I think I'm Happy with my Facelift ??- Jackson, MI

I will be 12 weeks post-op next this next Thursday and still waiting for some swelling to go down in my neck area. Or at least I think it's swelling or I am just going to have this "fat" face forever? I go back to my PS the first week of June so it will be interesting to find out what he has to say......I am not happy with my neck at all....I know it's an improvement from before, but I was hoping for a better result. Will it improve or is it where it's going to be at this point?

I am now at 9 weeks post-op and slowly improving. Still have the hardness (like rubber?) at the sides of both ears and tightness/pulling under my chin ear to ear. Not painful, just annoying. I think 7 weeks was my turning point. I was so discouraged from about 3 weeks until 7 weeks, so depressed and miserable I couldn't stand myself. I still have some swelling in my neck that is very slowly diminishing, I would be so happy if all the swelling would leave and I would have a nice smooth neckline. Not 100% sure that is going to happen. I go back to my PS in June for my 3 month checkup. I wonder what he will think? I am not completely happy with the way my neck looks at this point, but there is improvement from my "before", and I also realize I am not completely healed, So, will all the swelling go down and will I be happy? Time will tell. Plus I am on a weight loss program, have lost 10 pounds so far. I would still like to lose another 15 so maybe I will lose some of my "chubby" face as a few more pounds drop off. I am short, so every little pound seems to show up..Hope everyone is doing well. Hang in there, it does get better....maybe not daily as in the early weeks, but more gradual.... slowly.....better.

Well, here I am at almost 5 weeks post op. Finally will post some pictures. Please feel free to tell me what you think. I'm not sure right now. I do think there is some improvement from my 'before' picture which was taken in June 2011 (I never liked my picture taken anyway), and 'after' pictures. Looks to me like I am more swollen in the cheek/jowl, neck area than I was at only 1 week post op. It feels swollen to me too. Hope it just goes along with the wierd feelings/tenderness and general yucky feeling I have been having lately. My doc says that I am progressing normally, sure hope everything settles down by my ' new' goal date of feeling better which is sometime in June 2013. My recovery has been what has seemed like never ending discomfort and questioning if there is much of a difference or not. I am 62 years old so I don't expect to look 20 years younger, that wasn't my goal. I just wanted to get some improvement in my neck area. Also wondering if because I also had old scar tissue released from 2 prior medically necessary surgeries (cysts on my thyroid gland) at the same time as my FL, maybe that has something to do with how I have been feeling? I am really going to try and think more positive than I have been and just hope for the best. Hope everyone is doing well and healing fast. Hugs to all.