TheGh0st's Extended Tummy Tuck w/Lipo

[TheGh0st 9]

Paulax - I don't know if there are some out there with too little skin to remove for this to be true but in my case the doc said he removed a section from along the incision line curving up in a cartoon-ish eyeball oval shape to a point a whopping 2-inches above my old belly button hole. Technically I actually have the same belly button. They just cut around the old one and punch a new hold out for it to show through. The stiches are just down inside the belly button far enough that there shouldn't be any visible scar to see.

Hope that answers your question.

By the way I ended up driving for the first time post surgery today and went to work for 5 hours. I actually felt I could have worked longer but as someone said take advantage of their good will now as once you start adding hours its harder to get work to understand if you need to go back to less hours. I also wanted to save some strenght for the home front as being at work makes the DH think I ought to start taking on more responsibility at home as well.

I have cooked dinner and put our 4 year old to bed a few times already. No four course meals or carrying the son to bed. But boiling spaghetti in a small enough pan that it weighs less than 4 pounds and sitting next to my sons bed in a chair to read him some stories and pat his back aren't exactly taxing chores. Though I did push it a little too far tonight when I tried to help put some laundry away after dinner tonight. The DH dumped it on our over waist high bed for me so all I had to do was pick up the clothes one at a time to fold or hang. But I found that standing for longer than 5-10 minutes at a stretch is still a bit too much for me no matter how light the lifting was. My stomach started to ache like I had just done another marathon round of sit-ups. So I took my first pain pill since lunch time (about 6 hours) and laid down on the couch without finishing the laundry. My DH understood and was both happy with what help I had been able to give at the same time warning me to not push it.

[OH Juli 15]

Good Hubby.

[TheGh0st 9]

Good Hubby.

Yeah, sometimes he surprises me.

(Nah, he's a good guy most of the time, infuriating all the time but good most of the time.):heh:

[kareyquilts 1]

Thanks Diane, I'm seriously thinking about what you have said. I guess I'm a little bit of a chicken too, but I am determined to have the TT or LBL. Maybe after Christmas I will get my first consultation. Hope you're feeling better.

[TheGh0st 9]

Hey there Karey, Don't get me wrong I'm sure you look absolutely fabulous as you are right now. I just know that for me there was a high school reunion this summer just as I was starting the whole PS process and OH WHAT I WOULD HAVE GIVEN to have been done with the PS before the reunion. Its more of a head issue than an actual "clothing" fit issue at least for me. I never thought the clothes fit quite right but everyone else was telling me there was no problems. I'm sure you know what I mean.

I also realized I didn't answer your question about excersize. I'm just as bad about beating myself up over that as anything else weight related. Especially when I see people like JulieNYC out running marathons and such. But I was walking twice a week here with friends, sometimes as little as 1 mile sometimes as many as 3 but just at a fairly casual pace no power walking or god forbid jogging/running in these "F" cups. Maybe after my Breast Reduction next year. One sign of hope for me is the fact my DH bit the bullet last week and joined the gym after 2 years of swearing neither one of us would ever "waste our money" on a gym again. Maybe after the holiday rush I'll convince him to let me join as well. Actually I'll probably join up no matter what he thinks, especially if they have child care available.

I am going in tomorrow to have the last of the stiches out and to most likely get my drains out. They are suppose to give me more detailed instructions on my remaining recovery. But he did say I could start back with some casual/excersize walking at 3 weeks. So the plan is for me to meet up with one or more of my banded friends next Wednesday to walk at the local mall we like to frequent. I'll just sit down and let them "lap" me anytime I feel I need to.

[kareyquilts 1]

Good for you. I look fine in clothes, but I think I'd be a size smaller without the stomach. It's just a hard decision. I'm also getting in really good shape with the weight lifting and I hate to regress. Glad your getting the stitches out, hope the drains come out too.

[Paulax 8]

Hope you are regaining your energy, how are you feeling today?

How many days has it been since surgery?

How does the incision look?

hugs

[TheGh0st 9]

Hope you are regaining your energy, how are you feeling today?

How many days has it been since surgery?

How does the incision look?

hugs

Thanks for asking. I'm actually feeling pretty great. My drains came out Wednesday. Boy that hurt. Not a 10 on the pain scale but definitely an 8+. It was pretty quick though and the nurse was great. Shed had a Tummy Tuck herself 4 years ago so she understands what I'm going through and is able to answer my questions better than someone who has only watched people go through it.

I'd say my energy level has nearly doubled since the drains came out. I'm still not 100% back to my presurgery levels but I'd rate it at 80% or better. I'm also finally out of my pj's and back into my old jeans. A little bummed that they are still a bit tight and not falling off of me yet. But the nurse said it took nearly 3 months before the swelling came down enough for her to need to start buying smaller clothes. Julie, are you out there? How long did it take you? I will say they fit better, they are snug but in an all over way not like before where I could have swore it looked like I was wearing a small fanney pack under my jeans.

I am 17 days out from surgery now. And the incision is doing pretty well. Today is the first day I'm trying to go without any gauze along it. It's fairly well healed with only a couple small scabs, and a few blisters from a reaction to the steri-strips. I'm a little torn as to whether to get my neighbor to take a couple pics now for everyone to see or if I should just wait 2 weeks until my 1-month post op visit at the doc where they will be taking some after pics and the blisters have had time to settle.

[OH Juli 15]

pictures

pictures

pictures

we want pictures

[TracyinKS 7]

pics please

[wombat712 2]

I applaud your bravery putting pics out here for all of us to see! You are an amazing person to share this with all of us - so ... thank you! :car:

I waiver between being too scared to do it and REALLY wanting to get it done. I need a Tummy Tuck and a breast lift already and I still have 50 pounds to go (YIKES!)

I hope your recovery is going well!

[nina874 48]

Ghost,

thanks so much for taking the time to do this, I am having a FTT etc done in Feb and wondering about healing times etc,your 'blog' has answered loads of my questions!!

I hope that you are feeling good today, it is a long road back to feeling normal by the sounds of it!

Oh and piccies piccies!!!LOL

Nina x

[TheGh0st 9]

OK all you Perv's :heh:! I'll do my best to get you some updated pics this week instead of waiting until after Nov. 7th.

And wish me luck all. I've told work I intend on trying to be back to full time starting tomorrow.

[She Smiles 2]

Good luck Diane!

[cindyluhu 0]

Hi Diane. Just checking in on you. Hope your first day back "Full time" is going well. Hang in there. You are doing so great!

Keep us posted.

Cindy