About me: I have been on RS for several years now, read and researched and asked questions, looked at many before and after photos, followed many surgeries and the healing process, and even videos of the procedure (ew!!). I don't believe there is ever "too much information" lol.
In 2014, I started truly considering a neck/face lift. Menopause had done a number on my face; seemed like overnight I had aged at a ridiculous rate (and losing 20# didn't help either.) But I decided I wasn’t ready then. Too uncertain if I truly needed it, too worried of the outcome and recovery, and too expensive: how do I justify THAT kind of money just on my face? As time went on I continued to look at my reflection every day and not like what I saw. Family photos showed a tired me, a sad and saggy neck and face that didn’t belong with my personality. In Jan of 2015 I had the most wonderful vacation to India with my 80 yr old mother, but when I looked at our many photos, I saw that my neck looked as old as hers. I could even see how often I tried to hide my neck with my hair, with a dupatta (long scarf) or something in my hand. Well that just ain't right!
I had previously gone to 3 plastic surgeons and gotten estimates/quotes (sounds like I went to a auto body shop) for face and neck lifts. Different doctors, different approaches, different prices. All very nice and qualified doctors. I went back to the second doctor I consulted with, Dr. Wyatt To. He specializes in facial surgeries, nothing else. No boobs, no butts, no bellies. He studied my face like a work of art, and liked what he saw. He suggested the LA Lift, which is his patented procedure. It’s a combination of a SMAS face lift and neck lift with platysmaplasty done under local anesthetic with oral sedation.
Which brings me to now. I had a second consultation with Dr. To in April. He reacquainted himself with my face, still very pleased with my bone structure, skin elasticity, and felt I was a good candidate for the LA Lift. I like Dr. To very much; he's such a gentleman, soft spoken with an artist's eye and sculpture's hands.
"Just do it!" my best friend said, so I did. I made the decision, paid my deposit and set the date. May 25th, just a month away. Oh, and I added lateral brow lift at the doctor's suggestion, which will help improve my eyes without bleph surgery (which I do not want)
Since i have been researching this procedure for so long, I found that very few reviews focus on the local anesthetic approach. It just seems so strange to not have general for such a lengthy surgery. And the idea of being 'conscious' or 'awake' is slightly terrifying. So are the needles (ya, I watched the videos, omg.) So I will be very specific with the details as well as the experience with the doctor and staff, pre-op, post-op, and follow ups at 3 and 6 months. I'm not going to go crazy with photos, just a few at a time with good lighting and well focused on the important details.
So whoever wants to follow, hop on board and ride the "OMG, What Have I Done??" train with me!
Updated on 25 Apr 2017:
I'm at the 30 day mark, and not close enough to the surgery date to freak out yet. I do have some concerns at this time though.
I don't smoke but I do vape. Smoking is a no no, and my dr said no nicotine at least 2 weeks prior. I've read other reviews where they said no smoking 3-4 weeks, or even 8 weeks prior to surgery. So I've gone to 100% ZERO nicotine in my e-liquid. Of course my dr still said no to that, so I'm not sure what I'll do. I do realize the importance of this, so I fully intend to do whatever necessary to make this surgery a total success!! If that means quitting the vape, then so be it. I'll have to quit drinking 2 weeks before too. Hmmm...
Then there's the pre-op doctors appointment. I called my primary and asked if this visit could be coded so the insurance would cover it. It's a routine physical, but with EKG and blood (which of course isn't covered.) The nurse got a bit noisy and offended and said "It's PRE OP, we can't change that!" I'm like, okay okay, chill out lady. I was just asking ;)
My center said the blood nicotine test might be expensive, but that they could do a urine test on May 11 at my pre op appointment. Which I think they do anyway, so not sure if I need the blood nicotine test.
Maybe I'm just being cheap now, which is ironic *lol*. I'm spending as much as it will cost to repair the front porch, so I am now referring to this surgery as 'fixing the front porch'. The ladies at work know when I refer to the "porch" I'm talking about my face.
I'm enjoying writing all this, whether other's read it or not. Something therapeutic about putting all these thoughts into a blog so to speak.
Updated on 26 Apr 2017:
Good lord, I thought it would be prudent to take a few pics of me today, 28 days pre-op, but I wasn't ready to see these!! Seriously, it's not like I don't see this face every morning. Photos are rarely flattering, and the few that I actually like are when I'm smiling, but I didn't realize until just now how freaking old I look...
Updated on 2 May 2017:
Now I'm second guessing this whole adventure.
I was doing alright until Sunday, when I received news of my sister-in-law's terminal cancer getting the best of her (the end is imminent, just a matter of time.) My choice to have cosmetic surgery suddenly seemed ludicrous, selfish and totally unnecessary. At 60, her life is ending, and at the same age, what am I thinking about? My face?? When did I become so vain? If you ask anyone who knows me, they will say this is completely out of character for earthy, natural, barefoot Sue. Yet, here I am.
So, I keep asking myself: In the big scheme of things, is my face getting old really that important?
“I don’t look that bad…it’s a lot of money…I’ll be the only one who notices…but it’s for me, not for what others will think of me, it's what I want…this is a whole lot of downtime and I’ll be out of commission for most of the summer…what if I have complications, nerve damage, ugly scars, wounds that won’t heal, lopsided face, tight ‘noose’ neck feeling for the rest of my life…
Okay, that’s enough for today. Tomorrow I see my dr. She’s very outspoken, so I’m curious as to what she’ll say about this surgery…
Updated on 3 May 2017:
I've been meaning to cut my hair, but not sure if I should do it before or after the surgery. Any suggestions?
Updated on 4 May 2017:
A lot has happened in the last few days. First, my BF accepted a job offer with a start date of May 15th. He has been looking for over a year, so this has been most anticipated and he has accepted the position. But, that means he will not be able to take care of me May 25th-26th :(
Also, my SIL is getting close to the end, and the potential for a conflict due to funeral arrangements is greater now. I can just imagine my luck that either I would miss the funeral, or show up as the Giant Q-tip to provide comic relief.
So the date has now been moved to Sept 7th. This also gives me all summer to work on the yard and house (1900s total restoration). Might just get the REAL porch done!
I realized yesterday, after squawking like Chicken Little, that I am ready, oh so very ready to get this surgery done and get through the recovery. So now I must wait, and I'll still be on RS to follow others on their journey. Wiscogrl, I'll be watching your every move with envy!
Thanks again to everyone here. Such a great, supportive group you are :)
Updated on 15 May 2017:
She went peacefully on Monday afternoon, I drove the distance to be with family and spent the week...a very long, sad, difficult week.
I think I reflected more on life during these 6 days than I have in the last 10 years. Life goes on, even if changed, it remains the same. Family matters, happiness matters, and life is oh so much shorter than we ever imagined. The tears we cry, the laughs we have, the hugs, the jokes, the trying times... its all so wonderful.
"Could Have Been Me" by the Struts:
"I wanna taste love and pain
Wanna feel pride and shame
I don't wanna take my time
Don't wanna waste one line
I wanna live better days
Never look back and say
Could have been me
Could have been me"
Until next time my friends. Live Long and Prosper *rockin' the Vulcan hand*
Updated on 11 Aug 2017:
27 days, just 4 weeks until I go in for the procedure. I haven't really thought about it until just a few days ago, so I did the blood work, and have my pre-op visit on Aug 17th. That will be the time to discuss my concerns and confirm what exactly will be done.
I researched arnica montana as a topical for bruising, and bromelain (pineapple) for an anti-inflammatory supplement. Other than that, I don't know what else I would add as a supplement for the bruising/swelling.
I have my recliner, probably won't be able to wear my glasses so a tablet is how I will watch my entertainment. I have my protein shakes, and other than that, I think that's it.
If anyone who is reading has any suggestions, please post them. I feel like I may be missing some prep information.
Updated on 24 Aug 2017:
So I am two weeks out from surgery. My ps is so awesome, and his assistant is an angel. We went over the procedure, took pics, and he made lots of notes. I got to pick my music, which will be Pink Floyd, mostly Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here. Some Vivaldi too, but hopefully I won't be hearing much of anything. I just want to drown out the sound of any cutting.
14 days. I have changed my diet to no alcohol *ugh* Taking 1000 mg of Vit C daily. I stopped vaping nicotine months ago, so no worries there.
I'm going low carb also. That's my plan, not the ps. I want to lose those last few pounds before surgery, and also eliminate any inflammatory foods. I'll be eating raw pineapple along with the Arnica the last two days.
It still doesn't seem real, like it's someone else getting it done and I'm just talking about them :)
Updated on 25 Aug 2017:
I took a photo of me today, just now, in the bathroom at work which is where I notice my loose skin the most. I look okay, angle and lighting make all the difference of course. I just wanted to have one more good look at how I really appear to myself.
Updated on 6 Sep 2017:
Less than 24 hours to go. I'm definitely getting nervous now, even though it still feels like it's happening to someone else. Very surreal. Xanax is my friend today, so I'm glad I'm not busy at work.
Recliner is in place in the living room. I found that a towel rolled up behind my neck will give me more support. I think the swelling in the neck area will be very uncomfortable so I don't want my face falling forward and putting pressure there. TV is easily viewed, and I have a tablet pillow to watch Netflix as I drift in and out of sleep during the night. American Horror Story marathon lol
We bought a Ninja to make smoothies: blueberry, kale, banana, chia and kafir. We also made seaweed/shitake/miso soup (low sodium). And I have my protein shakes. I think that will take me through the weekend.
I am to wear a button up shirt, no bra, loose pants and warm socks as the room will be cool.
I'm mostly worried that tomorrow, when the surgery begins, I will not be 'under' enough. I have a high tolerance to pain meds, and 1 Vicodin may not be enough. My dr also upped my Ativan to 3. I feel like I might be that horse, the one who doesn't go down after the first tranquilizer, who kinda staggers around until the second or third dose brings her down.
But I love my doctor, and his assistant Danielle is amazing, and I am confident I will be in good hands. In my head I see myself and bf walking into the op room and seeing the smiling faces and feeling the kind hands lead me to the chair...and...then it will begin...oh my. Vivaldi playing softly, lights bright as dr begins drawing on my face, planning the improvements to my 'front porch'.
To my RS friends, if you have questions please ask, and if you want pics, please also ask. I will try my best to take them in good lighting and at good angles.
:)
Updated on 8 Sep 2017:
Well, that wasn't too bad at all. Slept relatively well the night before, and was up with all my meds and ready to go by 7:30. I predicted, this little filly needed one more sedative. I wasn't worried, just wasn't loopy or drowsy enough. The Dr could tell when it was time, and we turned on Pink Floyd 'Wish You Were Here' while he gave me the injections. Most were hardly felt at all. I stayed awake for 90% of the surgery, could feel the tugging and pulling and positioning and cutting and burning, but with "Welcome to the Machine" and "Wish You Were Here" playing in the background made it seem like a dream.
I wasn't supposed to touch my face, so every time my hand went up for an itch, the Hand Police would catch me and scratch my nose for me. A couple of times I just played air guitar, ya know, like I wasn't really reaching for my face. The nurses liked that lol
After it was all done, they wrapped my head in a giant cotton swab and sent me and my bf out the back door. Had a fruit smoothing for dinner, rested and slept and watched TV. Not much pain, but it was there so I took the pain meds. Mostly it was hard to see the TV or watch the tabled, angle was all wrong.
This morning we went for the follow up. Dr loves everything, was very pleased with the outcome. Bruising is minimal, swelling hasn't really started yet (that will be to come). All in all, a very splendid adventure.
Updated on 8 Sep 2017:
Some closer ones of the sutures and staples. I think he did a splendid job!
Updated on 9 Sep 2017:
It has begun. The super tight feeling, the serious swelling, the tingling. It's all normal, I know, but that first day is so misleading. You feel wonderful because there isn't any real swelling yet, and the bruising is just starting. So I need to hold onto my hat and ride this out for another 5-7 days before I start to see the real results.
Updated on 12 Sep 2017:
Washed my hair (awesome!!) and had the stitches out, dr said everything looks great. They put surgical tape on the incisions and said to leave them on until they fall off on their own. After that I use the scar cream.
I must say, this has been a most interesting experience. The tightness and numbness in the face really can't be described very well. It's bizarre, like wearing a plastic mask pulled tight around the ears. It does hurt, but not enough to be bothersome, just always there. The tightness in the neck is not bad, no feeling of choking or 'clothesline'. Wearing my glasses is a bit of a bother as it irritates the temple area.
I tried sleeping in bed last night...big mistake. Even with a bunch of pillows, I slid down during the night and woke up around 5 am with my face swollen and throbbing and a headache. Back to the recliner for a few more days, maybe through the weekend. Seriously, don't try it, because it truly is a setback you don't need. The swelling is the hardest part, so keeping it to a minimum really helps.
I haven't felt any remorse or depression at all. I don't look in the mirror except in the morning to brush my hair. I tried taking pictures, but the swelling today looks pretty bad. This is the only time I felt a bit sad. No matter the lighting or the angle or whatever, in every picture I looked like a victim of domestic abuse. And that made me think of women who are abused, and what it must feel like for them to know that others can literally see their suffering in their face.
If I had to go back to the office, I could do it. Most people say it takes weeks to feel 'normal', but if I'm just sitting at a desk, there's no difference between the office and at home. I'm working from home this week, just 5-6 hours a day. Sitting at the pc is good, gets me out of the chair and away from mindless TV. Helps with the boredom for sure, and I feel productive.
That's all for today, need to get back to work. I'll check back in on Thursday at day 7.
Updated on 14 Sep 2017:
Me with makeup, just playing around a bit. Swelling is up today, so my cheeks are really puffy.
Updated on 19 Sep 2017:
First day back in the office. I'm feeling pretty good, swelling going down a bit every day. The numbness also subsides a little every day. Still a bit lumpy, I can feel it under my jaw mostly. Incisions are nearly invisible in front of my ears and at the temples.
Yesterday the Dr. took off the surgical tape, and drew some blood out of my left cheek as the bruising was quite noticeable. The incisions are great, and he is very happy with the results.
Now on to full recovery! Thank you all for following, it's been quite an adventure and I'm very happy I committed to the surgery when I did. "So long and thanks for all the fish ;)"
Updated on 27 Sep 2017:
Just thought I should post a few pics of the incisions. I'm still amazed at how beautiful Dr. To's work is. I have a hard time even finding the ones above the ear and by my eye brow. I can't see behind the ear, but it feels like nothing there. I'm sure it's red, and soon I'll be applying the scar cream.
Updated on 16 Oct 2017:
Loving that I look as young as I feel now. Little to no makeup, out in the sun, enjoying game day (Go Ravens!!)
Updated on 16 Oct 2017:
Sorry, deleted the other pic. This one is a bit better. Go Ravens!!
Updated on 25 Oct 2017:
Yeah, I just realized how much I put myself out there with some of these pics. My family doesn't know, and it only takes one person to join RS and search to find out what I've been up to. So my apologies for any missing pics, and I cropped the begeezers out of the others. Here is my most recent photo, at 7 weeks.
Updated on 30 Oct 2017:
Posting a side by side of before and now, just for reference.