Well I did it. After much searching and studing, I took a deep breath and made the call. I have an appointment for a consultation for a tummy tuck on Feb 9th. I am excited and nervous both at the same time. I am working on my insurance to help pay for a portion at least, we shall see. When I spoke with the PS office they infomed me that they deal with weight loss patients alot, and have worked to get insurance to at least pay some of the cost.

I have been reading the post on all of you who have been where I am at now. THANKS for the info. I will be counting on your further help and wisdom to get me through this process.

Laura

Hi Laura:

So sorry to hear about your Father passing.

I hope that you find comfort in whatever decision you make regarding the plastic surgery.

What do you think your Dad would have wanted you to do?

I hope your life gets less stressful soon and that you have lots of fond memories of your Dad.

Sue

Thanks Sue and Josie for your kind words.

My surgery is a go. I hope I am like you Josie and only need physical help for 3 days. I will have my DH for 4 days. Surgery on Thursday, he is taking off Fri, then the weekend. The only concern I am having now is Monday, that is when the PS wants me to come in to his office for the followup. One of my friends said she could take off a few hours and take me. DH has to be back at work, he has already take a week of with me due to Dad. Sooo, did any of you drive yourself to the post op doc visit? just in case my friend cannot do it. But I do have a few other friends I can call on if need be. I am just so disappointed that my sister cannot be here, I was looking forward to spending time with her, not just needing her help as a nurse or maid. Oh Well. Just a bump in the road to my flat tummy I guess.

Thanks again for the sweet words,

Laura

Laura:

You shouldn't plan to drive until at least two weeks postop as it requires use of your abdominal muscles. You may also be taking pain medication still, so it could actually be longer. I can't remember how long I took the pain meds - a week to ten days at night for sleeping only.

So, please line up your friends for your first two appointments and then you should be all set.

Hope it goes smoothly!

I love my band and my new flat tummy!

Sue

Thanks you Sue, will take your advise and have someone line out to take me to the followup visits. I am very blessed to have a very good network of girlfriends, a few who are school teachers and off for the summer. They have all offered to be of help to me in any way I need it.

I can't believe it is only 10 day out now. Looking over this thread when I started this process it seemed like forever. Someone told me that it would go fast towards the end will all of the things that need to be done keeping you busy. Well here I am, knee deep in it. One of the biggest thing is I have planted a huge garden this year. My poor DH will be very busy with it for a few weeks. Oh well.....

NINE DAYS......whoooo hoooo. I am in the single didgets now. Have my pre-op appointment today. I decided back in Feb, when I started this process, to only go with the TT. Now as I look at myself I am thinking I am going to be sorry I did not go ahead and do the breast also. I do not think I need a lift just some filler. I think I will talk to the doc today and see what he says. These last 10 lbs I have lost seem to all come from the boobs. Do you think I am being to hastey? Should I wait to see what it looks like after the TT? Or would it be cheaper to do it along with the TT? I just know that I would like this to be my last surgery and be done with it, but want to be happy with how I look.

Laura

hi laura,

i could not drive myself to the first appointment after the operation. i wasn't cleared to drive till the 2nd post-op appointment.

re: boob lift. Before the operation....the TT was the most important part for me and the boob part was very secondary. however after the operation...i am most thrilled with the boob part. i didnt realize how much my boobs hung before.

my doctor wasnt a fan of doing both at once. i knew i wouldnt go back for a second operation and had him do it anyway.

he feels recovery is easier if you do them separately. i'm glad i did them at once. it really wasnt too much of an issue.

i'm excited that you are going ahead with it.

keep your questions coming girl....i found the people on this site that had the operation before me to help alot...

josie

Laura:

I wish I'd had the boobs done too, but I didn't have the extra $$$ because I got laid off 3 weeks prior to tummy tuck. I'm with Josie and say that if the doctor will do it together go for it. Please discuss the added risk with the longer time in surgery though so that you can make a fully informed decision.

Take care.

Sue

I had my tt tuck 3 weeks ago and sort of wish I could have done the boobs too. My hubby wishes that too.

Well, had my pre-op visit yesterday. Talked to Doc about the boobs, decided to wait. Surgery time is already scheduled and time is not available to do the breast at this time. And he thinks I might feel diffrent after the TT, he thinks they are not that bad for a 45 year old woman who has lost almost 80 lbs. We shall see.

Did my blood work, chest Xray, paper work, and of course gave them the money. I had some questions and concerns. He had told me no Vit E. Well my multi vit has some in it. He told me that that amount was okay, and to keep taking the multi vit. And good call on the Vit C guys, he was happy I had already started taking 1000 mil of it daily. He has aready call in the prescription for pain meds, and he is going to provide me an extra binder. I requested that so I can have one to wear while washing the other one. I have the surgery on Thursday, and will have my first follow-up on Monday. He said the second follow-up will be determined by the amount of out put from my drains. I will be required to call the nurse each day to tell her how much it is putting out, then she will tell me when to come in to have them removed. He said that would save me from haveing to come in, just to be told that they cannot be removed, and have to come back in a few days. I thought that was smart.

What did you wear home from the hospital? Did you wear something like loose warm up bottoms? I was thinking more along the line of a button up Moo Moo, so I would not have to worry about putting on any kind of pants.

I am so excited I am about to bust out of my skin. 8 days and counting. OH, went to Victoria Secret's yesterday on the way home from the Doc. They were having a panty sale. I bought 6 pairs of bikini undies. I have not has any of those since I was in highschool. I cant wait to see how they look after surgery, now I look like a bullfrog in a thong.

Laura

I wore a skirt to the hospital the day of surgery and thought I would just wear the same thing home. It buttoned and zipped up the front, and was a little big. I tried to put it on to come home and it would not close. So I think the moo moo sounds great.

Best of luck to you I'll be reading your posts to see how you do.

hi laura,

i went to kohls and bought a few (very loose) zip front mou-mou type dresses. they were a god send and i wore that home from the hospital. i dont even remember coming home from hospital. my sister in law brought a blanket and pillow for my ride home.

i also slept in a recliner at night for the first few days and that was helpful too.

2 things i was glad i had in the house post-op:

saltines (for nausea plus it was a staple of what i ate for a few days)

sherbert (my mom always gave me this when i was sick...it felt good the first 2 days)

i also drank alot of Water and juice. i think the operation made me thirsty.

getting excited about you operation...

Right now, a week from now, I will be in surgery!!!!

Took before pictures last night. OMG, I have looked at myself and knew my tummy was bad, but seeing the pictures, just call me Jaba the Hut. It just makes me even more sure that I have made the right decison to have this TT. Can't wait to see the after, can only get better.

I didn't take before pictures but my doctor did I asked him if I can have a copy he said I could so I need to get them.

scrappy - I took mine just for me to have. I took them myself standing in front of my bathroom mirror. Nothing special....

Yesterday it was a week until my surgery. Found myself all day long thinking..... this time next week I will be leaving for the hospital, this time next week I will be getting maked up by the PS, this time next week I will be.... you get the picture.....All day long, can you tell I'm excited and can't wait.

This weekend going for a Motorcycle ride with my DH. We like to ride and I know that it will be a while before I will be able to do it. So that will help pass the time. Have a few more items to pick up at the store. My housekeeper will be coming to the house Thurday while I am having surgery, so that will be nice to come home and have the house all nice and clean.

Waiting...............

Laura

Laura I know all about surgery being the only thing on your mind. It's like I was obsessed about it and I still think about all I have been through. I am now 3 weeks out and starting to feel good now. I have been busy almost all day the past 2 days and I am thankful for that. Sitting around was driving me nuts.

I wish I had a housekeeper my hubby and 10 year old doesn't do a very good job.