Kate's "The Works" special

[Mimilou2004 13]

Just 8 days, Kate. I hope I have not committed to going back to work too soon, I use my arms a lot at work, I write a lot, transcribing and carrying out doctor's orders. I am only taking off 16 days.

Thanks for the update on your progress. I hate that you are having that strange feeling in your tummy.

You made me laugh with your "intervention" comment!!!!!

When will the stitches come out of your arms?

Mimi

[general_antiope 189]

How exciting!!! Eight days!!! You should have no problem typing or writing, the tough parts are just reaching.

Arm and bewb stitches should start popping and losing strength in the next 1.5 weeks. I already am having some stitches pop, and I cut them off with some suture scissors. The belly stitches will probably take another month, they're a bigger gauge.

So you're getting bewbs and arms? or just arms?

[Mimilou2004 13]

Bewbs and arms, but just bewb lift and inherent reduction, not implants. If I decide on implants later I can get them in March when I have my TT. I am way older than you and don't expect bewbs like yours, but it would sure be nice, LOL.

Mimi

[jujuvee 0]

Ok so I haven't been on LBT in a few weeks and for sone reason I was not getting any replies to this thread in my email. Kate you look hot!!!!

I'm so excited to follow your progress. Are you on Facebook?

[crzytchr 3]

I have been following your journey, because I know this is all of the work I need to have done in the next year or so, though I probably can't afford it! I must say the "girls" look great! I want to go with the lift without implants also, since I am now a 40G. I figure I can be left around a D cup once all is said and done. You are quite the inspiration since you haven't really complained about pain much. I will be honest, the pain and drain part of it scares me!:smile: It looks like you surgery was definitely worth it, congrats!

[general_antiope 189]

Hi jujuvee, yes I am...Kate Campbell in Exton, PA.

To everyone: Just a general plea not to post any of my Make Me Heal pics on Facebook. Too public!!! I'm comfortable sharing here, but there are lots of um, boys especially, who I don't wanna seeing my goodies...not without them paying me proper respect anyway. LOL. And dinner. Bunny wants to wrangle some Bang Bang Shrimp out of a fool before he gets to see the bewbs.

crzytchr: Wow thanks, I feel like all I do is whine. The pain is not horrible. It's well controlled with meds. Thing is, it's just so WEIRD and uncomfortable. I have been having phantom itches on skin that no longer exists, lol.

Right now, I'm struggling with sleep issues, which is making me apathetic, lethargic, and a little grumpy. I have some restless leg going on in my legs, arms and back from only sleeping on my back. Still can't sleep on my side, tho I tried a little last night. I know I keep saying it but every day it IS a little better. Even today when i get up from sitting for a while, it doesn't take as long to stretch out the hunched over feeling. Tiny but noticeable increments.

I would do it again. I can see how great this will be when I'm done healing...I just wish I was better prepared for the length of healing. For arms, bewbs, and a body lift, expect 3-4 weeks of being jacked up. No way around it. But more stitches are popping on me every day and the redness is gone from one of my arm stitches and the scar is just AWEsome. Tiny!!!! Can't wait to see it all healed. It'll be worth it, of that I have no doubt. the healing now is a nuisance more than anything. Heh. I'm lucky tho, no complications.

Kate

[skinnyjeans 2]

Hi Kate!

It still takes me a little while to stretch back out after sitting hunched too. I feel the same way. Each day IS better. I'm seeing less swelling so that is nice.

When you say stitches popping, I guess that is good? I didn't have any outside stitches on TT incision. Only around BB and a few on boobs.

I really hope you can get some sleep. Are you still taking any pain meds? What about tylenol PM. will that help? I still have yet to sleep on side.

[general_antiope 189]

Hey skinny! By popping stitches I mean the tensile strength of the outside stitches is fading...it's like a drawstring going slack. It gives me much more comfort! I wake up and see white or clear stitches poking out of my skin...doesn't hurt...I just snip them off.

Last night I was still restless til 4am, but I WAS able to sleep on my favorite right side for an hour or so with no discomfort! That improved the quality of the sleep immeasurably. Looks like it really is my back griping about doing all the work in the recovery. So I'm going to talk to my chiro tomorrow and see if he can do a gentle realignment, or at least use that fabulous massager on my back. I want to stretch really big, soooo bad...but I can't do it all the way yet. I wonder if part of this restless feeling is just frustrated muscles. I was very active before, lots of sun salutes and such. All this inactivity makes me a little crazy.

Today I feel pretty good. Walking the dog caused no pain whatsoever, even when she was being a turd and yanking on me. I felt like my old self, back in control. So we walked a little longer today. I made a huge list of things I HOPE to accomplish today, and I'm now off and running before I turn into a couch lump again. Going to work for a few hours, try to sort through the last three weeks.

OH! I got some before pics from my doctor. I posted some to the makemeheal site.

OMG. What a freaking difference. I am SO, SO, SO glad I got this done!!!! I remember living with all that skin around my belly and hating it, because I knew I was slimmer under there. Clothes didn't sit right. My arms were pretty loose. Nothing horrible, but bad enough for me to feel major insecurity when thinking about dating a man.

Ironically they sent me the before pictures from my first consult, when I was 195. I got the surgery done weighing 215 :biggrin: right now I weigh 200, with all this Fluid and crap, so I'm pretty sure I'm down in the 190s right now. I look the same size except more streamlined.

Docs say I should lose no more than another 10 lbs while I'm healing towards the 3 month mark. That would put me in the 180s...we'll see how I look!

[general_antiope 189]

And damn, did I just crash. All the sleep deprivation just turned me 180 degrees. Gonna try to power nap right now. Ugh. Amazing how fast that happens.

[skinnyjeans 2]

Hope you got a good nap in. That was me yesterday. Left work early, came home and crashed, cooked dinner than went bed early.

Saw your before pics. What a difference. You're boobies are just awesome. So perky. Also so nice to have flat tummy now. You are doing so well.

[general_antiope 189]

Thanks skinny Last night was interesting. First of all, I think I am figuring out the problem...I must have a small food allergy or something cause the restless body feeling stops around 3 - 4 am. I might be eating too close to bedtime. I'm only eating 2 meals a day, just not terribly interested in food, and taking advantage of it. So I'm going to try to eat at 5pm and only drink Water.

Also, there is noticeable improvement in my scar movement. I can stretch about 85% to 90% of how much I want to stretch, and it makes me feel great. I was able to sleep on my side last night, and turning from one position to another doesn't cause me any discomfort like it did.

My armpit holes are about 90% healed now. When I stretch to reach for things I don't feel that unpleasant tugging at the hole. And the creepy arm stitches feeling is almost gone cause they're flattening out more every day.

Much of the redness has disappeared on my stitches all over in the past 48 hours, so despite my battle with insomnia, my body IS getting the job done.

Last night's battle was with my left breast, the one that's healing slowly. It is a ITCH FEST on the nipple. Sweet mother of god, this could be a torture technique at Gitmo. So not even kidding. I have what appears to be a teensy hole on the areola that is healing the same way my armpit did, with the yellowish healing matrix and all. But the itching and sensitivity on this breast is through the roof. I couldn't tolerate any fabric on it last night. I was in the bath at 9pm running warm Water over it, putting lotion on the dry parts of the skin, tossing and turning, wailing at the ceiling, in the bath again at 12:30...

But they say the itching is healing. And I'm putting up with it. Lord almighty heh.

I did get some sleep last night. Once it settled down, again around 4am, I slept a solid 3 hours on my side with no restlessness. Now I'm overly tired cause I think I spent too long in bed.

So that's the haps. I think today or tomorrow I will take week 3 pics and show you guys closeups of the awesome scarring and flattening "hems" that are happening. It's nice to see progress!!!

[Mimilou2004 13]

Thanks for the update, Kate. Do you find you get cold easier now? Does that affect your nipples?

Can't wait to see new pictures.

Mimi

[Fanny Adams 7]

Kate, if you're having problems with restless legs at night, get some Magnesium tablets and take one every night before bed. If you forget and wake up with the problem, take one on the spot. I find I get relief within about 20 minutes, when this happens to me. I have a lot of trouble with restless legs at night and Magnesium really helps!

PS: I know just how you feel about the supersensitive and itchy boobs!

[general_antiope 189]

Fanny thank you so much for the suggestion! I will get some magnesium and try it out. I read a lot about RLS and don't like to take medicine if I need to but minerals would work for me.

Skinny, I've always been intolerant of cold since my lap band surgery. Honestly if I am anything less than comfortable or toasty warm I turn into an angry shrew. I absolutely hate being cold, would rather be in pain. LOL. The temp here has dropped horribly (for PA) and I crank my heat up. I glare at the dog when she wants to go out and we make it as brief as possible. She's learning to pee quickly even though she wants to stay outside and freeze her little toes off. I noticed at night I was going from hot to cold, sweaty to shivering the first two weeks after surgery, but then I was fully clothed and under blankets and hadn't found the right ratio of clothes to fan to heat.

Off to take a hot shower and blow dry my hair Will try to get pics.

[freespirit63 112]

I just want to tell you that I had Tummy Tuck 2 years ago and my scar is barely visible, my swelling and bloating lasted 6 months and I look awesome. You will love your results even more ina few months