Turning a corner

I have been so busy with the events of the weekend that I have not posted any healing updates. I think that getting out and going to the show is one of the best things I could have done - the whole weekend made me forget about my belly which was just fantastic.

I saw the surgeon on Monday and asked why I was so swollen - he immediately palpated my tummy and said - you've got fluid under the skin (with my surgery, the lymphatic system is cut, releasing in fluid build up, hence why there are surgical drains inserted when you wake up). He produced a whopping great needle and instructed me to lie down whilst he drained it. Turns out that I have little pockets of fluid all over my belly and that he would have had to insert the needle over and over again to get it out. He told me that I needed to stand up straighter and he s-l-o-w-l-y pushed me fully upright, telling me that the skin and abdominal muscles needed to rejoin and that by standing up straight, the fluid would be pushed away. In three days I am about 50-70% less swollen, simply amazing. I got clearance to drive and I am taking the girls to and from school. I am still getting very tired, but I am feeling much better. I'm even beginning to consider going Paleo for a few days to give my body a bit more of a detox.

struggle street

I have to admit that the last two days have been a real struggle. I have been sore, exhausted, cranky and generally impatient about the whole standing up straight process. I think that I am standing up straighter, but boy is progress slow! Apparently it's quite common to be not standing up straight two week's post surgery so I cannot allow myself to think too much about it and get myself stressed out.

The tiredness has made me feel hungry and I've found myself trolling for food, rather than doing the right thing and lying down. Today I have taken a different approach and am spending more time lying down and the food cravings have dissipated.

The "girls" have started to soften a little bit and feel more natural - already I can't wait to buy some new bras (DH has already thrown out all my old bras in anticipation - 10A, don't think I'll be needing that anymore!). I had been concerned about what his reaction to the new additions would be ie did they look fake, but he has been very positive about everything. The tummy was also less swollen last night and with now being able to stand a little straighter discover that I actually have a waist - just amazing.

At this stage I haven't really let myself get too excited about things yet - I'm still very paranoid about post surgical complications as my last two C-Sections were problematic to say the least. So next step is to work on the post surgery complication fears and relax and start to enjoy my new shape.

Power of the Shower!

Today I had my first proper shower in 10 days. As I have been wearing a tight compression garment that I couldn't get off, I have had to forgo a decent shower for little bird baths. The compression garment has a peep hole for being able to go to the bathroom without taking the thing off and all I have been talking about for the last ten days is how much I want to have a proper shower.

It all went well at the doc yesterday. I don't know how his nurse did it but she managed to shimmy off my garment with minimal pain. My drain still has to stay in until Wednesday and the doc checked out my chest and belly before declaring all looked good. The nurse changed my dressings on my incision which is a very neat looking line running from hipbone to hipbone. I also have two thin incisions on the undersides of my breasts which haven't bothered me so far. Still very swollen but amazed by the difference!

Today I'm moving a lot better and ambling around the house a bit. Hooray!

I think when things are a bit calmer, I will post some pictures - nothing too graphic I promise, but if anyone is interested in the whole plastic surgery process, it may be useful.

Back in blogland..

Phew, I'm back in blogland at long last. Even though I consider myself a bit of a surgery veteran (after C Sections and appendectomy), I still wasn't prepared for the shock of walking in super fit and returning as weak as a kitten. The breast surgery was a piece of cake but the abdominal surgery is a different story.

Here's my story:
Day One: Required to fast 6 hours pre surgery - decided to be very sparse with the oats (which was not such a great idea as my surgery got delayed by 3-4 hours). If you know how much I enjoy eating, you know how hungry I would have been by then! A long period of waiting and feeling nervous - met the anaethestist (sp?) who was a bit of a groover, got put to sleep and woke up four hours later in recovery with a pain pump full of fentanyl and being told by the recovery nurses to push the button for the pain. After hearing a lot of advice from others who have had the surgery done to really utilize the pain relief, I went for it. Unfortunately, I started throwing up everywhere and went on a 24 hour drug trip, so I voluntarily ceased it. After my fentanyl experience, I can't understand how some drug addicts find pleasure in a drug trip. I was continually stressing about making my RPM HiPerformance class, writing a novel and other weird goings on.

Day Two: Still so nauseated I could not eat anything. I celebrated with DH by knocking off a Milk Coffee biscuit for breakfast and lunch. I can't see anything, I am firmly wrapped up in a compression garment but look down at my chest and think, "wow".

Day Three: Feeling much better and as my implants were placed over the muscle, think that I can readjust my pillows and become more independent. Try a different narcotic which works much better. Turns out that all the moving around is causing the drains that have been inserted in my breasts and tummy to start producing more fluid than they should. Have strict instructions from the doc to start acting like a chicken and to keep my wings in.

Day Four: Constipated...ugh. Had to be the worst day of my life and had to bring in the troops ie enema to help. The student nurse that gave me the enema was luckily very patient and understanding and once things had improved, had got on to talking about personal training. She expressed interest in becoming a client.

Day Five: Feeling better and ready to go home. Doc thinks otherwise. Tells me to keep the marathon running to my mind only. Swing out of bed, feeling a difference in my abs - a lot more supported with them stitched up the middle.

Day Six: Still not cleared to go home. I am cheered up by a visit from Shannon and John and Deb E from Fitness First. I had been feeling so frustrated and it really made my day.

Day Seven: Finally get three of the four drains removed and get ready to go home. I get a peek of the girls for the first time. Panic that they look massive! Think this is going to take some getting used to . In reality, I'm not quite filling out the post operative 12 c bra, why do I feel so...uh..big? I'm not used to being a girly girl. Finally get the dressings removed from belly. It's rather swollen and angry, but there is not a stitch of loose skin, nary a stretch mark to be seen. It looks incredible.

I am sent home in a new compression garment with strict instructions to rest and then to shower the next day.

Day Eight: (yesterday). DH and I cannot get the garment off by ourselves so we are off to the surgeon to have him and his nurse remove it. This was something I hadn't been expecting. Wish me luck getting the sucker off.

It's great to be home and to catch up with the online world. I am looking forward to being able to move more freely and each day is a step in the right direction. The best part is that I feel like in the passage of time, I will come back really strong with my training. I know that I will probably become out of shape over the next few months, but I can focus on eating well and being sensible for a perfect recovery.

Thanks for everyone's well wishes - I really appreciate them!

I really enjoyed everyone's six word memoirs..

"I'm becoming a million dollar baby"