Hi everyone! I've already had hernia surgery above my belly button once, and need it again. I have had two 10.5lb baby boys and nursed for a combined total of 39 months. I'm getting a much needed breast lift, tummy tuck, and some sculpting lipo. I've lost 90lbs and can't seem to lose anymore. I don't want another vertical scar up and done my stomach to have hernia surgery again, hence why I'm going with a tummy tuck.
Mommy Makeover. 25 Year Old Mom, 2 Big Babies, 4 Hernias, Extended Nursing for Both Kids - Webster, TX
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kristenpyeatt
- Worth It
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Cost:
$14,000 - Kendall Roehl, MD, FACS, Webster, TX
Hi everyone! I've already had hernia surgery above...
Pre-op and surgery scheduled
May 4th at 10am is my 2 week preop.
May 19th at 7am is my check-in for my surgery.
I paid my deposit today.
It's real now.
May 19th at 7am is my check-in for my surgery.
I paid my deposit today.
It's real now.
14 days until pre-op.
29 days until slice and dice time. So ready for this.
Worried
I went to the dr this morning for a blood test. I weighed myself for the first time in a month. I've been doing cardio and strength 4-5 times a week, plus my normal busy baseball mom lifestyle and "farm" life. I've gained 15lbs in a month. I don't know why. I've been eating well. I cut soda and beer completely out of my diet about a month ago as well. Not that I was a big drinker before, but even the few beers on a Sunday afternoon while bbqing is non existent. Pretty frustrating going to the fact that I was trying to lose at least another 5lbs before surgery. We will see what the dr says when my results come back. I hope it's nothing serious.
2 week preop today!
I went in for my 2 week preop this morning and paid my balance. It's really happening now! 2 more weeks and I will be having my surgery. We went over all my before and after surgery care. I spoke with the nurse who works with Dr.Roehl. I didn't see the Doctor this morning, but I didn't really have any questions for her that I haven't already had answered. The nurse told me to bring a pair of panties or a bathing suit bottom the morning of my surgery and Dr. Roehl can use that as a guide on where to keep my scar under, which I thought was really neat. She gave me all the meds that I will need for after my surgery, so that I can go ahead and get them filled now, rather than waiting until the day of my surgery to pick them up. I am thankful for that!!! I think that's all for now.
Found a front zip up bra finally!
8 days people! Found this bra at academy today for $40. I've been searching for one in stores and finally found one! I also found a compression girdle that will cover the Mons Pubis area and snaps down there. It comes up and covers my whole belly without any thing to leave marks in my belly. It goes over my shoulders like a shirt too. Got it was $22 at Target. I got a black and a beige one.
FREEZER MEALS!!!
OMG. I just spent 8 hours making freezer meals for the next 2 weeks. I walked almost 20,000 steps yesterday out at the ball field for closing day. My feet are beyond swollen. OUCH. Just took an Epsom salt bath hoping it would help. I know I'm hydrated. Maybe a little too much salt today. ALL my laundry is done!!! ( minus folding 2 loads that I forgot were in the laundry room until just now). SURGERY IN LESS THAN 30 HOURS!!! Going to try and get the house a little more in order tomorrow. I want to try and make it to where I don't have anything to worry about over the next 2 weeks. My mother in law called me yesterday and said she will keep my boys all week. I am so thankful for that. I expected them here every night and she was going to come take them to and from school.
Who else is having their surgery tomorrow?
Who else is having their surgery tomorrow?
SURGERY DAY!
I'm in the lobby now waiting for them to call me back. Super nervous. My stomach is starting to twist and turn. Plus, I'm hungry.
Post surgery.
I'm home and doing well. Very sore. Going to the bathroom is a journey. I'm very sleepy, so I keep waking up and going back to sleep. I figured I'd post this before going back to sleep.
I forgot SOCKS!!! I was so upset. But they gave me some of those big blue hospital socks.
I am VERY swollen. I made myself eat some soup. My boobs are nice and lifted. I haven't seen that in years!! She said she drastically reduced my ariola size too, wish I'm super happy about.
Going for check up Thursday and to change bandages.
So, my advice so far is make sure you bring socks, a robe, a pillow for your car drive home from your belly, make sure you have a bra that zips in the front.
I forgot SOCKS!!! I was so upset. But they gave me some of those big blue hospital socks.
I am VERY swollen. I made myself eat some soup. My boobs are nice and lifted. I haven't seen that in years!! She said she drastically reduced my ariola size too, wish I'm super happy about.
Going for check up Thursday and to change bandages.
So, my advice so far is make sure you bring socks, a robe, a pillow for your car drive home from your belly, make sure you have a bra that zips in the front.
3 days post op
Very swollen still. Very little bruising. End of day pic, so I'm super bloated. I finally pooped today!! Stool softeners, milk of magnesia, and kombucha are my best friends right now.
4 days post op
I'm able to wait about 6 hours between pain meds now compared to 4 hours. I took a shower this afternoon and my husband had to help me. I had to shave my legs and arm pits. It was really bothering me. It felt like I had hiked a mountain or ran a marathon by the time I was finished. I was due for a pain pill before I took my shower, but waited until afterwards to take it, so I could relax completely. I'm still very swollen. I've been pretty gassy today. My husband went and got me some gas-x last night and that surely helped. I drank a little Gatorade earlier to help get my blood sugar up some after my shower. I've been drinking tons of water. I drink a cup of coffee in the morning and that has kind of helped me from getting constipated. My kids are about to come by and see me. My mother in law and grandma have been watching the kids since Monday night. They said they are going to keep them until these drain tubes are out. My 3 year old would totally try and pull them out. I miss them. They never stay away from me and they've been gone for 5 days!!!
Belly button 4 days after surgery
The scar below my belly button was above my belly button from my epigastric hernia repair 3 years ago. My hernias came back before my tummy tuck. I am so glad she was able to move my scar so far down. I can't believe how far down it really is. I know during tummy tucks they pull your skin way down, but it's crazy how far they can bring it down.
Drain tubes day 5
They are driving me insane. I'm ready to have them removed!!! They are irritating my body. My body doesn't do well with foreign objects in it. It's trying to make them leave.
Drains out!
I just left the Drs office and got the drains removed. I was under 25cc's for the last couple of days. Let's hope I don't have have Seromas form now. That would really suck. I didn't realize the tubes were about 12" inside of me! I got back next Thursday, June 4th for a follow up. I'm ready for the stitches to go bye bye now! I instantly felt like I got bloated when they took the tubes out though. I think it's all in my head and I was already bloated. Also, while I was at the dr my right breast started to seep fluid out. It was very odd. She put some guaze on it and said it was common for that to happen and should close up in 24 hours.
8 days post op
Drains are out, still swollen like crazy. Incision is starting to itch like crazy and very scabbed over. So hard not to scratch it. No feeling in most of my stomach. Mons pubis area is still very swollen. I was told that it can take months for all the swelling to go down. I'm able to go longer without pain killers. I'm able to sleep all night without waking for meds. I've slept in my bed the last 2 nights. Mounds and mounds of pillows are involved though. Lol. I can't wait until the stitches are out and I can stand up straight!!
Swell hell
At the end of the day I am always extremely swollen. Where my hernia repair was done is the most sensitive place. Right above my belly button. OUCH.
Had to call for more pain meds this morning.
I was starting to wean myself off the pain killers, yesterday my hernia repair area was hurting so bad that I almost started to cry. I was miserable. My incision or breasts haven't hurt at all. Just right above my belly button where the hernia repair was done. Maybe I over did it yesterday? I'm laying on the couch all day today. Maybe I'll be better after that.
Day 10 post op
I'm still very swollen. Stitches aren't out yet. I feel like my areolas aren't the same size, which I'm going to bring up next week when I go in, but either way, it's better than they were before and I'm happy about that! I never thought it'd be this flat!! Excuse the crease going down the middle of my boobs. While I was sleeping, piece of my compression from my stomach was somehow on my boobs. Lol. Plus I had gauze over my nipples/ underside crease of my breast, because I have a small place leaking fluid out towards the end of the day at the very bottom crease area. I'm feeling great compared to last Friday! My kids come home today and I'm beyond excited. Watch, tomorrow I'll post and say my kids are driving me crazy. ;-p
My husband works tomorrow, so I'm going straight to being home alone with the kids. My grandma is off work though and said she will come help me if it gets to the point where I need her. I really just want a day to ourselves.
My husband works tomorrow, so I'm going straight to being home alone with the kids. My grandma is off work though and said she will come help me if it gets to the point where I need her. I really just want a day to ourselves.
Dissolvable staple
This is a dissolvable stable. It came out of my incision today. I felt something poking me and looked down to see a small piece of something sticking out of my incision. So I went and got a pair of tweezers and started to pull on it and a dissolvable staple came out. It was super weird!!
I drove!!
Today I drove for the first time since my surgery. Mind you it was only 2 miles away, but it was driving! The boys and I went to visit my friend and her kids. It was my first full day alone with the kids without some sort of help. My husband was working today. We've done very well. My 3 year old has seemed to understand that I can't carry him around and that was very surprising. He's always wanting me to hold him. I'm so happy to have my boys home! I missed them so much.
Day 12 feeling much better
I got up this morning and didn't have to take anything for pain until I had been awake for about 3-4 hours and already moved around a lot! I woke up, got the kids ready for church( mother in law took them. I'm not up for it yet), put dinner in the crock pot, took the trash out, cleaned up the house some, started a load of laundry, scooped the litter box, etc. By the time I was done I was worn out and ready for a pain pill and some relaxing. I'm getting there, slowly but surely!
Dog ears? Love handles?
I go for my check up Thursday. I'm concerned about my hips. I'll update y'all with whatever my dr says. I'm still very swollen on the front of my stomach, and a little on my hips. But my incision seems very high to me. She went right on my c-section scar, but up and over my hipbone. One side is higher than the other side. I know sometimes they can't get the incision as low as people want them sometimes. I have a short torso already, so I was kinda worried about that, but was okay with a higher scar than all the lose skin, hernias, and seperated muscle wall. I'm just worried about my hips being so large now. Has anyone ever had this and it healed over time? Or did they need a revision? It would really suck to have to pay $1,250 for a revision in 6-12 months. I know the Dr. can't help how I heal and dog ears are common. Right after my surgery the love handles were "normal", just swollen. Overall I'm happier with my appearance now than before surgery and my hernias are fixed, which was my main reason for going forward with the tummy tuck.
Anyone with this sort of experience?
Anyone with this sort of experience?
2 week post up check up with dr.
Everything is going well. She said I'm doing better than expected. She said everything looks normal for the stage in at. She said the swelling will go down and she will fix my love handles if they don't fix themselves under local anesthesia for free. She said my belly button is way swollen and will heal in a couple months. She said the boob leakage under the right breast is normal and she promises it will heal. It's right at the intercetion of the base of the breast where the horizontal and vertical incisions connect. I wore jeans today, so yay! She was shocked about me wearing jeans. I am feeling fantastic. I'm still more tired than before surgery, but that's because I'm moving a lot and I'm sure my body still needs time to heal and trying to accommodate. Oh, also... I asked why the incision was so high. She said she put it right where my csection cut was and when everything tighened up and with the swelling it rose up. I didn't think about that. But my csection incision was right under my panty line, and that scar belly by belly button was above my belly button prior. So what she said makes sense. And now I can see why the incision is higher. Totally don't care. My new belly is way better than before!!! My scar is very swollen still and still pink/ red, but it's going to heal fantastically and be less visible. I'm happy overall. Go Dr. Roehl!
Haven't updated in a while.
I still have some swelling going on. I'm feeling much better. I still take muscle relaxers at night after a busy day. It's hard for me to fall asleep since I'm a side/ stomach sleeper. My pants are all too loose in my waist as you can tell in the pics. They are falling down so far! Lol.
Update
I've gained a little weight since my surgery. ;-( but I dislocated my knee and haven't been able to work out like I was. I need to have surgery on my knee soon, and I'll get back at it. I still love my results and feel much more confident with myself. Sorry the pictures aren't that great of quality, but I had some people asking for updates, so I took a couple quick snaps really quick.
She is amazing. Read my profile to see everything step by step of my experience. Dr. Roehl does amazing work. I am very satisfied with my results.
5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars
