Pre-Op Jitters and Nerve-Related Utter Silliness

I'm all confirmed for my surgery on Monday morning. Check in time is 7:45 AM Pacific Daylight Standard Daylight Standard Whatever Time. My original check-in time was 1:45 PM, but I called and threw a holy isht fit about it and they re-arranged to make me first appointment of the day. (Better to get the crazy lady out of the clinic as soon as possible, I suppose!) Nah, the reason I whined was because this is an outpatient surgery and I'll be heading straight home with my mother, who is a non-driver. The 1:45 start time would put me on I-405 right in the middle of stinking Monday night's commute. Ugh. Me in pain and strung out on pain meds, my mother a basket case driver. No thank you. I had been begging all along for the first appointment of the day, so I was a little vexed when not only was I not first, but was instead last.

I spoke to the doctor, though, and he was very cool. They moved me to the first appointment. Mom's happy, I'm happy, everybody's happy.

I am soooooooooo nervous. I'm having a recliner delivered by Rent A Center tomorrow. Ew. But it's supposed to be brand new. Sabrina said when she was a realtor, she used them to stage homes all the time, with great success. Everything I've read online about tummy tuck recovery says that you are much more comfortable in a recliner after the surgery. I was going to borrow my parents' but it was turning into a logistical headache, so I like that these guys deliver, set up and come back for it in a month.

Speaking of Sabrina, I had her take some before/after pictures for me today to prep you for the big day:

Before.

After.

I am a crazy woman at work trying to get it all caught up before I go. And I have sooo much stuff to do at home this weekend to prepare, not the least of which is bracing myself for my mother to come stay with me overnight the night of the surgery. Thank God for valium and pain pills. I am such a crotchety patient, I really just crave being alone in a cave.

I decided not to go on a mountain bike ride tomorrow. I was excited about it, but then I got to thinking how inexperienced I am, and what if I skid on a muddy trail and gore myself with a tree branch? And then I can't have surgery because they are worried about a staph infection? Or something. Better skip that one. I'll do a road bike ride instead. The surgeon told me it's actually good for me to go out and exhaust my body this weekend before surgery.

They also said my labs came back with low protein. I have been tasked with chugging protein shakes and other protein this weekend before the surgery. Plus I'm supposed to stay super-hydrated.