happyteacher
2 Years out and Plastic Surgery
Dec 15, 2013
Well, I am four days shy of my 2 year surgiversary. Things have worked out so much better than I ever thought at the beginning of this process and I couldn't be happier. My weight has been holding at 178-182 up until PS. I had had an tummy tuck this past Monday, and they removed about 5 pounds of tissue. Frankly, I was surprised it was only 5 pounds because it sure seemed like more than that! The recovery from the PS is definitely more difficult that the vsg recovery, but still very tolerable. It has been 6 days since surgery and I still struggle a bit getting out of a chair or going to bed- I just have to take it slow. Dealing with the drains turned out to be easier than I thought, although they prevent me from getting dressed in any real clothes- not that I feel like going out anyway. The scar lines are crazy- I knew what to expect, but it is something different when you see it on yourself. I can already tell I am a whole lot flatter already, and that is even with the significant swelling everywhere. The binder has not been bad at all, and I prefer wearing it to not wearing it. I am very grateful that somebody I know warned me to take of a month though, and not just two weeks. I am feeling better each day, but dang- going back in a week would have been terribly difficult. I am appreciating the time off more than any other time since I have been teaching.
Going in to PS I was wearing a size 12 quite comfortably. I have read that at first I may not even be able to fit in those due to swelling when I return to work, and in other places I read that dropping a size or two is not uncommon. I have no idea where i am going to end up. I was content in my 12's, other than the muffin top from the extra skin and terrible drooping in the abdomen. But a 12 with everything tightened up is just fine with me. I can't imagine buying a size 8 to be honest. My daughter is exactly my height (6'2'') and wears a size 2- and looks great. So it isn't that i think I would look emaciated or anything, just hard to wrap my head around.
So, at six days out from surgery here is a summary of the experience. I don't remember waking up this time, which is weird because I always do. It was much better this time though- normally I remember waking up vomiting. This time, the nausea was extremely well-managed. This is the first time I asked them not to give me morphine, and for sure that was the best choice. In the hospital I was not terribly uncomfortable and found it to be actually easy enough to rest. It was very quiet there and I had my own room. The nurses were in periodically- enough to feel like if I needed anything it would be taken care of, but not so much that I couldn't rest. The adjustable bed was very helpful. I was bummed when they took out the foley because I was worried about getting up to move around, but it was not an issue. Walking at first was hard and I couldn't do much, but that got better pretty quickly. Joe went home that night and came back at 11 the next morning. I was realy to leave by then, but they couldn't track Dr. DiNick down to get released. Not a big deal, but was discharged around 7 that night. For the first time, it was easier being in the hospital than at home but I was concerned I would be billed for part of the stay since insurance was only covering part of the procedure.
At home, I didn't even try to sleep in bed the first few nights, but instead the recliner. I was very sick of always having to be on my back even in the hospital, but it has been Ok. Had my first shower on Thursday, and ended up having my oldest daughter help me. She was perfect at it, and it was a relief to get the first one done and everything cared for. She has been invaluable, since the hubby pretty much melted down on me when we got back home and hasn't been able to help much at all. First day home he was in a terrible mood and diggin in on the kids, leaving for long periods, and eventually just broke down at night. He was angry and felt like nobody respected him or cared about him. I really felt like as he was going through this that he wasn't able to really admit what was bothering him. He had started dieting almost obsessively a little before surgery, and the intensity and follow-through is unlike him. It was even more so when we returned. He also had been saying for a few weeks prior how I was going to divorce him after surgery- completely irrational, but real for him. He finally felt comfortable enough admitting that the problem was with him, but wouldn't define it further. I think he is going to need a lot of time for his brain to catch up with the changes in my body and to realize that I am every bit just as married to him as before and that I love him exactly the way he is. It will take him some time to feel that though. I was completely unprepared for this and in hindsight should have spent more energy helping him to transition through this. Once I am healed enough to give him more attention it will help. Pain wise, I have been taking 2-3 pain meds per day so far. The script reads to take 1-2 every 4 hours as needed, but 1 every 6 hours or so has been enough. I will be very glad to get to a point that I don't need them though. Ugh. No regrets about the surgery though, and I expect by the time I need to return to school most of the current issues will be resolved.
All in all, a great two years!
