Welcome home its nice to hear that your doing well and yes I do agree the staff is very nice at grinnell. I was also suppose to stay up to 5 days with my inner thighs being done but I only stayed 2 days I get my staples out on tuesday and this has been the least painful for me my tummy tuck was the worst. Well get some rest I wish you a healthy and speedy recovery                                         Lavonda

Surgery was Tuesday.  The doctor's expected it to take 3-4 hrs because I was having a revision from a VBG.  It only took 45 minutes!  The scar tissue that they were worried about was basically non-existant, so it went much faster than they expected.  I was in ICU for the first 24 hrs (ok, actually only about 22 hehe).  I was up and walking at 8 pm, only 8 hrs after my surgery.   I did have an NG tube in my nose (OWWWW), and a drain.  I'm telling you, the worst part of the whole experience was having that stinkin drain taken out.  OUUUUCH!!!  lol  Wonder if you can get anethesia for that...hehe  They said to expect to be in the hospital till Sunday or so (5-6 days because it's a revision).  Well, even that was wrong, I got to come home on Friday!  I was walkin, and getting my own water refills, and sitting in the chair instead of in the bed...  I have to tell you, Grinnell is a small hospital, but they do NOT lack anywhere in the service catagory.  The staff was wonderful, and the facility was nice and clean.  The doc's are awesome!!  Dr. Kermode and Don (not even gonna try to spell his name!) were the best!!  I go back on Friday to have my staples removed.   I'm feeling good too. 

Holy Moly!!!!!!!!!  It has been forever since I have seen you on here Dixie (it's Jesi~P)....I am sorry to hear about the breast cancer.  I have a million and one questions for you, since it has been so long.  I don't come around much anymore.  I see you don't either.  Are you a nurse yet?  How is the grandbaby, she probably isn't much of a baby anymore.  If you don't want to reply back here email me jesinjay@ mchsi.com  ........I would love to hear how your doing all around.  Is your sister all better, did she have any more episodes?  See I have way too many questions so I better quit.  Hope to hear from you.  Take Care jesi

First & foremost, don't be in any hurry to get it done.  You want to be pretty close to your goal weight. I had my first at 15 months. I had gotten down to 180 from a high of 350.  I wasn’t suppose to exercise at all for the 6 weeks of recovery, not even walking for exercise. I never got down to my goal and I suspect that 6 weeks of  not exercise contributed.

Second, read up on plastic surgery. Libraries have excellent books that will answer most of your questions. Third, do NOT go to a general surgeon to have plastics done. Go to a BOARD CERTIFIED (yes, I meant to shout) plastic surgeon. What most people don't realize is that any doctor can do  plastic surgery even without the specialized training. You don't want that. Many of them actually use staples for your incision. A good plastic surgeon has way too much pride in his work to ever use staples. Most won't even have stitches on the surface and in a year or so, you'll hardly even see the scar. Fourth, if you hope to have your insurance pay, be sure to be documenting any problems caused by your extra skin. It will help but not necessarily. Often insurance companies will pay for a panniculectomy (I think that's spelled wrong) which is just a removal of the extra skin without the tightening of the muscle (actually the fascia but most people  think it's the muscle.) If you want a flat, tight  tummy, you want an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), and most insurance consider that surgery cosmetic & won't pay. However, if they will pay for a panni & you still want the tight tummy, many surgeons will code it as a panni & just charge you extra for the extra work. You pay for the extra work.  I had no rashes or other problems & paid cash for my tummy tuck & have never regretted it. Fifth, don't get all excited when the surgeon tells you how much your extra skin weighs. Most exagerrate about the amount. Usually it’s around 6-8 lbs.

 

Sixth, plastic surgery hurts, but not as much as you’d expect. Remember, at least for a tummy tuck, they are not cutting muscle. 

 

There are some really excellent plastic surgeons in Iowa. Dr Aly in Coralville is one of the best in the nation when it comes to lower body lifts. People come to him from all over the world.  He’s also very expensive, and I have been told that he doesn’t accept insurance.  I may have been told wrong though. I went to a plastic surgeon in Waterloo who I adored. I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer & if someday I decide to have reconstruction, he’ll be the man.

There is a lady from Iowa who arranges trips to Central or South America for plastic surgery. You'll probably be hearing from her.

Dixie

Good luck on the start of your new journey!  It's gonna be quite the ride and Totally worth it!  I'm so happy for you! Shannon