Wednesday, October 10, 2012

I'm 1 week post tummy tuck

I'm on the other side of the surgery now. It's sometimes hard to get comfortable. I'm still sore, but doing really good. I've never felt like it was "pain". It just feels sore and bruised to me. I have had the brief sharp pains where the nerves try to regenerate. I have medicine for that, too, so it hasn't been bad. I had a lot of medicines for this surgery. Now, I said I wasn't in pain, but I bet if I didn't use my pain meds, I'd be in a LOT of pain!

I've got an anchor in my torso now. The cut is from just under my breast bone, down to my pubic bone, and past my hips on each side. My surgeon did a great job! I've seen people who have a wad of skin at the end of the incisions on their hips where the surgeon bunched it up when sewing them back together. I don't have that. My stomach is still really swollen. It has went down quite a bit, but has a lot more to go. I'm anxious to see what my belly button looks like. Right now, it doesn't look like a belly button at all. It's too swollen. I feel like I have a lot of bruising that I'm not seeing on the skin yet.

I'm walking around well. I can sit straight up in a chair, or couch, but I cannot stand straight up yet. Sleeping is still hard. I sleep a lot with my pain pills. They knock me out and I take them every 4 hrs., except when I skip them so I can actually be awake enough to talk to the family. Usually I sleep 2 or 3 hrs., and the last hr. before the next pain pill, I spend going to the bathroom, readjusting my sitting/laying place, draining my drain bulbs and stuff like that. I was sitting up in a chair, making 2 birthday cards for my daughter. That made me swell really bad! So then I was laying flat on my back with legs elevated, to get the fluids moving out again. This meant I was up and down every hour on the hour, all night long, going to the bathroom!

I have lost a little bit of the water weight. The Dr. took off 15 lbs. of skin/fat. I can't believe it was only that much. It looked like it would weigh at least 30-40 lbs. So, since I still have swelling, my measurements are just temporary. At this point, while measuring my lower stomach/hips, (keep in mind I've got 2 binders on as well, and padding from gauze) I've lost 6 inches. The waist and upper stomach under breasts are still swollen bigger than they were when I went into surgery. I'm so anxious to see the actual results. This gives me a pretty good idea, but the swelling makes it hard to imagine the final shape. To be continued....

6 comments:

Unknown said...

I know how you feel, because after a plastic surgery any person would like to see some results right away.
Only after you ask a qualified person you realize that the most difficult part of the process is the recovery period that can last a few weeks.
When I had tummy tuck in Toronto I went to the best clinic in town and I knew since the first visit all the details about my surgery. Stories like yours are very useful for others because it's very important not to have fake expectations when you decide to have plastic surgeries.

Unknown said...

Why would you have a Tummy tuck and a liposuction done when you can wear an under garment that will do the job?

Gracie said...

Sharma, I didn't have liposuction done, but my tummy tuck was medically necessary. You don't understand how much skin I had. Undergarments only smashed my skin against my skin even more, causing e more rashes and skin break down. My clothes still did not fit right. I know 15 lbs. of skin does not sound like a lot, but it really is. Think of how heavy a bag of potatoes is. Next time you are in the grocery, pick up a 10 lb. and 5 lb. bag of potatoes and imagine that hanging off of the front of you. Then imagine trying to stuff all of that into a control garment. Not a pretty picture. LOL! Not to mention how uncomfortable it is.

Unknown said...

How are you feeling now, Gracie? I hope you are now allowed to go back to your normal activities. A tummy tuck is painful if you don’t take your meds religiously. So, I suggest NEVER forget to take them. The actual results will be worth it once you follow all the post-surgery instructions given by your surgeon.

Dennis Rode

Geoffrey said...

I wish you posted some pictures of the progress you are making! It would certainly be a great inspiration for people who also want a tummy tuck. Maybe you can also share who your surgeon was, so your readers can also consider him/her in case they want a tummy tuck in the future. Personally, I would advise researching about the surgeon’s background. Look for referrals and news clippings - even certifications can be a solid proof of quality work.


@Geoffrey Lelia

Unknown said...

Complete Tummy tuck surgery is ideal for those who want to lose skin from midsection of the tummy