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:

Do you do the embroidery by hand or do you have an embroidery machine?

Glad you seem to be doing okay other than the drains. Hopefully that is just a normal thing. I really have no idea on that score.

I will keep you in my prayers.

My son is getting married in November and I need to think of something to do. I want what I do to be for both of them but I want it more toward a masculine bent.

I am currently on my liquid diet so I have a long way to go before I get to where you are.

Nurseamy, are the pictures of you before you started anything and then after PS?

T

Nina: I think your right that some of the blood is coming from the lipo incisions. The muscle repair is where most of the pain is coming from, besides the lipo which is alot more painful than I thought it would be. Today I feel a little better, can stand a little straighter. I'm not questioning my decision to get this all done. IT is a hard process! You're lucky you didn't get the drains, but they don't bother me too much. Here's a picuture with the drains:

Okay looking at this picture, my breast look really large, but there is a lot padding in the support bra. I don't think there going to be that large, but I haven't had the big unveiling yet! My stomach looks flat, but I can't really tell that yet either. It's pretty much a painful miracle!

You look great to me.

TexasT: I can do machine and hand embrodiery, but on the quilt, I'm doing it all by hand. I like the jean quilt because they can use it for picnics, etc or as a bedspread. My DD and her finance will be living in an apartment so I didn't want to make a quilt for their bed until they know more what style and color they want. Good luck on the liquid diet!

You are looking awesome Karey!!! I'm so happy for you

wombat

OMG DRAINS! I hated the drains!

You look awesome, I take it you did the implants, LOL, they do look huge!

Day at a time girlie!

Karey, you look fabulous (and flat!! - errrr not your chest )

i thank god everyday for Dr Pollock and no drains.. i think i would have wanted to hang myself with them after a couple of hours!!! i was about to rip my pain pump out after a day...

Look at you Karey - smiling !!!

I did NOT smile while I had the drains - in fact, I didn't even think about smiling while I had the drains . . . How many do you have ???

You look great !!!

Do you take embroidery jobs on? I have some shirts i need my company logo put on. LOL

Karey:

You and the "girls" look great. If I end up going the plastics route I'm gonna buy some boobs!

Heal well, and rest up to make the healing quicker.

Congratulations and take care.

Sue

I have 5 drains, plus the pain pump. I don't really mind the drains. Went back to PS today. He said that everything looks good. I found out that I don't have the anchor line (center line with the breast lift). When he put the implant it, the breast lift enough and the bottom of the breast had alot of volume, so I only have the suture line around the areola and under the breasts. They really aren't that big (I got a peek today) without all the padding they have around them. I'm going to try and take a shower today. Putting the compression garment on looks a little tricky, but I guess my DH and I will figure it all out. I'm feeling very emotional today. Just a little exhausted and in pain, but also very happy. I think it's going to look good. I'm just thinking about the whole journey of loosing the weight. How much work its been. How strong I've gotten, emotionally and physically. I think that the lapband surgery was harder in a lot of ways. I no longer have the pulmonary hypertension, the diabetes or all the mental baggage that goes with being overweight. I think that all the exercise that I've done in the last year has really paid off. Even though the MR is extremely painful, I can do squats and get around pretty good. Maybe I've already mentioned this, I'm a little drugged out. Anyway, I feel like I'm a different person both physically and mentally than I was 1 1/2 years ago. I'm still the same person in my basic personality and interests, but I'm tougher and more goal oriented. I've learned to put myself first and to take care of myself. My relationship to food has changed. I not as much of an emotionally eater. I don't eat out of boredom, etc. I love the lapband. I wish more people could understand how much better their lives could be with it. I still think of myself as a big girl, but I'm started to get a better or more realistic idea of my physical size. I figure when this is all done, I'll have made the 100 pounds lost club. Quite a journey....

Out of curiousity, how long do the drains stay in? How much time did you take off of work?

Karey - congrats, you look great. You are so right - it is a very emotional journey. Glad your doing so well. Get some good rest

karey,

i am so very proud of you! i agree that (this sounds crazy cause we KNOW what the more complex surgery is...) the lap band surgery is more difficult.

we weigh more, more than likely we are not in good shape, etc...

this is a very emotional journey.... i've cried more in the past week than i have in the past month thats for sure.

you look simply amazing! :tongue: