Recovering in Monterrey

Just wanted to let you all know that I am finally at the hotel where I have email.  Surgery was on the 8th and I fly home on the 19th.  Everything went very well, Doctor Sauceda is a true artist, and a very nice man with a wonderful bedside manner. 

I didn't end up getting the lower body lift, because my thighs were so bad and it would not do too much to help them , so instead I got the full thigh lift, cut in a "T" front groin to back, and all the way down the center to past my knees.  I got the tummy tuck, full arm lift, cut also like a "T" across the pitts and down to the elbow, and yes, a new set of twins! 
I am stitched from stem to stern, but healing well.  I got my 2 arm drains out on Monday day 5, but still have 3 lower ones. A real P.I.T.A.  Just taking ibupropen and antibiotics.  I have to wear 2 compression garments for 6 weeks to control the swelling, but in the end it will be so worth it.  He even threw in some fat injections to my nasal/labia folds (the sagging skin of my nose/mouth area).  It looks like I went a few rounds with Mike Tyson, but it has taken years off my face.  Even at this stage, I am so stoked, my thighs never looked this smooth and toned, even before I gained all the weight, I was very dimply.  Since I cannot even draw a straight line, I am so impressed with the placement and symetry of the sutures.  Looking at me front or back, you cannot see them. 

The day after the surgery if you asked me if I'd do it again (all at once and by myself) I would have said no way.  I even told the Doctor to take the implants out, because this was by far the most painful part of each of the procedures I had done.  He sat with me and talked to me and told me that each day it would get a little better, and that did help.  Oh yeah, that and an extra shot of morphine.   The least painful was the arms.  Now,  I am so glad I did it, even with all the sutures and eventual scarring what I see so far is truly amazing.  I look forward to exploring some of the city, the mountains are just beautiful, but is is about 106-115 degrees, so I will be sure to not over do it. 

I'm not sure If I have access to my before pictures, but give me a few minutes and after I hit send I will add some pics to my profile.  You can see the swelling in the marks on my legs from the compression garment, and I got creative and used a strap from my garment as a belt to hang the drains.  I am working on a blog of my thoughts and experience here in Mexico, so it is still a work in progress. 

Gentle hugs to all my friends, Diane.

Congrats! Diane; good luck and a safe and speedy recovery to younow plenty of rest and just think NEW DIANE...hugzzz

Glad you're doing well and recovering nicely.  You're pics like great!  Just think how much better it will all look in a few weeks!

Melissa

You look great.   Congratulations.  Glad it is all going so well for you.

Happy for you.

Hugs

WOW Diane!

You look great, amazing! So glad to see you that you are feeling well to post. I wish that we would have been able to cross paths in Monterrey and hung out a bit. I so enjoy meeting others in this journey.

I love the mountain view in Monterrey too, they are simply beautiful.  I plan to return to enjoy the city a little more.

Sending you gentle hugs  and  prayers for a speedy and uneventful recovery.

I have to say every opportunity I get that I totally love Dr Sauceda!  He ROCKS!

Thank you, ladies!  I missed meeting you too, Antonette.  Funny thing is that you met Katherine, and now she is right across the hall from me.  Dr. S. hooked us up with Sergio the taxi guy, and we are taking a tour of the city with him on Friday.  Thank you for your kind support, and take really good care with your recovery as well. 

You are so right, Dr. Sauceda does rock.  Not only is he an expert with his surgical skills, his personality and personal attention to his patients goes above and beyond what you would ever expect from a surgeon in the US.  Very important when you are traveling by yourself, and the lonliness starts to set in.  I consider him a great friend.  And he speaks highly of you as well !

diane, i don't mean to be nosey, but are u sure you should be taking ibupropen?  my doc says that is a NSAID and that is a no no according to him.  thought i might just pass on the info.  i think it can give u ulcers or something. vick

Yup, vick, my rny surgeon said the same thing.  I did tell Dr. Sauceda this, and I plan on at the 2 week mark switching to tylenol.  I didn't want to take narcotics, and deal with the constipation and such, so I am taking it for a short term use only.  I faithfully take my nexium every day, to prevent the ulcers, so I am praying for the best.  Thank you for telling me though, some people may  not be aware of that.  Hugs, Vick!  Diane.

BTW, does anyone know how to change your signature that is pre-set?  I find it helpful to look at the signaure line to see what procedures folks had done, and wanted to ad it to mine. 

dianne, go to settings, then to message, i think.  there is a rectangular box that u can type into and be sure and save, you have to go quite a bit down on the page. then i think u have to turn off the computer to make sure it takes. good luck. vick

I had surgery with Dr. Sauceda April 16.  He took real good care of me too.  I'm sorry I didn't have the thigh incision that you did.  the one he usually does in the groin, just did not do much for me.  I am planning to go back at some point for a face lift and a revision of one of my arms and will probably have the thighs done like you did.  I just with they could do calves too.

After I had my boobs done, I felt the same way.  I wanted to get them out.  But I'm happy with them now.  My most pain was in my arms, but I had a hematoma that was pretty painful and looked awful.   It took a while to heal, but is better now.  

Glad to hear about your success.