So my calves will be getting the first liposuction treatment on January 6th. I’m excited that this is finally happening and I’ll be able to reduce the size of my massive calves!
In 2010, before I started lifting, my calves were around 19 inches. In the past 5 years, they’ve managed to grow up to about 21.5 inches. Some of that I know is muscle growth, there’s a lot of fat, and then there’s the water retention from the secondary lymphedema. Since October when I started regularly wearing compression stockings as well as getting MLD (manual lymph drainage massage) it’s gone from 21.5 inches and are currently 20.75 inches.
My expectations for my calves with liposuction
What do I expect for my calves? I’m hoping that I can get them down to at least 16 inches (15 would be FANTASTIC) and that this will help relieve the pressure and water retention from the lymphedema. The surgeon seems to think that the lymphedema will be completely reversed when all is said and done, so I’m hoping that the calves will show a drastic improvement.
Oh, and I want to be able to wear roller blades again. I tried putting them on a few weeks ago and was able to latch them, but the pain from the pressure on my shins and the back of my calves was crippling. I couldn’t stand upright to skate at all.
What to expect on surgery day
So the liposuction on my calves is scheduled to start at noon in Rotterdam (not my favorite city in the Netherlands! But oh well!).
When I get to the clinic where the surgery will take place, they’ll give me something to help calm me. I can’t say I’m overly anxious or worried about this right now, but apparently most patients are a bit anxious on the day. So since this is local anesthesia, they give something to relax the patient.
At that point they’ll give me a gown and the doctor will prepare me for the liposuction by making me a human sketch board. He’ll mark all the areas on my calves where he’ll be sucking out fat.
Once he’s done, then he’ll go and make incisions in my calves where he’ll stick the wand in my calves that will emit fluid to blow my calves up like balloons. This will help separate the skin from the fat, break the fat up, and the solution has anesthesia in it. After that he’ll start sucking out the fat and I’ll be awake for it the entire time.
2.5-3 hours later, it’ll be done and they’ll make me walk to the recovery room. Around 6pm I’ll be able to go home.
2 days later I’ll go down to Tilburg (where the doctor is that day) for a checkup and then on the 3rd day after surgery I’ll need to have my legs wrapped with compression bandages. After that it’s compression stockings.
Apparently after a few days after the surgery itself I’ll be up, moving and back to my usual activities.
PetraAnn
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