I had my doctor’s appointment today and brought up those places and they are exactly what my husband thought they were; stitch abscesses. I thought I only had 2-3…it was more like 4-5. However, not all of them still had stitches in them. My body had already “spit them out”, as the doctor put it. The one that was giving me the most trouble still had the stitch in there, however. Dr. Grenga pretty much just put the little forceps on the skin and barely pushed and they popped right into my skin. 😐 He said on my hip, the stitch was supposed to dissolve but instead of my body dissolving the stitch it was basically dissolving me. 😳 After he got that stitch out he packed the wound so I get to “unpack” it on Sunday when I shower.  I go back on June 5 to check on them. I am also on an oral antibiotic. He said that now  that the wound is vented (he poked all across the incision to make sure there weren’t any other places and to show me what it should be like) and with the oral antibiotics it should all heal up. 😊

Dr. Grenga is so great. He is always so calming and sincere. He explained it all to me as far as what he was doing and why and before I left he said something like, “well, we didn’t want this to happen but it did and we’re taking care of it and it’s all going to be ok.” Just one of those, “well, it’s not ideal but it’s the hand we’re dealt and we’ll get past it.” It’s like each appointment I am more and more sure that I made the right choice in doctors. 😊

Oh and I have graduated from foam padding and binder to body shaper! I have not been okayed sleeping flat in bed due to my boobs and not wanting to stretch the pockets out but that’s ok. I was told that I can sleep on my side in bed if that is comfortable, and normally I do sleep on my side some but after a little bit I have to roll on my back or stomach, both of which are no-no’s right now, because my hips start hurting. So I’m still on the couch but I don’t mind too much. My back does get stiff sometimes but all in all I sleep really well.

That was my excitement for the day. All in all, Dr. Grenga was pleased with everything. He wanted to see me mid-next week but I guess the only thing they had opened was Friday so next Friday, June 5, is my next follow-up. I’ll keep you posted!

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My husband as able to come home yesterday for a bit so we celebrated our daughter’s birthday and then came home and threw them in bed. haha I was so glad that he was able to come home because although I can somewhat see my incisions there were places that I was not able to see too well and I needed him to be my eyes. We took off all of the rest of the steristrips that had not come off yet and looked it over. I have a couple of places that keep opening and draining and I can’t fold in half to really see what was going on. All I know is that other than the bleeding and draining is if I move a certain way, OUCH! I feel like I am being poked really hard from the inside. My husband says that it looks as though the stitches did not dissolve and my body is trying to reject them. I called my doctor to let him know and see if he wants me to come in before tomorrow but he said to just keep my follow-up for tomorrow and until then to use Neosporin under the dressing. I can tell you this, I cannot wait until tomorrow to see what is going on. I still do not feel terrible and the pain isn’t terrible or constant but the annoying poking is, well, annoying. haha I’ll keep you posted!

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First and foremost, though she won’t see this for years at least, happy birthday to my second born! She is 5 years old today!! We celebrated last night with my parents and today we’ll hopefully be able to celebrate with daddy, too. *crosses fingers*

Anyway, it’s been a while since I have updated, I’m sorry about that. My husband had to go out to sea so my parents came into town to help me out and boy did they!! My stamina has gotten a lot better and I don’t NEED a nap every couple of hours anymore or even every afternoon but it was so nice to have them here so that if I did I could and, to be honest, there were a couple of days that I just really needed one. I am off pain meds and have been for a while now but building back up that stamina is no joke. I did go to the playground with my girls and my mom a couple of days and that was fun.

I am felling really good! I can get up and down pretty easily and basically do everything I need to. I am still wearing my foam pads and binder and still sleeping reclined as opposed to laying flat in bed. I can’t wait to be back in my bed but I’m waiting until I get the OK from my doctor before I make the switch. Not to mention, I’m still having some pain so getting down on the bed and up from isn’t all that comfortable. I basically roll out of bed literally. haha

I have a doctor’s appointment on Friday so I will update more then!

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I know that it has been a few days since I have updated, I will get back to that and all caught up with my progress later, but for now I want to take a moment to step aside and take a moment of silence, per se, and remember those who have given their lives for the sake of our country.

I read something somewhere that said, in just, while we use this day to remember those who have given their lives for our country, we need not spend the day in mourning because those brave men and women would not want that; for they gave their lives not in vain but with pride. So today, my friends, while we are going about our day that is filled with laughter, love, family, and friends, let us remember why we are able to do so and unite in bringing the memories of those heroes along with us.

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Not too much to tell, really, other than I cannot wait to lay on my side again!! My back is so stiff from only bring able to lay on it for the past almost week. I am so looking forward to laying on my side again. For now, however, I am just adding pillows, taking pillows away, fluffing them, punching them flat. Haha 

I am more swollen today than days past and I am going to just be honest and say that it is probably due to my over-doing things and thinking I am further along and feeling better than I really am. I have still been taking it easy but not as easy as I should, I am sure. I mean, I partially cleaned the kitchen earlier. 😕 I told my husband that I would take it easy for the next couple of days and see if it goes back down. As long as it doesn’t get any worse I will use that as a gauge for how much I should allow myself to do. I meant to take pictures today but forgot. 

Over all, I am feeling good. I really am feeling better every day. Getting up is not near as hard, nor does it hurt near as bad, as it did just 2 days ago. I really am getting stronger and feeling better every day but, I won’t lie, I cannot wait for this part of recovery to be over. Oy. My back is still, the pulls when I move and when I stand, and the numbness…ohmygoodness. Again, I am feeling more and more every day or so but so much of my stomach is still numb it drives me crazy. Haha I can see my hand touching my stomach and I can feel my stomach with my hand but I cannot feel my hand with my stomach. It is just this weird sensation. So, yeah, I will be glad when this part of recovery is over.

My boobs…they are nice. I still don’t believe that they are mine to keep. LOL They have softened some and dropped a little but they still have a ways to go. I’m ok with that, though. They feel great! My scars look to be beautiful. My chest feels a bit stiff and tight but I think that it more due to my back being so stiff from the couch (I’m hoping to be in my bed some time this week but so far I have not been able to lay flat or get down onto my bed comfortably). I get a little pain when I try to stretch or when I inadvertently flex like when I reach back a certain way. Other than that, however, my boobs feel really good!

I’ll update with pictures, soon!

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Today wasn’t anything too spectacular in that nothing really big happened with my body or anything. My swelling was pretty legit today, my husband measured me and i had about a 2 inch differenece from yesterday, I think it was. I think I just overdid it yesterday and probably today, too. It gets easier and easier to get up and down and times I feel better I think I tend to overdo it. I did pick up my 15 month old a couple of times today; just from the floor to the love seat but still. I managed to go from 2 pain pills to 1 today except for one dose. I went up and took a shower and quickly realized just how sore I was feeling. Standing was no fun, sitting was no fun, it was then that I realized just how swollen I was and how I had probably overdone it. I took two pain pills and laid it down and took it easy the rest of the day. 

I want to say this about the “pain”. It really isn’t pain like you’d think it would be. My incisions do not really hurt, it is still more of a soreness. Sometimes as I am getting up I feel a pull at what I think is an incision but I’m not sure since I am still mostly numb around my incisions. Haha As for my chest, it feels better and better each day. Certain movements still don’t feel too good but it still feels like sore muscles as opposed to any actual pain. I am just achy. My abdomen is what gives me the most “pain” and that is more when I am standing or walking or getting up from laying down. I have gotten into my own little groove in getting up and laying down and what feels best. I was trying to describe it to my husband earlier what it feels like when I am standing and the best way to describe it is it feels like I am being pulled up from the bottom of my abdomen and at the same time pulled down from the top. A lot of tension. I haven’t gotten my straight posture back yet and while I mostly stand up straight I still have a bit of a bend. It’s getting better, though. 

Well, that’s about the extent of my day today. I think I am going to try and get some rest and hopefully some of this swelling will go back down tomorrow. 😊

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It has been a big day today; in many aspects. First, this morning I got my drains removed!! Which brings me to my next big event…I saw my body for the first time since before my surgery. So weird. Haha Next big event? I got to shower!! 🙌🏻 

Dr. Grenga was up front when I walked into the office this morning and he was quite surprised to see me walking in. Not that he didn’t know I was coming in but how well I was walking and moving and my posture. I got called back almost immediately and taken to a room where the sutures would be removed. Dr. Grenga came in and told me how great I was doing and that based on others in the same position as I, I was doing better than most. After that he laid the chair back, gave me a shot of novocaine in the drain sites, and began pulling the drains out. I thought that those things were just stuck in a bit, a few inches,…no, no, they were good and in there! Like, when he pulled out the last one he made the comment that it was up in my abdomen area and as he said that I felt it up in the upper part of my abdomen. Very weird. I think that he also said that the two smaller drain tubes were the smallest he has ever used for that drainage site. I guess that was based on my frame and size. Nonetheless, here is a pic of my drainage site (and first look at my incision). Don’t be alarmed by the redness, after my appointment my husband and I had to pick up w few things from the store so I did a bunch of walking around and this picture was taken after my shower once I got home. 

 

I am still very numb in places so it was an odd sensation when he was feeling around. Haha

Well, my pain meds are kicking in so I better log off before I don’t make any sense. Haha

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I mentioned previously that I had three drains in my lower abdomen. My husband has had to keep track of how much fluid is comes out and report in to my doctor every morning. When I get up next I will take a picture of my chart for you to see but here is the picture of the drains.  

 

They are pinned up there so they don’t hang but are stitched down at my pant line. 

Anyway, my husband got the call today after checking in with my drainage totals that I go in tomorrow at 1040 to have my drains removed!! I can finally shower!! And maybe sleep in my bed as opposed to the love seat, but we’ll see. My love seat is so comfortable, though, so I’m not too upset sleeping down here. 😊 So, yay!!! Tomorrow they come out!! 

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Well, let me start with, I am 2 days post-op and, in all honesty, feeling pretty good! A bit grody and smelly and wanting a shower but no where near as bad as I thought I would be feeling. So Tuesday morning I woke up at 430am and was at the surgery center by 6. They called me back took all my vitals, I was supposed to pee in by cup because apparently by law they have to perform a pregnancy test. Makes sense, really. Too bad I had peed when I first got there so I was not able to even get 3 drops out. 😒 I knew that was going to happen if I peed. Smh haha They went ahead and let me get dressed in my gown, the anesthesiologist came in and went over his part with me, Dr. Grenga came in and marked me up and went over everything with my husband and I, and they started my IV in hopes of it making me have to pee since my surgery could not start until that test came back negative. I went to the bathroom and prayed just for a little bit. Haha It worked! After sitting a bit I finally peed ts enough for them to run the test. It was negative. *whew* How awkward would that have been?? Haha 

At this point, they gave me something in my IV to help me relax, my husband and I said our “I Love You’s” and they wheeled me away. They wheeled me down into the surgery room and gave me some oxygen to breathe in. From there, I remember them getting things ready, a nurse I believe whose name was Tina, the mask being held over my face, and I closed my eyes and went to sleep. I do actually remember closing my eyes and going to sleep. The next thing I know, I am waking up. I feel my eyes flutter open and about 2-3 nurses welcome me good morning. Though, I think it was closer to 1p-2p. I was not in a lot of pain at all but I felt like I had the most intense chest and ab workout that I have ever had in my life. Like totally destroyed my chest and abdominal muscles. Not the pain I was expecting but I’ll take it! Haha Not long after I woke up my husband was there. Before he got there, however, the nurse wanted me to go to the bathroom so I tried. I actually made it up and hunched over walked to the bathroom. I only went a little so they had me go again before I left. My nurse told me that I did really well. She was pretty surprised at how well I was moving and all. She said having 4 babies helped and then was like, “I bet you go to the gym a lot, too, huh? That helps.” 😊 

Dr. Grenga called my husband after I got out if surgery and said that I did greatnd my body really took to everything well. I think all in all he spent about 3 hours on my abdomen, including the hernia repair, and then 2 hours on my breasts. He said he thought that I was really going to be pleased with everything. I can’t wait to see!!!

Once I got home my husband had my couch all made up for me. He has been so incredible throughout it all. Even yesterday he took the girls to the gym and then grocery shopping and to get dinner. And at the same time he gets me anything I want or need. He keeps up with my pain meds, he helps me get up to go to the bathroom (though, last night I got up all by myself!!!!), he gets me Ginger Ale whenever I want it. Simply amazing. 

I am pretty happy with my pain meds because although they make me tired and take the pain away I am not all loopy and passed out drooling. Haha I was prescribed Vicodin and a muscle relaxer. I can definitely tell when I need to take them, not so much by pain, per se, as much as soreness and pressure. 

Oh! I do have three drains in my abdomen. They are pretty much more of an annoyance than anything. Sitting and getting up as well as waking makes them pull a bit but they are stitched in so they’re not falling out. I have to drain them at lest once a day and record the output and call into the office at 930a with the results. And actually, my husband does all that. Haha 

Well, my pain pills are kicking in and my eyes are getting heavy so I’m going to get a little sleep…or try to, at least. I do have pictures, I’ll come back and add them once my phone charges and I wake up.

#FattyGetHott

*edit to add pics*

  Getting ready to go back to my pre-op room. 

  At home post-op. My 3 year old gave me the clock sticker to match the other hand that had gauze and tape where my IV was. ❤️ 

  1 day post-op

It really depends on how you look at it. On the one hand, you’re getting out there! You’re doing it! You’re moving and pushing and sweating it out. At the same time, however, what are you trying to get out of a workout? Are you working out for you? Are you trying to tone up? Are you trying to get stronger? Get bigger muscles? Burn fat? When you break it down you will see that, yes, all workouts are the same in that they get you going but they are not the same in that you really need to know what is going on within your body to know what the right approach is for you. So many times I see people who think they are really doing right by their workout but, honestly, they aren’t really doing as much as they think they are. I don’t say that to make anyone feel any less but I say it to point out that while it may seem that working out is just some go into the gym and do whatever you want (after all you’re burning calories, right?) to get the results that you want, it is so much more. I am not saying you need a trainer, I’m just saying do your own research and reading so that you know where to start. Maybe a trainer will be beneficial for you for the encouragement and the accountability but be sure you get a good trainer because many out there are just full of smoke. They think they know it all but they are just in it to make money. I would hate to see anyone get taken advantage of.

I do want to put out there a book that I personally love! It is called Thinner, Leaner, Stronger by Michael Matthews and he does a great job and just breaking it all down to the basics. It is an easy read and packed full of useful knowledge and tips. Definitely worth the money and time!!

All of that being said, I’m proud of you! You’re getting out there and doing something for YOU!! You’re make YOU better for YOU! And for that you should be commended every chance you get. 🙂

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