Fifteen Years of Waiting! - Boston, MA

My nose was not feminine at all. It was over projected and long with a straight-ish bridge. It would have probably been a great nose .... if I was a guy! My nostrils were too large and I had a very slight hanging columella. There wasn't much about my big potato of a nose I did like.

I made a 12 hour trip to see Dr. Gallico in Boston, MA. His office is in the beautiful back bay area and is lovely and the staff is wonderful. Immediately I could tell he understood what my nose should look like! His sketches and computer imaging were spot on. Because I traveled so far my surgery and consult were scheduled on consecutive days. I also paid an additional fee to stay overnight in the surgical suite (well worth it because I panicked after I woke up and it was helpful to have reassurance)

I've read reviews of people remembering the rasping or bones breaking and was terrified of that. But I don't remember a thing other than laying back in the operating room and seeing the ceiling. Then I woke up to a nurse telling me surgery had gone really well and asking me to take a sip of water.

The packing ... I feared the packing somewhat. But I should have considered my own issues a bit more. Head colds make me panic. It may be related to severe childhood asthma. But I have a fear of suffocating. I handled the packing well for a couple hours then the claustrophobic feeling started. I was convinced that when I swallowed I would accidentally be strangled by the packing that was in my nose or somehow or other suffocate. Completely unfounded and practically impossible by the way. But I panicked nonetheless. The nurses were excellent and did everything they could to reduce my stress. I refuse pain medicine because I didn't want to sleep and accidentally choke to death (again ... not going to happen ... but there was no convincing me.) So I sat up all night long sipping water, walking around distracted me so I paced the hallway of the surgical suite quite a bit. Morning came and I was still completely freaking out and exhausting myself. Dr. Gallico came by to check on me and ended up removing the packing because I was stressed. Yes, it was a mental thing, but immediately I felt better and like I may actually sleep sometime within the next week.

The pain itself was tolerable. the pressure and not being able to breathe is what was miserable. I left the surgery center thinking I had made the biggest mistake of my life.

DAY 2: Back at the hotel I slept in 10-15 minute intervals and sipped water. Nothing can prepare you for the level of dry mouth. Paced the hall some to distract myself. I slept at a 90 degree angle after surgery and all week, It's very uncomfortable but it keeps me from panicking and Dr Gallico has been impressed with how little I bruised. I think it may have to do with never having my head down all week.

DAY 3: My eyes were swollen and my jaws started to swell also. The bruising showed its colors the most this day turning purple but still not bad. I was warned my eyes may swell shut. They didn't at all. Just a little puffy. I finally ate a few pieces of chopped up banana. This was my only food since surgery. I was still panicking that I would choke to death if I ate. Saw Dr Gallico again and he okayed me for the 12 hour trip home. I finally gave in and asked for some pain meds because this day and the previous night seemed to be more painful than the others.
Headed home after the appointment but we drove about 8 hours then stayed over and continued the following day.

DAY 4&5: Now I am able to sleep for hours at a time. I wake up and feel like I ate an entire bag of cotton balls. But I feel sooo much better now getting some sleep and being able to eat even though I can't taste anything.
Made it home and left my husband there. I turned around a few hours later and headed back to Boston with my daughter. We drove Saturday & Sunday and my follow up appt is Tuesday. Stitches hurt that weird pinching pain stitches can have. I also have some stitches at the bottom of my nostril. Dr gallico uses a closed procedure. But I opted to have incision made to make my nostrils smaller and tuck them in a little.

Although I haven't see the final result I am already happier with the little bit I can see! Can't wait to get the splint off!

Major improvement in my will to live since day two haha! I just want this thing off! It itches so badly and obviously cant be scratched. Torture. So excited to see the final product tomorrow!

Today's the day for the big reveal lol! I'm so excited and nervous!