Skin Removal Surgery: Days Leading Up & Morning Of

When you lose a massive amount of weight, you’re usually left with extra skin that won’t go away with exercise, excellent nutrition, vitamins, supplements, water, or anything else. Anything other than surgery, that is.

You can read all about my massive weight loss journey, or check out what made me finally decide to schedule my abdominoplasty, but today I’ll talk about how I prepared for surgery, and what was like leading up to surgery day. Check out what I took to the hospital, and what it was like standing up the first time after surgery.

So here’s what it was like in the days leading up to skin removal surgery.

Days Before Skin Removal Surgery

Anticipation grew as the countdown to skin removal surgery began. I was a little nervous mixed with a whole lot of excited. I was thinking about the outcome but in the forefront of my mind was just getting through the surgery and recovery.

The surgery I needed was a 360 body lift, which means the incision goes all the way around my abdomen and around my lower back. The surgery would take approximately 6 hours, and I’d stay in the hospital for a couple of days after that.

I was basically in checklist mode. I wanted to make sure my husband and kids had everything they’d need to survive without me, so I went overboard buying all the groceries, snacks, toiletries, you name it.

I also spent as much time in the gym as I possibly could. Recovery meant at least six weeks without exercise, so I wanted to squeeze in as much time as I could get. My final workout was an absolute blast. I did my favorite group fitness class, along with so many of my awesome friends that I’ve made at my gym. That final workout was the day before surgery and it was an awesome way to say goodbye (for now) to exercise.

The Night Before Surgery

Still in get-it-done mode, I packed my bag for the hospital. They told me not to worry about bringing a lot, and they were right. I really didn’t need to bring as much as I did. For example I brought an extra pair of clothes, but I definitely didn’t need those. Here’s a list of what I brought, along with what I used and didn’t end up using.

I was slightly nervous, but I was allowed to take Melatonin before bed, so that helped me get a great night of sleep. I thought I was going to be tossing and turning all night, but I didn’t at all!

The night before skin removal surgery I had to shower and wash very thoroughly with a special soap that I got from the hospital. So I did that, put on some fresh, clean bed clothes, and crawled into clean, crips sheets.

The Morning of Skin Removal Surgery

I was given one pill to that I was instructed to take at 5:30 a.m. on the morning of surgery, so I was up taking that at 5:30 a.m. on the dot. After that I had about an hour and a half before I’d need to leave and head to the hospital.

I had to take another shower and scrub with that special soap again, so I did that and then realized I should probably take a few before pictures since I didn’t have many pictures that showed my extra skin. I am SO GLAD I DID THIS. My husband grabbed my phone and took a few, and I think these will be so great to look back on later.

After that, my hubby and I scurried around getting the kids ready and getting my things packed. I couldn’t wear make-up to the hospital, but I did take a few minutes to tame down my hair a bit. Other than that, I threw on a loose-fitting outfit and called it a day!

I wouldn’t put too much thought into your outfit, because you end up taking it off almost as soon as you get to the hospital. You want something very loose-fitting and comfortable. A great idea is to wear an outfit to the hospital and then wear the same one home. This will make for a smaller bag you’re packing for the hospital. Keep in mind that after surgery you can’t lift or carry things that are even slightly heavy. So keeping it simple is key.

Arriving At The Hospital

Arrival time was 7:30 and surgery was scheduled for 9:00 a.m.. My hubby dropped me off at the door and then went to take the kids to school (well, the oldest went to school and the youngest went to stay with a friend which was a major life saver).

Though I was sad to say goodbye to my babies, I threw on the biggest smile and happy enthusiasm I possibly could as I gave them hugs and kisses goodbye. No need to make them nervous! They were full of joy and that made me at ease as I turned to walk through those front doors of the hospital.

I was perfectly fine heading into the hospital on my own. I got checked in, went to the pre-op area, and they did everything they needed to do prior to surgery. By that time, my hubby was back and he hung out with me in the pre-op area.

I am very surprised at how not nervous I was. I honestly feel like one major reason is that I was so very comfortable with my surgeon, Dr. Kreithen. He and his staff prepared me very well for what to expect. He was very involved in the entire process and by the time of surgery I felt like I was in such great hands!

I think another reason I wasn’t overly nervous is that I’ve been planning on doing this surgery for years. It just had never been the right timing until now. But it wasn’t something that was on a whim. It’s something I researched, thought about, and went to several different consultations for. I also have a wonderful community and support around me and my little fam, so it made it that much easier.

I can’t stress that enough… Having people who are cheering you on makes alllllllll the difference. It did for me and my family, that’s for sure!

Just Before Skin Removal Surgery

The last thing to do before they wheeled me back was to mark me up. Dr. Kreithen came in with his special marker and did all kinds of markings on my tummy and lower back. I was honestly so excited to see him enter the room, and it was neat to sort of see him in action as he planned out his procedure.

Fun facts about my surgeon is that he’s a legit artist – like seriously. An actual artist. If that doesn’t make you feel at ease before this kind of surgery I don’t know what does! He was also Chief of Surgery at the hospital for eight years and everyone in the hospital loves him and speaks highly of him.

Make sure you find the surgeon that you’re most comfortable with, because it makes all he difference!

Once he finished marking me up I got back onto the bed. They gave me some kind of “happy juice” (via the IV) that made me super chatty (if you can imagine me being more chatty than I already am), I said goodbye to my gorgeous husband, and they wheeled me back.

I was still not nervous at this point because I felt very prepared – aaaannnnddd because of that happy juice they had given me. 😉

They wheeled me into the operating room, I looked around and saw the big scary lights, chatted with the nurse for a moment, and I vaguely remember them putting a mask over my nose and mouth before I drifted off to dreamland.

Just After Surgery

That was the last thing I remember before waking up peacefully in the recovery area. It was slightly dark, and very calm. I was in no pain whatsoever. One reason for this is that you still have anesthesia hanging out in your body for a while after surgery.

The other thing Dr. Kreithen had ordered from the anesthesiologist was some sort of “ab block” thing. That basically allows them to somehow get some extra pain medicine directly into my abdomen muscles. I’m sorry I don’t completely understand all the ins and outs to explain all of that, but I can tell you it has made a huge difference in the recovery. The ab block lasted at least 24 hours after surgery before it wore off, which is one reason the pain wasn’t absolutely horrible.

The recovery nurse was super nice. The first thought into my head when I woke up was that I couldn’t believe I had just been through 6+ hours of surgery, yet it felt like I had just dozed off for a quick nap.

My throat was dry so the nurse offered me some ice chips, which felt amazing until I immediately felt nauseous. Thankfully they gave me a something to calm the nausea and it worked right away.

After that they wheeled me to a room where I’d stay the next couple of days. That’s when I got to see my hubby, and rest.

So that’s how it all went leading up to the surgery! To read about those first few days after surgery, along with what it was like to stand up the for the first time, check this out! And be sure to subscribe to my email list to stay in the loop with future updates!