The Good, the Fat and the Hungry - Abdominoplasty Recovery Week 1

Welcome to the Good, the Fat and the Hungry. I'm Karla and I have been -- or am -- all those things. Here, I will share with you my lifelong struggle with my weight and I hope you'll follow along on with my determined attempt to lose nearly 40 pounds. I promise to tell you every win and setback along the way every Tuesday and Friday.

I am not happy. I mean, I am happy with life overall, but I am not happy about my tummy tuck drains. I am one week post-surgery and still, I have them -- all three of them -- with removal nowhere in sight. You see, I experienced a drain blockage last week, which slowed the process considerably (I think this is atypical for most tummy tucks). I guess some gunk got stuck on the way out and clogged the drains, located between the pubic area and the bottom of my abdomen. Besides this hassle, I've got cords that, while long enough to pin to clothing, are in my way -- all three of them.

So, I saw my doc's physicians assistant today, and she said with the amount of fluid still draining, the drains should stay in place. She was actually happy about this and said we'd take a look on Thursday when I see my surgeon. I trust her completely, so they are right where she left them -- in me. I've read many stories of fortunate folks who had their drains out in a few days or even a week -- I just am not one of those lucky folks.

To give a full picture of my recovery, I am walking as far as around the block and overall, I'm getting around fine. My pain level is low and for the most part, I am comfortable. My appetite has been low but I've found that even when I want to eat, I can only manage a few bites before feeling overstuffed. I'm still not driving and have found that Tylenol 3 at night is more than enough to control any discomfort. But these DRAINS! Oh my gosh. I want to pull my hair out. If my weave didn't cost so much, I would. But drains and a destroyed weave would be really bad. To anyone considering a tummy tuck, I say this: Get all the dirt on the drains -- how many, how long, etc.

On to the fat: I had approximately six to seven pounds of fat and skin removed, leftovers from gastric bypass surgery nearly three years ago, when I weighed 386 pounds. Today, I weigh 190 pounds and that includes all my post-surgery swelling and fluids. The was not your typical tummy tuck to remove baby momma baby fat -- this was an extensive abdominoplasty and panniculectomy combined to remove an excessive amount of redundant skin. Not as bad as I'd imagined. But I'm sure it's better for some.

As with all things, at the end of the day, I never want to be found anything less than grateful. In the spirit of the eternal optimist that I am, I cannot end this with only complaints. Even with the swelling, the view after having this done is very different. How do I say this nicely, hmmm. Here goes: I've never seen my chi-chi from up here, until now. When I look straight down, there it is. Much cuter than I ever thought too. Oh my gosh. Seeing it before required some serious work. Now I can save those contortionist moves for something or someone else. Nothing will ever stand between me and my chi-chi again. Also, I have a navel -- and I can see it, without any effort. I look down and surprise, there she is. Cute as a button. I don't have to dig her out or separate massive rolls to see her. She's right there in the middle, smiling and saying, Hey! My navel nor my chi-chi had ever seen me either.

In a nutshell, I needed this tummy tuck. And it's done. I'm better for it. And I'm thankful.

Drains? What drains? I changed my mind, as all women are entitled to do. I am happy!

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.