April 2015 update - post plastic surgery

Apr 09, 2015

On the morning of March 16, 2015 I had a tummy tuck and breast lift done by Dr. Jason Gray and his team in Victoria, BC.  In the afternoon I developed a hematoma in my right breast and was taken back into the OR that night at 10:00.  This meant a two night stay in the hospital instead of just one.  I lost 400 ml of blood and that brought my hemoglobin down to 67.  The normal range, in the labs I use, is 120-150.  Dr. Gray opted to treat the low hemoglobin with iron supplements and vitamin c instead of a transfusion.  I was happy about this cause although I'd signed a document agreeing to blood transfusion I really only would have wanted one if my life depended on it.  I just don't trust our national blood supply.

Because I didn't have the full tummy tuck, where they literally sew your ab muscles together again, my recovery has been remarkably pain free.  I know they gave me morphine after each surgery while I was still in recovery but not sure if they were giving me anything for pain by IV once I got to my room.  I was given extra strength Tylenol and that was doing the trick.  I received a prescription for tylenol with codeine on release from hospital and took it only once.  I had hoped it would allow me to sleep but no luck.  It might have even kept me from sleeping at all deeply that night. 

More to be added here later.

Here I am on April 9th and doing quite well.  My hemoglobin had already come up 23 points two weeks post op.  I should mention I'm taking a heavy duty iron supplement:  300 mg versus the usual 35 or so mg.  This more potent iron is available 'over the counter' at the pharmacy.

I still need to 'take it easy' this week and next (April 12-18) so although I'm returning to work on the 13th I'll work half days for a week or two.

Still adjusting to how different my body looks now.  I'm glad I took pre-op pictures, on my abdomen, to compare.  I didn't take pre-op breast pictures as I'll never forget the shape those poor things were in prior to surgery.  :)

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