I have lurked through all the threads for as long as I have been a member here and found great inspiration from all you lovely ladies and gents. With encouragement from Kareyquilts I am starting a new thread about my LBL. Tomorrow is the day and I am freaking out. Up until this point I was pretty calm and collected. I am no stranger to surgery and have had some plastics already (breast augmentation 3/07 and lipo pre-band) I usually know what to expect but this is unchartered territory!

I am 5'9'', currently 163lbs and look like I'm wearing a potato sack from chest down. I have waited for this day since well before I was banded and although I feel sick to my stomach with worry I am excited that all the hard work is paying off. Never in a million years did I think this day would actually come, very surreal

I have all my meds lined up, comfy clothes laid out so they are easy for my boyfriend to find (lord forbid he have to venture into the closet - he'd get lost;) ) I have my dogs looked after, food bought and prepared, a landry list of people that will be helping over the next few weeks but somehow I feel like I am forgetting something.

So although this post is somewhat disconnected, it is how my brain is running at the moment, million miles a minute in a million directions. If anyone has any words of advice they would be greatly appriciated!! ***head spinning***

WOW!! What a difference You look so slim and trim!!!!

Wishing you a speedy recovery!

wombat

Wow your pictures look great!!!! You must be so excited!

Boy you look fantastic.

I probably need a lower body lift - my tummy is flat (a little doughy but really pretty good) but where I have suffered is the butt and thighs - and mine were always my trouble spot too. If I were going to do that I might as well tighten my stomach up as well, but I wouldnt go for a TT alone if you know what I mean, for me it would be overkill as a stand alone procedure. But oh, my saggy ass! Lets not even talk about those empty sacks of skin that pose as boobs.

Interesting what you say about the lipo, I suspected as much. I could benefit from some thigh lipo but worry that at 40, all I will achieve is less fat but even looser skin.

Mimin: You are looking fabulous darling! Your belly button looks good, your stomach and rib cage have excellant definition. I am really impressed. Maybe I should come to your part of the country to get my surgery!

You look terrific!!! I hope you have a speedy recovery!

Thanks everyone! Seeing them side by side really helped lift my spirits. Day 6 now and it seems the swelling is going up rather than down and my tum doesn't look as good:( I am feeling a bit better today, still uncomfortable and will be taking my 'optional' second week off of work, there is no way I could go back yet even with a desk job.

Sunshine: I did not need a blood transfusion during my surgery. I knew it was a possibility but I it was never explained to me as required but "hey just in case, sign this release".

Jachut: You look FANTASTIC in your avitar, I only wish I looked that good after losing the weight! The butt lift is pretty amazing (now that I am getting over the mourning of my old badonkadonk I am starting to like it) I've compared the pictures and am in awe that this is the same butt.

I was YOUNG when I got lipo (23) and the surgeon never explained to me that it was going to make me saggy in the long run and he actually recommended it. It ruined my body:( I was young and dumb and didn't ask enough questions or do the research. Live and learn; I went into my last 3 surgeries over educated.

Karey: Come to Indy! I have a couple spare rooms and 2 miles from the surgeon;) Really my surgeon is amazing (but he is spendy!) he's done both my proceedures and if my lift turns out as good as my girls I will be happy!

It must be so hard to have to wait months really to completely see your new body.

I spent so long thinking in a self satisifed way, oh that stomach is fine, but if I catch a glimpse of my rear end in a changing room mirror, I do get a shock. That's my first reaction - shock! And then "oh, yuck". Before I think about how I feel about it. Its saggy, lol.

Such a massive operation though, not sure Id be up for it. Where is the scarring? Low enough to wear hipster style things (not REALLY butt baring, but moderate). I wouldnt want to be consigned to a life of nana undies. I may be 40 but there's limits!

It must be so hard to have to wait months really to completely see your new body.

I spent so long thinking in a self satisifed way, oh that stomach is fine, but if I catch a glimpse of my rear end in a changing room mirror, I do get a shock. That's my first reaction - shock! And then "oh, yuck". Before I think about how I feel about it. Its saggy, lol.

Such a massive operation though, not sure Id be up for it. Where is the scarring? Low enough to wear hipster style things (not REALLY butt baring, but moderate). I wouldnt want to be consigned to a life of nana undies. I may be 40 but there's limits!

I have no patience at all so the waiting will drive me mad! I will be able to wear low riders and cute undies. My incision is right along the pubic bone (much lower than I expected!), low across hips and right along the top of my rear. It was important to me to be able to wear a bikini that is in style and low riders/hip huggers. Now that I can wear them I want to wear all the cute clothes and they come low in the rise these days!

MimIN,

wow, you look fantastic!!! congrats.

When butts go flat...

my butt is getting flatter too. Hips are as wide as ever, but the bum is flattening... Back in the day when I used to battle against the stairmaster I remember that would give me results. Of course this required 20 minutes on the stairstepper for 3 days a week. Flat butt, flat boobs... at least they match.

Hey, how are things going???? Feeling better? New pictures? Hope the swelling is going down!

Losingjustme: Thank you so much! It's been an interesting adventure thats for sure:)

Kyethra: I cannot wait to get back into the gym, I need to do something about this flat bottom! I have heard the stairmaster, squats, lunges etc will help build it back up - I hope it works!

Kristin07: Not much of a development in the last week, I am soo swollen moreso then I was in the last pic, I can barely fit into my pre-surgery clothes:( I ended up ripping stitches above my rear so healing has slowed down some. When I'm feeling better about myself I will take more pics, I am hoping that starts to happen as I get back to work next week. It has been a nice break but I am ready to go back!

I haven't updated in a few days, but today I went back to my PS because I am having some incision issues where it has pulled apart above my butt crack and another site about 6 inches away. I thought that this was the worst of my worries. Last night I noticed some discoloration on my left hip that was tender to the touch and that my left thigh was twice the size of my right thigh so I figured I'd address that too while I was at the office. This morning my hip was bright purple, traces of purple color lead down my thigh and it was very painful to the touch - lovely.

Well I have a pretty nasty seroma and infection in my hip/thigh that is causing a lot of swelling. It was aspirated and I will say it is the single most disgusting thing I have ever seen. I have been put on heavy antibiotics and a new drain is in place in this area. This will remain for another week atleast and then back to see what's going on.

It's sad that I was much happier with my results 4 days after surgery than now. I hope it gets better and I start to look human again:(

Oh I hope you get to feeling better soon!! My thoughts and prayers are with you

Awwww, I am so sorry.

It will all get better from here.

Keep us up on how you are doing....hugs....