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.

2 week Tummy Tuck check up

Ok, saw Dr. Fuller for my 2 wk checkup on Tuesday and he is VERY pleased at how things are coming along. I am healing well. I only have one small bruised area on my lower abd near the incision site he is watching. He said he lipo'd this area a little more and it is "agitated". I have been running a low grade fever in the am's.....around 100.4. He wasnt too concerned with this. Feels it is from the surgery and inflammation itself. I still have in the right JP drain and he will pull this whenever it stops draining. Right now, it's still chugging along. I wore jean shorts for the first time yest and they are snug with the swelling and binder on. I have ALOT of swelling in my hips and thighs. He said this is normal. I'm ready for that to be GONE! I will post some pics below. I see him again in 2 wks.

Tummy Tuck 5/20/09!

5 days post op.

Still 5 days post op.

Well yesterday I did it. I had a tummy tuck with muscle repair. Dr. Samuel Fuller did my surgery and said he removed around 11 pounds. They took me in around 7:30am and I was in recovery and waking up by 12pm. Felt like a MAC truck hit me! WHOA this is by FAR the worse pain I'd ever had!!!!! I had a friend drive me home and my legs were jello getting out of the truck. Once I hit the recliner, that's where I stayed until I had to pee around 6pm. He gave me Percocet 7.5mg tablets to take for pain. When I got home, I took 2....that's how bad the pain was!
Over the next couple of days, I got myself down to 1 percocet every 4-5 hrs. By no means did the Percocet take the pain away. It dulled it enuf where I could get out the recliner and move about. Once I get up and start moving, it feels better and I dont want to sit back down!

I went today for my one week recheck and he removed every other steri strip and the sutures in my belly button. He left both drains in. I can't wait to get rid of them! I go back next week for a recheck. Everything looks good and he is pleased with my progress!