Tracking

Its been awhile since I last wrote and I thought I should update you all.  In five more days it will have been three months since I had my tummy tucks and breast lift/implants.  I'm still healing up well.  Quite well.  My incisions still look great.  I have not noticed much of a change in them recently but I also dont expect there to be.  I know it will take quite some time before significant change happens in how they look.   It could be a whole year!  I almost have full strength back.  I still can't lift heavy items when they are low to the ground and I have noticed that when I try to use my muscles more than usual... like really use my strength.... its odd....I know I should be able to but its like my muscles don't exist.  I try to pull windows down and I can't make my arms do it.  Its odd.  They are getting better the more my breasts heal up...so I know its just about waiting for more time to go by.  I'm just anxious I guess.

Especially since I head back to the gym on June 1st.   I know I won't be able to run... probably not jog either...and I don't know how much I can work on my stomach...but I'm going to try and just start off small and easy...not push it of course.   I just really want to stay fit.  I really want to keep this body looking as good as Dr. Dinick made it look.  I'm determined to not gain this weight back.  Which is probably why when ever I weigh myself I am always very aware of what the scale says.

For instance,  I have not been journalling my food in take for a very long time because I felt confident that I just knew what I was taking in really well.  But the scale says I weigh 146 pounds right now instead of the 143 pounds I was at about 3 weeks ago.  I can only assume that is because I'm eating more fat than I should be.   I know three pounds isn't alot....but you have to put yourself in my shoes I guess and really understand how scary the idea of going back to where I was is to me.   I'm sure I'm just being paranoid.... but even so I would rather just start tracking my food again and make sure I'm not eating more fats than I need to be.

So I did.   I have my app back on my phone again and I'm tracking everything.   Did really good today too.  If I do this for awhile and stay at the same weight than that's fine.... at least then I will know it is what I'm supposed to weigh... and I can accept that just fine.  

Anyway....nothing else going on...I will update though after my next appointment.  I should have some news at that point about my right breast and if we will be adjusting my scar on that one in an attempt too slightly move my nipple to face more forward.  

Doing Good...

Things are going really well.  I continue to heal up, eat right, take my vitamins, and do only the things I am allowed to do.  James is still bringing all the laundry downstairs and upstairs, and he is still doing all the vacuuming.  I know it is hard on him but wow he is a trooper.  He still does so much to help out around here and I really appreciate it.  To make it even better (if that is at all possible) James took me shopping to buy dresses and a swimsuit.  It was so beyond exciting, it was so surreal.  Just putting on the first dress and looking in the mirror made me cry.  I have never dreamed that I would be able to not only fit into a size 10 dress...but look so beautiful in it.  I just cried...I couldn’t help it.  Such an amazing blessing.  Truly it is.

New Swimsuit!

Bought a new swimsuit!  It is a two piece, but the top is one of those longer ones, like a tank top.  The bottom is a regular bottom but has an attached skirt.  Super cute and the top is lacy, James even picked it out!  I love it and I can not even tell you how great it feels to actually love how I am looking in a swimsuit.  There are really no words for how blessed I feel.  My scars show a bit, but by the time summer comes they should be all healed up.  So excited!

4 Weeks Post-Op

4 Weeks Post-Op

                                Top pic is my hip on my right side.  Still swollen, but slowly going down.

As you can see the incisions are done scabbing, and there is no more

skin peeling off.  The incisions in the middle area are already starting to fade away

and the larger scars are getting better as well.  Lots of swelling in the tummy area

still...but as I said before, that could take months to go away.

Left side, hip area.  Also looking really great.  Side note:  damn I have no butt!  LOL

Pounds Removed

Just heard from my surgeons assistant. Finally found out how much weight in skin he removed from my stomach. 5.2 pounds was taken off of me. At first I thought that it didn't sound like a lot...but then I picked up my five pound weight and was like, "WHOA!!, that is a lot!" How crazy that I had that much extra skin to be removed. So thankful for a great surgeon and how amazing God is in healing me up so quickly.

3 Week Check-up

So yesterday I had my 3 week check up.  I was anticipating not having my last drain taken out.  I knew it was draining less than was required for it to be removed, yet for some reason or another I really felt like it wasn’t going to be good enough and he would opt to leave it in for another week.  After waiting for a crazy amount of time to have my appointment I finally got into the actual exam room and Dr. Dinick came right in.  When I he said it was time to take that last drain out I was shocked!  I almost didn’t believe him.  lol  I was so excited.  Luckily this last one is shorter in length and didn’t hurt near as bad as the other ones.

He also examined my breasts for a very long time.  I can not even begin to tell you how crazy odd of a feeling it is to be examined like that.  As if I am so strange science project that has to be studied.  I kept feeling like we should maybe be having conversation but he was so intent and serious I had no idea what to say.  lol  He wants to let them heal for a while longer before he decides if there needs to be any surgical tweaking done to them.  There are some spots that he is concerned about and is hoping that they just fix themselves.  I am confident that they will turn out fine.  One has more swelling than the other right now (my right breast) and I think it is due to driving the van.  

I also no longer need to have gauze or bandages on anything!  YAY!!  That made my day, and even more was the news that I could stop wearing this garment at the 4 week mark.  SWEET!!
I am sure it will feel strange though once it is just my clothes against the incision marks.   Especially if I am wearing jeans.  

I don’t have to go back for another checkup for four more weeks.  I am so happy with how good things are going.  I am putting my scar cream on everyday after I shower and can’t wait to see the results from doing that too as time goes by.  I think what I am most looking forward to though would be the swelling in my stomach to go down.  I am so anxious to see how flat it will look.  I don’t even remember a time when I had a flat tummy, even though I am sure there was a time that I did indeed have one.  lol  Anyway, so that is the update for now.  Will write more next time.

2 Week Check Up!!

Had my two week check up today and everything went great.  I had another drain removed and once again it hurt really bad.  Not as bad as the first two....but still bad.  I am pretty tired today, not sure why...maybe from being out and about, maybe not.  All I know is a nap didn't really help.  My right underarm area is sore today now too, possibly from driving, who knows...so I am trying to just sit around and do nothing.  I feel like it is most likely sore from last nights sleeping.  When I woke up this morning I woke up with both my arms above my head...which I think is why I am sore.  I am not supposed to actually have my arms up above my head for very long and sleeping like that for sure made me wake up feeling sore and strange in my arms...so even though I felt better later, I am 90% sure the current soreness is from that...could be driving, but I feel like sleeping funny is most likely the culprit.

I am hoping to go to church tomorrow though if I am feeling up to it.  My doctor reminded me that no matter how good I am feeling I still need to take it easy...which I plan to do. Church is just a lot of sitting though, so it shouldn’t be too hard.  I know I tend to get overzealous and think I can do anything...so I have to remind myself that I need to take it SLOW!!  Cleaning the house is ok if I am doing very light mediocre things, but I can’t push it or I will just get more sore and not be feeling up to things later.  

Dr. Dinnick really examined my breasts today.  Grabbing and squeezing and all that.  He was kinda talking to himself while doing it and mentioning swelling in different areas and what not.  I asked him if he thought that they were looking good and he said, “Actually, they turned out even better than I thought.”   That made me really happy.  :)   If he loves them, I love them!  So I am really excited about how they will turn out.  Also...I got my scar cream today!!  Can’t wait to start using it tonight and see how quickly these scars GO AWAY!!!   So cool.  :)  I will post more pictures of them in two more weeks.