11 dpo

I can't believe it's only 11 dpo! It feels a lot longer than that! Yesterday I drove for the first time since surgery... I drove the kids to gymnastics. I had my 8 year old lift the baby into her car seat and also get the stroller out of the back of the van.... I don't want to lift anything too heavy and damage my awesome muscle repair! People who see me are probably thinking I am one lazy Mom making my 8 year old do all the heavy lifting, ha ha!  Anyway, the last couple night I have been back in the recliner.... it is just more comfortable than the bed... I like being semi-reclined, less stress on my belly.
Here is the newest pic from this morning:

I finally have a WAIST! I have never had a waist, I have always been "straight down" and I hated it. I LOVE my new belly!  Here is a close up:

I will have a small vertical scar, but I think it will fade and not be that noticeable.

I slept in a real bed last night!

Last night , at a 8 dpo, I finally felt good enough to sleep in my bed again. Ever since my TT I had been sleeping downstairs in our recliner. The recliner was a necessity that first week after surgery. 

It felt sooooo good to be able to lay down (mostly flat). I am off all my pain meds now except at night I take 1 Advil PM to help me sleep. Yesterday I was feeling good, but I think I over-did it during the morning hours. I had a friend and her 2 small children over for a play-date... so even though I didn't lift anything I was sitting on the floor... getting up... sitting down, bending over... by the time they left I just had to sit down in my trusty recliner and RELAX. My whole tummy felt sore. After relaxing for a bit the whole family went to Target yesterday evening. I walked around with them sipping my Starbucks Americano and then was suddenly very tired. And my tummy HURT. It hurt right above my new belly button... So we left and I came home and took a nice shower and got settled back into my recliner.

It is soooo hard for me not to exercise! This is the LONGEST I have gone without exercising since I was 12 years old! Even after giving birth to my children,  I was up and power walking less than a week afterwards!  I rely on working out to help me feel good and burn off stress. Today I will get outside and walk around the neighborhood for some fresh air.

Overall I am SOOOOOOO happy that I did this. I finally have a WAIST. It looks fabulous and I cannot wait to be fully healed so I can wear a swimsuit and go to the beach!

It's been a week!

A week ago I was walking up to the Ambulatory Surgery Unit and I was so nervous and so excited! I couldn't believe that I was actually going through with my Tummy Tuck and Brow lift... something I have wanted for so long! I had really struggled with the guilt-  Guilt about the amount of money it was costing....  of the time I would be laying around and out of commission, and therefore not 100% available to my children...

But now that this past week is in the past, the worst is behind me and I am so happy. I no longer have the guilt because it was WORTH it!!! My stomach is still swollen and sore, but I can still tell the final results are going to be amazing. And I feel the same about my brow lift- now my face looks like it SHOULD for someone my age, and not 10 years OLDER, like it WAS looking! I don't feel self-conscious about my wrinkles anymore. It is wonderful.

Yesterday I was up and about and I did quite a bit- I puttered around the house in the morning- swept the floor and cleaned the bathroom. I made my kids lunch and washed the dishes... I did some "school work" with them at the dinning room table. Then after lunch  I was WIPED OUT! I laid down in my recliner and took a much needed nap. My Husband came home around 3pm and took the kids to their gymnastics class so I could relax even more without the kids around. When he got home I walked to my neighbors house- probably a little under a mile total of walking yesterday. Then we took the kids to the bowling alley. No, I didn't bowl (are you crazy?!) I sat in the chair and watched everyone having fun. By the time we got home I was ready to get into my recliner! I let my husband put the kids in bed and give the baby a bath. I nursed the baby before she went to bed and then after I nursed her I took a much needed Vicodin and relaxed!

6 dpo

Yesterday I went to an appointment with my PS. He  finally took that horrible wrap off my head.... oh my gosh, my hair looked so nasty- greasy hair filled with dried blood... gross!  He gave me the go ahead to shower! and it was AMAZING!!! BUT, I still cannot "wash" my hair- I can rinse it out, but I need to be very careful not to disrupt the skin on the top of my head and "knock it off" the tiny embedded hooks that are holding up my forehead.  At first I was afraid that my eyebrows had not been lifted at all-  but now that the swelling has gone down- and is still going down, it will probably take a couple weeks to be swell-free in my face- I can see they HAVE been raised and it looks very natural and nice. My Dr. told me he raised my forehead skin about 1/2 inch! WOW! And now forehead is wrinkle free- I look so much nicer!  My husband has even commented on how much younger I look!



 
My forehead is SMOOTH and wrinkle free. My eyebrows have been lifted and my eyes lids are no longer weighing down on my eyes. There is still swelling my my eye area, and I think it will continue to look better and better.

 Now I think I just look "refreshed" and a bit younger. I am very happy with the outcome. 

As for my tummy tuck- my belly is NON-EXISTENT! I have such a tiny waist! It is crazy! Of course there is still swelling- but I can see the final outcome will be amazing. My belly rolls are GONE!  And since he tightened the muscles, he pulled everything in towards the middle- I finally have a little waist. I measured myself last night, and even with all the swelling I have lost a good 2 inches in my waist already- crazy!

Yesterday was my first day home alone with all the kids- it went pretty well. My son is helping me a lot with the baby- carrying her around for me and lifting her. Of course it is MUCH nicer with my husband home during the day, but he has to work for a few hours during the day now so I guess I will suck it up and deal with it. Thankfully the baby naps a couple times a day which means that I can nap a couple times a day! I am still sleeping in my recliner at night in the living room- I need to rest in an inclined position for my stomach and also have my head elevated, so it just works better.

5 DPO

Last night I had some pain above my new belly button.... I think I pulled it a little too much trying to get out of the recliner earlier in the day.  Not super painful... but it hurt when I pushed that area. Also last night I was sitting in the recliner and asked my husband to hand me a pillow... he tossed it at me when I wasn't looking and it hit me RIGHT in the brow.... uuggghh. It hurt. I hope he didn't "un-do" any work that was done there.

I have been religious with taking my stool softeners and it has really helped SOOOO much with my ability to have a pain-free bathroom experience. I recommend them to EVERYONE.

My face is looking better today... still a little bruised around the eyes and I hope my eyelids are still swollen because they look like they did before surgery..... I was thinking my eyebrows would be a bit higher... but that could very well be swelling!  

I have been nursing my 9 month old with no problems. I sit in the recliner with a big fluffy pillow across my lap and my husband or son will lay the baby gently on my lap and I will nurse her and then they take her and place her on the floor to play. I only nurse her probably 4 times a day now... having this surgery has actually helped her to eat more rel food AND she has started sleeping through the night! Which is AMAZING because prior to my surgery she was getting up to nurse 3 times a night! 

Today is a follow up appointment with my PS at 2:30. I am HOPING and PRAYING he will give me the go-ahead to take a SHOWER and wash my HAIR!!!

Today is also the first time that I am all alone with my 4 kids. I have had someone to help me everyday until today- my husband has to work and will be home around 1:30 to go with me to my PS appointment. My 8 year old son is my super big helper today... he got the baby out of her crib, carried her downstairs... picks her up when I need her too... it has been very doable.

After 4 straight days of lounging in my recliner, I am itching to be able to do a little MORE! I took a Vicoden last night around 9pm, and I feel like I am past the point of needing them now. I am feeling really good, considering I had a tummy tuck and browlift 5 days ago!

4 dpo pictures

I had my hubby take a picture of my tummy today to compare with the "before" belly pic-

 

 you can see how much skin was removed by looking at where my belly button is compared to my tattoo.. I'd say a good 4-5 inches of skin was taken off. I'm still pretty swollen. It felt so weird to take my binder off! I love my binder, it makes me feel so safe and "sucked in".

4 DPO -- a turning point?

Yesterday was a hard day... I was constipated, and then FINALLY was able to go to the bathroom (with the help of milk of magnesia...gross) but it was STILL soooo painful. Kind of like giving birth. Ok, I know that sounds super gross and way-too-much  information, but when your stomach muscles have been sewn together dealing with constipation is extremely painful. So, make sure if you are going to have a tummy tuck that you TAKE your SUPPOSITORIES and have some Milk of Magnesia on hand.  Thankfully this morning I was able to go potty with no issues. whew. 

Also, my stomach feel pretty good today... no pain really. Right now it's 7:30am and the last Vicodin I took was last night at 9pm. The most pain comes when I stand up and walk around... and NOT from my belly- from my BACK. Oh, MY!!! My back hurts soooo much from being bent over for the past 4 days. But only when I stand up... and then after a few minutes of walking around it loosens up and doesn't hurt as much.

The day I went into surgery I weighed 134.5 pounds. The day AFTER surgery I weighed 140 pounds... all due to swelling and fluid retention. My face was swollen, my belly was swollen and  the upper part of my crotch was very swollen and HURT ( I guess that area is called the pubic mound?) Well , the swelling is waayyy down and today I once again weighed in at 134.5 pounds. Yeah!  I am trying my absolute hardest to eat clean so I don't gain weight while I am laying around for the next couple weeks.

My face is still swollen from the brow lift... my eye lids a nice shade of purple and I still have a gauze turban on my head- which covers my forehead and top of my head... and my hair is sticking out the back.... it is streaked red in places (yes, that would be dried blood)  hopefully tomorrow at my follow-up appointment my Dr. will take this turban off and allow me to wash my hair.  I have to be careful still because the type of brow lift I got was a endoscopic brow lift ... and the excess skin was lifted up and placed on these disolveable screws that were screwed into my head... so the skin needs time to reposition into its new spot... if it is disturbed too soon it could come off the screws and fall back down. 

My husband was home all day yesterday and will be home all day today to take care of me... yeah! He does such a great job. The older kids (ages 8,6 and 4) are fine taking care of themselves... they can go potty, get there own snacks, etc. by themselves.  But the Baby (9months) needs constant attention. I have been able to nurse her still with no problems... someone just lays her gently on a mound of pillow that I put over my belly as I sit in my recliner and she lays there and nurses.  I was super worried about her getting up in the middle of the night to nurse because pre-surgery she was waking up 3 times a night... but since I have been sleeping downstairs in the recliner she has been sleeping all night long! So actually this is helping break her habit of getting up... pre-surgery I was sleeping in the next room over and every sound she made I could hear.... she would make one cry and I would go get her... no I cannot hear her little cries so I am sure she has just figured out how to go back to sleep on her own.... yeah! What a blessing to finally have her sleeping through the night!

3 dpo

Today is my 3rd day after surgery. I feel pretty ok! I have taking one pain pill instead of 2. I am also taking a stool softener... haven't gone #2 since the day of surgery... but this morning I have been passing gas so I am hoping today I will go!   I also take celebrex for inflammation and an antibiotic.  My husband will be here all weekend to take care of me and the kids... I still plan on staying in my recliner all weekend, with only getting up to use the potty and get something to eat.

My face is still swollen... now my lovely purple bruises are turning yellow. I will be happy to get this head wrap off an see my new, lifted forehead!

Every morning I wipe myself down with a washcloth so I feel a little better- a shower is going to feel heavenly when I am able to do that!

Recovery Day 2- pictures

I had my friend take pictures of my belly.... recovery day 2.... I was anxious to see what it looked like!

See my cute new belly button? My old one was super stretched out from the 4 pregnancies. I didn't want to take the tape off my scar... My Dr. will do that when I see him on Monday. My belly is swollen... but that's to be expected... only 2 days post op!

Recovery Day 2

Last night was my first night at home. I mad my little bed in our recliner downstairs in the living room. My awesome babysitter was here to help with the baby- she's 9 months and still needs someone to pick her up and carry her, change diapers, feed her.... etc. Things that I will NOT be able to do for a few weeks.

I took my pain meds on schedule and napped on and off. It was so good to be home- but it was also nice to spend the night in the Hospital- I NEEDED my pain pump. And it was my HEAD that was hurting the most!

My eyes are all swollen and a lovely shade of purple. My Dr. did a brow-lift... there are small incisions about in inch into my hairline... the Dr. loosened all the muscles in my forehead and between my eyes... that is where I had the most wrinkles... I am only 32 but had very prominent wrinkles that mad me look old, tired and mean... I hated them!!!  Then the Dr. screwed in 3 hook things into my skull and then pulled up my skin and hung it on the hook. These hooks will eventually dissolve - leaving my skin in it's higher , re-attached position. So my hair is full of dried blood and wrapped up in gauze. I don't think I will be able to wash it for at least another week.

My belly looks fabulous... I only saw it briefly when the Dr. changed my bandages, but already i love it. He put the incision as low as he could... but it was still a bit above my pubic line because I did not have a TON of loose skin. I also have a short vertical incision underneath my belly button. I would rather have this short vertical incision instead of a higher horizontal incision. So to get the horizontal one as low as he could, he had to do a short vertical one... and I am happy with that!

While in the hospital I was on a fentaly pump... which was awesome... I slept so great! Then the next mourning they took me off the pump and I got started on Vicoden. I take 1-2 pills every 4-6 hours.  It does a good job at keeping my pain under control. Getting up from my recliner is still painful... as is sitting back down into the recliner... I didn't realized how much I used my ab muscles to sit down! And of course I am walking bent over... and my back hurts from constantly bending over.

It's Done!

I am now home from the hospital and recovering. What an exciting past two day! Tuesday night I barely slept and was up at 4am on Wednesday morning. I spent some snuggle time with my 9 month old baby. I got the husband and kids up and we were driving to the Hospital . We arrived and I checked into Admissions and then went upstairs to the Ambulatory surgery center.... so nervous!

Once I got there I dressed in a gown and the nurse took all my vitals and asked me a ton of questions. Then I laid there and waited for the Dr. to arrive. I fell asleep and woke up around 8:15 when Dr. D got there. He marked up my face for the brow lift and then marked up my stomach for the tummy tuck. Then he took a couple pictures of me. Then the anesthesiologist come in and he was so awesome! My biggest fear/concern was the surgery part.... they started wheeling me back the Operation room and I couldn't help but think... wow, this is IT!

They laid me on the table and then I started to breath some oxygen and then I was OUT! The next thing I remember was waking up in the recovery room. I couldn't feel any pain in my belly AT ALL- I was feeling like I had a headache and I couldn't move my head that well... my eyes were all crusted over.... And I was REALLY hot.... burning up it felt like. I got a cup of ice chips and then felt much better.   I stayed in the recovery room for a couple hours and then was wheeled to my own room to spend the night. I was SO glad to spend the night there....  I had an amazing pain pump and slept really great.

The pain is much less that I expected. Yes, it hurts to stand up and yes, I am walking hunched over. But since my headache finally went away I feel surprisingly good! I took some Vicoden this morning and then another pill this afternoon... I only took half a dose this afternoon and I am feel pretty good. My face is swollen, and my eyes are black and blue. I can't see anything else because my head is bandaged up.

Dr. D came into my hospital room this morning to check my belly - I got to see it for the first time... it looked tiny... and weird! Another awesome part is that i have NO drains. He didn't need to put any in and for that I am grateful!  The biggest pain in the butt is getting up to go pee.. but that really isn't that bad.

Today is the day

It's is 4:30am.  Last night I slept probably 2-3 hours. I knew that I probably that I probably wouldn't sleep that great and I was right- who could sleep good on the night before something like this?  All my worry feelings have turned into excitement... this is it! Flat Belly here I come! Soother forehead here I come!

My husband and kids and I will leave here at 5:30am. I need to check into the hospital by 6:30 am. My surgery starts at 8:30am. I will be relieved when it is over and I am home recovering.... in my own recliner with my own family.

"Before" Pictures.

This time tomorrow I will be OUT of surgery and in recovery! I will be soooo glad when the surgery part is over. That part is really stressing me out. I have had general anesthesia one other time-  I had to have my stomach scoped and needed to be out... and I remember waking up and just feeling really emotional. So, I wonder if I will feel like that THIS time? I guess I will post my "before" pics now.... 

Now, I am at my ideal weight- but my stomach muscles have been super stretched out after FOUR pregnancies... it will never be FLAT unless I get this tummy tuck... all the sit-ups in the world will not make a difference.  My belly is disproportionate to the rest of my body. I don't like the way it looks in clothes... it drives me nuts.  I know that my belly is not HUGE. I am very athletic and eat healthy- I always have. I am in a size 4 right now... but I have hanging, sagging skin that I hate.  I almost feel like I need to apologize because I DON'T have a TON of loose skin. But for ME, this is a lot. I want a F-L-A-T stomach, and I will pay to get one!

                                Above is me sitting with my stomach relaxed. (ignore the baby hand, lol)  My Dr. said he would have to take some of the tattoo off- I said that was fine! I can get it touched up in the future if I need too.

Above is me sitting with my muscles flexed.

Above is all the loose skin...

Above is me sitting with a relaxed belly. My muscles are just not doing their job.

24 hours!

In 24 hours I will be at the hospital getting prepped for my surgery. Surgery starts at 8:30 and will last 5-6 hours. Really? 5-6 hours seems like a long time to me! But I will be sleeping so I don't care! Last night I started to worry and think of everything that could go wrong again.... and I just had to STOP myself and focus on the positives. I am most nervous about the actually surgery part... being put under general anesthesia... that scares me... and then waking up right after... so I will be really glad when all that is DONE and I am home recovering!

Today I have a few last minute things that need to get done... write up the kids schedule for the babysitter... pack my hospital bag... get some food prepared and put in the fridge for the baby...   Last night the husband took my 8 year old son and bought him a new game for his DS. He will be hanging out inside with me for the next few days and so this way he has something fun to do in between helping me out. He also bought a new game for our Wiii- "Family game night" so I have something to do when I am recovering.

I am also getting my hair cut today and a pedicure- no nail polish, I need to take all of it off before surgery, so I will get clear polish on my nails.  I took the kids to the library so I have books to read... everything is pretty much ready. I know today will go by fast and then I will be really nervous tonight... I wonder if I will be able to sleep.

48 Hours......

In 48 hours I will be in the operating room! I can hardly believe it. It still seems un-real. Today - Monday- I am going to do some last minute errands... make sure I have all the food that I need during my recovery... I am going to be eating VERY. VERY. CLEAN. I am at my ideal weight, but I would love to lose about 5 more pounds during this whole recovery phase- and definitely not GAIN weight.  So off to COSTCO for Greek yogurt and celery!

Getting ready... prepping for plastic surgery....

My procedure is THREE (3!!!) days away. I still can't believe it.... I guess it will seem more real when I am actually DRIVING to the hospital! Even though it still feels like a dream, I have been getting READY for the big day. With me being a SAHM to 4 kids, I need to be prepared to be laid-up. Yesterday my husband went grocery shopping with the baby while I took the other kids to their gymnastics class. He spent $500 on groceries! I am glad he did.... we stocked up on easy to prep foods to feed the kids... snacks that they can get to themselves.... healthy fruits and vegetables for me... although I am not sure how much I am going to feel like eating!    I am a healthy eater usually anyway.. but having this surgery (and spending this amount of money!) Is REALLY motivating me to eat very healthy.... I don't want to undo any results by gaining weight while I am recovering. This is a real concern because I will go from working out 4 X a week and hiking/running around all day to literally laying in the recliner and not moving.

Yesterday we rearranged the living room and brought our La-Z-boy recliner downstairs in front of the TV. Everything I read says the recliner is the place to recover. I am glad we have one. I filled my prescriptions... which were a couple different pain medications and an antibiotic. One was vicoden, I know that. The house is pretty clean. I have my babysitter lined up. She is coming Wednesday at 1:30pm-6ish.

 My husband and all 4 kids will drive me the 30 min to the hospital and drop me off. I would LIKE my husband to walk in with me, but I have to be there at 6:30am and so it is just easier to bring them all then to ask my babysitter to drive over that early. So I will get there at 6:30- walk into admissions and do all the surgery prep. My surgery starts at 8:30am and will last about 6!! Hours. I think 6 hours seems like a LONG time, but am glad my PS is going to be taking his time! So I should be getting out of surgery at about 2-2:30pm. My husband will be there when I get out of surgery and stay with me until I am moved to my room and then he will leave around 6pm to go home and take care of the kids through the night. 

The next morning (Thursday) my babysitter is coming from 10am-6pm. I will be released from the hospital at around 11:30. My husband will pick me up and bring me home and get me settled and then he has to go to work for a bit- so the babysitter will take care of the kids and help me if I need it.  Then she will also come Friday from 8am-2pm because my husband has to work a bit Friday too. He WILL be home all weekend to care for me. I am HOPING by Monday (4 days post surgery) to feel okay enough to be able to be without him for a few hours while he goes to work. My 8 year old son will be home at this time to help me with things. He may only be 8, but my son is a big helper and acts much older for his age. He know he will have to help me and that I am having surgery. His main job will be lifting and carrying his baby sister, because I will not be able too!

I plan on staying downstairs in my recliner for at least the first 4 days. I am putting a play-pen in the front office for the baby to take her naps there during the day. This way my son can easily put her in and lift her out.  This is my PLAN at least- it will be interesting to see how it pans out!  I am very nervous about the recovery. Okay, I KNOW it will hurt. I GET that. I have read WILDLY different recovery stories... from it being the most painful thing in the world to it not being that bad... I guess I will have to just wait and see!

  I still need to buy a stool softener, big soft headbands (to hide my brow lift incisions... remember, no one knows I am doing this!) and ice packs. The nurse at my pre-op appointment said I need to wear a button up shirt to the hospital. I hate button-up shirts and don't own any... but my husband has some so I will wear one of his. And also stage 2 compression briefs... I am searching the Internet for the best ones to buy.

And so there you have it - 3 more days to hang out and read everything I can and try not to obsess and read the horror stories. I am trying to think only POSITIVE thoughts!

4 days to go.... Stressing Out!

Yesterday was a hard day for me emotionally and mentally. I think the REALITY of what I am embarking on hit me really hard! This is going to be a pretty big surgery... I will be in PAIN. I won't be able to pick up my 9 month old baby for a WHILE. It will be a few weeks before I can go hiking and workout.... I am a very active mom.... I LOVE to run, lift weights and I workout pretty much DAILY. So to be on the couch is going to be hard for me. I also love taking my kids hiking and to the beach and to the pool....   I know they will have fun at home because we live in a great neighborhood and they will have fun playing outside with their friends.... but it is just my own guilt that I am letting get to me.... and I can't think like that!  Thinking about all the negatives is going to drive me crazy!

Also I have been freaking out about the COST of the surgery.... I live in a more expensive part of the country. That being said my surgery's are costing $13K total. That includes the browlift, FULL tummy tuck with muscle repair and a night in the hospital.

(Some doctors send their patients home the same day, but my Dr. likes to keep you in the hospital overnight- I think this is a good idea. I need to be away from my kids to really relax. If I was at home I would be stressing out and trying to help my husband.) 

  Originally it was only going to cost $11k .... my doctor was only going to do a MODIFIED tummy tuck... which was full muscle repair and then taking off only a little bit of skin and floating my belly button down a few cm. - So detaching the belly button and pulling my skin down and then re-attaching it. I started doing some research and most everything I read on the Internet made me think that this was something that I did not want. First of all your belly button is where it is at because that is where it belongs! To lower it could end up looking odd! And then my Dr. would be limited on how much skin he could tighter/take off because he could only lower my belly button a little bit before it would look very strange.   And I want the most skin taken off possible.  When I went back for my pre-op appointment a week from my surgery I told him my fears and let him know that I would rather have a slightly higher scar and maybe even a tiny vertical scar (the vertical scar would only happen if there was not enough skin to close the Full tuck, and would only be a few cm long)  than think that not enough skin taken off.  I know my Dr. was thinking of doing the "Umbilical Float" technique because I don't have a LOT of skin to remove like some woman maybe have....   and I would get good results with the float .... but I WANT the FLATTEST stomach possible. I don't want to be done with surgery and think .... oh, I wish he would have taken off . I am ONLY doing this ONCE.

So at my pre-op apt I told him my fears of the Modified Tuck not being enough. He again examined my stomach and said that 1) he may have underestimated the amount of loose skin that I had) and 2) he was glad that I brought this up because he suggested the Modified tuck because that was the least invasive of the two options and I would still get good results. BUT, it is really what the patient envisions... and he was glad that I told him that I would rather have the flattest possible than to be disappointed in the results that I get from the Modified tuck. And he agreed that a FULL tuck would give me a flatter stomach.... not to mention a NEW belly button (yeah!)  In exchange for a flatter stomach, I am going to have to have a slightly higher scar, and I am fine with that.... I am a 32 year old mom of 4... I am NOT going to be wearing super skimpy bathing suits! (sorry husband).  But SOME women would rather have less skin taken off and a lower scar... so it is important that you TALK to your surgeon and let him/her KNOW what YOU want and what is the most important to YOU!


I have made some extra money this year at my job and so that is why I am doing this surgery also....  I was able to pay $4,000 upfront. The rest ($9,000) we put on our credit card.... which DID have  a ZERO balance.  So now I have to deal with weight of having debt. I know it will get paid off... but as a mom I am used to putting myself LAST.... so to spend that much money on ME is hard. But I KNOW it will be worth it.  Putting it on our credit card was the best option, because our interest rate is 9%, whereas a personal loan would have a 12% interest rate- because it would be an "unsecured loan". (unsecured because the bank cannot come and repo my tummy tuck, ha ha ha.)

To Answer Some Questions...

What am I getting done?
I am getting a tummy tuck and a browlift- my OWN rendition of a “Mommy Make-over”. Most women get their boobs done… but really I have never been into big boobs…. my husband isn’t a boob man (he’s a leg man) and I have always had great boobs. I have ALWAYS hated my belly- I gain weight there and it has always felt big compared the rest of my body. And HELLO! I have had 4 kids… skin and muscles are  stretched and NO amount of sit-ups or cardio is going to get it flat and tight.  My Dr. is going to go a FULL tummy tuck… tighten all my stomach muscles, and give me a new belly button…. which I am very excited about… my current belly button is stretched out and gross!  And as for the brow-lift… I am equally as excited about this! I have MUCH more forehead wrinkles than someone my age should have. This is partly genetics and partly stress…. I have had a SUPER stressful few years… and my face aged about 10 years- every time I look in the mirror I notice how my eye-lids are sagging, my forehead creases are VERY noticeable. I just felt old and NOT pretty! My Doctor agreed that he could really help my sagging face with a brow-lift. People always think I a TIRED, or ANGRY or STRESSED… and I HATE that!!!

I am breastfeeding my 9m old: 
Yes, I am getting all this done and I am still breastfeeding- It CAN be done!  My Dr. just told me to pump and dump while at the hospital to get the anesthesia out of my system. I have enough pumped boobie milk saved up so she can just  drink that- plus now that she is 9 months I am trying to get her to eat more solid foods.  I am really nervous because she still wakes up 2-3 times a night to nurse…. more because I think its a habit for her and its a comfort… but my husband will be with her to feed her a bottle and snuggle with her when she wakes up, so it will be fine.  And then once home from the hospital- my Dr. is having me spend the night-   I plan on nursing her – I will just need help getting her situated so she isn’t bothering my belly – and I will time it so I am not feeding her when the pain meds are the most worn off… but all the pain meds are safe for breastfeeding so I am not worried about that.

Why NOW?
Why am I doing this right now and not waiting until the baby is weaned? Well, my husband works a very stressful job and is gone A LOT. Starting mid-July he will be in and out (mostly OUT) of the state working and so he would NOT be able to be around to help with my recovery. RIGHT NOW , until July 11th he is still working- but only 40 hours a week at this particular job site and he works very close by and can take time off to be with me for a few days. ALSO, my kids are on summer break. This is actually a BIG help. My 8 year old son and 6 year old daughter do a LOT to help me around the house and with the baby. Even my 4 year old is helpful. My son can pick the baby up out of her crib, carry her around for me and really be my second set of hands. I told him how much I am going to need his help and am going to pay him for his help so he can go to Game-Stop and buy a new DS toy- he’s excited about that!  I think that this is really the best time for me- and PLUS my husband and I are going to the Bahamas in October to celebrate our 10 year anniversary…. I want to rock my bikini! and feel CONFIDENT!!!

Hi There!

Let me get a few things out in the open right away. My real name is NOT “Lucy”, that is my alias. Only 4 people in this whole world know that I am going to get this “make-over”. And NONE are family …. and a lot of my really close friends have no idea. I just don’t feel like other people knowing my business… yet I love to journal and I know this will be a good read for other women contemplating plastic surgery… so that is why I have decided to document it!

The FACTS- I am a 32 year old Mom of 4 children- oldest 8, youngest 9 months. I have been married 10 years to my soul mate. I am getting a FULL tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) and also a Brow lift.  I am at my ideal weight- which for me at 5’5″ is around 130 pounds.  I have a fit and muscular build.
I have ALWAYS hated my “belly” and have always thought that I was over-weight when in fact I was NOT because my belly is disproportionate to the rest of my body. I exercise A LOT. I am a runner and from 5days postpartum have been running regularly in hopes of getting my belly in shape- up to 50 miles a WEEK. (that’s about 7 miles a day!)  That really didn’t work…. my belly was still loose, saggy and big. So I started lifting weight also- I was hoping that resistance exercises and ab exercises would get things where I wanted them…. nope.  I eat healthy, I workout a lot…. and still I look 4 months pregnant.  Once day I was doing a workout and I looked in the mirror and realized that I looked really great…. except for my belly. And my belly would NEVER go away on it’s own. Never. So I got on the Internet and made a consult with a plastic surgeon…. someone my friend recommended to me…. and I am so glad that I did!
And so this is my blog to document everything that I am going through! From consult to surgery to recovery…. I hope you enjoy!