happyteacher
1 Month Out From Plastic Surgery (TT)
Jan 07, 2014
The worst of the recovery appears to be over, not that any of it was that bad. When I first got home I needed help getting in and out of a recliner, and could not sleep in bed for a few days. Once i could go to bed, it was only with pillows stacked high enough to keep my in a reclined position. I started with 4 drains that needed to be emptied and logged 3 times a day. They did cause a little soreness, as the tubes were internal and sewn into place... but nothing intolerable. I spent pretty much the first 2 weeks in the recliner and only moved around enough to ensure blood clots and such would not be an issue. Got 2 drains out at the 10 day mark. I was pretty darn nervous about that, but it ended up only stinging for about a minute. I was sore though from it for a few days, but it healed quickly. By weeks 3 and 4 I would go out for very short trips. If we needed just a couple things from the grocery store I would go. Saw a movie, but was pretty sore by the end. I would just leave the house once a day to try to get a feel of how well I could move around to begin to determine if I could go back to work. It was pretty apparent that the remaining drains would have to be removed in order for me to return. I got them out 2 days before school resumed, and was far more sore with these two. I was very blessed though, because a huge snowstorm with artic temperatures hit on Sunday night so I had 2 snowdays... just enough time for the soreness from the removal to heal enough to not bother me. Yesterday I was able to walk 70 minutes on the treadmill and realized after that it was the first time I could walk that long without my back hurting- beautiful!! Not sure if it was just a fluke, because I am wearing my medical grade spanx and everything is supported, or from losing the pannis... but I am praying it is the pannis. I read from another poster that her back pain was relieved with this surgery- that would be incredible! I still cannot get over how flat my stomach is- so glad that I went through with this and worth the extra 2 grand for the vertical cut and muscle tightening. I am still swollen so do not have a true sense of the final results, but even if this was it... so so much better! The scarring is pretty frankensteined out... around both hips and vetical cut up until just where the breasts meet. That will fade though and I have so many friggin' scars from cancer excisions that it doesn't phase me. I was never one to want to wear a bikini or show of the middrift anyway, and my husband could care less. All in all.... it went great! I am curious though what my final size will be... for sure can't get ride of the size 12's at the moment and the swelling is making the size 14's feel a bit more comfortable on the waist. May be going into work looking a little sloppy for now, but oh well.
