Can't believe this day has finally arrived! In less than two weeks, I'm going to have a tummy tuck, breast lift with augmentation and lipo. I think I was 20 shades of red today when I had to get my before pictures. :wub:Then the nurse called to say that my front shot didn't turn out well and to please come back in the next few days and do a retake! :scared2:Oh, bother! I have such mixed feelings. I still expect the PS to call and tell me that maybe I should lose a few more pounds first. I can't believe how much shame I still have in my body. I wonder when you get over this?! I think I had to sign about 30 different places for consent and possible complications. Reading everything that could happen is enough to make you want to run right out of the office!:tongue: I remember that I felt the same way before my lapband surgery, so, I'm hoping that it's just pre-surgery jitters! Trying to picture what I'll look like afterwards is really hard. I keep grabbing my stomach and trying to picture it smooth and lumpless! Okay, that's hard to do! I couldn't decide if I should have the breast augmentation and at first the nurse tried to talk me out of it, saying that I would just be smaller and perky. I was ready to accept her opinion, but then she said, after closer inspection that she thought I should get the augmentation. It's hard to know when you don't get to talk to your surgeon about it. I've seen him twice, but the augmentation is more of a last minute thing. I just hope I made the right decision. It's all very nerve wracking. I'm trying to put a positive spin on all this, because I really have a bad case of the nerves! I want to share my journey with anyone who wants to come along. I will post before shots with my after shots. Love to have you join me on this adventure! Wahoo!:cursing:

Well, this afternoon the bridal shop called my daughter. My husband had called the manager and had a nice long talk. She called my DD and told her that her father was a gentleman and that it was obvious that he loved her very much. After his call, she called the designer (finally) and they are overnighting another size 6 dress with the correct bustline. However, the boning is still in the dress! She said that my daughter was the first one to try on or order his new design and since then they had upgraded the dress and added boning. Wierd, huh? She said that removing the boning would not interfere with the integrity of the dress. That the designer and the bridal shop wanted my daughter to be happy and that they would take care of the alterations at no charge. She also said to please call her father and let him know that it was going to be alright so he wouldn't worry anymore! Wow! That must have been some phone call! My husband is a veterinarian and he does have a gentle way about him. He must have conquered her with kindness. So, I guess it was best that he talked to her. I'm afraid, I wouldn't have been so nice. Hopefully, the drama is over and all will be well! Thanks for the input!

sounds like good news Karey... keep us posted.

how are you doing?

I'm doing really well. I saw the doc today for my 1 month check up and he said I could start walking and doing upper body workouts. Said to wear the compression garment to work out and a sports bra. Also, said I could go to a stage 2 compression garment or a spanx type garment. I have to say that I'm kind of dependent on this compression garment now, even though it bugs the heck out of me. It feels wierd without it. I guess it's time to get back into real life!

If you decide to go for the Spanx you can get them for a good price (NEW) on Ebay. But there are so many styles. The one I use is the Slim Cognito Mid Thigh Bodysuit. It goes all the way up to just under the bra line. The store bought ones come with little fabric loops you can hook over your bra in 4 places to keep it from rolling down. For some reason the E-Bay ones seem to be missing these but I haven't used the hooks on mine for months anyways.

There is also a version of Spanks that goes from under the bra all the way down to mid-calf but I haven't tried it yet. Just waiting for the right auction to come along.

And I can definitely relate to the feeling wierd without it on. Its not so bad now though it still feels better with one on. I can remember though for the first month or so it almost felt like my intestines would somehow fall out if I didn't have it on. Don't get me wrong, it didn't hurt, it just felt too loose and open without it on. Hard to explain if you haven't been there.

karey your DH sounds like mine. He can charm the pants off anyone if he decides to. Men can be such great rescuers when we are freaked about something. I know you and your DD are incredibly relieved. Now what promised to be a very negative experience has turned into a very positive one! Hurrah for gentle men! Especially the ones on our teams.

I can relate to the feeling you and Gh0st talked about regarding the compression garmet. It really does give you a feeling of security. When the time is right, you'll come busting out of that thing and never look back.

With regard to the other topic about band tightening after a flight, believe me, it can happen. I had a really awful experience last summer. Went to a spa with the girls and I was nearly out of commission the whole time because I couldn't eat and I had no idea what had happened. Before the flight I had just the right amount of restriction. So be careful if you have to fly someplace! When I got home I actually had to have an unfill because it got so bad.

Diane: Thanks for the tip about Ebay. I forget about them!

BJean: I was just going to call the doc about another fill (I only have .5cc) and now you have me pysched out. I definetly don't want to be in Puerto Rico and be too tight. I know my band doc will only add another .5 cc. I had 2.25 in my band before surgery. Do you think I could be too tight on 1 cc? Decisions! Decisions!

Karey...I can't believe it's already been a month...I know you probably can--with the pain and all...but glad to know you're doing better and things are progressing well for your DD

Karey, Thats great news about your daughters dress.. I am glad the shop is doing the right thing. They know brides that aren't happy with the way a shop treats them will tell all thier friends and they don't want that. Your hubby sounds like mine, that they have a "calmer" way to talk say then I do.. :

Oh gosh, I sure didn't mean to worry you. If I had been expecting the band to tighten, I would have known not to try to eat solid foods and wouldn't have gotten into trouble. These darned gizmos are hard to figure out. What works for one person doesn't for the next person.

In fact, I am right now restricted at the same level 3.2, that I was when I couldn't eat at all and had lots of pain. Right now with the same restriction as a year ago, I can eat pretty much anything I want. I'm hoping that it is because I have lost some fat in the area. But my weight isn't significantly different.

I have no idea how your surgery might have affected you in that area. Did you get lipo in the upper tummy area? It is hard to make the decision not to get more restriction because I know you don't want to gain weight. However you don't want your trip to be ruined because you're in pain. I don't really know what to tell you. I sure didn't mean to scare you, girlfriend!

BJean: You're too cute! I think what started my problems after surgery, was a couple pain pills got stuck, that coupled with some very bad swelling in the upper area of my tummy, right over my band. I think that my esphogaus must have gotten irritated and swollen and then I just went down hill. Nothing would stay down. Not really sure, the band doc thinks I got the flu, but I really didn't have any other symptoms. I think I will get a small fill, because my PS said that now is the time that ladies gain weight because they can't be as active as they were. I still have 2 weeks before the trip, if I feel at all tight, I'll scream, no, I'll get some out. UGH!

Oh that reminds me of another scary thing I learned at my last dietician session. She works for the band doc, in his office. Anyway she announced that the most recent wisdom regarding bandsters taking oral meds is that we should not take pills of any kind. I knew they discouraged it when we were first banded, but I take pills all the time. She said that they are learning that too many people are aspirating pills and getting into big trouble.

Well, even though it is a scary thought, I am still taking pills because I have never had a problem. There are just too many things that I take (various Vitamins, etc.) that are unavailable in liquid form. Also, one of my regular meds is not crushable. Rather than go through a bunch of rigamarole to find an alternative med, I just take it.

Have you heard anything about this?

My fill nurse told me to have the surgeon prescribe liquid pain killers after my TT so that I didn't have to worry about getting pills stuck. The nutritionist at my in person support group advises doing as many liquid/chewable forms as possible. I do a chewable vitamin still (got immune to the taste after a few months), chewable calcium and then I swallow my birth control pill whole because it is so tiny.

BJean & Salsa: I think it probably is best to take as many liquid medications as possible. I have had other pills stuck, but I've learned to half the ones that I can and to make sure that I drink a lot of liquid before I take the pill, so my throat is not dry and that I wait and not take a pill the first thing in the morning. I definetly would get my pain meds after a TT in liquid form.

Yeah, I probably shouldn't be taking my huge antidepressant pill. It's huge! But it's the one that they tell me not to crush.