Rhinoplasty + Chin Implant / 26 / Grad Student - San Antonio, TX

Crazy to think tomorrow I will be two weeks post-op tomorrow. I remember waking up after my surgery and going through the first 2-3 days begging to be where I am now.
Granted there wasn't a whole lot of pain...it was more discomfort than anything else.

Not a whole lot to update to be honest. I went back to work this Monday. No one has asked any questions and no one has really made any comments other than happy to have me back and how I've been feeling.
I'm still sleeping on my wedge pillow...though I do notice my head has been trying to roll over to the side...I'm not a back sleeper at all. I miss sleeping on my stomach SO bad!

I've been sneezing a lot lately (my office is stuffy) and I've been really good about sneezing out of my mouth...until yesterday. I let one past me on accident and I was so worried. I posted a question here and I think I'll be alright. No bleeding or changing of shape afterwards thankfully.

I'm still cleaning with the saline spray and gently with Q-Tips a few times a day.
Sorry for bad quality of images. I took them on my Mac and truthfully, I don't think the photo does my nose any justice. It looks SO much better in person. I do think the chin implant looks wonderful. I finally feel like my profile is more balanced. Less of a tired look than before.

I'm not sure what else to post about! If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask! :)

Hi lovlies!

So today I went for my first post-op appointment and got my cast off! Everyone seemed to be in a bit of a rush today at the office so it was a little off-putting, I won't lie. I think my Dr. had a lot of things on his mind because we didn't really talk a whole lot. But bedside manner is only part of my total review. I chose him based on his reviews of success and literally no-revision history or unsatisfied rhino patients. That to me is more important that my Doc being a bit too busy for a Tuesday afternoon (which is understandable).

I got to the office and was taken back around noon or so and Dr. Garza started removing the bandages around my chin. That felt sooo much better. I felt like my chin was getting all crinkled because of the bandage tape and the blood had dried and gotten hard. I mentioned to him that I couldn't feel a whole lot on the lower right side of my chin so he started feeling around to check what I could feel and what I couldn't. His primary concern was that I was feeling things in my lips, which I have been since day one. He said that feeling will slowly start to come back around my chin and just to be patient. I know this is part of the process and I can be patient.
Then he removed the stitches. Apparently there's a small opening still (tiiiiny tiny tiny) where the implant was placed (I think) and said he'd put some more stuff on it and if it didn't heal and close up on his own, I'll have to get a stitch there. I really hope it does its thing on its own....Not really about that whole awake stitches thing. Anyone had anything like that happen to them??

After that he moved on to my nose. Since I didn't have stints, the process was easier, he explained. He started removing the tape and cleaning up my nose here and there as he worked. Then he started to remove the cast. OWWWW so painful! My nose is SO TENDER it's crazy. Then he started feeling around my nose to feel where the bone was and what was swelling. He was happy to see and feel the results and said he knew I would be too.
When I saw myself in the mirror, I won't lie, like many other people I see an avatar. Haha, honestly it just looks like a slightly puffier version of my old nose. But then again, you have to remember what I asked for. I asked for essentially the same nose...but a smaller version with less "ridges" up top when I smiled. Since I can't smile fully right now it's hard to see what all is going on up there (plus I don't want to stress anything out unnecessarily..it's only day 5) so I'm just going to be patient.
As I feel around on my nose, though, I can definitely feel the difference in size. It's just all swelling. This tells me when the swelling goes down, it'll definitely be smaller. And since right now it literally looks like my old nose, I'm just fine with that. People at work won't question me which I'd be happy for (they know I got a septoplasty, but I'd rather not delve into the rhino/chin part).

Anyways, he said I'd been doing a great job at keeping the site clean which I was happy for and that the next time I'd see him would be in 3 months. Kinda crazy to think that's "it" for another 3 months. I'm just hoping for a happy healing period and to see changes and swelling decrease every day like so many of you have had.

I'm still sleeping upright on my wedge and taking my arnica, bromelian, and I have a few more days of my antibiotic. Other than that, now it's a waiting game!
Any vitamins anyone would recommend that help with swelling? Or is that still arnica/bromelain?

Hello RealSelfers!

Not too much to update since my last post really.
The end of "day 2" and yesterday were FULL of puffiness and swelling. My eyes got super swollen on the insides near my tear ducts to the point where they were almost swollen shut. I definitely did not look like myself. But I know it's just swelling so I amped up on the arnica and bromelian for the time.

Swelling has gone down a lot in regards to above. I took a shower yesterday for the first time since my surgery (was told not to until Saturday at the earliest) and ohh wow it was wonderful. I tried to be super careful to not let any water drip over my face and I think I did a decent job of it.
I can tell my face is getting really dried out from all of the bacitracin and nose spray. But I don't want to risk getting my facial lotion in a wound or anything so I can live with dry skin for now.

I've been munching on oatmeal and fat free/sugar free pudding most days. Haha, soft things are the easiest for my mouth. Sleeping was HARD last night. I could not find a comfortable position on my foam wedge. I kept wanting to turn my head to either side...Such a pain.
I tried rolling up two hand towels and put them at either sides of my head under my ears so I wouldn't roll over by accident. Not terribly helpful or comfortable, but it at least woke me up when I was subconsciously trying to turn over.
My chin is healing fine...when I touch it, it's slightly tingly...like it's been asleep or something. I still have a lot of swelling in my jowels. I feel like I look like a boxer puppy.

Today I've been watching movies on netflix and iTunes. It's been raining non-stop. Doesn't feel like much of a spring break with such crummy weather. Though, if it were really nice and sunny, I'd probably be sad I couldn't (wouldn't) be in it. Can't complain too much.
Tomorrow I get my cast off! Doctors appointment is at noon and I CAN'T WAIT! I just hope I don't bump into anything on my way out or something stupid...it'd be my luck.

Happy healing everyone :)