Surgical progress day 9

Surgery post day 9. Well, this has definitely been much more difficult than I anticipated. So far, the doctor has taken out some of the stitches and one of the drains. What a difference the drain removal makes!!! Hopefully on Monday, the other one will come out and I will make some more progress.

At this time, I can't really think about anything else other than staying in bed and trying to sleep. I cannot wait to get back to the school, get my house cleaned, start on some Christmas crafts and decorating, and getting out of the house!

My surgery looks successful for being only a little over 1 week post op. My stomach is flat, minus the swelling around the scar, the breast augmentation turned out great, but my hips and thighs look so big. The nurse assures me this is swelling from the surgery and in a couple of months it will be gone, but seeing the flatness of my tummy vs the curviness of my lower half really motivates me to get back on my healthy eating habits and back to the track. The doctor assured me that exercise can reshape my lower half, whereas there was nothing that could have been done for my torso short of addressing it surgically.

Thanksgiving is next week, a holiday I traditionally cruise right over. The part I look forward to most is...the Day After Thanksgiving. While other crazy people are camped out in front of Best Buy for Black Friday, I am always comfortably at home decorating my house. That is our tradition. And do you know why? Because I am already finished with the bulk of my Christmas shopping. I buy a little all year long so that I don't have to charge something I cannot afford.

The boys are getting excited for the holidays and I think even the hubs is this year. Since I have been stuck in bed for over a week, I have been watching TV a lot....Christmas commercials galore!!!! It's rubbing off on my family and getting them in the spirit.

Woohoo. Give me another week and I will be good to go! And I HAVE to be better for the Texans game on the 28th!!!!

Surgery in progress

Wow! Today is the 4th day after having my Mommy Makeover and let me say...this was no joke. I am no stranger to having surgeries: two scoliosis related back surgeries, tonsils and adenoids removed, wisdom teeth removed, and a tubal...now add to that a tummy tuck, lipo, and breast augmentation.

Going in to this, I knew there would be pain. So Wednesday, I walked into the surgical suite a little nervous but overall excited for this opportunity. I had written down everything Josh needed to know about how to handle both house and kids, and went blissfully to sleep. It all happened so fast that I didn't have time to be nervous. A few hours later, Josh otook me home and gave me all my meds and for the next two days I drifted in and out of consciousness. When I got up to go to the restroom, I was greeted with the same pain that I felt with my spinal surgeries, only to a slightly different degree. I am wearing a compression sports bra, an abdominal binder, and thigh high compression stockings. Mummified.

Josh has been extremely wonderful. This attentive side is something that is new for me to see in him. He has slept on the couch, keeps snacks and drinks at my bedside table, sets the alarm for all my meds, helps me up and down, and has taken care of the boys and their extracurriculars. Such a blessing for him to be so supportive and helpful.

Today was the first day I got a good look at everything. And it looks grizzly. I got myself up and slowly started a morning shower, which took me an hour from start to finish. I pulled off all the binders and bandages and this will be a big scar. But my hernia has been repaired and even though everything is still bruised and swollen, my stomach is flat. The doctor said that he took 5 pounds of loose skin from my abdomen. That is incredible to me. My drains should be removed by Thursday, if not earlier, and honestly...that will be one of the biggest blessings. Everytime I move those drains pull against my skin.

Anyway, I am overall sore, sleepy, and yet encouraged. I can't wait to get back to a normal routine, play with my boys, put up the Christmas decor, start walking again, and buying a few new clothes. Laying in bed is frustrating..... Yay for new beginnings!!!

Surgery in the morning

So it is time. My surgery is tomorrow morning. We have to be there at 8am to begin the 3 hour surgery at 8:30. I am just now getting a tad bit nervous.

Not so nervous about the pain or even the actual surgery...more for the results, which I know will not be 100% for a couple of months. I am hesitant to take my own "before" pictures because I just don't want to be reminded.

The nurse took about 20 pictures at my pre-op, so I am sure if I wanted to get some of those, I could.

I have purchased my Anti-embolic panty hose (which I will be wearing to the surgery), my binder, all my meds, hydrogen peroxide, neosporin, paper tape, pads, sports bras....and have picked out the jammies, socks, and my glasses...all of which I will be wearing to the doctor tomorrow morning. It will be total sexiness...maybe I will take a picture of me in the room.

I wonder if they could just knock me out now and let me wake up on Friday....

WE HAVE RETURNED

I type this from the comfort of my couch, yet still feel that I am swaying to the Cozumel breeze or maybe the Carnival Ecstacy. It was indeed a rocky cruise to Mexico. The winds were incredibly strong and I hope this funky feeling only lasts through today.

We had a good time, saw things we had never seen before, and both agreed that we will not be back on a cruise for a while. The only other cruise we had been wanting to take is the Disney Cruise. We have been waiting for the newest ship to premier sometime in 2011 and for the children to be just a wee bit older to enjoy everything that the Disney Cruise can offer. Shooting for sometime in 2012....if the world doesn't end by then....

Does anyone really believe that craziness??? Not me.

AND I won 2nd place in the cruise TV Trivia game. HOLLA!!!!! I am full of useless info! :)

Anyway, without further ado....the obligatory pictures of our trip to Cozumel.....
Cindy, my mother in law, and I on the Lido deck

Josh and his dad

Hitting the bar when we got on the ship
In Galveston
WINDY!!!!
Getting our BINGO on
Going out the first night
Dessert....molten chocolate cake
sunset on the balcony
beautiful sunset in the Gulf of Mexico
Our ship...the Carnival Ecstacy
Captain's Dinner night
My in laws for the Captain's dinner
my shoes...I love them
drink of the day...some tropical coconut thing

My father in law's birthday
a frozen chocolate drink that was my favorite!!!
Cruising some more...
the beaches of Cozumel
How gorgeous is this?! I cannot believe there are places on earth this beautiful!
my toes in the white sand
swinging in my hammock after walking up 132 steps to the top of a lighthouse...and then back down
more hammock action
the view from said Lighthouse
said lighthouse, the first modern lighthouse on the island
Mayan ruins
riding the dune buggy around the island

See ya peeps....

Well, we are outta here. The cruise has finally come and we are running out the door. See you guys next week! Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Pre-Op

This afternoon, I went for my pre-op visit for my surgery next Wednesday. Boy, was I given a TON of information. The most painful part (before the surgery) was handing over the check.

For those of you who don't know, I will be having a Mommy Makeover. That can include many things, but mine includes a tummy tuck with adjacent lipo, a hernia repair, and a breast augmentation. Before I get the onslaught of judgement...hold it...you haven't seen me without clothing. I have asked for this for 5 years now and after losing 35 pounds...my tummy is actually worse. How can it get any worse? Well it did.

So, my husband is fully supporting my decision and I love him for that!!! I am super excited about it, and am hoping that the recovery time is going to go quickly and well.

Two days until my cruise!

Halloween is here

Yay, I am so glad that Halloween is over. The kids had a fantastic time, and we gave out an ice chest full of candy. Seriously, an ice chest....

The boys were Mario and Luigi....Jansen was Mario this year and Caleb was Luigi because "I am taller and so is Luigi." Good times!


And my toes are cruise-ready!!! Three more days!