30 Year Old Mother of 4 (All C-sections!) Looking for a Mommy Makeover! - Vacaville, CA

Hi everyone! No, I didn't drop off the face of the earth...I just didn't have a whole lot to say and no changes in my status until recently. So my weight had been going bonkers after about 6 weeks into my recovery. I lost a lot of weight after the surgery initially, but once my appetite returned and I was feeling better, I started eating more regularly and well...ya know what happens! Anyway, I also had some issues with my ovaries and a polyp in my uterus, etc. which caused some abnormal bleeding throughout the month so my GYN put me on birth control to help regulate the bleeding. Bleh. The first round of pills caused me to break out in a rash all over my body and I gained nearly 10 lbs. in 2 weeks! I stopped taking those pills and they switched me to the mini-pill. No more rash, but my body was puffy and tight and bloated all the time. I didn't feel myself and despite counting calories and exercising regularly, my weight seemed stuck. Whelp, without consulting my doc, I just stopped taking those pills too. I can deal with the symptoms, but not the side effects. I said all that to say this...I'm FINALLY feeling back to "normal"...whatever normal is. Lol.
Everyone told me that through my journey of healing after the mommy makeover that I would swell off and on for a WHILE and then you think you're feeling better and then WHAM, one day you would start to feel amazing and your body would start to REALLY show the effects of the surgery. Well, I think I finally hit that spot! About a week and a half ago it felt like a switch just went off in my body. I had been schlepping myself to the gym 6 days a week but still did not have the stamina I used to for cardio and strength training...I was exhausted and frustrated, but I kept on anyway. My tummy would be flat some days and puffy some days and I just was getting discouraged. But...now, all that has changed. Yes, I still swell if I've eaten too much salt or bread or dairy (but I was like that before surgery...I just didn't notice because my belly was always protruding anyway), and yes, there are still days that I feel tender around my incision or down my midline...but overall, I feel fantastic! I look in the mirror and I can't believe this body is mine. My confidence has gone through the roof and I just feel so much happier and energetic and positive. I wish I could explain it better than that, but there are no words. Clothes shopping is SO much more fun...except for blouses with buttons...alas, I don't believe I'll ever find the perfect button-up that fits BOTH my breasts and my tummy. Oh well, no biggie.
I saw Dr. Klink for my monthly check-up 2 days ago and even he was excited for how my body is starting to shape up. We also discussed the upcoming revisions: the tightening of my incision (my tummy has loosened up a bit), the lifting of my mons pubis area, the lipo to my left hip and the minimal lipo to the upper tummy region. I'm still working on losing weight since Doc said he wouldn't do the surgery if I GAINED weight but that losing it was great...and I'll be busy with nursing school starting in a couple of weeks, so the revision surgery is set for somewhere around December 22nd. Dr. Klink said the surgery will take about an hour and recovery time will be quite minimal. Yay! I'm so dang excited to see how it'll all look after the revisions. I'm so happy with it now, I can hardly believe it'll look better!
Ok, enough chatter...here's my pics!
Happy Healing ladies, and Hugs from...
-Heather

Hey Ladies! Sorry it's been so long since my last update...a whole month has gone by! I didn't update for a few reasons: basically everything is the same (except for the emotional part), I have been EXTREMELY busy dealing with finals, potty training my almost 3 yr old, and getting all my boys (including the hubby) through the last few weeks of school and getting myself ready for NURSING SCHOOL!!!
Well, physically things are going pretty well. The extreme sensitivity I was feeling in my breasts has subsided and I can stand to be touched now (hee hee). I'm not sure I mentioned this sensitivity before but it was real! Hubby and I were worried I'd lose sensation (as so many women have mentioned!) but it was just the opposite! I hated even my towel brushing across them when I was drying off from a shower. I chalk that up from the fact that I had under-the-breast incisions and that my skin was stretched tight because of the added volume. Anywho, that's pretty much all back to normal. My breasts have dropped & fluffed nicely and feel quite natural. I still think they're a tad heavy, but I'm getting used to that too. I'm still struggling with dressing these perky twins though! I find that most tops that fit well in the chest are too big elsewhere and vice/versa. If I wear something that is proper sized around my tummy, I look like I'm flaunting my ta-tas! Oh well...I'll just have to do a little more shopping, darn it! When I saw my PS the other day for my 8 week appointment, he cleared me for regular cardio exercise but told me that I had to wear 2 sports bras now because I have "big boobs" (his words, lol). He didn't say anything in particular about lifting weights (at 6 weeks he said no weights at all!), but he basically said exercise regularly, but if it hurts, don't do it. One thing I am still adjusting to is sleeping with these big boobs! I wear a bra to bed (usually a sports type bra) and I'm still trying to find the perfect position in bed that doesn't squash the girls too much, lol. Oh! And tying my shoes, shaving my legs and painting my toenails has been an experience too! Previously, my little [RS bleep] didn't get in the way, but now I have to kind of contort myself so my boobs don't get smashed between my chest and my thigh! Anyone else feeling the same way?
My tummy is doing ok. No more fluid, no puffiness in my incision, no more scabs or stitches poking out really. I have noticed some loosening in my skin and where my muscles were repaired but I suspect that's typical as the swelling goes down and as my body continues to heal. As I mentioned in my last post, we are discussing my future revisions and have decided to do them in December during my Christmas break from school. The doc cleared me to go without my compression garment finally! I thought I would be out at the 6 or 7 week mark but he's sneaky and just kept saying "2 more weeks", even though he would keep me in it longer than that! His receptionists said he does that often. :) Anyway, although I'm happy to not have to wear the CG all the time, sometimes I WANT to wear it! Especially at the end of the day when I'm a bit swollen and tight and a sometimes sore. The PS said that's typical and I could wear a Spanx-type garment to help me wean myself from the compression garment. I did that yesterday and it went pretty well, all through grocery shopping and carrying in those heavy bags and such. Without the garment I can FEEL my incision too much, know what I mean? It's difficult to describe, but without the material of the CG or spanx covering the incision, my jeans and undies kinda rub against the area and I'm more conscious of it. Also, as certain areas of my tummy heal and the numbness wears off, the skin is slightly sensitive and the rubbing from the clothes is somewhat irritating, but certainly not unbearable.
I guess that's pretty much it! I've had some fun doing some shopping and going through my closet and getting rid of all the clothes that don't compliment my new, fantastic bod! I've been trying to get back in to the gym regularly and so far I'm just walking briskly on the treadmill and doing about 30 minutes or so on the stationary bike. I'm going to add the elliptical today and see how it goes. I took my boys swimming a few days ago and that was interesting! My body feels so different when I swim and my tummy felt so tight and the resistance of the water on my arms kinda made my chest ache. Note to self: Your body is sill healing, slow the heck down! Ha! For Mother's Day my Sweetie bought me a FitBit Surge (don't hate him, I ASKED for a fitbit!!!). I had asked for the cheaper Fitbit but he insisted on getting the bigger, better one so that I'd have everything I needed! Anyway, it was kinda expensive (in my book) and I want to lose a few lbs. before my revision surgery so I'm gonna use the HECK outta this thing! It helps me keep track of my calories, my heart rate, my steps for the day, how many calories I've burned, my sleep patterns at night, and so much more. I'm pretty thrilled with it...but I kinda wish it wasn't so large and manly, lol.
Hope everyone is healing nicely and feeling beautiful, until next post...
Hugs from Heather

Hey ladies! Hope everyone is doing well! Here are some pictures from today, my 27th day post-op...original op, that is. Over all, things are finally getting back on track and I'm finally starting to feel more myself and regaining some of my strength and energy! Woot woot!
However, I wanted to talk about what has been going on emotionally over the last few days or so. I have read many other posts from ladies who have gone through this or a similar surgery and I expected to feel the ups and downs they talked about but, holey moley, I was not prepared for how INTENSELY I would feel these crazy feelings. I have had some set backs in my recovery and I was feeling a little frustrated and a little down about how slowly things have progressed in the healing process but just this week I felt something new. Ya know how there's the "baby blues"? How a mom has just given birth and has a new beautiful baby and should feel all this joy and happiness but just...doesn't? Well, I think I had/have what I now call the "body blues". I was in the shower, washing this beautiful new, tight, perky body that I had dreamed about and worked hard to save up and pay cash for...I had gotten everything I wanted! But it felt like I was washing a stranger; that I, all of the sudden, didn't feel like myself anymore! Sure, my old body was saggy and stretched out like an old balloon. And, yeah, the boobs were flat and lifeless...but it was the "real me" and even though I bemoaned all of its problems and said it was uncomfortable...I was kind of comfy in my old body! This new one was so tight, my new boobs were maybe a smidge too big and still quite tender, and now I have all these restrictions and no energy....did I make a mistake? Was I experiencing buyers remorse? It hit me hard like this for two days straight. I was constantly feeling the need to have a good long cry and figure out what was going on with me! So, finally I called my Mom and talked and cried and tried to explain everything I was thinking and feeling. Moms have a way of making it all better sometimes...at least mine does. She thought that my main emotional turmoil was brought on by stopping my Rx pain meds almost cold turkey. Huh, I had NOT EVEN THOUGHT OF THAT! And, duh, of course it is going to take time to get used to this new body, Heather, you had 31 years to get used to the old one! Cut yourself some slack and give yourself some time to heal and get comfortable with yourself all over again. Good advice, huh? I thought so. So, if anyone else reading this has had a similar experience, let me know! How did YOU feel? What did you do? Did you experience the body blues at all? I would love to get some real feedback on this.
I will admit that I have been getting better and am enjoying this great new bod, but tomorrow I may feel different....and that is ok.
On a different note...I had a check up with my PS today and everything looks great! No more swelling, no more fluid build up, no more redness, etc. No more tape on my breast incisions and got my stitches out on my incision from the drain replacement. We ARE beginning to talk about a phase 2 to my procedure as the doc would like to do a tad more lipo on my hips and upper tummy, just below my ribs. He would also like to take a little more skin from above and below my tummy incision...just tighten things up a bit more. This SHOULD not cost me any more money and will most likely take place in December as I am beginning my RN program in August. He says the recovery from phase 2 will be MUCH easier and quicker than the first surgery so I am all for it! Yay for good doctors! He really seems to care about his patients and I just love him to pieces!
Well, I guess that is all for tonight!
Until next post,
Hugs from Heather