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December 18, 2023
Patient Story: Valerie
I am currently 65 years old. My first C-section was an 18-minute emergency one. Five years later, I had a two-hour C-section to remove adhesions from the emergency birth and the delivery of a 9 lb.,15 oz., 23-inch baby boy. Ten years later, I would have a laparotomy and hysterectomy, two hours with endless adhesions. Five years after that, the ovaries went bye-bye in a cancer scare, along with nicking the bladder and needing a catheter for six weeks.
It was a giant mess for sure, and I vowed never to have surgery again.
In my late 50s, I started to experience a lot of pain in my abdomen and did four months of pelvic floor rehab. It did a lot of good, but all those adhesions that held together different parts of the opened and closed belly just let loose. I still didn’t want to have surgery.
Starting at 60, I began to entertain the idea of getting rid of this human fanny pack sitting on the front of my body. That is when I was directed to Sirish Maddali, MD, FACS, for a tummy tuck in Portland, Maine. Plastic + Hand is a lovely place filled with attentive, compassionate, funny, and extremely trustworthy people.
We decided I would have a complete tummy tuck (full abdominoplasty). Closer to the surgery date, I started to get a little panicked about another big surgery, so I went in to talk to Dr. Maddali. I got into the hospital gown and the mini underwear. To explain to me why I would need a full tummy tuck, he asked if he could draw on me. The answer was absolutely.
It was that visit that really sold me. It calmed me down, and I could see exactly what he was talking about. I was very reassured that if I had tried to do something less, or the mini tummy tuck, it would not be what I wanted.
I was a little nervous when the day came, but everybody there had been so helpful and amazing that I wasn’t scared. I arrived in the middle of a snowstorm, lucky me. I met with Dr. Maddali before, but I was still going back and forth on creating a new belly button or not having one. He showed me that putting the belly button back on was no problem, so I went with that.
The anesthesiologist arrived from the snowstorm and took his time with me, asking and answering questions. He was a very gentle and lovely man. Shortly after, I walked into the OR. These are amazing rooms and so beautifully set up to be exactly what they are for. Everyone feels very calm and knowledgeable.
The last thing the anesthesiologist said to me as he looked down over me was to “get ready to have a wonderful dream.” Sure enough, I woke up what felt like moments later. A fantastic nurse stood over me and helped me wake up. They gave me the first pain medication that overlapped with the medication given during the surgery. Truthfully, I was not really in much pain. I had tightness around the middle and front of my body. I realized I couldn’t stand up straight, but I was prepared.
I stayed in a hotel overnight because they wanted to keep me close in case of any complications. My partner and sister took care of me, and even that first night wasn’t really difficult.
After I was home, I could see that this was a process you had to completely surrender to. Move slowly and take your time. The first two weeks were on and off rough between pain meds, but nothing as bad as I expected. A few tips about tummy tuck recovery? Always have somebody help you go to the bathroom in the first two weeks. Make sure to have those pillows under your knees and your back. When you get out of bed, roll onto your elbow, sit up straight, breathe, and stand bent over. On week three, it starts getting a little better each day.
Do you know how hard it can be to get a doctor to call you? Something was going on with my drain and I was uncomfortable. I called the office at night, and somebody immediately answered the phone. I told the person what was happening, and my phone rang five minutes later. It was Dr. Maddali. That, for me, was worth the price of admission.
What is it like now? I have the flat belly that I wished for my entire life. I always had a pear-shaped sort of belly. It has stayed that way, but the most important thing was that it completely changed my body mechanics and the way my body moved at the waist. I also noticed that my digestive system was working better, no doubt from not being pulled from the weight of flesh on the front of my body.
I can’t recommend Dr. Maddali and Plastic + Hand enough. You’re in good hands with him.
Thank you,
Valerie
Are you considering tummy tuck surgery?
Our Plastic + Hand team has the most qualified tummy tuck surgeons in Maine. If you’re considering a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) for either cosmetic appearance and/or to help with abdominal muscle repair, rely on the leaders of plastic surgery in Portland, Maine.
It’s time to discover the results you’ll love. The first step begins here. Call us at 207-775-3446 or submit this request form to schedule your consultation with our Patient Care Coordinator to determine whether a tummy tuck is right for you.
