On the road to my goal Weight

I apologise for not updating in a while but life has been rather busy in the last few weeks.... I am now going on to week 9 and I am no longer wearing my girdle... my tummy tuck scar is dark yet flat and has healed lovely and my belly button though dark is perfect ! I am very pleased with the results...

I went and saw my Doctor last week and I no longer need to go back , but they have offered me a breast lift so on Nov. 1st I have a appointment to see Dr Dean concerning it...

I have also been given to clear to start losing weight again and to start using my Diaformin and I can excersize now...

So I have chosen to have only 3 mil in my lap band and in the last few weeks I have found it to be a good choice I no longer get the night time cough or having to be sick after eating , though I may have 1 or 2 more mil put in when I see my Doctor in September... but at this time I feel farelly good.

So on 26th June I started over with my eating plan and decided to go low Gi and eat 3 meals a day and 3 small healthy snacks and its really working... on the 26th June I was 93.5 kgs and by eating low GI/low Fat I was 91.8kgs a loss of 1.7kgs in a week.

I came to realize a few things with my weight loss over the years and realized when I was on my doctors 1000 cal a day diet it worked at first but then I stopped losing weight and instead put it on, because my body went into starvation mode.... with my new eating plan of approx 1200-1500 cal a day I am more alert, more awake and feel better for it.... and my cravings for sweet foods has really stopped....

Will update again on Monday when I weigh my self for the week .....

Update and good news

Well its nearlly 3 weeks post op, time goes so fast..... so I had a small school reunion on Saturday night we went to dinner at Italian restraunt , I actually ate half of my meal ! then we went to the boho bar it was a fantastic night and I saw some wonderful people that I have not seen in 15 years, I had so many compliments on how I looked it made me feel so good about my self.

Today I went for a follow up appointment at the hospital and my bellybutton has healed over, my incision line is healing nicely and the seroma has gone down to a point they could not get any out with a needle and he has said I am on the road to recovery...

But then he mentioned the "revision" word.... my cut line is pucked like a curtain top... and it looks like I have more excess skin that was not removed and he said there was allot of skin above my bellybutton that would not get smaller with excersize or liposuction so he said that he feels I should have a vertican tuck.... so he wants to wait for 6-8 months. He also said I would need breast, arm and leg lift and my back would need to be lifted also.... so I have allot getting done and I need to lose 20kgs at least until its done...

More pics 16 days post op

Its now 16 days post op and my dressings are half off, My belly button is still red and the swelling has gone down and the swelling where they feel I had seroma has not changed.... But I feel its looking good, and can't wait to see the swelling to go down.

My weight goes up and down depending on the day at the moment, doctor told me to not weigh my self until the swelling has gone.... its so hard cos I am one those that weigh's my self daily .... one day I can be 89kgs next 90kgs....

I have more feeling in my cut area especially if I roll onto my side it makes you yelp ! its not the nicest feeling but I am not in pain as such. I no longer need pain killers and if I do its panadole.....

So I am looking forward to heading out tommorrow night to a schoolies meet up , Most of them I have not seen in over 15-18 years and it shall be nice being able to dress up and look slimmer ! most of these people saw me when I was rather heavy... it will be nice to see how we have all changed and if most have kids ect.... we are going via mini bus to the Boho bar in Adelaide.... shall take pics !

Tip: I get asked allot how much weight was removed via the tummy tuck.... I was told 3kgs which will not show until the swelling goes down.... what people do not understand is water weigh's more than fat/skin so what they remove will usually not show on the scales until the excess fluid and swelling is gone.

First post op appointment and fill put in my band

Today I had my fist post op appointment, they took out the stitches and said my infection would clear up soon, my cut line looks good and is still healing so they changed the dressing and noticed allot of fluid under my bellybutton , and said it was Seroma so I have another appointment on Monday to check if the fluid has gone down or they will put a needle in there and remove some.... They also told me I cannot pick up Jamie my 1 year old for at least 6 weeks so Trent has to stay home another week yet..... ( photo of Jamie and I in my recliner having a sleep )

I also saw Dr Toouli and I have lost 2.2kgs in the last 13 days, even with swelling so I am rather pleased with that news, he put in 3 mil into my band as I did not want the band to tight and be sick.

He also said he wanted me to lose another 20kgs to have a BMI of 25 ....so I have allot of work to do, though I cannot go to the gym for another 8 weeks so for me thats the big plan to join a gym and tighten whats never been tight before and to lose the last 20kgs once and for all..... he has me on a 1000 cal a day eating plan, and at the moment I have to walk 20 mins a day until my plastic surgeon gives me the all clear to do more....

So any way Im feeling rather tired and will be glad to go to bed !I can now sleep on my side fully so the doc says !

Itchy itchy itchy and other thoughts

So today I went out for lunch with Mum, Dad, and Auntie and I wore my size 14 jeans and there was room and I am only 12 days post op.....  I had roast pork my favourite and it was lovely.... but I did get tired as time went by and above my pubic area got rather painful so I got some new wound dressings and was glad to come home.

I came home and took the tape off my bellybutton and my tummy tuck wound and its not looking to bad , its gone dark and some places were dried over and I had to hold my breath to pull the tape off my pubic area .... it was rather painful I wish I had shaved but was told I did not need to. So its now all clean and my bellybutton is looking allot better.

So tonight I had to do allot of soul searching I was feeling rather emotional over the whole op.... like don't get me wrong I know its early days and the swelling is still there but above my bellybutton gives me concern, there is allot of skin still located there and my abs do not feel tight.... I have been able to stand straight since day 3 or so , so it had me wondering did the doctor tighten my muscles and if she didn't will it mean if i loose more weight will I need a revision.....  My husband told me to ask the doctor on Tuesday and to be patient..... I know as a public patient there is not much choice but for me this was a big thing I wanted it done properly as its somthing I do not wish to do again and I can't help but have concern....

I think I shall write a artical on going through the public health system to have a tummy tuck done to help answer some questions others may have.....

Tip: Look at purchasing a Recliner or hiring one for when you get home if you don't already have one, I was lucky to already own a electric recliner and its been the most comfortble chair and bed for the last 8 days..... Its handy to sit up while you sleep with your legs up so I am so lucky to have one.

Very lucky to have such a wonderful husband

I feel so lucky to have Trent, he has taken fantastic care of the kids and I know without him I would not of been able to go through with the tummy tuck. I feel its brought us all closer in some way as a family and the boys have been having a blast especially since hubby lets them do things I don't usually let them ! so I feel very lucky to have such a good hubby taking care of us all.... its been very tight but his boss has told him to stay home until Monday the 28th, but thankfully I have paid extra bills when we were paid last so we have not had to live so tight.

So if you do decide to ever have a tummy tuck just make sure you have someone who can help you, though you may feel up to doing things you used to do, your body may not be ready its a big operation and its easy to get tired... and if you have little children such as I do then do make sure you get help.... I have Joel 3, Josh 2 and Jamie 1 and without my hubby I would be in big trouble !

On with op news.... Its now day 10 , the days meld together and seem to be going fast, I cleaned my bellybutton and had more discharge but its all clean and the bedadine is definetly helping... I slept in my own bed this afternoon and it is such a weird feeling, there is no padding and sleeping on my side is not to easy but it was nice to sleep in a bed instead of sitting in a chair.... and I cooked my very first meal tonight Roast lamb with veg.... sitting on a chair is handy ! but I have felt tired allot today... but its been a nice day.

Tip: If you have young children in nappies to change them instead of lifting them kneel on the ground and roll there body to one side, clean then lay clean nappy down then roll them back onto the nappy.... makes nappy change time easier.

9 Days post op slight infection of my belly button

Its now been 9 days since my op, time does go fast ! I have been taking it easy as much as possible, on Tuesday I started feeling rather unwell, so I went to the doctors and they gave me medication for nausea they said its due to the medication....then my bellybutton dressing fell off and though I have been trying keep it dry I noticed it weeping for the first time yesterday, so today I checked it and noticed in one corner some creamy yellow looking stuff and the inside of my bellybutton is red though not smelly and It feels hot and burning.... so I went to the doctors again tonight and they said it was the starting of infection so I am now on antiobotics and I have to wash it daily , dry it then put benadine on it...... Then I noticed when I sat down on the loo that there was some like weeping and bleeding from my tummy tuck scar , I have cleaned it as best as I could and put betadine on it, though I read this is normal at this stage of the op........ so I have taken some panadole fort and just need to rest up and see my Doctor on Tuesday.

On a good side I now weigh 89kgs , the swelling has gone down a ton and find it only bad at night, and I am standing up straighter... so every day I find things easier and I really am looking forward to seeing my belly.

Tip: I had some pregnancy pads left over from when I had Jamie and have found these handy to put around the cut line above my pubic area and one on each side for the rubbing, I have the full pant girdle and find it rub so it helps for a little but of cushioning.

I have 1 pic of Jamie and I asleep on my recliner taken today when we fell asleep, will post it some time over the weekend.....