I’m not entirely sure what I’m going to write here, but I have gotten some requests for more details on my abdominoplasty surgery, which I had done on March 28. I’m nearly six weeks out from surgery, and feeling very good. I’d say I’m about 90% healed, but I have a feeling the last 10% is going to take a while.

For instance, I can sleep on my stomach now, but if I stretch a certain way, I can feel it in my abdominal muscles. I know I have a lot of stitches on the inside, and that’s when I can feel them.

My scar is thin and fading, but I have to wear scar tape (like this) for another 7 weeks. Fortunately, one sheet lasts a long time.

I still have pretty intense swelling, mostly right below my belly button, and that could last for a few more months, if not longer. Right now I’m sitting here feeling like I have a pillow in my binder. Combined with the numbness (which will also last months, if not forever), it’s a very odd feeling. I had some liposuction on my hips and sides (they do this for contouring so you’re not all weird and lumpy from the abdominoplasty) and those areas, ironically, are weird and lumpy. They say the final results from that might not be seen for a year.

I’ve been to the gym a few times, but since I am still wearing my binder, it’s not terribly fun. Binders are hot, and therefore not great exercise wear. But I’m dying to run again. To see what it’s like, really. So far so good.

Speaking of the binder (and various other compression garments I’ve collected), I have to wear them 24/7 (unless I’m showering) until the 6 week mark, and then I will have a little more leeway. I will say, I’ve gained a new respect for Spanx over the past several weeks, but that’s not to say I won’t be happy to stop wearing them all the time.

What everyone really wants are before and after pictures. I think you know me well enough to understand that I’m not going to show any immodest photos. But I will share a few clothed ones.

These photos are from the boys’ birthday party in December. I’d be lying if I didn’t say these photos made me realize how badly I needed (and wanted) this surgery. I’d lost 40 pounds, and I still looked this bad? This lumpy? Weight loss and exercise weren’t cutting it, and for me, nothing short of surgery was going to repair the damage a triplet pregnancy did to my body.

I can’t believe I’m inviting everyone to examine my fat rolls here. Only because they’re gone now. Ha!

And here’s a picture from the other day.

Ah, that’s better!

So if you have any other questions about my surgery, please ask in the comments.

I don’t know what it is, but I have had no motivation to go near a computer since my surgery. But today is one week post op, and I feel like the fog is lifting a bit. I’m wearing contacts for the first time in a week!

Healing is going fine, but I’m not going to lie, it’s intense. But totally worth it. I won’t be able to see my final shape until the drains are out (ewww) but so far, so good!

Kristina’s been here since Monday and she’s been ruthlessly organizing my house. The boys came home last night from spending time with all of their grandparents, and they are doing their best to undo her hard work. But it’s good to have them back, hearing their sweet little voices.

Will be back later with the 64th monthly pic!

I have to get an ultrasound today.

Okay, fine. Not that kind, but how many people did I freak out, huh? Between that and the fact that I had a baby bassinet sitting in my office for a week, I’ve been giving people tiny heart attacks for a while now. Too fun.

Nah, it’s no biggie. My surgery is a week away, and yesterday I went for a pre-op with my surgeon. She heard a heart murmur (which I’ve always known I’ve had, but hell, I’ve run two marathons and ten half marathons [so can I say six marathons? Only kidding.] without a problem, so I’m not at all worried) so I’m getting an echocardiogram today. Which is apparently basically an ultrasound of your heart. Pretty cool. Except for the goo part. And hearts aren’t as cute as babies. But a heckofalot less work. Or not. Hmm. I’m babbling. I don’t even know if I made a complete sentence up there, with all those parentheses and brackets. Don’t judge. Maybe I’m a little nervous. Hmm.

In any case, it’s quite handy, because the echocardiogram place is a mere floor up from baby Hank! What a wonderful coincidence! So after I get a peek at my heart, I’ll get to sneak some snuggles in with this sweet little cowboy:

Dude doesn’t know what he’s in for. This weekend, I’ll be photographing him, and let’s just say there’s going to be a cowboy boot involved. Possibly a baby in a cowboy boot. Just wait.

As of this morning, I have thirteen days until my surgery. That’s less than two weeks. Holy cow, how did that happen? It’s like pregnancy. The first trimester took an eternity, but the rest of it flew by. For this, it felt like eons passed while I waited to be able to say “it’s a month away” and all of a sudden we’re talking about less than a fortnight! (And now I’m patting myself on the back for being able to use “fortnight” in a post.)

Today I have a doctor’s appointment for a checkup, just to make sure I’m shipshape and healthy and all that good stuff. I’m not worried. I’m horse-like in my healthiness. But I can’t say I’m looking forward to getting blood drawn. On the other hand, I’m interested to hear in a quantitative manner how my health has improved since losing weight over the past year.

Next week is my pre-op appointment with my surgeon, which will partially involve both forking over a large sum of money and taking humiliating photos. I can’t say I’m looking forward to either of those things, but it’s all part of the process. And THEN, just eight days later…I’ll be gutted like a fish. Sorry. But it’s kind of true. Don’t search Google Images for abdominoplasty, btw. Unless you want to have nightmares.

A friend is loaning me her recliner, which is where I’ll sleep for a while. Kiki is coming the following Monday to help out for a week. Now isn’t THAT an awesome friend – it’s not like I’ll get to do anything fun. Fortunately, fun for her is organizing. And there is always plenty of that at my house.

But backing up – so many exciting things going on before the surgery. Two baby showers for dear friends, and the arrival of baby Hank in just a few days! The boys are particularly excited about seeing what Hank is going to look like. Melt.

Come on, time, move faster! Just for a little while!

So, I mentioned it a tiny bit at the end of my last post, but in case you missed that bit, in five weeks I’m having an abdominoplasty. What’s that? Well, don’t search for it on YouTube, that’s for sure, unless you like disgusting things. It’s just the technical term for a tummy tuck. That’s what I’m having. There, I said it.

I’m sure you can imagine (and you’ll have to imagine, because I’ll never post a photo of the evidence) what a triplet pregnancy does to a stomach. Muscles are torn, skin is streettttttched, and things just don’t go back the way they were before. It’s not pretty.

 

So since I have five excruciatingly long weeks before my surgery, I’ve been trying to fill up the weekends so the time will pass quickly. So much going on!

This weekend, I’m photographing infant quadruplets (!) and taking the boys to a Hornets game. So fun!

The following weekend, there’s an Easter Egg Hunt benefitting the March of Dimes. NOLA people, you should come!

 

Since I am a contributor for New Orleans Moms Blog, I will be wearing bunny ears. Heh.

Later that day is the Candy Land Ball, to raise funds for our favorite neighborhood park. A party revolving around candy. I don’t know who’s going to have more fun, me or the boys…

The next day, I’m photographing about a million kids, literally.

So yeah, I’m going to be tired after that weekend. But I’ll still have so much time to fill! But it’s okay, I’m full of ideas. And George will be able to walk again in less than two weeks! Oh, and I have jury duty for the first two weeks of March. Yeah, that’s going to just make the time fly by. I’ve got two baby showers to go to, which means one newborn to photograph before my surgery (and one after.) This gorgeous girl will be a big sister in less than a month!

Exciting stuff!

– My car wouldn’t start this morning. And then it did. Whew. Possibly the alternator? Just what I need.

– On the way to school, Oliver was reminiscing about “those owl robot toys we got at Percy’s party a long time ago.” Took me a few minutes to realize he was talking about my friend Maura’s wedding last April, where they played with my friend’s son Henry. Oh, you know, Percy, Henry, it was some Thomas train.

That’s “Percy” in the plaid.

– Linus asked me today if my “first Daddy” was always going to be in heaven. Oy, talking about death with a 5 year old is always a bit disconcerting. Hard to know the right thing to say. I just told him yes, at least until the Zombie Apocalypse. That seems like the right answer, right?

– I was sick all weekend. Just a cold, but now I can feel that my sinuses are full of mucus. Just sitting there, causing pain. Thanks a lot. So I’ve been using my Neti Pot and crossing my fingers that I don’t get some brain eating bacteria from that.

– Took photos of my sweet birthday buddy at the park yesterday. She was quite the trooper, even though it was chilly. It was a gorgeous afternoon, though, and the park was packed. Speaking of the Zombie Apocalypse, this is what it’s going to look like. Imagine her saying “cheeeeeerios” instead of “braaaains”, though.

Meanwhile, the boys ran around and played with sticks. Boys will be boys.

– So, I wasn’t sure if I was going to blog about this, but I decided I will. I’m having surgery at the end of March. Abdominoplasty. I’m super excited about it, and since it’s going to be a big part of my life, it would be rather weird to just not post about it at all. However, I am NOT going to be posting before and after photos. I would not do that to you. Ick.