Rhinoplasty: Stories

Hi, in 24 years old.Ive always hated my nose. Always. Was made fun of since I can remember. My newfoundland dog broke it when I was younger, and that just made matters worse. I can not wait to finally look the way I want to, regardless of who thinks I shouldnt have this proceedure. Im super nervous, anxious, and constantly reading these blogs. My surgery is a week from tomorrow and im already having trouble sleeping at night just thinking about it, imagining the process, and anticipating my recovery. My pre-op is tomorrow and my final consultation with my doctor. I keep thinking to myself how i just cant wait until Next month when all of this will be behind me. I have a good support system, My mother is going with me to the surgery, and so is my boyfriend ( who hates the idea that im getting my nose done.) and all of my friends think it is a good idea and they cant wait to see the results. Im writing this blog because I know everyone elses blogs helped me with what to expect and gave me a litle more confidence that everything will be okay. I also think that writing my feelings down will help me get rid of the anxiety a little bit. although, I am just so nervous.

Soooo, tomorrow is the day. Im actually surprisingly not that nervous, yet. Im more excited than anything. I think Im not as nervous because I was so nervous last week, that I lost sleep and now Im looking forward to it and to get the anxiety over with. I spoke with the nurse at the Surgery center, she explained things like taking out all of my piercings (i have 20 eeek) and make sure I dont wear my contacts, and wear comfy clothes, like a button down. Im scared tho, because mom just texted me, and she said she has the Stomach Flu ( i just had that New Years eve and it was bruuuutal) so I know she wont be able to come with me tomorrow =/ Luckily my boyfriend will be there, but no one compares to a Mom when you're scared and are afraid of coming out of the anesthesia. Im a big girl tho, ill be fine I suppose. Im all prepared at home, got my gauze and neosporin, and that "arnacia" gel that everyone is raving about. I will hopefully post more later, I need to run and go get mom some gatorade and chicken noodle and go drop it off to her, The Stomach bug makes you so sick that you're immobile. Update later.

Holey moley, I leave for surgery center in one hour, I was up at 1240, 230, 430 and then just stayed awake from 430 till now. I had horrible cold chills and night sweats, which really freaked me out. I suppose I'm just nervous. I texted my friend who is a Respiratory Therapist (she works nights so luckily she replied to me right away) and she said I was just psyching myself out and to breathe in my mode and out my mouth and try to relax, it helped a lot. So other than being terribly scared I am doing ok. And Mom texted me and said she's feeling much better and is in fact going to be able to come with me. I'll post more later. Everyone please say a prayer for me, God is the only one right now who can calm me and give the surgeon wisdom and precision. Thank you!

Im back from the surgery. I went in yesterday at 6:45 am and got home by 12. I was walked back to the sugery prep rooms, got gowned up, and had to wear massaging leg stockings, ( to promote blood flow) and then the nurse took my vitals and prepped me with an IV, started the dehydration drip, then waited for a few mins, and then went back to the anesthesia room. I was on the table for about 1 min, and then thats all I remember. I woke from anesthesia to a nice nurse calling my name and feeding me ice chips. I waited in the recovery room for an hour and then mom and Ryan came in to get me. We got home and then the internal ansthesia (in my nose) started to wear off. Then the pain hit like a ton of bricks. I took a percocet and that did nothing, and then took some Advil and that finally made it feel a little better. I kept tiny bags of Peas on my face all day. that helped reduce the swelling and keep bruising away. When I say all day, I mean all day. every 20 mins or so my boyfriend would go rotate and get me another bag. I didnt get much sleep, because im not used to sleeping in a recliner or on my back. I woke up a few times in the middle of the night, and woke up for the day around 8:30. Mom came over and kept me company (ryan works all day) and she helped me with my meds and my peas. I took 4 advil early, and when they wore off the pain was very bad, so I broke down and took 2 percocet. Best idea yet, It wasnt working yesterday, but today it knocked out my pain entirely. the only thing is that it makes me dizzy, so im staying still and laying down. I am hoping that I have found a solution to my pain when it gets that bad. I will post pictures.

So, today is three days post surgery, was feeling really crappy this morning, afraid to go have the doctor explore up my nose looking for splints. Glad I did it now tho, I feel definitely better. Obviously not as good as before the surgery or months down the road, but better. The splints were about one to two inches long, I didn't realize they could fit that deep into my face. They weren't really painful coming out, just like really uncomfortable and nerve wracking. After they were removed I took two more percocet and took a nap, and after that I haven't had to use the Percocet anymore. Just Advil. Can't wait to get the cast off, and finally be able to walk around and feel good for most of the day.

Today is day 4 post op, Still feeling pretty crappy. I didnt sleep lastnight. I took 2 percocet and I hallucinated a little bit, that freaked me out so much that I ran to my boyfriends room and woke him up. I was very frightened. Today during the day I have been relaxing a lot, got my 2nd shower of the week (gross i know) and have been only taking advil and tylenol, up until about 730 tonight, I had to take one percocet. The annoying pressure and constant pain was too much to bare. So i took one, and didnt hallucinate luckily. Im considerably dizzy though, I think that it is a combination of all the meds, the surgery, and my lack of sleep. I do think that If the dizziness persists that I will have to call my doctor tomorrow. If anyone has any advice or information on that, that would be amazing.

Ok ok ok, so today is day 5 post op. I finallllllly slept through the night (with the help of 2 sleeping ills and a Percocet) and it finally felt so good to wake up with some feeling of life. I'm still dizzy, took a decongestant to drain the fluid in my ears, so hopefully ill feel better shortly. My BIG QUESTION of the day is: is anyone else's nose (or was it) taped upward on the tip????? Mine is taped up like a pig nose, and I'm praying that's just some tape tactic to help set my nose or something. I keep looking at my nose and start to freak out, everything else looks okay, except that I can practically look up my nostrils straight on. Please someone tell me this is normal and that my nostrils will drop down back to normal once the tight tape is removed?!

Today is day 6, Post op. I feel awesome. (as awesome as one could feel with a cast on your face and some stitches inside your nose) But in comparison to all the other days, day 6 has been lovely. I finally cleaned up the house and did laundry. Today is just a good day for preparing for the remainder of the week, as I start back at work on wednesday. I get the cast removed tomorrow. How does that feel? can anyone brace me for it? I have a feeling its going to not feel plesant, but what all should I expect?

Dear god someone help! I'm supposed to go back to work tomorrow, I don't merely have a desk job where I can hide in my office all day (I wish!!) I am a Chiropractic Assistant, I work with over 100 patients on a daily basis, very personal and up close. I am dreading going in tomorrow because my nose is sooo swollen. Like really bad, almost worse than when I got the cast off. I need to know, if anyone else had this issue of super swelling, and if it looked any better the next day?

Alrighty, it's been a good while since I've updated. Sorry! Everything is all good. I posted some photos today. Yesterday marked 3weeks postop and I also went to see the doctor again. He literally was in the exam room with me for 2 mins. He looked up my Nose and said "looks good" he touched the bumps on the side if my nose and said they will shrink over months and then I asked about the thick stitches that are still up in my nose n he assured me they will come out on their own eventually. And I scheduled an appt for 3 months from now, and was on my way out the door. I still use the "arnica" gel for swelling at night and take 2-5 Advil throughout the day if my Nose starts to ache. I have been sleeping in Ryan's bed again and I just put 2 pillows in between us so he doesn't roll over w/o realizing it and hit me in the face. So overall things are good, slowly healing.

It's been 3 months since my surgery and I'm healing well. Slowly getting the doctors bills and paying those off. It's worth it. Idk how else today it, other than "it was the best decision I've made for myself". It's difficult because everyone wants to put their input into your decision making, and as much as we love our family, and our friends, and spouses, they're not the ones with the imperfect nose... You are. You are the one who has to deal with it the rest if your life. Don't make a decision based off of anything anyone else says! Trust me, only ONE person other than myself wanted me to get a nose job. It was my best friend Melissa. Everyone else tried to scare me away from it, or tell me I was pretty w/o it, some even begged me not to.... My nose, my life, my decision. Don't forget that. Guess what?, every person who was drilling me about not getting a nose job, is now applauding me and my bravery to be the first person in my family and extended family to opt into a scary surgery and come out with outstanding results. If something doesn't feel right to you then you'll know it and feel it deep inside. Do it!!!! It will completely change your life!!!!!