5 Day Post LBL Update - and an important detail for the guys

So, I have been absent for the past few days recovering from my Lower Body Lift.  I posted right after surgery, but not alot.  Heres a brief summary of where I am:

Currently I feel pretty good considering I look like a low rent Darth Vader.  I still have my On-Q pain ball around my neck and all 5 of my drains pinned to it.  If I knew this is how I would look I would have scheduled my surgery closer to Halloween - Imagine that opening the door.

I am moving atround pretty well and the pain is actually a lot less than I was expecting.  I haven't had to take my muscle relaxers or Dilaudid in two days now.  I could legally drive - but not going there.  My biggest area of discomfort, and the reason I am not walking as much as I thought I would be at this point, is my balls.  My discomfort is managed by tighter underwear and OTC pain meds.  

No one warned me that my scrotum was going to swell up to the size of a small grapefruit.  The surgeon told me to expect some - but I wasn't thinking i'd be making a bull elephant jealous.  They are gi-normous, and slight shaking leads to tome pretty obnoxious feelings.

I have been sleeping in my recliner every night.  It is beginning to feel a bit like a prison.  I am planning a bonfire for it after surgery!

Just to recap I had an anchor-cut abdominoplasty with muscle repair, Median Thigh Lift, Butt Lift.  They took 7.5 lbs of skin.  I was in surgery 10.5 hours.  So heres how things have gone for me so far:

Surgery day - felt pretty good coming out of surgery.  HUge discomfort changing positions in bed.  I walked the halls twice the day of surgery.

Day 1 - In the hospital.  Bored most of the day waiting for the surgeon to release me.  Not a lot of appetite.  Walked the floor 5 times for up to 6 laps at a time.  Got released about 4PM.  Home and in the recliner after that.  My bladder re-opened for business about 1 PM.  That was NICE!

Day 2 - Moving around even better.  A lot of abdominal soreness.  Getting up and down is a real challenge.  Coughing or laughing is a new experience in pain.  I take my first shower.  Its nice to feel human again.  

Day 3 - Getting Stronger.  I can get myself in and out of my recliner without much help.  Walking upright instead of hunched over.  Still some soreness, but feeling better.  Bowels re-open for business.  Given how coughing and laughing feel, I was afraid it would be too painful to go #2.  It actually made me feel much better.  First day making my usual hydration goals.

Day 4 - Even better.  I feel confident enough to plan on going to my therapy appointment in the morning and maybe even group.

Day 5 - Still house confined.  The swelling down below is still the main thing limiting my mobility.  My shower convinced me I was not up to going out yet.

 

So I try to walk around for 15 minutes each hour.  I bend and flex and try to live as normally as I can with mutant south park gonads.  I am getting 100 gr or more of protein a day with around 1000-1100 calories.  I am continuing to meet my hydration goal.  That concerned me a lot at first, but I applied the same rules I always did - sip sip sip.  

Tomorrow I have my follow up with my plastic surgeon.  I expect we will be removing the pain ball and probably 4 of the 5 drains.  My abdominal drain still produces about 40 ml over 12 hours.  The color is much better - but still quite a bit of volume.  Some of the others only produce drops by now.  

I am not seeing the full benefits yet - still alot of swelling in general.  I did weigh myself - but its not accurate with all the swelling and hardware.  I went in at 183 or thereabouts, they took 7.5 lbs, and when I weighed yesterday it was 186.  Oh well.  THe scale can wait - I still have healing to do.

I am SOOOO looking forward to getting out of the house tomorrow!  Wish me luck!

Geezuz, feel better my friend!!!!  Take care of yourself. 
Good luck manana on getting out of the house. 

 Wishing a speedy recovery to you and your balls!

Thanks for the update Rob. Sounds like you and your gonads are doing great considering. :)

 

I also cant help but think of this song when I was reading your post.

ACDC - Big Balls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W-fIn2QZgg

ROTFLMAO!

Even with the pain, thanks for the laugh!

HAHAHAHAHA!!! *Snorts*

That's one of my favorite songs. I have Back In Black as my ring tone.

Rob - Gigantic gonads and not feeling up to using them - that's gotta suck.

I'm glad you are feeling better.

Give us some picture candy when you feel up to it.

Now I can't get your balls off my mind. Feel better soon everyday is usually better than the day before

I have been thinking of you and almost sent you a msg on mfp. I am so glad to hear you are recovery so well... besides the swollen balls issue.... I think you are right about holding off on the weighing thing, how long did the surgeon say it would take for the swelling to go down? My cousin had this procedure without the muscle repair about 6 years ago. She was in pain forever and was in bed alot for 6 weeks. I am glad to hear your recovery is going alot better :) Cant wait for before/after pics!
Sara

Thanks for posting this, Rob!  I was about to contact you and ask how you were doing.  You crack me up with the Darth Vader references, LOL!

Glad to know things are more manageable than you expected.  I had a consult with a plastic surgeon over the weekend, and he said I need a lower body lift, and I immediately thought of you because I knew you had the same thing done. 

Take care fo yourself, my friend... get well soon!  And you're right; screw the scale right now.  It'll go back to normal when the swelling improves.

 I guess it is true...it takes big ones to work up to the plastics!