Tag: plastic surgery

On my Arm Lift. And tattoo.

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Usually, I write off my brachioplasty (arm lift) results. There’s multiple reasons. I didn’t get liposuction (would have if I knew to ask!) so I still have really big arms. I also still have that obnoxious fat overhang on my elbow. So I’m usually frustrated with it. Like I went through ALL THAT and still have huge arms. Really? This shit was so expensive too!

Also, when you compare my other surgeries, those are just far more impressive. I had a stomach pouch for years even after I lost weight so tummy tuck — huge. And boobs — they make every single outfit look better. Combine those two, and there’s so much oomph! This is the only time in my whole life where my breasts have stuck out further than my stomach. Seriously. I’m pretty sure I was fat before I grew breasts, so yeah. I mean the abdomen is just a complete overhaul. The difference is amazing. So yeah, I’m usually not too jazzed about the arms in comparison. Also huge scars. I’m not terribly bothered by the scars but I am disappointed that they looked like they would be so perfect and neat right after surgery but have since expanded.

HOWEVER (yes, in all caps), if you look at old photos, the arms do look hella better. They’re not all floppy either. There was a good bit of skin removed there. Before this, I’d never have worn a tank top to work. I’d CERTAINLY never have considered a tattoo sleeve. Fat flabby arms can’t have tattoo sleeves. Now that I have tighter arms and working on a fucking fabulous tattoo sleeve, I’m all about some tank tops.

Whenever an ad for a sale at Lane Bryant or Torrid pops up, I’m like “do they have any work-appropriate tanks tops?” I have a smallish collection of work tank tops hanging in my closet now. They’re my favorite to wear. I gotta show of my sweet tat.

I know it’s a work in progress. I can’t wait till we do the shoulder! But it’s nice and substantial and damn cool already. Hopefully, it greatly detracts from my balding head and acne/hairy/PCOS chin. No seriously, I’m having big issues about feeling ugly so let’s all look at the boobs and tattoo. Oooooooo.

I’m so so so glad it has my Jack in it. I miss him so much. I rub between his eyes and tell him I miss him. (He liked having me scratch right between his eyes sometimes). So I do frequently look at it and touch his little face. And people love it.

Almost everywhere I go, someone comments on it. Seriously. Just about everywhere. “Love your tattoo!” “Gorgeous tattoo!” “Who did your tattoo?” “Is that a cat!?” “Where’d you get it done?” “That work is amazing.” “Holy shit! I love it!” It’s a hype piece. A conversation starter for sure. I love it! Nearly everywhere I go, it’s mentioned.

(And yeah, hopefully it’s drawing attention away from my face. Look at my cleavage or something.)

Killing It

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I signed up for Planet Fitness today. I went with K. I stopped crossfit last November for my surgeries. Now I’m getting back into working out. So I had my husband take a “before shot” this morning. I’ve gained 20lbs from not working out and recovering from surgeries. But holy shit, look at me! The red is TODAY. 20lbs HEAVIER.

I look great. I’m used to just looking at my body naked and all the imperfections, but I’m looking good in my sports bra and leggings. Plastic Surgery A+!

So the November shot I was around 245lbs and at the strongest I’ve probably ever been. Today’s shot, the red sports bra, I’m 265lbs and have no muscles at all. Wow.

I age well. With enough plastic surgery 😉

Sleeveless

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So today was a bit of a milestone. It was the first time I have ever worn a sleeveless shirt to work.

I’m still not thrilled with my arms. However, I’m no longer downright ashamed of them. I was a bit anxious about it when I decided what to wear last night, but I didn’t second guess my choice to go sleeveless all day. I felt like I looked quite spiffy even.

And though I’ve gained a bit, so my stomach is certainly not close to flat, it doesn’t bulge out anymore. So I feel confident to walk straight and tall with my shoulders back. I’m showing off the boobs I paid for — rather than pushing out my stomach further.

I’m very anxious and nit picky about the surgeries I’ve had. None of them came out with the expected results. I’m most happy with the tummy tuck. However, my anxiety just riddles me with the fact that I’ve gained weight and “ruined it.” Yet, I’m so much more confident walking around without my stomach poking out. It’s the surgery I’m happiest with. Next would be the boobs. They’re lopsided, but I went from nothing to a lot of something. So I can’t complain too hard. Mr C loves them too! The arms I’d say I’m the least happy with the outcome. I still have huge, fat arms. However, these arms are a million times better than what I had before! It’s just a shame I never kept any of the unflattering pictures.

I’m very happy I went through this process and these surgeries. Are my parts as wonderful as I’d hoped? No. Did I trade up on all of them? Hell fucking yes. Worth it.

Seroma… but POOL

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So I just realized I never updated. I did, in fact, go to the surgeon last week to have my seroma aspirated. So I do have a seroma (AKA a collection of fluid under the surface of your skin). I waited over an hour in a hot room wearing paper and sweating through it to see the surgeon. He poked around with his fingers and said yeah there was fluid, but there wasn’t a good place for him to aspirate or put the syringe. He said my swelling is coming down and it should absorb eventually with time.

It’s uncomfortable in that I can feel it there. When I stand super straight it feels tight and like I have a big ol’ ball of something there. But it’s not noticeable to other people. And it’s a million times better than having the drain — because I can get in the POOL!

Yep. I waited until it was good and closed before getting in. I’m also getting in my own private pool which I know is extremely clean water and actually over-chlorinated. Were it a public pool, I’d wait longer. But this weekend we had two pool days!

K2 came over Saturday for a super fun Sorted Food live viewing with pool breaks in between. We love Sorted Food on Youtube. So I got us tickets to watch the live streams of their making 3 videos Saturday. It was, quite honestly, funnier than we even expected. And in between episode recordings, we got to hop in the pool. Sunday K had planned to come over but it’s supposed to storm all week, so we thought it would be a wash.

Even Sunday morning I was a bit discouraged that the pool had dropped 3 degrees. But K came over anyway. It turned out to be absolutely perfect. There was the occasional cloud, but super sunny and perfect water for floating around in an eggplant float or swim ring. So it was shorter than we’d like because of schedules, but it was the perfect pool day. Yay!

Oh, and I don’t notice that the implants float anymore than I floated before. In case you were wondering. I was wondering if they would. My breasts aren’t particularly loose or large, so I guess no improved buoyancy. I did point out my spiffy cleavage to my husband but he wasn’t particularly impressed. Only because I had to pad my bathing suits previously. I had to pad them all. So I usually used TWO cup size pads in my bathing suits which made me look much larger in the chest than I was. I threw all my cup pads away last weekend when I tossed my old bras! Woot!

Fucking Morons

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So I follow some plastic surgery groups. I started just before my surgeries to get the scoop and stay because I’m not healed up 100% and I can offer help to others. But my god, some of these people — they’re just fucking morons. Like unbelievably so. Don’t believe me? Here’s a 100% real post:

So… yesterday: they cut you in half, cut off a big chunk, then sewed the halves back together. 24 hours later and you’re hurting. Is this normal? Oh and they took your abdominal muscles tugged them around all the way up to your breast bone and sewed them together like a cheap voodoo doll. But aw, you hurt?

BOO FUCKING HOO, YOU MOTHER FUCKING IDIOT.

Jesus.

This is why I hate people. They’re just morons and/or selfish jerks. If you have a problem with the fact that I’m declaring the majority of the human race to be dumb fucks, you’re probably one of them. Congratulations.

If you’ve ever heard me say that you or I or we can do this because people dumber than we or I have done it — this is what I’m talking about. If this bitch can get and survive plastic surgery, by god you can too.

I really do believe I have a high pain tolerance, but maybe it’s less that that. Maybe, I’m just not stupid.

Awww. So close.

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So my surgical drain has been 40cc’s give or take 5cc’s for a week. I’m 7 weeks post op tomorrow. So I called to see how long it was going to have to stay in before they call it on time like they did last time. The nurse remembered my case (winning) and that yeah, we just removed them because of time left in. So she said she’d talk to the surgeon and maybe we could get it out today or tomorrow. SWEET.

But alas, no. They called back super late and said the surgeon could see me next week. Yeah — another WEEK. And we’ll see about taking it out then. Lame. But hey they last ones came out at 9 weeks and next week will be 8 weeks …so… progress?

Six Weeks Post-Op

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In two days, I’ll be 6 weeks postop from my Breast Lift, Augmentation, and tummy tuck revision. I had my 6-weeks follow-up with the surgeon today. It was a “meh” appointment. The good news is that all of my incisions are healing up beautifully. One breast has dropped nicely and the other hasn’t moved. I have not been concerned about this as I’ve read so many times that they drop at different rates — two breasts, two different surgeries that heal differently. However the surgeon was more concerned.

Apparently, that breast is more tubular. He showed me on my “before” pictures and yep — the dropped breast was wider before. So he said I would have to work to “aggressively massage” them. He also put me in a band. It goes around you and sits on top of your breast to apply pressure downward — you know, pushing the breast down. So that’s all I need — ANOTHER thing to wear LOL.

I showed him my arm scars (from the arm lift in December). They’re keloiding near the elbows. So he gave me some silicone gel to massage into them twice a day. He wants to try that before injections. He gave me a $80 bottle for free, so sure, I’ll try it.

My hips are still comically swollen. Think I’m exaggerating? There’s almost 20lbs of fluid on these babies:

Look at all those layers I have on. That’s my bare minimum layers. Surgical bra, breast band, tank top, binder, underwear, and compression pants. As you can see, I’ve still got my drain. Ah drains, the bane of plastic surgery.

The nurse agreed with me that perhaps trying the bed again and having my hips level with my heart at night will probably help the fluid come down some. She also told me I gotta wear my compression pants. So I got out the compression pants. And let me tell you, getting my fat, swollen ass in those tight pants — Jesus. There was so much pulling and shaking and jiggling and just general unflattering gyrating to get those things up. I’m compressed now, okay?

Note the red glasses I’m wearing. More about those in another post…

One Month Post Op #2

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This last week I hit one moth post op. Breast lift with augmentation and tummy tuck revision. I decided to try to sleep in the bed. I have my wedge from the last surgery so I could still sleep at an angle. It didn’t work out. I was so uncomfortable and didn’t get any sleep. I’m a side sleeper and my poor boobs just hurt too much when I tried to lay on my side.

I find myself very frustrated that it’s taking so long to recover from this surgery. I need to give myself more time, it’s only been a month. However, I feel like I was doing a lot more at one month post op last time. It’s just frustrating. Why do the boobs still hurt!? Maybe because they pried the muscle up and shove silicone balls in there? You have a point.

They’re so sensitive too. Like no sensation lost, that’s for damn sure. They ache, especially the areolas. Which to be fair, got cut out and re-positioned. I know I need to give myself more time, but damn. Hurry up. It’s so different because, were it not for the drain(s), I’d think my tummy was 100% healed up. No hurting there! I tried sleeping in a different bra and the boobs weren’t having it either. It was too tight.

Speaking of drains… Saturday night, I broke one of my drains. I was stripping them as I do twice a day, every day. As I did for 10 weeks on the last surgery. And… the tube just snapped like an old rubber band! Oops. I guess that drains coming out. There’s just, like, 3 inches of tube left hanging out. How in the hell?

UPDATE: So Sunday, I was unbandaging around my drains for my shower. I realized that the drain that snapped was pulled partially out — I guess from the snap. So I just pulled the rest of it out. Sorry, not sorry. It didn’t hurt at all. So just the one drain now. That’s a plus.

Some Things 4/9

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1) Why is it never just standard size? I’m trying to replace a cover on our sprinkler system. Almost all of these covers all over the internet are 6 inch and 10 inch. So I ordered those. Nope. Mines somewhere between the two. The only 7 inch ones only come with the whole box, not just a lid option. Bastards! It’s never an easy fix is it?

2) Spring is in the air. We finally had our jungle of a lawn mowed. It looks ok now 🙂 The weeds don’t look like weeds if you mow them. Honestly, I wish we could just have a clover lawn. They make micro clover now that only grows 3 inches tall. Why spend all this effort on grass? I’d rather the clover. It’s not like we have an HOA. I’ll get Mr C on board one day.

3) I literally, JUST NOW, booked my tattoo appointment for November. Devon Greig Saturday November 5th. It’s a birthday present to myself! I’m so excited! I talked her into doing it piecemeal. She wanted to outline the whole sleeve at once. However, I’d like to do it in pieces. One, I want Jack first and as soon as possible. I also want completed pieces and not a partial tattoo for a few months between color sessions. And I think I’ll be able to tie more memories to it doing it in bits. Also, we can’t get to the scar cover ups for a whole 2 – 3 years. So the sleeve can’t be completed right now anyway.

4) Speaking of tattoos. I think the scars on my back are going to show in some bathing suits. So after my sleeve, I think I’ll want to cover my side scars in something. Thing is, I have no idea what. I don’t want a tattoo that goes all the way across my back. It’s just gonna “peek-a-boo” on each side where the scars in my bra line are. Good thing I have 2 years to contemplate this.

5) Ok, obviously I still have my tummy tuck revision drains. I’m sure I’ll have them the rest of the month. But man, the line has healed up great. I’m so so happy with the tummy tuck results. I love seeing my side view in the mirror without a huge stomach pudge. Not a belly — that pudge of skin I had that always stuck out further than my breasts. Now it’s gone! So happy with it.

6) Breasts are still healing. The massaging makes them sore. And I’ve got that popped stitch on my back which is a pain. Reaching for things tugs on your back skin — so where those incisions are is just a bitch. And the mismatch of the skin where the stitch popped — ugh it makes me shiver in disgust if I touch it. I hope it smooths out as it heals. But I’m not too worried. Even if it needs a revision, that’s something he can do in office with a little local anesthetic in the back and snip snip.

Still in the recliner. Might extend the rental another week. I can lay in the bed, but maneuvering around with my arms hurts because it engages my chest muscles. If I was only laying down and getting up once, that’s fine. But I’ve got to get up to pee a few times.

Plus my Jack likes me in the recliner. Will he start sleeping with me in the bed? I don’t know. But I love that he sleeps with me in the recliner.

7) Return to normal work schedules is Monday. I get to define what the will look like for me. I’m not sure what I want. I definitely don’t want to go in early. I like how my office mate works — he only goes in in the afternoons. But I’d also like to stay home some days. I think I’ll start with Monday thru Thursday in office afternoons and mornings and Fridays from home. See how that works out.

Three Week Post-Op

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Today I’ll go see my surgeon for my three-week checkup. This is from my breast lift and augmentation and tummy tuck revision. Technically it won’t be three weeks till tomorrow. But you know how doctors work: when they want to.

I’m extremely happy with my tummy tuck. That’s the surgery that has brought me the biggest self confidence boost for sure. Especially with the revision that smoothed things out some more. I still have a belly, but it’s a normal belly and not a melted wax figure belly. I love it. My arms are a struggle. The scaring is significant, especially around the elbows. And they’re still big arms. I have to keep reminding myself how bad they WERE. So when they start to get me down, I pose in the way that would have made all the crepe skin bunch up and drape and I feel better. Plus, eventually, at least one of these will be covered by a tattoo.

I’m not sold or unsold on the breasts. As I’ve said, naked they’re hands down great. But clothed, I don’t feel any umph from them. They’re also still extremely painful so I can’t just model them around and have a look-see. I’m too busy being very careful not to make them hurt. Also there is still a lot of swelling. I should have no side boob. But I have major side boob right now. So I can’t judge them yet. It’s just way too early in the process.

My drains were 60cc and 75cc yesterday so… yeah, not even pretending those are coming out any time soon! But at least this time, ones not partially pulled out and taped up ’cause I nicked it with scissors.

Still sleeping in the recliner in the living room. My master bedroom now looks like a bachelor lives there. Mr C living that single life up there.