Join me as I search my soul for direction regarding my latest pursuit: A tummy tuck. Will I go through with it? Will I "Tuck It In?" Keep reading. Keep coming back. And you'll find out.

April 25, 2008

I'm alive, well, and doing fine following my long-awaited tummy tuck surgery. Besides one fainting episode in the recovery room yesterday, it was an uneventful experience. I like uneventful when it comes to surgery.

It took 90 minutes for my surgeon to remove loose skin, repair my baby-stretched abdominal muscle, and fix an umbilical hernia. It took two hours for me to come out of my general anesthesia fog and regain my ability to walk -- which right now, is a bit difficult.

My main mode of transportation now that I'm home is a stooped-over hobble -- I can't stand tall due to all the trauma and stitching done to my mid-section. But that's the worst of it at the moment. I'm not feeling any true pain, thanks to good medication, and my only sensations are tightness, pressure, and a little throbbing. I'm fully prepared for the fact that a bomb could drop one of these days, pain could set in, and I could be cursing the very surgery I wanted so badly. But for now, I am managing as I sit propped up in my recliner, bound tightly with a compression wrap and with two drains and a pain pump dangling from my tender belly.

Thanks to all who have supported me through my tummy tuck mission. For those who questioned my decision, I thank you for your insight too. And thanks to my friend, neighbor, and former trainer Fitz for the kind words she shared with you yesterday.

Mission complete. Except for my viewing of the final product -- I'll see that this morning at a post-op appointment.

NOTE: Abdominoplasty is recommended for those whose skin and muscle cannot recover on their own as a result of significant weight loss, pregnancy, aging, heredity, or prior surgery. It is not a substitute for weight loss or an appropriate exercise program. For more information about this surgery, click here.