Facial reconstructive surgery, a patient's story

 I’m am Andrea, a professional model. For me, my face is my livelihood. So when I was involved in a skiing accident at the start of this year, I knew that I would need help to get my career back on track. The first thing I remember after the impact of hitting a tree was people rushing over and asking if I needed help. And then a lot of ringing in my ears. When I came to, there was blood everywhere and it felt like someone had hit me so hard that it knocked all of the wind out of me and left me with this weird feeling all over my face. Over the next few days, as the swelling increased, so did my fear that something very bad had happened to me in that accident because it seemed like no one wanted to tell me the truth about how severe my injuries were.

Before it happened, my friends would tell me they liked my nose a lot. And so did I.

      Before it happened, my friends would tell me they liked my nose a lot. And so did I.

I think that’s why it was hard for me to accept at first that I needed plastic surgery—I didn’t see any reason for improvement. My family and friends were supportive though, and having people in my life who care about me made it easier to go through with the rhinoplasty procedure.

I was at a New Years Eve party with my friends and everything was going great.

      I was at a New Years Eve party with my friends and everything was going great. I was having a lot of fun until I noticed that I was bleeding from my nose. I thought it was just a nose bleed and that it would stop soon, so I ignored it. However, as the night went on, my face started to swell up and get really hot to the touch.

Eventually, my friends noticed what was happening and called an ambulance to take me to the hospital where they ran some tests and determined that my nasal septum had been broken during the fight with my friend earlier in the evening! The doctor said he could fix everything for me but warned me that he would need some time off from work during recovery.”

A few days later, the doctor told me that my injury was severe and the only solution was to repair it surgically.

    The doctor said to me, “Andrea your injury is severe, and the only solution is to repair it surgically. You’ll need at least one week to recover from this surgery and then another three months of physical therapy”.  I had agreed to that, and I went for the plastic surgery which turned-out successful. I also had to be careful not to overexert myself during recovery, but he said my face should look normal again in 3-6 months.

Although I tried not to worry about what the end result would look like, anytime my mom or brother would say something negative about how long it took to heal, I couldn’t help but to cry again.

       Although I tried not to worry about what the end result would look like, anytime my mom or brother would say something negative about how long it took to heal, I couldn’t help but to cry again.

I’m happy to report that this was one of my biggest fears that turned out better than expected! While it was frustrating at first, having patience and being positive could not be stressed enough. My fiancé has been by my side through everything and has helped me through the process of healing and recovery. Without him there for me, this journey wouldn’t have been as smooth as it was for us both (and our dog).

My advice for anyone going through facial reconstructive surgery is: don’t listen when people say how much time off work you’ll need or how long it will take your face to heal up completely. Everyone heals differently so don’t believe anyone who claims they know exactly how long yours will take; just know that YOU are stronger than any negativity thrown your way–no matter what!

The only thing that made me feel better was to know that my friends and family were being supportive of me during this time.

     As I was recovering, I couldn’t help but feel down at times. The only thing that made me feel better was to know that my friends and family were being supportive of me during this time. It may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s worth pointing out how important it is to have a supportive network of family and friends in your life.

The support of family and friends can help you feel better during recovery as well as offer emotional, physical and financial support during recovery periods when you’re feeling down or even depressed about your appearance.

Six months have passed since my facial reconstructive surgery, and the final results are much better than I thought they would be.

    Six months have passed since my facial reconstructive surgery, and the final results are much better than I thought they would be.

I had confidence in Dr. Lim before the procedure, but now his talent and expertise are even more evident to me. The nurse was happy to see me smile again because she saw that I was happy, and she was happy that I was so happy because of the change in my appearance. She told me she could tell how much happier I was by seeing the way my face lit up when we talked about different activities together—it’s not just a saying: “it takes a village.”

My nurse said that seeing a patient happy makes her day and she really enjoyed seeing me smile once again.

     It’s important to find ways to cope with the stress of facial reconstructive surgery. Talk with your family and friends, and if you need a therapist, get one. If you don’t feel like talking, write in a journal or draw or paint.

Facial reconstruction is not easy for anyone involved: patients who are coping with trauma; loved ones who want to support their friend or family member; and medical professionals who are trying to give everyone some sense of normalcy in an otherwise abnormal situation. But as Drs. Hanten and Gartner show us, it’s possible for all parties involved—patient and doctors alike—to be happy after facial reconstructive surgery has been completed.

Facial reconstruction surgery can be very difficult but there are ways to cope in healthy ways when you’re recovering from surgery

     Facial reconstructive surgery can be a very difficult process that requires you to cope in healthy ways. There are many things you can do to help yourself after surgery and make your recovery as smooth as possible.

• Keep a positive attitude: This is often easier said than done, but it’s important to remember that facial reconstruction is not a death sentence and you will get through this. You survived the accident or injury that caused the damage, so now you need to put your energy into recovering from this new injury with the same positive attitude with which you have approached other challenges in your life

• Get plenty of rest: Getting adequate sleep after surgery helps speed up healing time and improves overall health

• Take all medication as directed by doctors/nurses: Taking medication properly can help prevent infection and other complications

• Exercise regularly: Working out helps reduce stress levels and promotes better circulation throughout the body; these benefits are especially helpful during recovery from facial reconstructive surgery since patients may experience some numbness or pain in their face following procedures such as dental implants or jaw surgeries (including chin augmentation)

Conclusion

     It’s been six months since I received facial reconstruction surgery and I feared that I wouldn’t look like myself after recovering. Before it happened, my friends would tell me they liked my nose a lot. And so did I. A few days later, the doctor told me that my injury was severe and the only solution was to repair it surgically. Although I tried not to worry about what the end result would look like, any time my mom or brother would say something negative about how long it took to heal, I couldn’t help but to cry again. The only thing that made me feel better was to know that my friends and family were being supportive of me during this time. Six months have passed since my facial reconstructive surgery, and the final results are much better than I thought they would be!

Visit AffordablePlasticSurgeryCharlotte.com to read the original article. https://affordableplasticsurgerycharlotte.com/facial-reconstructive-surgery-a-patients-story%25ef%25bf%25bc