8 Weeks Post Op

Had my 8 week post-op appointment with the Doc. She was very happy with how I am progressing. I am too, for that matter. I don't swell up nearly as much. I have more sensation in my tummy - there remains an oval of about 6 inches by 3 1/2 inches where I had little to no sensation beneath my belly button and stretching to my incision line. The funny thing is that below the incision line I have all my sensation back. (The clown in me wants to add "If you know what I mean" to that.)

Speaking of clown... at the 7 week mark I participated in a clown workshop in Ottawa. An entire weekend of physical comedy. It was 18 hours long spread over 3 days and it was pretty intensive. I couldn't do some of the more physical exercises -jumping into a high tuck and then landing lightly on my feet, falling down and then getting back up fluidly... after I fall down I still need to roll to one side and then push myself up with one arm. By each of the days' end I was happy and exhausted and my tummy was protesting a tad.

After the clown workshop we drove down to Washington DC where we walked and walked and walked... and then walked some more. And may I say? Washington in stunning! I was truly taken aback at how beautiful it was there. The National Mall and the monuments and the elms leading to the Lincoln Memorial and the Smithsonian museums... even the IRS building was beautiful. Sorry to say, but our federal buildings in Canada (apart from Parliament Hill and a few others) are not pretty. It's like all our federal buildings were updated in the 70s and haven't been touched since. I've gotta say that the US capitol made me gasp several times because it's so amazingly picturesque. I had been a little worried that all the walking in DC might prove difficult for me, but I felt great. Physically tired at the end of each day, but great. Not once did we have to request a wheelchair for my healing body - which had been my concern before going.

I'll take some more pics of how the tummy looks and post them with this, but it's looking good. Last week I found some un-dissolved stitched that I pulled and there were also some ingrown hairs along my incision adding to the "eeew" factor. At the far edges of the incision I have a bit of "dog-eared" flesh (stuff that sticks up a bit) that may or may not settle down after a year's time. If it doesn't flatten out by then, the Doc assured me that she would do something about it, but until then we wait. She was apologetic at the redness of my scar, but assured me that after a year it would be much better. I guess that some gals are surprised that being cut nearly in half results in an angry-looking scar, but I'm just happy to have a flatter tummy without the cottage cheese consistency. She also noticed that maybe an inch and a half of the scar is now a titch raised. I hadn't even noticed because I'm still a little icked out about touching the scar. She told me to massage the area and I could use a "scar" cream or regular lotion, but the massaging part was important to get sensation back and help flatten the scar - which I hadn't even noticed wasn't really flat.

I have basically the same body shape as I did before, only without the bulging tummy in front. I've gone down 2 or 3 pant sizes depending on the brand and that in itself is pretty phenomenal. Not having to suck in is a really nice feeling. I am aiming to still lose another 10 pounds or so that would put me in the healthy BMI (body mass index) range - which I haven't been in for - well lets say EVER because it's true. Funny thing is though, most people would never say that I'm overweight. Even with the extra tummyness. At 5'6", I've always been voluptuous and I've never been the 130 - 135 lbs that I'm supposed to be. NEVER. At 150 I look good and that's what I'm aiming for. Any less than that and I think I might look a wee bit cadaverous.

Another highlights this week... I've walked 10 K twice! (The other days I didn't have an hour and a half to spare so I just stuck to the 5-7 K) Of course both those 10 K nights I crashed with the kid at 8:00 p.m. But to know that I can... that's a really good feeling. And seeing as the sun is shining at present, I'd best go for my walk - I'm aiming for 7 K this morning.

Cheers!
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