What happens when you have a tummy tuck?

icemoose

icemoose

The Diet Guy
Day 1 (The Day Before!)

Got to the hospital at lunchtime and sat for 2 hours waiting for someone to come and see me and confirm if they had a bed or not, they came in and said they didn't yet have a bed allocated and to go for some tests first and then they would see.

So went off for a blood test (hate blood tests!) but the phlebotomist are very good and didn't really feel the knitting needle go into my arm :), anyway had that done and returned to the ward.

Back on the ward they still had no bed so sent me off to medical photography, got down there and there were 2 photographers on duty, one was a 20 year old girl and a 50 year old guy, I have to say I was hoping for the guy purely because of the photos! and was lucky when he came out.

Anyway you have to sign whether the pictures are just for your records, for your records and training or whether you want them plastered on a billboard around Norwich, I have to say that because I work in the NHS and actually installed the system they use at that hospital I went for keeping the pictures in just my record.

So off with the kit (apart from the socks!) and they take loads of photos from the front and side, breathing in and out etc etc. I am sure hospitals don't realise that patients don't enjoy this sort of thing as the guy was laughing when I was bending forward which was kind of offputting!

Anyway back to the ward I went (was about 4pm by now) and they had a bed (woohoo!) so I went through a full clerking and pre op assessment, this takes around 45 minutes and covers the basics of weight, height, blood pressure, etc etc and a questionnaire around piercings, teeth etc etc.

Then I got to have dinner (real comfort food!!) was absolutely yummy (doesn't really matter for the story of a tummy tuck but they did a lemon curd pudding with custard that I could have eaten doubles) anyway back to the op...

Then around 7pm the anaesthatist came round to explain what was going to happen (they knock you out was about the main bit!) and I had to sign the consent. Basically I was told about the possible side effects of the operation (not waking up but normal things like pain, numbness, irrititations, scar tissue, dog ears, etc etc) and then he went.

Around 8pm the plastic surgeon came in, he was a lovely guy (Mr Logan if you meet him!) and he came in with a big black marker and pulled round the curtain, 2 minutes later I looked the man out of the world in action start sequence and was covered in black marker, he pulled me about in ways men shouldn't pull other men about and was trying to ascertain how much to cut off! Anyway he left me all marked up and off he went.

I then went to the loo and stood in front of the mirror in just my socks (I must remember just socks aren't good!) anyway the black marks he had marked were from the pubic line (literally above where the pubic hair stops) and then the 2nd line was 10 inches above (yes 10 inches!!), it was definately 10 inches as I measured it with my tape measure I had took with me, I have to say it freaked me out a little as I couldn't see how you could take that amount of skin out and still join me up!

So then I decided I ponged a bit so grabbed a shower, (you know what's coming don't you!!) anyway while having a shower remembered that after a big operation it can be hard to have a number 2 so decided to have a number 2 so went to the loo, then I kind of lost track of things and went back into the shower with my little radio on and the molton brown out!! So 20 minutes past and the shower finished, I smelt all Ylang Ylang and stood infront of the mirror, YES! I had managed to wash off most of the black marker pen (not so permanent then Mr Bic!) so went out and found a nurse.

So 20 minutes later and one consultant later I smelt good AND had marker pen on me, by this time it was around 10pm and I was to be Nil By Mouth from midnight so I quickly got in my dressing gown and hit the canteen for late night coffee!! Managed to get down some serious coffee and a feta cheese salad (just fancied it!) and went back to the ward at 11:55pm just in time for lock in.

I dived into bed after being told I was 3rd on the list the next day so could have a lie in until 6:45am!!

Head was in the zone, all marked up and ready for the operation, not nervous at all (yeah right!) and off to sleep....
 
SOoo looking forward to this too xx
 
Wow this diary is going to be fab.......though I am feeling a little nervous now......I am lucky and having my TT thrown in with my hernia repair.
 
Day 2 - The Morning!

Didn't sleep much at all in the night, was a mix of nerves and general noise around the ward, had a guy opposite who I swore thought he was a contestant on a quiz show with the amount of time he pushed his buzzer, also didn't help that they woke me every 2 hours for blood pressure checks (I hadn't had the operation yet so why would I need them!) but anyway blood pressure was apparently good (110/60) and anyway 6:30am hit.

The curtains got opened and suddenly there were people everywhere! I was firmly locked in my boxers, pyjamas and dressing gown so felt safe for a while until 2 doctors appeared at 7:30am to have a good feel about!! I swear blind they did it just to make me more nervous and off they went.

8am and the breakfast lady came round and offered me porridge and a cup of coffee, I politely said no as I was having major abdominal surgery in 3 hours but thanked her for the kind offer and off she went (the porridge looked well lumpy and yummy!)

Anyway the morning kind of came and went, I was getting more and more nervous all the time and then at 10:30am the nurse said to get changed into my gown, I asked if I should keep my boxers on and she replied "you can but to be honest they will just rip them off anyway" , it was like a scene from a carry on movie and made me smile. So I got in my gown and then tried to get back from the loo without showing my well black marked bum and tummy from the other patients and putting them off of their cornflakes.

So 11am hit and they came to get me, I hate anaesthetics with a passion, I hate being knocked out as the helplessness of it just freaks me out and they knew I was nervous so were chatting away to me about how nice the canteen food was that I could smell on the way to theatres.

So they wheeled me into the room itself, the place to be "knocked out", the consultant appeared, made a joke about Golden Balls, checked the black marker was still there and said it would all be fine.

I was lucky enough to be in the kids theatres for some reason so took my mind off of things by looking at the kids pictures and deciding whether Emily would like them or not!

Then the guy said that my arm might go a bit cold (understatement for I am about to put liquid ice into your veins) and then I would feel very relaxed (that is code for you will go out like a light). So that was it, I remember the world closing in very very quickly and remember thinking "was this such a good idea" and wondering just how much it was going to hurt when I woke up and wondered why 2 people had told me that the back ache afterwards is a killer.

Well they reckoned the operation would be around 4 hours so we would see....
 
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Hey Icemoose ~ that'd be the bit that would freak me out, the thought of the pain after is bad enough, but the whole needle in the arm then 'lights out' thing :eek:

Glad you're home and resting now and soon you'll be feeling sooooo very much better and you're gonna have a lurvly flat tummy.

Look forward to reading the remaining instalments ~ you're an inspiration to all of us who are considering this as an option and it's great to hear about the procedure 'warts and all' so to speak :)
 
Day 2 - I woke up!

Wooooo! Suddenly I woke up in recovery, where the hell was I, I couldn't open my eyes but I could hear everything, I could hear the anaesthatist as he was dutch and had a strong accent, I remember them trying to trap my arms but I am quite strong so managed to get my left arm free and pull out my drain from the left side, I then heard a major commotion as they knocked me back out to take me back into theatre and have the drain put back in.....

Then I awoke again, this time I had 4 nurses sitting on my arms (well 2 but you get the idea!) and a doctor shouting "MIKE LAY STILL, DON'T PULL THE PIPES OUT"

The pain in my stomach area was massive and also felt like i had been kicked in the guys bits really hard so felt sick, they were holding a mask over my face but managed to get the nurse to realise I didn't want it but swearing a bit (sorry but I was under sedation). All I could smell was the fumes of the gas and it made me throw up.

I dropped in and out of conciousness for what felt like ages

(Actual timings were 3.5 hours for the operation, 30 minutes in recovery, 1 hour back in the theatres to put the drain back in and then 2 hours back in recovery so total operation time was on my card at just under 7 hours).

I remember asking the time and the nurse said 6pm and I though I might have missed the evening meal so felt a little down in the dumps (that and the fact my middle was missing of course).

So anyway next thing I remember was being pushed back to the ward, I remember that my knees were up near my chin (not that much of an exaggeration) as they pull the skin so tight and then it relaxes back itself over a periof of weeks after the operation. On the way back I was feeling under the gown to see whether I had been catheritised as the thought of it freaked me out but luckily I hadn't, I could feel though two big pipes coming out of my stomach area and also a big bandage from the pubic line and up about 5 inches, the major thing I remember though was the pain and it was twofold pain, it was very stingy like when you put vinegar on a cut but also was muscular pain as well.

When I got back on the ward Jo was there as I could hear here chatting to someone about the diet (we managed to get 3 nurses to start!) and I went back to sleep, when I awoke again it was about 9pm and although the pain was still pretty strong I felt like sitting up and so did, I had a really dry chicken sandwich (which promptly came back) and they put me on morphine as it was clear that if anyone in the hospital wanted some sleep then they would need to give me more than a lemsip!

Also remember wanting to have a wee desperately but Jo had gone and the thought of someone trying to get me to wee into a bottle just wasn't cutting it so I decided I would go myself the next morning....
 
icemoose said:
Day 1 (The Day Before!)

Got to the hospital at lunchtime and sat for 2 hours waiting for someone to come and see me and confirm if they had a bed or not, they came in and said they didn't yet have a bed allocated and to go for some tests first and then they would see.

So went off for a blood test (hate blood tests!) but the phlebotomist are very good and didn't really feel the knitting needle go into my arm :), anyway had that done and returned to the ward.

Back on the ward they still had no bed so sent me off to medical photography, got down there and there were 2 photographers on duty, one was a 20 year old girl and a 50 year old guy, I have to say I was hoping for the guy purely because of the photos! and was lucky when he came out.

Anyway you have to sign whether the pictures are just for your records, for your records and training or whether you want them plastered on a billboard around Norwich, I have to say that because I work in the NHS and actually installed the system they use at that hospital I went for keeping the pictures in just my record.

So off with the kit (apart from the socks!) and they take loads of photos from the front and side, breathing in and out etc etc. I am sure hospitals don't realise that patients don't enjoy this sort of thing as the guy was laughing when I was bending forward which was kind of offputting!

Anyway back to the ward I went (was about 4pm by now) and they had a bed (woohoo!) so I went through a full clerking and pre op assessment, this takes around 45 minutes and covers the basics of weight, height, blood pressure, etc etc and a questionnaire around piercings, teeth etc etc.

Then I got to have dinner (real comfort food!!) was absolutely yummy (doesn't really matter for the story of a tummy tuck but they did a lemon curd pudding with custard that I could have eaten doubles) anyway back to the op...

Then around 7pm the anaesthatist came round to explain what was going to happen (they knock you out was about the main bit!) and I had to sign the consent. Basically I was told about the possible side effects of the operation (not waking up but normal things like pain, numbness, irrititations, scar tissue, dog ears, etc etc) and then he went.

Around 8pm the plastic surgeon came in, he was a lovely guy (Mr Logan if you meet him!) and he came in with a big black marker and pulled round the curtain, 2 minutes later I looked the man out of the world in action start sequence and was covered in black marker, he pulled me about in ways men shouldn't pull other men about and was trying to ascertain how much to cut off! Anyway he left me all marked up and off he went.

I then went to the loo and stood in front of the mirror in just my socks (I must remember just socks aren't good!) anyway the black marks he had marked were from the pubic line (literally above where the pubic hair stops) and then the 2nd line was 10 inches above (yes 10 inches!!), it was definately 10 inches as I measured it with my tape measure I had took with me, I have to say it freaked me out a little as I couldn't see how you could take that amount of skin out and still join me up!

So then I decided I ponged a bit so grabbed a shower, (you know what's coming don't you!!) anyway while having a shower remembered that after a big operation it can be hard to have a number 2 so decided to have a number 2 so went to the loo, then I kind of lost track of things and went back into the shower with my little radio on and the molton brown out!! So 20 minutes past and the shower finished, I smelt all Ylang Ylang and stood infront of the mirror, YES! I had managed to wash off most of the black marker pen (not so permanent then Mr Bic!) so went out and found a nurse.

So 20 minutes later and one consultant later I smelt good AND had marker pen on me, by this time it was around 10pm and I was to be Nil By Mouth from midnight so I quickly got in my dressing gown and hit the canteen for late night coffee!! Managed to get down some serious coffee and a feta cheese salad (just fancied it!) and went back to the ward at 11:55pm just in time for lock in.

I dived into bed after being told I was 3rd on the list the next day so could have a lie in until 6:45am!!

Head was in the zone, all marked up and ready for the operation, not nervous at all (yeah right!) and off to sleep....
Click to expand...

Mike,

Lovely to have you back in one piece! I'm looking forward to your next installment!
 
Day 3 - Not such a good day...

Didn't sleep much at all during the night, they did very regular checks on me and they were worried about the left side drain that had come out for infection risk issues which they were talking about in my ear shot which didn't help!! Also for some reason I couldn't remember what the day was which I found very annoying and sat thinking about it!

Anyway 6am came and I decided that if I didn't wee then I would wee myself !! So I decided to get up (I know!!) and I got myself to the end of the bed using the electric bed thing which was cool! I then got a bottle and managed to get off my gown and stand up to have a wee, I remember not being able to wee (the need was there but I got stagefright!) and then I remember 4 nurses lifting me back onto the bed in the nuddy as I had collapsed and passed out.

When I woke I didn't need a wee anymore and don't wish to know what happened while I was asleep but I noticed the floor had been mopped and the bed changed....

So it then 9am and I actually felt ok in my head and quite wide awake, I was acutely aware that my stomach was very painful but wanted a quick look so asked the nurse and she came and showed me and got me in m pyjamas, the bandage was from my corner to my corner and about 4 inches to 5 inches thick, there were two bottles on the floor with pipes going into the dressing each side, these were drains and are around 4 inches under the skin to let all the blood out and stop it filling up, I noticed my pubic hair was a lot higher (and I mean a lot higher!) as they obviously have to pull up as well as down so will be interesting to see if that moves in time!

My new belly button was in place and actually uncovered and above the dressing, around 20 mini stitches around it and looks like a slightly weird belly button but at least it is there, apparently you can request that you don't have a belly button put back in but that is just weird!! Also please to say that the nurse confirmed my appendix scar was also taken out as it was in the area that was removed.

I was fascinated to know how much skin they had taken and she checked and it was 4100 grams of skin!! Man that is a lot and kind of confirmed to me that I did need it doing and it wasn't just because it was cosmetic!

Then at 10am this rather hard looking nursing auxillary walks in, i ask if she can help me have a wee and she decides that first I should get up and move into the chair!! I said I had collapsed earlier but she was having none of it, so she helps me to my feet....then 30 seconds later I have the four nurses from earlier putting me back on the bed and she was being told off for moving me....one bottle later and some embarassment and I didn't need a wee anymore....

(Right off to sleep now will do more tomorrow).

M.
 
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Wow.... I'm hooked... you really do have a way of story telling!!!!

Can't wait for the next installment!!!

Well done on having the op. you will be sooo chuffed with the results in no time xx
 
Bloody hell....and that's only day three...

Have to say - that auxilliary nurse must have been a bit of a wench....
 
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