So as if the whole world did not already know, my surgery is set for July 3 at 7:30AM. I will have to be to the surgery center at 6:30. To the dismay of many around here, this will be an outpatient surgery and is scheduled to last 6 hours. Here is what the doc said yesterday.

1. I will have 2, (possibly 3) incisions. One that runs hip to hip (about 3/4 of the way back on the hip), 1 that runs vertically from groin to breast bone, and then possibly one that is horizontal just underneath the bra line. She won't know until she sees how much puckering there will be at the top. I really don't give a CRAP about scarring. I just want to see my belly button!:sneaky:

2. She has no idea how much muscle repair I will need. She said she wouldn't know until she gets in there.

3. She may or may not move my port. It depends on how much of a fat pad there is between my port and the muscle. If there is not a lot, she will leave it. If there is a fair amount, then she will unstitch the port, remove the fat, and resecure the port to my muscle. Lovely...port pain again! :thumbup: She will not be changing the location of the port and has the complete support of my lap-band surgeon.

4. She will lipo the mons area and lift as well. This is being thrown in as a bonus. She said she is not going to charge me for the lipoing of the mons area because she didn't originally think I would need it, but now she thinks it would be better. She said it is not enough to justify recalculating the fees.

5. I will be receiving a pain pump that will last for 48 hours. She gave me the option of showing me how to remove it myself (WTH!):rolleyes2: or to move up my post-op and come in on Monday and have her remove it. I opted for the second! I am not a biologist/doctor...that is what I pay them the big bucks for!

6. She is so excited that I am running the half-marathon before surgery because it will cause great circulation and put me in the best shape of my life. She was not concerned about the weightloss because of my muscle tone. She didn't want to see me losing a lot of weight just due to low calories and poor nutrition which can be a problem for healing. But after seeing the muscle tone in my arms and legs she is EXTREMELY confident in my ability to heal quickly.

They took a bunch of pictures and I got my prescriptions for surgery. They are all liquid as this was the only thing that my lap-band surgeon suggested. I did not want to get a pill stuck and be throwing up! So I will just gag from the flavor instead.:tongue2: Liquid pain meds and liquid antibiotics. Sounds like a party. I can sit in my recliner like chair with a straw and party umbrella in my medical cocktail and feel like I am sitting on the beach...with my new "bikini body"!:rolleyes2:

And now...what everyone has been waiting for... the pictures...as hideous as they may be! I know a lot of people like to see before and after pictures and I will be posting a lot. There are not a lot of people that have the vertical incision and it has been very difficult for me to find before and afters so I am going to do the best I can to provide this information for other's searching.

*HUGS* Salsa. I'm so glad to hear that your pain is less. I'm sorry eating is so difficult though, keep trying!

Thinking of you!

N

Good morning. Pain is down to almost zero and my appetite is back a little. I actually wanted to eat this morning. I stepped on the scale this morning and it read 145 but that is will all the bandages on and all my clothes on. So I am definetly lower than that. The draining has slowed WAAAAAY down. In fact I am hoping that the right one wil come out tomorrow at my post-op appointment.

However...the ITCHING IS KILLING ME! Did anyone else have incredible itching. I feel like I have bugs crawling underneath my binder. I didn't have lipo so I don't know why it is so unbearable. I am actually itching everywhere...but under the binder is awful. I had my first experience with a bowel movement yesterday and that was NOT fun. I have been taking stool softeners but it didn't help yesterday. So I doubled what I was taking for future encounters!

Again I hope to post pictures tomorrow!

Salsa: Sounds like you're doing pretty good. I'm glad your DH is such a good helper. Mine was too and it was really a bonding experience. You have to the man who will empty your drains! It's totally normal to not have an appetite. Personally, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Unfortunately, it doesn't last for long! Hope you get some rest soon. Oh, did your doctor tell you to walk hunched over? My doctor told me to walk as straight as I could. Maybe a different kind of suture? I didn't have sutures on the outside of my skin. It was just glued. Anyway, I hope your back and neck feel better soon.

Hi Salsa! Good news on the pain, appetite, and drains. It sounds like everything is going really well for you. I hope you are sleeping better now too. I didn't sleep very well for the first couple of weeks. I hope you're having better luck with that.

I didn't have the terrible itching that you describe, but I remember LJM wrote about awful itching problems. I'm sure it is normal but be sure to mention it to you doctor tomorrow.

I did have the bowel troubles. That was the main reason I stopped taking pain meds. Even with stool softeners I had a terrible time "going" while I was taking the pain pills. Try drinking the 4 ounce bottles of Gerber apple prune juice (on the baby food aisle).

I was walking upright from day one. Like Karey said, it might have something to do with your vertical incision or the kind of sutures your doctor used. I've read other people's comments about not being able to walk straight for the first week or so. I bet that does make your neck and back sore.

I'm glad you are doing so well and that your DH is able to help you. I know how happy you must be to move beyond the weight loss and PS stages of your journey. It is a wonderful and exciting time isn't it?

Good luck with the doctor visit tomorrow. Keep us posted. Becky

Glad to hear you are doing well! Can't wait to see your pics!!!

I am so glad that things are going well. Did you try Benadryl for the itching? of course I would ask your doctor but it could be just inflammation from wearing the binder. I would ask at the appt. today. So happy for you!!! :thumbup:

I just got back from the doctor and YEAH I can take a shower today. When I take my shower I will take pictures and I will post them. The plan is to take my shower around 3ish so I should have pictures up by 5. My tummy looks really good. There is a fair amount of loose skin towards my breasts but it still looks a million times better than it did. I was so excited to see my belly button.

I will post more later.

Oh the internet is crazy. I can't believe I am sitting in Montana waiting for someone to take their shower in Oregon.... LOL.

I am so excited to see the results. Congrats.

Here is the picture collage!

Tummy tuck collage 4 days post op.bmp

WOW you look super!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A.m.a.z.i.n.g!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW! That is unbelievable! Look how tiny you are!!! It is hard to imagine that you were ever heavy. You have to feel so proud of yourself! What a great inspiration!

Salsa, you're looking fabulous! You are going to feel like a new woman when you get to run again. Thanks for posting the pics.

I guess she didn't take out a drain today. When do you see her again?

Nope the drains are still in. I am going to have the right one taken out on Monday of next week. She said even though I am only draining about 12 cc/day she doesn't like to take them out this early. She said the swelling to her is worse than the drains. Also she said the drains will help to tell me if I am doing too much. She wants to keep the drains as clear as possible. When the draining is really red it means that I am doing to much. She said she won't take out the second drain until the following week. With that being said she told me that if either one of the drains STOP draining to call here and she would take it out. I am okay with them. I am not doing much anyways.

I did go to the store today after the appt and it kind of wiped me out. That and the shower. I can't say that I was all that excited about the shower. It felt good in between the waves of nausea and feelings that I was going to pass out.

I have also started to wean myself off the pain meds. I am going on just tylenol. She said I could take some tylenol PM at night so that I can TRY and sleep. Last night was better but I still woke up several times.

Overall I am feeling great. It was nice to see my tummy!

Congratulations karri!!!!!! You truly look incredible and your incision looks better than can be expected! Your doc did do an amazing job and wow, once that swelling is gone and the drains out I've no doubt you'll feel like a new woman!!!

Maybe ask your doc about phenergan? Non-habit forming, helps with both nausea and sleeping. I have to be careful to take half or less because it knocks me out, but it REALLY helps with nausea AND getting some rest.

Glad to hear your husband is such a big help, and that your anti gravity chair is doing the trick. Thanks for all the updates and posts and sending more prayers your way for a continued quick recovery.