HoosierDoula

I neglected to mention Dr Chris Jones is in Carmel, IN. I can't say enough good things about him ..his wife is a bariatric surgeon too Susan =n=n=n=n=n= Mom To: Hannah, Logan Lance, Hayden, and the TWINkies Mason & Morgan =n=n=n=n=n=

Well I can recommend another Dr Jones who is AWESOME!! He specializes in bariatric patients and just did my tummy tuck 6 weeks ago. His office is wonderful and he is just a great dr, truly cares about his patients. Dr Christopher Jones of Sando Jones Aker ..you can look at their website..sandojonesaker.com. GOod luck, let me know if you have any other questions. Susan =n=n=n=n=n= Mom To: Hannah, Logan Lance, Hayden, and the TWINkies Mason & Morgan =n=n=n=n=n=

I'll be 6 weeks out tomorrow. I wasn't prepared for just how big of a deal this really is. I'd done my reading and whatnot but I could pretty much do NOTHING but sit for weeks and the whole "why did I do this to myself" was pretty intense for quite some time. I'd say just in the last 10 days or so have I felt myself coming out of that. My emotions have really been up and down but mostly down. I'm now happy I did this but just the feelings of utter uselessness and helplessness for the first several weeks were more than I was anticipating. Also ..the swelling ...I am still dealing with that..majorly. Of course I knew there would be swelling but I had no idea how bad it could be. Also, be prepared to feel like your belly button has been sewn to the back of whatever chair you are sitting in! LOL Took me a while to get used to that. Only other thing I can warn about ..back pain! I didn't expect my back to hurt so much from walking funny but it REALLY did, and still does if I don't wear my second skin (my compression garmet). Overall ...remember this is MAJOR. Give yourself time and know the emotions that come with this surgery can be pretty overwhelming. But it gets better ...slowly at first. At 6 weeks now I am still moving slowly, tire easily, and swell ALOT ...but I'm starting to see how great I'll look. They took 11 pounds from me during surgery. Oh ...guess I should tell you to be prepared for not fitting into your clothes either. I've only been wearing jeans again for a couple weeks and I can only wear them for a few hours at a time or I'm hurting. I also went up a size for a while too ...but I have now dropped one size from before surgery and think I'll probably drop one more before all is said and done. It was much harder than I was prepared for ...but in the end I know it'll have been worth it. So, good luck to you ...take it slowly. Can't wait to hear how things go for you. Susan =n=n=n=n=n= Mom To: Hannah, Logan Lance, Hayden, and the TWINkies Mason & Morgan =n=n=n=n=n=

Ok yea ...yesterday was 3 weeks post-op and I am totally in swell hell! When does this peak?!? I feel like I am going to split open! I look like I am wearing a cup or something!! I am feeling better finally ..still not totally standing up straight and man do I tire easily, but I am able to do a little more everyday. I'm going to try to post some before/after photos. The befores were taken the night before my surgery ..the afters were taken this past Saturday. I was 181 the morning of surgery(17th) and 162 the day I took the afters.

Just thought I would post a quick update ..things are pretty quiet here in the October Group! Yesterday was 15 months for me. .I am down 125 pounds with about 12 to go to my goal. On Dec 17 I had an extended tummy tuck and am still working on recovering from that ...very slow process ..I am almost able to stand up straight! My surgeon removed 11 pounds during surgery and I've lost about another 9 since then..can't complain about that. I am still loving my band and my decision to go down this road! In fact the night before my surgery I spent the night in the hospital with a good friend of mind who had LapBand surgery with my surgeon that day! I have 3 other friends going to see my surgeon in the next few months ...I told her she needs to give me some serious points for that! LOL Hope you all are continuing to succeed! Susan =n=n=n=n=n= Mom To: Hannah, Logan Lance, Hayden, and the TWINkies Mason & Morgan =n=n=n=n=n=

OK ..tell me how long I can expect the numbness to be so intense? And what about this "ken doll" stuff ..how long do I have to put up with that ..it's icky!?! I feel like Frankenstein right now! I am beginning to feel a little better and have been able to sleep a little better but I constantly feel like I am ripping myself in half. ~Susan

Someone is truly testing me! Not only am I trying to recover from this surgery that has really kicked my butt, but all 6 of my kids and my dh got a stomach bug! The kids were puking every few minutes all around me. I was scared to death it would hit me too, and it did ..only it affected me from the other end if you know what I mean :thumbup: Anyway ..because everyone was so sick I ended up driving myself to the surgeon yesterday. They took the stinking plastic off finally ..that felt good, I can actually take a deep breath now. He said everything looks great! He wanted to leave the drains in a few more days, which was fine, I was more concerned with the stupid plastic wrap. He did tell me he would come in on Christmas Day if I stopped draining and he'd take them out for me as a present :sad: I don't think that will happen but I have another appt next Tuesday and I'm sure they'll come out then. I do have a little of the "Ken doll" thing going on but it's just swelling and I can live with that. I was super stupid and decided to stop by the store while I was out yesterday. I can still barely walk, what the heck was I thinking?!? I was in there over an hour and was so exhausted. Carrying my purse hurts right now let alone lifting bags of stuff. I also had the very pleasant experience of the stomach bug hitting me while I was in the store ..and of course I was walking around hunched over the cart so there was no hope of stopping it. ..so I had to hit the shower as soon as I got home and I pretty much collapsed after that. I am taking it easy and not doing much of anything. I am finally feeling better after a miserable evening yesterday going back and forth to the bathroom all evening. I got on the scale this morning and am down 16 pounds from my surgery one week ago today! (that was fully dressed with full drains ...so I expect it's a little lower than that!) WOOHOO ...at least there is that to be happy about! ~Susan (still too tired to care about my siggy)

I don't know ..and I wouldn't call it special, it's driving me crazy!! lol I was able to peel a little corner of it up today ..I didn't take it off although I was sure tempted! I can tell it isn't going to feel good when it does come off! It's so tight over my belly button there is an air pocket there! lol I know I've swollen alot today because I was more comfortable yesterday and now the stuff is so tight again I can barely stand up. My back is sore from being so hunched over with this stuff ..if not for it, I could stand much more upright. UGH! I go see my dr in the morning ..praying I get rid of as much as possible! ~Susan (too sore to care about my siggy) lol

Yea, I've talked to several people who had 4-6 drains so I am very happy to only have come out with the two. I am feeling better today but I think I've got some swelling going on because I am seriously uncomfortable in this stupid saran wrap again and it has to be that ..the stuff is so tight I can't take a deep breath! I PRAY it come off tomorrow ..if the drains have to stay in I can live with that (although I am praying they come out too! LOL) but this wrap stuff is more than I can take! My drains are not putting out much at all ..I was told to empty them every 4 hours and I might empty them every 14 or so and there has not been more than 30ml in either one of them since yesterday. .I'm hoping that means they'll come out too! ~Susan (too sore to care about my siggy) lol

Thanks for the well wishes ..I came through surgery just fine. I've struggled the past few days as I am sure those of you who have been here understand. I knew it was going to hurt but did not expect this kind of pain. I did not tolerate my meds well and have had to go off them altogether but I am doing ok with it. I would feel so much better if my body weren't so tightly wrapped in this saran wrap like stuff ..it's killing me!! I ended up having the full 360 done, my dr was very happy with the results and I know I will be too ...I am just so over feeling like my belly button has been sewn to the back of the chair I am sitting in through my body!! He told me they took off 11 pounds of skin and tissue which far exceeded my expectations! I got on the scale today out of curiosity ..in full clothes, binder and full drains I was 10 pounds down from surgery morning so I expect it to be even better in a couple weeks. I do have 2 drains that are driving me crazy but I am thankful to just have 2 I guess. I go for my post-op on Tuesday morning and if I can't get the drains out yet I just PRAY they take this saran wrap off because I'm going to go crazy if they don't!!! :biggrin: ~Susan

Well ...tomorrow is the big day! I am actually going to the hospital tonight to spend the night with my girlfriend who is having her Lap Band surgery today (with my surgeon and everything!LOL). So I am staying with her tonight so my hubby doesn't have to get all the kids up at the crack of dawn to drive me up there (about 40 minutes away) ...so I'll just get up and go check myself in in the morning! LOL I'm a little anxious knowing I'll be alone for most of the day, it'll be late tomorrow evening before my family can come up to see me...and the nerves hit me yesterday so I am a little jittery now ...but so looking forward to the results that I hope to see from this. I am still disappointed I didn't get to the weight I was hoping to before surgery, in fact I gained a couple of pounds what with all the candy baking I've had to do the past few days! LOL But ..hopefully this surgery will kick start the weight loss again and I'll be at goal in a few weeks. So ..I'll see you all on the other side I guess! Susan =n=n=n=n=n= Mom To: Hannah, Logan Lance, Hayden, and the TWINkies Mason & Morgan =n=n=n=n=n=

Ok, I have a question for all those of you who have had the TT. How close to your goal were you when you had your tt done? What was your weight? I was hoping to have dropped 10-15 pounds before surgery but it just isn't going anywhere! All the weight I have left to lose is in this belly and while I am sure the surgery won't take it all off ..I am upset to be this far over my goal with surgery 9 days away now. I have about 22 pounds to goal total. Susan =n=n=n=n=n= Mom To: Hannah, Logan Lance, Hayden, and the TWINkies Mason & Morgan =n=n=n=n=n=