Tummy Tuck – imperfectly courtney

Abdominoplasty Update: 4 Months PO & Dog Ear Revision

December 4, 2014 Courtney

4 Months. What?! It has been nearly 4 months since my Abdominoplasty already? I was afraid time would crawl through recovery but it actually has gone so fast! I have been absolutely in love with my results so far, but I did notice pretty early on that I had what is commonly referred to as a “dog ear” on the incision at my right hip.

Here is a picture several months later, after the incision had healed. I still had some major swelling going on, and that dog ear is far more noticeable. At my 3 month follow up I talked it over with my plastic surgeon and we decided to do a small in office revision to correct the dog ear. I had to pay a small office/supply fee but he didn’t charge for his time or anything since it was a revision. I scheduled the dog ear revision for a few weeks later.

Luckily I wasn’t as nervous for this as I was for the original surgery… Remember when I passed out while he was marking me up? SO embarrassing! This time I was still pretty numb along my incision so I didn’t even feel it when he was injecting me with the numbing stuff. It was a small in office procedure and it took about an hour. I was comfortable and awake the whole time. I felt pretty good afterwards, until the numbing stuff wore off that night when I was trying to sleep. Luckily I had some pain pills that he prescribed just incase, so I took one. It wasn’t horrible pain. Nothing compared to the original surgery. It was just throbbing and painful, like a 5 out of 10. I had tape strips on it for around the first week.

Here is a picture from about a week out. The incision is still healing, I’m a little swollen and bruised, but there is no more dog ear/triangle/pointy thing! I took 4 days off from working out to let the incision heal up. My doctor didn’t want me bending or moving too much around the hip area so it would heal properly.

Today is 2 weeks post revision. You can see the incision is healing well. My first scar is fading and I expect this one to do the same. Now the flanks are more even and there are no pointy dog ears sticking out.

I still have zero regrets about the surgery or the revision. As you can see the surgery didn’t make me “skinny” – I am still a pretty thick girl! I still have curves and I’m still squishy in some areas. This wasn’t at all intended to be a weight loss surgery or a surgery to make me skinnier. This was to remove the excess skin and reveal the shape that was hiding under it all.

I feel like it did that for sure. I am happy in my own body and I’m proud of the work I’ve done to get here.I still have my days of feeling bloated or whatever, Thanks Mother Nature. Do I still have things I want to improve? Absolutely. But I believe it is possible to love your body and desire to improve it at the same time.

I know this is more a health/fitness blog and some people don’t always like these types of posts but the reality of weight loss is excess skin. I wanted to share my journey with you as openly as possible so you can have all the information you need to make your own decision on what is right for you. I know some people who have lost considerably more weight than I have that have no desire to get rid of the excess skin. Just like I have said about every other stage in my journey, it is such an individual process/decision. It is important to do your research, really think about what it is you want… not what you think you should want.

Do you have any questions about the surgery/recovery process?

Life, Tummy Tuck, Weight Loss, workouts

I’m Done Coasting

November 3, 2014 Courtney

Today is 12 weeks, or 3 months, since my Abdominoplasty/Skin Removal. I knew going into it that I wanted to take it easy for the first 3 months. Like I said in my last post, I just wanted to coast through recovery to give my body time to heal. I had to prepare myself mentally to scale back on workouts and I wanted to give my mind a break when it came to eating. The first 6 weeks were hard, I hated not working out. Then when I got back in the gym it was tough to get my head in the game because I felt so weak when I started back. Over the last 6 weeks I was trying to build my base back up. I was enjoying my new body, not being strict on foods, and just giving my best in the workouts.

Now that I’ve made it to the 3 month mark I’m done coasting. I don’t want to lose any momentum. I’m ready to see what this newly revealed body is capable of. This means starting a focused training program. I’ll be switching to afternoon workouts for the first time in yeeeeaaaars. It should be interesting. (Sidenote: A common misconception about running a gym/box is that you can workout whenever you want. False! You have to put your clients training above your own… that means you workout whenever you can!) I also need to start paying more attention to my food. I just got a new meal plan set up from Precision Fitness STL and I’m going to stick as close to it as I can while maintaining my sanity. If I want to go further than I’ve ever gone I’m going to have to get a little more uncomfortable. If you want to grow you have to go outside your comfort zone!

There is always the temptation to just stay here for awhile. To keep coasting. I’ve come so far. It would be so easy to just stay here. I’m healthy, I’m fit, I’m happy. Isn’t that good enough? Well, yes. And no. I could very easily stay here. Here isn’t a bad place. But every single part of my journey to fitness has made me push myself beyond just good enough. I know I have so much more to give. My body is capable of SO much more. Are there going to be days I mess up? Yup. Do I want to go to that “crazy” place of obsessing over food and working myself to death? Not at all. My short term focus goal right now is the CrossFit Open coming in the Spring. I want to confidently walk into it knowing that I can do at least one of whatever movements they throw out there. I want to be strong. I want to see more of my muscles pop out. Like I said in my post last week, I’m learning to be ok with the number on the scale… that Isn’t my main focus here. I want to have performance based goals. I want to fuel my body for performance. I want to keep growing as an athlete and a coach. I can’t wait to see what this body is capable of!

What have you done outside your comfort zone?

Life, Tummy Tuck, Weight Loss

Abdominoplasty Update: 10 Weeks Post Op

October 20, 2014 Courtney

I remember when I was 10 weeks away from my abdominoplasty thinking it seemed so far away. Now I can’t believe it has already been 10 weeks since my surgery It seems like so long ago when I was trying to imagine what it would be like to have my hanging skin gone, smooshing and folding it while standing in front of the mirror. These past 10 weeks I’ve had to relearn my body. I still am caught off guard when I catch a glimpse of myself in a picture or a mirror as I walk by. Other times I feel like this is how my body has been forever. Mostly I feel like I am finally able to see the body I have earned. It’s weird because people who meet me now have no idea where I’ve come from. I truly have had to earn this body. In the gym, in the kitchen, and even in surgery and recovery. I have earned it.

I feel mostly back to normal now. I owe you a few more workout recaps. At CrossFit I’m almost back to where I was before. I still don’t have 100% core strength back so sit ups and push ups are harder than they were before. I am able to move moderately heavy weight again. Mostly I’m able to do all the workouts without having to modify because of my surgery. Things like running and jump rope are 1 million percent easier without my skin bouncing around. In just the 4 weeks I’ve been back to working out I’ve seen awesome changes. I do believe I see a baby ab poking through!

The most common questions I get are about weight changes and clothing size changes. I know this may be disappointing, but I actually weigh within a pound or two of what I did on surgery day! Stupid scale. I stick around 194ish and I was 196 on day of surgery. As far as clothes go, I wear the same clothes I wore before they just look better! I’m a size 14 in most jeans and can go between a Medium-Large in shirts. All my workout clothes fit a bit different, but they still fit. Speaking of workout clothes, I was able to try out Knixwear Athletic Underwear. I’m wearing them in this picture, but you can’t tell! No panty lines, stays in place, and is moisture wicking.

As far as swelling goes, it isn’t as regular of an occurance as it used to be. I still swell in my lower abdomen especially after workouts, but not always. My whole trunk used to swell and it has gotten better each week.

The scar has healed beautifully. I once it healed I started putting a belly balm on it and just a few weeks ago the awesome folks at GelZone sent me one of their wraps and silicone strips to try out for scar therapy. The wrap is also great for compression and it stays in place wonderfully. The silicone strips are reusable and washable and are easy to wear when I’m not wearing the wrap. The scar is still pink, but it isn’t bumpy or raised. With continued use of the scar therapy I’m certain it will eventually be barely noticeable.

Overall, I’m still estatic about the procedure as a whole. I don’t regret it for a second. The recovery has been far easier than I imagined. It wasn’t easy, but it was easier than I thought it would be. There is a lot on the mental side I want to talk about, but I’m saving that for its own post.

Do you have any questions about the procedure and recovery process?
Any scar care tips?

Tummy Tuck, workouts

Returning to CrossFit after Surgery

October 9, 2014 Courtney

I can’t believe it has already been 2 months since my abdominoplasty! I hit my 8 week post op mark Monday. I’ve been back to CrossFit full time for 2 weeks now. It has been such a weird thing coming back to CrossFit after 6 weeks off. Not only is getting back into shape hard to do after 6 weeks off, it is harder to do when there has been some kind of major trauma to your body. I’m no doctor, so as always be sure you check with your doctor about returning to CrossFit and what timeline you should follow.

My doctor released me to work out at 6 weeks. His only restrictions were that I listen to by body and if something was painful not to do it. Uhm, That is pretty much the advice I give to all our clients! If it hurts, stop. It is one thing to press through a tough workout, it is a whole different thing to press through an injury. There is a difference to being sore and being hurt. It is up to you to know your body and be able to tell a difference.

The process of returning to CrossFit after surgery has been just as hard, if not harder, mentally than it has been physically. When I first started CrossFit I was so unsure of what my body was capable of. Over the past several years I have been able to learn my body and build my confidence. I knew what I was capable of, what was within the realm of possibility, and what was a ways off. My body was reliable most of the time. I know it will be again, but right now I’m back to that place where I’m not sure what my body will allow me to do. So every day is kind of like an experiment. I believe it will be this way for the first few months.

So what does that mean for me? It means taking it slow. Super Slow. The first week back was all about just getting moving again. Super light weights, extra slow and cautious movement. If you are returning to CrossFit after surgery you have to know that you will not come back at the same place you left off. Duh, right? While I knew that, it was still hard to come back and feel so out of it.

There is a balance with everything. Yes, you need to be cautious when returning to CrossFit after surgery. But being cautious is very different from being afraid. You shouldn’t be afraid to at least try something. Last week I tried bar roll outs, and I knew it just wasn’t going to happen yet. Sit ups have come up in the work outs a few times and every time I tried to see if I could do it. The first few times I wasn’t ready. Last week I did sit ups slowly and carefully in a workout. It was exhausting and my core felt tired afterwards, but that is how you rebuild strength!

The first week I was back I tried to back squat and didn’t feel comfortable going over about 45% of my max. So I stayed there. You have to learn to listen to your body, even if your mind is telling you something different. Each day I’ve worked out I’ve felt stronger and stronger. Getting my endurance back has been the hardest part. It has been a blessing in disguise though, as I am now remembering exactly what it is like to be new. I finish last in class more often than not, but after 6 weeks of doing nothing I’m just glad to be able to do any kind of workouts!

If you are returning to CrossFit after Surgery or an injury or just some time off make sure to listen to your body and your coach. Don’t be afraid to ask for modifications. Remember, CrossFit is infiniately scalable! It isn’t supposed to be a deathly punishing workout every time. Just like that picture says – stay safe. have fun. You’ll be back to normal (or maybe even better) in no time!

Do you have any tips for getting back in a groove after some time off?

Tummy Tuck, workouts

Weekly Workout Round Up 9/30

September 30, 2014 Courtney

Yesterday marked 7 weeks since my Abdominoplasty/Excess Skin Removal It was also the start of my second week back to working out. Everyone has been asking me how I’ve been feeling and if any movements bother me. So, I’m going back to recaping my workouts and adding in scaling notes.

If you are returning back to workout out after any kind of hiatus, especially if you were off for medical reasons please take it easy and talk to your doctor. I’ve been communicating closely with my doctor and let him know exactly what we do at CrossFit and asking if there should be any restrictions. Every doctor is going to be different. My doctor cleared me to get back to workouts at 6 weeks with the reminder that I need to start slow and listen to my body. He said there were no real restrictions on movements, just see how they feel. I decided just to follow along with the every day CrossFit classes and scale as needed.

Monday 9/22
For Time
21-15-9
Front Squats 135/95/65
Hand Release Push-Ups
I used 65 pounds for the Front Squats and did the Push Ups on my knees very slowly. I finished in 8:01.

Tuesday 9/23
Back Squat 5×3 – I kept it light at 105.

5-Minute AMRAP of:
Squat Clean, 135# / 95#
Jerk, 135# / 95#
I used 65 pounds and went very slowly. I ended up getting 25 rounds.

Wednesday 9/24
Push Press and Walking Lunge EMOM – Did 65 for Push Press and 35 for Walking Lunge

3 rounds:
200m Wall Ball Run
30 Sit-ups
15 Goblet Squats 53/35
I ran without a wall ball and did Kettlebell Swings instead of sit ups. I finished in 11:44

Thursday 9/25- REST DAY!
I was so sore… So I rolled it out!

Friday 9/26
Front Squat 5×3 – Stayed light at 85lbs

Helen
400m Run
21 Kettlebell Swings
12 Pull Ups
I subbed ring pulls for pull ups. Running feels so much easier, minus the whole breathing part. I’m still getting my lungs back! It’s crazy how much easier the movement of running feels without that 8lbs of skin bouncing around my abdomen! I finished in 13:06… Far from my Helen PR, but I finished!

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Saturday 9/27
20 Rounds
3 Cleans 135/95
15 WallBalls
I did this one with the RX weight on the cleans and wallballs, but we had an odd number of people in the class so I worked on my own resting at a 1:1 Ratio. I finished in 20:23. This was a tough one!

Sunday 9/28- REST DAY!

Monday 9/29
10min EMOM – From the Ground:
1 Deadlift
1 High Hang Clean
2 Front Squats
I did 95lbs, it started off feeling heavy but once I got into it I felt great. It always takes me awhile to warm up that dang clean.

21-15-9
Shoulder to Overhead 95/65
Bar over Burpee
THEN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING
9-6-3
Toes To Bar
Bar Roll Outs
I did the 65lbs on shoulder to overhead and was just reallllly slow on my bar over burpees. I knew that Toes To Bar and Bar Roll Outs (Evil Wheels) weren’t happening so I subbed laying knee raises and push ups. I finished in 12:44.

Overall I’m really happy with my progress getting back into workouts. It has been mentally challenging to have my mind ready to get back at it but my body still not used to it. I’ve been SO sore also. It’s like I’m new again. I know it will take time to get back to where I was… and I’m trying to enjoy the process… and be patient. Remind me of that, will ya?

How were your workouts this week? Have you ever started working out after an extended period of time off?

Link up your Weekly Workout Round Up Post here!

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Tummy Tuck, Weight Loss

6 Weeks Post-Op Abdominoplasty Update

September 23, 2014 Courtney

Find my previous Abdominoplasty updates here

I DID IT! I made it 6 weeks. That is a huge milestone with an abdominoplasty. My doctor told me I could start working out again at 6 weeks, so you know what I did first thing Monday morning? I worked out! It was strange and amazing all at the same time. I started out slow with the warm up. Nothing really hurt but I could feel a lot of tightness right above my belly button. It actually felt more like tightness in my skin than in my muscles. I ended up skipping the pull up/ring dip EMOM. Pull ups and ring dips didn’t feel great so I opted out of them. I did do the WOD though. It was 21-15-9 of Front Squats and Push ups. The front squats didn’t feel bad at all. I stuck with 65lbs, which would have been nothing for me pre-surgery, and it turned out to be a pretty good weight. My legs weren’t sure they liked it, but everything else felt good. The push ups were interesting. I did super slow knee push ups and took frequent rest. Again, it didn’t hurt, but it was a different feeling for sure. More than anything I was just glad to be back at it, regardless of how slow it was.

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I finally got to wear my new HumanX Gear tank. I saved it for when I knew I would be able to actually lift something while wearing it! I love it.
(Pants are Fabletics and headband is Junk Brands)

Oh, I have 6 week pictures too!

I still have some noticeable swelling in the lower abdomen, that comes and goes depending on my activity level. This is first thing in the morning after sleeping in my compression garment. The swelling goes up significantly with activity. I was nervous about how bad the swelling would be at the end of the day after working out. My scar is amazing. I’m just using some Honest Company Belly Butter on it right now, but I’ll probably look into some scar cream here shortly.

This is morning (top) and evening (bottom) after my first day of working out. Obviously there is a noticeable difference with swelling, but nothing too far from normal every day swelling. I still wear my compression gear to sleep in and I wear tight compression pants when I workout.

I tried out back squats today. I felt good overall, it’s just frustrating knowing what you used to be able to do. I stuck with a light (for me) weight for my 6 sets of 2. My legs are trying to remember what heavy squatting was like.

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Shirt from Thick2Thin | Pants from Fabletics | Headband from Junk Brands | Belt from HumanX

Overall I feel back to normal from the surgery, I just know it will take a while to get my fitness level back to normal. My mind still remembers what I can do, my body is the one trying to remember. I’m going to continue to take it slow and listen to my body.

I feel like I’m finally getting my groove back. I know it’s still going to be a process, but i’ve embraced the process and am just riding it out. Swelling will continue to come and go. And I’m sure things will change and shift as I ease back into workouts. Overall I’m really happy I had the surgery and I would do it again in a heart beat.

Have you ever had to take a break from working out?
How did you get back into your groove?

Find my previous Abdominoplasty updates here

Health, Tummy Tuck, Weight Loss

Abdominoplasty Recovery: Q & A (5 Weeks Post Op)

September 15, 2014 Courtney

Today marks 5 weeks since my Abdominoplasty surgery! Time has seriously been flying. I honestly imagined my recovery time to crawl by. I think being on the pain meds the first week made that week go by even faster. I slept a lot that week too. The last update I posted was at 10 days post op. This was just after getting my drains and belly button stitches out. Really, that was a major turning point in my recovery! Showers are a beautiful thing and I was happy to have them back in my life!

From 2 weeks post op to 4 weeks post op things got exponentially better. I started feeling less pain and completely stopped having to take anything for pain right around 2 weeks. Some of the swelling started to go down and moving around was much easier.

//instagram.com/p/sHwuuvjIum/embed/At my 3 week post op appointment Dr Mills was impressed with how well I was moving. Again, I will tell you that being fit going into surgery helped me more than anything else. My body recovered faster and moving around was so much easier. At the appointment I was told I had an open wound on my belly button. This wasn’t a huge deal, it was just that where my belly button was ended up right on one of my stretch marks, so it took a little while longer to heal. This was during the healing process. All I had to do was keep antibiotic ointment on it.

I also got told to stop wearing my bulky hospital binder and go to using a spanx type compression garment. I have just been wearing high waisted spanx underwear type compression. I still have swelling, especially if I do something particularly active like clean the house. I started to feel more normal and even got into some jeans! I’m wearing the same size I was before, they just fit way better!

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At 4 weeks post op I felt 99% normal. I still had some tightness, but a lot of my mobility was back to normal. I can twist and turn and have no pain. Again, the swelling is still here… and It’s actually worse in this picture because I spent most of the day before on my feet.

At 4 weeks I started wearing my compression garment half time. I’ve worn it just through the night and I’ve also worn it just during the day. I think I prefer to wear it to bed because I love waking up with the flatter tummy after being in compression gear all night. I was also allowed to lift more weight, around 25lbs and up. Before I was limited to 10-15lbs. The first few days of wearing my compression gear half time I felt my core getting tired towards the end of the afternoon.

Today is the 5 week mark and I can see a huge difference between last week and this week. The swelling has gone down noticeably, at least to me.

The swelling usually happens in the lower part of my stomach, but today it felt really flat. As far as the scar goes, it is suuuuper low and pretty light. You can see in the 4 weeks post op picture the faint line of the scar. I’m really happy with the placement of the scar and how well it has recovered. I also love my belly button shape and coloring, especially after it finished healing. I feel totally normal. I’m SO ready to get back to working out. I can start easing back into it next week. I know once I get back to working out things will change even more (for the better!)

Here is a little progression of my results week by week. Some weeks you can see a difference and some you can’t. Tummy Tuck recovery is a roller coaster of ups and downs.

I asked on my Facebook and Instagram if anyone had specific questions regarding the procedure or recovery so I’ll answer them here. If you see any I didn’t get to, leave them in the comments!

Where is the best place to rest immediately post-op? Recliner, bed, sofa?

First of all, remember that everyone has a different recovery. I slept in my bed at night from day 1. I was propped up on pillows so I was almost sitting up, but I felt like I needed some separation between my “awake time” and “night time.” I Spent most of the day the first week in a recliner, which was the most comfortable. By week 3 I started removing pillows and laying down more flat. I still kept a pillow under my knees until week 3 as well.

What do you like best and least about your procedure/experience/body now?

I love my belly button! I’ve always had a spare tire around my belly button as long as I remember. So to have a cute belly button is so fun! The part I like the least about the whole procedure is the numbness I feel from my belly button to the top of the scar. It doesn’t hurt, it just feels weird and was really hard to get used to.

Was it painful?

Again, every one is going to be different. The pain pills helped the first week and once the drains was out it was less pain and more discomfort. Everything felt super tight and that was the hardest part. It was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be.

How long before you can walk upright/lay flat?

I was standing mostly upright by the 8 day mark. I didn’t start sleeping completely flat until around week 3.

Did your insurance pay on the procedures?

No, this was all out of pocket. Some insurance would have covered it, but since we are self employed and have to purchase our own insurance this wasn’t included despite the fact I was referred to the Plastic Surgeon by my Primary Care Doctor due to irritating rashes and other issues. Check with your provider.

How much weight did you lose?

I cannot stress this enough… This is not a weight loss surgery. I did not have this surgery to lose weight. I spent the last 4 years totally overhauling my lifestyle and lost 70lbs before having this procedure. They removed 8lbs of skin and tissue during the surgery. Since surgery day I’m down just about 5lbs. Swelling is crazy during the first few months so it goes up and down depending on activity level and my diet.

How do your clothes fit?

Most of my clothes were too small coming out of surgery because of the swelling. I’m just now getting to where I can fit in most of my pre-surgery clothes. They fit different, but they fit. I’m still in the same size jeans but there is a lot more room in the front!

So far I’m very happy with my decision to have this surgery and loving my results. Again, it is not for everyone. It was what was right for me. I would do it again in a heart beat. It is overwhelming to see the results I’ve worked so hard for. I’m not saying you have to go through plastic surgery to see results, but with the amount of time and the degree to which I was obese it was the option that made the best sense for me.

Thank you so much for following my journey!

Do you have any questions about the procedure/recovery I haven’t answered?

Health, Life, Tummy Tuck, Weight Loss

Tummy Tuck Recovery Update 10 Days Post Op

August 22, 2014 Courtney

I know I keep saying it, but time has been flying by! I wrote about the actual surgery day and the first few days of recovery already. Last time I talked about tummy tuck recovery I was waiting to have my drains out… That was a long 8 days!!

I went to my appointment on Tuesday with less than 20mL draining over a 24 hour period so Dr Mills took my drains out! I was SO SO SO nervous that it was going to hurt. Honestly, the most painful/annoying thing about the first week of recovery for me was the drains. So I took one last pain pill before going and lets just say I was feeling really relaxed once we got to the appointment. He snipped the stitches told me to take a deep breath and him and the nurse pulled both out at the same time. It felt weird, but it didn’t hurt.

Sidenote: Nothing good ever happens after a doctor/medical professional/anyone tells you to take a deep breath. #justsayin

Since I was already there and because I’ve been recovering so well he went ahead and took out the stitches in my belly button. That wasn’t painful at all either. He told me that I could wear spanx if I wanted to but had to keep some kind of garment on full time until my next appointment. He also said I could walk as much as I want, just no “power walking” or anything more intense. He warned me that I would get tired quickly and that I just needed to listen to my body.

When I got home I TOOK A SHOWER! Seriously the best shower ever. I felt human again. I also got my first peek at my tummy without the binder and drains.

Unreal. I don’t even recognize that as MY stomach. It was a very emotional moment for me to be able to see just a glimpse of the stomach I have dreamt about. I know it is still swollen at just 8 days out but there is even a tad bit of ab definition! SERIOUSLY, IS THAT ME?!

When I first started on my health journey I had this as the after in my head. I would work out and eat right and in ___ Days/Months/Years this is what I would look like, no surgery needed. The truth about weight loss isn’t always pretty. I worked out twice as hard as people I watched get amazing results in half the time. I was meticulous about what I would eat. No, I wasn’t perfect. But I worked hard and left it all out there. There are a few things that come into play here… Genetics are huge. So is the amount of time you have spent being obese. I remember having that big hanging pouch of fat back in middle school. Of course it got bigger as I got bigger. and it deflated as I lost weight. But that skin was done, it wasn’t going back no matter how many wraps/creams/pills/heavy weights/”Just toning” or whatever amazing miracle remedy you have for me. I tried it all. I’ve said it a million times and I’ll say it again… I did NOT have this surgery for weight loss purposes. This is a functional, elective, plastic surgery that I decided to do to make my life better. I worked hard and lost 70lbs on the scale and gained a crazy amount of muscle. I didn’t do this to be skinny. I will always be a thick, curvy girl. and I’m ok with that.

End Rant.

Back to talking about recovery…. I posted on instagram one day last week how not every day was a good day (PS- If you follow me on Instagram, @courtnorm, I update there a lot more often!) and that is true. I felt tired and worn out last Monday but it was because of a combination of the surgery and (TMI ALERT) that time of the month. Seriously, I couldn’t tell what was worse. It was just bad timing for that, for sure. But once that went away and the drains were out I started to feel better and better.

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I even tried to put some “real” clothes on and felt good in them! I haven’t been brave enough to try on my jeans because I am still so swollen plus the part of my stomach from my belly button to my incision is still really numb and it feels really weird. Since I’m talking about swelling I noticed that, yes, my stomach is swollen but so are my upper legs… hips and thighs. I know they did lipo around the flanks and there is probably swelling/healing going on from that. I just didn’t expect my legs to feel this swollen. I also tried on some spanx, the high waisted shorts kind. HOLY SMOKES. How do people wear this every day? It was like alligator wrestling trying to get it on. and then it wasn’t even comfortable. The pair I had didn’t have a pee hole or anything so I’m convinced people who wear spanx like that have to be chronically dehydrated because going to the bathroom was a major life event. I wore them for maybe an hour and a half while washing my binder and went to the bathroom twice. All this spanx talk reminds me of the buzzfeed video of men trying on spanx for the first time. You’re welcome.

Day 8, the day I got my drains out, was my last day taking the pain pills (which means I can drive again, yay!) Now I only take tylenol maybe once a day if needed. I’ve been able to stand up straight since around day 5 or 6 so that helped me not be as sore because most of the pain was in my back from hunching over.

Overall, recovery has been uneventful for me. Which is great. and I will tell you that I believe 100% that the reason I have recovered so well is because I was in such good shape going into this. I’m not telling you that this surgery was a cakewalk, because it wasn’t. But I believe that CrossFit made me strong and fit which helped my recovery go so well. I’m used to a certain level of pain/soreness so this isn’t out of the ordinary. My body knows how to recover well.

I’m already missing my workouts, so instead of workout out I just dress like I’m going to work out. A little jedi mind trick.

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Overall, I’m feeling really good. I love my results and would do it over in a heartbeat. Dr Mills is truly an artist. My scar is low and thin (you can see part of it in the before and after above). I know I’ve made it through the toughest part and recovery should be all downhill from now. It will only get better!

Thanks so much for all your kind words. You guys are the best. Be sure to follow me on Instagram or Facebook for more regular updates. If you have any specific questions leave them in the comments and I’ll try to answer them all or do another Q&A post if I get a lot of the same.

Any recovery tips?
Have you ever worn spanx?! ((WHY?!))

Tummy Tuck, Weight Loss

Recovery Update: Days 2-5

August 15, 2014 Courtney

Is it already Day 5 Post Op?! It seems like time is flying by most of the time. Day 1, or the actual surgery day, was a bit of a blur. I was in and out of it all day with the anesthesia wearing off. I attempted to sleep in my bed on the first day and it was a little tough getting in and out of bed so I ended up back in my recliner around 3am. I really wanted to be able to sleep in bed but couldn’t feel comfortable laying completely flat. The next day the hubs came home with this beauty

I called it the abominable snowman. It is a bed rest type wedge pillow and it has been perfect for sleeping in bed! I still needed some help getting in and out of bed for the first 3 days or so. Now on day 5 I can get in and out of bed and my recliner relatively easily with no assistance. I can also stand up almost straight and walk around easily as well.

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I have also been decreasing my pain medication and still feeling pretty good. There are, of course, some moments where I am more uncomfortable than others. Over the past 5 days I haven’t felt like the pain was unmanageable at all. I feel really good in the mornings and can tell my core gets more tired as the day goes on. I’ve been sleeping in bed from 9pm until about 5:30am with 1 or 2 bathroom trips a night. I spend most of the day in my recliner and have been taking a few short naps throughout the day. I make sure I get up and walk around at least 5-10 minutes every hour. It has become a game of finding balance between the right amount of rest and the right amount of moving around.

I still have my lovely drains in. I will have them until Tuesday as long as they are putting out less than 25mL on each drain in a 24 hour period. Which they are right on the edge of doing at this point. When it comes to eating I have just been eating what is easy. We have been so blessed to have people bringing us food for dinners and such. And believe it or not when we first got married Chris did most of the cooking because I was such a horrible cook… so he CAN cook I just usually don’t let him.

Speaking of Chris… He has been an absolute saint. His stress level has been through the roof but he has been doing so well taking care of me, Payton, and the CrossFit. Since I was feeling so much better than expected we actually snuck out and had a quick dinner in the real world!

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My scars are healing surprisingly well. All I need now is a shower and I’ll be good to go! haha.

Seriously, I can’t thank you enough for all your support and well wishes. I’m more than pleased with the results so far and can’t wait to share them with you. Do you all have any questions about the procedure/recovery that I can answer for you? Feel free to email me or leave them in the comments!

Have you ever had to recover from surgery? Any tips or tricks?

Life, Tummy Tuck, Weight Loss

Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss – Surgery Day

August 12, 2014 Courtney

I made it! I can’t believe I made it! It seems like this day would never come. I have worked so hard for the last 4 years and then I scheduled this surgery back in February. Time seemed to fly by after planning, but it also seemed like it crawled. It seemed so surreal going into the weekend before. I knew I would want to do all the little things around the house…cleaning the floors, laundry, dishes… My major concern was packing up Payton and her things to spend most of the week at Grandma’s house. When Sunday rolled around and we finally dropped Payton off with Grandma it began to feel a little more real.

I actually slept really well the night before surgery. I woke up a few times with that anxious “Oh no, I’m going to miss it” feeling. I still remained pretty calm. We got to the surgery center around 6am and did some paperwork and finished paying… handing over that wad of money I’d worked so hard for stung a little. It was just a few minutes and I was whisked away to the back where a wonderful nurse helped me change into a gown and hair net and hooked me up to some leg massagers to help prevent clots.

Dr Mills came in to do all the markings and that’s when things got real exciting… One of my friends who previously had some plastic surgery procedures told me she got light headed during the markings. I kinda laughed it off. But I shouldn’t have. I guess me not trying to think about it and not making a big deal about it caught up to me. He started a few of the markings and all of a sudden the room got hot and stuffy. I began to feel lightheaded and had to sit down. I ended up getting sick and thought after that I’d be fine. So I stood up again to finish the markings. and again I got woosy and had to lay down. This time I actually blacked out for a second. I got sick again. I guess the nerves caught up to me after all!

Finally we finished the markings and I got to lay down in the bed. They let Chris come back in before I got taken to the OR. It was nice to have him there after my little fainting spells. A few minutes later and I was off to the OR. They wheeled me in, put me on to the operating table, and the anesthesiologist told me to take a few deep breaths…

Next thing I know I woke up in the recovery room.

I felt pretty good when I woke up, a little groggy of course, but mostly coherent. According to the hubs I kept asking the same questions over and over again. My biggest question was “How Much did they take off?!” lol. It turns out they took off just over 5lbs from the front of my stomach and then just around 3lbs from the sides. That is 8 freaking pounds of skin/fat they removed!

I spent a little time in recovery before heading home. It was technically an outpatient procedure. Some people stay in aftercare facilities and some places have you stay overnight in a hospital. I was able to move around enough to get in and out of the car and spent the majority of the day sleeping in my beloved recliner.

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I wasn’t able to really eat much, I munched on graham crackers and a protein bar. I kept up with my meds thanks to my amazing husband. I could still feel the effects of being under so I was really groggy for a lot of the day. We moved up to the bedroom and I slept there for a few hours but I realized I needed a bigger wedge type pillow because I can’t get up very easily from laying that far back. I moved back to the recliner around 3:30am and also took more pain meds. Lesson learned, don’t wait for them to wear off! It’s hard at night but I may set an alarm or something tonight to help me stay on top of it.

Overall I feel really blessed. The experience has been mostly positive and I’ve received so much support. I was able to catch a glimpse of the work at my follow up appointment this morning with a small hand mirror and I am just in complete awe. I’ll try to get some pictures in the next few days. The difference is amazing. I’m going to have to keep my drains until Friday or Tuesday depending on how much they are draining, but once those are gone and I can shower I know I’ll feel a lot better. I was able to move around quite a bit better this morning and it felt good!

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I don’t want to paint it as all roses over here, because I still am in quite a bit of pain and discomfort, but I know I chose this so I don’t feel like I have a right to complain. I know it is painful, but I know it will be worth it. This is just another chapter in my journey. The journey to my best self hasn’t always been easy. Weight loss isn’t easy. And neither is excess skin removal. But it will pay off in the end!

Follow me on instagram, @courtnorm , to keep up with my updates and progress! I’ll post here as much as I can. Any questions you have leave them in the comments and I’ll try to answer! I want you to have the best information possible if you are thinking about doing this for yourself!