Tummy Tuck and Recovery

I did something crazy.  Something I've wanted to do since the second set of twins were born.  I got a tummy tuck!  It's been 8 weeks since my surgery.  I'm glad I did it, but it was hard.  A lot harder than I thought it would be.  I still have a lot of emotions and thoughts that I'm processing about the surgery.  I'm still healing.  I wanted to write something eloquent and thoughtful, but it's just not going to happen. So here's the basics of what happened...

In March, Nels and I went on a date and talked about what we wanted to do this year.  I said, maybe it's a good year for me to get my tummy tuck.  He said, "research it and let's find out more about it." So I asked my neighbor who's a nurse at the hospital if she could recommend a plastic surgeon.  She immediately responded, "Dr. Ghaderi is the best."  So I researched him and learned more about tummy tucks.  Then I made an appointment for a consultation just to learn more.  At first, my appointment was for the end of April, but then I called back and asked if they could get me in sooner when someone cancels.  And happily, they had one for the following day.  So my consultation was on March 31st.  

At my consultation, Dr. Ghaderi went through the procedure and answered all of my questions and did a short exam.  He said my stomach was perfect for a tummy tuck.  No fat, just skin that would be removed.  Then he gave me pricing and asked if I wanted to schedule the surgery.  I decided to go ahead and schedule the surgery and cancel it if I needed to.  Since they were already booked for April, the next available surgery date was May 6.  

Then I freaked out.  I talked with Nels and one of my sisters who had an elective surgery done before.  Then I researched some more, read everything I could, watched youtube videos about tummy tuck recoveries.  And freaked out some more.  I wanted to do it, but it was expensive, the recovery was not going to be easy and I felt really selfish to even be considering it.  

Nels was super supportive and helped me calm down.  Lots of praying and thinking through everything.  I tried my best to prepare and move forward. 

One of my biggest worries was sleeping.  I would need to sleep in a reclined position for a while.  So the day before the surgery, I practiced.  Haha.  Nels moved our recliner couch into the fifth bedroom so I would have my own recovery room.  Then I added lots of pillows...here's what it looked like for my practice...

Day of Surgery - May 6th - a Thursday.

Nels, Sofie and Noah took me to the hospital.  Last hugs...

And last pic before going into the hospital...

Pre-op.  IV.  Slipper socks.  Talked with Dr Ghaderi, anesthesia dr.  Then before I knew it I was out!

  The surgery was about 4 hours.  I don't remember anything until a nurse said, "you're all done, time to go home."  And I said, "Oh, let me sleep for 5 more minutes."  haha.  I was SO tired.  She came back and told me it was time to go home, I said, "5 more minutes."  She said, "It's been an hour!"  Oh!  I could NOT open my eyes.  I tried to eat a cracker and drink apple juice, then ginger ale.  All with my eyes closed.  Then all of the sudden Nels showed up.  I kept asking "what do I need to do to go home?"  They said, go to the bathroom.  Ok. "Let's try" I said.  Still with my eyes closed.  I was so nauseous and tired.  I was a mess.  I threw up.   I remember sitting up and Nels standing in front of me and I laid my head on his stomach because I couldn't lift my head up.  We started to walk to the bathroom, slowly.  After taking two steps, I threw up all over the floor!  I was so embarrassed.  That's when they decided I would need to stay the night at the hospital for observation.  I was so frustrated.  From the time the surgery ended, to the time the decision for me to stay the night was made was six hours.  I was still struggling to come out of the anesthesia and I was super nauseous.  Thankfully, our neighbor Betsy took the kids that night so Nels could be with me.  Nels went home at 11 p.m. and I spent the night at the hospital.  My nausea subsided around 2 or 3 in the morning.  It was a rough night.  I was up every hour or two to go to the bathroom.  It was hard.  I was thankful I had help and wasn't at home.  

I was able to leave the hospital around 10 a.m.  I held a pillow on my lap and leaned forward.  It was hard to ride home.  I was so glad to be home though.  And got comfortable on the recliner couch.  

My parents were so sweet and supportive.  They totally would have come and helped us, but my dad was just finished cancer treatments and my mom was just diagnosed with diabetes!  To show their love my parents sent these beautiful flowers, little gifts and lots of cards.  It was wonderful.  

May 9th was Mother's day.  The kids brought me their cards and gifts they had made at school.  So sweet.  

Nels grilled me some steak and made a wonderful dinner.  My parents gave him this apron.  Awesome, huh?!

So good.

I was able to sit at the table to eat dinner.  I'm hunched over.  I sit and walk hunched over.  I walked like that for about 2 weeks.  Everyday, Sofie would comment, "You walk like an old grandma."  And then when I could finally walk up straight, she proudly said, "You aren't a grandma anymore!"  

Here's how I slept...knees bent, sitting up.  It took a couple of days before I was able to get on and off the couch without help.  The kids were sweet and would help me adjust the pillows.  

I wasn't able to shower for 1 week.  So Nels gave me a little sponge bath and he even washed my hair in the sink one day.  The first week was definitely the hardest.  Nels took off 7 days of work.  He did all of the things.  And it was not easy for him.  But he kept the household going, even with two sick kids, a dentist appointment, mother's day, Sofie and Noah's birthday, activity days, laundry, lunches for school and dinners.  He tried so hard.  It was a lot!  

Here's a photo of me after Nels washed my hair.  I was pretty happy about it!

Sofie helped put my socks on.  They were new socks my mom gave me.

Sofie and I hung out together after her dentist appointment.  She had to keep that white tube in her mouth until her cheek wasn't numb so she wouldn't bite her cheeks.  

I still tried to be a mom.  I was able to read books with the kids.  Listen to them.  Watch a show together.  Sometimes they would bring their toys in the room and I would watch them play.  

Skip the next picture if you want to...it's gross.  So for the first week, I had this drain in my stomach.  Nels would empty it for me every night.  Gross, huh?  I also wore an elastic binder 24/7.

After my first week follow up appointment, I got the ok to shower.  Nels helped me because I was queasy and I couldn't do everything by myself.  We were pretty proud of ourselves and took a picture.  After about five more days, I was able to shower by myself...happy day!

The first week after surgery, I was also taking a lot of medicine.  Pain killer, blood thinner, antibiotics.  I had to make sure to take them after so many hours.  Here's my sheet to keep track...I remember getting up at 12:30 a.m. or 2 a.m. to keep up with the pain killer or the antibiotic.  I was so happy to be done with all the meds by the end of the first week.  

Here's a card from my mom.  💛

Time with the kiddos.  I loved when they would come "visit" me.  Sometimes it was lonely in my recovery room.  But it was nice to have a door to close when I needed to rest.  

This was about 17 days after surgery.  I felt well enough to play some card games with Isak.  I was pretty proud of myself for figuring out different things I could do with the kids while recovering on the couch!

So my dream to have a tummy tuck is done and I'm recovering.  I really think I'll love the results after I'm fully healed.  I definitely see the potential.  My stomach skin is flat and there's no skin hanging over my waistline.  I do have a scar from hip bone to hip bone.  It will eventually fade to white in about a year.  At 8 weeks, I'm able to do most everyday things.  I can walk a mile now.  I can do the housework.  I can't lift more than about 8 pounds.  I'm still sleeping elevated, but I'm in my bed now.  I improve everyday.  Oh, and I can sneeze without it hurting now!  Yay!  

After the first follow-up appointment, we realized that I was not able to do much still.  Nels needed to go back to work.  So thankfully, Nels's parents hopped on a plane and came to help us out.  We asked them on a Friday to come and they were here on Sunday!  Amazing.  They were so helpful.  The next post will be about their 10 day stay with us.  

Finally at 3 weeks, I was able to take care of the essential things and keep everyone alive.  😀  I would feed the kids breakfast and then rest for a while.  Feed them lunch then rest, snack, rest, dinner rest, bedtime.  And seriously, that's all I did.  Just kept them fed.  Oh, they helped me do the laundry and they helped keep the house clean.  My kids stepped up and helped a lot.  Whenever I asked for help, 97% of the time they quickly and cheerfully helped me.  I was amazed and loved them more for being so kind.  

Well, this is a lot.  I kind of dreaded documented this.  Like I said before, I'm still recovering emotionally from surgery too.  But I think journaling helps.  At least, I can see the progress I've made and all of the healing I have already done.  I'm thankful to be to this point.