How long before you could care for yourself?

BTW you all look FABULOUS! And all of you are so brave & inspiring! I am wondering how long before you could care for yourself after your Tummy Tuck. I stayed with my Mother for amost 2 weeks after my Facelift & Breast and I really don't want to ask her to help me out so long this time. Any imput is very much appreciated. BUT I know I'm a BIG wussy...But I'm tired of being FAT...I always had low self esteem.  I was born with 1 and 1/2 arms and was very much teased as a child/teenager.  I FINALLY feel good about my appearance and this is the last step in my PHYSICAL journey. Well off my pity party...LOL

I had a LBL on a Tuesday, Emergency surgery on Wednesday and by Sunday I was able to wash my own hair in my kitchen sink and wash up..... My first shower was at about week 2 and that was tough, I had wished my DH was there.. I was a little nervous and light headed... You'll do fine.. :)

I live alone, and when I came home from the hospital a couple of days post-op, I was doing for myself.  Prepare your home ahead of time, keeping in mind the limitations your plastic surgeon has given you.  Clean from stem to stern, because you will not be able to push a vacuum for about a month.  Move things up off bottom shelves and out of bottom drawers if you won't be able to lift.  I made a game of it -- walking through the house, looking at every shelf, every drawer, thinking what I used regularly and what I would need post-op.

You won't be able to shower for a while, so get some fun bath products that you can use for sponge bathing.  I found some cleansing cream that you just wipe on with a damp washcloth, rinse, and wipe off.  It leaves me feeling nice.  Also, many surgeries ago, I learned to wash my hair with a washcloth in situations where I can't bend over.  (This probably won't be your case, but you never know, at least for the first week or so.)  I cut my hair really short, wet a washcloth, rub my hair until wet, put a teeny drop of shampoo on my hair, mu**** around, and then keep rinsing the washcloth and rinsing my head.  Ta da!  It may not be the cleanest hair in the world, but at least it doesn't smell, HA!  

A laundry trick -- Instead of putting your grubbies in a hamper and having to haul the hamper to the washer, I just put my grubbies right in the washing machine.  In a few days, when I've got a fullish tub, I throw in detergent (and all towels!) and wash the whole lot in cold water.  Not the greatest, but hey, I'm not wearing my good clothes during recovery anyway.  Avail yourself of a reacher / grabber pre-op, and use it to get the stuff out of the washer and then out of the dryer.  Very satisfactory.  

You can do it!  Anyone who survived childhood with a disability is NOT a wuss.  You have strength beyond your own realization.  Just think of all you have accomplished recently!  And stop saying you are a wuss and have low self-esteem :-)  We believe the things we say about ourselves.  Start saying that you are a strong, independent person who has accomplished remarkable things!  Pretty soon you will believe yourself!

Best wishes on your continuing journey!            --Dorothy

LOL...You are GREAT!!! Thank you for the great advise & pick me up speech    I thought it was possible but wanted assurance. How long before you returned to work?

I am a church organist and music director, and I was back on the organ bench in three or four weeks.  Not at 100%, of course, but each week got easier.  A desk job could have been gotten back to in three or four weeks, realizing you will not have full energy.     --Dorothy

This is such an individual thing.  I had an LBL, spent one night in the hospital went home the following morning and cooked dinner that night. Slept in a LaZboy recliner for two weeks and then went back to work.    I don't want to scare you but my facelift was a whole lot easier than my LBL.  I went home the same day and had no help at all.

My facelift & Breast lift were a BREEZE. And I had already heard the Tummy Tuck was the most painful surgery for us. I guess I just wanted some assurance that the pain was bearable & that I could take pretty good care of myself with a week.. Thank You 

You're going to need more help with abdominal surgery--- not less. I'd say a couple weeks'd do it-- especially if you're already compromised a little with the half arm--- very hard to get up and down.