After 3 Stomach Surgeries I’ve Finally Decided to Do Something for Myself.

I’ve had a lifetime of surgeries: gallbladder, open abdominal myomectomy and a cesarean. I’m finally doing something for me! I’ve always been curvy but since I've had my stomach cut into multiple times it’s been virtually impossible to get any semblance of a nice stomach back. With over 2” of diastasis and the inability to engage my core, working out is very tough. From peeing myself when I jump to pulling into my lower back when I do lunges. Annoying right? Well, after much consideration it’s time to do something for myself and get an extended tummy tuck, lipo 360 and a breast reduction! Stay tuned.

People say to prepare for the mental roller coaster that will ensue post surgery, but no one can REALLY prepare you for the mental roller coaster. It's like people say, "having a newborn is a whole new level of hard and chaos." But no one can TRULY understand that level of hard and chaos until they've lived it. So for those of you considering it and have smaller aged children (my daughter is two and a half), the mom guilt that you feel is intense. My first thought I felt was, "awesome, I'll get a bit of a break!" But when your child is crying for you at night or wants nothing but snuggles, it's fucking brutal because there's LITERALLY NOTHING you can do. To pack on the fact that sleeping sucks currently so I'm sleep deprived. It makes everything worse. Oddly enough I haven't read a review like this to express fully how emotionally hard it gets. I want to be honest with you ladies! Is it worth it? Hells yes. Hands down this is THE HARDEST surgery I've ever had. I'll include my post op photo of just how amazing I look! I feel like a pin up model! I will also say that I can already feel my abs start to engage and help my lower back out and my hamstrings are loosening up! But mentally, the struggle is real.

Holy hell. I've read and heard about the swelling, I bought compression socks (those were a [RS bleep] to put on) I bought Arnica Tea and Pineapple tea to help with swelling! I honestly don't know if it helps but I keep doing it. I know the compression socks help until you take them off. I don't wear them round the clock, I swell too much in my knees and it hurts.
I'm taking Tylenol and ibuprofen round the clock. The muscle relaxers I take a half. Oxycodone I take one at night with a stool softener. THE STOOL SOFTENER IS KEY!!! I took 4 the first day home and now I'm regular!
I heard a lot of women did intermittent fasting during recovery. I did intermittent fasting before the surgery.I CAN NOT do it right now. You need food on your stomach for the meds (antibiotics, ibuprofen, oxycodone) LOTS. OF. VERY. SMALL. MEALS. Low carbs but not cutting out the carbs completely. Honestly, anything you can stomach. For me it's blander foods. (Hummus with tomatoes, blueberries, protein shake(just protein and almond milk, tofu)
I'll make a post about things I've bought for recovery next!