Well, folks, this is the last book of the trilogy. Tomorrow, I'm headed home to Alabama for what I hope is my last round of plastic surgery. It's at least the last major round.

In case you're new to the forum, my history is that I lost 200 + lbs in 18 months of being banded. I had a TT with BL in March 2007. After that time, much to my amazement, I lost 60 more lbs. I then had a lateral thigh lift (outer thighs) and brachioplasty just 6 weeks ago, in Novmber 2007.

Tomorrow, I'm headed home for surgery on Thursday. We're doing the inner thighs (medial thigh lift), small breast implants (when I lost the extra 60, I really lost a lot of volume -- went from a mid-D to a small :confused:, and a mons lift with a port replacement to give me a low profile port.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted as I get home from the hospital. Unclear whether that will be Thursday late or sometime Friday -- depends on how I tolerate the anesthesia this time. In any even, I'll post more from the other side!

Good luck, Julie!

I'm home! No more surgeries! YEAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

OK, so this one wasn't SO bad. At least it hasn't been thusfar. They didn't start the surgery until about 3 p.m. yesterday and it took almost 6 hours, so it was 9 before I got to recovery! Since it was so late, they wanted me to spend the night, which was fine with me. Got to a room around 11. They'd taken the catheter our -- I don't even remember them doing that, but anyway, they kept pestering me to urinate, so I did, then settled down to sleep until about 5. I slept really well.

So, we did quite a bit. We did the implants. I can't tell you much about them yet -- can't see the boobs at all because they're so wrapped up. They feel good, if that means anything at this point. By that I mean that they feel heavier but not too heavy -- kind of like a hug. I'm sure that makes no sense!

Then we did a revision to my lower TT, combined with a mons lift. Can't see that either right now and have no impression of it. When he was marking me with a sharpie before surgery, it seemed like there was a lot of skin to take off there, so I'm hopeful. It's one of those things where even if there's just a modest improvement, it'll be a lot better. Oh, yes, and I got a low profile port while I was there. I think that's going to be GREAT. I'm sure there's swelling, but for the moment, I can't feel the port from pressing on my stomach, so I bet it makes a huge difference. TBD.

Lastly, we did the inner thighs. OK, pals, this one is painful. The incision for me goes from the knee all the way up into the groin and at the top, it's quite painful. It's not HORRIBLE, but it's definitely the most tender spot this time....

So, pics to come in a few days once I'm feeling better. Take care all, and happy holidays.

Julie

Awwwww, I saw you typing and thought it was just too soon. YOU are a TROOPER little girl.

Now go back to bed and rest.

Congratulations, your transformation is complete.

gentle hugs

OMG Julie, i cant believe you are even posting.

so glad it is over and went well!

C

Julie

You are so amazing! I can't believe you are feeling well enough to post. You are my hero. I'm so glad everything went well. Good luck and take it easy.

Thanks for the update Julie... we are all here with/for you. Sorry we are not able to share your pain, I would be willing to take a portion of it for you. Get lots of rest. You have sure been through a lot this year... cheers to the next--- 2008!

....Lastly, we did the inner thighs. OK, pals, this one is painful. The incision for me goes from the knee all the way up into the groin and at the top, it's quite painful. It's not HORRIBLE, but it's definitely the most tender spot this time....

Yikes! Thanks for all the info. I'm glad you're doing well. The thigh lift is scary. I'm still suffering from the brachioplasty, which was a breeze for you, so if the thigh lift is hurting you, it will probably devastate me. Is it difficult to use the bathroom with the thighs bandaged? What kind of compression garment will you be wearing?

Can't wait to see the pictures of the new you. You're already very beautiful, and I suspect this last round of surgery has made you absolutely perfect!

Yea for you!!!! I'm glad that all has come out well and you are back at home in time for the holidays

Yikes! Thanks for all the info. I'm glad you're doing well. The thigh lift is scary. I'm still suffering from the brachioplasty, which was a breeze for you, so if the thigh lift is hurting you, it will probably devastate me. Is it difficult to use the bathroom with the thighs bandaged? What kind of compression garment will you be wearing?

Yikes, Enterprise, yes, the thigh lift is not in the same realm as the arm lift, in my experience. Of course, as we determined, my arm lift was easier than yours since I'd already had a breast lift, so I didn't have the back fat removal that you had. Anyway, yes, the thighs hurt. If it makes you feel any better, it's more of a sharp stinging hurt than a true PAIN. For me, on the pain scale, on day 2 (the day after surgery) the TT was about a 7/10 on the pain scale, the BL was a 2/10, the outer thighs was a 5, the arms were maybe a 2, and now the inner thighs are maybe a 4.5 to a 5.

I worried that going to the bathroom would be hard, but it's not. I kind of sit back with my weight a little more than normal so that I don't have weight on my inner thighs, and just go like normal. The compression garment has a huge slit in the crotch, so there's no adjusting there. The compression garment is a girdle that zips on the outside of both legs, goes all the way up to my rib cage and al the way down just past my knees. It's the same style I had for the outer thigh lift.

I bet by tomorrow I feel like a whole new person. It's not even been 24 hours yet and I'm doing pretty well! One more night's sleep will work wonders, I'm sure.

OK, so I'm a little worried about my port. It's way too early to know for sure, but I sure can eat a lot. I'd had 9 cc's in my VG band and, if I'm honest, that had been a little tight, particularly over the last 6 weeks since my first thigh surgry. I remembered that from my TT, I was at a perfect fill level (9.5 then) and got tighter with surgery and ultimately took 0.5 out.

So, I'd been a little too tight -- not able to eat comfortably at night, so I'd been skipping dinner if I couldn't get it in before, say 6.

Given that I'd been too tight and that I was going in for a second surgery, and having the port replaced, I asked to have only 8.5 put back in, rather than the 9. Well, 8.5 may not be enough (or, my worst fear -- there's a leak and I don't really have 8.5). I ate a piece of fruitcake and about 3 oz hard cheese and 8 crackers all in one sitting with NO problems. Not that I want problems, and I'm not HUNGRY, but I'd have expected the band to stop me about 1/2 way through the fruit cake, since it's a hard thing to eat.

Anyway, I know I'm fine -- I can make good choices and I won't gain weight, but I'm just a little nervous. Of course, I should give it a couple of days before self-diagnosing a problem, I know!

Hang in there Julie. Just sit back and relax and dream about how you'll feel so much better and look even hotter when you get healed. You're amazing and thank you for being so open with us!

I understand your hesitation, Julie. You've been through surgery a few times with your band and know there is something different this time. But as you said, give it a few days and see where it all settles out. Congrats to you on finishing this long journey of plastics (and weight loss)!

I couldn't be happier for you!

Hope you recover quickly from this one too and that the pain decreases quickly in the thigh area.

Can't wait for pics!

Take care.

I am in awe of you Julie! Congratulations . . .

Julie! Julie! Julie!

You did it!! You are done!

You are so brave to have faced these surgeries. Now you are only to face healing and an appreciation for this gorgeous body that you have sacrificed so much to achieve. Please don't worry about your band right now. Even if your fill is not perfect, your appetite will level off. You will start to feel full in a new way.

Here's to you!!

:Banane10::Banane31::Banane52::Banane41::bananalama::Banane19::Banane09::not_ripe::Banane29::Banane50::Banane39::Banane49::Banane38::Banane27::Banane05::banane58::Banane47::Banane36::Banane25::Banane25::Banane25::Banane14::Banane02::Banane24::Banane13::Banane03::Banane23::Banane12::Banane33::Banane33::Banane54::Banane43::Banane21:

The band is definitely there. It's just different. I slept soooo well without any upset stomach. And a few more meals into it, I don't hate this fill level. It's gentler, but it's definitely there. It might actually be a good maintenance fill level. We'll see. I can always get a fill, right? That's what I keep telling myself.

On the surgery front, I feel much better today! I did have to narc it up in the middle of the night, but I slept great and I feel quite good today. I'm even going to go out to lunch! I'm not going to drive though -- I think that can wait until tomorrow, since I took the pain meds in the middle of the night....

Anyway, feeling good. Better than I'd have thought. YAY!