make it take longer! So I am not back to full-on interval training but doing modified training. I'll wait another 2 weeks until I'm a full month healed to do all of it. Just little by little we go...

I think at 2 weeks we see some changes in our boobs. At least mine have begun to relax on top. I asked my doc how long before all the numbness and tightness goes away and they said it could take 3 months! Zowie!

I've been grabbing at my boobs which sometimes just squeezing feels so good now. I've got the usual nipple sensitivity and sometimes squeezing and pushing them back towards my chest just helps.

Also been gently rolling my shoulders back to get my muscles to straighten out my back. Still have a hunch because the skin's tight.

Only a little morning boob, and rolling my shoulders, taking several deep breaths and elongating my neck and spine and poof, it's mostly gone! Oh, and I push up the skin on my ribcage for the first few minutes. That skin is still not in the right place, it's got a little more to stretch.

I got myself a Playtex 18 hour bra to switch off my compression. It's ugly but does the trick. Believe me, I still need the support. My boobs feel like they are going to rip through the stitches without a bra. Eww. With bra it's totally diff, it helps my posture.

I'm loving, loving having real breasts that are high, and fake-looking now, but will be so soft and wonderful in a few months. Hopefully they will start to soften soon.

I wondered if people would notice - nope. No one's noticed, but then again, why would they? People do not normally look at other people's chests. Even my kids haven't, but I'm like many of you and wore the padded push-up, so my new girls are just a tad bigger than the stuffed old ones.

9 DAYS POST

A quick note, guess what? I went to Walmart to return the sports bra I bought, it was 36D and too loose. I tried on a few other bras because I've been patiently waiting to (1) get more comfortable, (2) let swelling subside a bit.

Right now I am a small D, which I hope I keep this size. I feel so lovely!

My skin though is still tight and it's still pulling on my ribs and back, so I am massaging 2 things:
- Arnica cream into bruises - This stuff is wonderful and immediately soothing
- Almond oil - I pour a generous puddle into my hand, start at my waist and rub upwards towards my breasts, working the skin up in slow strokes. I try to get around toward the back of my ribs too as much as I can reach. If you suffer from tight skin this does relieve the tension. I'm at home still so I do this at least 3x a day, sometimes I'll go in the bathroom and just do this for 10 minutes and afterwards my chest and especially under my boobs feels so much less stretched.

I think because I went relatively large for my frame (5'5, 120lb I was a small A) it's just taking longer.

Stitches are dissolvable and are just begining to dissolve - a week and a half in. Case anyone wants to compare.

Days I am not lifting anything yet, only like garbage and light groceries. Twice. LOL. I gotta maximize my healing because in 3 more days I have to get to work and then no easy street! Lifting, unpacking books & office supplies, etc. for my classroom, I'm a teacher. So I have someone I can ask to help move the heavy stuff, and even though he is really slow and grumpy - it takes him a week if I ask for a different desk or table - I'm going to ask away. I need the help, and with all the time, $$ and energy invested in my new curves it's good idea to get help, I have no problems asking.

I uploaded a ~1 week photo of me post in bikini. I feel so, so curvy and am loving my new shape even though I'm still healing. I hope my right drops, it is definitely higher than the other. I've been massaging under my right armpit and at the collarbone already to help the muscle relax. Feels good, just don't push too hard. I did a couple times and ouch.