When I was thinking about having my Mommy Makeover I wanted all the details. Like, I couldn’t get enough. I was so nervous about the pain, the process, etc. I want to be a great resource to anyone thinking about having this procedure or that is going to have it. Today I am going to share all about pre-op and surgery day.
**I am sure all Doctors do this differently, but I will be recapping the details from my experience.
BEFORE MY SURGERY
After doing all my research to pick the best plastic surgeon I went ahead and booked my appointment. I did this late October and my surgery was scheduled for Jan 13. A week after I booked my appointment the pre-op nurse called to get my health information, allergies, history, etc. After that she said she would get back to me if they needed anything else. I got a call back saying I needed to do the following: Get my birth control IUD removed, get clearance from my nephrologist (I had kidney issues from my last pregnancy and they wanted to make sure there would be no issues) and get lab work done less than 30 days before my procedure so it was up to date. Dr. Venneymeyer is definitely on the more cautious side which I address in this post (towards the bottom under SAFETY). Not all doctors require birth control to be removed, etc, but I do think they all require lab work. They want to make sure you are very healthy before surgery and check your blood clotting ability, etc. I went and had all this done, got clearance and was ready to go. I also started ordering the things I would need for surgery. READ THIS POST (Must haves for MOMMY MAKEOVERS)…it will be very helpful! There are other things the nurses will go over with you, but they didn’t really affect me. Things like stop nicotine, stop taking NSAIDS, maintain a certain BMI, etc.
WEEK BEFORE SURGERY
I went in for my pre-op meeting the week before surgery. Geoff came with me and I highly recommend your care taker come. They go over lots of helpful info on what to expect, etc. They took measurements, pictures, went over my pre-op packet with all the details and made sure I ordered everything I would need (all listed in the packet and I link to many of the items in this post). Dr. V came in to go over everything with me, confirm my procedures (the results I wanted, etc) and asked if I had any questions. After my appointment, I just had to wait to hear from them on the exact time I needed to arrive for my procedure.
I was really worried about constipation after surgery (I heard nightmare stories) so I started taking Miralax once a day starting 4 days before surgery. I just put one capful in a glass of orange juice. I also stopped drinking any alcohol. The week before we went to Vegas with friends so that was my last hoorah for awhile! I went and picked up all my meds they had called into my pharmacy and got everything in order since I knew I wouldn’t be getting out and about for awhile. I organized everything for the kids, had my house cleaned, etc and went to the grocery store and stocked up on food full of protein and Propel with Electrolytes for recovery. I also joined Instacart which has been incredible! They deliver groceries directly to my home. I had heard about it before, but never joined and I will tell you. . .I have already used it 5 times since my surgery. It is a game changer. I will continue to use this even after I can drive again. I have a special code that will save you $10 off your first order! Click HERE. I had several girl night dinners this week too since I knew I would not be able to go out for awhile. I LOVE my girls nights so had to soak as many as possible in!
NIGHT BEFORE SURGERY
We had a fun family day just hanging out and cuddling. I knew I wouldn’t see my kids for a week so I wanted to soak in as much time as possible. Then we dropped them off at my in-laws and Geoff and I went on a date. We went to dinner and had lots of yummy food. When I got home I took off my fingernail & toenail polish. It was so strange not having toenail polish on. Then I had to take a shower with Hibicleans soap and wash my hair with it. The soap is strange. It doesn’t suds at all. With all this long hair that felt kinda yuck. You are not allowed to put on any lotions, perfumes or deodorants. That soap kills all germs. Then I applied a Scopolamine patch behind my ear that helps with nausea. I also took an Ativan to help calm my nerves and help me get some sleep. . .not sure that really worked. I didn’t sleep super well. I was not allowed to have any food or water after midnight!
SURGERY DAY
I woke up in the morning took the meds they prescribed (with 1 TSP of water), showered again and washed my hair with that Hibicleans soap. No deodorant, no make up, no perfume, nothing. After my shower, I dressed in loose fitting clothes that could be easily slipped off and on after surgery. I literally wore this dress, this wrap and Uggs. It was the perfect outfit. I could slip the dress off my shoulders and down to the ground so when I had to get dressed to go home after surgery it was super easy. The only things I packed were my meds, my pre-op packet, my women’s urinal and my ID.
They wanted me there at 9:30 and it is an hour away from our house so we headed out a little early to avoid traffic. On the way there I was super nervous. It is kind of a blur to be honest. We arrived, checked in and waited in the waiting room. Every doctor is different, but my procedure was done at the surgical center attached to the office. There was only one quick procedure before me that morning and then it was me the rest of the day. They predicted my surgery would be 6.5 hours (it ended up only being 4.5 hours). Geoff kissed me goodbye and back I went. He left and did stuff that day to keep himself busy, but was very close by in case they needed him for anything. They don’t want spouses to stay there.
I went back to the pre-op room, got in a gown and then Dr. V came in and started drawing all over me. He was marking all the areas he would be working on and making notes for himself. Then they came in and did my IV (I hate that part) and said we were about to go back to the operating room. Again, this part is a blur. I was so freaking nervous. I remember my legs weren’t walking properly. They felt like they weighed 200 lbs each. The staff was all so nice and I am sure they know everyone is nervous so they get you up on the table quick and start anesthesia. I remember counting backwards from 10 and I don’t even think I got to 6 and was out.
In what seems like seconds I wake up back in the post up room and Geoff is there waiting for me. He said they were texting him throughout the surgery giving him updates and letting him know how I was doing and when I should be out. They gave him 30 minutes notice so he came straight over and was there when I woke up.
I LITERALLY JUST WOKE UP FROM SURGERY AND GEOFF TOOK THIS PICTURE TO SEND OUT TO FRIENDS/FAMILY WHO WERE CHECKING ON ME TO LET THEM KNOW I WAS OK AND ON THE OTHER SIDE!
I don’t really remember what time it was, I think like 5:30 maybe? This night is a blur. I didn’t wake up in any pain, but I was highly drugged. I didn’t say anything crazy, but there was no telling. I was waiting to hear crazy stories from Geoff, but he said there weren’t any. I was just very sleepy. He stayed with me for a few hours. I think we talked a little and I slept and then he headed over to a hotel nearby. They don’t let the spouses stay overnight. For the procedures I had they require you to stay overnight, but you have to leave at 5:30 am. They let you sleep for awhile and then they want you to get up and walk so you don’t get blood clots. I think around 3:00 am, they tried to help me get up and walk and that wasn’t happening. 2 nurses were lifting me, but NO. It hurt and my legs felt like jello. They let me rest for a little longer, but you had to walk and go potty before you could leave in the morning. I slept a little more and then tried again. This time I got up, but it was not fun. It hurt. Not the kind of hurt that makes you want to die, but I am glad it is over. I was able to walk to the bathroom with help and used my women’s urinal thing to go potty. THAT IS A MUST!!!
Pretty quickly after I did that Geoff arrive and it was time to go home. They all helped load me up into the car. This walk and getting into the car was not fun, and he said we talked on the way home, but I don’t remember it at all. We got home, I used the walker and his help to get over to my lift chair and then I went to sleep. He set timers and woke me up to walk and take my meds. I was in pain, but it was manageable. I couldn’t feel my boobs or incisions at all. They use nerve blockers during the surgery so these areas were dead. The main pain was the muscle pain. My stomach muscles were really sore and achy. I also had a really sore lip from where the breathing tube was in my throat from surgery. It felt like an angry cold sore. I also had very little energy. All and all I was terrified of 2 things on this day. . . 1. Waking up from surgery and 2. the pain. Luckily I came through the surgery just fine and the pain was definitely manageable with pain meds. I am glad it is over, but I would do it all again.
You can see videos from right after surgery HERE.
This post is pretty long, but I wanted you to see “a day in the life” of the surgery. If you have any questions please leave them in the comments below. I will be recapping Week 1, Week 2, etc in upcoming posts!
See all of my weight loss and plastic surgery posts HERE.
**If you’ve had or are interested in Gastric Sleeve surgery or Mommy Makeover type of plastic surgery join the HOH Private Facebook Community where we can all share our stories, get questions answered and cheer each on during our individual journeys. I am hoping this will be a very helpful resource for everyone considering/or have had these procedures.