Frangipani & TexasBecky get Reconstructed

[Frangipani 1]

You girls sound like you are doing GREAT!

Frangi - the pics are amazing!!! Thank you so much for sharing them. Imagine how much fun you are going to have shopping for lingerie!!!

Candle, thank you so much -- you made my day!!!!

I think lingerie shopping will be fun, but was really fun was tossing all those "granny panties" right out into the garbage, which I did with great relish the other day :tt2::tongue::thumbup:!!!

How's everything with you? I'm looking forward to your journey. Do you have any consults scheduled yet?

[juliegeraci 7]

You look awesome. Congrats!

[Frangipani 1]

You look awesome. Congrats!

Hi Julie,

Thanks!!!

Great to hear from you!!! :thumbup::smile::frown: How are you doing and feeling?

[Candle 11]

How's everything with you? I'm looking forward to your journey. Do you have any consults scheduled yet?

I'm doing well. Thanks for asking.

I've been on vacation this week. We had an out of state wedding and some work to do on the house. We also went to an amusement park and a Water park. NSV's all day long at both of those places!!

I haven't actually scheduled anything yet. I'm thinking late summer - with insurance requirements (18 months out from WLS) and time off work ... I'm looking at about this time next year anyway. I am anxious to get a few professional opinions though. I have a few doctors my band surgeon recommended and I want to see Dr Schulman.

I know you are anxious for phase two – has your surgeon given you any indication of a time frame?

[Frangipani 1]

Hey Candle,

Congrats on all of the NSV's :thumbup::thumbup:! Going to a wedding and seeing people after losing 124 pounds must have been an incredible experience!

It sounds like you have an excellent plan regarding your PS consults -- and Dr. S seems like a great one to have on you list.

BTW, I'm still thinking about our Crazy Ates Vegas trip, and we can talk more about this once I know what I'm doing with my second surgery. I'm headed back up to Miami at the end of July to meet with my Dr. for a follow-up visit, and hopefully at that point I'll have some idea as to the timing of round 2.

It's not so much that I'm ready to go back into surgery again, but I like the idea of having everything done (more or less) at once. The second surgery will (hopefully) finish up the body, and I'm quite anxious to have it done.

Have a great night :biggrin::smile::frown:!

[Frangipani 1]

Good morning and Happy Monday everyone -- I hope you all had a great holiday weekend!!!

Becky, I can't believe the way you are bouncing back with the exercise -- great job lady :tt1::thumbup::tt1:!

I stopped exercising because my drain output jumped 20cc's after my short, 20 minute workout the other day. And yes, believe it or not I still have this drain at 24 days post-op. If this thing doesn't come out soon, I'm going to have to get it a passport.....

The drain is only thing that's getting me down right now, but my Dr. does not want it removed until I'm draining less than 30 cc's for two consecutive days. Right now I'm averaging 50cc's with no slowdown in sight. When I worked out and the output jumped up to 70 cc's, I figured I should just "park it" until the drain comes out, even though I am dying to get back to exercising.

Anyhow, keep your fingers crossed for me that this drainage will slow down soon -- I'm very happy about everything, BUT I am getting SO tired of this darn drain!!!!

Thanks for letting me whine :tt1:!

Edited July 7, 2008 by Frangipani

[kareyquilts 1]

I don't blame you about the drain, that's a long time. Do you teleconference with your PS? What does he say about this?

[Frangipani 1]

I don't blame you about the drain, that's a long time. Do you teleconference with your PS? What does he say about this?

Hi Karey :tt1:,

Yes, my Dr. and I are in contact in some fashion (either via phone or email) almost every day. He tells me that the drains are very unpredictable, but he wants me to hang in there as long as I can because the alternative (excessive swelling) is just as bad if not worse -- and I recognize that as well.

He's hoping that I'll be able to have the drain removed sometime this week. I've been poking around on the Internet and there are others out there who have had this same long-term experience with their drains, so I guess I'm just one of those people who has a lot of Fluid -- lucky me...............

[kareyquilts 1]

Frangi: I'm sure you're patience will pay off. Hope you and Becky are both doing well, otherwise.

[Kat817 19]

Didn't Julie have a drain in for quite some time, in fact it eventually fell out I think.....but then again, I HAVE slept since then so might be full of it!!!

I am still having some swelling issues, by evening, I look deformed some nights!!! My left side swells SO much more than the right! But all in all it looks good. I have an end stitch, one of the underneath ones, trying to fester up and out, and it is tender! And of course right where the waist of most of my jeans hit! But the drainage from the incision quit, and it is totally healed now. I do have a loop of stitch sticking out the middle of it, I tugged on it, and felt it way down on the end, so left it the hell alone!!! Dummy me!!!

I know the drain is a pain, I seriously know that----but........I also know it would have been better to be draining in a controlled way than when I was leaking from the incision, and having to use gauze pads, and change them....I was even using a maxi pad, tuck to the front of my panties so if the gauze leaked through, it would catch on the pad, and not ruin my clothes! I am telling you, I had not bought pads in years, I had a hysterectomy 5 years ago, my DD's are both grown and gone from home---I went to Walmart and was faced with an entire wall of sanitary products!!! Holy Smokes!!! I finally settled on thin with no wings, did not think my belly needed to fly!!!

I am glad to hear you are all doing well.

My PS give me the ok to begin exercising slowly last Wednesday. I am supposed to wear my compression when I do. I have been out of town, and dealing with a death in the family so just today made it to Curves. I did one slow, cautious loop through the machines, and felt it seriously in my abs!!! OMG!!! But I also have muscle repair work, not just the TT. Walking is not an issue. I also have to wear my compression on the bike or the horse. Today was the first time I actually have been without it all day so far. Feels like I am swelling earlier than usual. Guess that is to be expected.

I look forward to following how you girls are doing.

And as for coming to NM-----anytime---you let me know, and if you are not in my area (4 corners) I will travel to Santa Fe or Albq. or wherever and we can meet up!!!

Hugs~

Kat

[TexasBecky 1]

Frangi, I had forgotten that you are still dealing with that damn drain. Poor thing. I know that has got to be getting old. You are wise to wait on the exercise though. I remember JulieNYC developed a couple of seromas when she returned to running a little too soon. Definitely not worth risking something like that. And if that drain is sparing you from swelling any worse, then it is worth the extra time.

I have been very active (several hours in the garden the last couple of days) and I can't see that it makes me swell any worse than I do when I'm just sitting around. By late in the day I swell up like a balloon no matter what I've done during the day.

Candle, thanks for checking in. It sounds like you've got a good plan for future PS. If I lived in NY I would see Dr. Schulman for sure. He seems like an excellent surgeon and a great guy. I'm glad you are having such a great summer. Isn't life so much more fun minus 100 pounds? Keep us posted on your consultations.

Kat, glad everything is just about back to normal. I've got a few of those internal sutures poking out here and there too. There are a few aspects of this PS that I could do without, but the flat stomach makes it all worthwhile.

[cori in wa 0]

Hello ladies It's good to hear you are all (Julie, Karey, Kat Becky and Frangi) doing so well. I've no doubt the remaining drain is a pain but it will soon just be a distant memory and the lack of swelling hopefully makes up for it. It amazes me that you are already thinking of your second surgery.... that is just incredible!!!!!

Candle, I'm in your boat, though I hope to have my TT and breast lift around Christmas-ish (well, just after anyway). I've been tucking aside money and researching PS in my area. I know Karri loves her surgeon, who is just a few short hours from me, but I can't help but want to fly to NYC (I live in SW Washington) and see Dr Schulman as I LOVE his technique of padding the solar pole with excess tissue from my underarms. I also love the results that Nurse Amy got from her PS so may fly out to Texas as well. It's just such a HUGE deal and it costs so much that I really want to make sure I go to the right person, KWIM?

Becky, I've been working in my garden too and it feels GREAT! Really looking forward to enjoying fresh vegetables soon. We drove to NE Washington/Idaho for the long weekend and stopped at fruit stands on the way back. Fresh peaches and cherries were simply TDF and made me eager for the rest of the produce to be ready for eating.

Anyway, glad to hear, depsite small frustrations, that things are going well. Frangi, I hope your drain slows soon and you can get back on track with your exercise. Be careful and take it easy!!!!

[Frangipani 1]

Good Morning ladies!

I want to first say that I really enjoy all of you and our chats so much!!!

Kat, thank you for your thoroughly entertaining update. You crack me up lady!!!

Now you're going to laugh, but I ended up having a leakage problem with one area of my incision and I remembered your suggestion about the sanitary pads and I did it too :biggrin:!!!

Sanitary napkins worn low across the belly is not exactly a look that will be hitting the Paris runways anytime soon (I hope), but it works like a charm because when the incision is leaking, the gauze just can't keep up. Great suggestion -- kudos to you :cool2::thumbup::tt2:!

Oh, I will definitely be getting out to NM sometime soon. Santa Fe is one of my favorite places on the planet, and I've made some friends out there too. I will let you know in advance of my next trip and I'm very much looking forward to meeting up with you!!!

I'm glad to hear that you're doing so well!

Becky, thanks for the encouragement on the drain. It truly is getting old, but posts like yours help me to hang in there.

Karey, I've been following your final push thread and congrats on losing 6 pounds so far. That's awesome -- and with all of your hard work and discipline you very much deserve it!!!

Cori, WOW, December isn't very far off at all. I can't wait for you to be on this journey -- well, actually over the surgery part and enjoying the results :eek::smile::eek:!

Edited July 8, 2008 by Frangipani

[LadyBugRed 2]

Hi everyone!

Sounds like everyone is moving right along. Frangi, I am sure the drain will come out soon. Hang in there!!

I never really realized how complicated the recovery process is for PS.

BTW, Frangi, I might need to get a part time job since finding Stein Mart :biggrin:!

[Frangipani 1]

Hi everyone!

Sounds like everyone is moving right along. Frangi, I am sure the drain will come out soon. Hang in there!!

I never really realized how complicated the recovery process is for PS.

BTW, Frangi, I might need to get a part time job since finding Stein Mart :eek:!

Hey Jody,

Great to hear from you and look at your ticker! 43 pounds down Woo Hoo!!!!:thumbup::thumbup:

Something I've been saying over and over lately is "Recovering from plastic surgery is not for sissies," and it's true!

Don't get me wrong it is SO totally worth it, but there is a lot involved in this whole process, so don't worry, but just be prepared.

LOL about Stein Mart -- that place is addictive isn't it? The only thing that saves us is that the prices are so reasonable!!! Just before I left Miami I found some great things on clearance. I bought two pairs of really nice, lined linen pants for $13 each, plus blouses to go with them for the same price.

I tell my husband that it could be much worse, that I could have a Neiman Marcus addiction -- and that always seems to hush him up :biggrin:.