Love my Family, Never Wanted the Nose! - Chelmsford, MA

Oookay, it's been a long time since an update, but there really hasn't been much to report. I'm grateful I've had a boring recovery. I had some pain along the bridge and its sides for the first month and a half. Then one day, I noticed it had faded by a lot and now (two months post) it's virtually non-existent. My dissolvable stitches all fell out around a week and a half post. Okay, fell out is a lie, I coaxed the last ones out with some gentle...manipulation. I made sure not to tug, dig, force, or cause pain in any way though.

What I still think is funny is the way the inside of the nostrils feel now. They're bumpy and I think I can feel the scar tissue. Thankfully it doesn't affect my breathing at all. Some nights it swells and I get a little congested, but that's my biggest complaint. Everything is a bit stiff and blowing my nose is still a bit of a challenge. It doesn't hurt, its just weird to clean up after sneezing and not have the flexibility in the cartilage yet. My doctor assured me it would all soften up in a bit, especially since the skin on the tip of my nose was a bit thick. Bonus note: I use to trumpet like nobody's business, now I sound like a normal person, quiet!

The scar on the columella has cleared up nicely. It's not visible unless you are looking straight up my nose (...don't do that) and even then it's very faint. I was surprised because I usually scar noticeably, so I'm really satisfied with the way it's looking. The only bummer right now is the area immediately around the scar is numb/tingly to the touch. It's not at all noticeable unless I touch it and then it just feels bizarre. My doctor says that'll return to normal. Time will tell, of course, but it's not a huge issue.

Overall I'm happy to be recovering. The bridge, though a bit wide, is straight now and really helps to keep my face more feminine. My only irk is I wish more length could've been taken off of the tip. Seeing my before pictures right next to my current pictures have helped me see the changes, but sometimes I can't help but wish it more petite, with a shortened tip. I will say, however, that I am happy with the angle. It used to turn down (bleh) and now it's straight. I would hate to have a nice short nose from the side that is too upturned/piggy from the front. That would bother me 100x more than what I've got now!

In my mind my satisfaction with my current nose shape (doctor/quality/healing not included) is about a 7.5/10 Definitely not bad. My doctor, the quality of his work, and the excellence of his staff all make this experience completely worth it though. I would do it again in a heartbeat with his office behind the procedure!

Okay, I've gotten over the "dear lord, why?" feelings. When I first got the cast off my nose was (still is) very swollen and, with all the oil build up under the cast, had a bunch of whiteheads. Not a great look for reinforcing the past 7 days of pain, discomfort, and healing.

My doctor was very positive about the results, which was a bit surprising because he is typically very calm, reserved even, with his statements. I wasn't being very helpful either, because I just sat there with what I imagine to be a very strange look on my face, wondering if I had done the right thing by getting the surgery in the first place. After leaving the office I called my husband, told him he wasn't allowed to laugh at me or my new feature, and promptly broke down crying which included the words "I wish I had my old nose".

Fast forward to today (two days after cast removal) and I am doing much better! Mentally/emotionally, I have accepted my new nose. I can firmly say I do not want my old nose back. While my new one is swollen and still kind of big, it has a nice slope (yay no more hump) and the tip has been brought up to a decent level. I was told by my doctor there is no need for me to tape my bridge, so it's been kind of fun and strange to see the changes it's going through. The skin has gone from shiny and swollen to normal with something like crease marks while it shrinks down around the bone again. Weird, I know, but you should know!

I now keep Q-tips in every room so when I get an itch I can gently sooth it. Or when I sneeze I can, uh, clean up, since blowing my nose still isn't happening for another week or two. The stitches on my columella were removed and have healed for the most part, but the dissolvable stitches in my soft triangle are still very apparent. I keep Aquaphor on them throughout the day in an attempt to keep them soft. I wont lie, I've had a hard time keeping my hands off of my nose. I'll start reaching up and stop myself- I must look ridiculous from a third party view.

Pain is pretty minimal, my bridge feels broken (well, duh, it was) and sore to the touch. My skin feels like it has a bad sunburn, but that is soothed by gentle moisturizer.

All in all, I do not regret my surgery and look forward to healing...and hopefully seeing my previously narrow bridge again! It's been a great excuse to treat myself gently and get back to sleeping on my back.

My personal list of must-haves (aside from medications) for healing and recovery take from it what you will!:
- Ayr saline (non-medicated) spray, mmm moistures
- Q-tips, softly sooth your itchies!
- U-shaped pillow for neck support, didn't need it right away, but was good during the day
- Juice, because so much water got old after three days
- Many pillows to make bed as comfy as possible in one sleeping position
- Tylenol, Percocet -while great, gave me a killer headache for an entire day
- Chapstick or bag balm (love it more than anything)
- Aquaphor for some good internal stitch moisture
- Straws, if you use them out of the side of your mouth you don't have to purse your lips
- A good care-taker if you can find one! My husband would kill a pet rock (though I love him so), my mother, on the other hand, is a born nurturer.
- Happy food...mine was toast with raspberry jam. Easy to make, easy to eat, easy to digest

Just a quick update. Bruises have subsided, I have a little yellow under my eyes, but not much. My cast is driving me absolutely batty, but worse than that are my stitches. I have non-disolving stitches and it feels like a porcupine in my nose. My left nostril and I are not friends. It seems as though one of the stitches in the soft part of the columella is irritating the tissue, causing it to inflame, which makes the stitch even more annoying. It's a vicious circle.

Anyhow, this whole mess should be coming out tomorrow, which I greatly look forward to. I am setting my standards low (so as not to be disappointed), and I am expecting lots of swelling. I have already told my husband he is not allowed to dislike it or utter the words "it looks the same". Poor guy. Here's to hoping for the best and see you all on the morrow!