today was my 30 day check up! hooray!! dr. Anthony has been so positive and supportive of my healing process. he got a big hug as he entered the room and a thank you for relieving my neck and back pain and for just being amazing. 

upon examination he was thrilled with my scars – thin, flat and in time he assured me that they would fade away beautifully. I have one spont on the right that for me hasn’t folded under they way the left has and he’s sure that as my swelling continues to decrease and my new perky girls continue to fall this spot will be hidden, but just in case it doesn’t he can take care of it with a small in office procedure. 

I didn’t mention that with my reduction I also had some body sculpting done. that has been where most of my healing  pain has come from. but dr. Anthony also said that where I am in recovery is great. I probably have another 2-3 months of swelling reduction, and weight loss to come. this has all been such a process, and required support of my family and friends (you’ve all been wonderful). 

so far I can sum up my recovery by week:

1: lots of pain, little movement, drugs. 

2: still lots of pain, a little movement but exhaustion from minimal exertion. tried to ween off the drugs – failed and used what I was given as instructed by nurse Taylor. 

3: naps, naps, naps! naps were amazing week three. I was moving around more, feeling much better, and managing pain with Advil. 

4: still napping, but oh my goodness the cooking goddess awoke and I was a beast in the kitchen!

5: finally started to see the new shape of things. stitches fully fell out. sleeping at night began to be more difficult as the sensitivity of my back shaping intensified. oh and the nipples……ON all the time and so sensitive which is good because I didn’t loose any feeling, but they are so embarrassing!! 

6: things are only getting better, but it’s a slow process. your body needs good foods, lots of rest and water to heal. I’m so happy that I’ve taken this much time off from work to recuperate. it’s been a blessing. 

next week I ease back into my 1.5 HR commute each way and the crazy politics of “The Fruit”. two days in the office and then fully back the following week. as my final days home come to an end, I’m making strawberry jam, slow cooking chicken and visiting the wholesale flower market weekly to keep our house in fresh arrangements. I’m photographing when I can, and excited that today’s check up gave me the green light for carrying more that 5lbs and working out. 

getting this reduction was the best decision and I can’t believe I didn’t do it sooner – but everything happens when it’s suppose to. 

next check in will be at 3 months (September). thanks for following along!!! 

xoxo – nat

(.) (.)

today is officially 14 days since surgery and I’m doing better than I expected I would be. yesterday was my second check in with the doctor, and he was really pleased with my progress. 

he clipped knots in my stitches which will allow my new perky girls to fall naturally into their new shape – right now we are still pretty high, tight  and boxy. the craziest thing is the pain or pressure that has always been in my shoulders and upper back is completely gone. for those of you with small cups sizes or men out there reading this, imagine carrying a backpack with 20lbs in it but in reverse. so a 20lb front pack – strapped to you at all times. sleep with it, exercise with it, lounge around with it, cook, clean, play, get dressed up fancy with your 20lb front pack and then someone takes more than half the weight out of it. “ahhhhhhhh” literally is what my back is saying. 

the Dr took photos yesterday and showed us before and 14 days post op comparison.  I can’t believe I was that large and so extended, droopy, fallen, saggy, pendulous (that’s my favorite). we used the bend of my elbow as a point of reference for the then and now nipple position. let’s just say, I was once a permement resident of the elbow area and there is no chance of me visiting that region again!!  I could also see a huge improvement in my posture which was cool. my body is reacting to the decreased weight – all on its own!!

I fully stopped narcotics for pain a few days ago, and I think I’m having weird narcotic hot flashes or I’ve fully jump started menopause- the heat comes from no where and then fades away. it’s bizarre! 

we done some serious walking (every other day) and some serious napping. both are highly recommended. 

I still can’t lift or carrying things – nothing over a pound for about six weeks (love my Sherpas). and I have continued my acupuncture and homeopathic medicines which I believe both make a huge difference. I will be working on scar reduction for the next few weeks and we see the Dr at 30 days for the next check-up. 

thank you to everyone who has sent well wishes and gifts and flowers – you all know how much I LOVE flowers!!  

a special thank you to my daughter T, and to M for being the best recovery team a girl could have!! I love you both more than words!! 

unless there is breaking news, I’ll be back with the 30 day update. 

xoxo

(.) (.) <- littles!

p.s. – this is the hand drawn explanation from my surgeon of the procedure. you can kind of see the elbow bend landmark I described. 

I’ve also discovered lots of Drs on snapchat who film their reductions so I had a very clear understanding of what what going to happen during surgery. I have an odd sense of needing to know things. (weirdo!)

tata!