2 weeks post op...

Merry Christmas! Today was my number one concern when chance told me my surgery date. I had to be well enough to enjoy Christmas with my babies, and I have! So far today has been perfect. I did way too much in the past few days and my body is paying for it today. I'm very swollen and I'm just plain sore. So today, at the order of my mother in law, I'm grounded to my chair. I'm not gonna complain, it's really nice having family around to take care of me and give my poor hubby a break. I still have not weighed myself or done measurements. I figure they might do weight tomorrow when I go in to have my drain tubes removed. I'm hoping they take out both, but I have a stinking suspicion that they're only going to take out one. My hips are sore...I want them out. Well...that's my whine for the day ;) hope everyone is having an amazing holiday with family and friends alike. I'm missing a few very important people today....I hope they're first Christmas In Heaven is bringing them joy and happiness...cause boy o boy, I know a few families who are really hurting this year. Love you all & God bless :)

Pain Killers are the Devil...

Pain killers...yes, they have helped me through numerous surgeries and I appreciate them more than anyone could ever know. And up until I became old, I never had a problem with them. Well today I would like to fill you in on my past twenty four hours.

I went in Tuesday for my one week postoperative appointment and everything was great and grand. I told them that I hadn't pooped in a week. TMI. Yes, I know, but I've always told my readers that I will be disgustingly honest about all my business. They told me it was normal, to go to Target and get some magnesium citrate, mix with sprite, chug and it would definitely get things moving. Well it sure did....painfully so.

I ended up in the ER last night at 7. I left the ER without even seeing a doctor at 3:30am. I talked to a really nice nurse and she told me to try an enema. I come home in pain and tears and are my pour husband up to drive up to the northwest to the only 24 hour drugstore in town. He gets back quickly and then he has to give this thing to me. Ummmmm...first of all, how embarrassing. Second of all, how disgusting. Third of all, do you have any idea how hard it is to get on your hands and knees and put your butt in the air one week after a tummy tuck and breast reduction!? Well, let me tell you, I ran out of tears. 6am rolls around and all I have is excruciating pain. I go back to the packed ER. The lovely gentleman that checked me in at 7 the night before was helping an elderly lady to her car and saw me sitting in the waiting room. He came over and I busted out in tears. He got me to the back with a doctor in les than 30 minutes. He was my angel today and I'm so grateful to him. So the doctor comes in. He says it sounds like you're impacted. WTF!? Yeah, so he proceeded to do a rectal exam and pulled a wee little bit of poo out. Worst pain of my life. He apologized, helped me up and told me that the Vicodin was the leading cause of constipation. I am not a medical person. I really had no idea. I got a little bit backed up during my sleeve recovery, but nothing like this. He had the nurse bring in all sorts of things to take, then they kicked me out and said hurry home, quickly. They weren't lying. LOL. whatever they gave me worked a miracle. A very painful miracle. But I'm glad to say that I am resting and recouping and I'm thankful that its all over.

So moral of the story. Pay attention after a surgery, and make sure you're pooping. I had 8 days worth impacted, more or less.

Disgusting. TMI. Sorry I shared this, but if it helps someone in the future, I served my purpose.

Other than this, I'm feeling really good. Just another bump in the road. Last night was the first time in a long time that I cried for my Mommy. Don't ever want to go through that again...so I'm pushing tons of water and taking stool softener and cut down on Pain meds. I had completely quit and I was just bearing the pain. They said that's stupid. Don't do it. Ok. I've learned my lesson.

Been a while....

It's been a while since I updated you guys....so here's the short details.

• Met with Dr. Keyes.  Didn't care for him....in fact couldn't stand the man.  He was very self absorbed and rude.  I believe the sign of good character is to walk in and introduce yourself and shake someone's hand while looking them in the eye.  He did none of those things.  I do not recommend him. 
• About 1 month ago,I went to Beautologie and I met with Dr. Knoetgen.  Chance came with me and we both liked him a lot.  I have done business with Beautolgie before and they've always been very professional.  To tell you the truth, I hadn't heard very good things about their surgeons.  Dr. Knoetgen is a contract doctor through Beautologie.  He was so nice and took his time during the consult.  In fact, all of the staff took their time and answered a lot of my "stupid" questions.  I decided I wanted Dr. K to do my surgeries.  He advised against the Belt Lipectomy and that made me ecstatic!  That really scared the crap outta me.  He said I am saggy in my hind end, but that I didn't have rolls of skin hanging so why go through all that pain just to get a small amount of tightened skin.  I couldn't agree more!  And since I wasn't going to be cut all the way around, we could do the breast lift at the same time.   So I put it off....not wanting to spend the money on the surgeries.  I'm not a vain person....in fact I put my own stuff off as long as I can, because I would much rather buy things and do activities with the kids and Chance, than spend money on myself....especially plastic surgery.  It just seems wrong on so many levels to me. 
• So the day before Thanksgiving my husband calls and says, how would you like to go in for surgery on December 10th?   I laughed at him and said he was mean to tease me like that...lol....he was dead serious.  No joking about it.  He had already set the date for my surgery.  He said he knew I would never do this for myself and he knew I wanted it done.   So he took it upon himself to book my surgery date.  I love him so much :)
• I went in for an extended tummy tuck and breast lift on December 11th at 11am.  I was all done and wrapped up in bed by 4:30pm. 

Things I wasn't prepared for....

• Needless to say, when you in for surgery, especially plastic surgery, you are someones canvas.  Just like my clients are my canvas for hair and makeup.  You kinda have to give yourself over to them and trust them...A LOT.   I chose Dr. Knoetgen because I trusted him.   He decided the morning of, while writing on me with that damn blue marker that he wanted to sculpt me a bit with some liposuction.   I didn't think anything about it!  At all....boy...was I stupid.  I hadn't done any research at all on lipo.  And let me tell you....the recovery HURTS!  I seriously feel like someone went at me with a baseball bat.  I don't understand how people can keep going in over and over for some lipo.  I wouldn't wish this pain on my worst enemy.  It hurts. 
• Drain Tubes.....I was expecting one.  I came out with two.  They are the most annoying thing I've ever had to deal with.  You have to keep them in at least 10 days.  I'm on my 6th day.  I'm not draining very much, thank goodness, so I should be right on track to take them out on the 10 day mark.   The area where they enter my body is so sore, but to tell you the truth, I'm more annoyed with them than the pain they cause. 
• Dr. Peppers.   I have once again, given them up.  I haven't had one in a week.   Being a post bariatric patient, it was incredibly stupid for me to start them up again...but there is just something about that syrupy goodness that is amazing to me!  LOL
• Pictures... I knew they were going to take before pictures at the office.  I just had no idea they were going to give me a copy of them.   In fact, I wish they wouldn't have.  I truly don't know how Chance could stand to look at me naked.  He just calls me stupid when I say things like that, but wow.   My pour tummy, from all the surgeries I've had since I was a baby, really make my tummy look like a mangled war zone.   Glad to say that this surgery removed all the scars and now I just have the one scar that will sit below my underwear line. 

So as of today, I am 6 days post op.   I've tried weaning myself off my meds and that was stupid.  I'm not ready to deal with the pain.   I have my pre-op appointment tomorrow at 3:30 and I can't wait to see what he thinks.   I have a belly button now.  I haven't seen my belly button in years....and years...and years...  It is a really gross, scabbed up mess right now, but it's so beautiful!!!  I have a flat tummy and a belly button!  And this may be TMI, but it lifted my crotch up as well!  WOOT WOOT!  LOL  All you bigger girls know EXACTLY what I'm talking about.   I can't wait to get back in the gym and work on the six pack I've always wanted!  I can't wait to go running without having to wear 3 different compression belts to keep my tummy from slapping my thighs.  And I can't wait to lay out by the pool all by myself in a bikini!   My boobs don't really hurt at all.  And he didn't have to cut as much as he thought he was going to have to cut.  I only have the lollipop incision instead of the anchor and lollipop incisions.   I can't wait to see how I look all healed.  I just have to keep reminding myself that everyday the swelling goes down and every day I'm closer to getting mback to normal.   I really hate being laid up. 

To all my friends who have lost a lot of weight, so far, this surgery is totally worth it.  I know I'm going to feel so much better in my own skin after this.  I can't wait to wear a pants that actually fit me, instead of buying a size bigger to stuff the skin into.  I can't wait to buy a bra that actually fits and not be falling out the front and both sides because my skin was overflowing everywhere!  I vow not to ever wear a bikini in public, oh but I will rock that shit at home ;)  lol

Hope today finds everyone happy and healthy.  My thoughts and prayers are still flowing towards Connecticut.  I just can't fathom how someone could do something so terrible.  And that's all I have to say about that. 

I will be posting my before pics as soon as I can take some decent after pics.  :) 

Bye for now ~~Billie Lynn

Moving on....

Lots has been happening this summer and it has all been great!  About a week ago, I hit the 100 lb mark!  I couldn't believe it, then I got distracted and forgot to post about it.  It lasted one day and I was back at 184 the next day...LOL  I'm staying between 181 and 186 all week long.  And I'm very happy about that.  I only ever posted about my weight I was the day before surgery.....I've never posted my start weight at the very beginning of my attempted lifestyle change.   The number would be 302.  wow....I just wrote that down...not cool....But I can't hang my head low....I've come so far.....

So today, I took a step in the right direction, or at least I think it was...lol...I had my first consultation with a plastic surgeon.  Chance and I drove down to Newport Beach today and had a consultation with Dr. Sanjay Grover.  He is probably one of the kindest men I've ever come into contact with...especially in this field.  He wasn't about sugarcoating anything, but still kept me calm and comfortable when I was wearing next to nothing...LOLOL...so odd. 

He told me my options for surgery.  I had in my head that I just needed a tummytuck and breast lift.   Little did I know that my thoughts were less than what was needed....oy. 

My FIRST surgery would be a Belt Lipectomy.  Look it up....I'd never heard of it before.  Essentially, I will be cut all the way around and all the loose skin with be removed.  I have decided to call this surgery a Trunk tuck.  LOL  Yep...that's what I'm calling it.  I thought I had excess fat on my hips...little did I know that it is actually mounds of loose skin!!  Great to know, just sucks that it's going to have to be cut off.   I know in my heart of hearts that I will be so much more comfortable with myself once all this sagging disgusting skin is gone.  But I will not lie and say that this doesn't scare the shit out of me, because it does....

My SECOND surgery will be a breast lift/reduction.  I have so much saggy skin and extra breast tissue just hanging that I will have to have the surgery by itself.   They can't do both surgeries at once because of the massive amounts of tissue they will have to remove from my stomach and breasts. 

I have worked so hard for this and now it comes down to this...lol...so odd.   It's kind of bittersweet.  

I'll report back tomorrow after my next consult with Dr. Keyes.  I'm excited to meet him and see what his thoughts are. 

Til then...take care and be blessed!

Happy Surgiversary!!!

Well folks...today marks one year of living my life again.  One year of the biggest trials and tribulations I've ever faced.  I've made amazing friends and I've lost a few.  But I wouldn't change it for the world.  I can run and play and swim and roll and jump...well you get the point...lol...And I can do it all with a smile on my face and not get too winded.  I still have a very long way to go to be a really healthy me, but I'm growing and learning day by day.  So drum roll please!  Here's the measurements :)

I've lost:
2" neck
1/2" left wrist
1/2" right wrist
5 3/4"  left upper arm
5 1/2" right upper arm
8 1/2" chest
11" waist
15 1/2" hips
6" left thigh
6.5" right thigh
2" left calf
2.5" right calf
Dress size went from 24 to 12!!
Shirt size went from XXXL to M/L
Bra size went from 40F to 36DDD
Ring size went from 9 to 7
Shoe size went from 9.5 to 8

66 1/4"  TOTAL LOST!  WOWOWOWOW!

I can't believe it!  Well I can...but it's still pretty surreal.

Thanks for all the support!  I'm one happy lady :)

11 months...

May 6th marked the 11 month date.  I can't believe it has already almost been a year!  It's so exciting to see how far I've come in this last 11 months!  I've really buckled down on my food intake the past few days and it's already paying off!  I let those pesky Dr. Peppers slip back in and it about hung me.  I actually got all the way back up to 190.  Then I had a minor freak out and now as of this morning, I'm down to 185.6!  WOOT WOOT!  It's all about the foods you're eating people!  It's a perfect balanced meal for a reason!  LOL  I'm learning this, slowly, but surely.  I'll be doing measurements at my year mark!  I'm excited to see how many inches total I've lost! 

Til next month :)

10 months....

April 6th, made it 10 months since my surgery! I didn't hit my goal of 100 lbs down by April 6th, but I did come super close! 95 lbs down! That's so awesome!

I really thought I would have a weight gain to report today, but miraculously I didn't...lol...I had put on about 3 lbs over the week. The kiddos were out of spring break and we snacked...a lot...but woke up this morning and weighed in and BAM! Still the same weight....186.4 so no news is good news I guess! HAHA!

Hope you all have a very blessed week! I'm off to the salon!