Great Distance Traveled for a Great Doctor. Worth the Wait - San Diego, CA

I have wanted rhinoplasty for some time. Half of my family have lovely noses and the other half have a distinctly unfeminine bump that makes the nose look bulky and a little severe. More bothersome is that I can't really breath out of my left nostril. I never really noticed that until Dr. Jaibaji demonstrated how opening it up could improve my breathing during our initial consultation. Over time I've also noticed that my brow sits at or below my orbital bone, my hooded eyelids not obstructing my vision, but certainly causing me to have to physically lift my brows to look like a happy and engaged person, even though I feel that way inside 99% of the time.

I first sought a consultation with Dr. Jaibaji in 2010, shortly after finishing graduate school and was impressed with his demeanor and his aesthetic sensibilities. His portfolio for rhinoplasty is simply stunning. I loved that the noses seem like the right size for the face and that they do not come to a hard pointed end, the way many "done" noses seem to invariably appear. The softer, cuter, more refined nose what what I had in mind. Alas, I did not want to borrow money to have the procedure performed and the quote at the time was too much after reflection on where I was financially.

In the intervening years I have lived all over the world and have often browsed plastic surgeons in my area to see if one of them might be a good fit. My research has included doctors in Korea, New York, DC and even London. I have never found a surgeon whose book reflects the quality of Dr. Jaibaji. I am preparing to return to the states this summer and have a bit of downtime so I called Dr. Jaibaji's practice in hopes of scheduling another consultation. His staff is still warm and helpful. Genesis arranged for a phone consult with the doctor for a couple of days after my initial conversation. He was able to remember not only the medical facts and concerns that were present in my case file, but also details of my life that I do not believe would have been in the file...he just seems like a very caring person. We also discussed my concern about my droopy lids and he suggested that I send him photos so that he could evaluate and provide his opinion on whether we should do an upper bleph/brow lift, or a non surgical interim approach. At present I have scheduled my in-person consultation for 18 July and then will have surgery on the 22nd. I am waiting to have his final opinion about the eyelid issue and will update the price and other details when they are finalized. I will be flying in from the east coast for surgery shortly after I return to the country and will stay with family while I recover. I am nervous about the process but feel I am in great hands and look forward to sharing my journey with you all. I have benefitted from so many posts and hope my posts are helpful to you as well.

Day of surgery was Friday. Dr. Jaibaji and his team made me feel very comfortable and I was in surgery for 2-3 hours. My mom brought me back to the hotel and I took a promethazene right away because I felt very sick to my stomach. Aside from that, I just felt sleepy most of the day. I took the Percocet and antibiotics as prescribed and muddled through ok. Have to suggest applesauce in a squeeze tube and other squeezable foods. They've been awesome for me. The dry mouth spray that others have suggested is also great.

I am trying to alternate between Percocet and Tylenol because I have a hard time peeing when I'm on painkillers. Lol. Just wanted to put that out there in case there are others who might have the same issue.

Sleeping and resting with my head elevated but not cleaning my nose. My doctor taped it up well and just told me to change the drip pad as necessary until our next appointment. I am glad, I don't think I would feel comfortable playing around in there right now.

All in all, I think my recovery is tracking per the timeline shared by many. I am two days post op now and have swelling and some bruising around my eyes. That said, I don't feel too awful and remain confident in my choice to trust Dr. Jaibaji. I'm trying not to look at the mirror too much right now. I'm just drinking a lot of water and trying to eat little bits when I can.

Will check in again when there is more to talk about.

Happy Healing!

Last night was a bit rough. I threw up a bit but then felt better. Stopped taking pain meds after that. I'm just taking Tylenol now and that seems to be handling and pain. The pressure, swelling, and bruising are still somewhat of a bother. I am resting and trying to stay hydrated. I'm really pleased that the healing seems to be proceeding on schedule and I'm also feeling very fortunate being able to recover in a peaceful space. Will add a Day 3 photo in a bit.