7 months post TT - Sorry no pics

So it's been a whole 7 months! Everything is going well and my tummy is still flat and amazing. 

I saw Dr Anderson last week and she too was concerned about the size of my muffin tops. 

She said she can fix it with Lipo for $1100. That's pretty cheap, however it would be under local and I'm honestly a little scared about it. Also we don't have that kind of money at the moment. 

I have just started doing cross fit so I'm hoping that helps a bit with the sizing of my hips. 

I'll see if I can post a pic later.

Besides that everything is awesome! 

4 Month update.

Well yesterday made it 4 months since my Tummy Tuck. 

Overall I am feeling pretty darn amazing. 

Things can only improve from here :)

My tummy is still totally flat. I am surprised at how quickly I have forgotten what it was like having a massive overhang. I am still a little bit numb around my scar and just bellow my belly button. I'm not sure how long it will take to get back feeling, or if it ever will! 

Last check up with Dr Anderson went well and super fast. She took the after shots and told me I need to start working out! (I'll come back to workouts)

Muscles are fully together. Only concern is my scar looks like it is starting to keloid :S it actually runs in my family so I wasn't surprised. She gave me samples for a silicone cream called Strataderm. It is supposed to heal it faster, take away redness, pain and itching that comes with healing scars. I felt the slight tenderness I did have, leave right away so decided to get a tube. $150 later for a 50g tube!!! Totally worth it tho. I can see it fading and getting flatter already! 

Ok working out. I'm back at Ballet, and LOVING IT!! I have even put the old point shoes back on. I am also getting up at 6am to get an hr of anything I can in before the boys wake up. I have literally had to start from the beginning. I have had to re train my body into using my tumm muscles instead of my back. This is actually harder then you think. All my focus has to go into activating my core before doing anything.

I couldn't do a crunch!!! Joshua had to help me. As I said, way, way at the beginning! Now I can do 10 full sit ups :)

Only 10? It's hard work ok! 

Nah it's slow going. If I over do it I get a massive sharp pain on my left, by my belly button. Apparently this is due to nerves that are not yet fully healed. If I get this pain, I am out for a week at least. I'm trying not to over do it, but once I get in the mood it's hard to stop. 

So here they are. My 4 month pics. Just letting you know I am in my underware!!

Scar is mostly below my knicker line.

Scar

Side shots

Scar close ups. Belly button! I love it! It's so teeny tiny and perfect. Most of the scarring has faded too. 

Left side. This side looks the reddest.

Right side. This is the side that gives me the most issues. About the last 2 inches itch and sometimes I get a sharp pain. It also can irritate and raise up a bit. It's heaps better with the cream tho.

So as I said, I'm really happy with the results. And I also say this every post, I would totally do it again. Seriously worth it. 

Only issue I have ( I know there has to be a BUT) MUFFIN TOP! Ew I hate it! 

It's like it doesn't fit my body shape. This sounds totally vain, but I don't really care.

So I worked really hard and got to my pre  wedding weight! 18kg gone so I could be thin for this surgery. Well due to not being able to do a lot post surgery, of course some weight was put back on. 4kg to be exact. Yes I'm counting. But it seems to have all gone back to my muffin top! :( it's all fat too. 

It's hard to explain but I stand side on and have a flat tummy, then front on I have massive overhang again... Of the hips! 

I'll show you

Side on. Looks pretty good hey. But wait for it.... 

Over hanging giant muffin top. And no it's not just the jeans. It is like this with whatever I wear. It's like I have the mummy apron all over again just on my hips. I really, really hate it. 

See all fat! 

However,

I would gladly live with a muffin over no core strength. As much as I can't stand the sight of it. 

I will do what I can to get rid of it tho. No pain no gain right! Or in this case, loss. 

17 DRESSES!!!

So i kinda feel like i should make a movie or something :P

I finally have done it!! All 17 of my dresses are up for sale on eBay.
4 of them have already sold :) YAY!

The Dresses

Some may think, WOW 17 dresses, that's ALOT of dresses! Ok it may be, but what can i say, i love dresses. I go to church every Sunday, so i need to wear one at least once a week. Can't wear the same dress 2 weeks in a row. ;)

The real story is that i just appreciate well made clothing. And stylish too. A new dress makes me feel good. It has been something that i grew up with. After my mum and dad divorced when i was 15, every birthday, Christmas, church dance, big occasion etc... NEEDED a new dress. I think it was my mums way of saying sorry. So i started small and low budget.....
Then i got a job!!! Watch out! she has her own money. We had a monthly church youth/young single adult dance so i was buying a new dress monthly. And not just cheapo dresses either. I had alot more then 17 dresses then.

I got married and had my first baby. My husband said to me, after each baby you can get a new dress. All those other dresses no longer fitted me. My body had changed so i gave them to my 2 younger sisters.

Remember the $900 K.Rudd gave everyone in 09? Yep, i went shopping.
This is when i bought my first Cue dress.
Oh the beauty, the craftsmanship was spectacular! I was in love. I HAD to have it. I even paid full price. YEP almost $300. The rest was history.
Being married and having kids meant that i didn't have alot to spend on dresses anymore, so i kept waiting for the birthdays, and anniversarys and the Christmas dress to come along.
When asked what i wanted, it was always the same... Gift Card.

I am sad to see these dresses go, i truly love each one of them, and the story that goes with each. They were a big part of that stage of my life.
I am happy to be starting the next chapter tho. The chapter of becoming fit and healthy. A chapter of new, smaller dresses.

9 weeks

Well it's been over 2 months since I've had my Tummy Tuck, and let me just say.... BEST THING IVE EVER DONE!!! I recommend it for evey mother that has floppy skin on their belly. I am really happy! 

The surgery has totally boosted my confidence as well as fixed the underlying problems. 

Healing is going well. Tape is fully off, and I'm using bio oil every morning, and night on the scar. I'm hoping it helps. Having said that, it's not a super fat scar. Margaret Anderson truly did an amazing job. She told me her little hands make it so she can stitch better, therefore smaller scar, and boy was she right. She does a quilting or blanket stitch (I think she called it) where she stitches the fat layer together first, then the lower skin layer, then the top skin layer. It takes longer to do, but gives a greater result. 

Swelling has gone and revealed that I have a muffin top! :0 Dr Anderson did do some lipo on my hips but I wonder if it wasn't enough, or maybe it's Christmas hanging out there! :P the nurse did grab it last appointment, but never actually said anything. All I know is it's something I need to work on. 

I've been doing my best to get into a good work out routine. That's super hard during school holidays. I've Defenatly been slacking off. 

I do around 2 days of a good session, and then something comes up..... Like laziness!

 Motivation is a huge factor. I'm starting at the very beginning here, heck! I can't even do a full sit up without help! 

This makes it hard to want to try in the first place. I know I want to get lean/defined, but it's going to take a looooong time! That puts me off. I'm all about quick way out things. 

Losing weight for the surgery was easier, as I had a goal. I needed to be the right bmi or no surgery and that was a big deal. Toning up just doesn't seem as such a big deal. Yeh I'm determined to do it, and I want to be physically fit again, but I'm slim and I look ok now without doing it. 

If this makes any sence at all. 

AHHHH! Sariah stop making excuses and just do it!

The one thing that does keep me going is Joshua. He is so fit. I want to be able to keep up with him like I could before we were married. Those awesome dates that we would simply go for a night run together. :) 

Well I've had my rant.

I will update again soon. 

Next big one will be a before and after, at the beginning of March. 

Scar on the right side. Comes up pretty high, but only an issue on those days I walk around in a bikini... So never!

Left side. Keeping in mind this is where my undies sit.

Front shot. Loving the muffin top... NOT!

Scar

Close up of the scar. 

As I said before, pretty impressive results.

I leave you with my favourite quote in the hopes it helps motivate you in whatever you need help doing. 

Pain is weakness leaving the body.

The question isn't how much more you can take. But how much more you can give. Just when you are ready to quit, your mind says push harder. You listen, sensing an inner strength that wasn't there before. And suddenly you discover.... You no longer feel pain.

6 weeks post op

So it's been a while since I posted. Pretty slack really. To be honest there isn't a lot to post about. Recovery has gone smooth. No more draining is needed and swelling has gone right down. I was warned about eating too much over Christmas, but I think I've don't pretty good in that area. Tomorrow will mark 6 weeks since surgery. :) On Friday my corset came off. It was starting to hurt more with in on then off. I think that was due to the swelling going right down. I havnt put it back on since. Feels a bit weird with clothing against skin, as I don't have full feeling back in my belly yet. This morning when I got dressed I noticed the tape was coming off. I found some more in the cupboard so decided to do a change of dressing. 

It's looking pretty good I reckon! Very happy with the scar line and how neat it is. Dr Anderson did a wonderful job. She said its due to her little fingers being able to do small stitches. 

I wasn't sure how long dressing is supposed to stay on. My next appointment isn't til the 16th of Jan. I figured it won't hurt to keep in on til then. 

I'm not sure if you can see, but on the right side is a little lump. It's hard, and in the beginning I thought it was an infection under the cut. They never said anything at appointments so I didn't worry. Maybe I just had a wonky hip bone? 

Well I remembered... When I was 17 maybe, I fell while ice skating. 

Ok it was more then a fall, it was an epic stack that should have been filmed. I had grazed arms and hit on my right side. I slid half the arena! There was blood and bruising, but no tears (I was with boys) When it happened I remember a lump but it's been covered by pregnancy, fat and a flap of skin for so long I forgot about it. I'm going to ask if they noticed anything during surgery at my appointment. 

It's hard to get a decent picture. Hopefully this gives an idea of how big it is. 

Pre Surgery pics 2

Waiting 

 

Painted belly

Drawing

Just out of surgery

Pre Surgery Pics

I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE BEEN DYING TO SEE THESE! Actually I almost die looking at them :P 

PLEASE ONLY VIRW IF YOU REALLY REALLY WANT TO! YOU CANNOT REMOVE THESE PICTURES FROM YOUR EYES ONCE SEEN! 

Yep I got pretty good at dressing to get it all to suck itself in. After losing 14kg - 55kg

Before losing weight - 71kg

Sucking in

Laying down

Laying on my side

Bending over