general_antiope

Hi ladies...yeah wow, it all came crushing down on me today. I'm having trouble keeping up with my life ... I'm not sleeping well (up every 3 hours to pee, uncomfortable, etc as I have no meds) and the simple act of showering, dressing myself, grooming, feeding and walking the dog only long enough for her to pee is draining me by 10 am. Aunt Flo arrived today and I am dealing with mega cramps, which feel funny because my abdomen is numb, so I can't tell, literally, what the pain is from...could be constipation, ab muscle, a signal to pee....??? LOL. I keep going to the bathroom and am surprised at whatever it is my body needs. It's a guessing game. I try to make it fun. I managed to get some loose boy shorts on to handle Aunt Flo and some pads...had some misery where it was pulling on my drain's suture...but today I just lost my shit. I lost it. I have been bawling all day, by myself, enjoying my misery and feeling like I'm on the edge. letting it all out...I'm sure it's partly my period, partly the aftereffects of surgery, partly the need to drain more Fluid, and a lot o it is just being freaking fed up with EVERY move and breath I take being accompanied by pain and struggle. It's not terrible, it's not debilitating, but every simple thing I try to do is just a fight. I feel like I've been fighting since I woke up from surgery and push-push-pushing. So, I had a number of ridiculous big crying episodes today and was glad nobody was around to witness it. On top of all this stress, my dad, who I work for, has not paid me in 2 weeks and it caused a money jam. He was not open to talking about paying me (his company's in trouble) and now I'm starting to wonder how the hell I'm going to survive. Just feels like it all clobbered me at once, today. It got a little funny tonight after dinner when I thought I was recovered and I realized I was watching Marley&Me and was bawling my EYES out at the death scene of the dog...I was howling "WHY AM I WATCHING THIS TODDAAAAYYYYY"...kind of funny :tongue: But let's look at the positives. First, it truly is easier to walk around every day, my pain and tightness has lessened. My arms don't feel quiiiite as creepy, or tingly-sore-weird to the touch, my bewbs of course are rocking the hotness, things ARE healing every day. I'm also finally done with the Lovenox injections. They were making me considerably nauseous and eating was just out of the question this week. I went into the hospital at 216, this morning I weighed 200. Even with my swelling I'm still dropping weight, I'm sure I'm technically already in the 190s. My face is looking thinner, and I still am in love with the proportions of my shoulders, the slope of my bewbs, the thinner-ness of my arms. I have pranced carefully once or twice topless in the bathroom mirror. I am sooo looking forward to going clothes shopping, even for an interim outfit. If I get home soon enough on Xmas eve I will brave some stores and try on clothes. Why not? I need an outfit for Christmas, maybe it's the spirit lift I need. Fanny, I'm not sure why it's different. I got a full belt lipectomy...they took off a significant amount of skin (13 lbs) and I definitely skated the line trying to recover from the loss of blood volume, praps that is delaying my recovery? Plus you were (smart) in the hospital for a week, I bet they kept your blood volume up with the liquids. How has your swelling been? Skinnyjeans - Yeah I'm doing everything. Tomorrow I really need to vacuum, dust, do some web design, change the sheets on my bed...and I'm probably going to get some coffee and sit down at my computer and see if I can afford to have a maid service come in to clean my place. Another great thing is that I did have the foresight to hire a service to come in and run the dog. Today a marathon runner showed up to kick my dog's ass. It was her first run...and she did reallly well. She came back in smiling like I've never seen her smile, so I have them lined up for a few days this week to help keep the dog tired so I don't have to walk her as much. Allie, I wonder if your lifting restrictions are cause of your implants? I don't have implants to the bewb healing has been uneventful. With the exception of a stray stitch poking out of my nipple, they're fine. they don't hurt in the least and the swelling has gone down. I definitely have not gotten any policies about lifting stuff, they just want me to take it easy on the pulling of the stitches. It's not hard...I can tell the difference when a certain motion uses my muscles, or if it uses my skin, you know? OK ladies. I hope I'm all cried out and wake up feeling awesome tomorrow. Tomorrow is the last day of having these drains in...then Thursday I'm driving for FREEDOM. Thanks for listening to all the whining. The good, the bad, the ugly...this is reality I guess :biggrin: I am soooo SOOOOOSOOOSOSOSOSOSOSOOOOO glad the majority of the pain is over. There were a few days there where I could hear a tiny voice going "what the HELL HAVE WE DONE?" But I'm glad I did it all at once, I'm glad I had no concept of how uncomfortable I was going to be, cause, yeah I prolly would not have done it unless I had someone living with me to care for me. I'm a little miffed at the doctors for not adequately preparing me for this, especially when I asked them on multiple occasions what my concerns were. So I have about 2 - 4 more weeks til the stitches in my arms and bewbs start popping and losing their strength. Can't wait to ogle my bewbs. Another 6 weeks til the belly stitches are gone and it starts to flatten. OH! Did I mention I like my belly button? It doesn't look all perfectly circular and fake, looks pretty good. OK I think I have exhausted myself out. Will try to sleep now. Kate

Hi ladies, here's an update I'm driving and home and independent again, much to the surprise of my docs. They told me most people who get what I got done are down and out for 2-3 weeks, apparently I am progressing fast. I was thinking if you didn't expect me to be mobile then why only 5 days of percocets?! Hmpf. Would have been NICE to know I could have taken it easier...I pushed myself. I tried to take some pics but I am so swollen still, it's just kind of depressing now. lol. My right side is healing faster than the left, my right breast and arm stitches are healthy and pink and flattening out...the left side is like 4 days behind. It's crazy. I am still draining significantly from my first two drain holes. The doc says I may have some seromas, or clogged drains. possibly both. But I can't get up to see them til Christmas Eve, so, four more days of these horrid drains I can't wait to get out!! I have had a little separation in my armpits...docs say it's incredibly common and always heals. Just creepy to see a hole there...but I'm not in pain. The tightness in my arms has lessened and I'm not restricted...I can carry groceries, drive, dress myself, walk the dog. I'm not sure if I'm doing more than I should, but I can so I do. lol. The one thing I'm bummed about is that the docs are leaning on me to NOT lose more weight. They said no more than 10 lbs in the next 3 months. And then maybe no more than another 10 total...I'm sure its cause it will affect my results, maybe my bewbs will get a little droopier again but it will never be what it was pre-surgery. I just don't like the prospect of staying 180 lbs. That wasn't the plan when I got my band fixed...I want to get fit and help other people, be athletic...but I'm going to just relax over it and see how things pan out. maybe I'll be happy, maybe I won't...but I am definitely happy with what I have now. the biggest thing I like is watching my biceps, triceps and delts move when I do something silly like pick up my purse or pet the cat. It's the way it's supposed to be, it makes me feel more connected to my body, you know? To be able to see normal stuff like my muscles moving. Heh. I would love to see what happens to my flat belly when I lose more weight and develop my abs...will I get a waist?? These things I want to know. Sure hope Aunt Flo holds off til I can get the drains out...Not wearing underwear is not conducive to Girl Time. LOL. OK that's all I got...gonna try to sleep, I went down in a 2.5 hour nap today out of nowhere.

Thanks ladies. What a day. This morning my mom just took two of my drains out - It only hurt some on the one side, I was breathing through it like labor and was fine The other side just felt like pressure. The change is IMMEDIATE. I am more comfortable moving, even with two still in. Today is the first day I feel like I don't need pain medication. I've been struggling with constipation despite stool softeners and laxatives. We had a break through last night lol. Amazing how good you feel. AAHHHHhhhhhhhhh... I'm off all meds right now, and am out of my bra. Things are healing nicely, no infections. Looking forward to going out to Breakfast with mom today. I may be on track to go home this weekend. We'll see...we know how I like to overdo it Thanks for the info, Allie and Skinny! I seem to have needed meds a little longer than others. But today I feel completely clean and not sore. Can't get over how fast it changes. Mm, now my stomach is rumbling for some eggs! The next two drains will come out next week - depending on how the next week goes, I may just take a train and a cab to the docs. There's no way I wanna sit in Christmas Eve traffic so close to New York! Love everyone! woo hoo out of the woods!!!! :ohmy: Kate

Mimi, the surgeons are 2 hours away in Hackensack. I'm in Philly. I traveled to NYU as well to get my band. I'm just into research and finding the best people in a reasonable distance. If I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna find the best docs :thumbup: Found out later Hackensack is one of the top 50 hospitals in the US. It showed...the care was excellent and the food menu for patients was elaborate, lol. GREAT food. Yes, I just said great hospital food!!

Hi Fanny, let us know how it goes. So far, my volume appears to be equal and my nips are even, but one nipple is sliightly bigger than the other. I can't tell if its from the sutures or what, but I could live with it. Now that my swelling is going down in the bewbs I definitely look more natural and less implanty. Interested to see how it may still change as I lose more weight. How is your pain level right now?? Are you off your meds yet?

Hey Allie :thumbup: So how long post op were you able to drive? Be off meds? I can't wait to get two of the drains out tomorrow. It's so bulky, I look like I had a sex change operation, LOL. I'm planning on driving up to N Jersey to get my last 2 drains out and a progress check on Christmas Eve. I'll be almost 3 weeks post op. Do you think I'm pushing it?

It felt like my major swelling was fri and sat. My bewbs have drained some and look better. My face arms and hands are almost normal....and two drains are starting to deplete. Drain 1 is barely putting out one ml for the past two days, drain 3 is at like 30 - 35 a day and dropping. Drains 2 & 4 are still at 100+ a day so it's obvious which ones are coming out first! I felt really good today. The majority of my walking was almost straight up. I take a minute or two to stretch but I am gaining stamina frighteningly quickly. I walked around pottery barn for half hour, then succumbed to the car and a nap, but then helped make meatballs for my mom (I declined since meat binds me up and I'm about to take 3 dulcolax tonite!) and a few hours later pitched in with the dishes. So far I can care for myself except getting pants and socks on, and some bandages. Feeling pretty positive with these improvements that I may be off mess by Friday which is my goal. I'm surprised at how much I can do with my arms, so I do it but try not to push it. On the mend! How is your cold, skinny?

Mimi it was more fun than I anticipated. Those suckers have a heck of a tight turn radius. Skinny, I'm eating primarily lean Protein, then whole grains, fruits and veggies. Still can't eat a big Amy, doc says I have 2-3cc of fill. Half a salmon filet last night...felt like a million bucks afterward. Had eggs this morning. I have trouble working up a reliable appetite. I'm sure it's the drugs. But I did some great shopping, Have an awesome Sunday folks :thumbup:

Day 5 post op. My percocets ran out and I switched to Tylenol with codeine. I'm more aware of all my stitching and can tolerate the discomfort most of the time. Getting out of bed was surprising today because I can stand up straighter. My quads stopped burning from the hunched walking I would do and I feel actually good today. I have feeling in my nips which is great, and every now and again I get little twinges in them as things heal and close. Right now it feels like a horde of tiny healing gnomes are all over me, mending torn skin and slapping awake nerves who fainted. It's not unpleasant. I feel like a giant ant hill. Today mom and I are gonna go out shopping for food. I'm psyched to be in one of those scooters at the supermarket. I'm not sure I'm allowed to operate those while on codeine but my mother has a twisted sense of adventure and finds it fun. My bodylift incision is pretty ugly. It's tailored in the same way as my arms, so I don't like to look at them. They don't hurt but they look painful. Everything around my waist is numb thank god. I do have some tension blisters on the base of my spine on the scar. Doc says it's very typical and they will go away. I ignore them and cover everything with a light sterile dressing. The stool softeners have not worked yet. We will pick up some additional supplies today to help in that area. I can feel activity and pressure but no results yet. Any advice on this? I decided not to share any pics until I have healed a little more. My belly is swelling big time. I look like a tube now. Doc says it will peak Sunday and then a big flushing will happen. Definitely looking forward to that. At least my hands returned to normal size. I looked hilarious. Ok nap time, then a busy afternoon. Going to continue kissing up to mom because she is actually taking the first two drains out on weds. Need to stay on Nurse Ratchett's good side you know ? Lol.

Hi fanny, glad you're home at last. Sounds like hubby is not used to being needed in such a basic care way. Of course he loves you and probably reacts first to not being able to "get it tight without being told" with bravado. Give him patience. The best thing I can suggest is to try to train him on the job. Tell him what to expect in the next few weeks, give him a list of food you would need, warn him YOU will be emotional because of the anesthesia and general trauma to your body. That way he is more comfortable and in control and not likely feeling terrified and inept as he might, but would never admit. We look a fright right now. Praps he is feeling nervous, anyway lots of praise for his patience and thoughtfulness. Just my take on it, hope it helps some. Praising my caretaker (ie mom) has helped me a lot and she is a professionnal nurse. She was very impatient with me years ago while I was down from back surgery. So far I keep my complaining to a minimum and work hard at being a willing patient...changing my own drains, keeping my med schedule, getting in and outbid bed. Even planning showers I say what I need and how it will go. She seems happier following clear instructions rather than having to think for me. Mebbe that is similar to your husbands reaction to food planning. Give him a list :rolleyes2:

I don't have much to add that others haven't already said, skinnyjeans, but I love reading your updates :rolleyes2:

EEE allie :rolleyes2: Yeah I didn't get any such restrictions either. I just had 2 weeks of being mindful of arms over the head. I have picked a few things up off the floor that were high enough to reach. Still working on putting my own pants and socks on lol. Meowwwww nice hair and bikini!

OK i am trusting you all to keep my confidence :rolleyes2: I have arm and bewb pics, I couldn't get to the tummy, got tired. These aren't the best pics, I will try to get some good ones this weekend with my mom. Max swelling is due Sunday, so, there may be more to come. Also still waiting on my before pics :w00t: Edit: please friend and private msg me for album info Not a lot in there now but thought I would give you an idea of what I've got. EDIT: Keep in mind I went in 216, and according to the doc, they took off 13 lbs of tissue!! omg. I still want to lose weight after this. They feel my breasts will hold up and my tummy will stay flat.

Fanny LOL. Did you get a mastopexy/lift and implants...? do you have the new nips and the anchor scar? I have to say I am surprised at how I don't really notice the anchor scar. I'm gonna try to get some pics of my bewbs and arms right now and upload them. We'll see how it goes :-) My mom is horrified that I'll be on the internet, but I will keep the face out of it. I wish I had before pics...I might have some in sports bras around here. Mimi, I am so excited for you. The BEWBS ARE AWESOME. Srsly if this is all I had done it wouldn't be so bad. The mobility in my arms is more than I expected. Definitely the TT will have you down a bit longer, methinks. OK off to take pics.

Allie, I tried to sneak onto my moms scale when she was out but it doesn't have batteries. Thwarted! I emailed my docs to find out how much came off in surgery and they said pathology hadn't gotten back to them yet. Thwarted again! I'm gonna say I lost at least 15 lbs of tissue given the drastic change in my blood volume (13.5 to 9.9). And I'm sure my lack of appetite is forcing my body to use reserves to heal and is finally burning stored fat. So let's say at least 20 lbs light than when I went in. I may be back in the 190s and not realize it. But I don't truly care about the scale, it's just something to pass the time. Yeah I can't wait to feel human again. Tonite I'm getting another reiki treatment, I will see if we can get some scary pics on my phone here. I am black and blue and green and red! Mimi what procedures are you getting done again

Lmao I love my spelling errors. Sorry.

Sorry I'm doing this on my iPhone and it misspells things and cuts me off. Anyway, the labia major were chubby too and accepted I'd live with if. But now I have the petite, proportionate mons AND labia, when I went to wipe after peeing I was like.. Holy CRAP! I don't know how he did it. I cried when I told my mom lol. Had a few weepy episodes from post op and sheer geatefulness and happiness. So excited about the mons and labia. Unexpected surprise. I can tell you the first two days post op were so hard I didn't even care about how I looked. I wanted to rest and have stuff heal. Yesterday and today Noe that I feel better I keep chacking out my bewbs. Lol.

hi mimi! Yeah post op care is critical. Yes I can see the arm op site, the stitching is fugly. No other word to describe it, there is blood and bruising and swelling, but with my arm down, it looks slender and proportional. The way he has sutured them up shows me how it will dissolve into a pencil thin line...it's probably a sewing technique with a name but I dunno what it's called. It's like he debulked the arm flap, trimmed the edges of the wound, then folded them down once, then stitched them. It looks like a little hem but when the stitches dissolve I can see it will lay flat. I will try to get pics tonite or tomorrow. My before pics are taking a while, the dr's office is busy in december. My doc is a bit of a renegade in the compression area. My arm dressings are off, and the drugs make mr basically not feel the arms or bewb pain. I have great mobility in my arms which I was concerned about... He brought the arm incisions down thru my armpits and connected them with the breast lift. The result is twofold; one, no side boobs!!!!!!!! Ah mah gah! Lol. The other I'd I have s smaller armpit and he told me as he marked me up that it was likely I would prespire much there anymore... Sweat glands gone. Most people use just an anti deodorant. Major bonus! The binder has been reduced to 1/3 it's size and basically holds my drains. I felt better with it off. I guess I'm weird?? He said I could wear the whole thing but not tight. He says blood must get to the area to heal the tissue. I want my soft bra back on, bug my mom has to do laundry lol. So I've got no compression but feel fine. I do understand that pulling/burning pain in the groin or hip ppl have described. I think it's just a drain not playing nice with the incision, and fades quickly. One thing I cannot believe is my mons. Oh my god. The belt lipectomy is done beautifully and looks like I'm wearing a sexy g string. My mons was flabby, and even the labia (outer) seemed loose because my body was creatively finding

Hey ladies, quick update. Healing rapidly. Skinnyjeans I am not driving, lol, my mom is a crit care nurse and has been on top of everyone getting me what I need. I'm at her home for now, possibly another week. Took the second shower today, could straighten up. Even with swelling it is such a huuuuuge improvement! I'm gonna get my before pics from the doc hopefully this week and we will take some post op pics soon. My moms doing reiki treatments on me that I swear are working. The difference between yesterday and today is noticeable. My major challenges right now are trying to cough up lung fluid and sore quads from all the walking I do. Lol. I fit into a smaller hoodie post op than I did before. Now I'm focusing on stretching out percocet doses and getting food in. So far I can only tolerate broth and my favorite yogi whole grain cereal. Ok I'm gonna nap now, will be around later.

Wow. I made it. Definitely was a rough couple of days, but i've seen the bewbs and they are perky. belly is flat yet swollen, arms are great. my surgeon really did a fantastic job. i had some trouble with the morphine, i lost a lot of blood volume (13.5 to 9.9)and it resulted in heart palpitations and sweats. So the switch to percocet wasn't smooth, spent a good portion of the day today in severe pain but it did all come together. I'm gonna have a longer recovery than I think. Thanks for the well wishes...showering tomorrow and driving home. been a challenge, but I've been kicking butt. thanks for the support everyone. sleepy time.

WOO HOO Fanny let's rock it!!! GOOD LUCK GIRL!

Sorry for the blogging here, but um, just feeling chatty. Welp. I'm ready. I will ask my mom to post an update to my facebook sometime tomorrow, if possible. She and technology have an uneasy, mutually suspicious relationship so we'll hope for the best. By Tuesday PM I should be discharged to the hotel and can at least update via my iPhone. I was up early today and I'm singing songs to myself, changing the lyrics to amuse myself about my impending surgery. I woke up a few times during the night and wondered "is it over yet?" and was disappointed yet relieved to know it hadn't happened yet. Isn't that crazy? I'm in such good health right now, nothing hurts, I've got full mobility...I had my arm over my head this morning in bed and thought, well, I won't be able to do this tomorrow. I must admit I'm curious to know how bad the pain will be. I've coped with some severe physical pain in the past (lumbar surgery) and I know how to deal with life when I pull a back muscle or pop a disc. Familiar, you know? The inner control freak wants a full accounting upon waking up after surgery of how we're inhibited. Heh. I feel mostly planned. Was thinking about Allie and her sexy little size 6 self, too, wondering when I will be able to change my facebook status to "Kate is now a size 8." LOL. I've never been below a 14 since I was an adult, so...I'm looking forward to it. There is more to this story, and I just couldn't freaking be happier. Any last minute words of advice?? I'll be taking some pics today, and having my mom also take pics tonight (specially the arms, so mimilou can see the before and after :-) ) I'm thinking maybe Wednesday before the first shower we'll take more pics. Yeah I'm probably more nervous about posting my nekkid body than having the surgery. but hey...you ladies shared it all (and boy did ya, Allie LMAO, I keep hearing "BEST O EVER" in my head) and it was so important for me to know the beginning and the end with pics. I want to have realistic expectations.

Fanny! I'm scheduled Monday too for a lower body lift, breast lift, and arm lift. An added bonus is my surgical team's also doing a "flank plasty" that will connect my arm lift to my breast lift and REMOVE the bra rolls. For good. Flappy side boobs, back rolls, bye bye!! I am so freaking excited for BOTH of us. Are you going to post pics?

Allie I am LMAO at your sexcapades. You can tell your joy has increased...as for the O's, I suspect a lot of the improvement has to do with your happiness level. You have body confidence!!! I am so freaking happy for you. You know, I was looking at your photo album and I'm thinking...bikini. I have never looked twice at a bikini. I wonder if that might be in my future once my working band does its job. God I'm getting excited all over again to be back in the "losing" phase. I remember when I went to the info session with Dr. Ren about the band, she said, people on the Band lose an average of 50 - 55% of their excess weight and keep it off long term. I swore that I would lose 100%...and yet here I am. I'm so damn lucky that this story isn't over for me. Also, I TOTALLY know how you feel with the band not working right. My crap has not worked for 3 years now. After I dropped the first 100, the hunger crept back in and I was back to eating total crap. It's a miracle I didn't gain all my freaking weight back, but I just am so frustrated at the mental addiction and noisiness in my head about food when the fill isn't working. In 3 years, with no help from the band, I've only gained a net of 20 lbs from my lowest. Not bad. Some months I got filled and it held for 4 days, I dropped 9 lbs. Then it drains. Sometimes it goes completely empty, but it usually just drains past the magic part, and the hunger is back. I almost miss productive burping. I try not to be mad that it's 5 years later and I'm STILL 50 lbs heavier than I want to be, but I thank god every day I'm no longer 300 lbs. So. I know how you feel with the "damn cheeseburger." I deal with that every day. I finally gave up before the surgery, I just watched my calories. Forget trying to lose weight. I have too much going on to fight that battle right now. I haven't gained, but I can't do liquids like I wanted. I just want that feeling back. It was so freeing, to not think about food. You're gorgeous, you have an awesome husband, a renewed life...you are there, sister.

You're healing very well!! Great pics skinny :wink2: