I forgot to tell you...

That along with everything else happening yesterday when I broke down, I forgot to tell you I had a yeast infection too!  Now really?  Could nothing more happen to me?  Lord!

So I went to a doctor here in town today...great doctor, I really liked him....Anyway, this rash is a reaction from one of the three antibiotics I am on...nothing will help other than to stop taking the medicine.  Benadryl won't even help, ugh.  It will take a day or two to go down...I have to go to work tomorrow like this, ugh!  Here is this morning my neck/chest area...

All of this nonsense is driving me crazy!  I am not a sickly person, I don't run to the doctor at the sign of some little thing, but I am at my second week of work and missed another day, now I have to go into work like this!  AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, someone help me!!

I finally broke down...

So, the past week has been emotional or actually just tonight.  So...to try to make an extremely long story shorter...

I started my new job on Tuesday instead of Monday because of the follow-up appointment with the surgeon.  The work week went great, meeting a bunch of people that you may not remember their names next week, but it was great and I am so looking forward to this job.  I have a feeling I will be extremely busy, which is fantastic!  I want the day to fly by so fast that I don't realize what time it is!  I even had dinner with my boss' wife and kids on Thursday (he had to go out of town or he would of been with us) and it was great, I really love his wife.  Of course I spent most of the time talking about me, which I hate about myself, but I was telling about the surgery and stuff.  Not that I had to, she reads this blog, ugh...I feel like such a blow hard sometimes.  Ha ha, I heard that word on CSI last week and it has been in my head, just had to use it. :)

Anyway, so....Friday I noticed some red bumps on my thighs...but I had worn a new pair of pants on Thursday without washing them, so I thought it was just that and I didn't even think twice about it (because I didn't see it anywhere else)...and it didn't itch, so it wasn't bothering me.  That same night I noticed the hard knot on the inside of my knee had changed...the center of the knot was very soft and the skin looked thin, almost like a blood blister or something.  It didn't raise up or anything, but it just looked like it was full of fluid.  So, I made note of it in my brain and moved on.

Saturday morning, after I dragged my butt out of bed and made breakfast for the family...what did Charlotte do but crawl back into bed of course...after she ate, ha ha!  So, I went in there and climbed into bed with her and was just chatting for a few minutes....and then I felt my knee was wet.  I pulled up the leg of my jammies and noticed that the knot had popped!  GROSS!  So I went and cleaned it out, it was blood and yellow puss coming out, I know, it's sick, I almost couldn't do it, but I felt like I got it all out and put the prescription antibiotic cream on it that I have, and bandaged it up.  It is still hard around the center.  So I don't know what is going on, I am going to call my doctor tomorrow.

Now, back to the red bumps on my thighs...I noticed they were getting a little more...and I drove back to the hotel in Charlottesville tonight (Sunday) for work tomorrow...and I get up and go to the bathroom and I notice the bumps on my thigh are more red....and then I see a few on my arms....and then I look in the mirror and I see it on my neck!!  I took a picture and sent it to my mom and then called her and started crying.  I can't take it any more, I am so tired of being sick!  Ugh,  I always cry when I talk to my mom and I'm sad...because you always know your mommy will make it better. :)  She told me to stop taking the antibiotics and take some Benadryl.   I also sent the picture to my sister (who is a nurse and was at work) and she asked the doctor at work (and told her the antibiotics I am on) and the doctor said to take Benadryl and keep taking the antibiotics and call my doctor tomorrow.  So, I listened to the doctor...and of course they were wrong.  I should of stopped taking the antibiotics like my mom said...Mom's are ALWAYS right!  :p

So, I drove up to the grocery store, talked to my son and husband on the way back (cried on the phone with my husband) and took the Benadryl and am about to hop into bed.  I am a worry wart...I don't know if people notice but my thinking is a little twisted...

Just a TINY glimpse of where my brain is running:      So if this rash is an allergic reaction...another allergic reaction is for your throat to swell up (is my throat swelling up, omg, is it??)...and if I take my sleeping pill tonight...will I wake up if my throat swells??  Will I die alone in this hotel??  OMG how horrible, if I die I want to at least be around my family (wth!?!?).  OMG, I am moving to a new place, we are supposed to go to settlement and what if I die??  Would Tim still move?  Would they let him out of the contract on the house?....and so on and so on.......it's twisted, seriously.

Anyway, I am going to bed...hope this isn't my last post (ok ok, I am joking, really, I hope)...I am going to call my doc tomorrow and see where we go from here....wish me luck.

Emergency Room Visit

So, earlier last week, I noticed some tenderness on the inside of my knee, above the drain hole (I love saying drain hole, not sure why).  I had had some tenderness sometimes before the drain was removed, I thought it was just from moving around a lot at night now and bending my knee more.  Anyway, yesterday morning, I noticed some red patches around the area...so off to the ER I went.  I definitely didn't want to have an infection and let it get worse!  I do love the hospital here, they are all so friendly and nice, but 6 hours later....ugh.

Basically I do have a small infection (the doctor said skin infection, so not even inside) and they did an ultrasound on my knee and CBC (complete blood count).  The blood work was perfectly normal but there is a small amount of fluid build up in the track of where my drain was...but not even enough to stick a needle in and take out.  I have to follow-up with the surgeon who was on call there on Monday, just to make sure that it's just normal swelling and more fluid isn't building up, but other than that it's ok.  They gave me an IV antibiotic and two more to take for the next 10 days.  I have never taken two antibiotics at the same time...and I took a nap for 4 hours today!  I haven't felt nauseas yet, or had to visit the bathroom a lot, which antibiotics sometimes do to people, but I have lost my appetite (which isn't a bad thing right now) and had a headache that wouldn't quit.  One of the antibiotics said headache was a side effect...first time I had ever seen that also.  I guess I just don't take antibiotics a lot!

What this means is I don't start my job in Charlottesville tomorrow, which is a bummer, I hate having to do that, but I do need to follow-up with the surgeon before I head down.  The surgeon told me to tell his office when I called that I need to be seen right away, so they don't put me off, which is good.  In a perfect world I will see the surgeon tomorrow and all will be fine, and be on my way to Charlottesville tomorrow evening to start on Tuesday!


I will update later this week. :D

Not as dramatic as I hoped!

Alright, so here's what everyone has been waiting for, but I almost don't want to post, ha ha!  Took pictures yesterday and today, and my 3-week post-op pictures look better than my 6-week, isn't that horrible?  Ok, you can still see a difference, but jeez, I almost feel like I am going backwards!  I know it's a lot of swelling still, and I am doing a lot more (not sitting in bed all day) which makes the swelling worse, but I am disappointed in the difference, ha ha.  Anyway, here it is...

So, you can see a huge difference, especially in the arms and legs, but look at the swelling in the upper thighs both inside and outside, ha ha!  Ok, also I realized I lied, I did wear a garment the night before I took that last pic, it's the night after that I didn't wear it!  Oh well, and you can see the swelling on the inside of the left knee where the drain was taken out, will tell you about that in a minute!  Actually you can see the swelling everywhere!  I know, I know, swelling will happen for MONTHS...but I want it gone NOW!  I am such an instant gratification type of person. :D

Ok, so also in that third picture, I am wearing a pre-surgery bra, it was hard to get the boobies in it!  I have to wear a sports bra for 3 weeks more and then move to regular bra's, so I will go get measured and fitted then.  I did measure for the sports bra and this one is a 40D...and pre-surgery I was 36/38 B/C.  I don't know how I went UP in the bottom number, but I am hoping it's still a little swelling.  Also, that is for this particular sports bra, that is one of those super supportive ones, so it may just be this one, we'll see.

Ok, measurements...here they are:

                                   Pre Surgery:         6 Weeks Post-Op:
Middle of Thigh:                  27"                          23"
Hips:                                   50"                          46"
Waist:                                 40"                          38"
Weight:                             215.5                      211.5

I can tell you that I have been eating like a pig lately, and then sitting around for 6 weeks made it even worse...so I probably would of lost a lot more if I ate healthier!  I am now through with it, I swear. :D  No more peanut butter M&M's while I am laying in bed all day watching TV. :D

All in all it's going good.  I don't have to wear my garment any more, and I don't wear the arm ones (only a separate sports bra) but I do continue to wear the body one during the day since the drain just came out a few days ago, and some swelling is developing inside the knee (please don't let it be a bad seroma where I have to go to the doc, please, I beg!!).   I am also going to wear the body one to help maintain swelling, I may go get one of those Spanx instead, some people suggest those instead of this garment to help with swelling and to be more comfortable (of course after your initial 6 weeks of wearing this one).  So, anyway, a seroma is just fluid, just like swelling, but swelling is in the tissues and a seroma is just the fluid sitting there in a pocket.  The only issue is that a seroma can develop scar tissue around it, which kind of seals it off from the body, so your body can't absorb it...in that case they go in and scrape the scar tissue out and put another drain inmaybe...I have a few seroma's right now, but they are small.  One along my left arm scar, one along my right arm scar (almost gone already) and I think one forming on the inside of my left knee just above the drain hole.  That one is sensitive right now, but I am going to watch it.  I was going to go to my doctor today but decided not to, I don't want to go to him today and move to Charlottesville on Sunday and have to find someone else.  Bottom line is I will watch it, and if it gets any worse (in pain or size) then I will either go to an ambulatory care center, or find a doc in Charlottesville.  Oh, speaking of which, I am going to tell you this story about looking for a plastic surgeon who would see me...I will do that after I tell you about the drain...

Ok, drain....so Corrie came over Monday night after work...she had to get here and get it done so she could go home and watch Lost!!  :D  Anyway, she got here around 6:30pm and I had already dosed myself up on Ibuprofen and Tylenol (about an hour apart) because I was so scared of the pain.  The pain on the inside of the left knee I told you about a few minutes ago has been off and on for a while, so I could never tell if it was the drain itself or swelling.  I thought it was because I moved around a lot more at night now and now lay on my side with my knees bent and together...so the drain was bending inside and maybe hurting me...who knows...anyway...  So, I am freaking out that this is going to hurt since it's been in so long, that I am almost crying already, before anything even happens!!  I take my garment off, Corrie washes her hands, we prepare.....I lay on the bed with a towel under my knee, and literally wrap my head in the body pillow I have...thinking I am going to scream...and she starts to pull.  She puts one hand on the thigh just above the drain hole (that's such a funny thing to say...drain hole)...and holds my knee and pulls with the other hand...I feel it moving inside my leg...that funny feeling again...but guess what!!!  No pain!  WOW, I was amazed....and I could feel her pulling pretty hard!  But the most disgusting thing happened...she had to pull fairly hard to get it out, and when the end of the drain came out, this long stringy piece of something flung out and landed on her hand!!  As well as some blood came out and of course splashed on my sheets (past where the towel was) and even on my sock!  Ok, here is a picture of what a drain looks like...

So, the clear part of the tube was outside my thigh, and the white part was inside and running up inside my thigh.  This drain I could actually see the white part at the drain hole, so it wasn't so much to pull out this time.  Anyway, the white part is kind of hollow so the fluid can run through it, and this long stringy thing (kinda white and red together) looked like it was the shape of the inside of the white part of the drain, and about that long too!  Anyway, it flung on her hand and although I didn't see it initially (head wrapped in pillow) she told me the first time she tried to pick it up off her hand she couldn't get it, it was slimy!!  I did see the thing after she put it on the towel...it was disgusting!  So if that thing was inside that part of the drain, then it wasn't really draining much in my upper thigh anyway, right?  Also Dr. S said maybe the drain was causing the issue...so that's what I am hoping!  Anyway, it was done and over in 5 seconds, and it was disgusting!  Corrie is great and no way I could of done this without her!  She sure is one great best friend. :)  Corrie...I love you MAN!

Alright, on to the finding a doctor story....so, I was thinking the other day before I heard back from Dr. S...that maybe I should find a plastic surgeon to follow up with, instead of just my primary doctor (who is an internist), because they've seen a lot more of this stuff.  So...I start Googling plastic surgeons both where I live now and in Charlottesville, VA, where I am moving next week...and I want to send emails to them, to explain more of my situation, and see if they would see me.  I knew I would run into some surgeons who would NOT want to see me because of going to Mexico, but I figured I would find one or two with at least some curiosity to want to see the work that was done...so I emailed three different doctors..and called the University of Virginia Plastic Surgery department (it's a teaching hospital, why WOULDN'T they want to see me to teach others, right??).  I heard back from two of the doctors and UVA...one said to contact UVA and that he wouldn't see me, one said he would see me but he doesn't participate with my insurance so it would be $300 for first visit, and UVA called me back and the woman basically said go to an urgent care facility or emergency room if I needed (they would then call the PS on duty), that nobody there would see me.  I was shocked...and the last doctor just hasn't bothered to reply yet....he actually is the VP of UVA Plastic Surgery Department.  Do you believe that?  Doctors suck!!  They are all so snobby and stuck up.  If a patient needs help, they need help, who cares about the rest, they still get paid, right?!?!

Ok, here's some more pics...check out this bootie...

The angle of the picture is a little different, but you can see a lot more junk in the trunk...when he took off the skin back there, it left it flat and more saggy than it already was...she he cleaned some of the fat he lipo'd off of me, and put it back in...heh, funny, huh?  You can see the thighs are better, but still very very swollen.  When lipo is done you swell for so long that it's hard to tell a difference sometimes!  You can see the more flatness in the belly, even with the hematoma I still have.  It's going down though.  I still have that skin that hangs over the elbow...gross...but I have skinnier upper arms...not sure if anything could of been done about that...would of probably had to make a scar cross ways on my elbow...that may of taken it a little too far!

Ok, so I bought a new bathing suit at Costco yesterday...same size as I have been wearing...so here's a pic.  It's 7am in the morning, and I don't look too happy, do I?  Ha ha!  And for some reason I look like I am hunching over a bit, maybe it's just the size of the boobs!!  And look, I can wear a bathing suit without some hugely supportive top!!  Also, wanted to add, it may not look like much of a difference, but when I walk the skin on my thighs doesn't wave at you...it almost used to HURT sometimes when it shook...especially when I was going to the gym and jogging on the treadmill, ugh...

I tried to find a before picture in a bathing suit, but this is the best I could find.  This was a year ago April/May, on our Honeymoon...look closely and you can actually see the skin 'pooling' around the bottom of my legs...I always kept the crotch area covered up because it looked horrible!!

Ok, to end this extremely long post, all is well.  My butt still gets sore (it's sore right now)...and I still have some openings in some of my incisions but those are healing, slowly.  My thighs are still very swollen, but they are getting better.  I still have the hematoma in the belly, but it's going down.  I have some small seroma's that are going away, and I think I have one forming in my left leg where my drain came out of, so I am watching that closely.

Would I do it again?  Yes

What I do it again exactly this way?  No - I would of added two surgeries...the anchor cut (that goes up the belly to get rid of more skin) and the upper body lift (to get rid of the skin that hangs over the back of the bra)...and I would of broken it up into two surgeries.

Ta-ta for now...I again appreciate all the support!  I can't believe that people have looked at this page over 800 times since Valentine's Day!  Wow!!

Today is THE Day!

Ok, no, it's not 6 weeks yet, that is going to happen in a couple of days, so stay tuned for the new pictures...but today my last drain is coming out, yes, yes it's coming out!!  It is not draining less than 30cc's, it's not even draining less than 100cc's a day, but Dr. S says take it out.  He said the drain may actually be causing the issue...so pull it out.  I spoke with him on the phone to confirm what his email says...sometimes it's a little hard to understand his English in an email...but he said to do it!  So, his theory is, take it out, let the drain hole close up, which will force my body to start absorbing the fluid.  I think that makes sense, but I hate to see how the drain hole is going to be leaking for the next few days!  Anyway, the reason I think it makes sense is because I swell...every day I swell.  I come home from work and take my socks off and I can see where my calves are swollen...this is even before surgery...so I think a bit of swelling for me is normal.  If this doesn't force the body to start reabsorbing the fluid, then he says go to my PCP and if my PCP can't fix it...be prepared to fly back to Mexico!  I am really praying and hoping that this works out.  I start my new job on Monday....keep your fingers crossed for me!!

Corrie is coming by after work...I will post more later or tomorrow to let you know how it went.  I really feel this one may hurt a bit because it's been in so long!!

Hematoma & Stitch Free

So, I went to my primary care doctor today...to get an overall check-up ,ask him about this 'pooch' on my belly, check my blood pressure, etc.  I did talk to him before I went and asked if he would support me when I got back if needed, and he even did the pre-op blood work, etc.  He said he completely understood what I was doing, said I was very justified, and said he'd help me out when I got back, except if there was a wound or something, then he'd have to send me to a wound center.

Now, I guess this is partially my fault, but I asked him to take out the breast stitches and he didn't seem to keen on that.  He said "wow, that's a lot, guess I have my lunch hour."  I thought it was kind of rude and now I don't feel comfortable around him.  He did check the pooch and said it was a hematoma (pool of blood basically) and that it would be absorbed back into the body.  A bruise is a hematoma also...FYI.  He checked the drain, said there were no infections and even gave me a prescription antibiotic ointment to keep over the drain site to ensure no infection sets in.  Said just to keep the drain in until it got down to the point to take it out.  He said 20-25 and then take off suction for a day before taking it out...Dr. S said 30....I guess we will see what it gets down to.  I did get it to stop leaking though so it's much easier to handle.  I got it to stop leaking by 'stripping' the drain tube.  Basically putting lotion on my fingers and pinching the tube all the way down to make sure there were no blockages.  It has hardly leaked since I did that!  Yay!

He took out the stitches in the breast, which he said that 4 weeks was a bit long to have them in.  He did have a hard time on the left breast a bit, had to dig into the scab to get the stitch, yanno, gross.  It didn't take him more than 10 minutes per breast, I think the first one was only about 5, but who knows.  I guess he just wasn't expecting it.  I even told him that I thought he would have a nurse do it and his response was "They aren't really built for that."  I thought that was the oddest thing to say.  Anyway, I guess I'm kind of glad I am moving and have to find a new doctor...kind of don't want to see him again!

So, I still have one drain, but am completely stitch free!  Yay!  I still have a few areas that 'seep' a bit...but nothing major.  Every time I take my garment off when I shower, scabs fall off...ha ha, it's kind of gross!  And on top of that my skin is so dry from this garment, all you see is white stuff, almost looks like powder, coming off of me.  I still swell, now I mainly feel it in the evenings instead of all day!  I think I am going to be fine going back to work on Monday.  I only have two weeks left there anyway, so I need to go all I can!

Tomorrow we are going to look at our final house selections again down in Charlottesville...mom and dad and Tim and I are going...wish us luck on actually picking a house!

Another 13 days it I will be at the 6 week mark and I will post more pictures!!

3 1/2 Weeks Out

Ahhhh, 3.5 weeks out and can't wait to be 6 weeks out!!  I am doing good, still getting a bit tired, and some of the areas started bleeding a tiny bit on Sunday (the belly button and the back of the lower body lift, right smack center above my rear end).  Gregory, Tim and I drove down to Charlottesville, VA this past weekend to go look at houses for our relocation.  We looked at probably 10-12 on Saturday and then 4 or 5 or so on Sunday...I felt the scabs open up on the back on Sunday morning.  Must of been all the getting in and out of the car.  Corrie said that was an area where there was a big scab when she was removing the stitches, so that's probably all I did is rub a scab off or something.

Anyway, still swelling of course, and not as bad, but the garment is still my frienemy...I love it because it helps me fell like my skin isn't going to bust open from the swelling, but I hate wearing it because it's hot, restrictive and just plain annoying.  Imagine wearing a girdle for 6 weeks...ugh.  The scabs on my arms are almost gone, as well as a lot of other places.  Still have the stitches in the boob and he said give those another week, which will be this Thursday.  Corrie can't come over Thursday night, so going to send him pictures tomorrow and see if we can take them out tomorrow night.  Otherwise I will make an appointment with my doctor and have him take them out.  I think I should make an appointment with him anyway just as a follow-up.

I also still get tired...just worn out like I have been running all day.  I don't take naps often, and when I do it's a short one (30 minutes to an hour max), but I do lay down and sit in the chair at the computer, trying not to do too much.  Especially now that I am trying to get these scabs to close over again and heal.

I sent Dr. S the pictures of my belly 'pooch' yesterday because it's still concerning me.  He told me if it was squishy it was a seroma and I needed to get it aspirated from my doctor, if it wasn't then it's just swelling.  It's not squishy, it's actually hard so I am hoping it's just swelling.  He did do muscle repair right there so maybe it was just an extensive repair. :D

See, that's the belly pooch...it's a little zoomed in but it almost looks like I am pregnant, right?  Anyway, hopefully it's just swelling!!

Ok, so, moving to Charlottesville...I am so excited.  Tim's of course a little apprehensive, which he always is about change, but I am trying to keep him going.  He's a good guy and I have no doubt he will find a job, it will just take a bit.  He keeps saying he's not going to find a job, etc.  He worries so much and is afraid of the unknown.  If he had a job already he'd be ok, no problemo and until he does I will just have to keep reassuring him.  By the way, Tim is way smarter than I am.  Masters degree in IT, certifications, just a super smart guy.  I bought him a sweatshirt one time that says "Dangerously Overeducated," ha ha!  I have better people skills and do better at operations type jobs, but he's one smart guy.  I have no doubt he will find something!  Of course he's not pounding the pavement either...he thinks if he puts in a few applications, that's all that should happen.  He doesn't call to follow-up, he doesn't send emails to large businesses asking if they have availability (even if it's not on their web site), etc.  Anyway, he will find something his way, it will just take more time. :)

Ok, so Charlottesville...I think I am going to love it, and I think Gregory will too!  Tim will be fine as long as he has fast access Internet (he asked that question about every house we looked at).We looked at a lot of houses and decided we liked the ones that were in actually neighborhoods more (and not just a random house built on some property) because of Gregory and the whole community feel.  So we're going back this Saturday and taking my Dad for a final look at our top picks.  We have one we want Dad to look at only because it's so cheap.  It's not one of our favorites but it's over 100K less than the others and we feel we have to give it some consideration.  There are two other neighborhoods we are going to look at, there are two houses in one neighborhood (almost the exact same except one has no basement and it looks like it has been maintained better...but it's so much smaller without the basement) and then there are three houses in one neighborhood (one we didn't look at last week, but driving by it had a small yard....one had a steep short driveway with a large side yard....one had a nice back yard with flat driveway but the house was a bit overdone for me....and by overdone I mean angels painted on the tile when you walk in just a very 'forma' style, etc.).  So, we're going to look at those 6 houses this weekend and hopefully we will have a decision and go for it!  I start down there March 15th but won't bring Gregory down until we're in a house, and Tim will be coming down when he finds a job.  Charlotte will also be coming down and that depends on her transfer at work.  She's already put in the paperwork for it but her manager is out this week...they say it takes about 30 days or so.  Yes...I said Charlotte was coming down...pray for me please. :D

I am also looking forward to my job down there.  I am so excited to be going to a job that's so busy again, I miss that terribly!  I also love what the job is and I have already met my boss and his family and they are fantastic!  Just around my age and just as outgoing as I am.  I am soooo excited!!  I want to go tomorrow, but it's ok.  I will be down there when I am done wearing the garment and should be good to go!  I may still swell a bit but by that time I can start lifting things again, exercising more (heh, like I did much before) and the normal stuff.  I am ready!!  Woooohoooo!!  Wish us luck!!

Stitches are Out! Well, most of them. :)

So I sent Dr. S pictures of all my stitches yesterday.  There were a couple I was concerned about.  The ones in the groin area that go along my panty line at each upper thigh...there are still holes between stitches, and you can see through the holes to some white stuff, like tendon or muscle or something.  It's kinda gross.  Anyway, Dr. S said this was normal and that the stitches were still able to be taken out.  Was so odd!  Anyway, the second concern was the boobs, there is still some separation between the areola and the skin, and a little leaking.  It's not clear like the groin ones, it's actually kinda scabby still, etc.  Anyway, he said leave those in another week, but the rest could come out!

So, since we're going to Charlottesville to look at houses this weekend, Corrie had to come over last night and do it.  She got to the house around 7pm and concentrated the whole time and didn't take a break and was done at 11pm!  She took those stitches out like nobody's business.  She had to pick off scabs on some of them, and be in places she's never been so close to me at (groin stitches) but she was enjoying every minute!  Ok, that sounded funny...not that she was enjoying being in the groin area, but the fascination with this kind of stuff kept her going!  She has such a strong stomach that it didn't bother her one bit!  I am lucky to have a best friend like her!!

Ok, and as I said, Gregory and Tim and I are heading to Charlottesville tonight.  Have already contacted a realtor out there and she's sent us some houses, and she's going to make some appointments.  My credit union approved us for a lot more than we want to spend, so we've got that done too.  Maybe we'll be lucky and find something this weekend, wouldn't that be a hoot?!?!  We're also going to have dinner on Saturday with my new boss and his wife while we're there.  We had dinner with them last time we went down and had a great time!  The kids got along great, my parents loved them....and we loved them!  Tim was a little quiet when we first got there, but he opened up (as usual!) and we all had a good time!  I may be a little tired from the day, but I am sure we will have another fantastic time!

I decided to add a couple more pictures for your viewing pleasure....this is pre-op of my left arm all the skin within the black markings (from the top to bottom) is what he removed!

This is 3 week post-op of my left arm, after removal of the skin, but the stitches are still in.  It's swollen, but you can see a big difference!

Oh, I can't wait til the end of the swelling to see the final results.  They say it's a good total 6 months until you have your real final results....so we still have a while to go!  Corrie and Alex (her bf) and Tim and I are planning on going to an all inclusive in October, and Corrie thinks I should wear a 2-piece bathing suit!  I don't think I even wore one as a child, but I am sure I did.  Didn't everyone?  Who knows!  I told her we would have to go shopping and I could try some on. :)

Wish us luck in Charlottesville this weekend, hopefully we will find something we fall in love with right away and not have to search for weekends at a time!  :)

Are you ready?!?!

Ok, so you've probably scrolled down and looked at the pictures already, but if you haven't...DON'T!  Ha ha, just kidding.  Seriously though, if you don't want to see me in almost all of my glory, don't look!  I am posting a before picture and a three-week after picture.  Now, remember, I still have one drain, all my stitches and I am swill swollen as all get out!  This is my before picture, it makes me cringe!

And ta-da!  This is after.

Now, remember, I still have tons of swelling, so I am not sure of what finals will look like...but it's a big improvement!  I have this line straight down the center of my belly that looks 'poochy' but I am thinking maybe the only way to get rid of that is with the anchor cut...which I couldn't do because I had lipo on the back.  Speaking of back...

And...

I have some very 'poochy' areas at the upper rear thighs also, so not sure if those are going to go away or if thats the way it is.  Still a huge improvement!  Ok ok, and yes, I put a line over my butt crack....so you can't figure out what it is, right?  Hey, at least it makes me feel better!

How do you like the new belly button BTW?  Couldn't even see the old one, ha ha!

Another Drain Gone

So, Corrie came by after work tonight and cut the stitch holding the drain and and removed the drain from my right arm.  Finally!  It burned, not as bad as the left arm, but it did burn.  She pulled it out just pulling once and not stopping!  I was yelling and Tim heard me upstairs, and he doesn't like that.  He wanted Gregory to turn the TV up so he didn't hear it, but it was over in like 10 seconds.  It burned for quite a while after and I can still feel it, but it's ok!  I took some Tylenol right when she got here.

I have one drain left, but unfortunately it went UP in draining yesterday!  From 140cc's the day before to 180cc's yesterday?!?!  WHAT?!?!  <sigh>  It's the left leg, and it's not so hard to hide in the pant leg if the pant leg is wide...and most of my pant legs are.  I plan on going to work tomorrow, was going to go in later but Government is 2 hour delayed!  Woot!  So then I don't have to take leave. :)  Speaking of pants...we went to lunch today, the whole family for like a delayed Valentine's Day lunch...and I put on my old jeans.  Here I am thinking I am going to have to wear a belt to hold them up...but noooooooooooo...they fit the exact same!  I know I am swollen and everything but I wanted to see at least a little bit of difference!

Corrie and I have plans Friday night to take all the stitches out as long as Dr. S says it's ok.  I am sure at least the arm and boob stitches will come out, probably the lower body lift stitches too.  It is going to take a while with that many stitches and we'll order dinner and watch a movie while we're doing it I guess.  The skin is growing over the stitches a little bit...but we will get them out, hopefully, ha ha.  Corrie's sister was excited that Corrie got to do this today, because her sister is studying to be a physicians assistant.  Corrie should do something like that too because she has such a strong stomach!

I am going to take some pictures on Thursday...that is three weeks out.  I haven't really felt like taking any so far because I am in such a hurry to get my compression garments back on after showering.  I am so swollen and he took so much skin that I feel like I am going to bust my stitches!  It didn't feel that bad this morning so I think that means the swelling is going down!  Yay!

Anyway, next post will probably be with pictures!  How exciting!  Be prepared!