“Rhinoplasty: September 14, 2011”

Hi everyone, my surgery is coming up this Wednesday and I am beyond excited. I am a little nervous, because I do have that thought, "What if I still don't like it?", but you can't make my nose worse. Plus, I trust my physician and believe that he will do the best job possible in making my nose fit my face. Plastic surgery is a personal opinion and everyone is entitled to their own opinion....I personally have been thinking about this for awhile and finally made the move to get the surgery.

My nose itself has a bump on the top and well, is just BIG! My dad's side is the one to thank, he was from Jordan, so I have a "roman nose" as you call it. No one has ever told me to my face that my nose was big, but I knew and that is all that mattered to me. And if I knew, I am sure everyone else noticed. It is also something that has brought my confidence level down. I can fix my hair, put on some makeup, but the moment I look in the mirror, ALL I notice is my Nose....I am doing the surgery for myself...and know that some may not agree with the decision I have made...

**I will take some pictures of my profile before and after the surgery and upload them!

Updated on 15 Sep 2011:
Well surgery went well yesturday! As far as pain, all I had was a terrible headache and a soar throat. However, I took one pain pill and few lozenges and I felt so much better. I rested for a few hours after surgery, then I was up and walking around. I hardly have any bruising as of today, just a little bit swolen...I get my cast off and stitches out next week! My phsician was AMAZING! As well as the nurses in the surgery center...my post op nurse had rhinoplasty as well as was giving me a few tips on what to do!

Updated on 18 Sep 2011:
Hey everyone! Well today is day 5 since my surgery and I thought I would give a quick update. I get my cast off and stitches out Tuesday!

As far as Pain, it's bearable, but I jab a high pain tolerance. I only took one pain pill when I needed it. It is very very hard for me to sleep past 4 hours without waking up. That has to be the worst part. Then you can't lie down, you have to stay elevated. It is very important that you eat something before you take your pain medication because you do not want to throw up and damage your nose. My meals have consisted of soups, rice, cereal, and fruit. I do not eat alot. Just very very light stuff. You do not want to eat anything that requires alot of chewing because you do not want to rip out the stitches...

I have very minor bruising and it's starting to fade away. Always keep chapstick in your pocket!!!!! I have to breath out through my mouth and my lips become super dry! Always keep a bottle of water by your bed at night time!! I have awaken and have had my mouth to be severely dry. My nose has a lot of dried blood inside so very few hours I spray saline. My doctor said to not stick a q tip up there because you do not want to tear any stitches. I did have open rhinoplasty, so I have stitches on the outside and dissolvable stitches in the inside.


****** I have a question for you ladies who have already had the procedure. How bad did it hurt taking out the stitches? Did you take a pain pill before? I will be going to get them out by myself and can't take a pain pill and drive so how Terrible was the pain??!!

Updated on 20 Sep 2011:
SO, the cast came off today...and I cried. I am very depressed right now, and as of right now, I hate it. My nose is SOOOOOOOOO SWOLLEN! Like ridiculously swollen. I wish I would be able to see what the front looks like without the swelling:(

Well, I have a post op appt in 2 weeks, and by then, I really hope the majority of the swelling will go done. The front just looks super wide right now.

There is a small, teeny-tiny, bump on top, he said that it is swelling and it will go done over time. He said when I was on the operating table there was no bump, so he told me not to stess out.

Well, I could care less about that right now, I am so worried about the front---IT IS SOO wide, and my TIP IS SOOOOOOOO SWOLLEN!!!
I am going to put some ice on and help speed up the process!

I will upload pictures tomorrow! Really bummed, I wanted to be happy when I saw it, but I was horrified! I just have to remember swelling is expected....

Updated on 28 Sep 2011:
SO, it has been a full two week as of today! My nose is still very swollen at the bridge and the tip. Also, very very tender to touch! I had so many blackheads on my nose from having a cast on it for a week. So when I exfoliate at night, I have to be very soft. I do use my clarisonic--I turn it off, and use it very very very gently! My PS also has me wearing the cast to protect my nose at night. I have bumped it a few times, and it hurts! AHH!
Also, I started back working out yesturday!:) It was for an hour, and it was light cardio and circuit training with light weights (4 lbs) and resistance bands...I felt like I was lazy not exercising!

I am still very swollen, when I wash my face, I realize how tender I am around my eyes and forehead. Like, I do not even lift my eyebrows because it's sore. I have been off my pain meds for awhile now, I believe last Wednesday was my last day. I can not blow my nose yet, and when I sneeze, I sneeze with my mouth open (gross, I know), but you can not have any pressure build up and possibly damage your nose.

For tanning, I use a self tanner called SunLabs, and it is AMAZING! (Just in case you wanted to know:))
I can't think of anything else to tell you! If I do, I will update again! Pictures will go up tnight:)

Updated on 28 Sep 2011:
Sorry, this pictures aren't actually 14 days, did not look so hot today, pictures LOOKED AWFUL. I have an event tomorrow, so I will feel better about myself when I look in the mirror and upload some pictures, I have also uploaded the picture of my frontal view day of surgery, and you can tell how swollen I am not just on my nose, my eyes as well...

Any questions--just message me:)

Updated on 10 Oct 2011:
My one month post op appt is tomorrow! I have posted a picture from this past saturday! I will take some and post tomorrow as well!

As of right now, I am very swollen, my tip is still numb and swollen. When I rub my eyes, it still hurts...nothing else is neww!

Updated on 21 Oct 2011:
My post op appt was a few weeks ago! Everything went great! My tip has a little little feeling in it but is still very swollen. I am also still swollen on the sides of my nose where he drilled the holes. All in all, I am loving my nose more and more!! Pictures uploading were taken exactly one month post op: 10-14-2011,

Updated on 1 Nov 2011:
Hi, I just wanted to let you know that my Plastic Surgeon just released his web app, it is called build my bod. You are also able to download it on your iphone. The website/app allows you to search P.S. in any city and state and lets you know how much their average price is and what you are exactly paying for!

Updated on 1 Nov 2011:
As far as recovery is going, I am still healing. I still see swelling in my tip. As well as where he drilled the holes in my nose. I have not yet blown my nose! Ah, its crazy, but my nose is still very sensitive and the slight bit of pressure hurts! I tried wearing my sunglasses the other day for about 10 minutes, and I had to take them off...it hurt to much, they kept sliding down my nose which I was not used to either! (prob b/c the bump kept them up?) My dog has pawed at my face and hit my nose, and it HURTS! ah! I have increased my workout regimine to 4-5 days a week. With jogging, cardio, and weights, and resistance. I tend to breathe through my mouth more anyways...lol. I absolutely love my nose! More and more, week by week! =] As far as the scar, it is faded a lot, plus makeup covers it up!:)

Updated on 1 Jan 2012:
Hi everyone! So I just uploaded some pictures that were taken randomly through December. My swelling has SLOWLY healed, and I still have a very round swollen tip. I just looked at a picture from right after my cast was off till now, and all I can say is WOW! SOO much has gone down it is crazy! I may upload a side by side of the swelling for you all! Because I know I was so upset after cast removal...

Updated on 19 Feb 2012:
I am 5 months post op! And so much swelling has gone down. Just still have some tip swelling...But I could not be more happy!

Updated on 28 Mar 2012:
woop! It is time for 6 months post-op pictures! The ones I am uploading today were taken at exactly 6 months-March 14, 2012. I am just now getting around to uploading them! I do not feel as much swelling there now. It is crazy seeing how much a difference there has been! I cant believe it has already been 6 months!!