Surgery Update - 6 wks out

Okay, as of yesterday, I am officially 6 weeks out from my tummy tuck with muscle repair. At 3 weeks out, I pulled my 2nd JP drain. (The Dr said I could if the drainage decreased drastically.) Well, 3 days after I pulled it, I was swollen with fluid in my belly. I called the Dr and he got me in and drew off 600cc's off fluid from my belly. He said this wasn't uncommon and I'd probably have to have it drawn off a few more times. Well 4 days later, I saw him and he drew offf 800cc's. I felt like I was going to pop! Two days after that, he drew off 380cc's. Then 5 days later, he drew off 360cc's and injected me with 30cc's of Tetracycline. He said the Tetracycline is irritating to the tissues that produce the fluid. I had to keep it in me for 20 mins and then he withdrew almost all of it. He said he left a few cc's in. Well, that night, I developed a fever of 102.8. I was to leave for a camping trip with my family the next am. I called him when I woke up and told him and he called me in a round of Keflex. He said he felt the fever was just a reaction to the Tetracycline. I picked up the Keflex and headed to the lake!

After 2 days of the Keflex, I felt better than I had since surgery! My temp was down to 97-98. It hadn't been that low since before surgery! I could tell I had some fluid building up...but not as much as before. I enjoyed 4 days at the lake. On our last night there when I was in the shower, I found 2 areas on my "healed" lower suture area (near my hoo-hoo) that looked like it had "come to a head"....like a zit. I pushed gently on those areas and they opened up and drained fluid....fluid like he had been draining off! I put bandages over those areas and went to sleep. When I got home the next day and got in the shower, one of the areas opened up and POURED! Thank God I was home for this! I called him the next morning and he was ESTATIC the fluid had found its own way out. I wasn't happy.....this meant no more swimming for me for a while! The fluid didn't have a smell and it was clearish-pink like the other fluid. (The first fluid he drew off, he sent it for a culture to check for infection and it came back negative. That was GOOD!)
He saw me the next morning (as planned) in the office and I received a good check up. He said to keep ABD pads over the draining area and see him in 2 weeks unless I need him before. Today has been 4 days since the area opened and the drainage has almost stopped.

I have lost 23lbs since surgery. Eleven pounds he said he removed of loose skin and liposuction. I can't complain....and I won't!
























Me in my new bathing suit. 5 weeks out from surgery.