Frangipani

Hi Ladies! Well DH isn't due back until the weekend and has not yet seen the new bod (thanks for asking Karey), but I will update you when I get the "official feedback." As you know I have been feeling kind of blue about my incision problems. A friend came over to visit today and suggested that we take a few pics of what I do like so far, which is my tummy tuck and breasts -- so here are the 3 months post-op TT and breast photos. The next time I post photos I will try to wear a different type of a bra so that you can get a better idea of the breasts, which I am very happy with. For those of you who haven't had surgery yet, I have also included a before photo taken 4 days pre-op, and a two-week post op photo, so that you can get an idea as to how things heal and progress. The Dr. tells me that even at three months post-op, there is still some swelling, so it will be interesting to see how things continue to develop.

So that's what's happening here. I'm de-hissing! Sounds about right-- LOL! :tt1: The Dr. didn't really give me a time frame, he just tells me to be patient and that it will heal. So I'm trying to be patient...... even though I am (obviously) a very impatient person!

Hi Karen, Well, it's coming up quickly! I'm thinking of you this week!!!! Will someone be posting here and letting us know how surgery went? Any last minute questions for us PS vets? Big, good luck, hugs to you! :tt1::smile:

Hi Karey, So far so good with the butt still being intact! No, the necrosis occurred in the incision on my right hip. Basically, it's a hole right now that needs to be packed twice a day. To my untrained eye (and brain) It seems like the thing to do would be to stitch it up, but the Dr. is adamant that this would be the absolute wrong thing to do. He tells me that there is way too much inflammation to stitch it up right now, and basically he wants it to heal from the inside out. He tells me to just keep it clean, keep packing it and eventually it will get to the point to where it will take less and less gauze to fill it each day. He hasn't let me down so far, so I just have to be patient and trust him on this one -- even though what we're doing seems very counterintuitive to me......... Has anyone else had any experience with this?

Hi Ladies, Okay I'm back. Thanks for all the lovely feedback and support! Jody LOL :lol: -- and big hugs to you. You are so cute!!! I am taking it easy now and I promise to until this incision heals up. Thank you so much!!!! Awwww Lulu, thank you for the wonderful compliment. You made my day/week/month/year with that one!!!! :smile::smile::smile: Candle, in fact I was shopping like a crazy woman -- how did you know? Scary how well you seem to know me :bored::tongue::tongue:!!!! I felt a little guilty about shopping so much, but I really needed an entire new wardrobe right down to the underwear, so that's the way it had to be. That said, I managed to catch some wonderful sales in Miami so I feel very good about that! So glad to hear that your back is better. I need to post on the August Pic thread, but you look absolutely adorable!!!! You could easily pass for a college student!!!! Congratulations!!!! You've worked very hard to get to this point I know, and it has totally paid off and then some!!!! :cool2::thumbup::w00t: Hi Karey, Thanks! Looking forward to getting past this incision problem and onto the Smokin' part -- for sure ! Yes, I do dress the backside twice a day. It's time consuming, but it does get easier with a little practice. You pics look great! I think you look great now and I'm struggling a bit with which way to vote. If it were me, I might be inclined to go with the anchor but, ONLY IF I had some very concrete assurances that it would give me the result I wanted. If not, I don't think I would risk it. You look excellent now!!!! I hope this helps.... Kelly, I am SO excited for you!!!!! Woo Hoo!!!! I can't wait for you to be past the surgery and loving your results!!!!! I will be eagerly following your progress! I have high profile implants and I love them. If it had been up to me (which it could have been, but I gave the Dr. carte blanche to make all the decisions regarding the breasts because he does such a wonderful job), I probably would have gone with a low or a medium profile, but in hindsight, I'm sure they wouldn't have turned out as nicely. Well, I have to look back through the posts now -- I'm sure I still have a bit more catching up to do, but I'll stop now and be back later! Have a wonderful day ladies!!!! :smile::smile::smile:

Hi Ladies, As promised checking in. I had a very relaxing evening and am taking good care of myself. The house isn't where I want it to be at this point, but so be it (that's what I get for leaving a man home alone for nearly three weeks, right? :embaressed_smile::tongue:) I'm just taking it very slow and listening to my body because I want this incision to heal. Basically, I have an area where the incision opened up and the fat died (you know the famous "fat necrosis" that we all seem to know and love). This incision opening is very ugly and scary looking to me, but the Dr. assures me that everything will be fine. Twice a day it needs to be packed with gauze dampened with a certain type of prescription saline solution. It's a lot of work and a lot of hassle and I want this healed!!!! So now I am on a big push to get myself healed. I am eating lots of protein, chicken, turkey, cottage cheese, eggs, soy, etc. and I have also started taking high doses of Vitamin C which I have read can help with wound healing. (Don't know for sure about the Vitamin C thing, but I figure it can't hurt -- right?). So that's what's happening with me. I can't help but blame myself for this, I wonder what would have happened if I had just stayed in bed and taken it easy for several days post-op. However, the Dr. tells me that wound problems happen frequently and I that I shouldn't blame myself for this, still I really am and am having a bit of a hard time pushing past this.......... There are several of your lovely posts that I want to respond to, but I think I will put up a second post so that this post isn't so huge. Be back soon............

Hi Ladies, Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend! There are several posts that I want to respond to, but I need to keep this very short for tonight. The problem area of my incision is not doing so well, and I've decided to slow things waaaay down, take it very easy, and put my full focus on healing. I spent the afternoon getting caught up on grocery shopping (a long slow process on an island that always involves a minimum of three stores........). There was lots of movement, bending, lifting, etc., and I can feel myself at my physical limit right now. SO! I am going to fix myself a high protein meal, prop the booty up on a pillow in bed and listen to my book for the rest of the evening. However, I did want to send big hugs to you Becky and let you know that I am thinking about you. I hope your Mom is out of the ICU and resting comfortably. Please update us when you can. Talk to you tomorrow lovely ladies and thanks for all the excellent support! :smile::smile::thumbup:

Hi Everyone, Well as per Jody's instructions I'm checking in -- to let you know I got home okay. Everything went pretty smoothly, the flight that I usually take back home, which is almost always anywhere from 1-3 hours late was only running 30 minutes behind schedule and we actually ended up getting back to the island 15 minutes early. This time with my incision problems, I was extremely careful not to handle my luggage, and I asked for (and got) lots of help along the way. DH is currently on the East Coast at a conference, and yes Becky, the house is trashed (to be expected when a man is home alone for more than 24 hours -- right? :tongue::thumbup:). However, I expected this and my energy level is good, so it's fine. The one thing that is just so weird is that I've had this new body for nearly three weeks now and my husband hasn't even seen it yet. I'm very happy with it so far. The thighs are still very bruised and the backside incision is not healed up, however, I'm very glad I went with the buttocks augmentation -- that combined with the breast augmentation gives me a very curvy, hourglass, look that I am loving! The "pear" is dead, and the hourglass has arrived! Woo Hoo!!!! In fact, I've decided that I don't want to lose any more weight -- I am really pleased with my new curves, and I like this very shapely look. Once DH gets back I will post some pics. It's a bit hard to nail him down to do this with his busy schedule, but I know my pics are long overdue, so I promise to get some up ASAP. Now onto more serious matters........I was just heartbroken to read this morning how hard Ike hit in Texas and my thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected by the storm. If anyone has any suggestions as to what those of us from afar can do to help, please let us know. Becky, I hope everything is okay with you in the DFW area, post when you can and let us know how things are going. Well, there are some other posts I want to respond to, but I don't want to turn this post into a novel, so I'll stop now and be back later. Have a great Saturday everyone!

Hi Ladies, Sorry I've been AWOL the past few days, but I've been busy trying to get everything wrapped up before I leave town. My incision is not as far along in the healing process as I hoped would be, but the Dr. looked at it again yesterday and told me he felt I was ready to return home, which I will be doing later this afternoon. I will respond more fully to your lovely comments when I get home, and thank you so much. I am sending my very best thoughts and wishes and prayers to those in Texas who are bracing themselves for Hurricane Ike. I'm hoping and wishing with all of my heart that the storm passes quickly and with a minimum of damage.

LOL Shalee!!! :biggrin: And thanks!!!! Everything good with you?

Hi Karen, Good luck and I will be right there wishing you the best and watching your progress. Of course it's very normal to be nervous. That said, you'll be just fine! Don't worry about gaining weight. My Dr. told me before my first surgery that I would lose weight because my body would be consuming a tremendous amount of energy healing, and he was right :biggrin::thumbup:!!!! With two surgeries this summer, my exercise routine has been severely disrupted and yet I have continued to lose quite a bit of weight. I won't weigh myself again until I get home, but I won't be the least bit surprised if I've lost another 5 or 6 pounds (or more) from Round 2. It won't be long now and you'll be in the flatlands and looking totally hot girl :frown::tt1::frown:! Have a great day!!!

Hi Everyone! Well, today is two weeks post-op for me and I feel fabulous!!! I am having a few issues, though -- my incision opened up in another spot over the weekend. Fortunately my Dr. explained to me in advance that the backside incisions can be a bit more troublesome because of the amount of tension our body movements place on them and he did prepare me for this -- so I am handling it, even though I would much rather see everything healing and completely closed up. Also my second drain is out. It actually came out much earlier than it would have otherwise because I was still draining 100 cc's per day, but I accidentally somehow pulled it out partially to the point to where it was useless, so out it had to come. Of course, it's great not having any drains in BUT I hope I don't end up in "swell hell" (so far so good though :biggrin:). I'm feeling a lot better about the booty now! Since I am now drainless, I spent a little time this morning trying on some clothes without my compression garment and I have to say that the booty gives me a very nice and shapely look in clothing! Woo Hoo!!!! Naked though, things still look very raw and bruised, so the jury is still out on that. However, I'll know better once the "jury" (DH) sees me. One thing I appreciate about him is that, even though he is truly one of the most diplomatic and tactful people I have ever met, I can also always count on him to give me the brutally honest truth when I need (want) it! Apparently Ike will not cause too many problems here in Miami for us, but I did delay might flight home by two days simply because I didn't want to take a chance of having problems and being stranded at the airport. Also, with this incision opening up more, it will give me peace of mind to have my Dr. take one last look at it on Thursday before I return home. Have a great day ladies, and thank you for all of your wonderful support and kindness!!! :smile::frown:

Hi Ladies, Thanks for all the well wishes and the encouragement! Well, it looks like Ike will skirt just south of here, but my heart goes out to those affected by the worst of this storm. Definitely time for me to get back onto the Red Cross website and donate some additional $$$ to hurricane relief. When I get back home I'm going to check into seeing what else I can do as well. Thanks Becky! The encouragement and the reminder helps alot!!! KD, I think your idea about breaking up your work week is a good one. It does take a little while to get your energy back for sure. Take it easy and gets lots of good rest! I haven't had a fill since any of my surgeries either and my port was also moved, so I am a bit concerned as well. I'm really feeling like I need a fill right now, and will be anxious to hear how everything goes with you on Wednesday. Hi Jody, Yes, I am both draining and swelling. The swelling in the lower legs was bothering me the most in terms of how it looked (thick ankles are not in style this fall), but thankfully that's going away. I do have an area in my lower back just above my butt that's swelling up in a weird way. I don't like the way that looks either -- I plan on asking my Dr. about this tomorrow. Hi Karey, Yes, it would be great to have a crystal ball and to see just how this is all going to turn out. My Dr. tells me that it's way to early for me to be concerned about this, and to just try to be patient with the swelling and healing process. OMG what you describe about the itching and the numbness is very familiar. What a strange feeling that is -- it's enough to drive you absolutely crazy at times, isn't it? Even though I have a butt the size of Montana, I know exactly what you mean about being trim. Finally, after this last surgery I am starting to feel normal again!!! Hi Candle, Great to hear from you!!! You're doing great with your weight loss. Is your back all better now? I hope everything is going well with you, and update us when you can! Well, time to get myself up and going. I slept until noon and lazed around the hotel this morning. I have some laundry in now, but plan to get that finished up and out for a few hours today. Have a great Sunday ladies!!!! :biggrin::smile::scared2:

Hi Ladies, I thought I would check in. I hope everyone is having a good weekend!!! Well, one of the drains did come out yesterday -- Woo Hoo! It's funny how quickly we get used to things, though. Having lived with a drain for five weeks during Round One makes having one drain still in no big deal -- nothing more than a very minor hassle. What is a major hassle is caring for that backside incision. Wow! It's a very time consuming chore dealing with a part of the body that you can't see and reach very well. The incision has sprung a small leak, so I have to dress it twice a day now -- I will SO glad once everything heals up!!! The backside is still very swollen (at least I hope this is swelling) and it is still HUGE!!! I have my moments when I look at it and get very nervous, however, I'm trying my best to stay calm and remind myself that I am just a little over a week post-op and will not be able to tell much of anything about my results for probably several weeks yet......... Hurricane Ike is the talk of South Florida right now. So far, it's looks like he could very well be headed our way, so please send any prayers (karma, vibes......) that he will change course and lose strength. I was due to return home on Wednesday and have already been in touch with the airline about what my other options might be, but they can't tell me anything until they have a "storm policy" in place, which will hopefully be tomorrow. Well, I will keep this short -- time to get off this big ole' backside and get it all nice and comfortably propped up on a pillow. More tomorrow -- have a great night everyone :lovechoc::smile:!

Hi Jody, Yes I was, but I had no backside to hold my pants up. However, I sure do have one now :tongue::mad:! I'm really hoping this swelling goes down.......... Thank you so much for the very kind words!!!! Karey, I really don't see anything sordid about plastic surgery. I view plastic surgery as just routine maintenance for the body and absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. That said, I wish there was a way to fix our "issues" without so much extensive scarring, as I feel that the scars do detract somewhat from the results. Have a great day everyone! I'm off to the Dr. soon and hopefully one of the drains will be removed today. The other one is draining quite heavily and I wouldn't be surprised if I'll have another long term experience with it. However, I'm very used to dealing with drains by now, so it's no big deal.

Hi Ladies, Just checking in on you! I've been following this thread closely but am limiting my time on the computer because my Dr. doesn't want me sitting directly on the backside to much, so I'll keep this short (for me that is ). Karen, for me at a little over one week post-op stairs are doable -- slightly challenging, but not too bad. However I agree with KD that 4 flights of stairs might be a bit much. That said, I think each person is going to be a little different as far as what the can or cannot tolerate after surgery. For me it has always been the case that lots of post-op. activity makes me stronger and feel better, so the more I do the better I feel. For both of my surgeries I was allowed to shower at three days post-op, but I have noticed that almost no two Dr.'s seem to give the same post-op instructions. They all seem to have their own particular ways that they want things done. KD I'm so glad to hear that you had a good day at work and that things are getting better. Enjoy those naps too! I noticed that I never sleep better than when I'm recovering from surgery! Have a great day ladies!!! :smile::cool2:

Hi Karey, Thanks! I did go to Steinmart for a few hours one day, but the crowds were horrendous and everything was extremely picked over -- so don't worry, you didn't miss much. I did manage to find two cute blouses and got one for a whopping $5.94 and the other for $7.00, so I was pleased with that. Where I really lucked out this weekend was BCBG For the past few weeks they've been having a sale where you take 20% off of the sale prices. We have a store in St. Thomas and I picked up a few things there, but the other day I happened to hit the store near my hotel just as they were putting out a new shipment of sale merchandise. I ended up getting some gorgeous things at awesome prices. I was so excited about this because I just love their clothes. As far as sizes, I have a petite frame and my size 6 pants were getting big on me pre-surgery. I was very conservative in purchasing bottoms before surgery, but did buy enough to get me through when I traveled up to Miami in July. Even with the very swollen backside, and the capri-length compression garment, and the drains I am still able to easily fit into my pants, but I can tell that my shape will be totally different, so I will definitely have to invest in more bottoms. However, I will wait at least a month or so before I start shopping for that sort of thing. As far as tops I have been buying those freely for the past few months because I am a size small (4/6) on top and because of the breasts, I doubt I will ever be an "extra small." However, with all the work you're having done Karey I would definitely wait to purchase clothing because it sounds to me like your Dr. will be significantly changing your shape. Also you might find you taste in clothing changing with you new shape. I know I have. Hi Becky, Good to hear from you too! And thanks :smile::cool2:! I do seem to bounce back pretty quickly but the last time I "crashed" at three weeks post-op. I was very achy and tired and slept a lot -- I wouldn't be surprised if that happens again. My TT scar sounds just like yours, flat, but very red, however I expect that to settle down as time goes on. As far as the new incision, my Dr. pretty much just picked up where he left off and continued it around all the way to the back. Isn't it just SO weird to have 360 degree scar? I wonder if I will ever get used to that...........

Hi Ladies! How was everyone's long weekend? Wonderful I hope! I was busy, busy, busy all weekend, but I also did pace myself and got some quality rest as well. Hi Cori, Thanks for the lovely compliments and the book recommendations. I will definitely check them out :w00t:! Hi Becky! Thanks!!! :tt2::smile::smile: Sleeping is tricky. I cannot lie on my side comfortably because I have drains coming out of each hip. For whatever reason, lying on my stomach is not very comfortable and I wake up feeling very stiff and sore -- so I lie on my back with a pillow underneath my backside to take some of the pressure off. I also have my wedge pillow from the last surgery, which has really a Godsend (thank you Miss Karey for that wonderful suggestion!!!). I've said it before and I'll say it again, plastic surgery like the kind we've had, is not for sissies, but I wouldn't hesitate to do it again, because the results are SO worth it. Thank you so much Jody! :smile::smile::smile: How was your weekend? Hi Karen, Wow! You're date is coming up quick!!! I'm so excited for you and will be eagerly watching your progress. Are you getting all stocked up on your post-op supplies? LOL ! I didn't realize how quiet I've been the past few days. That has got to be a first for me!!! Well, as I said before, I've been busy! As the late Ann Arbor legend, Shakey Jake used to say -- I'm on the move baby, on the move!!! :thumbup::tongue: Yes, I'm definitely keeping an eye on Hannah, but because I live in "hurricane alley," watching storms is just a regular part of my summer life. August and September of course, are usually the most watchful months, but I tend not to get worked up about things until I know for sure that something is headed directly toward me. That said, lets keep our fingers crossed that Hannah dies down and/or misses everyone she hasn't hit yet. I hope you're not getting hit too badly with the rains from Gustav. Hi KD, Thank you so much for checking in on me! :smile::smile::smile: OMG!!!! My butt feels SO weird!!!! You describe it perfectly!!! My Dr. warned me about this in advance. It feels like someone stuffed a pillow into my backside. What a strange sensation!!! I'm doing great, how are YOU doing? The pain is not bad really. At this point I would describe it as more of a stiffness or a discomfort. How about you?

Hi Jody, We must have been posting at the same time. Thanks!!! I have not found a fill Dr. yet. I forgot to ask my PS about this today. I want to find someone because I would like to have a small fill for the road...... :biggrin::smile::tt2:

Hi Everyone! Well, I had my first post-op appointment and it went great!!!! The derrière is very swollen and looks HUGE to me, but the shape is fabulous (even if I do say so myself ). That said, I do need the swelling to go down to be truly happy with it. As much as I admire the very lovely and stylish JLo, I have never envied her backside the way the rest of the world seems to. I guess fighting a long and hard battle with my weight has given me a strong aversion to big booties that will probably never leave me....... So, I can't say I'm happy just yet -- however, the shape is way beyond what I ever could have imagined. It is just perfect! My Dr. is a true master!!!! How he managed to do such a wonderful job I do not know, because he told me that he ended up having a bit of hard time with my backside. He couldn't take the flaps from the usual place because there wasn't enough fat and skin there, so he had to come up with a "Plan B" and take the flaps from along the sides, which apparently is not ideal. Shalee thanks for the lovely compliment!!!! :biggrin::thumbup::tt2: Karey, I have a microwave and a refrigerator here at my hotel so I stocked up on groceries before surgery and I'm able to fix myself some meals. I must say that this time around, I am ravenously hungry. I'm allowing myself to eat more, because I figure this is my body's way of telling me what it needs to heal -- and I'm not too concerned about gaining weight because I'm still eating pretty healthy foods. Yesterday, I proably took in about 1500 - 2000 calories. Today the hunger has leveled off a bit so I'm probably at around 1000 so far and will probably be at 1300 - 1500 by the time I have dinner (which I plan to do very soon here). Well, the Dr. stressed again today about sitting directly on the behind, so I'm kneeling on the floor as I type this and it's getting a bit uncomfortable now. I will check back in later or in the morning! Have a great night everyone!!!! :mad::smile::tt1:

BBK, Congratulations on your incredible strength and determination. You're doing wonderfully and are an inspiration to us all!!! Big hugs to you :smile::biggrin:!

Hi Jody, Right now I'm listening to "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini -- which is excellent!!!! I also have "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by the same author downloaded, which I will probably listen to next. Hi Karey, I only hired the nurse to pick me up from the hospital on that first day. I had it set up to where, I could have a nurse come in for as many days/hours as I needed, but I found that I really didn't need any additional help. The website that I currently use to purchase my audio books is Audible.com I like the selection and their user-friendly website. You can also simply purchase books on CD and download them directly to your iPod (and can probably do the same with any audio books you borrow from the library as well) If you use Audible and see yourself purchasing several books, their pre-paid plans are the best deal. I have the Platinum plan, which works out to something like $7.50 per title. Thanks Becky! I feel just fine and today the pain and soreness really isn't very bad at all, but I have been doing a lot of walking. In fact I was feeling antsy again last night so I went up to the lovely, open-air, mall near my hotel and walked around (Love that place -- it's brand new, nicely laid out and has some great stores!!!). It's very soothing on my legs to be walking. It seems like what's causing most of the pain is the lipo, but when I'm up and walking I hardly feel any soreness at all. In turn, I think all of this movement is speeding up the healing process.

Hi Becky, I see the Dr. tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll also get to see my new backside too!!! I have two drains this time and I'm really not sure how my incision is put together -- I guess I'll find out tomorrow. Hi Karey, Yes, I traveled alone this time. DH has a tough work schedule right now, and I didn't want to stress him out further by asking him travel to deal with my elective surgery (even though he would have if I had asked). Also, I wasn't to worried about this surgery -- I knew I would do just fine. I hired a private nurse to come pick me up from the hospital and it worked out perfectly -- she was a very lovely and charming lady. Nowadays most of my books are downloaded onto my iPod. I find audio books to be so much more convenient when I'm traveling (and recovering from surgery). I definitely do drift off when I'm reading and watching movies, but it's easy enough to pick up where I left off. I told very few people about round 2 because they just don't "get it." All people see when they look at me now is a thin lady, and not the "mess" that lies beneath, and I certainly wasn't about to get into a detailed discussion of my fat and cellulite. I'm sure you can probably relate to what I'm saying................. I am shocked that you have people in you life who are suggesting that you might not live through this next surgery. How tactless and outrageous is that? Good Grief!!! If I were you I wouldn't even listen to that worthless rubbish for one second. Just let comments like that go in one ear and right out the other............... The Dr. told me that he only removed a few pounds. He basically said that all I had left was skin and some of that he used to fill out the buttocks.

Hi Ladies, Well despite my best intentions to "chill" for a few days, I found myself really needing to get out for a little while. (I'm sure you all can guess where I went :tt2:.) I only went to one store though, and that was plenty for one day. I am trying not to overdo it though and I brought some great books and movies with me -- so I'm in for the rest of the day, but it did feel good to get out for a little while.................... Karey, thanks for sending all the prayers and quick healing vibes -- I think they definitely did work!!! As far as the pain, I cannot in good conscience sugar-coat this whole thing........... Yes, this backside work has been more painful (for me), but my feeling about the whole thing is that I needed to just bite the bullet and endure some pain to get the improvement that I so desperately needed in my thighs and butt. Also the pain is very tolerable with medication. Trust me it will all be worth it in the end!!!! Hi KD, Glad to hear you're feeling better!!!! How are you liking the way everything looks? I'm still very bandaged, so I can't tell much, but my derrière looks HUGE to me. I certainly hope that situation improves!!!! Hi Becky, Thank you so much!!! Nice to hear from you and your hair looks adorable!!!! Thanks Jody!!!! I promise I will at least try not to overdo it!!!! Well, sorry to keep this so short but I think it's time to get off the backside. The Dr. doesn't want me putting too much direct stress on it for the next few days -- more later! Nap time now -- enjoy the rest of your day ladies!!!!:thumbup::smile::eek: