Biiiig Steps

So....I think I've taken a leap instead of a baby step...lol. I'm proud of my body. I'm proud to say I've worked my ass off to get where I'm at. I did have surgeries, and you know what!? I'M PROUD of every scar and every experience. I still have to pick and choose what goes in my body, it's not easy, but it's getting better :)

I did boudoir photos today with my best friend. We laughed, we worried, we fretted over lumps and bumps, but most importantly, we owned it and enjoyed ourselves! I promised an 8 week update pic, so here's a 9 week update.

Photo courtesy of Mac D Photography :)

6 weeks

Today is six weeks out! I'm standing up straight and working again! I can lay flat and even work out! All in all, I'm doing great! 8 weeks I'll post another pic :)

A picture....

They say a picture is worth a thousand words...and I agree....I'm so happy!  I still have a TON of swelling, so this is no way the finished product, but holy crap....I have a belly button!!!  A BELLY BUTTON!!!  So here ya go :)  I'm 4 weeks post op today and I still hurt, but I can stand straighter and sleep in my bed.  It's the small things really.  

A New Year....a not so new me ;)

So, today is 3 weeks post op!  I invited a friend over for lunch and our kiddos played around for a few hours.  It was a good day.  I ate terribly too much and now I feel like doodoo....but it was totally worth it.  I'm feeling really good today.  I finally got the spanx on.  At my 2 week appointment they told me I could start wearing spanx instead of my belly wrap.  But quite honestly, my belly wrap is much more comfy then my spanx.  Plus, it's the pits to pull those suckers up and down when you go potty...lol...plus, all the swollenness doesn't help.  I woke up today, took a shower and slapped on my spanx....I guess my swelling is going down, because it wasn't a huuuuge fight to get these suckers on.  And then I went in the kitchen and started on lunch.  I put almost all of it together, before I had to throw in the towel and sit down.  Chance finished the rest....like I've said, I'm very blessed.  He even made an apple pie.  

Sooooooo...Happy New Year!!!

It's going to be a good one!  We celebrated at 9pm since the ball dropped in NY at 9pm our time.  The kiddos enjoyed that, then passed out in the living room floor.  Jaxon slept there all night, Madi went to her bed...smart girl.  

I'm very excited for this year.  It's going to be a good one!  I can feel it.  This last year was great until September....September was very rough.  Lost one of the best men in the world....my Uncle Jess.  I loved him very very much and I'll miss him more than anything.  I don't have very much family on my Daddy's side and he was one of the few left.  He was so loving and caring and an amazing Daddy.  My heart hurts for my cousins....but they're strong and I know that he is looking down on them and loving what he sees.  The other loss was my friend Lee....He was 28 years young.  Too damn soon if ya ask me...but unfortunately God didn't ask my opinion on that one.   I admire his wife, she's so strong...they have 2 young kiddos and she's lucky to have an amazing family giving her all sorts of support.   Lee's family is amazing and her family seems pretty amazing too.  I guess it's like they say, if he leads you to it, he'll pull you through it.   I'm trying to give myself over to Christ, but damn that's hard...especially for me...no one has that much pull in my life....so to give it over to a "nonexistent" person is kinda odd for me.   I'm trying.  I wanna make sure I make it to those pearly gates to hang out with the ones I've lost...

   I didn't making any resolutions this year....I never stick to them.  I'm just gonna keep on doing what I'm doing and just be me.   A much smaller me this year, but still me.

Happy New Years folks!!  Hope this year is everything you want it to be!

Oy....

Yesterday was rough....I took about fifteen steps back yesterday. Every move I made yesterday, I felt like my guts were going to pour out of my belly button. I know it's just part of the healing process...some days are better than others, but dadgum....I'm ready to be better! I've noticed, that since I've gotten older its's much harder for me to come back from surgeries. I never thought there would be a worse surgery than my sleeve surgery, but I stand corrected. This tummy tuck has been really hard. My body isn't just bouncing back. They said four to six weeks....and they weren't lying! Yesterday was the first time that I asked myself why I wanted this. Then I took my shower this morning and didn't have to fight a flap of skin and I remembered why. Most of my steri strips have come off. And I really wish I couldn't see what was under there. The incision for my tummy tuck is amazing! Barely even visible. As you saw from my picture yesterday, my belly button is disgusting. It doesn't hurt as bad today as it did yesterday, but getting up and down has become a fine science. LOL my boobs is where I start to freak out. The incision is much more visible up there. Kinda scary to look at. I have to put some brown tape over the incisions once the steri strips came off, so luckily I can't see them all the time. I'm very impatient, as you can tell, and I'm ready to see the final product. I just keep reminding myself....one day at a time...and each day is getting better.

Excited!

So....everyone has been making fun of me, because I'm more excited about having a visible belly button than perky boobs. LOL Well, when you haven't seen your belly button in over 10 years, you might be able to understand....which, might I add, I hope never happens to any of you. See, when I was a wee baby, I had umbilical hernia. They had to completely reconstruct my belly button. So I had a 6 inch scar from one side of it to the other. It was a pretty belly button, but with all the weight loss and gain, I created a flap of skin that hung over it. Once I'm brave enough to post a before picture, you'll understand what I'm talking about. I've called it my tummy's sad face. LOL so I got my camera out a snapped a pic of my new belly button. It's absolutely disgusting right now, but I can fully see its potential! I can't wait to be healed. I still hurt, but now it's just a ridiculously annoying and miserable pain. I'm only taking pain pills at night, Tylenol during the day. I'm so ready to be able to get up and go, but it's just not possible. If I stand longer than 5 minutes it feels like everything is going to fall out my belly button. I'll be better soon though....hopefully...lol. Well, here's the pic...enjoy being grossed out! ;)

Sleep...

We meet again! I missed laying in bed and falling asleep next to my very handsome husband. They pulled the tubes yesterday and I feel 50% better than I have been! I slept well, my shower went well this morning and I'm moving around better already. They really weren't lying about the excess fluid coming out of my incisions and belly button though! And might I add, it stinks. So gross....but the nurse is a genius. She said to put a panty liner over my belly button and any leaks in my incision and it will not only soak up the fluid, but it will also soak up the smell....smart lady! Well...that's all I have today. Sleep was marvelous last night :) and my swelling is down quite substantially today :)