I decided to start a new thread because my surgery date is fast approaching. I am getting very nervous. I am having a lower body lift with a hernia repair. I am staying one night in the hospital. I will go home with a pain pump. I should have drains in for 2 weeks. I am taking 3 weeks off from work. I am getting partial insurance coverage becaues of the hernia repair. My surgeon said that I can expect her to remove between 5-9 lbs which should easily put me at goal. Of course I am hoping for much closer to 9. I am driving my friends and family crazy with my nervous chatter on the topic. Can anyone relate? Anyway - I think that I included the usual questions that people want to know when they read these threads! Most of my nervousness stems from not being able to do things for myself and fear of gaining weight becaue my exercise will be so limited! Can anyone relate to that? Am I being silly? Hope whoever reads this thread will find it as informative as I have found all those who have gone before me!

Glad you are home and resting.

Back to work tomorrow. Not looking forward to that - boy is sitting at a desk rough - any tips out there?

Also, final drain is stil at 75 or 80 so I am thinking that my ps might not want to remove it Wednesday. I am more than a little depressed at the idea of yet another (5th) week with it in!

Do you vetrans out there think I may be released from my cg? This is 4 wks for me now. I was given permission to sleep without and am enjoying that.

If I do get the drains out I may briefly post before and afters. I am really shy about this and not so computer savy but I may do it because I know that i loved to see if before I had my surgery. I am down about 7 or 8 lbs so still waiting to get down the additional 12 that was removed from me - if that will ever happen. It will right? My hips look good but my thighs are really swollen still and my waist is like 2 inches more than it was pre-op. How long will that last?

Karey - will be thinking about you on your big day!

Karen: I'm out 6 months on my TT and I think I look flatter and better even now. If you exercise, you will continue to improve for a long time!

Karen: I'm out 6 months on my TT and I think I look flatter and better even now. If you exercise, you will continue to improve for a long time!

Thanks Karey! Am thinking about you today - you are probably in-the-middle-of right now! I am pretty tight and flat actually extremely flat - like a pancake - just flat, tight and SQUARE! This has never been my "problem" before since I have a tiny waist and had big hips. Now that my hips are gone (as in bones are showing) my waist isn't much bigger. I wonder if it is swelling since my waist is bigger than it was pre-op OR is it possible that is my result? Hope not.

Can't wait to hear how you did today.

I am drain free! So exciting. Had to do a little shopping to celbrate. Now I am sooo tired. Hoping that I don't get fluid build-up. The problem was that although I still have a lot coming out, the drain was falling out.

Congrats on being drain free!!! You will know if you start collecting Fluid - hopefully not and you can start the next steps in the new you!!

Jacquie

This is my longest day back at work and a lot of time on my feet and I feel like I am going to explode! Not good.

The only good news is that I am down about 8-9 lbs since surgery - should be 12-15 since that is how much skin was removed but I am getting the picture on how it will slowly come off instead of all at once.... right?

Ugh, 110 cc's drained from me at my appointment today. I still prefer that to walking around with the drains all the time.

Hi Karen,

Congratulations on being drain free! When I had my TT I had a drain in for five weeks and I can totally relate to the great feeling you get when it's finally removed!!!

Now it's time to go out and have a riot shopping :thumbup::thumbup:!!! Lots of great sales going on right now in Miami, and I'm sure it's probably the same in NYC. Macy's is having a big sale which starts tomorrow (Thursday) I believe.

You can do it Karen. When he sticks the big needle in - just think - I have no drains, I have no drains, I have no drains!!!!

Jacquie

Hey all, At about 5 weeks out I am feeling pretty good (despite Fluid issue). As of this week I am down about 11 lbs from pre-ps surgery weight - a lot of that weight has come off in the past week or two. I also know that my swelling is less because I can see my port through my skin when I am standing up. My port was moved but not changed to a low profile - immediately after surgery I could feel it but not see it under the swelling - now I can just barely make out the lump. The human body is very complicated isn't it?

I have only been walking for working out but if weather permits here this weekend I am going to start running and probably spinning within the next week -I feel like I am starting all over again! I am kind of scared about what it is going to do to my body but since I am relatively pain free I guess I should be ok since most of my discomfort is from stiffness and swelling. Any tips on starting up the vigourous expercise again?

Hi Karen,

Congratulations on being drain free! When I had my TT I had a drain in for five weeks and I can totally relate to the great feeling you get when it's finally removed!!!

Now it's time to go out and have a riot shopping :wink_smile::thumbup::biggrin:!!! Lots of great sales going on right now in Miami, and I'm sure it's probably the same in NYC. Macy's is having a big sale which starts tomorrow (Thursday) I believe.

Frangi - I am all over the shopping. My size 10's are pretty lose and I think I can easily fit into an 8 - at almost 5"7 that would prob be fine for me but part of my dieting mind wonders if I will eventually be a 6! I have been afraid to try on pants because I am scared of being dissapointed and also I think I am still pretty swollen. Probably this weekend I will hit the stores!

Somehow that past few days I feel much better than I have all along - its like I passed this magical point and full recovery seems really close.

I went shpping yesterday (very dangerous) becasue I need some basics for work. I wore a tight 10 before the LBL now I am a 6! I got 2 skirts, 2 pants and some mix and match sweaters. Now I am set and won't look so sloppy. Shopping at a size 6 is kind of trippy. I spent all of last night asking my friend if she was sure the clothing wasn't too tight. I was worried because the clothing I got was not cheap and I went spinning yesterday and was worried about swelling. The 6's were tight around the waist but this morning when I woke up they were perfect - I was definately swollen after the exercise and after being on my feet all day.

Now that I am working out again I think I am getting swollen and I am having more PB incidents. If I dont get that under control I will have to get a slight unfill (the idea fills me with fear!)

Karen

Woo hoo!!!! A size 6 - only in my dreams. Congratulations!!!!!!!

Congratulations Karen. Your journey is truly inspiring. I hope you will post some b/a pics. As you stated earlier, they are very inspirational.