Tummy tuck pre op

Today was my preop appointment! I'm starting to feel excited and nervous. Only one week until surgery.i thought I would post a few before pics so y'all can see what quadruplet pregnancy can do to your belly. It's amazing what your body can do and how your skin can stretch so fast. At one point near the end of my pregnancy my belly almost started to bleed. My stretch marks were growing so fast and raw. It was a very painful and itchy time!

These pics were some time near the end of my pregnancy. Those stretch marks hurt soooo bad!! Can't believe all those kiddos fit in there! So amazing!

 

  

Side view with yoga pants still hiding flap

Now with the band down and flap out you can see the left over skin and fat. You can also see how I still look prego because of the muscle separation causing my abs to protrude.

See that little scar there on my back? That's the whole reason why this surgery is so important for me. Sure it's going to be great having this flap just cut off but the most important thing is having my abdominal muscles sewn back together. They tore so badly during my pregnancy there is no chance of them repairing on their own, even with physical therapy. I have degenerative disc disease of my lumbar area. I had a discectomy on my L4L5  two months before getting prego with the quads. My back did not heal properly because of having to go on bed rest right away. The back muscles supporting my injured discs became weak. Abdominal muscles are crucial to supporting a injured back and mine do not function correctly. In order to start rebuilding back and core muscles my ab muscles need to be repaired. Just to my luck during my pregnancy my bulged discs above and below the newly repaired disc turned into herniations and I will need a second back surgery later this year. I was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease when I was 21. Why did I have this issue at such a young age? I don't know! The docs don't know. Genetics? Bucked off one to many times? That was my first and only health issue. I never thought I would be that person who is in and out of hospitals. But the good news, surgery can help fix discs, strengthening muscles will support my weak areas, when the discs get too worn down I can get new ones or a fusion(ugh really trying to avoid those options) and cancer can be killed. I guess for now it's just the journey of getting there. 

So, back to my tummy tuck....

I'll be down for a few weeks so mom is coming back to help with the kiddos. Andy is finally back home so he will be doing his daddy stuff. We have some friends here that will come by now and then to give mom and Andy a break. I have moms tempurtic adjustable bed to sleep in so I don't have to worry about being too uncomfortable. And Auntie Riane is coming out to help take care of me the week after surgery! Yay!!! Those were all the big worries, so now I just have to focus on keeping my body healthy! 

 I can't wait to sit down and not have this in my lap!