erica’s abdominoplasty blog

Today is three weeks since surgery. I’m feeling pretty good. I decided to try going without my binder for the day. So far, so good. It feels a little strange due to the numbness and I feel a bit insecure without it. As far as swelling goes, I may be swelling just a tad more than usual too. Depending how I feel tonite, I may or may not go back to the binder for tomorrow. I really would like to break the habit and not rely on it so much.

This weekend was really good for me. The fatigue is getting less with every day. I even went for a bike ride and planted my garden. I know I’m supposed to take it easy, but I couldn’t help it! And I can’t say I faired any worse because of it either. So I’m on my way to getting back to physical activity! Yippee!

Well things are pretty good. One slightly disappointing thing is upon further investigation, I have loose skin. It’s only apparent when I lean forward at a ninety degree angle. At that point my skin falls completely away from my body. Part of me thinks this is just skin that needs time to reattach to my muscles. The other part of me knows that it’s damaged skin that really isn’t going to go away on it’s own. I talked to Dr. Foley today and he said to give it time. It will tighten up on it’s own a little. Some of it may be fluid build up and stored fat pockets. He wants to see me in three months, so we can take a better look at it then. I’m tight from top to bottom, I can’t even pinch an inch. But from left to right, I have some give. Dr. Foley said this was because I was so overweight that I stretched it out width wise, and that wasn’t resolved with the tummy tuck which just pulled my extra skin down. To take care of the extra skin from left to right, they would have needed to removed a section of my tummy in the middle, and then sewed it together. That would have left me with a large vertical scar from below my belly button to above it. That doesn’t sound like much fun to me. So, I’m happy with my results. But I’m also realistic that I will never be completely tight. I don’t want to invest in a million different surgeries to be “perfect.” The problem I went in for is taken care of. And I’m THRILLED with my results. The most important thing is that all that extra hanging skin is gone and I can wear my clothes with confidence. This minor hanging skin that I have now is not worth worrying about. Only me and a select few people will ever see it. But as a warning to people getting a tummy tuck, be realistic about your expectations.

There’s an update on my gallery page. (Link also at right side of page.)

So this weekend went off without a hitch! I was really busy with Des’s graduation and Brian and Amie’s wedding. But I pulled through with flying colors. I even was out on the dance floor last night whooping it up! I’m paying for it today, that’s for sure. I’m really puffy and I feel quite bloated. Damn that swell! But I’m living, and I know it will pass. I’m back at work full time, which is good. It’s nice to get back into the routine of life. But I’m excited to get to the point where I can buy clothes and get back into sports. Everything looks like it’s healing nicely and I’ll post more progress photos soon. Hope everyone out there in Internetland is well.

OH MY GOD I SHOWERED!!

Yes! It’s true! The drains are out! I’m completely free of tubes, grenades and stitches. The only things left to deal with are the binder and tape. I still have to be careful not to get the drain site wet. He taped it up pretty well, but when I showered it got all wet and started peeling off. So I kept it out of the water as much as I could and then I redressed everything with fresh tape and gauze when I got out of the shower. So I better be more careful for the next couple days. He almost was going to make me wait two more days to shower! I would have died. While I was redressing that, I redressed the scar and belly button too. Everything looks a little scary right now. I love the way my tummy looks, but I look like a freak with the scar. I’m sure it will be like what Tj said, which is, after a while it will be just like a tattoo and I won’t even notice it is there. Not to mention it will fade and even out with time.

I still have to be careful with activity. The 4-6 weeks still applies. But I’ve been cleared to walk. And I have to wear the binder through the month until the swelling goes down a little more. He’s not very good about giving specific direction. I think I just need to use common sense. But I really have no idea when I can and can’t do things. I think my body will tell me, and I just have to be patient and not rush things. He must be confident enough in me because I’m not even scheduled to see him again for three more months. So here’s to happy healing!

I think from this point on I don’t plan on updating everyday, just when I have something new to report. So everyone that has been reading religiously – thanks! I’ll be sure to write when things change and I reach important milestones. I’ll post progress pictures and let you know when they’re up! For now, trying to get back to life.

So I’ve recovered from the emotional setback of not having that drain out yesterday. I threw myself a little pity party and then got over it. I was sitting there opening mail, and I opened another card and was completely floored. Some of my friends all got together and bought me a $250 gap card as a “get well” gift. So to Julie & Matt, Cassie & Josh, Towner, Schulte, Tj, Alicia and Sarah… Thank you. You’re too, too, too generous. That will be a really nice treat for when all the swelling goes down and I need to restock the wardrobe. Having so many supportive and amazing friends has been such an important factor in my healing. I’ve gotten cards and flowers and warm wishes the entire time. I can’t help but heal quickly! So thank you to everyone that has reached out and just simply told me to have a quick recovery. I love every single one of you!!

Today I’m back at work. I’m getting a lot done. We had a little mini welcome back party and Matthias made me a rhubarb cake that I love. (MMM… packing back on the pounds! I better watch out! Back to the WW grind.) Sitting in the chair isn’t that bad. The binder is kind of getting in the way a little. I ended up bird bathing this morning, and washing my hair in the sink. I feel pretty good. I put on a pair of my bigger pants, and I’m glad I did because I’m swelling up in them as we speak. I shoved the drain in my pocket and put on a longer shirt to hide it. So it’s not as bad as I feared. I’m going to put in a pretty much full day today, and then tomorrow I’m leaving at about 11:30 to go see Dr. Foley and (crossed fingers) get the drain out.

Well… I better get back to this “job” thing.

I’m really really bummed. I just got back from Dr. Foley’s office. He wouldn’t take the drain out. He said it’s still has too much fluid. I got out of his office and just cried in my car. I want the drain out more than anything. Mostly because I can’t even shower. And I can’t even begin to feel normal until I can do simple normal things like shower. AND I can’t really wear normal clothes yet because I have this dumb drain pinned to my binder. As if the binder wasn’t enough. I go back to work tomorrow and I just wanted to feel normal again. The only good thing that happened is they took out the staples. So I got home, cried a lot, and then gave myself a sponge bath and shaved my legs and pits in the tub. So I’m feeling a little better now… *sigh* friday. I go back friday. And it really needs to come out then. I have a wedding AND a graduation this weekend. So I will be so devastated if they don’t come out then! Wish me luck.

Oh, and there’s some pics of my incision on the gallery page. (Link also at right side of page.) –WARNING: may be more than you want to see of me–

Here’s a look at my brown pants on before and seven days post op. What a difference! I’m still swollen and I expect them to get a little more loose. But even if I never saw another change – I’m still so, so, so happy with how this has turned out.

There’s an update on my gallery page. (Link also at right side of page.)

So I went to Dr. Foley yesterday and the good news is he removed one drain, the bad news is he left the other. So now I’m lopsided!! It was so strange when he took the drain out. It didn’t hurt, it kinda felt warm and pinched a little. Then he put some gauze and tape over it and I guess it just closes up on it’s own. I had no idea that it went in so far. He pulled about a foot of tube out! It had all these little holes in it just like one of those lawn hoses that sprinkle the yard. Both drains lay right across my abdomen, and then come out the other side. I was pretty surprised! I go back wednesday and he takes the other drain for sure, and will remove the staples too… so I’m looking forward to that!!

Today I’m dealing with being really tired. I had all these high hopes when I was planning for surgery. I thought “A week and a half at home! How great! I’ll get so much reading done, so many movies watched, and knit like two million socks.” As if! I spent the first 3 days sleeping in and out, then this weekend I had guests in and out, and these last couple days I’ve just been resting. Reading and knitting seem like even they take too much energy. I hardly have the mental faculty to watch TV. Now that I’m writing this, I’m wondering, what HAVE I been doing? Healing I guess. You wouldn’t believe how just existing takes so much work and energy.

Just checking in with you guys for the day. I’m sitting here trying to take it really easy. The only chore I did today is I colored my hair. That makes me feel good since I still can’t shower. Remind me not to take that for granted again! Showers rule! Tomorrow I think I’m going to try and get it cut. That will be a good test sitting in the chair for an hour. It will be a mini workday test.

I’m seeing Dr. Foley at 4:15. Lets hope I can ditch these drains.