zzroged
Phase 2 Nip & Tuck - just how long does a shower take?
Jun 17, 2011
Today is day 4 of being home after my inner thigh lift and arm lift (6 days since surgery). I'm almost 8 weeks out after surgery for a tummy tuck and breast lift.Each day is getting better and better in terms of recovery - both in terms of pain and mobility - though I have to say it's a tougher recovery than the TT and breast lift. On a positive note, I'm not thinking that I was as mad as I thought I was earlier this week to have had the surgery and I can see that there will be light at the end of this nip & tuck journey !
Recovery wise its okay - its painful when I move around - more uncomfortable than painful to be honest. I think it's where the scars are beginning to heal and dry up they are beginning to really pull - plus I'm still very swollen and bruised (try putting a watermelon down your trousers on each leg and walking around and you might get the idea!) - seems like I'm walking around with an imaginary pony between my legs and a straight jacket on my arms ! - so attractive - NOT !!
So my question for today is - "Just how long can it take to take a shower?" - seems like an easy question huh? Well for me taking a shower seems to take about an hour to an hour and a half - which is way too long ! My low blood pressure issues are back - as soon as I remove my compression garment and my surgical stockings my blood pressure drops quickly (it's low anyway - typically 104/45) and with that comes the dizziness and I have to sit down for a while until it stabilises. I'm also taking the opportunity to wash my compression garments and stockings each time - thankfully I have a 20 minute cycle on my washing machine and as it's very hot outside the garments dry quickly !
So I have to take my shower in stages :
firstly I remove my compression garments and any gauze dressings
then I become dizzy and I sit down and take a rest
then I put my garments into the washer and out to dry
then I move into the shower and very very slowly take a shower - legs and arms are numb so that feels weird !
I have to come out and sit down and have a rest as I'm dizzy again
then I have to dry everything very very slowly
very carefully clean up the wounds with plenty of antiseptic
then I have to redress the wounds with gauze and antiseptic spray
apply some ointment to reduce the bruising - let it sink in
* usually take a few progress pictures (not essential - but I normally do!)
and then finally struggle back into my surgical stockings which is no mean feat
followed by my lovely compression garments which again is not easy and then I throw something over the top - easier than it sounds as i can't reach stuff in my wardrobe or drawers and can't lift my foot up more than about 4 inches - but can't reach that far down to hold something that low !
THEN :
I'm also continuing to work with my scar management for my TT and breast lift so I'm either putting on silicon strips or rubbing the scars with some contractubex - which is a gel like solution.
So all in all taking a shower seems to take an hour to an hour and 15 min and my surgeon ideally wants me to take 2 to 3 showers a day at the moment - in particular to keep the thigh area clean (if you know what I mean) I'm just managing one but I'm sure this will increase as is my experience of taking showers gets better !
Well - as you know - i don't have much else to do - so maybe I should enjoy the 3 hour or so shower ritual !
I'm healing well - some of the stitching is still oozing - in the upper thigh area - I guess it's where the most tension is put on the scars. The brusing is still quite extensive and colourful - the arms are uncomfortable and numb - the legs are just uncomfortable, numb, huge and painful in the groin area ! - Well - I am a strong believer of no pain - no gain ! - and my brother says pain is just weakness leaving the body - so I'll just have to suck it up !
I'm pleased to say that I'm continuing to lose weight slowly - I've lost another pound so I'm now just 4 pounds away from my target of reaching 159 pounds I have to say that the moment I'm focusing on recovery eating rather than losing weight, but I'll take any loss that I get.
I'm also practising using an iPhone app called Dragon dictation which allows you to dictate your messages and it then converts them into text which you can email/tweet/post to Facebook - I used it for this post (but had to add some punctuation etc). This is helping my arms greatly.
Talking of Twitter - I signed up to it last week and am beginning to use it - I'm following Martha Stewart - who is in Dubai for a few days - so it's interesting to see what she is up to.
Anyway off to spend the next hour and a half or so getting showered and ready for some more sleep !
Catch you soon .............
