Countdown - Tulsa, OK

It was definitely an emotional roller coaster through the recovery process. I wish I could say I looked as good as I hoped I would - but apparently my expectations were too much - I look pretty good standing up but due to loss of elasticity in the skin not so great sitting. I feel I need another tummy tuck for redundant skin - my PS does not agree. I did have a dog ear revision on the right side in November 2013 which improved the look of the right side. Unfortunately I was not one of the persons who lost any weight following a TT - despite removing 4.5lbs of skin my weight has remained pretty consistent since surgery. I also have never been completely flat ... my surgeon claims it is due to my body structure - there are days where I start flatter than others but other days where I look 3-4 months pregnant - I guess better than nothing. Not sure I would have had the TT knowing what I know now.

PO 6 - Drains came out today - thank god since one was sitting next to a nerve. I am still swollen (Xmas eating not helping) but I can already see how good it is going to look. I got my binder today. My PS does not use binder until drains are out. I feel so much better with the support. Overall recovery so far has been what I expected other than the pain associated with the drains my only discomfort is from MR and that just feels like I have done a zillion crunches. With the drains out I feel great so I have to be really careful not to do overdo. I have been pretty upright since surgery except when the one drain would hit the nerve which would double me over. My incision is very low. I can't wait to get back to the gym and see the final results in several months when the swelling subsides.

I battled my weight my entire childhood. I was always told you would be so pretty is you just lost weight. My parents tried a number of methods to force weight loss - I think I spent most of my freshman year in high school grounded because I had to lose weight each week to not be grounded the following week. Needless to say this did not work. Finally when I was ready my senior year in college I lost about 65lbs after topping out at 240lbs. I struggled the first 2 years of law school and the. My last year in law school I was down 80lbs. I married in 2000 and then gained and lost 15lbs several times, I divorced in 2007 and kept playing the game with the same 15lbs. Finally decided in Spring 2011 to dump the 15lbs - and then went on to lose another 20lbs - so now down 100lbs. I am 5'7 140lb 40 year old. Damn losing that last 20lbs really made things look even worse. I had an arm lift in 2008 with revision in 2009 by a different Tulsa PS who at best I would describe as a butcher. My current PS did my breast lift in January 2012 with great results.

My TT is my Christmas present to myself. So ready to see the crepy sad skin to go away. I am most worried about the downtime as I do not do that well. I am hoping since I have always bounced back quickly from prior procedures and since I am in great physical shape (just completed my 5th half marathon in less than a year) the quick bounce back will apply with my TT.