I’m calling it my post-breast cancer reward. It’s also my Mother’s Day gift, my birthday present, and my anniversary surprise. No matter how I slice it, the tummy tuck I received on April 23, 3008 is a gift that will keep on giving—not just because it’s a permanent change but because it cost so darn much, I doubt my family will want to fork over any more cash in my honor. This is fine by me. I have wanted to feel comfortable in my skin for so long now that I’m willing to savor this gift for all of time.

What a gift. My sagging, excess skin left over from two monster pregnancies is now gone. My baby-stretched muscle underneath is now repaired. The umbilical hernia buried below is fixed. I’m flat, and tight, and my new belly button is quite nice too.

Today is day six, post-op, and I’m recovering well. Once armed with a pain pump and two drains dangling from my mid-section and a compression garment holding me tight, I am down to just the garment. I am walking almost upright, showering on my own, packing my kids’ lunches, feeling almost no pain, and worrying only about some swelling under my taped-up incision that runs from one hip to the other. Swelling is normal, says my doctor, and in a few weeks, it will subside. Driving and exercise are my only real restrictions.

In the spirit of breast cancer prevention—I really don’t want a recurrence—I have spent the past year overhauling my lifestyle. I’ve scrapped all soda and sweets and cut down on fatty, sugary treats. I’ve ditched red meat, and alcohol, and a bunch of extra calories too. I’m watching my portions, minimizing my snacking, and eating as many fruits and veggies as I can. And when I’m not rebounding from major abdominal surgery, I’m working out strenuously most days of the week. Through these efforts, I’ve gained a lot of energy, a strong heart, and an appreciation for good health. What I’ve lost is a fair amount of weight.

My tummy never did change during the renovation of my body. It only got worse. The more fat I lost, the more my skin dripped off my belly. My options became (1) gain back the weight and fill up the skin or (2) remove the skin.

I removed the skin. I am so happy I did.