Finally got my TT w/ 3/4 Back Lipo

Let me take you back to the day I realized I needed a Tummy Tuck....

I was passed my due date about a week. The Dr said "oh let's just wait for your daughter to come on her own". Considering the math from the date of conception (which I knew exactly because it was the date my then boyfriend "stealthed" me) she was in my stomach almost 42 weeks at that point.

I mention this because on this day, my stomach had only 1 very light stretch mark and was still sitting pretty high. Literally the very next day, I awoke with stretch marks all over my stomach and my belly had fell! Lirerally! And it felt like it had fell, I felt it in my muscle. The doctor still made me suffer (I say suffer because thats what it felt like, it was hard carrying around an almost 9 lb baby when your muscle felt like it split in half and was hanging down to my pubic area from the weight) another few days so basically what should have been a newborn baby girl growing on the outside, was growing inside me and stretching out my belly what felt like every minute of everyday until I was eventually induced days later.

Well that was 14 1/2 years ago and the first of 2 children. I have pictures of how dramatic my stomach grew and dropped but they are in my storage unit so I will post those as soon as I get to them.

***Don't get me wrong, I dont hold anything against my baby girl who is now my lil mini me teen. I totally blame the Dr for his judgment with this.

I have to get to work so I will write more later

Flash forward to today, this is what I am left with (pictures attached).
For background, God blessed me with a fabulous physique that I was taking excellent care of. I ate right, I worked out and it paid off beautifully. I had perfect natural curves on a small/medium frame and my stomach/ abs were it! I had the ab lines that ran vertically down each side of my stomach (which you can still see slightly in my current pics just stretched further apart) and "carvage" of the horizontal ab muscles (aka 6 pack muscles). To take it up a notch, I had my belly button pierced and rocked a body or belly chain too. So seeing myself like this the past almost 15 years has really been taking a toll on my self esteem and confidence.
Then to make matters worse, I've had exes, family, home girls & even doctors make fun of my stomach not realizing how horrible they were making me feel and how much more it effected my self image each time.
For instance, my OBGYN for my youngest daughter performed my C-section and when I had my follow up appointment, he cold hardedly laughed at the condition of my muscles (which was the worse because I have never been teased about the inside of my body), so then I began to hate my body officially instead of just not liking it. He had the audacity to ask me what have I been doing that made my body look like that of a 60 year old woman.
NEWS FLASH- I've been miraculously creating and carrying life inside my body!!!
Now this may sound silly but that also hurt me because my grandmother was in her 80s at this time and had a very nice body that I thought I would also have due to heredity. So his comment hurt me for all different reasons.
Even with all of that aside and no one saying anything about my appearance- I hated what I saw when I look in the mirror. I would (and still do) stand in the mirror for minutes on end looking at it and stretching the skin back to make the skin look tight, wondering why I have been cursed like this, and really just beating myself down further.
I even used to strategically tape my stomach and sides so I could wear dresses or shirts with "peek a boo" stomach cut outs.
All that to say, I am more than ready to get myself back in order and look the way God created me to look. Middle April cannot get here soon enough!!!

After many years of research, a few consultations, and going back and forth on the idea, I decided to go with Dr Hardaway!

I've read nothing but good news and reviews about her and I love her background. She's been over the Surgical departments of our local hospitals in our city and also has residencys with the other major hospitals in our area and in NY. She also writes articles and mentors/ trains Plastic Surgeons at one of our popular universities, so chances are the competition has learned from her.

I love that she is a black woman because I am too. The other doctors I consulted with were white men and they were so quick to point out every little thing wrong with me and needing correction and trying to mold me into a barbie doll which is not at all my goal.

My only 2 problems are my separated muscles and excess sagging skin. I dont care about anything else. I love my body everywhere else and have no concerns otherwise. I just cannot live with the state of my abdomen.

For me this surgery is more so corrective than cosmetic because I am not trying to enhance or change my natural look. I'm trying to restore back to the way God created me before my pregnancies and a dr's misjudment.

I feel that Dr Hardaway understood and respected that. She did not try to sell me on anything other than what I mentioned. She clearly explained the process and what she was going to do specific to my body using images I uploaded (due to Covid, we had a eConsult). She patiently answered all my questions and made me feel extremely comfortable and at ease. I feel strongly that I made the right decision with her. So much so that I paid half and booked my surgery that same day!

Her staff were great too! I've spoken with Tracy, Chris and Edna and they have all been great so far.