The past week has been super crazy!
Last Friday night was Shane's birthday get together, and boy did I pay for staying out late the next day. My abdomen got very swollen (more than normal), and I was exhausted. The kids had a state livestock show with 4-H, so we went to that the next day. It was all I could do to sit there for 5 hours. I slept the whole way home. All 3 hours.
On Sunday, I noticed my belly button was looking a bit gross. (I should preface this part by saying that you get a "new" belly button when you get a tummy tuck. They cut around your belly button and then make a new hole and sew it back in once your skin is tight.)Actually, I noticed it on Thursday but just figured if was part of the healing process. By Sunday, though, it was looking A LOT worse. I decided that since I didn't have to be at work on Monday until noon, I'd go see my doctor first thing Monday morning. No such luck, of course! Dr. Vann wouldn't be in until Monday afternoon. I didn't want to miss work, so I thought I'd just stop by urgent care and let them take a look. They automatically flipped out and called my surgeon's office even though I TOLD them he wasn't there. The nurse was though and told them to give me a shot of Rocephrin right away and for me to be there at 2. Period. So, I had to miss work and spent the whole day being poked and prodded.
Good news is that the infection seems to be clearing up.
I almost forgot-I can sleep in my bed again!!! It feels so good to stretch out after only being able to sleep in a recliner for 3 weeks.
Work is making my stomach do swelling tricks. I wake up with minimal swelling and after being at work one hour I am supah puffy. I look like I'm 3 months preggers. Once I'm off and come home and relax for about 45 min., the swelling starts to subside. I think I can just about swell on command now. ;)
I will say that each day is a little better. This surgery was no joke. And I won't lie, there have been days that were so terrible that I wished I hadn't had it done. But then I think about how miserable I was before and I'm glad I did it. I still have a few months to go through the whole healing process. Hopefully, it's a little more smooth than the first 3 weeks have been.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Friday, January 11, 2013
Party Too Hard and Pay for It
Today was my precious hubs 35th birthday, and I wanted it to be absolutely amazing. He's spent HALF of the last 10 years in either Iraq or Afghanistan on his birthday, or away from home at some type of training. As a matter of a fact, we've never celebrated his birthday on his actual birthday before. This was the first time EVER!!!
I planned a surprise party for him at a local Mexican restaurant that has an excellent, fun atmosphere. We had about a dozen or so people show up to celebrate with us. We arrived at the restaurant at 7PM. I had two margaritas and felt fine. At around 9 or 9:30 we headed over to the Irish pub to continue our fun. I was the DD, so I only had one more beer there and then cut it off. By 11, I was dying. I had be up since 7AM and going full force all day taking care of various things. I think being up and moving so much (even though I felt great) finally caught up with my still healing body. I started swelling and hurting around 1030 or 11. I finally had to ask Shane to wrap it up around 1130. I couldn't tolerate it anymore. I had to come home and put up my feet and take something for the pain.
I'm hoping that I didn't push myself too much and set myself back or have to pay for it tomorrow. Even if I am dragging a little tomorrow, it will be worth it. I wanted this to be his best birthday ever. He so deserves it, and I am so thankful for him!
And a big, BIG thanks to our great friends who came out to celebrate. They're all sweethearts! Thanks guys! You're the best!
I planned a surprise party for him at a local Mexican restaurant that has an excellent, fun atmosphere. We had about a dozen or so people show up to celebrate with us. We arrived at the restaurant at 7PM. I had two margaritas and felt fine. At around 9 or 9:30 we headed over to the Irish pub to continue our fun. I was the DD, so I only had one more beer there and then cut it off. By 11, I was dying. I had be up since 7AM and going full force all day taking care of various things. I think being up and moving so much (even though I felt great) finally caught up with my still healing body. I started swelling and hurting around 1030 or 11. I finally had to ask Shane to wrap it up around 1130. I couldn't tolerate it anymore. I had to come home and put up my feet and take something for the pain.
I'm hoping that I didn't push myself too much and set myself back or have to pay for it tomorrow. Even if I am dragging a little tomorrow, it will be worth it. I wanted this to be his best birthday ever. He so deserves it, and I am so thankful for him!
And a big, BIG thanks to our great friends who came out to celebrate. They're all sweethearts! Thanks guys! You're the best!
The Compression Garment
Today, I took off my compression garment, which we'll lovingly refer to as just CG from now on, to wash. I realized how important the CG is, and that I've never addressed it in one of my posts.
As soon as the surgery is over, and before you're even awake, your CG will be put on. It's kind of like a cross between spanx and a corset. It helps with the swelling, circulation, and to keep everything as compressed and in place as possible. For the first week or so, the CG will NEVER come off. It's kind of odd--you get very used to it and it doesn't even bother you. Once you have the ok from your doctor, you can take it off to shower and to wash it. It's very strange, because when you are actually able to take it off, you won't want to! You'll feel naked, vulnerable, and insecure without it! You will also notice that swelling will start immediately if you have it off for more than about 15 minutes. While walking around without my CG on, I honestly feel like my incision is going to rip open and my uterus is gong to fall out or something! LOL! I can't wait to shimmy back into that thing. It's my security blanket.
After 2-4 weeks, your doctor will let you transition into spanx. It provides the pressure and compression needed but not as much as the CG. I still have a little too much swelling to transition at this point. Hopefully, next week I will be able to though, because the CG is a pain to take off and on.
While I'm here, I will say that today is day 17 post-op, and it's the first day that I have really felt great! I am alllllllmost completely upright; I still walk with a slight hunch. My stamina had been good today, and overall, I feel great. My only complaint at this point is the slight swelling. Other than that, I'd say I've finally reached the downward climb in recovery :)
As soon as the surgery is over, and before you're even awake, your CG will be put on. It's kind of like a cross between spanx and a corset. It helps with the swelling, circulation, and to keep everything as compressed and in place as possible. For the first week or so, the CG will NEVER come off. It's kind of odd--you get very used to it and it doesn't even bother you. Once you have the ok from your doctor, you can take it off to shower and to wash it. It's very strange, because when you are actually able to take it off, you won't want to! You'll feel naked, vulnerable, and insecure without it! You will also notice that swelling will start immediately if you have it off for more than about 15 minutes. While walking around without my CG on, I honestly feel like my incision is going to rip open and my uterus is gong to fall out or something! LOL! I can't wait to shimmy back into that thing. It's my security blanket.
After 2-4 weeks, your doctor will let you transition into spanx. It provides the pressure and compression needed but not as much as the CG. I still have a little too much swelling to transition at this point. Hopefully, next week I will be able to though, because the CG is a pain to take off and on.
While I'm here, I will say that today is day 17 post-op, and it's the first day that I have really felt great! I am alllllllmost completely upright; I still walk with a slight hunch. My stamina had been good today, and overall, I feel great. My only complaint at this point is the slight swelling. Other than that, I'd say I've finally reached the downward climb in recovery :)
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Money, Money, Money
So, this blog entry is kind of a two-parter. The first part is about money, and the second part is about wishing I would have never had this done.
Several people have asked me how much my procedure cost. Either because they are considering it themselves and no doctor will even give you a ballpark figure unless you come in for a consultation, or just because they are being plain nosey. :) I've been fairly private about the cost, but then I figured, 'You know, I searched high and low to find a true cost on the internet instead of just an "average". I wanted to know what people actually paid for the procedure. It was frustrating not to find the information.' So, for those of you considering and those of you nosey, I am going to tell you the cost.
Here is the breakdown:
Tummy tuck procedure:$ 6,000
Repair/tightening of the stomach muscles: $900
Liposuction of the lubar rolls or "love handles": $1200
Anesthesia fee and over night stay: $ 1200
Grand total: $9,300
Go ahead. Judge. Say it was a waste of money. That it's vain to spend that much money on self-appearance. Whatever. The fact is, that's what it cost. The thing is, if you've have kids, there's no point in getting a tummy tuck without getting the muscles repaired. Then, you'll still have a "pooch" with tight skin instead of loose skin. So, you can't cut out the muscle repair. Then there's the love handles. Can you imagine how ridiculous you would look with a nice, washboard stomach and two big love handles on each side? I mean, what's the point? So, once again, a cost that you can't eliminate. Of course the anesthesia fee is necesssary, because you sure as hell don't want to be awake for the procedure! And because the surgery is so extensive, and to be honest, could have some major complications, you have to stay overnight in the hospital or surgical center. It's not optional.
I will say that we only paid $8,200, because our very nice surgeon gave us a military discount :)
I was going to make this entry a two-parter, but I think for now, I'll leave it at this. I'll do another entry later explaining a moment that I had where I honest to goodness had wished I had never had it done. It passed, but for the sake of sharing this whole experience, I'll tell the story....later.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
I. Am. So. Tired.
So, here lately I have been really exhausted. Who am I kidding? I've felt exhausted since the surgery. Everyone said that once I started moving around more that I would get my energy back. Ive been moving as much as possible, and I'm still really tired all the time. Well, today at work, I couldn't stand for more than 10 minutes before needing to take a 2 minute rest. This evening, Shane and I went to CVS, and I had to sit in the isle like a moron to catch my breath. I feel great in all other aspects; I just have no stamina yet.
I got off at lunch today and came home and did some tidying up for about 20 minutes. It's the first time I've done housework since my surgery! (It's Day 14 Post-Op by the way!) After that I crashed. But after a 1 hour power nap, I was good to go again.
I still have to walk bent over, but I noticed today I was walking more upright than I previously have been walking.
Just out of curiosity, I put on my bathing suit bottoms today to see if my scar would show. Sadly, about 2 inches on each side will show if I wear a bikini. I'm sure over time it will lighten up so much it will barely be noticeable; plus I'd rather have a little scar showing than that flabby mess that I used to have :)
Overall, everything is healing nicely. I still have some swelling, but that's normal. My doctor told me that I won't actually be able to see the true, final results for another few months--just in time for our cruise! I'm actually so swollen right now that my pants I wore before the surgery won't button LOL but at least I'm FLAT!
I don't regret for a minute having this done. I think my only regret is that I wasn't prepared for the healing process: the time, the details, etc. I was told the basics of what to expect and no more. And as I've said before, a strong support system through this is so important, and I'm so thankful I've had that in my husband.
Until next time!
I got off at lunch today and came home and did some tidying up for about 20 minutes. It's the first time I've done housework since my surgery! (It's Day 14 Post-Op by the way!) After that I crashed. But after a 1 hour power nap, I was good to go again.
I still have to walk bent over, but I noticed today I was walking more upright than I previously have been walking.
Just out of curiosity, I put on my bathing suit bottoms today to see if my scar would show. Sadly, about 2 inches on each side will show if I wear a bikini. I'm sure over time it will lighten up so much it will barely be noticeable; plus I'd rather have a little scar showing than that flabby mess that I used to have :)
Overall, everything is healing nicely. I still have some swelling, but that's normal. My doctor told me that I won't actually be able to see the true, final results for another few months--just in time for our cruise! I'm actually so swollen right now that my pants I wore before the surgery won't button LOL but at least I'm FLAT!
I don't regret for a minute having this done. I think my only regret is that I wasn't prepared for the healing process: the time, the details, etc. I was told the basics of what to expect and no more. And as I've said before, a strong support system through this is so important, and I'm so thankful I've had that in my husband.
Until next time!
Monday, January 7, 2013
Happy Day; Painful Day
I went back to work today. To be honest, I was soooo worried. I knew that I couldn't make it the whole day. Heck, I could barely make it to the mailbox and back without needing a two hour nap. Shane woke me up at 5:00 this morning when he left for work to wish me a good day and give me a kiss. I dozed off and on after he left worrying myself to death. I wanted to do a good job at work. I didn't want to appear weak or like I didn't want to be there. I finally got up and dressed the best that I could. I got to work at 9AM, and Mrs. Marcy saw that I was having a little trouble getting around, so she told me I would only be working until lunch for the first couple of days until my body could get adjusted and my strength could build up. It was an answer to my prayers! The thing is, I took half of a pain pill before going to work, and I felt great! I got things accomplished this morning, and was really happy being at work. Everything timed out perfectly, because the pain medication had worn off when it was time for me to leave, and my back was really hurting.
When I left at lunch, I had 7 missed calls, 2 text messages, and 3 voicemails from my sweet Shane. He worries about me so much. He had been trying to get in touch with me to make sure I was doing ok and wasn't having any problems. He had already devised a plan to come get me if he had to. I'm telling you, I am one blessed lady. He is precious.
I was also great seeing my work friends today! I have met some sweet ladies through working at RHM and was glad to get to reunite with them today. Everyone had positive, encouraging things to say, and I was genuinely happy to see them!Oh, and I love my Mrs. Jan! She never has anything negative to say. (Unless we're having one of our complaint sessions hehe) She brightens the whole room with her personality, and she has had nothing but positive things to say about my choice to have this procedure done. Ms. Jan has really helped me feel good about myself, and I love her for that! She is so beautiful herself--inside and out!
Now, the bad part...I got off work and called the doctors office. I told them that I was off early and that I had only drained 6cc per drain in the past 12 hours. They told me that I could go ahead and come in to have my drains removed! Yay!....NOT! No one told me how painful it would be. As I explained in a previous blog entry, there were two drains sewn into two small incisions. Both were right below my tummy tuck incision and right above my vagina. Shane was not able to drive me today, because he was still at work. When I told the nurse I was driving myself she said, "I really wish someone could drive you, because you'll need some pain medication before hand. But if you really want to go ahead and come today, that's fine." So, anyway, back to the removal. The nurse unstitched the drains and then explained to me that it would hurt when she pulled the drains out; especially since I wasn't able to take any pain meds. She told me to take a deep breath and hold it, and she would remove the drain on the count of three. When she pulled the first drain out, I could feel my skin that had grown to the drain tearing away from it. It hurt. Bad. I cried and almost fainted. I got so pale that she waited about five minutes before removing the second drain. When I say that the drain removal was painful, I mean painful as in the most painful part of the whole tummy tuck experience. More painful than the IV needles. More painful than the sore muscles. More painful than my back aches. It was horrible. I couldn't believe in all of the things I had read online that no one had mentioned how painful it would be. So, I'm telling you all now: IT WILL HURT WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR DRAINS REMOVED! If you haven't taken the time to "share" an entry from my blog, please share this one. I want people to be aware that there is no anesthsia or sedative for drain removal and people should be prepared for this part of the healing process.
I also had my belly button stitches removed. That whole region is still numb, so I didn't feel that at all. Overall, the doc said everything is looking great. The swelling is going down. The left side is already looking so amazing, and the right side is still a little puffy but getting there.
The military ball is in two weeks. I'm so excited to go try on dresses this weekend! This whole procedure has been so very challenging, and even though I have about lost my mind at times, I wouldn't change a thing. I am so proud, and today was a huge milestone!
When I left at lunch, I had 7 missed calls, 2 text messages, and 3 voicemails from my sweet Shane. He worries about me so much. He had been trying to get in touch with me to make sure I was doing ok and wasn't having any problems. He had already devised a plan to come get me if he had to. I'm telling you, I am one blessed lady. He is precious.
I was also great seeing my work friends today! I have met some sweet ladies through working at RHM and was glad to get to reunite with them today. Everyone had positive, encouraging things to say, and I was genuinely happy to see them!Oh, and I love my Mrs. Jan! She never has anything negative to say. (Unless we're having one of our complaint sessions hehe) She brightens the whole room with her personality, and she has had nothing but positive things to say about my choice to have this procedure done. Ms. Jan has really helped me feel good about myself, and I love her for that! She is so beautiful herself--inside and out!
Now, the bad part...I got off work and called the doctors office. I told them that I was off early and that I had only drained 6cc per drain in the past 12 hours. They told me that I could go ahead and come in to have my drains removed! Yay!....NOT! No one told me how painful it would be. As I explained in a previous blog entry, there were two drains sewn into two small incisions. Both were right below my tummy tuck incision and right above my vagina. Shane was not able to drive me today, because he was still at work. When I told the nurse I was driving myself she said, "I really wish someone could drive you, because you'll need some pain medication before hand. But if you really want to go ahead and come today, that's fine." So, anyway, back to the removal. The nurse unstitched the drains and then explained to me that it would hurt when she pulled the drains out; especially since I wasn't able to take any pain meds. She told me to take a deep breath and hold it, and she would remove the drain on the count of three. When she pulled the first drain out, I could feel my skin that had grown to the drain tearing away from it. It hurt. Bad. I cried and almost fainted. I got so pale that she waited about five minutes before removing the second drain. When I say that the drain removal was painful, I mean painful as in the most painful part of the whole tummy tuck experience. More painful than the IV needles. More painful than the sore muscles. More painful than my back aches. It was horrible. I couldn't believe in all of the things I had read online that no one had mentioned how painful it would be. So, I'm telling you all now: IT WILL HURT WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR DRAINS REMOVED! If you haven't taken the time to "share" an entry from my blog, please share this one. I want people to be aware that there is no anesthsia or sedative for drain removal and people should be prepared for this part of the healing process.
I also had my belly button stitches removed. That whole region is still numb, so I didn't feel that at all. Overall, the doc said everything is looking great. The swelling is going down. The left side is already looking so amazing, and the right side is still a little puffy but getting there.
The military ball is in two weeks. I'm so excited to go try on dresses this weekend! This whole procedure has been so very challenging, and even though I have about lost my mind at times, I wouldn't change a thing. I am so proud, and today was a huge milestone!
Sunday, January 6, 2013
A Little Bit of Kindness
Today has been a good day! My left drain has almost completely stopped, and the right drain is slowing down a little too! I feel very confident that they will come out on Monday or Wednesday.
The only complaint I have today is this weird burning sensation on my right side. It literally feels like hot coals have been poured into my pants. It's kind of on the side where I had lipo. I'm wondering if this is a normal side effect. It only lasts for about 30 seconds at a time. I suppose I'll ask the doctor about it tomorrow.
I'm trying to take it easy today, so the kids and I are doing activities that require little activity on my part. I want to have as much energy as possible for going back to work tomorrow. Currently, they are having a nerf gun war with Shane, and I'm the spy for them LOL. Since its raining, we offered to take them to the movies today, but they said they would rather play at home. Surprising? Yes. Disappointment? No. That just saved me like 30 bucks! It makes me feel good knowing they are happy and content just playing at home.
I'm about to get my clothes ready for work tomorrow. I hate to tell 'em, but I will be wearing my black Under Armour pants to work tomorrow. That's all I can fit in comfortably until the drains come out! ;)
I received a message today from someone I went to school with. She told me how much my blog has inspired her and how much she admires me. I won't go into detail, but her words meant so very much to me and they even made me cry. All I have ever wanted was to make a difference to someone. To inspire them, motivate them, teach them, support them, or just let them know they are loved. We only get one life, and even though I have made my fair share of bad decisions and mistakes, I feel like I have finally grown up. All I want when my time here on earth is over is to be remembered as that person that loved everyone and exhibited the true meaning of kindness and love. It makes my heart happy to know that I have been able to use this experience not only to inform others but inspire them!
The only complaint I have today is this weird burning sensation on my right side. It literally feels like hot coals have been poured into my pants. It's kind of on the side where I had lipo. I'm wondering if this is a normal side effect. It only lasts for about 30 seconds at a time. I suppose I'll ask the doctor about it tomorrow.
I'm trying to take it easy today, so the kids and I are doing activities that require little activity on my part. I want to have as much energy as possible for going back to work tomorrow. Currently, they are having a nerf gun war with Shane, and I'm the spy for them LOL. Since its raining, we offered to take them to the movies today, but they said they would rather play at home. Surprising? Yes. Disappointment? No. That just saved me like 30 bucks! It makes me feel good knowing they are happy and content just playing at home.
I'm about to get my clothes ready for work tomorrow. I hate to tell 'em, but I will be wearing my black Under Armour pants to work tomorrow. That's all I can fit in comfortably until the drains come out! ;)
I received a message today from someone I went to school with. She told me how much my blog has inspired her and how much she admires me. I won't go into detail, but her words meant so very much to me and they even made me cry. All I have ever wanted was to make a difference to someone. To inspire them, motivate them, teach them, support them, or just let them know they are loved. We only get one life, and even though I have made my fair share of bad decisions and mistakes, I feel like I have finally grown up. All I want when my time here on earth is over is to be remembered as that person that loved everyone and exhibited the true meaning of kindness and love. It makes my heart happy to know that I have been able to use this experience not only to inform others but inspire them!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)