1 Week & 1 Day out BL Medial TT

So, went to doc today for one week followup. The drain came out YEAH! I hate that part the most. He said it was all looking good, but the right leg looked "angry", meaning red. I went on antibiotics for 10 days starting today. (Not a surprise).

In comparisions to last years Plastics (LBL), this one has been eaiser---but it's not the same to compare. Drain issue is drain issue: but 1 drain in privates sure beats 4. I do have more energy, but even the pain is different. The breast is more itchy than painful. The tummy feels the same as the tightening last year. The pain in the legs is more of a tight and burning feeling than that achy feeling.

I am seeping/weeping quite a bit from the legs. The oozing is clear and water--yuck, but not bad.

I have been allowed to shower as needed since the day after surgery. just pat incisions to dry. I am in the binder round the clock except during shower.

I am very swollen. I went in the morning of surgery weighing 135; and came home next day weighing between 149 - 148. Today, I was at 140. My appetite is fine; however, I have been craving the more carb foods. I haven't minded calories / carbs / etc yet, but will get back on the low carb wagon by this time next week.

The recovery set up has been the same as the lbl. I am in the recliner with pillows under knees, and sleeping the same way. Walking is hunched over, the same. I also find that sitting in the couch with my feet up on a stool is an ok position as well.

Anyone have any other questions? I'm free and available since I am home watching dvds all day (sigh, boredom)

oh,and I am allowed to drive *as needed* as long as I am taking ibuprofin and not the Rx pain med. Still putting that off, but nice to know if in an emergency I can if I have too, since I have a 9 and 7 year old here.

Isn't the boredom a beyotch! Sounds like you are doing pretty well. I have a 9 and 5 year old. What fun this is trying to rest and handle them. They've been wonderful so far though. More like them handling me!! I'm just still battling the terrible numbness/searing pain I have when standing and the constant numbness regardless of position. It is driving me a bit batty.  I'm just thankful I don't have a job to rush back to. I mean I have a job, but if I got fired tomorrow I wouldn't care, so it is not a source of stress.

So tell me, you had a lower body lift before and a tummy tuck now? Am I misunderstanding? How does that work because my LBL was my tummy.

Talk to you soon.

Denise

that is true. Last year I had a lbl with muscle tightening. It removed the panni etc. However, my skin (fat) above the belly button didn't rebound as much as I wanted. in fact, It looked like an upholstered chair with the belly button being the fastener. I had a roll that went over the belly button, plus a tiny roll over the incision line of the tummy tuck. So this year we did the fleur de lei part to eliminate the upper muffin top.

Boredom plus my butt is sore from so much sitting--I'm not a sitter lol

Rhonda - did you have the vertical thigh lift (incision down the inside of your thigh) or the one where your incision is around the groin area?  Is most of your swelling in your thighs or elsewhere?

thanks,

michelle

I hope this is not too graphic, I have incisions around the crease of the leg, then vertical from inner thigh down to knee. I also have a triangularish around the mons, fuma, or whatever you want to call the girl down under area.

Swelling is all over, breast, belly, thighs. I can't say if one area is more swollen than another. It is only infected in the legs.

Rhonda, thanks for this great follow-up post.  It gives those of us waiting in the wings something to think about.  That's a lot of water weight you came home from the hospital with.  I'll be curious to see when you start shedding more of those pounds and get back to 135.  How are you doing with the carby foods?

I'm most afraid of my thighs being done.  Not sure why except that everyone says that it's a tough recovery.  Please keep posting how you're doing!

The craving for the carb foods has subsided. I am extra sensitive to salty foods, meaning I don't like the too salty taste (good thing!) I am finding that my protein drinks taste extra good. I also have found that apples with sugar free peanut butter has been good. I believe that my body is showing me what it needs. I guess there must have been something in the carby that my body needed? It was true craving and not emotion / head hunger thing.

so, just keeping this all together:

I thought maybe someone may be insterested in my stats.

I took measurements the morning before surgery, and I took measurements now (10 days out)

Weight 135 today 139.5 (was 149.5 day after surgery)

Under Bust 35" today 35"
Center Shoulder to nipple 14" today 11"
Waist 33" today 36"
Hips: 38" today 39"
Upper Thigh: 22" today 22"
1" above knee: 16" today 15"

oh, also, surgeon said he took about 5 lbs total. But as many of us know, presurgery weight - total lb removed doesn't = what you may think.

Example, last year, I weighed 138 pre-lbl, and he removed 8 lbs. It took months to get to 135, and I actually dropped to 123 for a short season. However, I did "bounce" back to 135. I *think* my body is happy there, so we'll see after about 1 year what this really translates to.