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!

I think you are ENTITLED to a pity party honey! I'd be having one too if I were you . . . I can NOT imagine going through all you have and staying as 'upbeat' as you have been. It is time for your body to say, "damn girl, give me a break!" ha . . .

I know you will feel 100% again soon and just think, when you do - you are going to look FABULOUS! I wish I had as much of the journey under my belt as you do, but until I do, I'll just keep reading yours. You are an amazing book of information; and as I have said before, I so appreciate your willingness to share.

Rest as long as you need to and feel better soon! We are all rootin' for you!

OK, so I called my PCP and she'll give me a referral to have a visiting nurse service come to my office 3 times a week and drain my seromas for as much as 6 weeks if I need them to. YAY. I don't know if I'm going to actually take her up on it, but knowing I don't HAVE to do it myself really takes the pressure off somehow. Ahhhhh.

Julie, off topic, sort of, are you still wearing your bodybugg? I was curious about what your calorie burn is like while your body is healing.

Sorry, everybody, this is not an attempt at hijacking the thread!!! I'm just SO curious about this.

Julie: I hope you'll use the nurse if you need to. I wish you the best.

I agree Julie - CALL the nurse !!!

Drainage in your office? You've got to love NYC.

Why wouldn't you call the nurse and have her do it? Are you trying to be Super Woman?

By the way, when you get back to running, and I'm assuming you're not running yet, and if you listen to music get Alicia Key's As I Am CD. The song "Superwoman" is an amazing song to run to. It's inspiring.

JULIE!!! OMG are you superwoman???? I actually grinned when I saw your post,purely because you have got more balls than most men that I know. RESPECT!!!

Seriously though, how are you in yourself?Did the pity party do that trick? I have got everything crossed for you that the seromas clear up in record time.

Julie, off topic, sort of, are you still wearing your bodybugg? I was curious about what your calorie burn is like while your body is healing.

Ugh. No. I tired of my bugg pretty quickly and I loaned it to my SIL to use for a while. The bugg is great, but it works best for me when I'm actively trying to break a plateau. That's when it's worth sacrificing my outfits over, you know? Wink.

Aahhh. I'm feelin' ya! I hope your seromas clear up quickly. You're an inspiration to so many!

How about an update. How is everything going? How are you feeling?

hugs

Julie, I just read about your seromas-Eeeeep! And OUCH!

Amazing, you are simply amazing. Going this distance, traveling this journey, and now draining your own seromas? You are wonder woman! But please call for the visiting nurse service, it might alleviate at least some of the emotional component that *has* to go along with draining your own seromas. Let someone else take care of you for a change, at least a couple days a week.

Hopefully you are feeling better today! If not, take another day to relax, you certainly deserve it.

How about an update. How is everything going? How are you feeling?

hugs

Well, insurance wouldn't cover VNS and my PCP won't do it for me. Now, I could cover the VNS costs myself and flex spend it, but I've gotten better with the draining. I'm going to do it myself for now. Plus, it IS slowing down. I'm only draining every 3 days now, instead of every day. I do think there's light at the end of the tunnel, but I think it'll take a couple more weeks to clear up.

Meanwhile, I had a binge eating weekend. Hate that. I guess I'll always de-stress with food, on some level. I'm back on track this morning. Tracking calories for a few days, more to feel in control with food than to lose weight at this point (not that losing a couple of lbs wouldn't be nice).

Mostly I'm just feeling out of control in life. Work is nuts, dating is weird -- too much interest from some, not enough from others, etc., not enough time in the day. I'm going to look at my calendar and see what I can cancel to feel more in control. Unfortunately, I think my ski trip's going to have to go. It's in 2 weeks and I'm just not healed enough and work is too nuts. Arrrggg!!

Well, insurance wouldn't cover VNS and my PCP won't do it for me. Now, I could cover the VNS costs myself and flex spend it, but I've gotten better with the draining. I'm going to do it myself for now. Plus, it IS slowing down. I'm only draining every 3 days now, instead of every day. I do think there's light at the end of the tunnel, but I think it'll take a couple more weeks to clear up.

Meanwhile, I had a binge eating weekend. Hate that. I guess I'll always de-stress with food, on some level. I'm back on track this morning. Tracking calories for a few days, more to feel in control with food than to lose weight at this point (not that losing a couple of lbs wouldn't be nice).

Mostly I'm just feeling out of control in life. Work is nuts, dating is weird -- too much interest from some, not enough from others, etc., not enough time in the day. I'm going to look at my calendar and see what I can cancel to feel more in control. Unfortunately, I think my ski trip's going to have to go. It's in 2 weeks and I'm just not healed enough and work is too nuts. Arrrggg!!

Julie,

sorry the stress got to you. i guess im 'lucky'... stress makes me tighter than i've ever been. i guess that's one way to drop the pounds. :smile:

what about just a weekend away. Dallas area is nice this time of year... :Banane42:

Awwwwwwwwww, hugs Julie, we all know how it feels when life just gets crazy. Be good to yourself my dear.

January just seems to be a hard month.

Julie,

Maybe you exchange the ski trip for something like a spa day where you can indulge and not stress your body. Perhaps that would be a smaller time committment as well.

It's good you know your limitations and you have a strategy to deal with them. As always, you're rockin'. :smile: