Neck & Jowls - New Orleans, LA

I am starting this entry at 7PM, after my surgery at about 9AM, so that I don't forget the little things. I know pics are a big help on here but I'm not comfortable with that right now... I'm thinking I might do a half-face post at some point, but right now, I just look like a person with swollen cheeks (just a little, not like golf balls), purple bruises and a jockstrap on her head. I did this because my neck and face are fat in a way that is not proportional to the rest of my body. When I lose weight, this fat stays.

I am within a normal healthy weight range for my height. Losing 10 lbs wouldn't hurt, but that's about it. If I starved and weighed about 95 lbs and maintained that for the rest of my life, I probably could get this to go away. But, I'm not going to live like that. I know women who weigh 50, even 80 lbs more than I do and do not have this much fat in these areas. It is more like someone who would be about 100 lbs more than I weigh. Not. Fair. So, I'm taking charge!

I am 35. I had mine done with general anesthesia, as including the jowls/ lower cheeks was more involved than the neck alone. When I showed up they had me pee in a cup (for women of childbearing age, for the anesthesia... which I found intrusive because I'm not having sex, they should let me sign something to that effect if my word isn't sufficient. I am aware of my own body and know what I have and have not been doing!). But anyway, they put me in a gown on a table and got the IV set up in my hand, had the dr draw on my face, etc. It took awhile for everyone to be ready, but they let me watch my own tv in the meantime, which was a good distraction to the sounds of an OR. Of course once the IV was active I was out, and I rested for about half an hour once I awoke before going home.

I was kind of restless and in pain at that point - understand that I am allergic to prescription pain killers, so they gave me a steroid, a prescription anti-inflammatory and tylenol. All that worked pretty well after a little bit. When I got home I ate a little, took meds and then slept for 2-3 hours. As others have said on here, the compression garment is really uncomfortable (but necessary!). It is impossible to ignore. I sleep on my side normally but you're supposed to sleep on your back with your head elevated... that was tough to do and actually fall asleep at the same time.

Right now, I am not sure because I can't touch most of the area through this garment where the thick gauze is, but I don't think I have any areas of numbness. All around my mouth feels awake and I think I can move all my muscles regularly (a potential issue with the jowl part of the procedure). I am trying to eat some mac n cheese (figured it is soft and easy to chew) but it HURTS to chew it on the side of my neck :O(. I don't know if it's where my stitches are or what, but it's pretty sharp pain. Earlier when I ate organic apple and berry sauce it was fine, and I tried some vanilla ice cream too, fine. The chewing is a problem... but I need some substantial food! Trying a morsel at a time... It also hurts to swallow, partially inside from the tube (just a little) and partially from moving my neck muscles, I think.

I'm taking the next few days off work, and so far it's pretty boring! I am trying to keep ice on the areas because it says that will help bruising and, of course, swelling. I wish I had started right when I got home but I slept first. Have to take the arnica montana (for bruising -i have both pills and a cream), steroid, anti-inflammatory and tylenol every few hours. Oh I also have an anti-biotic for one day. So the "jock strap" and the large swath of gauze underneath obscure most of the affected area, but I can see that my neck, around my collar bone, is bruised purple and there is a whole area of blood pooling around in there making it a little puffy. I know this is the work of gravity. It hurts to hold ice against it. I assume it looks pretty much the same under the garment but I'm not taking it off to look yet. I assume also that it is going to get worse over the next day or so, as that's what happens with regular accidental bruises. I am going to try to leave the strap on as long as I can stand to not wash my hair (prob 2 days) and then put it right back on. Then I will hopefully be feeling like I can massage the area. Dr said that was very important. I'm also kinda scared to see the bruising! :O/

9:30PM and the pooling of blood around the bottom of my neck is unnerving. It's so swollen with blood under the skin settling there... if it's the same tomorrow I'm going to call the office and check if they think it should be looked at. They're only 2 blocks away, thankfully...

Day 2, the pooling of blood has subsided for the most part, I'm sure because I slept all night laying down, we'll see if sitting up for a few hours now brings it back. The nurse called to see how I'm doing and said that shouldn't be pooling like that so to call back if it does. Kinda nervous now.

Cheeks are still swollen and still without bruising, both of which she said is normal. Throat is still sore and it still hurts to eat.

Randomly patterned purple bruising all over my lower neck. It extends pretty far down, but she said that's ok.