hope4change2012
28 Days Post Op - I feel fine
Dec 19, 2012
Well, as I sit here I'm grateful that I'm post op. I'm grateful that I was brave and not only had the surgery, but had it in MX with Dr. Sauceda. I got excellent results and didn't go into financial ruin over this. All the work I had done cost less than a cheap car. I'm worth as much as that I think.
I also sigh at the thought of this long healing process ahead of me. I went to my PCP yesterday to have him check a few things. I left feeling like a weirdo. He is a younger doctor and had never seen a LBL scar. In fact, he went ...whoa... and literally stepped back and said, that's a huge scar. I said, somewhat embarrassed, you mean wide? He said, no, that goes all the way around. I felt tears well up. When we swim in this OH pool and plastic surgery pool, we get so used to scars that we don't realize how weird it appears to other people. The nurse looked grossed out. The doc got his composure and said everything is healing nicely. I sort of felt like it was a waste of my time and money to go. I just wanted to have him check: 1. My IV hand still itches and swells some and I have a history of blood clots so I wanted to be sure I was fine. He said yes, it's superficial, as in not a deep vein problem (which I had before), but that I should watch it, take a baby aspirin daily and use a warm compress if it aches. While in MX, you may experience this. They inject your pain meds into your IV and "slam" it in. It burns when they do it. I would try to explain to do it slower, but I don't think I made my point clear. I just endured the pain to get the relief from the pain meds. I never felt pain, other than putting the pain meds in, so that it was worth it.
The doc looked at all the scars. He said things looked good and that I'd experience many changes over the next year. He didn't really have much advice. The best advice I got was from my sister who said: "In medicine, the common adage is: If it's wet, make it dry. If it's dry, make it wet." Dr. S liked that. So, it's true. I've been applying Aquaphor to it since I went off the antibiotic cream. The doc wasn't much help with the bumps on my face. Honestly, like I said, I felt like a a freak show to him and the nurse. I live in the midwest and they hadn't seen anyone who had plastic surgery before. My PCP said that I should follow what my surgeon said. Dr. S told me that I had small bumps on my face and with time they will dissipate with the aid of massage. That's what I've been doing and I do think it's helping. When the doc left the room, I showed the nurse the before and after pics and that got her in a bit of awe. You really have to see them to appreciate what Dr. S has done for me. I asked the doc to help me with paper taping behind my ears since, well, I'm paying for that (what ended up to be) stupid appointment. His RN helped with that. Yet, I'm glad I went in for that stupid appt. I needed reassurance that I was well. I am.
Scar help - I've entered the wound care phase of this long (ass) healing journey. So far I did learn that the the paper tape is great and does stick nicely and you won't want to take it off every day. That concerned me initially because I had a routine of showering and conditioning and massaging. How do you do that? Well, I think that I'll be showering, leaving the tape on until it wants to come off. Yesterday I had taken it off after 12 hours to prepare for my dr appt. It was adhering nicely and it hurt to take it off, thus leaving it on will be my next step. Under my Saucedas, the breast lift scar is sort of tender and the paper tape may be a problem there. I did buy mepitac 1.5 tape as recommended by Not2L8. It is pricey, but I think I'll be happy I bought it in the near future I may use it under my breasts only. It's padded silicone tape. I'm using Aquaphor on the wounds. I did buy pure Aloe Vera gel and may use that later. It's a journey and I'm on step one. I will say that I like massaging best with my garment on. I am grossed out, still, by the way my body feels. The numbess is creepy to me. With the garment on, the tape is secure and I just go over it a few times a day.
Face healing - I have taped up the scar behind my ears. I don't know if the bumps on my neck under the scar are new or I just noticed them. The numbness is fading and I can feel things more prominently. I will leave the tape on them for a few days. I peeled it off for my appt and I think it hurt it a little. The scar in the front of my ear is invisible almost, which of course I'm thankful for. I put Aquaphor on it and massage it, but it's still numb. I do feel a little bump on it though. It seems bumps are appearing everywhere. I don' t know if I can just feel them or they are forming. And, forming can mean seroma or hematoma, which though, according to Dr S and other patients, unless they are really big, will resolve. I'm just going to trust the process. My scar under my chin is invisible almost. I did put papertape on it and left it on. I read somewhere to kneed on it with your thumbs like you would kneed bread, so that's what I'm doing. It seems to be loosening up. As far as face massage goes, I do a variety of things. I'm still grossed out by the numbess so I also like massaging, part of the time, with my garment on and/or rubber gloves. However, I do, on and off throughout the day, just reach up there and do a light tapping on the spots or a gentle butterfly type massage up and down. I try to do it hourly, yet briefly.
In summary, I'm still very happy I did this. I honestly love my face work so much and I almost didn't do it and that's exactly what previous Dr. S patients said too. It knocked off about 5-7 years. I'm so glad I took before pics. I had a double chin and my neck was sort of draping when I turned my head down, etc. Initially I thought, oh well. Not now..now I'm so glad I did it. I've had a rough 6 years and feel like I was given back what I gave. Honestly, I worked like a dog and helped support someone who apparently was just using me. I was good to his kids and the kids and I still have a relationship. I'm glad I could help them, but am also glad that Dick Head finally revealed who he really is so I can get on with my life. I look like I did before I met that liar. They say that God pays you double for your trouble. I have been paid that back with this surgery. My face looks like it did years ago and my body looks better than it has in years, if ever. I've never had a flat tummy, even as a teen. I remain grateful.
Update in a few...
I started the paper tape routine in earnest yesterday. I had
