BarbBee's LBL Jan 18th

[Shalee04 7]

HOw are you feeling Barbee? Remember the pain drugs are you friend right now. :-)

[BarbBee 1]

Hi Everyone! Thank you so much for all the kind thoughts and prayers! I am now at my Mom's place and the surgery went great. I had 7 pounds of skin and fat removed. It is kind of hard to tell what it will look like in the end because I am so swollen. It's so funny when I look at my side profile my bum is so much higher. It used to droop down into my legs. Now it is just a small bum!! I still can't believe it had finally happened. The care I received at the clinic has been top notch and my Mom (retired nurse) is spoiling me rotten. I spent Monday evening and most of yesterday sleeping. My hubby picked me up at 2 yesterday and took me to my Mom's place. Diane the nurse came to see me last night and again today. She taught me how to give myself the blood thinner injections..I do that for 14 days. I have a binder and compression stockings and will wear the stockings for at least 2 weeks and the binder for quite awhile. The pain has been very manageable as long as I stick to the schedule. I take Dilaudid every 4 -6 hours and tylenol and ibuprophen in between. They checked my hemoglobin yesterday morning and it was 122!! They were all very excited about that considering all the problems I have had. They will check it again in a few days. I go to the clinic on Friday and back to the surgeons on Tuesday. Diane figures 1 of the 6 drains will come out on Friday. I am just so happy to be at this place in my life!!! I will post again tomorrow and thanks again for all the well wishes!

[Angie1985 0]

I'm new to this area of the board and am so so so excited for you and your amazing results that are sure to come! xox

[Mimilou2004 13]

Barbee, I am so happy you are doing so well. Can't wait to see pictures.

Mimi

[BarbBee 1]

Hi All,

Tried to sleep in bed last night with some wedge pillows. It was painful getting into the right position but once I did and let my muscles relax it was quite comfy. I am taking the dilaudid every 4 hours and Ibuprophen for swelling in between. I was taking Tylenol too but found I didn't need it. My night time pills are taken with gravol as it helps me sleep. Yesterday I did to much up and down stuff and was really swollen at the end of the day. SOOOO tight...feels like someone has you stuffed into a sausage casing.

Under the category of too much info...but interesting to know....because the binder holds you tight to help reduce swelling, the swelling goes to other points in the body . My woo who bits looked like I was a cross between woman and man. I was worried it would stay that way and the nurse told me to put an ice pack on it to help reduce the swelling and it helped alot fairly quickly. I slept alot this morning and Mom and I walked 1 block ...very slowly...to the corner store. I can't get over how tired you get doing nothing!!! I did an 8 K last week and now can barely walk 2 blocks! Now I know why the doctors suggest so much time off work. I think the fatigue will be the biggest challenge. The drains are starting to turn to more of a straw color ...which is good. I see the nurse tomorrow at the Clinic and hope to get a drain out. I'm kind of scared too as all the drains come out of my pubic area and it is super tender. Can imagine pulling the actual full drain out!! Yikes! Less swelling today. I will post pics as soonas I get home next week. I still havent really seen what I fully look like yet as the only time the binder is off is when they are treating my belly button or drains and that is in a flexed lying down position. I like the profile of my small bum though. For those awaiting the surgery I would definetly recommend an electric recliner. If you can borrow or rent one it will make a whole world of difference for you as far as comfort goes. Also really try and take your meds on a set schedule...it really does help. Why be in pain if you don't have to. Will post again tomorrow after my appointment at the clinic. Take care .

Barb

[BarbBee 1]

HI All,

I went to the surgery clinic yesterday and had 1 of the drains taken out. I was really nervous about it and afraid it would be super painful. The nurse had me take a big breath and then blow out as she took it out. Didn't feel anything !!...but was quite surprised how long the drain part is. It is very narrow with lots of little holes in it. It's weird when you touch the drain tube in the front and can feel it around your back. Keep thinking I will feel so much more comfortable once the drain tubes are out. They are all filling a lot less now already.

My band is tighter due to all the internal swelling and extra stress. I did not have very much in my band prior to surgery and I am really glad as I never would have been able to get the pills down that I need to take. The morning before surgery they gave me a handlful of pills and I could only take them with a tiny bit of Water. That was a challenge but managed to get through it.

I am getting more mobile and can bend a little better each day. Back to see the surgeon on Tuesday and then head home. Looking forward to seeing my hubby, pets and sleep in my own bed. My mom has been great and I don't know how I would have done these first few days with out her help. At home there are lots of stairs and I know it will be hard not to do everything that you normally like to do. Chat with you again soon

Barb

[Mimilou2004 13]

Hi, Barb. I am happy you got one of the drains out and it wasn't to painful. Keep healing and take it easy. Glad the ice pack helped reduce the swelling in your lady zone!!!!!

Mimi

[skinnyjeans 2]

HI Barbee,

so happy to hear you are doing well. I was surprised too how long drain was. I didn't see it but my mom was with me and showed me how long it was. Funny how swelling does move down. My hubby renamed my woo hoo during that time to "FAT CAT"

Take care

[crzytchr 3]

HI Barbee,

so happy to hear you are doing well. I was surprised too how long drain was. I didn't see it but my mom was with me and showed me how long it was. Funny how swelling does move down. My hubby renamed my woo hoo during that time to "FAT CAT"

Take care

at your hubby.

[BarbBee 1]

Had a good day today. Only used the extra strength Tylenol and Ibuphrophen a few times today. Will use 1 dilaudid and 1 gravol at bedtime though because it is hard to find a comfy position to settle in to fall off to sleep. My drains are barely putting out any flluid so I really hope to get the 5 remaining ones out when I see the surgeon on Tuesday. Swelling is alot less today too. I am dying to have a nice hot shower and we are told not to until the drains come out. I am still wearing the compression stockings. They make your legs really hot sometimes and I would love to take them off but the nurse wants me to wait at least another week. Tomorrow will be 1 week since surgery. I can hardly wait to go shopping for cute undies!!! On Tuesday I will post the pictures of all the drains etc. I tried today to take a pic of the stiches but need to find a way to do that and still have some privacy. As all the drains come out of my pubic area it is hard to cover it and take a picture. As soon as I can I will post some pics of the stiches.

My belly button looks very weird to me and I have a red blotch and blister line coming from it. Will phone the nurse tomorrow and ask if I need to come in early. It is not oozing or anything just red. My port was also stitched back down as it had lifted and I could tilt it on it's side. I am not quite sure where it is as everything feels very weird when you touch it. Some areas are completerly numb and it all feels sort of hard from swelling. I have to keep reminding myself that healing is a process that will take several months. I need to be more patient. I feel frustrated by the lack of energy too and have to keep giving myself reality checks. So far things have gone really well...actually better than they expected as far as hemoglobin and blood loss went. I am grateful for the wonderful care I have had from eveyone. Take care and chat with you again soon.

Barb

[Mimilou2004 13]

Thanks for the update, Barb. I am glad you are doing so well. Keep up the good work!!!

Mimi

[crzytchr 3]

I am glad to hear your pain is manageable and I hope you get your drains out soon!

[skinnysue 0]

So glad I found your post op update on here. I have been waiting in the hopes that you would email me personally as I just had a TT with Dr. Naysmith also. So glad you're up and feeling good. Wish I could have had the LBL too, but couldn't quite afford it. You probably have had all your drains out by the time you read my post. Yahoo! They're just a pain more than anything. I imagine our good doc used that Prineo skin adhesive on you also. Its great eh? For anyone interested Google it. Its brand new and works like a charm. I had my surgery Jan. 7 and its still in place. I put a strip of cloth tape on my incision line because it seemed a little sticky and I wanted to preserve it as long as possible. Take it easy Barb and don't overdue it. I started feeling better at 2 weeks and overdid it doing a little vacuuming and made my abs pretty sore.

From another member of the Dr. Naysmith Fan Club:thumbup:

[BarbBee 1]

HI Sue! Didn't realize that was you! I am doing great. I went to see the Dr. Naysmith on Tuesday and had 1 more drain removed. He said there is still too much swelling to take any others out at that time. I see Diane (his nurse) tomorrow and hope the remaining 4 will come out. There is almost no drainage now. One drain right beside my crease of my thigh keeps pinching and it is driving me crazy.

I have been fine in the daytime with extra strength Tylenol and Ibuphrophen. I was taking Dilaudud at night so I can sleep with out pain but am having terrible side effects from it. Within an hour of taking it I get so internally hot I feel like I will spontaneously combust!! Then I sweat and can't sleep. I was given Tremacet on Tuesday to try last night and the same thing happened. I am going to try just regular tylenol and Ibuphrophen and take a gravol if I can't sleep. I want off the pain meds anyways as i hate the way I feel when I wake up.

Today I felt good and really over did it. Dusted, vacuumed ( yes,.. I know super stupid) and folded laundry. I have all this energy as the shots I had prior to surgery to boost my hemoglobin did an outstanding job. My hemglobin went up 1 point after surgery. My doctor said I made medical history! haha. He also did a new technique while operating and it was so great at limiting blood loss he has now done it on his next LBL patient.

I have posted a few pics. One with all the drains and another with the binder off. Once the drains come out I will take some pics of the actual incision. My belly button looks very odd to me but was assured once the swelling goes down and I heal a little more it will end up normal looking. I have to get those stiches out tomorrow too..I hope.

Will post again tomorrow after my next appointment. Take care everyone.

Barb

[Mimilou2004 13]

Barb, your pictures are fantasic!!! You are hardly going to have a scar at all!!!! Do not over do it any more, just concentrate on healing. Good luck with getting the rest of the drains out. You are doing so well!!!

Mimi