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10 DAYS TUMMY TUCK POSTOP

Mo Knows Travel

Lord Have Mercy!!! Let me tell yall. Coming from a person who does not take any medicine. All I can say is these meds had me Moody AF!!! Emotionally, I was all over the place. Fortunately, that's the bad news, because the good news was I never experienced any pain.

However... last night... I decided I wanted to stop taking the meds and return back to my old mental self. With my daughter by my side, we laid in my bed, I was very uncomfortable. I would rate my pain at around a 6. This is the most pain I have been in since the surgery. However, I was determined to tough it out.  And I made it!!!!

Today, I have not taken any medicine at all and I have not been in any pain. I'm still taking it easy. Not doing too much. But, I am PRAYING TO GOD that my doctor remove my drains on Monday.

My last follow up, on Wednesday, the doctor said I was still having too much output in the drain. And my reaction was to storm out of the office and yell at them.....

"I AM NOT HAPPY!!!!! I AM GIVING YA'LL FIVE SAD FACE EMOJI'S AND 5 RED FACE MAD FACE EMOJI'S!!!!"😡😡😡😡😡😔😔😔😔😔

The whole staff looked puzzled and one nurse responded, "Five?"

"YES!!!!!! Five!!!!!!" I yelled as i left out of the office.

Since that visit, I just have been agitated with everyone. Not really my kids, because they really get on my nerves. But they have not been agitating me. Which is strange to me. I been really frustrated with my sister and my husband. My mom is on the list too, but I can't really be mad at her for too long.

What I would like ya'll to know is that meds have side effects. I've heard of people getting depressed or getting addicted to them. So just know that after the procedure, the medication will have some effects on you mentally eventhough it eliminates your pain.

Again... I would like to thank all the good people in my circle who knew I was agitated and continued to call, text, and message me anyway. I am forever grateful for them. Here are a few of my circle that’s been in my inbox.... I heart them for their concern for me! 

 

 

Many people have asked alot of questions about my procedure and so let me address that real quickly.

1. Why did you pick your surgeon????  I love Dr. Rednam she was one of the few docs in Houston who offered the drainless tummy tuck. Eventhough, I was not a candidate for that procedure, I moved forward with allowing her to perform my surgery.

2. What are you eating Post Op? Yes. I had a little thanksgiving food. My cousin Bennie had a turkey soooooooooo good I couldve hurt myself eating it. Oh.... and they had potatoe salad. At my cousin Chirlanda's I had a little dressing and greens. Honestly, I did not eat toooooo much. Not nearly as much as I normally would have ate.

But typically everyday since the surgery, all I've been craving is WATERMELON & soup (Wonton Soup) I don't know why. Then, I also have a granola bar and a green tea.

Granola Bar

Green Tea

3. Have you lost any weight? The surgeon removed about 4 lbs of skin and fat, but I got on the scale this morning (the day after thanksgiving and I had lost 6lbs.) I don't know whats that about since I haven't been moving much. Maybe because I have not been eating a lot. I really don't know 

Thanks everyone for following my journey! Please subscribe to my blog and VLOG Mo Knows Travel & I will keep you updated. 

I promise you.... this page is NOT going to be just about me and my journey. We are all on a journey and I will be highlighting others along the way. The goal is to showcase at least one person per month. So, not only are we discussing literally traveling, but figuratively traveling on our life's journey!!! 

******Last but not least....... I need 100 YouTube subscribers..... subscribe to my channel for a FREE 25 Minute travel consult with me!!!

TUMMY TUCK EXPERIENCE/ADVICE

Mo Knows Travel

After years of wanting a tummy tuck,11/15/17, I went and had it done. Before I tell you about my surgery let me first list to you the reasons why I wanted this done:



1. In 2005, I had twins which left an unflattering pouch of extra skin....

2. In addition to that, I used to be 200 lbs, but threw diet and exercise I lost a good 40 lbs.

3. For years, I have been insecure and uncomfortable about my stomach. No matter how much I worked out or ate right, I just could not get rid of the pouch!

BEFORE WEIGHT LOSS

BEFORE WEIGHT LOSS

Mind you.... I don't have too many pics at my heaviest because I just refused to take pictures.

AFTER WEIGHT LOSS

AFTER WEIGHT LOSS

Now... that that's out of the way. Let me share with you that I am married and for the longest my husband refused to allow me to have the surgery. I felt it was very sweet that he felt it was nothing wrong with my body and I did not need to have anything done. Also, I do respect how my husband feels about things but I wanted this for myself so badly. I was very persistent until he gave in. Also, my children are older and self sufficient so I knew now would be a good time do this. Lastly, I felt this was the opportune time to have this done because my oldest boys had not went off to college yet and financially we were in a really good place. I had paid off my truck and debts, and I did not know what expenses I would occur once the boys got ready to go off to college.

Enough of that..... I knew many people who had the surgery done with successful results, but I researched my doctor on REALSELF.COM/DR.REDNAM..  I was most interested in a surgeon who could perform a drain less tummy tuck and she was one of the few in the Houston area who offered that service. Her reviews were amazing and on top of that she was aesthetically beautiful.  She looked like she really took care of herself, her accolades were amazing, and I felt very comfy she would take good care of me as well. Upon my consultation with her, I felt as if we were home girls. Dr.Rednam is very down to earth and personable. I shared with her that I had lost 40lbs, but had gained 8 lbs back. Her response to me transferred from a cosmetic surgeon to a therapist. All she said to me was that I should really be proud of myself for losing that much weight with diet and exercise. It was just the way she said it that made me feel a whole lot better about myself,

Day of surgery.... I chose to have it done at her surgical center. Very beautiful and welcoming facility.

 

They have a nurse there (who was not my nurse) but she came around and hugged everyone. Even though the entire staff was friendly, the hug from the nurse seemed to ease my anxiety a great deal and I really don't think she knows how much that meant to me.

Here is a pic 24 hours after the surgery... minimal swelling... .. 

All of the black markings is from Dr. Rednam drawing all over me prior to the surgery.

Here is a pic 5 days post OP.... a lot of swelling and bloating because I have not been able to have a bowel movement...

I did have a bowel movement last night. Hallelujah! But, I went to have a follow up with my doctor and I was sad because they refused to removed the drain until Monday......

Ultimately, I am very happy with my results. My stomach looks amazing. I still have stretch marks, but that does not bother me one bit. Also, I'm happy with the way my belly button looks.

MY ADVICE IF YOU WANT THIS DONE:



1. BE VERY ACTIVE PRIOR TO THE SURGERY. I was doing an hour of

Recent IG work out video

Zumba, cardio, and some strength training almost everyday before my surgery. I really believe that helped with my recovery,

2. Take your medicine as recommended. Regardless, if you are in pain or not. I set my timer on my phone and every time it went off i took my medicine. So, I was never in any pain.

3. Rest and allow others to help you. I had a good friend help me bath. My husband was wonderful and so were my kids. My mom brought me water melon which i craved a lot and my sister blessed me with Wonton soup. 

4. Last but not least.... make sure you are financially ready.... This surgery is not cheap, bur it's definitely worth it. Just make sure you are ready to pay the cost without any hesitation.  The last thing you want to do is put a strain on your household.

IF you want to see my 5 day post op video here is the link: 5 DAY POST OP VLOG

I will update another video once the drain is removed and swelling goes down.

As of today here is my before vs after.....

DAY BEFORE SURGERY

My current situation:

Not eating too much. Just green tea, watermelon, soup, and a granola bar a day.

I'm taking the meds every 5 hours instead of 3. Still no pain. But... I'm staying high. And I'm keeping my trainer on all day, this is helping with the swelling. 

Good luck on your journey! Wherever it may take you! This might not be for everyone, but do what you want to do for you! You deserve it! Life is a journey not a destination! Where to next?

****Please subscribe to my blog MoKnowsTravel.com& YouTube channelMo Knows Travel VLOG, I have some amazing people I'm interviewing soon!!!! I pray you find inspiration from my blog and Vlog for your journey!!!

I'M DEPRESSED? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

Can I be candid with you for one second? For the most person, I am a very happy person! I love my life, my family, and I have so much gratitude in my heart for every blessing in my life. I know I am a good person and I aim to help as many people as I can. My esteem is high and everything and even when everything in my life feels to be falling into place.... For some reason... I still get feelings of everything falling apart.
Prime example... Yesterday, I had such an amazing day! I accompanied kids in my nonprofit to the Lonestar Flight Museum in Houston, TX. For Veterans Day, the Legacy Flight Academy provided free starter flights for kids who have never flown before. What an amazing experience for these kids. When I woke up, I was so excited and threw on one of my new favorite t shirts which says, "Live your dreams. FLY NOW!"

At the event, "Eyes Above The Horizon, " the atmosphere was loving. I enjoyed seeing all the volunteers and support from our armed forces on Veterans Day.

  

However..... when I got home I caught a bad case of the blues. For real. It just hit me like a train. And it hit me hard. I was depressed because I was tired. I was depressed because I had poured so much of myself unto others. For the last few days, I had been eating bad. And when I eat bad that always makes me feel bad.
But.... the biggest reason why I was depressed because I felt disappointed.  How many times do we feel that we should be somewhere else or farther along than where we are. Especially when we see others doing bigger and better things than yourself. I had spent the day around beautiful professional people. Air Force women, pilots, and professionals who were giving all they had to inspire the next generation of kids.
I thought of my childhood and how I should have went right instead of turning left. I thought of my adulthood as to how many times I've not pursued my goals. My finances are not where they are suppose to be. I look at my body and I still have some insecurities even though I work out so much and appear confidence.
The thing is... we all get tired, give too much to others, compare ourselves to others, and are very hard on ourselves.

My last blog was about an episode of modern family where I was using a good example of how everything just works out in life at the end. MODERN FAMILY EPISODE REVIEW Whats so crazy is on the way to the event I was listening to the country song with the lyrics, "I'm not as good as I'm gonna get, but I'm better than I used to be, " by Tim McGraw.
So maybe I wasn't clinically depressed last night, but we all get down. Here is the remedy:

1. REST- you can't do anything if you're tired

2. DELEGATE- stop doing everything on your own! Ask for help and demand it.

3. SELF LOVE- take care of you! Exercise! Drink some water. Eat some green stuff
And last but not least.... make a plan for YOUR LIFE AND STICK TO IT! THIS IS YOUR JOURNEY! I LOVE THIS MEME: 

In case you're wondering... I woke up this morning well rested! Before I opened my eyes I sent out vibrations into the Universe about all the things that I am grateful for in my life!!! I thought really hard about my blues and I felt the strong urge to write and make adjustments in the future.
On your journey, if you're not learning and growing, then you're not going anywhere!

If you want to see my VLOG review of the Flight Museum: https://youtu.be/gOts_xWWkQQ 

Modern Family 10 YEARS LATER EPISODE

Last weeks episode (season 9, episode 6)  aired 11/1/17 had a deep deep message inside of it. By the end of the show, I wanted to stand on my feet and raise my hands in praise like I was in an old Southern Baptist Church. I literally had an "Ah-hah" moment (in the words of Oprah).

Modern Family is filled with multiple story lines, but I would like to focus on Phil and his magic! For this episode, Jay and Gloria's wedding anniversary party was approaching and Phil decided to do a magic trick at the celebration. During the episode, Phil discovered how his whole life could've changed, but Claire decided to make an executive decision about his career. Upon finding this out, Phil was devastated. 

Has anyone just made a decision for you and you believe that greatly affected your life? Phil was upset because he was not allowed to choose that particular path for himself. During the episode, Jay asked Phil, "Didn't your life turn out great?"

I'm sure Phil was thinking, "That's not the freaking point! My life would have went a completely different if I was allowed to choose for myself."

Furthermore,  I know Phil was upset because sometimes we imagine our life would have been better if...

what if I would've went this way or that way...
or if this or if that....

But the point with Phil's story.... At the end,  we all end up to where we are suppose to be! We don't have to agonize over missed opportunities. Sometimes things don't happen for us sooner because we really need to discover who we are!!! Over the years... Phil never stopped being who he was.....  We've followed Phil for many seasons grow his magic talent. I have to believe that everything happens for a reason at the perfect time! Keep your Phil spirit alive. One of fun, mystery, and laughter. Enjoy your journey. It's filled with great prizes along the way.

BIG DREAMS

How many of us have big dreams? There is soooo much I want to do with my life. I feel that's a blessing and a curse. On one hand I am excited of the things to come, on the other...... I feel like there's never enough hours in a day?

Half of my family are official passport holders! So... the door opening into the whole world has just been unlocked. Its so many amazing places to visit. I'm enjoying the research into all of the prospects. My travel goal is to visit one continent per year for the next five years. Earth is made up of 7, just in case you didn't know, I already live on one and Antarctica is a continent at the moment I have no desire to visit. 

Outside of travel, I have personal goals that I want to accomplish. One day..... I will be brave enough to jump out of plane and one day I will be strong enough to do a backflip. These are my personal goals.

HERE ARE THE 5 AREAS OF YOUR LIFE YOU SHOULD ESTABLISH BIG GOALS

1. PHYSICALLY- 

2. SPIRITUALLY-

3. PERSONALLY-

4. RELATIONSHIPS-

5.FINANCIALLY-

There's a famous script that says, "Faith without Works is dead!" Once you have prayed and really done some soul searching about your goals, it is fairly easy to write them down. Next, is the action plan. What is most helpful to me with achieving my goals is I get a high from crossing things off a list. So.. I make lists because for the thrill of being able to cross things off. Also, on really big goals I have accountability partners in my life. These are individuals I can trust with the ups and downs of my journey. Ultimately, they will encourage me to stay on track.

Lastly.... SLAY YOUR GOALS!!! FOR YOURSELF!!!! JUST DO IT.... FOR YOU!!!! If not, you will live a life of regret. IF only you would've...... Don't let that be you! I am ordering you in the meanest drill sergeant voice, "Get to work!!!! Follow your path!!! "

LIFE IS A JOURNEY

Sooo... whats the deal with "Life is a journey. Not a destination." "Isn't this a travel blog?" Yes... this is a travel blog, but not only will I focus on traveling literally, we will also discuss figuratively traveling in your life. Your life's work. I am in the process of creating a facebook group with only a selected amount of people who are ready to put in the work to take their life to the next level. If there is anything about your life, your environment, or your situation that you want to change... sometimes you just need an accountability partner and motivation! Here is your MOTIVATION & SIGN RIGHT HERE! GO FOR IT! JUST DO IT! If you are interested in joining my facebook movement, here is the link... https://www.facebook.com/MoKnowsTravel/ 

As for me... I really felt my journey was complete when I opened my mobile Ultrasound business.... Ultrasonic Baby Showers. As an Ultrasound Tech, I purchased my own machine and traveled to baby showers and showed the baby to family and friends. We also did Gender Reveal parties. I knew I was on the right road. All of the stars were aligning.... but two years in it.... I had to let the business go because as a small business owner its hard to maintain monthly expenses. Capital gets low. A lot of hard work. Ultimately, I ended that business. It took me years to be able to attend Baby Showers and not feel sad about them. 

Unfortunately, that is not the only business I have had. In the past, I've had other businesses from an online stores to a custom car auto shop. After reading TD Jakes book, "Instinct,"  I just knew it was more to life than just working and paying bills. My instincts were telling me there is more to this world than being caged at a job. 

Currently, I still work full time, but I have a plan. I'm on my journey. I may have encountered some road bumps and stumbling blocks, but I won't give up. That is my desire for you as well. We need to connect, support, and inspire each other to live life to the fullness. Also, figurative travel on your life's journey is meant to be enjoyed. With faith, proper planning, and hard work you can get to anywhere you desire. No one can walk in your shoes on your path, but you! You must do the work! 

So... there you have it. We are ALL on a journey! It's more to life than getting to a certain destination. Help someone along the way! IF something doesn't work out, have flexibility and keep pushing! Last but not least, once you reach your destination, strive for a new one! That's the lovely thing about traveling! It never ends! Getting to one place simply opens the door to another!

CRUISING

A cruise is the most easiest and economical vacation you will ever take. Especially, if you have children. Have you ever taken your kids to theme parks or traveled with them? With kids, you constantly have to entertain them, or feed them. Theme parks are hot, crowded, and have long lines everywhere. Cruising with kids is a breeze. You can just drop them off at camp all day and go do whatever you want to. My first cruise with my kids, they cried when I went to pick them up from camp. Seriously.. the camp workers do a great job keeping the kiddos entertained. And if you're worried about safety, in the event of an emergency all the kids where bracelets the whole cruise so they can be easily directed to their emergency buffer stations. Parents are instructed to go to their station and not search for their children, because the workers can easily tell where kids go by the color of their bracelet.

FIRST CRUISE 2012

So what is there to do on a cruise ship? Of course, there is an unlimited amount of food. Every night the ship has some sort of show, their are comedy shows, the casinos, movies on the Lido, BINGO, Karaoke, and so much more. If you feel that you will be bored... let me tell you right now, that there will be more than enough things to keep you entertained. But, I think the best thing about a cruise is you have the power to choose just how much you want to do or not do everyday. If your desire is to lay in the bed all day and order room service, then you can do that. Whether you want to turn down or turn up, depends on you. 

5 THINGS I WISH I WOULD'VE KNOWN BEFORE MY 1ST CRUISE

1. Embarkation and safety briefings- Bring some patience and wear comfy shoes on day 1. Standing in long lines to get checked unto the ship is pretty common. Also, it is required by Maritime Law for all cruise ships to perform a safety briefing prior to sailing. Pay attention to this. Even though, I can't remember what is said, I'm sure the information is important. This safety briefing reminds me of what the flight attendants do before each flight.

2. Bring a light jacket or shawl- IT IS FREEZING COLD ON THE SHIP LIKE A HOSPITAL! My first cruise all I had for my family was shorts and sundresses. Every night for dinner we were uncomfortably cold. Also, the theatre room feels like Alaska. Don't make the same mistake we made, bring something to cover up at night.

3. Gratuities- These are recommended by the ship. The waitstaff and your cabin steward will provide you with the very best customer service so they deserve something. However, how much you leave is up to you. If you need to make an adjustment to what is charged, just visit Guest services while aboard. Normally... my husband and I pay the recommended gratuity, but we don't pay the entire recommended amount for the kids all the time. 

4. Read your ships daily mail. It has very important info for you. On some sea days, certain restaurants might be open for free during lunch where for dinner it would require a reservation and a fee. On port days, take the mail with you in your bag so that in the event of an emergency you know who to call. All emergency contacts are located on the mail for the day.

5. TRY NEW FOODS! You just never know. But all the food is free, and when will you ever have the opportunity to try a food that you wont have to pay for if you don't like it... oh well.... One time, my son tried snail on fancy formal night. It did not sit well with his stomach and he threw up all over the place. We laugh about it now, but now he knows to never buy snail. If you are eating dinner and you taste something you love, don't be ashamed to ask for seconds. Its FREE remember! Get as much as you like. The first time we had a lobster aboard, we had no idea we could've ordered another one. How cool is that?

Getting Started

I am writing this with the most excitement, because today I officially am the owner of a passport!!! Obtaining a passport symbolizes the door opening to the whole wide world! Literally... I could not stop smelling the book. It is such a delightful smell to me.  For the past five years, I've been traveling and only did international trips via a cruise. So who knows where I will go next? When I originally started traveling it was the year after I lost my grandfather. 2011 was a pretty bad year for our family. A lot of terrible things happened. However, I vowed for 2012 to restore our families happiness and create new memories. Whatever your reason for traveling, all you have to do is a few easy steps to get you going.

5 EASY STEPS TO GET GOING

1. Investigate- talk to family/friends. Google places you would like to go. Do some researching and get inspired. You're reading this post, so you are already on the right track.

2. Budget- how much money can you put away for a vacation? If you don't have a lot of disposable money... what can you cut back and/or sacrifice? I love the Mint app. It opens your eyes as to how much you are spending where. There is a feature where you can allocate X amount of funds per week for your travel goals. Mint will keep you on track with budgeting.

3. Take smaller vacays before you attempt big ones. Leave your city. Drive to another state. Visit new places that are not too far away from home before you attempt  a grand cross country adventure. 

4. Face your fears. People often tell me how they are afraid of planes or cruise boats. My answer to that... the world awaits! Don't live your life in fear! Statistically... planes and cruise boats are safer than automobiles. And seriously...  DO NOT PASS YOUR FEARS ON TO YOUR CHILDREN! Kids should be exposed at a young age to travel outside of a car.

5. Get a travel card! My travel card is my best friend. First of all, I can daily accrue miles that I can use for travel. Then, when I am away on vacation I carry my card as an added protection for just in case something happens.The key is to keep your balances low and ask your provider for a credit limit increase once a year. 

All About Mo

Mo Knows Travel is a wife and mother of four. I am the founder of Divine Kids, which is a non-profit that awards resilient and thriving children with travel opportunities! This organization is funded by my travel agency Divine Vacation and the generosity of sponsors.

For most of my adult life, I have been on this fitness journey.  
But I guess that’s what a healthy lifestyle entails.... I’m still not at my goal weight because of a secret blue bell cookies and cream ice cream addiction. However, I’m having fun taking Zumba and other fitness classes at the gym. If I had good genes and did not need to exercise to maintain my shape I would have never met so many good friends.

Career wise.... for the past 12 years I’ve worked in the hospital as an Ultrasound Tech. I’ve seen all the babies I ever want to see. However, almost a year ago I was blessed with the chance to deliver my sisters baby. He came out before I could get her to the hospital. That was one of the most exciting and scariest days of my life! 

Just recently I reached a lifetime goal of mine to complete my bachelors degree! My degree will be used as a testiment to the kids in my organization that if I can do it, they can to.

Since I love to travel and I will do so the rest of my life. I decided to rebrand myself as a travel blogger. I have been to many places..

Hawaii... 

Inside the White House during the Obama presidency... 

The Grand Canyon...


Vegas several times....


At least 10 cruises, the East coast, West Coast, and most Floridian cities.

Threw my past travels I have been able to learn valuable life lessons from them. My hope is that I can inspire others to enjoy their lives because we are all on this journey.

Traveling is not just about getting to a particular destination. It’s a journey just like life. So let’s go on an adventure together. Accomplish all of hearts desires while having the most fun as we possibly can!!!!