Hello everyone! I know I've been MIA for awhile but I haven't really had any updating to do. I'm still managing the same weight. I'm trying not to lose at this point since my PS said not to. What I have been doing is obsessing over my cosmetic surgeries coming up. I'm having a tummy tuck with muscle repair and some breast stuff. Its consumed my entire life for the last month and now it's almost here. I'm not going to lie I'm terrified and just now starting to get a slight bit excited. Most people seem to be ecstatic about it. I hate the thought of the pain and whole long recovery period. The results are going to be worth it right? I've paid, I'm going. I woke up on the "losers side" last time and now I'm waking up on the "flat" side. If anyone has any before and after TT pictures they would like to share I would appreciate it! The hardest part of all of the research I've done is finding pictures of weight loss patients before and afters. I'm trying to find a belly that looks similar to mine. Ugh! Wish me luck! I need it.

@TheRealMeIsHere! Is your belly still numb in areas or did the sensation all come back?

Still mostly numb. It's weird, I get an itch, but it's numb when I go to scratch it, lol!!

But I had muscle repair so maybe more nerves were damaged. It may be different for you

Edited April 14, 201610 yr by TheRealMeIsHere!

Has anyone had plastics done in cape may or atlantic county? If so, results? And who was the dr. Thanks

@TheRealMeIsHere! Ok it's still pretty numb. I guess it too early to tell right now. Thank you.

Elode, what types of clothes did you wear right after surgery? I was at first thinking leggings or yoga pants but then thought they might rub the incision too much. Did you wear compression garments right away?

Elode, what types of clothes did you wear right after surgery? I was at first thinking leggings or yoga pants but then thought they might rub the incision too much. Did you wear compression garments right away?

They usually put a compression band on you in the OR and they will tell you how long it needs to be worn. I was told, the longer, the better. Once the drains were out, I wore my own compression garments for about 4 months, I believe. I figured this was my ONE shot, so I wanted the best possible end result.

Edited April 14, 201610 yr by TheRealMeIsHere!

@@kranky813 I had a binder on after surgery. I bought my own compression suit but with the JP drain it made it miserable to wear. Now that I have my drain out I alternate between the binder, compression suite & combination of the two at one time if the swelling is getting to be too much. No jeans or anything like that. I did try on a pair of size 6 shorts day before yesterday and they fit but with the swelling it's not comfortable at all! I have a feeling once it's down they will either be perfect or I'll need a size 4. I mainly wear a long black stretchy skirt or yoga pants if I leave the house. Nothing constricting.

Today I had my PS visit and got all the tape removed and my belly button stitches out!!!! I feel so much better! That was it. Now all I have to do is get through this swelling phase. My TT scar is amazing!!! I wasn't exactly sure what it would look like under the tape but I couldn't ask for a better scar! I'm so proud of her work. If you have to have a large scar at least make it a tiny good one! My belly button is beautiful now that the stitches are removed. You wouldn't be able to tell I had any work done by looking at it. It just looks normal. She hid the scar on the inside of my belly button so unless you go digging around in my belly button you would never see them. My breast are a bit different because they still look odd once she took the tape off as far as around the nipples. The dissolvable stitches are still pulling tight so it's impossible to tell what they will actually look like at this point but the cut down the breast and under the breast as immaculate. The under boob one is invisible when I'm standing up since she placed it exactly in the crease and the ones down my boob are super thin! Over all I'm thrilled to death with it all. I was going to take some pictures of the TT & BB but I'm too swollen right now. I will try in the morning.

@@Elode congrats! Your journey has been a long one but so worth it. I hope to get there myself and be brave to do what you've done to finalize the real skinny you. Post pics if you can.

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@@madeline121 Thank you. You will get there it just takes time. I will post some as soon as some of this swelling goes down. Waiting......

Ok and thank you so much

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Update tiiiime! So here's my scar line! Things to remember...I'm only 9 days post op. I'm still super swollen. Oh, and while we're on the swelling hell topic here's a tiny bit of information they don't tell you....your crotch will swell too!!! I'm serious like swollen and gross looking, it's freaky!! I'm not being gross I'm just being honest. Things like that can really freak a girl out! I was like "ummm oh ,no, nope that's not my crotch what is that!!!" Then I looked it up and yep normal. It goes away and comes back blah blah blah. So there's that. Also a lot of those lines are from my compression outfit. They aren't part of my stomach. My BB is red and aggravated right now because the stitches just got pulled out yesterday so I will get a better close up when it's not so scary looking. I love the scar. It's low and it's pretty even from side to side and curves downward on the ends and not up like a lot I've seen. I'm excited for this thing to heal so I can start the "scar therapy" part. Right now it has to be left alone to completely heal up. Overall I'm thrilled and look forward to the next day since it keeps changing for the better. FYI I don't normally pose like that my daughter just thought it was funny so we used it! Sexxxxxay scar picture first thing in the morning! Who doesn't want one??! Especially after I just told you about the crotch swell up! You're welcome!!!!

My PS said to stay off the scale. She actually told me she doesn't want me losing any more weight, maybe even put on a couple pounds. Ummmm NO WAY!! I told her I'm going to tone. That's my new goal. I weighed 142.2 On the day of surgery. The next day I weighed 151.6 then down to 146 then back up to 148 ect.... That's how much swelling I have. It's perfectly ok because I know with time it will all go away and my tummy will flatten out. This is just the process.

It will be interesting to see what you-minus (extra skin removed + swelling) ends up to be, won't it? A friend of mine had her TT 2.5 years after he sleeve and ended up losing 13 lbs just from the skin removed.

You look great. How much longer will you be off work?

@@2goldengirl Yes I can't wait for it to all go down. It's pretty mundane at this point. Wake up swollen and by the time I got to sleep I look like I'm 5 months pregnant and the cycle starts back over. It's really not getting any better. If anything it's getting worse but again I read that so I knew it was going to be like this. I'm waiting for the "3rd week swell hell" apparently the 3rd week swelling hits a max. It's not a fast recovery. The pain ect... Didn't last long but this part can last months. Hopefully not though. We will see. I took a full 4 weeks off but I'm good now so I told them I would come back on the 25th if they need me. I will just be on a lifting restriction but that's it.

If it turns out any thing close to this I will be thrilled. See belly dancer! I wasn't kidding when I said that. I LOVE that curvy body shape!! I think it's so womanly and beautiful. Is it weird that I don't want to be "skinny" even after all of this. When everyone is like "make me as flat as you can, suck all the fat off " I'm over here saying NO! I want curves don't you dare take all that off!! I guess it's all in what you find attractive.