Tummy Tuck w/MR, Lipo to Flanks, Hips, Waist. 35y/o 5'4" 140lbs

So here I am 1 day post-op & reflecting back on how I got here. Long story short, I'm 5ft4in tall & I used to weigh close to 200lbs and was just an overall extremely unhealthy person. But I got tired of allowing my weight to cause me to miss out on my life, my kids, enjoying time with my spouse & I decided something had to be done. I worked my butt off and through a healthy diet, exercise, & positive outlook I was able to shed more than 50lbs. Now at 35 yrs old, I maintain right between 140 - 145 lbs, & I'm healthier than I've ever been. Unfortunately, as I'm sure alot of you wonderful people can relate, not all of my body bounced back as well as I had hoped. No matter what I tried, I couldn't change the fact that I had sad little runny egg boobies & a small but annoying tummy flap (I called it my hangy homie because he hung around no matter where I went, lol). 2.5 yrs ago I went to a PS that my cousin used in Orange County & had a breast augmentation done (550cc saline under the muscle) & I love how they turned out. But I kept coming back to my hangy homie & decided it was time for us to officially "break-up". I didn't want to have to travel far during my recovery, so I found ano amazing local PS, Dr. Q, & both her and her staff were amazing. She understood exactly what I was looking for and was honest but caring when she discussed what I could expect from the procedure. She informed me that due to the small amount of hanging skin I had, she may have to utilize and "inverted T" scary, but at this point that was a much better option than continuing to deal with tucking my little flap into my pants or undies for the rest of my life. We got it all in order & 3.5 wks later, BAM! surgery done. Recovery is painful but manageable and since I'm all bandaged & bindered up, I won't get to sneak a peek until my first followup on Monday. Hurry up Monday & get here already! Lol.

Alright, day 2 post-op & I'm definitely more mobile today. No more nausea so was able to stop taking my anti-nausea med. I Can get in & out of my recliner on my own, thank you Jesus for all those arms & leg strengthening exercises I did, & being able to throughly wipe myself after the using the restroom is such a wonderful thing. I have the best hubby in the world, but there are some things I'd rather him not get involved in, lol. We are all adults here, so no BM yet, but lots of gas. Can't wait to get back to being a regular poo-er (yup, that's a technical word, lol). Eating lots of homemade low sodium chix & ground beef soup. Jello cups helped a lot wIth the sore throat from the anesthesia & am sucking on ricola drops to help clear up the phlegm. Because coughing is no joke, it hurts something fierce due to the muscle repair. I've even tried the splinting method with a firm pillow against the abs & still makes me want to bust a tear. Doc says it's normal to have pleghm or coughing afterwards due to them having to have the tube down my throat and breathing for me at one point during surgery. Other than that, I'm doing pretty darn good. Keeping up with my meds & that helps too. I'm usually a "superwoman" kind of lady. Full time manager at a health clinic, mom to three gorgeous girls, & a wife to one of the best men God put on this earth. But all of that needs to be put to the side for right now if I want the tummy of my dreams. I have to remind myself that healing takes time and medication is an important part of that process, so I'm staying up on my meds. I've got 2 drains but averaging 25cc per drain every 4 or 5 hrs or so, so Nurse says that's a good sign. Can't wait to get those guys removed. Any of you ladies that are where I'm at or just about to start your journey, just relax, be patient, & know that even when the going gets tough, the tough get going. We got this ladies! Happy healing to my fellow RS-ers! My follow-up is Monday so hopefully I can get some pics then.

One more day before my first post-op appt & I'm super stoked to see what is under all this padding, lipo foam, & binder. Overall I feel pretty good. I had Experal injection given at time of surgery and that definitely helped the first couple of days post surgery. It's worn off since then & although there's increased tenderness, I just make sure to keep up on my pain meds. I'm not trying to ween myself off too soon only to suffer a setback from it. Patience I key and I know I need to give my body time to recoup, recover, & rest. My hubby and oldest daughter have been a huge help and even my younger 2 girls have been writing me get well soon cards, reading me bedtime stories, & reminding their daddy what they need for school. I've got the lipo bruises starting to peek out from under my binder and so I know I'm gonna see some ugly ones tomorrow when the binder comes off. As of right now, my Dr has me in strictly an abdominal binder only, no legs or straps or panty part to, just directly around the midsection. We will see what she recommends tomorrow. Had to let out a couple of decent coughs today...ughh the struggle is real! Feel much better afterwards though, I can breathe easier. I've been taking senna extract, stool softeners, & smooth move tea but BM. I don't feel uncomfortable or bloated at all from it, but it sure would be nice to get some digestive movement going here soon. Never thought I'd be sitting around wishing to poo, lol. Prior to surgery I led a pretty healthy eating routine, so I've continued with with that. Every morning I have a scoop of Super Greens powder with 8oz of pineapple juice & 2oz of water & that helps start my day off with more energy and less soreness. Still sleeping in my recliner & quarantined in my "recovery room" aka the officend, lol. But boy do I sure miss sleeping in bed with my hubby. All in due time though, just gotta keep a positive outlooknow because it's all gonna work out fantastically. I trust my Doc, so I know im in great hands. Can't wait to rock a two piece this summer!!