6 weeks Post-op

First of all, WOW! I can't believe the difference from the 2 week photos to these. The swelling has really come down. I have a shape now.

Recovery has been pretty easy. After about 4 weeks I was back at full steam. I do still have numbness in my midsection but I can tell the feeling is starting to come back because I have started itching. I do still have a little concern about the belly above my belly button. I still feel like it is sticking out more than the lower belly. My belly button seems to stick out a bit too. I will try not to worry too much now but will see how it looks at the 3 month mark.

Again, I am completely happy with the surgery and I love clothes shopping. It is so nice to be able to try something on because I think it is cute rather than how it will fit around my midsection. Woo-hoo!

2 Weeks Post-op

So it's been 2 weeks now. Pain is minimal on the breasts and belly. However, on my flanks where the lipo was done hurts pretty good. Swelling has really started to set in and in the evenings is much worse. I had the belly running suture removed this week at Dr. Byrd's office. They said everything looks good and the swelling is normal and should be half gone at the 3 month mark. I have to keep reminding my self of this because seeing the tummy right after surgery and now, there is quite a bit of difference. I feel like it's sticking out again. I just keep telling myself, "it's just the swelling," and try to stay away from salty foods.

STATS:
Bust = 40" was 41.5"
Chest = 36.5" was 37"
Waist = 34" was 36"
Belly button = 34.5" was 39.25" WOW-WEE!!!!
Hips = 40" was 39.5" (?, swelling maybe)

Overall I am very happy and would do it again in a heartbeat! I have already bought a few new shirts and am thrilled that I can try on anything that I think is cute and not what I think will hide my belly. This is totally going to change the way I dress. I feel young and I want to dress young and hip!

I'll post more post-op pictures in another week or so. We will see how the swelling is...going down I hope!

"After"

I had the surgery. The pre-op procedures went very well. The best and most organized I've ever seen 'em handled. I like to consider myself a surgery connoisseur with a now total of 11 and this being the first plastic surgery one in that 11.

Dr. Byrd came in before the surgery and did all of his marking and took careful time in doing so. His nurse, Lisa, all the while trying to keep a little dignity for me by keeping me partially covered. Anesthesia nurse comes in, gives me a little Valium, then we're off! They had the operating table already warmed up for me. Most the time you have to start shaking and going into convulsions before they will give you a warm blanket or a bear hugger.

The surgery went very well. They removed 7400 grams total (I think this is correct, I will call and make sure the total on Monday and post the correct amount) which is a little over 16 pounds. Sheesh!!! After surgery, I woke up well and when I started coming around, I never had that "oh! I am in so much pain, hurry with the pain meds, please!" feeling. The nurse said they gave me something really good before they woke me up. It really was nice also that after I came out of the anesthesia and started getting a little lucid, they ask if I wanted to see. Amazing!, heck ya, I wanna see! Wow! I've never seen the belly this flat! And the boobies are beautiful and the same size! Bow-chicka-wow-wow!

This is right after surgery (well at least I think...). My stomach insicion is a little longer than most because of my fold and he didn't want the skin to pucker. But it all totally is hidden beneath my bikini underwear!

More to come.....

"Before"

Oh and let me please stress before! (No wonder it took me so long to getting around to downloading and posting them.) These photos were taken the night before surgery so my weight was right at 158.8lbs. A bit shy of the 10 pounds I was to lose but with the knee surgery just 18 days before and being immobilized with crutches for 2 weeks after, kind of put a damper on the exercising part.

A little background about how everything got so bad. I have never had my stomach muscles in the center, pulled together, like most people start with. Ah, it's a gene thing. My momma's got it; my Grannie's got it; you get the idea. In my earlier days, I was always very thin except for my stomach extending out, not fat just the muscles could not keep it all in and pulled together. Back then it was nothing like it was in these photos.

Then comes baby #1 weighin' in at 9lbs 10oz and being carried for a full extra 2 weeks past due date. In come the stretch marks, can you see them? They're a little hard to spot.... a place without them. But what really got me was the stomach muscles were even farther apart than ever and no matter how many crunches and yoga Plank poses I did, it still qualified as a "waddle".

With baby #2, not much changed. He came 4 weeks early so there was not as much stretching needed for the little guy.

I did also have a breast lift. Breast-feeding both for a year each left the "girls" pretty sad. During my pre-op mammogram, I had to ask the tech if this was supposed to be hurting. I had the perfect boobs to be squished like pancakes, they hardly noticed. I also, for as long as I can remember, have always had two different sized breasts and a whole cup difference at that. I also opted to having that fixed as well.

Not posting any breast pictures as of now, maybe later I will get a little braver. But if you are serious about seeing before/after, I would be willing to send them in a private email.

So enjoy these great before photos! And say Goodbye to them! Woo-hoo!!!

My Mommy Makeover Consult

The big day is quickly coming. I haven't had so many dreams about it recently but I haven't been dreaming much anyway. For some reason in the back of my mind I think the surgery won't work for me. That my belly is too big or something. I know this is not the case but the mind thinks what it wants sometimes.

So some stats to start off with:

August 2008
Bust = 43''
Waist = 36.5''
Hips = 43''
Weight = 158

December 9, 2008
Consult with doctor
Weight = 161.8
Told to lose 10 lbs before surgery (151.8 goal)

January 1, 2009
Bust = 41.5''
Waist = 36''
Hips = 39.5''
Belly button = 39.25''
Chest = 37''
L Arm = 12"
L Inner thigh = 23.5"
L Mid thigh = 20"
Weight = 154.0

My consult:
First off, the doctor's office was the nicest doctors' office I have ever been to and I think I have been to enough and worked long enough in one to be a good judge. Off to the waiting room where I helped myself to coffee using their Keurig, mmmmm..... Was then called back to the room and the doctor and nurse came in to discuss everything with me. He suggested that I lose a little more of my then current weight since I will be having liposuction as to start training the fat cells to shrink and not divide as they do when you gain weight. He recommended South Beach Diet. He answered all of my questions that I had at that time. Leaving the room, he gave me a nice velvety robe to put on after undressing and then him and his nurse returned. Here comes the not so fun part... He measured my breast from all sorts of angles to find out where the natural placement of the nipple would be after the lift. He will be able to fix the asymmetry and will take more out of the larger one to even them out. We talked about the other way around but that would have included putting a small implant in the smaller one and we decided that wouldn't be what we would choose since they would probably appear differently in texture and such. He will also remove the nodes that I have in my arm pits that make a little fat pocket between my arms. I have always had this even when I was skinny so this really pleases me. I might even wear tank tops with this gone. yay!

Next was the tummy and my incision will have to be a bit longer than most due to the fold and he does not want puckering. He laid me down and felt my muscles and said that they would have to repair them all the way from the top to bottom. (I knew that, ha!) He said approximately where my belly button is now would then be right above my pubic line. That will include most of my stretch marks and that being the really large ones. So that will be a nice bonus.

Lipo will be done on my back flanks and on the dreaded bra back fat. He said that I really did gain or carry any additional weight on my but or hips which is always a nice thing to hear. I do carry it on the front of my thighs. He talked about doing lipo on that part but for the cost, I can wear shorts and it won't bother me that much. And with loosing more weight, that will go down enough to suit me.

He then again answered all of my questions in a non-rushed manner. So nice to have a doctor listening and not rushing to get to the next patient.

Next, photos!!! Oh my! Totally nude! And not with a little digital camera, this is the real thing. Back drop, lighting, the works. And she took 11 poses for the belly, 4 or 5 of the breast and then a nice head shot so they would know who this disfigured body belonged to. Oh, there is nothing like standing nude in front of someone else having your photo taken, the joy! I will post some of my own home shots of the before belly. Sorry, don't feel that comfortable showing off the breast but just think of sad pancakes.

Saving the best part for last....COST. Wowza! It is a small fortune but I guess I was expecting that. Total for the full abdominalplasty, breast lift, and lipo (including surgery center fees, anesthesia and special medical hotel room) is $13,680.00 I'll let that sink in for a bit. lol. A little expensive but I have been saving since my first was born over 4 years ago and I don't have a car payment like most do. We are paying cash, I would never never never finance a thing like this.