6 weeks post op update with pics....

Okay so today i'm 6 weeks post op and i guess it's time for more picture comparisons and an update...
i went back to the YMCA last night for my first "real" workout. i did 3 miles on the elliptical in just under 28 mins and then took renee's spin class i used to take every thurs night....it felt amazing to push myself and not have any pain or worry of pain...it felt even better to see a 3000+ calorie burn on my BMF readout too :)

i would say that i am 90% healed with no more swelling. i've stopped wearing the compression garments including the spanx and am back to wearing just my regular underwear under my clothes...it feels weird with the fabric on my skin since i dont have all my feeling back in my midsection (it may never come back completely)....my scar is completely healed and flat....i asked about using the scarguard cream the dr recommends prior to the surgery and he said it's not necessary as my scar more than likely wont look any better than it does right now (meaning it looks pretty damn good and flat)....my bottoms fit but not "right"....my butt and thighs gained while i was not working out the last 6 wks so things feel tight there but are loose around my waist making things not feel quite right yet...i'm holding off on buying any new clothes until i feel like everything i have now doesnt fit right anymore cause they are too loose everywhere.....

this morning i put 5 workouts on my weekly calendar with 2 short runs, 1 long run, 2 cross training days with either spin class, zumba and/or lifting weights and 2 rest days......i'm going to "officially" start a 12wk training program for the 2013 disney princess 1/2 marathon on dec 2nd but until then i'm pretty much following the workout schedule, just doing 4 miles on my "long run" days with no build up so when i hit 12/2 and i have to do a 4 mile long run i will be able to and then build from there.....my friend kara has decided to join me in the princess race and i'm very excited to train and plan on running the entire event with her versus doing run/walk intervals like my past 2 races....

pre-op compared to 3 weeks compared to 6 weeks

2007-2012 Halloween Comparison Pic

Halloween Pics from 2007-2012

Update after 3rd aspiration (3wks 4days post op)

More fluid aspirated today but less than the two times last week. This is promising. We are hoping just one more time on friday and then I should be done with this nonsense. It's not painful but pretty uncomfortable. This pocket was higher than the last two so maybe I'm healing down in the lower area where most of the work was done???

I have a small "pull" feeling in the muscles on my left lower abdominal side area. He said it's normal due to the repair he did and it should fade but other pulls may pop up as I heal.

Incision is looking awesome, all scabbing is gone and I'm pretty much all healed up on the outside anyway. Just need to be patient with the inside stuff I guess.

Hoping to start back walking next week a few days and then the following week start a month of slow building up of my running do I can hit the ground running - hehe pun intended ;-) November 26th with a 12 wk training program for the Princess 1/2 marathon on February 24, 2013.
I miss Zumba and spin classes as well as weight lifting so those will be added back in slowly over the coming weeks.

I promise I will not overdo it.

3 wks post op w/pics...

Front comparison

Side comparison

Well I'm officially 3wks post as of right about now :)

I had the drain taken out last Thursday afternoon (10/4) and all was fine until Monday afternoon (10/8) when I noticed that there was some fluid starting to collect on my left side and just below my incision above my pubic area. I called the Dr's office and they said to keep an eye on it but more than likely I'd have to come up to have it aspirated (needle stuck thru my skin into the fluid pocket and then suck the fluid out with a syringe). It continued to swell on my left side thru Tuesday so I went up Wednesday on my lunch break and had 80ccs removed. He was quite surprised by the amount and said we would more than likely have to do that at least one more time, maybe up to 2. To keep an eye on it again and come Friday if I noticed more swelling and if not wait until Monday. I noticed the swelling starting up again yesterday so I'm headed up there on my lunch again today and hopefully this will be it. My plan is to lay low this weekend as best i can so I can get this skin inside to completely reattach/heal so the fluid stops building up. the needle doesn't really hurt since he numbs the area with another smaller needle full of lidocain lol and I'm still very numb all over down there since the surgery BUT it did feel pretty gross and weird with the needle in there poking around.

Clothes are fitting again for the most part but I do feel like my ass and thighs are getting bigger cause those are the only parts of my pants that are fitting tighter....No worries, I'll get back down once I start working out again. Hoping I can get back to working out sometime after 4 weeks post op....

Anyway, tomorrow is my 40th birthday and I have no idea if we have any plans. Not one person in my family has even acknowledged that tomorrow is my birthday let alone my 40th except my mom who made plans to go out of town to meet her husband who is working in Texas for the weekend. So like I said my plan is to rest up so that the fluid can stop accumulating....

2wks post op pic with clothes....

so i still haven't taken 2wk post op pics undressed but i did have mike take one last night in a new body hugging dress i grabbed from kohl's thurs night....i was a bit self conscious when i left the house but let it go by the time i got to to work....i dont have the horrible lower belly roll or the under my boobs bump anymore and i'm wearing a compression garment and i also had on spanx to make my hips smooth BUT i felt pretty...i even mussed up my hair, added eyeliner, lipstick and perfume for the day....2 more weeks with compression garment and of light walking and then 4wks post op i'm back to working out.....i CAN NOT go longer than a month without working out....it's just not in me anymore.....so i'll start light walking this week for the next 2 and then back to my regularly scheduled program, well within reason, no core work what so ever....gonna have to do some research to figure out which lifting movements will not "hurt" my core....anyway, i'll take "nekkid" pics later today and post comparisons from pre, 3days, 7days and 14day i promise....

13 days post-op

Wooohoooo. I'm 13 days post-op today and was able to have the drain removed. I have to keep an eye on my abdominal area to make sure I'm not building up fluid since the drain is out now.

I have to wear the compression garment another 2 weeks to help with the healing process. Dr. said I can start light exercise now including lighter lifting with more reps if I want BUT nothing with my core - no crunches, no squats or lunges, no deadlifts. I can do walking and/or elliptical/stair master too. He even said I could have sex tonight, just not more than two times.
;-)

I don't go back for another month unless there is a problem with the fluid or my incisions and at that point I'll be 6wks post-op. Scheduled next appt for 11/1 (9yr wedding anniversary).

I feel awesome and am so very happy I decided to go ahead with the surgery. I'll be even happier when I'm all back to "normal".

I'll do 2 wk post-op pics tomorrow night when I get home from work or if I run out of time this weekend for sure.

7 days post op update with pics

update from my 7day post op appt. 

Sorry I forgot to post yesterday after my appt. I took pics but was not on computer to do comparison post.

I got sutures and surgical tape removed. 

I did not have my drain removed as I am still putting out to much fluid to it each day. As soon as 

I'm down to 30cc output each day it can come out. Hoping for Monday if I lay low this weekend it should go down. 

I got a new compression garment - like underwear/spanx with a side zipper/hook thingy. Its like wearing the bottom half of a onsie for grownups lol. 

Another dose of the antibiotic since I still have the drain in. 

He is very happy with my progress and so am I. 

So this weekend will be lots of lounging around so I can get this fluid down and heal up on the inside which is what is causing the draining. 

Oh and I slept in my own bed last night. Mike fell asleep watching tv and I snuck up alone to our bed until like 6 when his snoring ass joined me. It was not as comfortable as I have dreamed about over the last week but I know it will be better when I can lay on both sides - with the drain I'm pretty uncomfortable on my right side still.)