Over Projected and Long Overdue! - Glendale, CA

Splint came off today! I immediately liked what I saw. It's basically my old nose, just smaller and without the bump. Exactly what we discussed prior to surgery. I am of course viewing this knowing things look a bit distorted and "Avatar" like but the over all concept was there and I could tell that it will be a much better nose than before. I also can breathe through both nostrils which is a bit surreal! The removal of splint is not painful, just a little uncomfortable. He removed the splint and some of the gross elements in my nose. We discussed what he was able to accomplish during surgery and he even got out the tape measure so we could see how much it changed. He was able to take off 1/2 mm (it went from 4mm to 3.5mm long) and that is a lot. I have read up on over-projected noses and from what I understand they can be complicated however Dr. G makes it all looks so easy. My concern was he would perfect the profile and then I would not like the front. It is still very early and I am swollen however I have enough of a sense that even if this is my final result (which clearly it's not), I am super happy! I had the opportunity to spend more time with Dr. Grigoryants during this appointment and got to know him a bit more. Honestly, I wish he was a family member, our children attended the same school, or a neighbor. I love it when people are spectacular at what they do and normal at the same time. I was ready to start a new project with him as soon as we finished reviewing the nose. What's next? I would not hesitate to recommend Dr. G to anyone! I drove six hours from Silicon Valley for this follow-up appointment. The lovely staff moved my appointment to the last appt of the day (6:30) and when I arrived 30 min early, slid me right in. I was done by 6:30! They are not only nice but super efficient. At any rate, I am so exhausted. I planned to stay in Glendale however apparently there was some sort of city-wide in town because everything was sold out so I ended up driving home after eating dinner and it's after 3:30 am!

Hi everyone:
I feel like I am coming out the other side now. I am anxious to heal properly and get back to my life.
My family is doing OK but I can tell they are missing their CEO. Personally, I was not ready to do this earlier in my life. At 44 I am finally ready to take chances with my face. I probably could have done it somewhere between 30-44 however my career was in high gear and there was no way I would have taken two weeks off for plastic surgery. I am so happy I have this time in my life where I can finally take care of my nose that was not functioning correctly and at the same time correct some minor issues I had aesthetically. I am so grateful to have an amazing husband and supportive family. Even though their initial reaction was "you are crazy", they have come around and are helping me heal. I know if I had done this in my 20s I would have never been happy with the result. I was/am too much of a perfectionist and my looks were very important to me when I was younger. Each passing year brings wrinkles, but also perspective even for the most neurotic of woman. I am happy that I no longer obsess about being a size 2 (although sometimes I wish cared a little bit more so now I would work out). Today, I obsess about other things, like making sure my son gets the very best education possible. In all honesty, I think the secret to happiness is remove the focus from ourselves and put it on others. I know it sounds so incredibly trite but honestly I would never want to be in my 20s again and I don't miss my 30s either. To all the ladies of RealSelf that happen to be in different stages of their lives, I applaud you for having the courage to make a positive change in your life. I also applaud you when you move on and focus on more interesting things that life has to offer once you have taken care of business. I see Dr. G on Tuesday for the first time since surgery and will let you know how it goes.

I am feeling OK. I am managing pain with meds. I was hoping I would not need them so much but they are there for a reason. The previous reviews are so helpful on what to expect. My mouth and teeth were/are very sore after surgery. That dry mouth feeling is no joke. I just keep ice water on bedside table at all times. I believe I had the tubes to ensure no blood went to the stomach during surgery. Luckily no vomiting and everything is going relatively smoothly. I've been watching movies and just dosing off here and there. I have not slept through the night but dose off as needed and it's not that bad. Apple sauce has been my friend, so has peanut butter sandwiches.