LBL/BL Tomorrow

I am scheduled for a LBL and BL tomorrow morning with Dr. Joseph Michaels in D.C. I have to be there at 5:30am and surgery is scheduled for 7:30am and should last 11 hours.

I live in NY so we had a long drive down yesterday. Today I went and got a DEXA scan so I'd have one done right before surgery. My body fat percentage is 19% total and 17% in my trunk/abdomen so it was nice to see I'm ready from a weight stand point for surgery.

My husband I had lunch at Jaleo (an amazing Spanish restaurant) and now we're at the hotel. The nerves are really starting to kick in now that all the things we had planned are out of the way except for surgery. 24 hours from now will be very different!

So exciting! Please post an update when you are able. I go for my LBL March 9th. I'll send healing vibes your way!

Wooo! I'm glad Jaleo was awesome too :D

Erin, I hope your surgery went well. Keep us posted on your progress.

I hope all is going well, Erin!! Check in when you can!!

Since people have asked - Erin checked in with me and she's doing well! She's managing her pain and seems to be in good spirits. She's also really happy with her results as much as she's been able to see so far :D

Hey Guys! Thanks for thinking of me. I'm on Day3 post op now and doing pretty well.

I had to be at the hospital at 5:30am and after getting an IV and marked up by Dr. M I was taken back for surgery 7:30am. Something that I didn't realize might happen - I had a really lightheaded reaction to being marked. There was something weird about someone manipulating my skin in such a clinical way. After that they gave me happy drugs and I dont' remember anything until about 6pm that night.

Getting out of bed was probably the most painful thing I've ever done. I will say that Sibley Memorial nailed it on Anesthesia because I as less sick than any other surgery, even though it was so long.

I've tolerated the narcotics very well and am already down to half the dose I'm allowed to take. Tonight I get to shower!

It's good to hear that you are doing well. That shower must have felt heavenly!

I'm now day 5 post op. Things are going pretty well. My drains are already outputting only about 40mls (that's the measurement right?) per day and I only need to get to 30 to have them pulled. I would never recommend this surgery to someone who wasn't in really good physical shape, because I have needed my toned arms and quads to get myself up and down. The power lift chair has also been really great. My worst pain has been my butt/tailbone and since the narcotics don't seem to help with that, I have just been taking Tylenol and one Valium right before bed to help with sleep.

My tummy is pretty swollen but the first time I saw myself I literally cried I was so happy. Guys, I have never looked like a 'normal' person and now I do! I have a long way to go to get back to where I was physically but even with as painful and difficult as the last few days have been it's also been amazing!

11 days post op today. I'm off all medication except Lovenox now. The pain is minimal and pretty much just like muscle soreness and pulling. I'm slow to get up and down. I started using Calendula cream on my incisions last night because they are itchy and Benedryl puts me right to sleep! So far, they all look good and I have no separations.

I uploaded a before and "after" photo to my profile. You have to be 'friends' with me to see it. Of course, there's still plenty of swelling.