Bum Watch- Day 19

19 days post surgery already!

My entire body aches from sitting and lack of sleep.  But I know it will get better.  Tonight we might try getting me to the sleep in my bed and see if that makes life better.  It is incredibly hard to get comfortable, especially still with drains tugging and pulling on my tender bits.

I also have two small wounds that we are treating.  They are spots that have opened instead of healing.  Both are small, the one at the top of my butt crack is about the size of a quarter.  I have another one where my thigh incision hits my crotch.  That one is a bit bigger- more like a loonie.  Twice a day the wounds are cleaned with hot water and a cloth, then a piece of gauze covered in this special clear gel is taped/wedged into place.  The gel eats away at some of the tissue and promotes healing.  I freak out when I see the wounds and think I am dying.  Husband looks at me like I am a lunatic, tells me these are nothing in the world of wound care, and proceeds to fix me up.

Along the incision lines, the scabs are rapidly falling off.  Actually, my entire body is flaking off.  Leaving warm, humid LA and coming home to cold, dry Faro has my body shedding skin like a snake.  Today after my sponge bath, we slathered me up in moisturizer to help.

My weight is sitting just under 165lbs and I am still very swollen.  The core of my body has zero curves; I am thick and feeling like I could explode at any minute.  I cannot wait for my waist curve to come back!

And a really fun number?  My hips, just over two years ago, were 65" around.  They are now 41".  I have lost 2 feet from around my hips!  It is fun holding up a measuring tape and looking at that. 

My work right now is getting in my 100 grams of protein each day.  A struggle since the pain pills suppress my appetite and cause nausea.  And also to get up and walk around my house a bit more.  My goal right now is to be up at least four times a day to make a little walk down the hallway.

Matt is off work until the 6th and I am happy to have him here to deal with the house stuff, the kids and taking care of me.

Wound right at the top.  Bum is still very lumpy, bumpy and swollen. I hope my bum looks much better in a few months!

Scabs are falling off and incisions are healing!  But that tummy is still pushed out and swollen.  Thighs are very tight and still swollen too.  Bruising is nearly gone from my entire body.

Belly button looking better.  Incision lines are becoming flatter.  I still cannot believe the front of me is flat... the rolls are gone.

Providers of my entertainment.

Wee kitten snuggles help healing, right?

Home In Pictures Taken By Boys

Welcome home cakes for mom and dad (gluten free for daddy).

Mommy is home, so all is right in the world again.

Kids are still crazy.

Welcome home sign we were greeted with upon arrival last night.

My entertainment.  Fishing for kittens.

Bliss.

The walker is now more a trapeze device.

Mommy in her nest.

The fridge full of food from WH made them happy.

Healing away! *Warning: Scar and skin pics*

I am blown away with how well my incisions are healing.  It has been 13 days since surgery where I was split right the way around and it seems unreal that the skin can already be binding back together. You will look at be all ewwww that looks horrible!  But trust me- this is good healing.  While the incisions look lumpy and all pinched together, over time they will all smooth out and there will be no pinching.  I will look normal.

Photo evidence of healing!

What is that?  My ass on the internet?  Ah well.   So my bum.  Very swollen and kinda lumpy.  But it will smooth and improve drastically over the next few months.  I will post more bum pictures all winter!  Lucky you, readers!  ahahah

Just to remind you of my old bum.

Hips healing well!  Thighs are very swollen and tight.  You can see the compression suit lines.  But look at how the incisions are all healing!!!

My flat tummy!!!  Swollen.  Oh so puffy, but underneath it is tight.  I cannot wait for when my waist swelling is down to give me back my wonderful curve between there and my hips.  It will happen.  I think all my ab exercises at the gym really paid off- there is some good muscle under that swelling!

I am very thick through my midsection- that is all swelling.  But focus on the healing lines!  Getting myself to stand up straight is painful.  Everything feels just tight and as though I will split open.

And big even today- I went walking outside!  Matt threw a dress on me (my $5 one that I bought at Walmart this fall for wearing after surgery) and I made it up and down the driveway at our rental place.  It was tiring, but it was also nice to get some movement in.  I had my best day yet for feeling like a human again.

Enjoying the last of the heat before I head home to winter.

10 Days Post-Op Photos!

I know everyone is curious about how healing is going and I am happy to share!  Just some photo fun for you all tonight showing me pretty much naked over the last two years. 

Two years ago and 320lbs.  Gastric Sleeve surgery the day after this photo was taken started my new life.

10 days ago I weighed 190lbs after two years of hard work losing weight and gaining strength.  But with that loss came some serious skin issues.

And today.  10 days post op from a 360 lower body lift and inner thigh lift.  Today I weighed in at 163lbs.

Gotta Love The Gore- CAUTION!!! Very graphic surgery photos!

Okay, I have made it through surgery!  I am one week post op and this is only my third time on the computer.  Using it makes me so sick that I actually puke.  I am drugged to the max, so I don't know if I even make sense.  But I know everyone is dying for photos and I am happy to share the gore! 

The stats?  27lbs came off from the lower body lift, the inner thigh lift, and the little bit of lipo.  Freaking amazing.

And now the photos.   I will write more when I am not yakking so much.

Lines are drawn!

Meh, no heart needed for my ass.  I am just mooning you all.

My ass being cut out.

New skinny ass!

Pulling up the stomach.  Muscle repair done.  Over 900 stitches in my body.

NEW TUMMY AND BELLY BUTTON!  

Inner thigh lift!  ewwww!

Extra bits!

Lipo goooooo!

Well hello mid-section!  Nice to leave you behind!

Faro ladies are the best.  I love you all.

This is all I do now. 

I have 8 drains that fill up with goo and have to be emptied a few times a day.  It is nasty ass shit.

What my inner thigh looked like today.  It will improve a lot with time!

Big Day Tomorrow!

Tomorrow, the excess skin on my lower body is going the way of the Saber Tooth Cat and Wooly Mammoth.

Yesterday I met with Dr. Katzen for the first time in person.  The appointment went great and I went away really feeling at ease about the surgery.  The recovery is what I am dreading now.  I am going to be out of commission for quite some time.  But it will all be worth it!

So tomorrow I have to be at the surgical centre at 6am.  Once the surgery starts, I will be under for up to 9 hours.  After surgery, I will be transported by ambulance to Pearl Recovery Retreat.  A fancy-schmancy recovery place that is in a hotel.  I will be there for two nights and Matt is also able to stay with me.  Then we will return back to our rental suite where I will recover for two weeks in a very lovely remote controlled lazyboy recliner. 

Fingers crossed that everything goes according to plan and that I heal very well after surgery.  We will have internet access at the surgical centre (well Matt will) and also at the recovery centre.  I am sure there will be heaps of updates!

My inbox has been filled with well-wishes and I am very thankful for the incredible support I have.  Thank you everyone!

Getting nekked at my pre-op appointment!

Saber Tooth Cat!  The La Brea Tar Pits are fantastic.

Scary as shit injections.  But they prevent clotting, so all for a good reason.

Happy narcotics!  Wooowweee!  I am going to be crazeeeee!

All of that will be gone!  Hello new flat tummy and brand new belly button!

I am going to look some different!  My hard work is really paying off.

Last Night At Home

Tonight, my kids broke my heart.  I was giving them hugs before bed and reminding them that we are leaving tomorrow and they were just so sad.  It really hit me then as to how long I am going to be away from them and how much I will miss them and their antics. 

We will be gone for nearly three weeks and even when I do get home, I won't be in any shape to really play with them.  I feel a tremendous amount of guilt at leaving them behind and that I will be out of commission for so long.  Although, maybe it will be a good time to start reading a real novel with them as I am laying on the sofa.  I have facetime set up the ipads so the boys can call me up anytime.

Tomorrow we drive to Whitehorse and Sunday we fly to Los Angeles.  Pre-op appointments Monday and surgery on Wednesday.  Surgery is just five sleeps away.

I have most everything done and all arrangements have been made to cover things while I am gone.  My mom arrived this evening and she is here with the boys while we are away.  They are pretty excited to have grandma time and I am sure she is going to spoil them rotten while we are gone.

The case of wine I purchased has been given out to friends.  I am hoping to bribe them all into helping out with the kids while I am gone and also once I get home.  Everything that I have read and everyone that I have talked about this type of surgery all say the same thing- recovery will be hell and that I need to not over do it.  That is hard for this squirrel on crack to understand.  I just keep thinking by week three I will be back to normal.  Yeah... it just isn't going to be the case.  I hate asking people for help and I feel guilty about it all.

But nothing I can do about it now.  I have to trust that my kids will have a good time, that the things I have asked people to do will be done, that my surgery will go off without a hitch, and that things will work out find when I get home.

So off I go!  I will have internet the entire time and will be posting a lot, I am sure.  Thank you everyone who has made this possible and offered so much support to me along the way.

Halloween Fun

I love Halloween!  We had nearly ever kid in Faro knock at our door, and just like every year, their manners were impeccable.  

I made just over 40 of these little treats for all of the young kids at school.

S

It was so warm this year we just had on hoodies under the costumes!

I always knew our family was drawn to the Dark Side.

Just a wee bit excited over the loot!