Recent Check Up

I just had another check up two days ago.  Dr. Dinick is really pleased with how my scars are looking.  I will be having another check up in 3 more months (November) and at that point he will schedule my final small procedure.  My right breast needs one more tweak done and then it is complete!  I can’t wait.  Thought it was complete the last time, but I was wrong.  That is ok.  Just really hoping that this last thing is really truly the last thing though because the last surgery cost us more again....and I really don’t want to keep adding more onto our credit card.  James hates debt.  

My healing process is going so well though.  I couldn’t be happier.  I still have some numbness on and around my scars, but that is a small price to pay for having all that extra skin removed.  Even if all the feeling never comes back around my scars I would still say it is worth it.  My nipples don’t have full feeling yet either, but I am hopeful that will change within the year mark of my surgery and you know what, even if it doesn’t....again....a small price to pay for everything to be put back together.  The only down side to the numbness I have is when that spot is itchy and I scratch it, it does no good!  I can’t feel myself scratching it!  ugh.  lol

I have been going to the gym regularly still.  Working on my stomach muscles is still not happening, it hurts too much with the tummy tuck so I imagine that will take more time in the healing process.  Maybe I will be able to do those kind of exercises once the year mark hits in February.  I can do 4 sit ups right now...4.....that is nothing compared to the 25 I used to do.  But I am gaining ground.  

The swelling in my stomach is going down as well.  This is another great healing sign.  I haven’t lost more weight but I am down another pant size (size 8!) which to me just shows that the swelling is steadily going down.  I can’t wait til a couple years has gone by and I can see the final product.  Things are so exciting.  Even with the swelling though I don’t mind how everything looks.  I have been brave and am wearing an actual bikini top now when I go out swimming and to the beach.  I was nervous at first but now I am comfortable with it.  Feels good to be wearing one....something that I never ever dreamed of being able to do.  

How is it that God has blessed me with this whole experience?  I feel so fortunate that I not only had the gastric bypass procedure but that I had it and had ZERO complications.  THEN....I had the reconstructive surgeries...and still no complications!  I am just so thankful...so very thankful.  I feel like I have a new life....I get to be healthy....run....walk up hills, play with the kids....feel sexy for my husband...and just feel like I look good in general.   I can’t express how wonderful it is to shop in the regular section...instead of the plus size one.  To not worry about where I park and if I can squeeze out of my car....to have the towel wrap around me all the way....paint my toes....and have James easily pick me up!  So much to appreciate....it is mind blowing.   

I will write again soon and update on what other things are happening....for now I guess the overall theme though is that I am doing great, sticking with the gym, eating right, and feeling wonderful.  God is good and life is great.   Amen!

Progressing

Things are coming along really well.   Since my last procedure my chest is healing up really nice and looking even better.  I am still going to the gym and I am trying to take it easy but its hard.  Sometimes I do too much...and hurt myself...but I am learning my lessons for sure.  I can always tell when I hurt myself because its almost like I feel a slight tear in my chest.  Nothing does tear of course...but that is just what the pain feels like.   So I am currently avoiding doing stomach exercises and chest ones for now.   I don't know how much longer I will need to... but I will figure it out.  

Adjusting to life as a skinny person is still odd.  I feel like I have ZERO idea how to speak to the male population without coming off like I am hitting on them.  I am learning that even friendly chatting can be taken as flirting.  And sometimes I don’t have to do anything...they just notice me and immediately  give me a “look”, or say something that implies something else.  It is strange and I am adapting.  I don’t want to give people the wrong idea of course.  

But it is natural I think as well for me to like and even appreciate some of the attention.  Trying to not let it go to my head of course.  People compliment me or say how pretty I look and I just try to remind myself that although it is great to look nice, it is not the most important thing and that what really matters is showing God’s love to others.  I have been trying to read my Bible at work....and discuss church more in front of people...in the hopes to have those kinds of conversations come up.  Then I can say what a huge blessing from God this surgery has been...and give him the glory.  

I have an appointment coming up in August.  I may or may not need one more small procedure on my right breast but that should be it.  I thought I was done....but Dr. Dinick really seems to want to do a couple more fixes.  They are ones that I agree with too...so it’s all good.  I want things looking the best they can as well.  :)   I will write another update later.   Bye for now.  :)

In the Gym!

Gym done.  Glad to be able to go and exercise even if I can't do everything yet.  Working back up to it slowly and happy to see that I am healing up quickly from this latest procedure.  I have lost all the extra weight from swelling and am back down to 143 pounds.  YAY!  I have been using the app My Fitness Pal and it has really been helpful in tracking my fat intake and protein.  I can even add in my exercise.  I did forget to make my one week check up appointment though and so now I have to call and set it up but my one week check up will be turning into a two week check up.  Oh well....I am confident that all is well and that my doc will be quite pleased.

The Day After..........

Well....I didn't sleep that great.  Around 4am I woke up from the pain.  I must have been trying to move in my sleep and once I did that the pain woke me up.  From that point on I started waking up every hour until I finally just woke up and stayed up at 8:30am.  At least this time it is just my chest hurting.  Could be worse.  But I can't do a lot of things right now that require arm strength or chest muscles.  Can't even push the front door closed all the way.

 I know I am not back to square one, but maybe I'm at square 5?  lol  Either way when I go back to work on Thursday I will be pretty useless when it comes to picking up heavy objects.  So glad I got all the cleaning around here done yesterday morning.  On the plus side....my breasts look great, even with my new incision.  I am so happy with the results....they look natural and shaped just right.  I couldn't be more pleased.

No big hugs though for a bit.  I will have to be sure that I don't let anyone catch me off guard and squeeze me too tight.   Hurts to lift my arms, bend over, squeeze things, push things, I never knew until I started this whole process how much you rely on your chest muscles to do things.  It's kinda crazy really.

Scar Revision Surgery

Well my surgery went well.  It was supposed to be 2 hours long but it turned into 4 hours and 20 minutes or so because I guess during surgery Dr. Dinick decided that he wanted to make a new “pocket” for one of my implants to sit in and so that ended up taking a bit longer.  I have two totally new scars now, but that is ok.  I am starting to like my scars...kinda like they are reminders of where my body has been....and how hard I have worked to get it to this point.  I don’t mind having a lifetime memory of that to keep me in check.   

After getting home I realized even more that I do not do well when on heavy meds.  I felt so light headed and just plain out-of-whack.  At one point while checking out how things looked in the mirror I almost passed out from the bathroom being too hot.  James was there with me though and held me until the feeling passed.  I made myself not faint...which I felt was a pretty big deal.  I don’t plan on taking any of my pain meds because I feel like it is important for me to feel what hurts and what doesn’t so I don’t over do anything.  I like to be as aware of my body as I can be when it comes to this stuff...I don’t want any injuries to happen simply because I thought I could lift or push something that I should not have.  

The scar looks pretty gnarly right now...but they all did at first and it will get better.  My breasts both look so much better now.  I can tell that the implants are actually fully behind the breast muscle which is exactly where they should be.  My boobs look just right...exactly how I wanted them.  Wish I could post a picture of them but oh well.  I am wearing my surgery bra for now...a wire bra would not be very comfortable considering the new scars are right on that area where the wire would be.  

I was scheduled to work tomorrow night at Kroger but thankfully a friend switched days with me and so I don’t have to go in to work now until Thursday night.  YAY!  More time to heal that means....exactly what I wanted.  Anyway...I will write more again in a day or two.   Keeping you all updated as usual.  

Back at the Gym

The gym went great.  I worked up a small sweat and I got my heart pumping good.  Used the elliptical for 1.8 miles and I couldn’t believe how not going to the gym for three months really takes away all the effort that you put in previously.  My legs were really feeling it!  Back to square one (almost) it feels like.  After the elliptical we (my friend and I) did our arms.  I decided it was safest to use 5 pound weights today and work up to heavier stuff as time goes by.  I didn’t want to push it and re injure myself.  So we did arms, glutes, push ups, squats, lunges, and then moved on to the stomach.  

That was where I was most worried.  I knew that I could do it, but I didn’t know how much my stomach could handle.  Turns out that it couldn’t handle very much.   lol  I was able to do about 4-5 sit ups and that was it.  On the plus side I know that I will quickly be able to do more (but I am not going to rush it) and since my surgeon already tightened my stomach muscles from the inside getting them to show from the outside shouldn’t be too difficult.  So all in all....one hour at the gym well spent.  I usually go 3 days a week so my next day back will be Wednesday.  I am sure I will need the day off from it since I am betting my legs will be super sore tomorrow morning.  lol  

3 Month Check-Up

I had my three month check up today with my surgeon.  Once again I was naked and examined and poked and prodded, mostly on my breasts...and even though it has happened a bunch of times already it is still very odd to have someone look at you like you are a piece of art, or equipment, basically...like something to be examined and scrutinized.  It’s odd...and really just a strange feeling.  But I was fully looked over and in the end Dr. Dinick decided that he wants to do some outpatient surgery on me.  He basically wants to move around my scars, which in the process will adjust my breasts to a better position.  Also...he is going to open the left breast up and move my implant some.  It is not sitting as well as it should be and is not looking the same as the right breast because of it.  So...he will be adjusting that as well.  Lastly, he will be adjusting the scar on my stomach too...tightening up the skin some and what not.  I am excited.  

It is an outpatient procedure like I said, so I won’t have to take any time off from work or anything and it shouldn’t be a procedure that takes long to do either.  I will probably wear my support bra from my surgery for a few days at first, since my scar will actually be moved to where the wire on my regular bra will be and that will most likely be uncomfortable after this is done.  I didn’t know at first that there would be more to do...but I am glad to have my surgeon being so diligent and wanting to have everything be perfect.  Makes me feel like I am in good hands.  This is all taking place on June 10th, sometime in the morning.  I won’t know what time exactly yet until they call and tell me.  So anyway...I will update you all more once I know more, and of course I will update you when the procedure is done too.  :)